Shardless

by Stephanie Fisher

  “Oh, Taly!” she sang as she rushed forward. Her skirts billowed on an invisible wind, and she threw her lace parasol off to the side. “I was starting to wonder when I was going to see you again! Where’s Skye?”

  “S-Skye?” was all Taly managed as she painfully pushed herself to her feet, her gun held at her side. Her knee protested, but it held her weight—barely. Her aether must have finally begun healing the injury.

  “Yes!” the woman exclaimed, oblivious to the pistol that Taly jerked around, the barrel aimed at the ground and ready to fire off a warning shot. “That boy hardly ever lets you out of his sight. Now, where is he? Shards, he and Kato better not be trying to trick me again. I swear, those two—"

  Taly’s back hit the gates. “Stay where you are!” she snapped.

  The woman stopped—those perfect features the portrait of confusion. “What?” she asked delicately, one gloved hand coming to rest against her breast. “Why… oh, my.” Her eyes widened as she finally took in the blood that still streaked Taly’s skin, and a small smile tugged at her lips when she saw the gun. “Oh, darling. That won’t work on me.” Her steps were measured as she approached Taly and placed a single hand on the gun, pushing it off to the side. Taly felt pinned in place, unable to move. Something about this woman made the air around her feel… heavy.

  “My, my,” the woman mused, “look at how young you are. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this young. Shards…” The woman almost looked sad as she demurely clasped her hands in front of her. “You don’t know me, do you?”

  “Know you?” A hysterical laugh bubbled up from Taly’s chest. She didn’t know why, but something about this entire scenario seemed exceedingly funny. Had she finally cracked? Had the events of what had quickly become the longest, most arduous day of her life finally caught up to her? “I’ve never seen you before. How would I know you?”

  The woman cleared her throat, sniffing delicately and wiping at the tears on her cheeks. “Shards, look at me—causing a scene. And even after you warned me, I… Shards, I thought I was ready. You said yourself that having a friend not… I’m so sorry, my dear. Please, excuse me.”

  The woman turned slightly, pulling a lace handkerchief from her sleeve and dabbing at her eyes. “Well, needless to say, I was not expecting you so soon, but since you’re already here, we may as well get started. Although,” she said, her eyes flicking down to Taly’s injured knee, “I suppose we’ll have to do something about that first.”

  A golden cloud snaked through the woman’s gloved fingers, and she waved a hand in Taly’s direction. Taly yelped when she felt something in her knee shift. She stumbled, but her legs didn’t give out beneath her like she expected. The startling burst of pain had been sharp but fleeting. She gave an experimental hop, her eyes widening when she realized that the stinging ache in her knee had completely evaporated.

  “Good!” the woman chirped. “Now, let’s go.” Her toe began to tap, and her hands came to rest on her hips. “We have a lot to do, and not much time to do it in, which, coming from a time mage, I realize is a bit of a contradiction. Still, there’s no time like the present.” A soft giggle fell from the strange woman’s lips at what Taly could only assume was some sort of inside joke.

  “I’m sorry,” Taly said, leaning heavily against the gate. This was all becoming just a little too much for her to handle. “But I’m confused. Really, really confused. About a lot of things. So, first question—what are we starting exactly?”

  The woman’s brow furrowed. “Well, your training, of course. You’re the last time mage, after all. Who else did you think would be training you?”

  Taly pointed a tentative finger at the woman, nausea coiling in her belly when the strange fey nodded in affirmation. “Okay. Um… so, I guess, next question. Who are you? Do you have a name or…?”

  The woman’s eyes widened for a moment, and she let out a shrill, high-pitched laugh. “Oh!” she exclaimed, embarrassment coloring her cheeks. “Look at me! Where is my head? I’m terribly sorry, my dear. Yes, of course. Introductions—very important things. Or at least, they used to be before... or was it after…? Anyway, I digress. Let’s see, I already know you—Lady Talya Caro. So, I guess that leaves me.” Here, she dipped down into a deep curtsey. “I am the Lady Azura Raine of House Thanos. I am so pleased to finally make your acquaintance.”

  Taly’s grip on her gun faltered as her arms fell to hang limply at her sides. “Azura Raine?” She started shaking her head. The edges of the iron filigree on the gate behind her caught on her jacket as she attempted to back away. “That’s not possible.”

  “Oh, I assure you, dear. It is quite possible.”

  “No,” Taly whispered. “It’s not. Azura Raine is dead.”

  The woman shrugged indifferently. “I’m afraid you were misinformed.”

  Taly’s mouth gaped. “But… that would mean…” She shook her head, her heart thundering in her ears as the realization of who this woman was, what she was, finally began to sink in. “If you’re Azura Raine, and you’re alive—that would make you…”

  The woman nodded her head, her shoulders straightening. “Yes. That’s right, dear. I’m the Time Queen. And you… well, I’ve been waiting a very, very long time to meet you.”

  The End

  (for now)

  Thank You for Reading!

  Well, we finally reached the end, and I hope you enjoyed the story. As for what comes next—I’m a glutton for punishment, and I ultimately plan to make this into a four-part series. Book 2 is already well underway, and I’d love to have you along for the ride.

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