Shadow Borne

by Angie West

  Shadow Borne

  by

  Angie West

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright© 2014 Angie West

  Published at Smashwords

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission.

  Also by Angie West

  *Spirit of the Wolf

  *Incubus

  *The Fifth Hour

  The Shadows Trilogy

  *Shadow Cave

  *Return to the Shadows

  *Shadow Borne

  Acknowledgments

  A huge thank you goes out to my sister, Jennifer, for all those early brainstorming sessions! Without you, this book wouldn't be what it is today. I would also like to extend a special thank you to my first readers and wonderful beta readers. Aaron, Angela, Amy, Cassy, Diana, Lanie, Nathalie, Robin, and Storm. You guys are amazing.

  Dedication

  For Aleksander. Welcome to the world, my friend. May it forever be filled with love, adventure, hope, and an enduring sense of wonder.

  Chapter One

  Reopened Wounds

  Border patrol. My least favorite task of the day. Oh, I'm sure I could have come up with a thing or two that might be considered worse, if I had to, but at the end of the day, what did it matter? I reasoned with infallible logic and shifted uncomfortably against the heavy chain link vest. I hated wearing the damn things; they clung to the male soldiers' chests but on me they hung clear to mid-thigh. The bow fit nicely in my hand. I exhaled, slung a leather-bound quiver of arrows across my back, and stared at the forest beyond. It would soon be dark.

  The changing of the guards, as it was, took place in six-hour increments now that we were so great in numbers. I recalled the half-a-day long shifts of the not too distant past, right after the war began and mass confusion, chaos really, had reigned supreme.

  Those were dark days, I reflected with an uneasy frown. It wasn't something any of us liked to talk about. Hell, it wasn't something I even wanted to think about, though I often forced myself to do exactly that, having learned the hardest way possible that it doesn't pay to hide from reality, no matter how foul or ugly it may be.

  May have been, I silently corrected, narrowing my eyes and doing a slow sweep of the darkening shadows that gathered upon me with the swiftly approaching night. Life hadn't been truly foul or ugly in a while, though there was no denying most days the memories of pain and loss were still too fresh and sharp and real. Things weren't perfect and I was enough of a realist to know they never would be. Only blind idiots strive for perfect harmony.

  But, I conceded, we were incredibly fortunate; what began as a thirty person operation had, at last count, swelled to over four hundred strong and our numbers were growing every day thanks to the hard work and dedication of people like Mark and his men and of course Claire.

  The thought of my best friend was enough to make my lips curve gently into a genuine smile. I was supposed to meet up with her after patrol duty was over. For a couple of months now, since the week after her wedding, in fact, Claire and I had been meeting every week for coffee and a late supper. More often than not, we also went night swimming and moon bathing up near the Grandview Springs beach. But that was something we kept a secret between the two of us. Her family tended to be a little on the overprotective side and there was certainly no denying that everyday life in Terlain held a huge potential for violence. I shrugged and rocked on the balls of my booted feet, flexing the arm that cradled the bow. It seemed as if lately everything was dangerous and there was a good reason for that-for the most part it was.

  The situation wasn't likely to change anytime soon. In fact, just the opposite was probably closer to the truth. Despite the weeks-long period of relative calm in Terlain, the fine hair at the back of my neck had remained tingling and alert, my skin tight with an awareness that spoke of impending trouble. I glanced at the thick, silent tree line and took a deep breath, then let it out. Lots and lots of trouble.

  Suddenly, a twig snapped, close by, and then–

  “Hey–”

  I whirled at the voice, at the sound of footsteps coming up behind me. Lightning quick, a sharp tipped arrow was held in suspension on the bow and my muscles strained with the effort it took to hold my position, to keep myself in firm check and not shoot.

  The man at the other end of the clearing stopped abruptly and was still, his eyes locked on mine.

  “Aranu.” The weapon sagged in my arms until it was pointed at the ground instead of the soldier who had come to relieve me for the night.

  “Aries.” he nodded, the expression in his eyes unreadable, but he was once again moving across the wide grassy space that separated us. If my reaction had startled him, and surely it must have, he made no mention of it. Instead, he came to stand beside me and simply asked. “Rough afternoon?”

  “No. I haven't heard a peep all day, only a few squirrels and a playful fox.” I shrugged.

  The look he gave me was brief and pointed.

  Okay, so I was a bit touchy now and then. So what? My eyes challenged him.

  “You're not taking watch on your own, are you?” I shaded my gaze against imaginary light and scanned the clearing.

  “Li should be here in a few minutes.”

  “I can stay with you if he doesn't show.” I didn't want to, but of course I would, if it became necessary. Besides, it's not like Claire wouldn't understand if I had to cancel on her and I could just as easily see her tomorrow.

  “Li will be here.” Aranu murmured, his back to me as he knelt down and slid a soft deerskin cloth over his heavy broadsword.

  I watched the muscles in his back ripple beneath a black shirt as he polished the weapon to a dull gray shine before carefully setting it aside and picking up a short dagger that he'd kept strapped to his thigh for as long as I'd known him.

  Aranu had grown up in one of the villages not far from the woods of my childhood home and had fought beside me when the first wave of Kahn's guards had come. He was one of the original thirty and I was close to him, or as close as I could get to most people, anyway.

  “Yes, he's reliable if not punctual.” I agreed with a brief nod. “Still, you're right, he will be here. Eventually.”

  Aranu laughed and went on polishing the dagger. “He's only a few minutes late. You're too hard on the men, Ari.”

  “Too hard on the men, right.” I scoffed. “First of all, someone has to be,” I pointed out, glaring at his broad back. “Not that I think it's even possible to be too tough on a man.”

  “No, I suppose you wouldn't.” he replied easily, still crouched on the ground.

  “What's that supposed to mean?” I demanded.

  He turned then, glancing at me evenly over one shoulder a second before he rose gracefully to his feet. I only had to crane my neck a little bit to glare up at him and glower I did, for all I was worth. With the exception of Claire, only Aranu would dare to be so bold with me and while I allowed her that familiarity, from him it was intolerable. I didn't stop to question why this was the case, I only knew that deep down, it was.

  “Well?”

  Aranu's eyes dropped to my sides and I watched him take in the way my hands were clenched into tight fists, the way my chest was rising and falling with each sharp intake of breath. His head cocked to the side as he stood there, clearly trying to decide how far he could push me. I squared my shoulders and kept my gaze level with his own dark eyed stare, every bit as stone still as he was. More so because I had to
be.

  “Guys?” Li's deep voice shattered the intense battle-of-wills stand off that Aranu and I had been engaged in. He walked up to us with a deceptively casual stride; Li was tough, despite the easy charm he exuded. Right now he was blatantly curious.

  “Nothing. I meant...nothing.” Aranu held my eyes for a moment longer before he turned and walked to the edge of the forest, giving me his back.

  “Fine.” I bit out, irritation rising. “See that you don't bring it up again.”

  “I only meant that you're tough.” he said without turning around.

  “That's right, I am, and you'd do well to keep that in mind.” I took a deep breath, almost a gasp really, and glanced quickly to the west so that Li–and Aranu, should he decide to turn around–wouldn't see the turmoil I was certain would be obvious in my flushed face.

  Why was I being such a bitch? I liked Aranu, most of the time anyway. We had grown up together. He wasn't a bad person, I reminded myself, feeling composed enough now to toss a glance at his stiff shouldered form.

  “I expect it'll be a quiet night.” I spoke the words to Li, though I continued to stare at Aranu.

  “Let's hope, eh?” Li smiled and I gave him a curt nod in return.

  “Yes.” I managed a tight smile, still smarting over the terse exchange with Aranu. “I'm leaving now. Look for me at Claire's if there's a problem before Wednesday.”

  “Two days without patrol.” Li tsked. “You'll go soft, Aries.”

  I choked out a laugh and shook my head. “Dream on. I'm leading a rescue mission to Coztal. I'll be back in a week, if all goes well. If not...”

  I lifted one shoulder and let the statement trail off. It went without saying, if there was trouble, the projected one week time frame would be shot to hell and there was always the chance I wouldn't make it back at all, though not if I could help it.

  “Stay safe.” Li gave me a brief salute.

  “Yes, I will. You too.” With one final glance at Aranu's back, I shrugged and walked away.

  ***

  The forest was pitch dark by the time I'd finished the small jog from the edge of Bellview's eastern perimeter. I stood there in the middle of the dirt path for a moment, hands resting lightly on the dark leather belt that rode low on my hips, and considered the best way to go. The path on which I rested would certainly get me back to Grandview, to Claire, with a bare minimum of fuss.

  No doubt it was the safest direct path to where I needed to go. But...if I took a shortcut through the woods I knew I could shave at least ten minutes off my time. If I flew, another five. I grinned recklessly and eyed the trees for a moment, looking for a good, thick, solid branch. There. That one. Less than thirty seconds was spent debating the wisdom of taking the shortcut before I lowered into a crouch and sprang for it.

  With an ease bred from familiarity, I caught the sturdy branch I'd selected. Even though I couldn't remember quite that far back, not with clarity anyway, the odds were good that I had learned to fly almost before I'd learned to walk. Most woodland nymphs did; it was simply a more effective way to travel. It was not, however, always the safest mode of transportation. Not by a long shot. But I hardly gave the potential danger a second thought.

  Danger and I were, more often than not, two ships passing in the night. At least when I was flying. Other times didn't bear thinking about but here in the trees, well, I was in my element. At this height, birds and tree climbing beasts were the only real threats, that and maybe Kahn's guards. Up here, the forest was pleasantly quiet without being foreboding or silent. Only the faint rustle of the wind as it murmured through waxy green leaves could be heard, a clear enough indication that no predators lurked about.

  As for Kahn's guards, well they were in short supply these days, I acknowledged with a tight feeling in my chest that was half way between nerves and pride. Besides, as fast as I was flying, swinging from branch to branch in the zig-zag pattern that had become habit, the guards would only pose a threat if they were excellent marksmen and I knew from experience most of them weren't.

  No, I felt my jaw tighten at the acknowledgment, many of them were little more than petty thugs. Of course, that in no way meant they weren't dangerous. Nobody knew the truth of that statement better than I did.

  My hand was a caramel colored blur in the dark night as I loosely gripped an upcoming Oak branch and used my body's own swift momentum to swing around a tree to my left. A quick, curving twist of the hips was all that kept me from slamming into the thick trunks of the trees that were flying past in a kaleidoscope of shadow.

  Occasionally, a break in the thick canopy overhead would allow a shaft of moonlight to filter down through the trees. Narrow ribbons of starlight shimmered here and there and gave the woods a slightly silver tint that was more dramatic near the top. The light was beautiful but I wasn't worried; I didn't need it. My night vision was excellent and for that matter, so was my sense of balance. All nymphs were born in possession of extraordinary senses and remarkable agility, but constant training and a fierce determination had strengthened my abilities into something a little harder and sharper.

  I was nearing the end of the road–literally. The twisted, gnarled trunks of the Three Sisters Tree loomed ahead and I instinctively braced for dismount, catching the top branches of a solid looking Oak and tightening my hands around the rough bark instead of my normal quicksilver catch and release motion. My body swayed for a moment before regaining equilibrium and I dropped nimbly to the lower branches and then finally to the hard packed, leaf strewn ground.

  I stared up at the impressive stature and breathed in the crisp night air around me. Legend has it that this section of woods was once ruled by three half-sisters. If the ancient stories could be believed, then all three were very beautiful, though I wasn't familiar enough with the legend to say exactly how their specifics of birth had played out.

  If memory served then one was a nymph, one was a warrior, and one...I paused, frowning, and regarded the twisted old tree thoughtfully. Well, I couldn't recall just what the third sister had been, although I was sure someone, sometime, had told me that part of the story.

  All I remembered for sure was that the third sister was different, unusual, whatever she'd been. Unlike the rest of the trees here, no leaves grew on this one; three trunks twined together like a knotted braid, but for all that, it didn't appear dead or fragile. I traced one finger along the massive trunk but quickly pulled my hand away. Nobody touched this tree. Ever. At least no one was supposed to. Something about it being bad luck. But the way I figured it, if one of the trio had been a nymph then there was a good chance she was a distant ancestor and so she wouldn't mind, would she?

  No, I reasoned, silently pressing my palm against the surface and feeling a warm, tingly sensation radiate through my palm to spread outward toward my wrist. She wouldn't mind. Wherever she was now. All of my senses seemed to go on high alert in the next moment. I heard the voice at the same instant I turned away from the tree.

  “Thought I'd find you here.”

  “Claire.” I grinned, reached into my pocket, and tossed her a smooth flat stone. “Here.”

  She caught the rock easily with one hand. “Ooh. What's this?” she breathed a second later when she held it up to the moonlight for closer inspection.

  I joined her on the path and leaned over her shoulder to point at the stone. “I found it today while I was on patrol and thought you'd like it for your collection.”

  Claire was a fanatic when it came to little odds and ends, especially rocks and seashells. She never seemed to get tired of showing off the large shell collection Mark had mounted into a glass display case, although when I'd asked her how she'd acquired the wide assortment of shells she had only blushed and given some vague non-answer about a lake.

  “Aries, this is great. Seriously. Thank you.”

  I smiled back and watched as she clutched her hand tightly around the stone before carefully depositing it into a small beaded bag she carried on her left a
rm. The bag looked fancy but I knew more often than not it was filled with sand and dirt.

  Claire had been a botanist before coming to Terlain and it showed. In the months she had been among our land, she hadn't lost her passion for nature; if anything, her hunger for knowledge had reached epic proportion. And why not, I reflected, sparing a glance for the gold veined leaves that swayed above our heads along the edge of the path. Terlain was beautiful, extraordinarily so. Even if it was less than safe right now...

  My eyes narrowed ever so slightly on Claire's cut off shorts and tank top. “Where's your knife?”

  “Don't worry.” Her lips curved briefly and she tapped a fingernail against the fur lined boots that ended just below her knees and should have looked out of place with her shorts but didn't.

  “Oh. Right.” I shook my head. Like Claire would walk around at night unprotected.

  “Hey, are you okay?” She glanced at me from beneath the honey colored fringe of bangs that swept across her forehead. “Did something happen tonight? While you were on duty?”

  “What? No. No, it was really quiet tonight.” I pursed my lips and kicked at a pebble on the path. “I'm just...” I sighed. It wasn't that I couldn't talk to Claire. She wasn't just by best friend, she was also the closest thing I had to family. Sure, technically I had a family and of course I wasn't the only nymph in the world. But Claire...she was my ride or die, as she liked to say. She got me in a way no one else had in a long, long time. No, the problem wasn't that I couldn't trust her enough to open up; the crux of the matter was that right then I didn't know how. I considered her question for a moment. Was I okay?

  “Everything is fine. I mean, nothing happened.” I told her, idly twirling a lock of black hair around one finger as we walked. “I just don't feel like myself tonight. You know?”