Within the hierarchy of the Chiss Ascendancy, a family member could hold the title of shadow child. This designation was given to a child from a prominent family whose existence was concealed. This secrecy aimed to protect the entire lineage from potential annihilation by adversaries.
It was believed that Syal Antilles Fel and Baron Soontir Fel had five offspring; however, indications pointed towards a total of six children: four sons named Chak, Davin, Jagged, and Cem, alongside two daughters, Cherith and Wynssa. It was later discovered that Cem held the status of a shadow child within the Fel family.
The custom was mentioned solely to resolve an evident contradiction concerning the Fel family. The introduction of Chak Fel in Survivor's Quest in 2004 caused a problem with continuity. A sixth Fel child was introduced, even though the total number of Fel children had already been established as five. Sue Rostoni, an editor at Lucas Licensing, initially proposed that Chak and Davin Fel were the same person, with Chak being a mere nickname, given that Davin was the only Fel child close in age to Chak. Ultimately, this idea was not accepted into canon. Instead, Dark Nest I: The Joiner King presented the "shadow child" concept as the explanation.
It is uncertain whether "shadow children" were a real Chiss practice or whether this explanation was just disinformation to hide the real reason for the inconsistency.