“"That's the problem with light," Umber said as Wylie struggled to shield himself inside a purple orb. "It will always be weaker than shadows."”
| Spoiler warning! This article contains plot details from the latest book. |
Shades have the special ability to control darkness with a substance called shadowvapor. This allows them to talk secretly, somewhat like transmitting to another person when their shadows cross, the shadow-whispering. A shadow-whisper is when a Shade's shadow carries their consciousness so only the receiver can hear the message. Shades can take a reading of a person's potential for darkness. The opposite substance to darkness is Illumination. A balance of both is good. They can also disguise people so that they are hard (but not impossible) to see, but this trick does not work close up.
Shades can also sometimes control shadowflux. Shades prefer to use shadowvapor. It is revealed in Flashback that almost everyone pretends that shadowflux doesn't exist, evn shades. Lady Zillah says that almost all shades use shadowvapor, and that it takes incredible control to maintain shadowflux. Tam is able to command it.
Note: SWM has confirmed that this alternate spelling was a typo in the first printing of Neverseen.
Wylie Endal (a flasher) uses the full-color spectrum against Umber causing her to temporarily be unable to use her talent as a shade.
Known Shades
First mentioned in book Neverseen, he joined the Black Swan along with his twin sisterLinh Song and is one of the most powerful shades with amazing control.
- Umber (Deceased)
Umber was the Neverseen's Shade. Keefe described her as "freakishly powerful". She showed to be a super powerful shade, and being able to control Shadowflux. She was killed by a falling door in Book 7.
Lady Zillah is Tam's shade mentor at Foxfire. She is said to be very intense and takes pride in her ability.