The Shadow Shifter

by Dahlia Leigh

  “I’m sorry,” Asteroth softly said into the once again busy sounds of the jungle. The jungle landscape stretched out, relieving the space of the thick tangle of trees, adding in swamp-like bodies of water and patches of open spaces filled with tall grasses. Ferns larger than a man sprung up, and the trees reached toward the heavens.

  Knowing she didn’t have the time, Ashlynn gently laid Hijinx behind a rock in some tall grasses. “I’ll be back for you, my friend.”

  She jumped up, wiped her eyes, and scanned the area though she didn’t have to wait long before the ground rumbled. Then another and another rumble shook the ground as something large approached.

  “What have you got for me now, Asteroth?” she asked as the giant monster moved into a clearing only yards in front of her. “Oh, shit. He’s big.”

  Ashlynn eyed the creature walking on its back two legs, reaching close to ten feet tall. The beast’s head was shaped like that of a salamander with golden, glowing eyes. The body was slick and solid black. Its two front extremities were short like a Tyrannosaurus Rex with long, curved claws. Within those claws, Ashlynn saw something she wasn’t expecting. The beast carried another creature; a smaller one. The smaller creature was hurt and bleeding but still alive as it struggled to be freed from its captor.

  Enraged, Ashlynn only thought of her beloved little pet when she saw the other creature held helplessly within the bigger monster’s grasp. Quickly, she surveyed the beast and mentally pinpointed spots of weakness. Ashlynn flung herself forward, sprinting toward the creature’s back and then ran up the ridges of its spine. The beast bellowed in irritation as it attempted to throw Ashlynn off.

  She moved fast and swift, but when her footing slipped, she released a dagger from her boot and slammed the weapon into the monster’s thick flesh, using its purchase to catapult her onto the beast’s head. Thrashing about, the beast dropped the smaller, dog-like creature with a scorpion tail then focused on throwing Ashlynn off. She hung on with all her might, but just as she was about to be launched into the air, Ashlynn used the creature’s momentum to plunge her sword into his neck and swing herself down and around, circling the neck, slicing as she went. Ashlynn dropped to the ground and crouched with her sword extended, watching the creature continue to move awkwardly toward her until the beast gasped for a breath it couldn’t attain. The creature’s eyes widened as it stopped.

  Ready to leap if needed, Ashlynn watched as blood poured out from the gash widening around the beast’s neck. Finally, the monster fell with a thud that shook the ground. Ashlynn steadied herself then slowly approached the beast to ensure the creature’s demise. Gurgling one last, lousy attempt at a roar, Ashlynn jumped onto its back, driving her sword right into the heart. The monster disintegrated into a pile of ash.

  Breathing heavily, Ashlynn wiped her sword off then sheathed her weapon at her back again. The fallen dog-scorpion creature growled, slowly moving to its feet and faced Ash.

  “I won’t hurt you, little one,” Ashlynn crooned as she patiently held her hands out. She hesitantly moved within the injured creature’s sightline. The strange dog eyed her with caution. The dog whipped up his scorpion’s tail in defense. He sniffed the air in her direction and studied Ashlynn. When it deemed her not a threat, it stepped toward her in return.

  “That’s it. I’m not going to hurt you.”

  The creature looked to the pile of ash where the beast had been then back at Ashlynn and rolled out its black tongue—clearly a gesture of thanks. A black hole opened just beyond them, and her new friend moved toward the opening.

  “I’ve taken care of many before you. You could stay with me if you want,” Ashlynn said with a low, calm tone. She paused at her words, conflicted with wanting to help and not wanting to lose another pet in the end. The dog-like creature looked back at her with understanding in the depths of his eyes. They shared a brief moment of connection. Ash nodded, and the creature loped through the hole, leaving Ashlynn watching him go.

  “Why didn’t you convince it to stay?” Asteroth asked.

  “I saw myself in that creature’s eyes and just as you have given me the choice to stay or go, I realized its choice lay in wherever that creature had come from. I couldn’t knowingly keep it where it didn’t belong for my selfish gain.”

  A soft whimper came from behind her and she ran to the rock where she had left her little whirrel.

  “Hijinx! I thought you were gone,” Ash cried out as she fell to the side of her small pet, struggling to get to his feet.

  The whirrel elicited a burst of magical, white light and healed itself to Ashlynn’s astonishment.

  “I didn’t know you could do that!” Ashlynn was ecstatic and clutched her beloved little creature to her chest, then he crawled to her shoulder where he nuzzled the crook of her neck.

  “He didn’t,” Asteroth whispered with the hint of a smile in his voice. “I don’t have much magic left, Ashlynn, but you matter to me. Your happiness matters to me, and that little ball of fluff makes you happy… even if I can’t for the life of me figure out why.”

  “Thank you,” she said softly, melting into her pet as she hugged him tightly.

  “You have completed the trial!” Asteroth declared, his voice booming and official once more, their moment apparently over.

  Ashlynn expelled a sigh of relief as she and Hijinx turned away from the scene and the room returned to the original stone of the castle.

  “You have passed your trial, Ashlynn. Not only because you defeated the three creatures, but you also showed compassion during battle, quick decision making, and excellent magic use. You are now officially the last Sentinel.” Asteroth spoke to her from the tall gargoyle statue at the entrance to the room. Being an extension of the castle—a magical, sentient expression—Asteroth could animate within, and speak through, any of the statues of his choosing. Since the beginning of the castle’s existence long, long ago, he had been a part of it, guiding the Sentinels and their queens in their quests to stand between the Void—a realm of demons and creatures of the dark—and the world of the humans and magical beings who lived “top-side” peacefully.

  Hijinx, full of life once more, jumped up onto the gargoyle’s gray head, holding onto the horns. The gargoyle looked up, annoyed, and Ashlynn couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her.

  Asteroth cleared his throat. “As your reward, I give you this ancient tome.”

  A large, old leather-bound book appeared on a tall side table next to the door. It shimmered with the essence of residual magic.

  Ashlynn reached out and gently ran her fingers over the cover with a greedy thirst for knowledge. “My reward is book? I can’t believe I haven’t seen this one in the library. I’ve read everything in there.”

  “Not just any book. This is the Book of the Sentinels. In this, you will find a more in-depth history of not only this castle and the other four, but also the Sentinels and the line of the queens. Each queen has entered in some of her own knowledge and information she felt relevant to pass on.”

  Ashlynn looked into the face of the gray, stone gargoyle much taller than she. “This is amazing, Asteroth.”

  “In addition to your reward, as you have chosen, you are now set on the path to grow into your power as the Sentinel Queen and this book will help to guide and instruct you on your way.”

  “Thank you. I will cherish it always.” Ashlynn clutched the book to her chest then pulled it away, remembering the mess of blood and guts she had been covered with. Gasping, she ripped off a piece of her shirt and wiped the cover of the book off. To her relief, nothing stained the leather-bound tome. Asteroth, however, found her actions comical and laughed.

  Ashlynn first glared at him, then she, too, smiled and laughed. She held out her arm toward the gargoyle’s head. “Come on, Hijinx, I need to get cleaned up.”

  “Please do, there is a most unattractive aroma coming from you.”

  Ashlynn frowned then smelled herself, making a sour expression in wordless ag
reement. Asteroth laughed, the sound echoing in the stone room, as she gathered Hijinx and then headed out the door.

  As they walked down the corridor toward Ashlynn’s room, she paused and looked over where the wounds on Hinjinx’s body had been. “I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

  “I’m truly sorry you had to see your Hijinx get hurt, Ashlynn. I wasn’t able to stop him.” Asteroth spoke with a high-pitched voice through a slender yet voluptuous statue of a woman—one of the first Sentinels.

  “I know. It’s not your fault. I’ve lost too many pets and loved ones over the years. I couldn’t bear to lose another. But, thankfully, today I don’t have to.” She nuzzled the little whirrel’s fur and smiled at the odd choice for a statue Asteroth had chosen. Internally, she added she would not allow herself to get close to anything else because losing them was too painful.

  Chapter Two

  Ashlynn

  In her room, Ashlynn took some time to get cleaned up and double check the whirrel was still healed of what would have been fatal wounds. Hijinx chattered at her playfully and swatted at her fingers when they tried to inspect him again.

  “I’m still amazed the castle was able to heal you, little one. That’s a handy trick you have.”

  Ashlynn loved on her pet, stroking the fur down his back to the tip of his furry little tail. Hijinx gave off the equivalent to a purr, though the sound resembled more of a rumble within his chest. Ash giggled. The little whirrel scurried up Ash’s arm to his favorite resting place on her shoulder.

  “It wasn’t so long ago when I first found you wounded in the castle tower, all alone and scared. You made it through that and thanks to the castle you’ll make it through this,” Ashlynn mused aloud. “It took some time, but you came to trust me, and now I can’t imagine my life in this place without you. You are the only living thing I have left in my life that I love.”

  “I heard that,” Asteroth interjected from a nearby dragon statue Ashlynn had placed on a shelf.

  “Is there no privacy anymore?” Ashlynn complained and rolled her eyes.

  “Only when it is truly desired.”

  Ashlynn frowned. “I was merely pointing out that Hijinx is the only remaining living being here other than myself. You don’t quite fit into that category, now do you?”

  Asteroth mumbled something about technicalities. Ashlynn didn’t quite hear him as she became distracted with an itching sensation on her back. Approaching the mirror, Ashlynn lifted her shirt from behind and examined the cause of the new irritation. Gasping, Ash couldn’t believe what she saw.

  “What the—”

  In the middle of her back, as if being drawn while she watched, emerged the outline of a gorgeous oak tree. As she moved her body, a barely visible gold-ish ink shimmered in the light.

  “Asteroth, what is this?” Ash admired the creation in awe. The marking was truly beautiful; she just didn’t understand why it was forming.

  “It is the marking of the Sentinel. All Sentinels before you received theirs after the passing of their trial as well. Each were given their own tree and style. The mark will continue to form and solidify, becoming more visible, as your powers grow. And yours is a great sign of strength, if I do say so myself.”

  “It’s amazing! Why didn’t you tell me before this would happen?”

  A weighty pause caused Ashlynn to uncomfortably shift her feet.

  “I… it seems I did not remember beforehand. I apologize.”

  Concern covered Ashlynn’s face, Asteroth’s memory had been getting worse and she didn’t know why. She quickly dispersed her concern for Asteroth’s sake. “Don’t worry about it. It’s a fun surprise. Maybe there is more about the marking in my new book.”

  Ashlynn went to her chair and opened the Book of the Sentinel and reverently touched the cover. Anticipation rose within her as she opened the first pages.

  “Whoa! This is unlike anything else.” Ashlynn sat back as the images from the pages jumped out and rose semi-transparent before her. She gently leafed through each page and watched with awe as new images emerged in front of her eyes from each page. The images showed groups of people as if posed for portraits. Other images showed small movement, a sort of live action of warriors and teams working together, some even in battle.

  “These women in the center of these groups… they are previous Sentinels,” Ashlynn noted from earlier studies, “but who are the others with them?”

  “Their teams and also their families,” Asteroth answered. Ashlynn flinched at the word, the reminder of the pain of her loss.

  Finally, nearing the end of the book, Ashlynn spotted an image of her own family popping up in front of her. A young Ashlynn, about five or six, was positioned right in front of her mother. She looked so much like her late mother it made her chest hurt. Surprised, Ashlynn studied the other children in the image as well as several males she didn’t remember but felt familiar with all the same. One girl in her teen years stood out with blonde hair beside her mother, standing regal and proud.

  “Who is this?” Ashlynn pointed at the other girl.

  “Your older half-sister, Isobel,” the castle told her, “But oddly, I can’t remember much about her.” The nature of his fractured mind and his blurry memory was a result of the massacre of the Sentinels and their armies fifteen years ago. And it only seemed to worsen more and more lately.

  “And the boys?”

  “Your half-brothers. And before you ask, I’m drawing a blank on their names at the moment.”

  “These men here, surrounding my mother?” Ashlynn pointed at the foursome of handsome warriors.

  “They were your mother’s team… and your fathers,” Asteroth hesitated, apparently awaiting her response to that little nugget.

  “I have fathers? Plural?”

  “They protected and provided for your mother, fighting with her in battle.” Asteroth’s voice tightened a bit, as if weighed down with bittersweet memories. “They were a team, inseparable and nearly undefeated. Just as they protected her on the battlefield, they protected all of her children as their own.” He sighed. “They would have been so proud of you, Ashlynn.”

  She paused thoughtfully, carefully, trying to swallow the welling emotions bubbling deep within. There was so much to learn, so much to absorb, that she had to focus. To distract herself from her tightening throat, she gestured to the men who had served at her mother’s side. “Is it required to have that many warriors in your team to be the Sentinel Queen?”

  “Well, no. Some had more, and some had less. That was left up to the Sentinel.”

  Ashlynn nodded but turned the page, moving on for the time being. More pages in, an image of her mother turned to display her bare back appeared before her eyes. Ashlynn’s fingers grazed across the image also still on the page of the book. Her mother’s Sentinel tattoo was a beautiful and graceful willow tree, full of intricate designs, colors, and symbols.

  “It’s similar to what yours could look like when fully formed,” Asteroth explained.

  “What do these symbols represent?” Pointing to the different designs, Ashlynn looked at the image floating in front of her.

  “I told you each marking was unique to each Sentinel. This is also because of the team members they choose to bond with—the different symbols and designs represent their bonded mates.”

  “Interesting.” Ashlynn glanced back at the book to another image, still flat on the page. The image of an ornate compass was expertly drawn next to the image of her mother. In the center of the compass was a symbol representing the name of the castle in an ancient magical language. “And this is the symbol of Asteroth Castle. Why is it here?”

  “This is the marking a team member receives when he bonds to his Sentinel. More should be listed in the book on that.”

  “Did each of the other castles have a similar symbol?”

  “They did. However, as this was the first, my symbol remains at the center. Each of the other castles bear their own symb
ol in place of whichever direction they represent.”

  “But I will have no need for that—the team I mean. You have trained me sufficiently,” she said, matter-of-fact. But something in Ashlynn’s words felt strained.

  After turning several more pages, getting a feel for what other secrets within the great tome might lie in wait for her, Ashlynn thought of her life. She had essentially been trapped within the walls of the castle grounds her entire life, raised as a warrior to be the queen, with nothing but an empty castle to rule. She wondered what would come of her future that her path had evolved into.

  Chapter Three

  Alpha Berone

  Deep in a cavern, nestled within the side of a rugged mountain range not too far from Asteroth Castle, Berone, the alpha of the shadow shifter pack, sat on his throne made of thick, black glass. Dim lighting, created by the flickering flames of torches and strategically placed lanterns, set the atmosphere for most of the cavernous rooms. Lack of light gave the pack ease to move around in shadow form if desired but also allowed enough light to see by in human form.

  Within the ranks of the shadow shifters who resided on this side of the veil, Berone’s pack had risen to be acknowledged as the highest esteemed of all the packs. An entire village of his pack resided in, and alongside, the peaks and valleys of the mountain. Berone awaited his son, and next in line to take the position of alpha, to speak of an urgent matter.

  Darien stalked into the throne room with the strength and confidence owned by an alpha’s son. His appearance was similar to the alpha, with dark hair and light eyes, but he stood a head taller and stockier, filled out with more muscle than Berone had ever been in his youth. His son would make a fine alpha one day.

  “My son, it is good to see you this morning.” The alpha opened his arms in a welcoming gesture as he stood and moved toward his son.