Beyond the Shadows: Second Edition (The Shadow Series Book 1)

by Anna Hub

  For a long time, we held each other’s gaze. I should have been saying something to defend us; I just didn’t know where to begin.

  "We'll speak again." She turned and left the room before I could protest.

  I was dumbfounded. Her words left me questioning everything but there was no one around to give me answers. I was alone and Brayden was unconscious. I tucked my hand into his, feeling his gentle breath as I reached for his face.

  His skin remained warm but dry. No clammy taint of fever. I exhaled in relief. Ethel had given the impression that physically he was fine. His instinct must have protected him. I just needed to figure out how to get him out of this mental trap she'd locked him in. He’d saved my life now it was my turn.

  Chapter Twenty Three

  Footsteps approached and I turned to find Alex behind me. "Ethel said you need to get some rest."

  I gripped Brayden's hand tight. "I'm fine."

  "Your partner needs his rest too."

  My jaw tightened—I hated the idea of him being locked up in this cave. I had no idea where they planned to take me next but those stairs leading up the mountain were too visible for me to get back here unnoticed.

  "I'd be happy to sleep here, beside him."

  Alex smiled, innocently enough. "We already have a hut prepared for you. You'll be more comfortable there."

  I examined her expression carefully but there was no malicious undertone. Whatever Ethel knew and no matter Alana's suspicions, Alex seemed unaware of them.

  "I promise you, he's safe up here."

  I considered refusing but something told me I would serve myself better by appearing compliant. For now, I would do as they asked and take the time to figure out an escape plan. With Brayden's hand in mine, I silently promised I would get him out of here.

  The sun blinded me as we stepped out, but felt comfortingly warm on my shadow. Alex led me through the crowd of people who once again stopped to watch.

  Once inside the hut, our shadows disappeared. Alex had two strips of leather wrapped around her as underwear while I was naked and feeling more vulnerable than ever. She didn’t seem to notice.

  “The beds are not as comfortable as a mattress but to be honest, I don’t remember what it feels like anyway.” Alex pointed to a bowl of water. “It should be warm; I’ve had it over hot stones for a while if you want to bathe.”

  She was being friendly enough. I scooped water from the wooden bowl and wiped my face.

  “I've been here for seven years. I promise you do eventually reach a point where you enjoy the simplicity.”

  Alex didn’t ask any questions about where I’d come from. It was actually a relief to be near someone who wasn't judging me after the intensity of the elders' meeting.

  "I'll be back in a couple of minutes; I'll just go and collect some food for you."

  Alex left and I used the water to wipe dirt from my arms and legs. My shoulder already seemed better; the poultice Ethel had trapped beneath my shadow working to seal the wound. I sat on the bed, finding the dried out skin of an animal to hang over my shoulders while I used my fingers to comb knots out of my hair.

  Alex stepped inside with another bowl. “Here’s some soup, something you will be having a lot of from now on.” She spoke as though I'd already been accepted—perhaps she didn’t know how the elders felt about me.

  “So, you and your friend, are you committed?” she asked.

  I stared at her.

  “That’s what we tend to call it around here. I just mean are you a couple?”

  “Oh, right.” I wasn’t really sure how to answer the question. “To be honest, I don’t really know if there’s something happening between us.”

  “You just had that look in your eyes when you saw him, that’s all.”

  I blushed. The thought of Brayden trapped and unable to protect himself sent my heart racing. I cared for him more than I wanted to admit.

  Alex smiled. “I'm only trying to find out first, that’s all. I’m sure you can imagine; we get very excited around here when there are newcomers.”

  She didn’t realise I wouldn’t be staying. “I thought I had to complete my assessment before being accepted.”

  “They say that because it’s official procedure but everyone passes. Anyway, you need to rest, so sleep here and know you are safe. No one will disturb you for the rest of the night. If you wake up and don’t know where to find anyone, Tara’s hut is on the right. She'll be back later this evening.”

  “Thank you.”

  The safety of the hut should have made me feel at ease. Despite the drama with the elders and Brayden, sleeping without fear of hunters and whip cats should have been a welcome relief. Instead, the silence and lack of wind felt unsettling. I was used to the sound of Brayden's breath beside me and all I could think about was how I needed to get us out.

  Ethel had to be my starting point. Tara said she was good at what she did but perhaps the healer was mistaken when she said those things to me—after all she didn’t even know me. If I could convince her to trust me, perhaps I could also convince her to let us go. Surely if they didn't want Brayden in their home, they would be happy to let him go.

  There would have to be somewhere more habitable than the valley. Maybe the elders could point us in the right direction. I started to feel better as I decided it was the best course of action. In the morning, I would find Ethel and tell her Brayden and I would be leaving. Then there would be no reason for the elders to complete my assessment and Ethel wouldn’t have to gamble with anything.

  --*--

  Despite all my concerns, I slept deeply. The next day, my muscle pains had eased and the ache in my shoulder seemed better. With animal skin held against my body, I peeked through the grass hanging in the doorway. People shuffled through the village, each of them occupied by a different task. They all seemed so natural, as though living in this world was effortless.

  Between the streams of people, I caught Tara sitting outside her hut, her arms working and her face fixed in concentration.

  I took a sharp breath, preparing for unwelcome attention. My shadow formed as I stepped into the light, and I stretched it between my legs to make sure it covered my backside then pulled the torso to match the top half of my body, arms hanging over my shoulders.

  Tara wore hers in the same way I had seen before. The arms stretched multiple times around her chest and the fingers were displayed on her neck. She looked up briefly when I reached her then turned her attention back to the wooden arrow she was sharpening with a rock. “You must be hungry.”

  “I was hoping I could talk to Ethel.”

  She gestured to a bowl by her side. “Eat first.”

  I thought about insisting she take me to Ethel but my stomach did feel empty and I was going to need all the strength I could get.

  “It will be cold by now but it tastes good anyway,” she said.

  “I don’t mind. It’s far better than my recent diet.” The soup had chunks I couldn't identify but it tasted good enough.

  “You do look a little malnourished.” She gave me a once over.

  “There wasn't much to eat in the forest.”

  “What did you eat?”

  Small talk was the last thing on my agenda, but Tara's friendship seemed invaluable. If I could get anyone on my side, I wanted her. “Bugs and berries.”

  Tara looked up with a grin. “They don’t taste so good.”

  “You’ve eaten them before?”

  “Only once. When I was passing, my body was moved back and forth a lot. I initially found myself in the same valley.” She was thoughtful for a moment and I wondered if she were one of the three Alana had referred to. She seemed strong enough to have survived it. “When I thought I was losing my mind, I ran away to stay with a friend and it brought me close to the shoreline. Luckily, I happened to meet shadows from the village. They were out to collect supplies and they were able to explain what was happening to me.”

  I swallowed a mouthful wh
ile she paused.

  “I don’t think it really made it that much easier to accept. But, at least, I knew other people lived in this world. Back in the Origin, I continued losing consciousness and my friend eventually called an ambulance. I was taken back to the city and found myself in the valley again. At least then I knew if I could find my way out, I would be okay.”

  “You escaped the valley?”

  “No.” She let out a small laugh. “The valley is ... well, a death trap. I escaped the hospital.”

  “Oh.”

  “I ran away as soon as I passed back, hopped on a bus to the coast and hid my body in an abandoned house. My next journey to this world lasted a long time and I almost forgot about the body I had back in the Origin. I only revisited it a few times before I completely transferred.”

  “Alana told me only three have ever escaped the valley.” How many people had passed there and never made it back out?

  Tara rolled her eyes. “They count me as one of them. To be honest, I think it’s a little deceptive. I merely hid in the valley. As I said, my escape was from the hospital.”

  “What happens to all the others?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “There are other people passing in the valley too. What happens to them if they don’t make it to the village?”

  “They die, I guess.”

  “Surely someone can help them get out.”

  She frowned. “Perhaps you don’t realise how unusual it is that you survived. It's been years since anyone has even dared to go anywhere near that place. We only guard it to make sure none of the predators strays toward us.”

  So many lives would be lost and no one out here would even know about it.

  “The cats seem content in their home but occasionally the hunters break free,” she continued.

  “The hunters—what are they?”

  “No one really knows for sure. The passing seems to change people sometimes. Our only guess is that they lose themselves. In place of their personality, there is aggression. We have tried communicating with them before but they’re too violent. They threaten our lives and leave us with no choice but to kill them.” Tara continued sharpening her arrow. “Now we're always careful to make sure they never get close enough to harm any of us.”

  My stomach turned queasy. “Are they all the same?”

  She shrugged. “As far as we can tell. That grey colour in their eyes always gives them away.”

  We both turned as the blonde man from the mountain pass joined us. He kissed Tara on the neck and sat beside her on a log. “You remember Matt?” she asked.

  “Yes. Thank you for helping us.”

  A big grin spread across his face. “It was good to finally have something to do. Usually being a sentry is boring as hell. I’m just glad it happened on my shift.”

  I couldn’t help smiling.

  “As I said, Selena, the passing sometimes changes people, most of us welcome newcomers.” Tara gestured to herself and Matt. “Others are a little more cautious.”

  “Actually, I was meaning to talk to the elders this morning. The whole assessment process seems quite intense. Brayden and I really had no intention of staying here; we were just passing through.”

  Tara stopped what she was doing. “Passing through? On your way to where?”

  “I’m not sure.” There was no way to explain it to her without telling her about the grey in Brayden’s eyes or what Ethel had said. “It’s just that everyone is really uncomfortable with the fact we came from the valley. I don’t know if it’s worth all the fuss.”

  Matt rested his elbows on his knees, leaning forward. “I warned you it would be like this. But as long as you have nothing to hide, the villagers will come to accept you.”

  I looked to the ground. “Maybe I could talk to Ethel about Brayden's recovery. Once he's well enough, we will move on.”

  Matt eyed me carefully before Tara dropped her arrow. “Ethel says he’s healing well, you can visit him and we’ll talk more about your future later.”

  I forced a smile as she stood up and motioned for me to join her.

  Much of the village was set further back in the forest but there were still plenty of people walking the path between the mountains.

  “Hi, Tara.” A man stopped in front of us. His shadow ran over his shoulders; the arms spread down the sides of his limbs, chest exposed. “Is this Selena?”

  He offered his hand and I shook it, uncomfortable with how long he held on.

  Tara laughed. “She’s committed.”

  The man smiled. "Too bad.

  We continued walking. “Brayden and I aren’t really together.”

  She shrugged as we reached the steps. “We have more men than women here. Trust me, it’s better if people think you’re together even if you’re not.”

  We made our way up the stairs and I tried to clear my thoughts—determined to talk my way out of this place.

  “Usually, the cave is used for the sick and the elders. It's safe from forest animals that occasionally raid the village. Brayden will be kept here with Ethel until she says he's well enough to be moved.” She spoke as though I’d never mentioned wanting to move on.

  Ethel kneeled by Brayden’s side, her hands resting on his head.

  “I’ll leave you to it.” Tara backed out of the small, dimly lit room.

  “Selena, you're already looking much better.” Ethel offered a smile. “Usually, food and sleep are all that is needed.”

  I nodded.

  “You don’t need to fear me.” Her pale blue eyes danced over me.

  I wanted to say that I wasn't scared but despite my determination, Ethel seemed to recognise my internal discomfort.

  “Perhaps you misunderstood what I said yesterday. I’m actually trying to help you. The problem is that when this man was brought to me, he was unconscious so he already had a way inside—”

  “I wanted to talk to you about that.”

  “If I tell the elders what I know, they won’t let him live.”

  My jaw tightened until it hurt—I didn’t know it was a matter of life or death. “I’ve decided we’ll leave as soon as he's well enough. We don’t need to stay in this village and I don’t want to risk his life when it would be easier just to leave.”

  “If we set him free we have no way of knowing what harm he could do.”

  I wanted to shake her. “He has no interest in harming you.”

  “You’ll have a hard time convincing the elders of that.”

  “I'm not interested in convincing them. I just want to get out of here."

  "And go where?"

  "Anywhere."

  "I don't think you understand how hostile this world can be."

  "I survived the valley. I understand it very well."

  She nodded, taking her time to respond. "To you, this may seem simple but it's not. As soon as he wakes, the elders will see what I see. I have a responsibility to warn them despite my own feelings."

  My shoulders tensed with anger but I forced myself to speak rationally. “Please, I know why you’re afraid of him but I care about him. Whatever it takes, I have to save him. We’ll leave straight away; no one will even have to know about the grey.”

  “But he has to wake up before he can leave. Can you tell me you know exactly how he will behave when his eyes first open?”

  “I have seen the grey clouds you’re talking about. I know you’re wondering if he's a hunter but it's different with him. The grey is there when he’s under the influence of a stronger instinct, but it works only to keep us safe. He's never harmed me and he wouldn’t harm anyone else unless it were to protect himself.”

  “When the villagers discover what he is, they will respond violently because that is their instinct. What will he do then?”

  I hesitated. Truthfully I had no idea how he would respond. “There has to be a way. I just want to leave and take him with me.”

  She took my hand, her eyes gentle. “If he was a hunter you wou
ldn’t have been travelling with him. You wouldn’t have fought to save his life and you wouldn’t be standing here pleading with me now.”

  “Then just let us go.”

  “That decision isn’t up to me but even if you left, there is nowhere else to go. Nowhere that’s safe enough to live in.”

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “I’m trying to prepare you for the challenges you will face from the villagers. So when the time comes you are ready to defend him. I’m buying you time, Selena.”

  It didn’t make sense; she didn’t even know me. "Why?"

  “Because I see something in you. And once you see that too, you'll have something to bargain with."

  "I don't even know what you're talking about." I groaned.

  "I'll help you, but we need to figure it out before the elders see the grey.”

  We both turned at a footstep. Alana stood in the doorway. She'd heard our conversation.

  “Did you say grey?”

  Ethel looked at me as Alana’s face twisted in rage.

  “Is he a hunter?” she asked pointedly.

  The healer stepped toward her. “He’s under a tight sleep seal—”

  “What’s he doing in here? How dare you.” She looked at me. “You brought him here.”

  "He's not a hunter. All we want is to leave, I—"

  “We need to end this before he wakes up. We need the archers.”

  Ethel grabbed her. “Listen to me, Alana. He’s not the same as—”

  Alana pushed the healer away and glared at her as though she’d been betrayed. “You know what this means! How dare you do this.”

  Ethel shook her head. “Just hear me out.”

  It was no use. The shadowless woman shot me one last furious expression before she took off down the hallway.

  Ethel turned back to me. She pushed me closer to Brayden. “Wait here with him.”

  When she left, I grabbed Brayden's shoulders, shaking him violently. "Wake up. Brayden? Wake up!"

  I rolled him onto his side then grabbed his hands, dragging him off the bed. He hit the ground with a thud and I took his legs, pulling him toward the doorway.