Of Song and Shadow

by Phillip Drayer Duncan

  “Let’s go,” I said as I passed him. I offered my hand to Eva and she took it, allowing me to lead her toward the truck. Axel fell in line behind us.

  “She’s getting away!” one of the men shouted, but then Shadow Bird landed between us and them, and we were forgotten once again.

  As I pulled out of the drive, the soldiers were throwing flares in every direction, finally driving the shadows creatures back. A part of me felt guilty for leaving them, but then again, they had kidnapped Eva and shot at us, so I didn’t feel too bad. Besides, we’d shown them the road flare thing. Sort of.

  I glanced back in the rearview once more, catching a final glimpse of the shadow monsters, and then we were headed down the highway.

  Chapter 9

  “I think we’re clear,” Axel said, turning back around in his seat.

  The strange cloud formation had disappeared behind us and blue skies were in front of us. We were safe from the monsters, at least for the moment.

  “Thank you,” Eva said, wiping dried tears from her eyes. She croaked a hoarse, bitter laugh. “You guys saved me again.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Axel said. He was practically beaming. “It’s what we do.”

  “What were those things?” Eva asked, glancing between us. “Were they the same from last night?”

  I shrugged, not sure what to say.

  “We think so,” Axel said. “But clearly they were much stronger.”

  Eva stared at him for a moment, then said, “Great. So, the things chasing me are getting stronger.”

  “Yup,” Axel said, nodding. “It certainly looks that way.”

  Eva stared ahead for a moment, lost in her own thoughts.

  She was handling the situation better than I would be. In fact, I was fairly confident she was handling it better than me. I was scared senseless. I had to give it to her. Whoever she was, Eva was tough.

  “Do you think they can find me anywhere?” she asked.

  “I think…” I sighed. “Yes, I think they can. We were only at Valerie’s for a few minutes before they showed up. They must have a spell to track your location.”

  “And don’t forget about those other guys,” Axel said, holding up a finger. “The ones with the guns. They got there pretty damned quick too, but I didn’t get the impression they were mages.”

  “Oh?” I said and took my eyes off the road to glare at him. “Did you take the time to ask?”

  “Well, no, but, none of them were hurling magic at the shadow creatures, so…”

  It was a fair a point.

  “And,” he continued, “they had to home in Eva’s location somehow.”

  “What does that mean?” she asked. “Can they track us while we’re moving?”

  “It would seem so,” I admitted. There was no point in lying.

  “But they couldn’t find me at your house last night,” she said. She spoke faster as it occurred to her. “So, we’re safe there, right? Can’t we just go back?”

  I glanced at Axel. He shrugged.

  “In theory,” I said, thinking it through as I spoke. “I mean, if they’re tracking us now, then there’s a chance they could follow our trail to the property line where the wards start.”

  “But they didn’t last night,” she said.

  “True. And that fight may have gotten them off balance for a bit. It’s possible we could make it back to the cabin before they get a bead on you again. It’s a risk, though.”

  “A bigger risk than trying to drive an hour down the highway?”

  “A better point,” Axel said, holding up a finger, “is that at the house we have the wards to help us fight those things. If we have to go another round, I’d much rather do it on our own turf with your dad’s old spells to back us up.”

  “But we need to get her to the Cabal,” I said.

  “So, we’ll make a summoning circle and try to get the message out. If we can figure out how to put enough juice behind it, we can call out an hour away.”

  “Have you ever tried to use mind-speak that far?” I asked.

  “Yes, I have,” he said, a hint of indignance in his voice.

  “And how did it go?”

  “Failed miserably. That’s not the point, though. It can be done. There’s got to be a way.”

  “Either way,” Eva said, giving me a determined look, “we’re safer at your house than we are out in the open.”

  I couldn’t argue with that.

  ***

  “Stop!” Axel said.

  I hit the brakes and skidded to a stop in the middle of the dirt road.

  “What?” I asked, glancing around us. “What is it?”

  “Someone has crossed our wards,” he said. His eyes had a distant look, as though he was seeing something I wasn’t. “Someone is at the house.”

  “You can sense that from here?” I asked. We were still a few minutes from the property. I had no idea he could sense the wards from this far out. “Any idea who it is?”

  He shook his head. “I think there’s several of them.”

  “Could it be the Cabal?” I asked. “They’re the only ones who know where to find me. It’s possible Valerie called them. Or it’s possible that after our little supernatural war back there they’ve come to investigate.”

  It was also possible that I was being a bit too optimistic, but I really wanted a proper adult to take over this whole mess.

  He shook his head again, but this time with a hint of frustration. “I can’t tell. I just know they’re there.”

  “What do we do?” Eva asked.

  Axel didn’t reply and I didn’t have an answer either.

  “We have to do something, guys,” she said, glancing between us. “We can’t just sit here. Those things will find us.”

  I sighed. “We all still in agreement that the cabin is our best bet of surviving for another hour or two?”

  Eva nodded.

  Axel glanced over at me. “As far as I can tell, our trespassers haven’t used any magic. Could just be the Jehovah’s Witnesses coming to tell us the good news.”

  Somehow, I had a feeling that wouldn’t be the case. Fortunately, I had another idea.

  ***

  “Well, shit,” I whispered, glancing over at Axel. “I don’t think those are Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

  “Could be,” Axel whispered back. “Maybe they’ve upgraded.”

  I supposed there was an inkling of a chance he was right, but the guys walking all around my house looked an awful lot like the assault squad who’d attacked us outside Valerie’s office. There was a lot more of them now, though.

  Instead of pulling straight up the drive, I’d turned down an old beaten logging trail into the forest. I was able to park about a half a mile from the house and we trudged along an old hiking trail and cut through some brush to get close enough to spy on the intruders. And, as luck would have it, I actually had an old pair of binoculars in a camping kit I kept under the truck seat, along with a random assortment of tools. We were able to get close enough to see them without being seen ourselves.

  “Wyatt,” Axel said, handing me back the binoculars. “Look at the guy by the wood pile. I almost missed him before. He’s in regular clothes. Look at his back.”

  I took the binoculars and saw the guy he was referring to. It was an older man in jeans and a white t-shirt. There was a staff on his back.

  “Mage,” I said, glancing over at Axel.

  He nodded.

  I passed the binoculars to Eva. I wasn’t sure how she’d handle our sneaky mission, but since she’d almost been taken twice now, we all mutually agreed it was best if we stayed together. She didn’t seem to mind our trek through rough terrain, so clearly, she wasn’t the pampered type.

  “Check out the cowboy,” she said, handing the binoculars back to me.

  Another man had stepped into the clearing. He appeared to be middle-aged and was indeed of the western variety. Plaid shirt, jeans, and a cowboy hat. We were too far away to hear a
nything they said, but based on the way the others acted, I got the impression he was the one calling the shots. He didn’t look happy.

  I handed the binoculars back to Axel. “Does he look familiar to you?”

  Axel looked and shook his head. “I can’t say that he does.”

  “I didn’t think so either,” I said, glancing back him. “I don’t think these guys are with the Cabal.”

  “No,” he agreed. “But who the hell are they? The Cabal doesn’t like mercenaries working in their territory without their blessing. Certainly they wouldn’t allow anyone to attack your house… Probably.”

  I wasn’t convinced, but his point was in line with my own thoughts. Whoever these guys were, I didn’t get the impression they were our allies.

  “So, now what?” Eva asked.

  I shook my head. Home had seemed our safest bet a few minutes earlier, now the road seemed the better option. I sighed and said, “Back to plan A. We have to try to make it to the Castle.”

  I hoped one of them might have a better idea. When they didn’t, we headed back to the truck.

  Chapter 10

  We traversed back up the dirt road in silence, each of us lost in our own dark thoughts. Seeing the goon squad all over my house had damaged our morale. Well, maybe not Axel’s, but I could tell it had gotten to Eva. She tried not to let it show, and at a glance, she looked determined. But her lips were crimped together a bit too tight, and there was a crease in her brow.

  As for me, I was scared senseless. We were prey on the run. There was no haven left for us. Our options were down to run like hell, fight when we had to, and try not to get killed. Not the best of circumstances no matter how you sliced it.

  The shadow creatures were stronger the second time, and we now knew they could materialize in the dark, making them even harder to kill. We needed to find safety before nightfall.

  There was still a chance we could make it to the Castle before the sun slipped away completely, but we’d have to hurry. I was just about to ask Axel whether he thought we should take the main highway or navigate through the back roads, but I never got the chance.

  Something big slammed against the side of my truck. There was a thud as it struck, and I caught only the faintest glimpse of a giant black creature, then my truck was sliding off the road.

  I turned the wheel into the skid and corrected just before we hit a tree, then cut the wheel back and started to straighten us out again.

  A dark blur passed through my rearview. The creature was still on us.

  “Hit the gas!” Axel yelled, but I was already on it.

  I slammed the pedal against the floor and my engine roared.

  “I don’t see it!” Eva said.

  Both she and Axel had their heads turned, looking back down the road, which is why they never saw it coming.

  I did.

  From my peripherals I saw movement and glanced out of my driver side window. Time slowed down and I made eye contact with the creature as it charged. Its flesh was blackened leather. Its face looked like some cross between a wolf and a feral hog. Long white hair flowed from the top of its head, and its eyes glowed with a brilliant blue light as they bore into mine.

  Then it hit us again, smashing into the bed of my truck and forcing us into a spin. I tried to correct again, but this time there was no getting it back under control.

  We bounced as we hit the ditch, jarring my field of vision.

  Eva screamed.

  Axel laughed like a maniac.

  I saw the tree only a moment before we hit it. There was a thump and the sound of breaking glass, then everything became hazy.

  I lifted my head, but my vision was blurred. Forcing my gaze toward the window, I saw a dark shape moving toward us with bright blue eyes.

  ***

  I heard a scream.

  A woman’s voice.

  Eva.

  Despite the rumble in my skull, I forced my eyes open. My brain felt like a cracked egg, and it took me a moment to remember what had happened. We’d been in a wreck. Some creature had shoved us off the road. Now it had Eva.

  I glanced over and saw my suspicions confirmed. Axel’s door was open, but he was still in his seat.

  Eva was gone.

  I couldn’t tell how severe Axel’s injuries were, but I didn’t know how bad mine were, either. At least he was breathing, but a line of blood was trickling down the side of his face. He groaned and forced his eyes open. His head lulled to one side and he gave me a squinted glare. “You suck at driving.”

  Eva screamed again.

  I reached for the latch on my seat belt, thankful I’d been smart enough to wear it. If I hadn’t, I’d have become one with the tree my truck was parked in.

  I pulled the latch for the door and shoved it open. I tried to step out, but only too late realized I wasn’t on friendly terms with my sense of balance. I landed face-first on the gravel road, sucking in a mouthful of dust and grit.

  I fought my way to my knees and reached for my sword.

  A few feet away, Eva struggled against a man dressed in black leather.

  “Hey,” I said, trying again for my feet. This time I managed to stand, but I was still a bit wobbly. “Let her go.”

  The man glanced in my direction, an amused smile on his face. It was hard to tell how old he was because his hair was stark white, but his face had a boyish charm to it. He wore black leather biker pants with a matching jacket that had the sleeves cut off, showing off his muscular arms.

  He had Eva’s wrist in one gloved hand and the longest goddamned katana I’d ever seen in the other. The blade had to be at least six feet long.

  Then I saw his eyes. The same brilliant blue of the creature who’d knocked us off the road. A were-creature of some kind? I’d never seen a beast like that before. Never even heard of anything like that. Some kind of cross between a wolf and a razorback, only ten times larger than either. And its flesh had been as dark as the shadow creatures, save for its brilliant white hair.

  “This doesn’t concern you,” he said, pointing his long blade at me. “Stay out of the way.”

  “Let her go,” I repeated, taking a careful step forward. My feet felt a little surer. I still wasn’t confident about how I’d hold up in a fight, but it didn’t look like I was going to have a choice.

  He seemed about to reply when he noticed the sword in my hands. “Now, that is an interesting blade, isn’t it?” His eyes rose to study my face, as though he were appraising me. “Who are you?”

  “Who the hell are you?” I replied.

  He chuckled for a moment, then cut off mid-cackle. His head tilted and he looked skyward, as though he was listening to something. He glanced back at me and gave an apologetic smile. “We’ll have to do this another time. I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

  He turned and started away, dragging the screaming Eva with him. She dropped to her butt and started kicking at his legs. He didn’t seem to notice and didn’t seem to mind dragging her across the gravel.

  I heard the other truck door open and Axel said, “Hey, Captain Emo! He said let her go!”

  The stranger glanced over his shoulder at Axel as he came around the other side of the truck. “Or what?”

  “Well,” Axel said, glancing between the strange man and me. Then, as if we were in the junior high cafeteria, he said, “Or my friend will kick your ass.”

  Thanks, Axel.

  The man glanced back in my direction, his smile spreading. “Is that so? He doesn’t look like much.”

  “He’s the Blade Mage, asshole,” Axel said, with just a little too much pride in his voice. “He kicks the crap out of chumps like you for breakfast, brunch, and lunch. He takes on real challenges for dinner and has an ice cream cone for desert. A victory cone, he calls it.”

  Using mind-speak, I said, “Axel, shut the hell up.”

  “Relax, Wyatt, I’m just acting as your hype man.”

  “I don’t need a hype man, Axel. I don’t want a hype man. What I do
want is for you to help me think of something clever, fast.

  The stranger glanced at me and said, “You may want to see to your friend. The accident may have caused some brain damage.”

  “I’ll have you know, I’m always like this,” Axel said, puffing out his chest. “So, you walking emo meme, do you actually know how to use that sword? Or is it just for cutting yourself?”

  Ignoring Axel, the man turned back to me. “So, you’re Wyatt Draven, the Blade Mage. Brilliant. I always wanted to try my hand against your father. Shame he’s dead. No one left to offer much of a challenge.”

  With that, he turned and started away again, but Eva swung a foot into the back of his knee cap, causing him to stumble forward. I charged in, swinging my sword.

  He was quick.

  Damned quick.

  He released his grip on Eva and used both hands to block my strike. Then his hand shot back out and grabbed a hand full of her hair. He used one hand to block my next strike.

  “I really don’t have time for this nonsense,” he said, parrying my strikes.

  I responded with another attack. I had the advantage, but still I couldn’t manage to break his defenses.

  Swatting my next attack off to the side, he planted a black boot in my chest and kicked me. I managed to stay on my feet out of sheer luck. He’d struck so quick I hadn’t even realized what happened until I was reeling backward.

  “Do you even know her?” he asked. “Or are you just the type of bumbling idiots who will throw their lives away for any stray they pick up?”

  “We are exactly those type of bumbling idiots,” Axel replied, a drumstick in each hand.

  “You think to save her?” he asked. “She already has a home. I’m just taking her back there. Back to her master.”

  “She has no master,” I replied, stepping forward again. “She belongs to no one.”

  “Oh, how chivalrous,” he said, and yanked on Eva’s hair. She let out a squeal. “But I’m afraid we’re out of time for games. Maybe we’ll meet again, Blade Mage.”