Everything.is Illuminated Novels & Stories

The display came alive with a most disorientating overhead view of the library outside Athens. It was eerie. Lara gaped, totally dazed by the sight of Christophe striding through the door, pouring himself a large drink, and then throwing himself on the sofa. “Oh, you want to know what we’re watching? Well… I’ll start by saying this: every reception room and every corridor in my father’s houses are protected by twenty-four-hour surveillance equipment. Only the bedrooms and the bathrooms are off-limits,” Christophe informed her. “You can see the date and the exact time displayed at the foot of every frame.”

"I really do think it's like glass. I can't see it, but there is a spot here that is clear. If we're carefully, maybe there is a path across. Oh, wait." I reached in my tote bag. I couldn't see my hands or my tote, they didn't self-reflect light like the other things in this realm, but just maybe I could use it and the glass would light it up. I wrapped my hands around a bottle and pulled it out. I hoped it was the right bottle. I pointed the opening at the glass and squeezed. Baby powder shot out and landed on the glass, becoming self-illuminated. Little white specks showed a one meter square area of surface ahead of us.

It was made of white tiles that sparkled so much that they hurt the eyes. Sia turned round and round, trying to find a beginning or end. Moreover, the room was totally devoid of anything. Her head spun with the effort of trying to figure out what was going on. Just when she thought she would go crazy, her glowing CID caught her eye. The CID displayed an option ‘illuminate.’ Sia didn’t feel like the room needed any more lighting up, yet she tapped the icon just to see what would happen. Nothing in this world could have prepared her for what she was about to see. Her world view was about to turn upside down.

He nodded once at Ellan, then at me. “Your hour,” he said. “Pay the lights or bring your own.” “We brought our own,” Ellan said, and lifted two fingers. The panther techs clicked on the light towers. White beams opened the space without glare. The domed ceiling showed old ward plates set back into the stone, scored with marks half scrubbed away.

And this time— The lights went out completely.

Darkness crashes in. And I feel nothing at all.

Cold sweat drenched my body as I curled under the blanket, trembling. I wanted water. I forced myself up and staggered toward the stairs. The living room lights were off, but I saw a shadow on the sofa. Jonathan sat there, motionless. A cigarette burned between his fingers, glowing faintly in the dark. I didn’t dare make a sound. I tried to slip back upstairs quietly. "If you’re awake, come here." His hoarse and exhausted voice came from the darkness. I had no choice but to walk over. "Uncle Jonathan."

Prince Eli just rubs my back as I think he needs the comfort too. I have the curtains drawn as it is easier to focus with artificial light, but the damn curtains are not closing properly. A stream of moonlight is entering the room and throwing me off as it is distracting. I mutter under my breath, "Damn curtains", and walk over to shut them. As I let go of Prince Eli to walk over, he grabs me by the arms, holding me back. In barely a whisper, he mutters, "a moon-ray". I'm just getting angry at this point. "A what".

Because suddenly. Everything made sense. The roads. The lanterns. The cities. The stories. None of them had ever been about traveling. They had always been about trust. The unlit lantern shimmered softly. The silver key gleamed. Waiting. The chamber held its breath. And somewhere, far beyond Lumora— across every connected world— every lantern burned just a little brighter. ✨

She was like April sky, sunrise in her eyes Child of light, shining star, fire in her heart Brightest day, melting snow, breaking through the chill October and April He was like frozen sky in October night Darkest cloud, endless storm, raining from his heart Coldest moon, deepest blue, tearing down the spring October and April Like hate and love, worlds apart This fatal love was like poison Right from the start Like light and dark, worlds apart This fatal love was like poison Right from the start