Trial For The Shadow King (Captive 0f Shadows Book 2)

by Bailey Dark

  Kane has brought us to a hill overlooking a small village through the trees. Oak trees, still filled with vibrant green leaves, stand tall and strong. Puffy clouds float across the blue sky and it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Summer flowers still bloom in the meadow, but I can smell Fall on the air. Around me, Kane, Willem, and Aiden take in our surroundings with bored expressions. I drop into a crouch and tug at a blade of grass, rubbing it between my thumb and fingertips. I trace the rough grains and even lift it to my nose to smell.

  “What are you doing?” Aiden asks, a hint of amusement in his voice.

  “Have you ever smelt a blade of grass before?” I offer it to him. He shakes his head, eyes quizzical. “It smells like the Realms of Light.”

  Aiden cocks a brow. “How would you know what the Realms of Light smell like?”

  “It’s a mortal phrase,” Kane says, studying me. “Let me see that.”

  “What?” I raise my brows in surprise. Surely he doesn’t mean the grass.

  Kane waves his outstretched hand impatiently. “Let me see the grass.”

  I rise, suddenly embarrassed, and place the broken blade of grass in his cool hand. Kane closes his eyes and lifts it to his nose, smelling it. He looks like a child, exploring a garden for the first time. His eyes snap open and he drops the blade of grass unceremoniously. “Smells like grass.”

  “Of course it does, Kane.” Aiden rolls his eyes. “Let her have her moment of nostalgia.”

  “Or perhaps it’s regret,” Willem notes slyly.

  Kane’s eyes cut towards me at his words. I keep my face a careful mask of calm but I turn my eyes away. I know if he looked hard enough, he could see everything I try to hide. Willem’s words echo through my mind. Do I regret going to the Underworld? It’s not as if I had a choice. Of course, after three months I’ll be free to return to my family if I wish, proclaiming the match a failure – but no one actually does. It’s taboo. So, regret is never anything I considered. Except perhaps agreeing to my father’s request.

  Will I regret killing Kane?

  “Mortals belong in this realm,” Aiden says nonchalantly, breaking the tension. “They wilt outside of it.”

  I glance at him, wishing he hadn’t spoken. Kane already sees too much about me as it is. But Aiden’s dark eyes are soft and sympathetic. I furrow my brows, confused.

  “Let’s get going,” Kane says, his voice cutting through the silence. “We don’t have much time until sunset.”

  Kane strides down the hill and we trail in his wake. Willem casts suspicious glances over his shoulder at me, his eyes dropping to the dagger at my waist. I know he was furious when Kane returned it to me. But he still hasn’t told Kane his suspicions, if he has any yet. They walk side by side, murmuring back and forth. My stomach is in knots as I wonder if it’s about me. What will Kane do if he finds out my true purpose here?

  “You’re looking guilty,” Aiden remarks, dropping back beside me.

  I flinch slightly, startled from my thoughts. “What?”

  “Are you planning on running away?” Aiden asks. “Entertaining thoughts of betrayal?”

  “Why would you say that?” My voice is high and nervous.

  Aiden grins, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I’m joking. You aren’t very good at taking jokes, are you?”

  “I don’t know anyone who really jokes,” I say as I force myself to relax.

  Aiden feigns shock. He gapes, hand over his chest, looking like a caricature. “That’s appalling.” A smile splits my lips at his overacting and I have to swallow the laugh bubbling in my throat. “You’re telling me, Kane has never told you one of his famous jokes?”

  “Kane jokes?” I cock a brow.

  “Oh, certainly.” Aiden leans in conspiratorially. “He has the best jokes of the whole family.”

  “That can’t be too hard,” I say.

  Aiden’s brows lift in surprise and he barks out a laugh. “You injure me, Briar.”

  I smile, dropping my gaze. Aiden seems nice, the opposite of Kane. He’s forward, jovial, and kind where Kane is hard, quiet, and distrusting. But I haven’t forgotten when Kane accused him of bringing an army to kill him. I can’t quite reconcile these two versions of Aiden. He’s quiet now, watching me with his head tilted to the side. “What are you thinking about?” He asks.

  I meet his gaze. “Whether or not you seem like you could truly kill your own brother.”

  Aiden pauses, lifting his chin at my words. His eyes seem to grow even darker, and he leans closer. I stiffen, moving my head back imperceptibly to put distance between us. Aiden doesn't seem to notice or care. His hot breath wafts over me and my skin suddenly feels as if it's on fire. "Do you think you could do it? Kill Kane? Someone who is no more than a stranger?"

  “Me?” I swallow hard.

  “The potential for violence is in everyone, Briar,” Aiden says, pulling away. “One only has to look to find it.”

  I stare openly at him, lips parted in surprise. Aiden stuffs his hands into his pockets and smiles as if we were only discussing the weather. “Aiden, you’re not terrorizing her, are you?” Kane’s voice floats back towards us, pulling me from my shock.

  Aiden’s grin broadens. “Of course not, she’s too adorable for that. I couldn’t find it in my black heart.”

  “We’re almost there,” Kane says, narrowing his eyes at Aiden suspiciously. “The Nephilim will be disguised as a mortal unless it’s hunting, so be cautious.”

  “It can do that?” I ask. My voice sounds small. Memories of feeling hopeless, empty, and cold flood through me. I’ll never forget what it was like to be without my soul. It was as if I had ceased to exist. For a few moments, I was no one. I still have dreams about it; of red eyes glowing in the dark, a weight on my chest, and then suddenly ceasing to exist. My heart hammers in my chest as I think of it.

  Suddenly, I feel a tendril of cold snake up my spine. My eyes widen, and I start reaching for my back, fear rushing through me. But then I catch Kane's gaze. His dark eyes are like pools of endless water. The cold wraps down my arm, traveling towards my hand where it coils around my fingers. I glance down at my hand to see a small shadow, barely noticeable, wrapped around my fingers like an invisible hand. The shadow squeezes my hand slightly, and I feel a rush of warmth in my chest. It feels like my heart will burst. My breath hitches in my throat, and I smile at Kane.

  For an instant, I feel someone else’s pain. It doesn’t hurt, but it makes my heart clench and my brows furrow. It feels like guilt and sympathy, but it isn’t mine. Kane tears his eyes away from me and turns back towards the village as we reach the bottom of the hill. I press a hand to my chest, trying to calm myself. I stuff my hand with the shadow into my pocket, hiding it as we reach the outskirts of the village. The shadow feels like Kane’s touch, and it caresses my palm. I shiver and bite my lip, trying to resist the urge to rush forward and lean into him the way I so desperately want to.

  It will be hard, I realize, harder than I thought to do what my father asked of me. It’s for your mother, he said, and I thought that would make it easy. But every time I feel the shadow squeeze my fingers, I doubt myself a little more. How can a man who responds to my unspoken needs deserve to die? I bite my lip, considering this.

  Aiden leans close, dropping his voice to a whisper so only I will hear it. “I would be careful about how much of your heart you give away to Kane, I’m not sure he deserves it.”

  Chapter 5

  Kane

  I don’t know what I’m doing.

  Briar’s hand is warm and soft despite her years of physical training. With the shadow in her palm, it’s as if I’m holding her hand myself. And I relish the sensation. After offering my hand to her before I magicked us to the mortal realm, I haven’t been able to forget the bone-deep warmth I felt when she took my hand. I wanted it again, I wanted it desperately. And I don’t know why. I tell myself this can be part of the plan to break her, but I don’t know if I believe myself anymore.
>
  Half of my consciousness is focused on Briar, feeling her pulse, the way her palm is beginning to sweat in her pocket, and the twitch of her fingers. The other half of my attention is on our surroundings. I don't see what's so pleasing about the mortal world. It's bright and garish, and it seems as if the plants and people here are simply bragging about their vibrancy. I prefer the deep, royal tones of the Underworld. But I can tell Briar likes it here. And the thought makes me bitter.

  Next, to me, Willem rolls his shoulders, and I know if his wings were visible, he would be ruffling them irritably. Neither of us likes the mortal realm. "Let's get this done quickly," he mutters.

  “Try not to draw attention to yourselves,” I warn the others as we pass the first buildings and step onto the main thoroughfare.

  "That will be a challenge," Aiden smirks.

  The villagers are already gaping at us. The mortals wear mostly drab colors and scratchy materials. The women wear cloths over their heads, holding their hair back. The streets are dirt and mostly mud from the rains the night before. I wrinkle my nose at the stench as we pass an alleyway. A woman in a high window dumps a bucket of filth into the alley without even glancing at the occupants below. The buildings are made of rough stone and thatched wood roofs. Candles are lit in the highest window of each building, and I purse my lips at the sight.

  A candle in the window is an old practice, meant to keep Death out the door. From the last reports, five people in this particular village had been soul-leeched. I have no doubt they started lighting candles after the first few deaths, and they won’t stop for some time – even if we do catch the Nephilim.

  The villagers watch us suspiciously, pushing their children behind their legs or ushering them indoors. I don’t bother hiding my sneer as we make our way towards the village inn. Whispers echo around us and I sense Briar’s heartbeat quickening nervously. She won’t be used to villages or people like this. I should keep a close eye on her. I almost stop in my tracks as the thought completes itself. I grind my teeth and call back the shadow from her hand. I can’t do it anymore. I can’t go on pretending that there isn’t a part of me that cares. Damned soul bond.

  The sun is beginning to set, orange rays streaking over the horizon and turning the blue shade of the sky to lilac. I can feel Briar’s desire to stay out and watch the rest of the sunset, but I brush it aside. The village inn is in the town center, on the edge of what could be considered the square. It’s three stories high and built sturdily, lanterns hang from the walls beside the door and the gables of the roof. I stare at the unlit windows, wondering if the Nephilim is in there – waiting until dark to reveal himself. Willem and I exchange a dark look. We don’t know if the Nephilim is still in this village or not. The last Reaper who reported to us gave us the information three days ago. The Nephilim may have moved on, but Night, I hope it hasn’t.

  The heavy door creaks as I open it, but the occupants inside don’t bother looking up from their drinks or food. A wave of heat hits me, accompanied by the smell of food and body odor. I curl my lip in disgust. Behind me, I hear Briar sniff and then cough politely. I turn to Willem, “Get a table, I’ll arrange rooms and dinner.”

  “You want to eat here?” Willem’s brows raise.

  I tilt my chin towards Briar. “She’s hungry.”

  Willem’s blue eyes cut towards Briar and I know he’s listening for sounds of her hunger. “How would you know that?” He asks suspiciously.

  “Just a guess,” I quip. “Mortals get hungry.”

  I don’t wait for him to respond before I slip away from the group. I weave between the tables, careful not to brush up against any of the mortals, and head for the long counter where the innkeeper stands. I glance behind me. Willem is ferrying Briar and Aiden to a table in the corner. His hand sidles to the small of her back, ushering her forward, but she lurches away clumsily. I narrow my eyes at the sight and feel a flare of territorial rage. She is not Willem’s to touch. My fangs descend slightly as the rage bleeds into my more predatory urges. For an instant, my vision goes red and I imagine pulling my Second away from Briar and ripping out his throat. I heel my anger with a deep breath and my fangs slip back. I can’t call any attention to us, and deep down I know Willem meant nothing by the touch. But Briar didn’t like it. And so I don’t like it.

  “Ow can I ‘elp ye?” The innkeeper asks hesitantly.

  I realize then that I’ve been standing silently at his counter for too long. I purse my lips, cursing myself. “Three rooms,” I say. “And dinner for four.”

  “Three rooms, eh?” The man nods. “That yer table?”

  “It is,” I say, narrowing my eyes. “Is there a problem?”

  “Not if ye have the coin,” the innkeeper says expectantly.

  I roll my eyes and drop five gold coins on the wooden counter. The innkeeper’s eyes are wide for an instant before he slips the coins off the counter and into his apron pockets with a suspicious glance around the room. I hide my disdain and wait for him to procure the keys for the rooms. When I was younger, I didn’t understand mortal greed, but I accepted it for what it was. Now, I can hardly stand to witness it. Briar and her father have even betrayed me for money. By saving her eldest sister, Rose, for a better match with a mortal prince, they’ve enriched Ryrn’s coffers. I couldn’t do that for them, and so they gave me the one who was worth the least – in their eyes.

  The innkeeper hands me the keys, and I slip them into my pocket. I turn away before he can speak again and stalk towards the table. Briar sits sandwiched between Willem and Aiden, looking uncomfortable. Her pack in her lap, she sits stiffly, shoulders and back too straight. I throw myself into the chair opposite her and sling my leg over my knee. "You have to relax, Briar," I chide. "Or they'll be suspicious."

  “How many rooms did you get?” Aiden asks as one of the barmaids appears beside the table, ale in hand.

  "Three," I say, gruffly.

  Willem’s eyes trail over the barmaid’s breasts as she bends. I don’t bother chastising him. Most of the men in the inn will be ogling her tonight, if one of us didn’t, it would be conspicuous. Willem knows this and flashes the girl an animalistic grin. She holds her tray close to her chest, balking, before hurrying away.

  “You’re frightening them off,” Aiden complains, taking a swig of his ale.

  “That’s the point,” Willem sneers.

  I watch over my goblet as Briar lifts her drink and takes a delicate sniff. She wrinkles her nose. “Ever had ale before?” I ask.

  “No, but my father drank it. This doesn’t seem quite the same,” Briar says hesitantly.

  “That’s because it’s not. This is piss compared to proper ale,” Aiden says, chuckling.

  Briar's eyes widen at his language, and I bite back a laugh. "Relax, Briar. You're not a princess here," I say as I take a long draught.

  “I’m trying,” she whispers. She looks up as our food arrives. “You said three rooms?”

  I wait as the barmaid places our steaming bowls of meat and potatoes in front of us. The table is quiet, and I listen to Briar's heart beating fast. Through the soul bond, I can feel her skin flushing with heat. She's nervous but excited. I close the bond before I get dragged in too deep. "Don't worry," I say as the barmaid finally leaves. "You'll have your own room."

  “I see,” Briar says as she inspects her dinner. She picks up the vicious steak knife beside her plate and prods the meat with it.

  Willem curls his lip at a mortal man nearby as he slips his hand up the barmaid’s skirt. “I still don’t understand why you don’t simply kill all the mortals and be done with it,” he mutters. “Hateful creatures.”

  I follow his gaze to the barmaid. She wrenches away from the man and busies herself at the bar for a moment. “You know it doesn’t work like that, Willem.”

  “You could do that?” Briar asks, her voice trembling. “Kill millions of people?”

  My heart sinks a little at the disappointment I can see in her grey eyes. “I co
uld. But I won’t.”

  “Why not?” She presses.

  “It would disrupt the balance of the world, overrun the Underworld. Logistically, it simply wouldn’t work,” I sigh.

  “Logistically,” she says flatly.

  I push my ale between my palms, back and forth on the table. “And I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

  Silence hangs heavy between us. Briar is watching me, and I know if I opened the soulbond now, I would hear her questioning me. But she should question me. She shouldn't trust anyone – least of all me. I know this. And yet I can't stop myself from the disappointment burrowing deeper into my chest.

  “So, tell me about this Nephilim,” Aiden says, popping a piece of meat into his mouth. “I thought you kept Nephilims on a tight leash.”

  “I do,” I say, ignoring his amused tone. “I made a mistake. And now I’m fixing it.”

  "It's not your fault," Briar murmurs. Her wide gray eyes are locked on mine when I glance up. I feel a thrill of desire course through me, but I look at her coldly. "You can't be blamed for the decisions of others."

  Her words strike a chord in me and my gut twists. Does she know I blame her for her father's decision? Or that I suspect her? I run my tongue over my teeth and lean forward. "What would you know about that?"

  “It’s just what I think,” she says. She looks startled.

  “Isn’t that nice.” Aiden claps me on the back. “Your wife will support you through thick and thin.”

  “Bride,” I snap, anger flaring. I don’t need support.

  Aiden smirks. “Don’t remind me.”

  I glare at him but fall silent, picking at my food. Aiden is a chatterbox, hardly leaving room for anyone to chime in, but I'm not listening. I wonder if Briar would support me no matter what if she could be a constant to me. Warmth builds in my chest as I think of it. I study her as she smiles at something Aiden said. I shouldn't allow myself to hope like that – to even wish. Briar is a mortal, and she can't be trusted.