Reveal (Cryptid Tales) by Brina Courtney

the village. We were an entirely pure society. It was because of his power in the tribe that he could even marry a human woman, especially because she would dilute the cryptid bloodline. But he said the spirits said we would continue to be cyptids even with her joining the family. I am now the leader of the tribe so obviously the spirits were right. But there are still some who disagree with blending the human and cryptid bloodlines. I feel that you’ve met Emina.”
     
    “ Uh yeah,” surprised I have to provide an answer after getting comfortable just listening.
     
    “ She and her family still believe in the old ways of mating only within the tribe. Her family believes members have left to live away from the village in the human’s lifestyle with their human partners. With our numbers dwindling I see their concerns but I have to say I disagree. I think reaching out and finding others like yourself will only rebuild our numbers.”
     
    I squint at him. “What do you mean, like me?”
     
    “ Shay, I know that you’re confused about all of this right now, but what you really need to know is that you’re a very strong cryptid. You come from a powerful bloodline and should you and Hugh have children, they will continue our race.”
     
    I am totally taken aback by the new development in the conversation.
     
    “ I’m sorry, I don’t mean to offend you, but don’t you think your jumping the gun a bit? I mean Hugh and I just met.” I can see Hugh blushing out of the corner of my eye. He’s looking at the floor but I can see he’s not as surprised by the bomb his dad just dropped as I am.
     
    “ Your father and I discussed this, it all has to do with the experiment I think. Jeremy knows even more about your father’s work than I do. We’ll have to consult him on it eventually, but for now what you need to know is that your dad and I had hopes that you and Hugh would find each other. We promised one another that if you were a cryptid we would attempt to fulfill the prophecy.”
     
    “ Prophecy?”
     
    “ In the cryptid culture there is an age old prophecy that dictates who will destroy our enemies. It is a mating pair of cryptids. Young people from different tribes who will further our race. Their love will overcome all evil.”
     
    “ So my dad agreed that I would be part of this? I mean you must have been pretty close for him to practically marry me off to your son.” I can’t believe my dad was part of this whole other world and our family never knew. How could he not tell me?
     
    “ Your father set out to find us after Jeremy told him about our family and when he did we became fast friends. It’s easy to be friends when a six year old introduces you. He stayed with us for a while learning everything he could about our tribe and our culture. There were more of us then, maybe thirty, and he got everyone to trust him and tell him their story. He was amazing at that.”
     
    I smile, I like thinking my father was a trustworthy man.
     
    “ But your father, he was so smart, too smart. He wanted to find more like us, and use our gifts more freely, to help people. And that’s when he started learning about The Darkness.”
     
    “ The Darkness?” I sit up straighter. “I know that name, Wendy talked about it. She said it wasn’t real.”
     
    Alo looks at me sternly, “I’m sorry to say your friend Wendy was very wrong. Native Americans have their own version of how the world was made. Our ancestors tell us that after Tabaldak created humans he used dust from our earth to form his twin sons, Gluskab and Malsumis. Gluskab takes care of our world and makes it good and beautiful while his brother seeks to destroy us. Malsumis hates humans but he despises cryptids more. He thinks that we are closer to gods than humans and he refuses to allow anyone but he and his brother to be considered divine. We tell stories to our children about him and refer to him and his followers as ‘The Darkness’ to