Counting Shadows (Duplicity)

passed down by mouth.’
    I snap the book closed. “Lor, I have no interest in your people’s bedtime tales. This is ridiculous. Our time would be better spent discussing Asair.”
    He takes the book from me and opens it back up to the right page. Then he hands it back to me. “If you want to know more about Asair, then read this.”
    It’s my turn to roll my eyes. But I straighten my shoulders, and then turn my attention to the book.
    ‘The legend of Sil Te-Fa tells of twin boys who were born with ink already tattooed into their skin, in the form of fire. It is said that the first-born twin was imbued with great magical strength. The second-born was imbued with magical wisdom and intelligence, and he was the adviser to the first-born. The twins were destined to conquer all the lands of their continent.
    ‘However, the human people wished to protect themselves from the Angels. Through sorcery, they created a powerful force to stop the twins. While it is believed this force once had a true name, it has been lost throughout the generations. She is now called the the Unknown.
    ‘The twins and the Unknown fought a great battle, which ended in the twins death. However, before the first-born twin died, he managed to cast a spell that would continue to bring him and his twin back to life until they succeeded in conquering the lands.
    ‘Fearing the return of the Angel twins, the humans cast the Angels off their continent, banishing them to a foreign land across the sea. It is said that throughout the centuries, nine sets of twins have been born to Angels with the signature flame tattoos. Each set have been murdered, supposedly by the spirit of the Unknown, which continues to live on.’
    I slowly close the book. The worn leather of the book’s spine crackles, and it’s the only noise in the room. I say nothing. Lor says nothing. We just think.
    Then I break the silence. “You lied. This explains nothing about Asair.”
    Lor chuckles and takes the book from me. “You’re more concerned about a lie than you are about my insinuation that I’m a figure from an ancient prophecy?”
    “I’ve already told you. I don’t like lies.”
    Lor opens the book back to the passage about the legend and absently trails his finger across the ornate writing. “It wasn’t a lie. This explains everything about Asair.” He taps the passage and looks to me, that smirk of his settling on his lips. It’s the smirk of someone happily withholding information, and my hand itches to slap him.
    But I won’t slap a wounded man, especially not one who can cut off all my access and information to Asair. I shiver as I think of his name. It doesn’t feel right, and I don’t think it ever will. To me, Ashe’s killer has always been a nameless monster, a being so low that he doesn’t even deserve a name.
    “Tell me what it explains about Asair,” I demand.
    “It explains him. His desires, his faults, his angers.” Lor closes the book and clears his throat. Then he takes a deep breath. “Asair was born with the name Kellden. He went by Kell, and his twin brother was Den. They were born to the reining Angel King, and each had the tattoo of the flames.”
    I slowly shake my head. “But I thought…” I trail off, because I’m not sure what I thought. I’m not sure about
any
of this.
    “You thought Jay and I were the twins from the legend,” Lor says.
    I nod.
    “We are,” Lor says. “But Kell and Den were, too. They were the first to be born with the tattoos in three centuries. People were shocked, or maybe frightened is a better word. They’d been telling this legend for centuries, but it was just that. A legend. And now it was coming to life right in front of them.”
    “How did they know the tattoo wasn’t fake?” I ask.
    “They didn’t, at first. So the people demanded a test. They burned away a small circle of skin on the twins’ shoulders. Both the skin and the tattoo grew back instantly.”
    I frown, remembering the branded circle close to the collarbone of Ashe’s killer.
    “After the people saw the twins’ tattoo grow back right in front of their eyes, they believed he and Den were the twins from the prophecy. People honored and practically worshiped them. Everyone believed that Kell and Den were going to lead the Angels to greatness when they grew older.”
    “But they didn’t.”
    Lor shakes his head. “Kell and Den were raised like kings. Not like princes, but like kings. Even at a young age, they were