Whisperings
Seth never told anyone.
Lord, free me…
How could he? It would just be proving everyone right. Grandpa had said that shadow charmers were usually the bad guys in the stories. Seth never forgot the look on Stan's face when he learned that Seth could hear voices inside the Hall of Dread. His body froze, his voice became strained, his face pale and bloodless. So Seth had left, and he reassured everyone that he didn't hear anything outside the Hall. Back upstairs, outside in the sun, he could almost believe his own lie.
I will grant you power…
The truth was that the voices never left him.
First they came to him in his dreams, promising him power, riches, glory, anything he desired, so long as he freed them. These Seth could ignore. He was impulsive and prone to recklessness, true, but he had been tempered by caution and reason.
Lord, give me an order.
That was before he released the Wraiths.
He was desperate; there was no other option. Seth had gone ahead and commanded creatures of shadow to do his bidding. They had obeyed, albeit reluctantly, and when Fablehaven was restored they returned to their prisons.
In retrospect, Seth could have laughed at his naivety. He, a young, completely untrained shadow charmer, had commanded not one, but three wraiths, and suffered no ill effects?
He was pretty stupid when he was younger.
I will give you glory… You will have all you could ever wish for…
He brought this up with the Sphinx, once, during training. The Sphinx had been at a loss for words for a moment, before telling him how incredibly lucky he had been to not be dead. Wraiths were some of the most powerful creatures of shadow; Seth was lucky to still be sane, much less alive.
You are strong, Lord. Free me and we will be unstoppable…
Seth had laughed in relief and changed the subject.
He didn't tell the Sphinx either.
He didn't tell anyone that the voices now haunted him at all hours of the day, and were no longer limited to night. He didn't tell anyone that they whispered continuously, promising him riches beyond his imaginings, power that would let him stand against dragons, wizards, demons.
Lord…
He didn't tell anyone.
Shadow Charmers were usually the bad guys in the stories.
Seth was beginning to understand why.
Release me…
Seth always joked that when you started hearing voices in your head, it was a good sign you were going insane.
He heard voices whispering to him all the time now.
Free us… Lord…
It wouldn't be long before he started answering.