The Royal Assassin: Shadows of Myst

by Shireen Nemnich

  Shade is of equal height as she and he doesn’t think twice but take her hand into his. I guess this is to be expected since they are twins. What’s not expected is what comes next. He sits down and she joins him. He starts stroking her hair under the large veil they have masked her in. Now I see Phantom rush out the door snatching up Shade and the neighbor boy runs off to his home. Essence rushes out stilling Phantom’s hands from harming Shade. He releases him returning to the house but not before he leans down whispering into Shadowen’s ear. Damn I can’t hear what is said but I know it’s not very good by the reaction I see from Shadowen.

  The door closes and Shade walks farther into the yard deep into a cluster of shadowy roses. Shadowen doesn’t move and I reach out gently, carefully with my magic to figure out why. What is she waiting on? Then with lightening speed she moves across the yard to be with Shade. I’m stunned. She has a touch of magic already. It is magic I’m feeling from her. She was waiting until Phantom was far enough away that he could not sense her before moving.

  She rushes to Shade and he pulls away but she pokes him and I smile as he looks up and he strokes her hair. They sit together and he doesn’t move except for stroking her hair. They are hidden deep inside the shadowy roses and I have to smile. If Phantom comes now the thorns will slice his flesh very nicely. These children are smart enough to know this. They know that the roses will not harm them, but will harm anyone with ill intent as Phantom has demonstrated.

  I stay there watching over her and I wish I could send her some of my magic to make her feel loved by me. I wish I could feel her with my magic. But Phantom will know instantly and then all will be lost. Instead I will sit out here waiting and watching until one day I will hold her to me and wrap her in my magic.

  Three

  I awaken suddenly from a dream that I just can’t remember. I feel like today will be an important day. I dress lazily even though I feel like I should be in a hurry. Today Shadowen and Shade will be twelve years of age. Madrigal over heard from one of Essence’s handmaiden’s that Essence wanted to have a celebration for them but Phantom refused her request.

  I have faithfully gone to see Shadowen every day for the past eight years. Some days it has been harder than others. It was not easy at all for me to see that neighbor boy Darken kiss her, even though it was through their veils. Just thinking about that makes my blood burn into a fire that could smite the largest ice dragon in all of Ikia. That little boyfriend has got to go!

  I slip down stairs and prepare to grab some breakfast before making my morning visit to Shadowen when suddenly I fall to my knees. All my safeguards that surround Shadowen have exploded and have come tumbling back to me. I gasp for air as Madrigal rushes to me. “What’s happened?” She says placing her arms around my shoulders.

  “I… I don’t know. I must go to Shadowen now!” I struggle up putting my veil on and then my cloak. I take a deep but shaky breath. I part my first shadow and I feel Shadowen crying out to my heart. “What the…” I hurry as fast as I can, parting shadow after shadow. I feel some ripping at my body as I shift so quickly to reach her. I arrive within one hundred paces in case this is a trick.

  I see several Nightelves come rushing out of the house with their skirts in their hands in a state of panic. Now I see Essence dragging a struggling Shade with her out the door. Magical explosions rock the house and now I see sparks flying out several windows at once. Now Kazar and Phantom rush out the door. Phantom is covered in blood; his blood. My heart is pounding in my chest. Where is Shadowen? Oh goddess where is Shadowen?

  Now I see the most beautiful vision of Mysteria floating above the house her arms spread out wide and she is smiling. She looks down and then throws her head back laughing. She points to me to come and see. She wants me to go into the house. I can’t disobey her wishes even if it may jeopardize my being with Shadowen. I start heading for the house.

  Phantom steps in front of me but another flash of magic shoots through the roof and a large iron rod is flying directly towards him. He quickly moves out of the way and it crashes into the ground. I turn toward the house and begin walking. Phantom tries again to stop me, but this time I push him back with my magic to his cry of despair. I hear his hiss, “You can’t have her!”

  I shift quickly into a shadow working my way up their house until I’m at the top floor. I see where the magic is coming from. I walk carefully unsure what is happening. Magic slices through the air with screaming shadows following it. It’s got to be bad if shadows run in fear of it. I pray I will find Shadowen alive. Then I remember Mysteria is happy, so it should be good. Magic slices down through the corridor slashing along my skin. Oh goddess! I drop to my knees. It’s Shadowen! This is her day of reckoning! I hear her soft cries. More magic slices through the air and I immediately grab onto it and then release it. I stand up and run to her room.

  She is so young for this to happen. I’ve never known a day of reckoning to come at such an early age and for it to be so massively violent. I enter the room and there she is. She is kneeling down on her hands and knees doubled over in pain.

  “Shadowen!” I call to her and she lifts her veiled face. I hear her harsh breathing so filled with pain and agony. My heart aches for her and I need to get rid of this wild magic swarming around her. I’ve never seen so much magic in my life come from any one person. I begin dispelling the magic as it starts attacking me. I move swiftly through shadows and soon her magic is following me in a heated pace. I dispel more of it and more until I can get closer to her. “Shadowen…” I call her name. She tries to adjust her veil but she doubles over again. Oh goddess, please help her!

  There is a huge shield of magic in front of me and I can’t seem to penetrate it so I can get close enough to help her. She lifts her head again her voice is pain filled as she whispers to me, “Are... you... Reis?”

  “Yes, I am. I’m Reis.” I say to her getting down on one of my knees. “Let me help you.”

  “Reis? Are... you... my... consort?” she asks and pain shoots through her straight to my heart.

  “Yes, Shadowen. I am your consort if you will allow me.” I say reaching out my hand.

  She screams suddenly out and rushes into my arms. “Consort!” Oh goddess, thank you. She has just claimed me as her consort and her tiny arms wrap around my waist. Her wild magic wraps around my body and I suddenly feel as if I am breathing in a whole new life. Her magic is sweet like honey and I'm suddenly gulping it down like a drowning man. “Make it... stop. Please... make it stop.” She begs me.

  Her magic plunges deep inside me and I feel the calming effect smooth over her. I sweep her up into my arms and turn around. Phantom, Essence and Chi are standing just inside the doorway. My voice is rough with emotions and I simply do not care. She is mine now. “I claim my consort and she has claimed me.”

  I hear the tears in Essence’s voice, “She’s just a child.”

  Chi raises her gloved hands saying, “Child or not, she is his now and he is hers. It is so done.”

  I feel her fall almost instantly to sleep in my arms so I pull her closer to me. She is mine and now I get to take her home. Take her away from this lonely hell I've watched her endure and give her a life of love and joy. Phantom speaks as I pass him by, “She will never be yours.”

  I just keep walking.

  I walk down the stairs and through the gate and suddenly I feel someone walking beside me. It’s Shade. I look down at him and he says nothing only walks by my side. I do not know what to say to him. I’ve only agreed to take her not him. I never even thought about him wanting to be with her. He is her twin brother after all.

  We walk in silence and I feel her magic swarming around her. Then I feel Shade’s contact with my arm as he reaches up to touch her. I feel panic inside of him regarding her and regarding me. We walk a very long distance and I’m surprised he is able to make such a trip without complaining or asking me to stop. Once we reach my home he stops. I turn back to him and he looks away then slowly ba
ck. I see he is struggling to say the words he wants to. “May I…”

  I lean down on my knee so he can see her better. He wraps his gloved hands along her veiled face. He leans down and presses his head to hers for a very long moment. I feel his love reaching to her, touching, caressing her and it's then I realize he’s reassuring her that he will always be with her. My heart feels his protectiveness over her and it warms mine. He slowly lifts his head looking at my home then back at her. Just behind him I see Mysteria stroking along his shoulders pulling him gently away. He then walks away not saying a word and I say nothing as I can only watch him leave.

  I enter my home after a very long moment. I realize right away I can’t take her to my bed so instead I take her to the spare room next to mine. She will not be far from me if she should need me and if I need her. The room is a little bright and cheery for my taste but Madrigal decorated it. I pull the bed curtains back with my magic and lay her upon the bed.

  I turn to see Madrigal enter. “This is her?” she asks with an odd smile on her face. I nod and she giggles. “Oh my, she is young.” She pokes me in the ribs. “You won’t be bedding her for awhile.” I roll my eyes under my veil and she giggles again. “She is too skinny, they must starve her.” She pulls a blanket up over her saying, “No worries we will feed the waif so she will be strong enough for you to bed in a few years.”

  “Madrigal…” I say and she waves her hands.

  “I know. I know. I’m going.” She then moves out the door.

  I pull a chair up next to the bed. I sit and realize her magic is the wildest magic I have ever felt. Goddess it’s sweet. I close my eyes and bask in it.

  I’m not exactly sure how long I lay back in the chair basking in her magic. Allowing it to touch and caress me while she sleeps. I do recall being roused by her gentle whisper. “Where am I?”

  I lift my head and she is sitting up in the bed. I straighten up in the chair and say, “This is my home… your new home… our home.” I gesture around the room, “This is where you will be staying.” I stand up stretching my stiff body. Her magic is swirling around her and me and it’s very exhausting for me to keep grasping and releasing it.

  “Reis?” she asks.

  “Yes?”

  “May I…” I feel something reach to me from her and then suddenly she goes quiet saying, “Never mind.”

  I’m not sure what she wanted to say but I do feel her cut herself off from me. Whatever it is she is not going to ask. I turn to the door. I look back and suddenly I feel so mixed up. I’m not sure what to do now that I have her. I didn’t expect to raise a child and that is just what she is, a child. But what a beautiful child she is.

  Four

  I’m furious with Shadowen yet again. I can’t understand why she has to cross me on everything. She is now fourteen years old, has lived under my roof for two years and still every day it’s the same thing. I want to see Shade. I want to see Darken. Why must I do this? Why must I do that?

  I’m walking down the long corridor towards my private study and she is still hot on my heels. I can hear her skirt rustling with each movement. Her voice is calm and barely above a whisper as she calls after me but I can feel each and every emotion she has and right now it’s longing. Longing for that boy! There is even longing in her voice, “I do not understand why you refuse to let me go see him.”

  I refuse to speak and remain silent. I’m tired of her and I will find some respite in my study away from her and her damn longing. I step through the doorway and I am utterly shocked she has followed me right in. This is my private study! I stop in my tracks and turn to look at the audacity of this little speck of a child. She continues to speak to me. “It is only a day.”

  “You just spent the entire day with Shade yesterday and now you want to run off and be with your old boyfriend. No!” I can’t believe her! I turn away moving towards my desk and then add. “Don’t push me on this. It’s final.”

  “Final?” She says her voice still very controlled even though her emotions are wild with that damn longing!

  “Yes.” I say sitting down at my desk.

  I look up and she is just standing there staring at me, fully veiled. She still refuses to allow me to look upon her face and she refuses to look upon mine. “Reis, he’s going to the surface. I may never see him again.” She makes another attempt to gain sympathy but it flat out won’t work that boy has been nothing but a nuisance.

  “Good riddance!” I snort out under my breath as I lift some correspondence from my desk.

  I feel my blood go cold in my veins and I can’t help but look up at her. She used her magic and doesn’t even know it. If I wasn’t controlling her magic right now I'm sure I'd be writhing in pain. She went from longing to be with him to hating me so fiercely she would have hurt me if she could.

  She has been nothing but cold and indifferent to me since she moved into this house and now she is being hateful and I can feel spite growing in her. What happened to that beautiful child who reached out to my magic? What happened to her voice that was singsong and lovely? This is not what I agreed upon and I am stuck with her.

  She abruptly turns and walks out. Good! Although she has left the room I feel her every move. Her thoughts are lost to me but her emotions and sometimes her actions are with me at all times. I don’t know if it’s because I have been harnessing her magic for so long I know everything she feels through it, but one thing for sure I am exhausted. Maybe I should not be so hard on her? She did say he was leaving for the surface. Why do I want to suddenly give in? I gave in yesterday and look at what I have to deal with today.

  No! No! No!

  I feel a change in her. And not only do I hear my mother’s vase fall to the floor I feel her shove it off the pedestal with such violence in her. I stand and shift instantly in the parlor but she’s already left. My mother’s precious vase is shattered in tiny pieces on the floor. It’s the one thing I kept of hers. The only gift she kept of my father’s. I can’t believe she did this. I can’t believe she purposefully did this.

  I sweep my magic over it and the smashed bits and pieces come to me. I feel her in the foyer and immediately shift into a shadow and I’m standing not more than six feet from her. I can’t even control my rage, “I am so sick and tired of your tantrums and I’m so tired of you thinking that you can do whatever you want and get by with it because you are of the Royal House!”

  In this moment I can’t stand the sight of her or stand milking her magic to keep her from suffering. Well not this time. Not after what she’s done. I toss the shattered pieces of the vase at her feet causing her to jump back in fear. “You can just suffer tonight. I will not comfort you or ease your pain this night!” I step towards her and she takes several more steps back her fear streaming off her. Good!

  I reach up grabbing my cloak from the clawed rack then sweep it around my shoulders. “You are nothing but an ungrateful child and I should just send you back to your parents.”

  I am so damn furious with her that I kick at the smashed vase at her feet saying, “You aren’t even worth the value of this now smashed vase.” I strangle back my fury in my throat then step into a shadow leaving. I cut off all my protection from her. She deserves to suffer after this.

  I am no more than two shadows away when I hear my grandmother’s soft voice touching my heart. Please don’t abandon the child she needs you. I ignore her and keep moving. I hear her again speak to me. Please do not let her suffer long then. She just doesn’t know yet how much she needs you.

  Now I'm torn inside but I know I have to calm down. I will return later after I am calmer. I send back to her.

  Reis, please don’t give up on her. You just need to figure out how to reach her.

  I can feel Shadowen’s pain and suffering but it feels much like my own. I keep shifting trying to get away from her. I find myself heading to the surface praying I will not feel her there.

  I’ve stayed away all night. I'm simply moving from one shadow to anot
her walking along the surface. I can feel her torment even here. I thought this would be a good lesson to her, but I’m fast realizing this is actually a lesson to me. She’s already my consort in every sense of the word. Her suffering makes me suffer and I’m miserable feeling her pain. I have almost rushed back countless times to ease her suffering, and yet oddly a soft voice has spoken to my heart telling me to stay away. I have to wonder if it’s the same voice that told me to rush to her the day her magic came. I think it’s Mysteria but I can’t say for sure.

  I’m so tired and I know she is too because she hasn’t slept either. But if I even get close to the house I know I’ll be taking all her pain and suffering away and then what will that do? She will simply know how to manipulate me more. I can’t stay away forever though so I do the only thing there is left to do… I head back… slowly.

  I enter the foyer and I’m immediately struck with her pain. I almost double over from it. I feel her curled up in bed. Her fever is higher than it should be and she’s struggling with voices. For the first time I can hear voices in her mind. I never heard her thoughts before. Now her magic is sweeping like an inferno over her. I must go to her I realize and quickly.

  “No!” Madrigal says stopping me from shifting up stairs. “Let her be a little longer.”

  I shake my head as I’m now fully in tune to her pain and it’s sickening. Not what consorts normally experience when they are new to magic and she’s had this for two years. This is different. I have to help her now! I take a step and Madrigal places both her hands on my chest. “No I say!”

  “She suffers terribly, I have to.”

  “No do not help her yet. She is close to breaking the ice around her heart. You must wait a little longer.” I push Madrigal aside and shift quickly to Shadowen's room but as I enter I’m taken back by the voices in her head, so loud and so strong. It’s almost as if they are all within the room with us.