Shadow Dancer Boxed Set

by Courtney Rene

  I didn't either. He could have ended the rebellion right then, but he hesitated. I couldn't understand why.

  "But he did it, nonetheless," I finished. That little speech had used up the last shred of strength I had. I sank back down to the ground.

  "Sunny, are you all right?" Taylor asked. He crouched down next to me.

  I nodded at him. I was lying of course. I was going to pass out again. I felt it coming on as darkness tinged the edges of my vision. The pain was too much, and my body was going to shut down. All I could think of was getting someplace safe. Somewhere away from Leif and his hunger for power.

  "It came out of your ears too this time," Taylor said.

  I didn't understand.

  "Blood. It came out of your ears."

  Gross. I reached up and felt dry flakes pull against my touch.

  "It's getting worse," he said. "Isn't it?"

  It felt worse that time. "Take me to Gabriel?" I asked.

  "The traitor?" Taylor asked, surprise in his voice mirrored on his face.

  "No. You aren't going there," Leif said.

  I spoke over Leif, ignoring him, and asked, "Do you know where he lives?"

  "Yes," Taylor said. "Everyone knows Gabriel's Woods."

  "Please. Take me there." I pleaded.

  Leif was still talking, but I could only focus on Taylor. I couldn't deal with Leif anymore. I tuned him right out.

  Taylor looked around him at the faces in the group. No one said anything except for Leif, who was still ranting about me not going. He nodded his head and said, "Yes."

  I finally addressed Leif. "You don't get a choice this time. You are not in charge of me. I'm going, whether you like it or not."

  "You can't leave me," he said. Pain laced those four little words.

  "Leif," I said softly. "You left me a long time ago. I just wasn't ready or willing to face it. I'm ready. I can let you go now."

  "Sunny," Leif implored, shaking his head in denial.

  "No," I answered. I turned to Taylor and said, "Okay, I'm ready."

  With one arm under my legs and one around my back, Taylor lifted me up into his arms and carried me over to where Poppy was happily munching on the grass beneath her feet. No one made a move to stop him. Not even Leif. I know because I looked back at him to see, but he only stood there and stared at us.

  I wanted to see his color for a moment. I wanted to see if it was still the clear bright blue, or if it had changed too. I tried to pull the shadows over me, but I couldn't hold on to them. They were too heavy, and I was too weak.

  "What are you trying to do?" Taylor asked quietly, so that only I could hear him.

  "I just wanted to see something," I replied. That little bit of energy had sapped what little I had regained.

  "Did you?" he asked.

  "No. I didn't," I replied, still focused on Leif's face. He had on his mask of cold indifference. It reminded me of the very first time I had seen him. I had thought he looked so scary. Now I knew that was just his way of not showing what he was feeling or thinking. It was sad, actually.

  With a sigh, I realized that I would have to wait to see Leif's color. It would have to wait, as I just didn't' have the strength right then, but I would have other chances. It wasn't like I would never see him again, right?

  I finally couldn't hold out any longer. I tried to push the darkness back until we were on our way, but I had to close my eyes and let it take me.

  I don't know how we got up on the horse without help, but my next moment of awareness was just long enough to feel the warmth of Taylor's body behind mine and the steady, even stride of Poppy beneath us, as we road double on her back. Then I was out again.

  I stayed in semi-awareness the entire ride. I would open my eyes for a moment here and there, take in my surroundings, and then close them again. Night fell around us and still we rode.

  I would hear Taylor murmur now and then. Things like, "Not long now. We're almost there." Or, "No one followed us. Why didn't anyone follow us?" I thought he was talking to me, reassuring me, but then, maybe he was trying to reassure himself.

  ~ * ~

  We rode into the yard in front of a white stone castle, or what I would call a castle, anyway. It wasn't huge and overwhelming, but it was definitely a castle. We had barely stopped when men surrounded us. I tried to rouse myself out of my stupor, but I was still so tired and weak. I just lay in Taylor's arms, and hoped he could handle the situation.

  I need not have worried. He demanded in a loud and firm voice, "I am looking for Gabriel."

  Gabriel pushed his way forward from within the group and said, "I am Gabriel. What are you doing here?"

  He didn't respond right away. Instead, Taylor simply held my limp body out to Gabriel. It was up to him whether to take me or not.

  Gabriel looked down into my face. I saw his surprise followed by an anger I didn't understand. He very gently accepted my weight and pulled me in close to his big protective body. I don't know why or how I knew he would take me in, or why he would be able to keep me safe, but I did.

  The moment I felt the warmth of him surround me, it confirmed my belief in him. The dam I hadn't realized I held, finally let loose. I fiercely wrapped my arms around his neck and cried. Harsh sobs tore from deep inside my body that spoke of hurt, betrayal, and pain.

  I felt him tighten his hold on me. He didn't say another word to anyone; he just turned on his heel and walked away with me cradled against his chest. I didn't even care where he took me. I just continued to hold on and cry away.

  When I had subsided to nothing more than hiccups, he set me down on a bed. A real, honest to God, bed. With a soft voice, he asked, "What happened, little one?"

  I told him of the energy battle I had fought with Gideon. I told him of the greed for power I saw within Leif. Then finally, with fresh tears coursing down my cheeks, I told him of my failure.

  "I hate that gift. I hate it," I cried. "Why do I even have it when I can't control it. Why is it so painful? It's useless to me, as I can't, I can't fight it!"

  Gabriel was silent for a moment before he said gently, "Power that strong should have consequences so as not to let abuse take over."

  I snapped my face to his and in despair asked, "Then why doesn't Gideon's? He didn't have any of the so-called consequences. Look at me! Look at me, Gabriel!"

  "I am looking at you," he said calmly.

  I dropped my face into my hands and from within them said, "I'm so tired."

  "This can wait until the morning," Gabriel said. He stood up in front of me. "Go to sleep. You are safe here."

  "Will you look after my friend?"

  "He will have a place for the night." He then moved to door and said, "Goodnight."

  "Goodnight," I replied. Then, "Gabriel?"

  He stopped and looked at me, "Yes?"

  "Will you leave the door open a bit?"

  He nodded at me.

  "Gabriel?" I asked, stopping him again. "Will you leave a light on?"

  I heard him sigh. "Goodnight," he said, but he did leave the door open, and he left a small light on.

  I tossed off my shoes and slipped out of my shorts. Then I crawled wearily under the wonderfully heavy comforter and basked in the softness of a real bed after days of the hammock and finally allowed myself to sleep.

  I was only awakened once in the night when a shadowy figure crept inside the door. I stiffened in fear, but then I recognized the form. Lucas saw my eyes were opened and whispered, "You look like hell."

  I felt a smile curve my lips, the first one in what felt like days. "Thanks," I said.

  "Are you really all right?" he asked.

  He looked tired. Dark maroon shadows ringed his eyes. So, I lied. I nodded and said, "I'm all right."

  He nodded back at me and dropped down heavily into a chair that sat close to the bed. He shifted around a little bit to get comfortable then leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

  "What are you doing?" I asked.

 
; "I'm watching over you while you sleep," he said, his head still back and his eyes still closed.

  "But," I began.

  "Go to sleep, Sunny," he said

  I felt the corners of my mouth rise again. "All right then," I said, and I did.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Of the Past

  I awoke to sunshine, glorious warm sunshine. I sat up and looked around my room. It was a white room. The walls were white. The furniture, what little there was of it, was white. Soft flowing white shears hung from a large window behind the chair where Lucas slept. The chair, it was empty.

  At the foot of my bed lay a small pile of folded clothing. I reached for it. There was a thin white shirt with half sleeves and daisies embroidered along the hem, a tan belt of braided leather, and a pair of pants made from the softest suede.

  "You're up," Gabriel said from the doorway.

  I flashed a smile his way in answer.

  "Through there is a water room. You can shower and freshen up in there," he said, indicating a door I had thought led to a closet.

  "Shower?" I asked.

  "Yeah, through there," he said.

  "Thanks for the clothes," I said.

  He shrugged and said nonchalantly, "They belonged to your mother. You look to be about her size. They should fit."

  I looked back down at the clothes, seeing them in a new light, then back up at Gabriel. "These were my mother's?"

  "Yes," he said. Then, with a wave of his arm he indicated the room and said, "As was this room. It seems right that it should be yours now."

  "Wait. How could this have been her room? Why do you have her clothes?" I asked.

  He tilted his head at me and said, "She was my sister. This was her home, where she grew up."

  Sister? But that would make him… I looked back up at Gabriel and tears flooded my eyes again. I had real family here. I wasn't as alone in this world as I had thought. "I didn't know."

  "So I gathered," Gabriel said.

  "Why didn't you tell me before?" I asked. I stared at him now, looking for similarities in us. His hair was blond as mine was. His eyes were blue, but a softer, whiter blue. That was where the resemblance ended. He was big where I was small. He was square where I was round.

  "You weren't ready to know," he said.

  I was instantly mad. Why did everyone think they knew what was best for me. Why did everyone think that I shouldn't know what was going on in my own life. I was sick to death of it! "How do you know?"

  I could tell by his face that he was surprised at my sudden change in tone, which was hard and direct. He frowned at me. "I thought you should make up your own mind about me first. Had I told you right off that I was your Uncle, I thought you would have felt an obligation towards me. I didn't want your obligation. You have a strong mind. I wanted you to use it."

  I sighed. I understood what he meant. I didn't like it, but I understood. "What about what I want?" I asked.

  He crossed his arms over his chest and said, "Do you even know what it is that you want?"

  "Yes!" I snapped. "And since I have such a strong mind, I want people to stop trying to run my life for me. To stop thinking that they know what's best for me, without even the simply courtesy of asking me what I think. I want everyone to stop hiding stuff from me. I want everyone to have a little bit of respect for me."

  "That is a lot of wants," he said. He still stood big and wide in the door, with his arms crossed.

  "Surprising as it may be for everyone, I am very able to make up my own mind and take care of myself. Oh, and I can handle stuff if I am prepared for it. Springing it on me doesn't help," I said.

  "I don't think you are really mad at me. I think you are mad at someone else and taking it out on me," Gabriel said.

  I stopped. He was right. I wasn't mad at him at all. I took a deep breath and let it out in a huff. "You were just the final straw, I guess. You should have told me who you were. Gideon is family too, and I don't feel any obligation towards him."

  He nodded at me. Did that mean I was right or just that he was listening? That man never gave an inch. Family or not, he was still a bit of a grouch. He pointed at the bathroom or what he called the water room and then said, "Shower, get dressed, breakfast will be ready in about half an hour."

  "Wait, I don't know where breakfast will be." I said when he started to leave.

  "Down this hall, down the stairs, and then listen for all the noise. You'll find it," he said, and then he was gone.

  I hopped out of bed, closed the door and headed right to the water room. A shower sounded wonderful at that moment. Upon entering the room, I made the mistake of glancing in the mirror. "Holy Hell!"

  I looked hideous. Aside from the haggard tiredness in general, my face was filthy. It was smeared with both dirt and blood. Tears had left tracks down my cheeks, leaving paths of clean within the muck. Blood was crusted along my hairline and by my ears, as well as inside them. The dark purple shadows under my eyes stood out in contrast to the brown and red streaks of my face. My hair hung down in long dull lengths. Even my neck had a ring of dirt around it.

  I turned away from the mirror and quickly stepped into the shower. It was a waterfall of heaven, the water warm and clear. I sighed in happiness. I grabbed a bar of purple soap and began the task of scrubbing myself clean. I scrubbed until the lavender suds ran clean. Then I scrubbed once more just to be safe.

  I dried off and got dressed in my borrowed clothes, which incidentally fit almost perfectly. The white shirt hung down past my hips, but with the decoration of the leather belt tied around my waist, it was a very lovely outfit with the soft-as-silk, tan suede pants.

  I looked at my dirty clothes that lay in a heap on the floor. Instead of packing them back up, I decided to throw them away. I didn't want to think about the day before. Not yet, anyway.

  I found my pack lying on the floor just inside the bedroom. With nothing more than a quick brush and a scrunch of my hair, I was set, for the time being. With a bit of spite in my choice, I put on a pair of my flip-flops and left the room to find the kitchen. At that point, I wasn't even certain if the meal would be held in a kitchen.

  After I made it down the stairs, I found that Gabriel was right. I just had to follow my ears. Breakfast was not a quiet affair.

  I followed the sound out onto a patio where a huge table sat crowded with at least twenty or thirty people. I picked out Gabriel's form as he sat at the head, and Taylor, who stood out from the others because of his red hair. Then my eyes were drawn to Lucas.

  His eyes met mine. Then a smile spread over his face and he waved me over. "Hey, I saved you a seat."

  All talk and sound ceased as everyone turned in my direction and stared. I giggled uneasily and said, "Morning."

  I quickly took the seat next to Lucas and used his big broad form to hide behind. Once the talk and noise resumed, I relaxed.

  Lucas laughed. "You good?"

  I shook my head but said, "Yeah." Then I took in the breakfast laid out on the table. Oh. My. God. It was loaded down with eggs and toast and bacon and I wasn't even going to ask what the bacon was made out of. As far as I was concerned, it was just bacon, and pancakes and fruit. Real food, it was glorious. I piled my plate high and dug in.

  "So, what are your plans from here?" Gabriel asked.

  I looked to where he sat, swallowed what was in my mouth, shrugged and said, "I go home."

  Lucas' face fell. "You're leaving?"

  I smiled. "I have to go home. It's Easter. I promised I'd be home today."

  "I don't know what Easter is," Lucas said.

  "I'll tell you all about it when I come back," I said. I looked to Gabriel and then asked, "Can I come back? When I'm ready. Can I come back here?"

  Gabriel gave me a hard look and made me wait a long moment before he simply said, "Yes."

  Taylor looked my way and I realized I had to finish up a few loose ends here first. "One more thing. Can Taylor stay here with you?"

  Before G
abriel or Taylor could respond, I rushed on, "Taylor is great with horses and animals. He doesn't want to be a soldier in either army and I don't think he should have to be. You said it should be a choice and he should have the choice not to fight. Right? I'm sure you can use him here in your stable. You have lots of horses. He's a hard worker, I promise."

  "Sunny!" Gabriel bellowed.

  "Please?" Then I quickly snapped my mouth shut as Gabriel was glaring again.

  Gabriel shook his head wearily and ran a hand over his face. I looked over at Taylor and saw that he didn't look at anyone, but instead his gaze was focused on his then empty plate.

  "He is welcome to stay," Gabriel said. "He doesn't need your championing for him. All he had to do was ask."

  Gabriel looked hard at Taylor. "Do you want to stay?"

  Taylor didn't look up from his plate when he mumbled, "Yes."

  "Look at me when you speak," Gabriel growled.

  I started to growl back at Gabriel to stop being mean when Taylor straightened his shoulders and looked up at Gabriel right in the eyes and said, "Yes. I want to stay."

  "Good," Gabriel said and nodded his head once before he turned back to me. "Anything else?"

  He could be a grouch all he wanted, but I was so happy right then. With a big smile on my face, I shook my head at Gabriel and said, "Nope. I'm good."

  "When are you leaving?" Lucas asked.

  "After breakfast. It's time," I said, and shrugged. "I have a lot to do before I can come back. So, I better get started."

  "Like what?"

  "Well, I need to learn how to ride a horse for starters. I also need to do a bit more training on my bow and some other things. Now that I know what to expect here, I can prepare."

  "You will come back though?" he asked.

  His blue eyes were clear and calm. They had emotion, real and true in them. No ice, no shield, just real feeling. He would miss me. I knew it as sure as I sat there. He would miss me. Not the princess. Not the lost one. Just me. My heart squeezed in my chest. I smiled big and full and nodded. "Yes. I will be back."

  ~ * ~