Child of Blackwen (An Artemis Ravenwing Novel Book 1)

by Melanie Rodriguez

  “Who are you?” Jack whispered.

  “I think I’ve kept you from your stroll long enough.” Callypso looked upon the tree and sighed. “It would be wise to keep our meeting between us. Is that understood?”

  “Y-Yes,” Jack said, cursing at himself for allowing nerves to interfere with his speech.

  “Good.” She winked before disappearing.

  Jack realized she passed through the veil. How did she do it so easily? Better yet, why did she have a home beyond a veil?

  “Callypso,” Jack mused. “What a beautiful name.”

  Leaving the grove, Jack felt something odd within his chest again. He couldn’t explain the sensation, and yet he felt as if there was something tying itself along his heart.

  “Soleil burn me.” Jack gulped as he realized what it could have been. “Shadow…I need to talk to Shadow. I need to talk to him now.”

  rlina fumed as she paced around the audience chamber. She felt humiliated as well as embarrassed for not realizing Netira’s dhampir heritage.

  How had she missed it? How had Netira masked the truth so well for all these years of being her Second?

  That traitorous bitch had help, that’s how! Arlina thought. But who would be foolish enough to help her?

  Arlina first thought of her mage, Karesu, because of Latos’ mention of a charm, but then she dismissed the idea. He and Netira despised one another; it was evident in every council meeting. It amused her at times, seeing their disgust toward one another. Arlina had to practically force them to work together on past missions.

  But she couldn’t believe anything she saw anymore, not after Latos’ report. No one was above suspicion now.

  She sighed as she slouched on her black marble throne. As she crossed her legs, the glint of the onyx-jeweled hilt of her sai caught her eye. Grasping it, Arlina twirled the weapon along her long, pale fingers and tried to think.

  She thought of Latos’ proposal of sending Netira to the elves as a scapegoat; she found herself considering it. The death Arlina wanted to hand Netira personally wouldn’t quell the anger she held, no. She thought of handing Netira over to Vashti, who was well known for her…creative…methods of torture, but that wouldn’t satisfy her either. Disposing the dhampir by handing her over to the Elders of the Woodland Realm would give her such amusement.

  Her thoughts shifted to Artemis. Knowing the two friends her wretched sister kept, Arlina was sure they wouldn’t have told Artemis the truth of her origins and of her mother’s death. Arlina wanted to vomit at their idea of protection…the fools.

  I’ll still attack that damn city, Arlina decided, simply for housing that halfbreed bitch. And then those damned dreams can finally stop.

  Arlina called for a servant and demanded parchment and ink. It was time to start another game with the Woodland Realm Elders, as well as remedy the issue of the known traitor.

  Netira’s eyes snapped open as she felt a presence outside of her home. She heard the distinct rustling sound of parchment sliding beneath the door, and the presence disappeared once the parchment stopped halfway across the main room. Netira grew wary and went to move from her bed, only just remembering the pale, muscled arm that was draped across her waist.

  The moment she moved, the figure beside her stirred and opened a tired violet eye.

  “Go back to sleep, love,” she whispered, caressing Karesu’s face.

  “I felt the presence as well.” Karesu groaned while stretching, the shared blanket falling to his bare waist. “What do you suppose Arlina wants with you?”

  “I don’t know,” Netira replied as she grasped a blanket that had fallen to the ground during their earlier festivities and draped it across her naked, lithe body. She retrieved the parchment and tore through the crimson crossed-sai wax seal.

  She felt Karesu standing behind her, and Netira moved the letter closer for him to inspect.

  Netira,

  I require your presence in my chamber at noon-time this day. It’s been brought to my attention that we have a traitor in our midst, and I desire to consult with you on how to proceed on the matter. It is imperative that you return, for I also desire to reconcile our relationship after such dark tidings.

  Arlina Ravenwing, Mistress of Blackwen City

  “Would you think less of me if I called her a lying bitch?” Netira growled.

  Karesu chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her waist, while slowly tracing her neck with his lips. “Would you think less of me if I agreed?”

  “Hardly.” Netira smiled as she leaned deeper into his embrace. “Maybe in the sight of others, I would pretend to.”

  “There will be a day when I will dispose of the pretenses we hold in public, Netira,” Karesu replied as he gently nipped the curve of her throat. She loved whenever he did that, for it made her body tingle with need. “And what a day it will be.”

  “Indeed it will.” Netira gasped as he repeated the gesture. She had to move away, or she would never make the meeting with that damned woman. “Who do you think she suspects now?”

  “Soleil burn me if I knew.” Karesu shrugged. He faked a sad expression. “But noon-time draws near, my love, and you should take advantage of Arlina’s good graces while you still can. Much to my dismay, mind you.”

  “We’ll play again when I return.” Netira stole a kiss and winked when she pulled away. “Be careful when you leave.”

  “I’ll slip out the usual way, don’t worry,” Karesu answered. He handed her the silver band carved with his special runes. “Don’t forget the charm this time either. Otherwise, I’ll have to tattoo the runes onto your skin as I did my fire rune.”

  Netira’s grin widened. “Is that a promise?”

  Netira stood before the doors to the Mistress’ chamber. She knew there was more to the message than Arlina had written, and it unnerved her. If Karesu noticed, she was thankful that he kept quiet about it.

  Had Arlina discovered the truth about her? Netira shook her head. She couldn’t have. Netira was certain she wasn’t followed, and the scout that had known the truth of her heritage, she’d disposed of.

  Arlina granted her entry after she knocked a handful of times. Walking inside, Netira narrowed her eyes at the sight of Latos beside the Mistress. His smug countenance bothered her, that damn bootlicker. What use was he of all people in discussing what Arlina desired to do to this traitor of hers?

  “Ah, Netira!” Arlina greeted her as she shifted in her throne. “I am pleased to see you, and early as well!”

  “I do as you will, Mistress,” Netira replied as she knelt, put off by the tone Arlina used. She was being nice. Too nice.

  “As you should.” Arlina nodded to Latos. “You remember Latos, do you not?”

  “Regrettably,” Netira answered, not caring if her tone angered the Mistress.

  Latos laughed. “I can’t say I’m pleased to see you either, former Second of Blackwen City.”

  Netira felt her stomach drop. “Former?”

  How could that be? Avilyne’s hell, she was always so careful! Charm and all!

  “Oh, Latos! You’ve gone and spoiled everything now,” Arlina huffed. “I had hoped to enjoy the suspense further…”

  “Mistress, I ask an explanation for my sudden dismissal from my position,” Netira asked while trying to steady herself.

  It infuriated her to stoop so low to the woman.

  “Your little outing for starters!” Arlina berated her. “How dare you meddle into affairs that do not concern you! How dare you disobey me!”

  “I did so only for the sake of the city, Mistress. The scouts you sent were careless and brought unnecessary attention to our kind!” Netira pleaded. “There’s only so much war we can wage and survive to tell the tale.”

  “Spare the Mistress your nonsense, Netira!” Latos seethed.

  “Be silent, snake,” Netira retorted, trying her damndest to still her hand.

  “Both of you shut up!” Arlina yelled, which silenced them both.

&nbs
p; Arlina cast her now red eyes on Netira. “For so many years, Netira, I have trusted you and your counsel. I chose you as my Second because you were ruthless in your rise in power, but loyal enough to stay your hand per my desire. Never did I imagine that you would disobey me as gravely as you have.” Arlina grasped a sai from her boot, and Netira knew what was coming. “Aerios blow you, half-breed.”

  Arlina leaped after Netira, and Netira barely managed to block the sai with the sword she drew from the sheath along the curve of her hip. Ignoring Latos’ curses, Netira shoved off Arlina, but then found her sword hooked in the curved prongs of the sai. Arlina removed the sword from Netira’s grasp with a swing and dashed after her again.

  Willow be damned, Netira cursed. I have no choice now. The pretenses are over.

  Dodging the swings of both sai, Netira removed the silver ring charm and flung off her coat. Fully stretched from her back were two large, black, bat-like wings. Her now silver irises watched as Arlina’s face contorted with disgust.

  “Abomination,” Arlina spat, resuming her barrage of attacks.

  Netira jumped back as she spread her wings and then flew above Arlina. She landed next to her sword and met resistance—Latos. He wouldn’t release his foot from on top of the blade, no matter how hard she pulled on the hilt. Dhampirs were supposed to be stronger than full-bloods, yes, but Netira was in a disadvantage—she had not fed this day. She cursed.

  “Forget about me?” he taunted, as the irises of his eyes shifted to red.

  “Now how could I forget about you?” Netira grinned as she released her sword hilt and grabbed his neck. “No doubt it was you who discovered the truth and reported it to Arlina. Bottom-feeders like you never last long around here. There were others before you who scrambled to the Mistress and met their own vicious ends when their usefulness ran out. Ask Vashti about it sometime, should I send her to Avilyne’s hell with you.”

  “Until then, dhampir bitch,” Latos grumbled, while struggling beneath her grip, “you should worry about your own miserable life.”

  A loud blast echoed within the chamber, and Netira released Latos as she howled.

  She backed away while grasping her now bloodied waist. The bullet shot from Arlina’s infamous flintlock pistol had missed her vital points, but it still caused an agonizing pain Netira had never felt before.

  When she fell to the ground, she heard Arlina cackle.

  “The few bad things about this toy are the occasional misfires and how the shot tends to stray a bit from its intended path,” Arlina said, strolling to Netira. “Even so, I’m fortunate for such things. I had no intention of killing you. That would be too easy.”

  Netira retched up her own blood, and then tried to staunch the bleeding from her waist. “Why do I find that hard to believe?”

  “Because,”—Arlina kicked Netira’s waist—”I have plans for you, traitor.”

  “Plans that involve you traveling,” Latos added, while licking his lips at the sight of Netira’s blood along the chamber floor. “You see, there are others who would prefer to punish you themselves.”

  Enduring another blow to the waist, Netira tightly shut her eyes. She refused to ask the question that lingered in her mind.

  “Before I tell you of your fate, dear Netira, there is something I’m just dying to know,” Arlina mocked as she grasped Netira by her hair and dragged her onto her knees. “Who helped you all this time? Who masked your true nature from me?!”

  Netira flashed Arlina a thin-lipped grin. “You’re better off killing me than thinking I will tell you.”

  “It wouldn’t be wise to further upset me,” Arlina hissed.

  “Learn to be disappointed.”

  Latos kicked Netira before Arlina could retaliate, and she scowled at herself for whimpering. The pain was unbearable, and she would sooner face Avilyne in hell than continue listening to the two snarling above her.

  “Latos, prepare yourself and a few others for travel. I have already sent a letter to Netira’s future hosts,” Arlina instructed, returning to her throne.

  Netira felt herself viciously hoisted from the ground, and she was dragged toward the chamber doors. Before their exit, Netira heard Arlina speak. “Enjoy your time in Ellewynth. And when you arrive, be sure to inform my niece that I’ll be seeing her soon.”

  Netira was too shocked to throw an insult at Arlina. She knew the destination of her exile well enough—Ellewynth was the grand elven city of the Woodland Realm. She was going to be blamed for the death of those poor elves, the ones those scouts had brutalized.

  And…did Arlina say “niece”?

  Tamina’s baby survived, Netira thought before succumbing to unconsciousness. There truly is another Ravenwing woman in Arrygn…Kiare be praised.

  The dreams of Mother were more frequent after that first one. The worst of them was where I watched her battle with a woman who looked like she could have been a blood relative.

  She had cold gray eyes that chilled me each time I saw them. I couldn’t hear a word they said, let alone the clashing of the odd weapons they wielded. Each time the dream ended, however, I could hear a loud bang that sent me screaming as I awoke.

  Shadow noticed my lack of sleep during our weapons training. He kept asking if I was all right and tried to have me talk about my troubles in the hopes I would sleep better. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that my own mother was the one haunting my dreams and that there was another woman who now did the same.

  On the times I started to gather enough courage to tell him the truth about the dreams, something or someone got in the way. Perhaps it wasn’t time to learn the truth about my mother’s death just yet.

  I didn’t know what tortured me more.

  Poor Shadow had his own share of troubles lately. The meeting with the Elders left him in a mood that frightened even me, and I didn’t dare ask what happened. He would only glance at me with a half smile when he was caught in the mood, and he would continue instructing me in our lessons. I thought it was fair, considering I couldn’t tell him the details of my own issues.

  I sat outside by our training ground and yawned as Shadow set up some new archery targets. He caught the yawn and laughed at my sudden look of guilt.

  “It’s not as if it’s early in the day, Artemis,” he teased.

  “It doesn’t matter what time of the day it is,” I grumbled. “I’m exhausted either way.”

  “Still haven’t been sleeping well?”

  “No.”

  “Do you wish to speak of the dreams?”

  Yes, I thought as I noted Shadow’s look of concern.

  I sighed when I couldn’t speak of it. “No.”

  “Fair enough,” Shadow answered, thankfully unoffended.

  “What’s that?” I inquired, not only happy to change the subject but also curious about the sealed letter resting beside his bow.

  “Our dear Jack has written to us.” Shadow grinned as he unraveled the letter. “I hope Talisa isn’t torturing him too much.”

  “He can handle it.” I laughed as I moved closer to read Jack’s words.

  Dear Shadow (and Artemis, for the goddesses know you’re there too),

  I hope the weapons training is going well and that Artemis isn’t complaining too much. Since Talisa hasn’t mentioned anyone being shot or killed lately, I assume she’s finally learned to aim. (I only jest. Please don’t kill me, Artemis. I actually don’t know that much of what goes on outside of the cottage.)

  The apprenticeship has its ups and downs. For the life of me, I cannot sleep past dawn anymore. I will admit, though, that I’m rather starting to enjoy these walks I’m forced to take. Talisa might make a proper elf out of me by the time my apprenticeship ends! (I can hear you both laughing. Stop it.)

  I don’t have much free time so I’ll just get right to the point. While the question I’m about to ask is directed to Shadow, I have no doubt that you, dear Artemis, will find out about this anyways. So my question is this: is it possible to feel
the string to someone when you can attest to feeling it to another? Or am I mistaken and bound to only one of them?

  Answer me soon. Willow be damned, it’s giving me headaches. And I can’t afford any more head-slaps from Talisa.

  Jack

  “The string?” I asked, confused. “What’s he talking about?”

  “He’s referring to the feeling an elf gets when they find their life-mate,” Shadow explained. “We refer to the feeling as a string because that’s exactly what it feels like when we’re around that particular person.”

  “Hmm.” I took the letter and reread the last part. “He’s obviously talking about Lilith, but who’s the other one? He’s found another girl so quickly? How’s that even possible? Does Talisa know about this?”

  “I don’t know what’s going on, but as far as I know, the string only happens for one person,” Shadow answered. “We’ll just have to plan a visit sooner than expected and see who this mystery woman is that he’s become attached to.”

  “Indeed!” My curiosity grew when I glanced at him. “Have you ever felt the string before?”

  Shadow stiffened, and I noticed how he forced himself to relax. “I have not.”

  “Willow be damned! Shadow, you’re an awful liar!” I fell back laughing, even though I felt a small knot form in my chest. “Tell me, what’s her name? Do I know her? When and where did you meet this lucky woman? Is she from this realm?”

  “Artemis, there is no one,” Shadow insisted. “It is not unusual for an elf my age to have not felt the string. Yet, anyways.”

  “But it is unusual that you haven’t even been with a woman yet either,” I said while remembering Jack’s words the day Shadow returned home.

  “For a moment there you sounded like Clarayne…” Shadow muttered.

  “As in Lady Clarayne?”

  “Yes, and she scolds me about that, very often.” Shadow noted my inquiring glance. “That should not surprise you. We are close.”

  “I know,” I said. “Even so…” I stared at the clouds and asked the question I’d asked myself for a long time. “Shadow, what are you really waiting for?”