The Royal Assassin
Shireen Nemnich
The Royal Assassin
First edition, March 2011.
Copyright © 2011 by Shireen Nemnich
All rights reserved.
Cover Design, Graphic Art by Shireen Nemnich.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without the author's permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
Author: Shireen Nemnich
Series: Shadows of Myst
Title: The Royal Assassin
Subject: Fiction - Fantasy
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Paperback ISBN 978-1-257-32216-9
For Reis, the voice of inspiration.
A note from the Author.
The Royal Assassin is but a single story in the Shadows of Myst Series. I have elected to release it first for several reasons but perhaps the most important reason is, Reis. His story is such an important one to be shared and I admit, I fell in love with him even though I began writing Shadowen's story long before he came into being.
The Shadows of Myst series actually takes place over great spans of time periods. However each book stands on it's own in the series. Since Mystics and Nightelves are Immortal beings it has given the series a richness of expanding time but also allows each book to intertwine with each other to give a broader perspective of Myst and Mystics.
I do hope you enjoy the Royal Assassin as much as I've enjoyed writing it.
Coming out soon in the series:
The Royal Seer
The Royal Conjurer
The Forgotten Assassin
Valantis
The fictional world of Valantis consists of many different lands made of dirt, sand and even ice, along with oceans, waterways and isles. High above in the day sky is a perfect ruling sun and at night there are twin ruling moons. There are many different races including humans, mystics, elves, trolls and goblins to name only a few.
The one thing that is consistent and a constant factor is magic. Valantis is filled with magic. There is dark magic, light magic, death magic and life magic weaving its way through all the forms of life. Some are born with it. Some grow into it and some find it thrust upon them. Yet there are others that only get a taste of magic through another.
Shadows of Myst
The Royal Assassin
One
I hear my grandmother, Madrigal’s voice filter softly through the corridor. “Master Reis, you will be late if you do not hurry along.” I take in a deep breath staring at my reflection in the long-standing mirror. I am dressed in my finest traveling clothes. I look quite handsome if I do say so myself. Not that much will be noticed as an assassin I’m dressed in black, black and yet more black.
I hear her call my name again and I note the frown increasing on my face. I sure didn’t want to go before she said my name and now I wish to go even less. Madrigal is my grandmother who happens to be a Nightelf, who also just so happens to have had an unlikely affair with a mystic from the Royal House of Darkness and Shadow. Not just any mystic either, my grandfather was the first Royal Assassin. Their love affair produced my mother and no one knew who her father was because he would not claim her as his daughter. At least this is how Madrigal tells it. Apparently he was married and their love affair was very secret. My grandmother did trust me with this secret though and I think because of my own father, another Royal Mystic.
My mother wasn’t really accepted as a Mystic even though her father’s Royal blood flowed in her veins. The only reason was simply because her magic was the dark magic of Nightelves like Madrigal’s. So my mother remained servant status just as my grandmother and lived in the Royal Assassin's home.
My mother, even after bedding my father becoming pregnant with me still remained servant status. Sadly my mother died giving birth to me so I never knew her. Madrigal said though that she was able to hold me for a few moments before she died and she named me Reis after some legendary hero of the Nightelves; a hero that I have no knowledge of.
Of course my father the Royal Seer of the Royal House of Darkness and Shadow refused and still refuses to claim me publicly and privately as his son. It doesn’t much matter to me though because the Royal House of Darkness and Shadow claims me in spite of my parentage.
My grandmother petitioned them when I came into my magic because I carry darkness and shadows as my magic. More shadows than darkness at that. I’ve been blessed with the silver eyes of a Mystic and I have powerful Mystic shadows dancing in them as well. My shadows however are near black instead of gray like Mystics.
“Master Reis!” She calls for me again and I fix my shirt looking once again in the full-length mirror. She pops her head around the doorway and immediately lowers her eyes, “Please veil yourself!” I do not turn toward her but snatch my black gauzy veil off the edge of the mirror. I leisurely pull my long black flowing hair over my shoulders so it flows easily down my back. I turn slightly looking at the thick streaks of silver in my hair before placing my veil on top my head. I’ve always had silver streaks in my hair, which is another unusual trait I have. Mystics and Nightelves alike are black haired and it’s not until one is past the age of seven hundred that gray, silver or white begins to grow and sometimes it never comes and yet I was born with it. My mother I'm told was born with silver hair, which is odd in itself.
I allow my veil to fall down to my face covering it completely. “I’m veiled.” I say but it comes out more as a whisper, another Mystic trait. My voice along with my magic and a few other attributes are definitely Mystic rather than Nightelf.
Mystics have what some refer to as bewitching eyes. It is said that to look into the eyes of a Mystic you can fall madly in love or simply go mad and some do both. Since I carry their eyes I must protect innocents from my face. I’ve heard rumors and I’ve read stories that even some Mystics are susceptible to other Mystic’s perfection. But I hate having to hide my face or eyes in my own home.
Madrigal looks up and I see her gentle smile. She wears a simple veil that covers her eyes and nose allowing her mouth to be seen. “You look handsome in your shirt. But I swear you are taking more than your sweet time in getting dressed. Hurry or you will be late.”
Not withholding disgust from my whispery voice I say, “I can’t believe you are insisting I pay a visit to Phantom and Essence.”
“You should have paid a visit right after their children were born, out of respect. It is any wonder they have agreed to your visit this late. It’s been well over four years since their children were born.” She is now brushing her hands along my new black cloak she just finished sewing. I enjoy Madrigal’s mothering but I will never tell her, although I’m sure she suspects it.
“They have agreed to see me simply because they have no choice.” I say taking the nice newly sewn cloak from her worn hands. “I am after all the Royal Assassin and it is my duty to train one of their children to be an assassin for the Royal House.” I slip the cloak around my shoulders and adjust it gazing into the mirror. “That was the agreement after all.”
“Please don’t start this again.” She says to me using her aging voice.
“Why not? She was supposed to be my wife. You know that, as well as I do. For Essence and Phantom to break tradition and take each other as consorts…
” I break off my sentence then in a much calmer voice say. “They had no choice to but to agree to give me one of their children to be an assassin and or a consort if I so choose.” I adjust the cloak on my shoulders and continue, “The Royal Court was quite clear on this. To have two Heirs of the Royal Chalice become consorts to each other is simply not done. I was to be her consort and husband not Phantom.”
“You have more than enough consorts as it is.” She bristles slightly at my having six consorts.
“I only would have taken Essence and that you well know. I'm only going out of duty. I can assure you the last thing I want is one of their children to be my consort, or my apprentice in training.” My mood has gone from disgusted to foul in an instant.
She places her warm hand on my arm and I turn toward her. “Master Reis, please, be kind to the children… and be respectful to the Heirs.”
I frown but I know she can’t see it since I'm fully veiled. Her gentle touch fills me with her calming magic. “I will do my best.” I lean over kissing her atop her head then I slip my hand into a shadow and step through.
I can part shadows just like a full Mystic, which actually came quite easy to me. I was so surprised that full-blooded Mystic children my age struggled with shifting into shadows. I mean I actually parted my first shadow at such an early age that the Royal Magistrate came to our home to congratulate me. I recall being filled with such pride. I might have been isolated as a child because of my Nightelf blood, but magic… magic is something I can do better than some of the greatest of Mystics.
I learned early on that I can do many things Mystics and Nightelves cannot. I also learned to keep such talents a secret even from my consorts. This gives an assassin advantages when facing enemies and marks. I’m unpredictable and my marks have no idea I am even coming ninety percent of the time The other ten percent that do see me coming, it's because I want them to see and know.
I’m not at all looking forward to traveling to the other side of Myst either. Mystics live in what we refer to as hollows, which are similar to caverns deep beneath the surface. Surface dwellers refer to them as catacombs. This is only because surface dwellers are unable to shift into shadows to reach this far down beneath the rich Myst soil. Nightelves used to live in Myst on the surface but something happened centuries ago that caused war between Nightelves and Mystics. The history of how this led to Nightelves coming below to live among and serve Mystics is lost though over the centuries. Nightelves are not slaves but they are not of any upper class such as a Mystic and if you are born a Nightelf you will end up being a servant to a Mystic.
Affairs are common between the two races however it is very much frowned upon and mixed heritages usually leads to far worse treatment. I have been blessed though by our Goddess Mysteria, creator of Myst. She has given me one blessing after another and I seek her guidance without hesitation. She’s never actually spoken to me, but she gives me dreams and visions and I think I’ve heard her press words into my heart and soul.
I stop a moment and adjust my cloak gazing at our own light source that runs through the hollows. We call it the Silver Blood of Myst. It gives us a warm light during the day and a soft faded glow at night, but not near as bright as the sun. It’s also not as deadly to us as the sun. If we travel to the surface we must be fully clothed, not a single part if our skin can be exposed or we burn and it can cause us almost instant death. Our silver blood doesn’t warm us like the sun does the surface. The temperature of Myst is unchanging with the seasons so every day is pretty much like the one before. We do have lakes, streams, plants, trees and all varieties of animals much like the surface.
There are many differences between surface dwellers and us and perhaps most prevalent is that we have shadows. Not just shadows that move and live among us but inside of us we have a soul and a shadow. Many surface dwellers call us the shadows, because they do not understand us. But one thing that is true about the shadows and us is that we are one with shadows. We are very much a part of them as they are with us. Surface dwellers do not even understand the concept of us. But this doesn’t matter because they do fear us, as they should.
We are fierce, deadly and can move like no other. Our magic cannot be matched although surface dwellers with magic think of us as the Lesser Magi, only because we do not allow them to know our true strength. Anyone who has faced us in battle has not survived to tell of our true strength.
Stepping through shadows, or shifting from one to another moves us swiftly from one place to another. Traveling by shadows is our way and the fastest way to move. We can cover great distances in a matter of minutes and short ones in a matter seconds. I’ve even moved along the surface in broad daylight in shadows. That is a very interesting feeling. Their shadows are lighter and do not hold the thickness of ours. They also can be cold and indifferent feeling to touch, because our shadows are full of life and expectations.
Now I’m smoothly stepping from one shadow to another when after several minutes I’m on the other side of Myst standing in front of the home of Phantom and his wife Essence. I look up at the large hollow that their home resides in and I am surprised it is filled with much more light than the hollow I live in. They have many trees shrubs and plants in their yard along with a high silver gate, which marks Royalty. Phantom and Essence had a set of twins just over four years ago and although I should have come to offer my congratulations and bestow upon them my offer to train one of them. I have chosen to stay away. But now my grandmother has pushed and pushed and so here I am. I’m not happy about it either.
I don’t think anyone blames me for not visiting. I was promised to Essence even before her birth. Not to mention when I was a child I had this dream or perhaps a vision that Mysteria came to me. She pressed her lips to my head and planted a seed of knowledge that I would be consort to the Heir of the Royal Chalice. This seed planted spoke to me that I would be her Royal Assassin and that I would not only protect and care for the Heir that I would find the greatest love of my life.
But Essence and Phantom both are Heirs to the Royal Chalice and although it was unheard of they chose to go against tradition choosing to be consorts to each other. Essence joined him several years later as his wife.
There was nothing for me to do but find myself a consort and move on. Presently though I have six and they keep me busy. In fact they keep me very busy but I enjoy a challenge and having to quell their magic is most enjoyable along with sexually exciting.
I take a breath and step to the large black and silver door that bears the Royal Crest. The crest itself is quite stunning, it is of a silver chalice that is tipped to the side and silver blood is being poured from it. My front door is two stov-vo-kievs crossed over a shadow blade.
The door opens as I approach. Their butler, Kazar is standing there with his eyes properly veiled in a traditional sveil, which falls just below his eyes “Greetings Royal Assassin, you are expected with great anticipation. Please come in.” Male Nightelves wear the sveils, where females wear a bveil that comes to right above the lips like my grandmother wears. A Nightelf’s veil is also made from a different material than Mystics. I am in full black gauze that flows past my chin down my chest, which is proper for an assassin.
I follow him into a large parlor where I am greeted by Phantom and Essence. I can feel their uneasiness but I make sure I am relaxed. I refuse for them to pick up any distress from me whatsoever that they can carry back to the Royal House that will bring me reprisal.
“I offer congratulations to both the Heirs of the Royal Chalice and I bring you my service as agreed.” I say formally.
Phantom nods saying, “We thank you for your offer and we are also humbled that you have come in person.” He then adds, “Although we were expecting you four years ago.”
Essence stands up quickly leaving his last remark not to be given time to digest and says formally, “May we assume you would also care to look at the children to see if one is more suitable than the other for an apprentice?”
She seems different, colder that I expected. But this is why I am here so I nod gently, “That would be appropriate if they are not otherwise engaged.” Now I realize this has got to be the most boring of formalities I’ve endured in thirty years.
I turn towards the large window and look out and I can see three children down below playing in the back yard. I stare out the window not even bothering to commence with small talk. The Heirs are the last two people I wish to engage in any amount of conversation. Plus I could end up pulling out my stov-vo-kiev and gut Phantom right here and now. I smile at such a thought.
I gaze down into the yard and a servant appears taking one of the children by the hand and within moments he is standing before me. Essence’s whispery voice now comes through more solid than before, “This is our son, Shade.”
“Greetings Shade.” I offer a small bow to him by which he returns one. I reach out towards him with my magic to feel if he is acceptable and there is nothing special about him that would indicate he will make a good assassin. “Do you enjoy playing outside with your friends?” I ask trying to make small talk with him.
His voice is a soft but a very cold whisper, “I have no friends. I play with my sister and her friend.” I do not bother looking away or say anything to his parents about not having friends. It’s none of my business. Now the other child arrives and she slips up behind Shade and immediately I feel Shade sparkle inside. How interesting.
The girl peeks her head around Shade her gloved hands firmly on his shoulders. Phantom now introduces the other child. “This is our daughter Shadowen.”
The Royal Assassin: Shadows of Myst Page 1