Hearts of Black: The Shadow Woman

by Jeremy Jexter

killed those townsfolk?”

  Dante turned his head to the window and remained silent.

  “Unbelievable… unbelievable that you would think that…” she put her glass down and shook her head in disbelief. “I did have vengeance in my heart before, yes, but you helped me see things differently, so long ago when we were… closer.”

  “You did not exactly say that you did not do it.”

  “Dante, I did not slay any humans. How could you even think that?” the angst in her voice now began to contrast its previously playful tone. “Why would I send a letter to a skilled mage knight captain telling him to come here, and then provide him with information about the Shadow Woman if I were her?”

  “I do not know, but I do know the ancestors of our kind made it a decisive matter to eliminate yours decades ago. Your own family had been slain… if you did murder those townsfolk, I would understand why, but I would have to—”

  “Kill me? Imprison me? Take me to your human courts for judgment?” she asked, narrowing her eyes. “Your kind thinks that you are the masters of this world, but you are not. Far from it! There are far greater forces existing of which you have no comprehension,” she hissed, her nostrils aflare and the tempo of her breathing increasing by and by.

  Dante silently cursed himself for allowing the conversation to take such a turn. He had tried to take an indirect approach to questioning her but failed. Instead, he ended up provoking her. Though, how else was he supposed to discover the truth? She did have a point however; it would have made no sense providing him with information about the killings if she was responsible for them.

  “I did not mean to anger you, Amelia.” He rubbed his dark, curly hair as he felt her aura become thicker—expanding outward like a wave.

  She took a deep breath in and composed herself. “So, after such a long time with no contact, this is what you make of me?”

  “I’m merely doing my job. I really don’t believe you murdered those people, though,” he said, feeling her aura contract and become normal again—less fearsome.

  “I can assure you that I did not. I am no monster, even if you humans might think of my kind as such,” she said, folding her arms under her breasts.

  “You are no monster in my eyes,” he said. “I only want to discover the truth. You are the only female of your kind who I know.”

  “Well, you have your answer.”

  “I may need more information from you. So if you know anything, let me know, and if you hear anything from a member of your ilk… tell me so I can try to solve this case.”

  “I have not been in contact with any of them since they fled to Cthonica, decades ago,” she said, “furthermore, I would surely be viewed as a traitor in their eyes. Dwelling among humans and coupling with one of them.” She stared at him with raised brows.

  Dante broke eye contact and fidgeted with the hilt of his sword. “You were taken in by a noble human family after yours was murdered, you had no choice but to live amongst us until things settled down.”

  “Perhaps so, but they would tear me to pieces nevertheless, if I tried to return.”

  “So… if there is another doing these murders, you would not know who it is?”

  “No, go ask Naro Verillian if he thinks I am being truthful. He seems to know so much about me.”

  Dante said nothing, not wanting to provoke her any further. “You’ve been through a lot, I hope you know that not all humans are as evil as you think.”

  “Of course, the family who took me in were very kind to me and even knew of my origins. They took great pains to protect me… to hide my true nature and abilities from everyone”—she walked over to the bed and sat on it, crossing one leg over the other and resting back on her palms while looking at him—“The only other person who ever showed me any such kindness and acceptance, knowing what I am, is the Viscount.”

  They stared at each other for a while.

  “I see. Well, I won’t waste your time any further,” Dante said, walking over to the window. “If you find out anything about the Shadow Woman, let me know. I’ll be at Merun’s Inn till this issue is sorted.”

  “For someone who loathes my husband, I am surprised you would stay at an inn he owns.”

  “Since Naro and the Vice-Captain were already there working on this case, it’s easier for us all to stay at one place. Good night, Viscountess,” he said tipping his feathered cap in her direction before opening the window and stepping upon its ledge. He waved his hand outside of the window, upon which a strong gale of wind manifested. He hopped through the window, using the wind to aid in his slowed descent—disappearing from her sight in an instant.

  Amelia stood up and took a deep breath in. She walked towards the window and looked down to the garden below, where Dante had just landed. She watched as he walked off in the direction of the forest, then ran a forefinger along the petals of one of the potted, black roses.

  “Cunning human. Adequately clever,” said a raspy, snake-like voice from behind her.

  “Indeed,” Amelia replied without turning around.

  “What could be made of such a mighty warrior of Nyaria Kingdom? You ought to perchance to hypnotize him.”

  A small smile formed at the corner of Amelia’s lips. “Hypnotize you say?”

  “I say. Hypnotize and wed him. He would be a fine addition to our—”

  “Enough.” Amelia pulled a petal from the flower and held it in the palm of her hand, appraising it unblinkingly.

  “How much do you think he shall discover?”

  Amelia glanced back and smiled before looking beyond the forest to the Eastern Black Rose Fields.

  “We shall see.” She softly blew on the petal—its black, ovular form fluttered through the window, carried to an unknown place by the night’s graceful breeze.

  Secrets Unveiled

  Dante Legothe yawned as he walked from a small house in the town of Tarien. The house’s owner quickly shut the door as soon as he left, which Dante did not find strange since the nightly deaths occurred the week prior.

  All the townsfolk were afraid and justifiably so.

  The last one he had just spoken to, informed him of the same things he had heard before from other townsfolk and from Amelia—how the mysterious woman would leave behind a single, black rose next to the bodies of her victims who seemingly killed themselves by impalement.

  He remembered the black roses he saw on Amelia’s nightstand. He knew they were her favorite flowers—particularly those from the Eastern Black Rose Fields. He recalled how they used to venture together to pick them long ago—before she became a viscountess and when had just been knighted.

  The black roses on her windowsill—he could think of nothing else.

  Was it evidence of her guiltiness? Despite having trekked along the Town of Tarien’s streets throughout his life, he now kept going through the wrong paths. He could not focus. Thoughts of the roses encapsulated his mind.

  The streets were quite empty, save but for the presence of the occasional mage knight whose red and white tunics, boots, capes and feathered caps—similar to his own clothing—flamboyantly decorated the otherwise dull-colored streets and buildings.

  Here and there, vigilant foot soldiers could be seen patrolling at brisk paces—along with mage knights who rode on the backs of large, white, griffins—the standard means of transport for most knights throughout the kingdom. They would all tip their feathered caps as he walked by—to which he did the same. Since the killings, the king had ordered full patrols each and every night. The failure of the patrols to find, let alone capture the Shadow Woman, resulted in the king enlisting Dante to head the investigation to ease the minds of the townsfolk.

  Dante finally made it to Merun’s Inn, where he greeted two mage knights standing guard outside, before entering. The interior was almost as empty as the streets—a peculiarity for an inn residing between two major towns in Nyaria—it had been a popular place of respite for many a weary traveler. It was at least, before ne
ighboring towns and lands received news of the murders—their denizens and travelers alike deciding to effectively stay away from Tarien.

  Dante looked to his left where the Innkeeper Merun—a short man, eccentrically dressed in blue and gold robes—bolted through a side door. He sighed in disappointment when he saw Dante but nevertheless paced over quickly.

  “Ah. It’s you, Captain,” Merun said, rubbing his stubby hands together. “I thought it might have been a customer. Have you discovered something new?”

  “Sorry, nothing I have not heard before,” Dante said. “I’ll meet with Naro Verillian and Vice-Captain Regalis, then investigate more.”

  “This is most troubling. If the Shadow Woman is not caught soon, Viscount Vintz will be displeased!”—he looked out the window at the desolate streets—“not only this inn, but every other shopkeeper in town is suffering losses. We used to be a great tourist destination and now… you all must do something soon!”

  “The Viscount cannot be displeased with you, what is going on is no fault of yours.”

  “I know but”—he looked around as though the Viscount might hear him, then whispered—“he gets angry rather quickly. Quite a scary fellow. Nothing like his wife, Lady Amelia.”

  Dante looked away and fiddled with the hilt of his sword upon hearing Amelia’s name. “No worries, we mage knights always get the job done. Rest assured, we will find the Shadow Woman and bring her to justice.”

  “Yes, and you especially are renowned throughout the