Kingdom of Shadows

by K M Reynolds

  The silence was broken by Adelaide’s ear-splitting shriek as something grabbed her foot and pulled her body under. She flailed in the water, gasping for air as she emerged from the sudden submersion. She began to cry out again but was greeted by raucous laughter. She swatted the water out of her eyes and was greeted to the sight of Charles and Cambria, clutching each other and howling with delight.

  Cambria pointed at Adelaide and gasped out, “Addie, your face when you came up out of the water…” She doubled over in laughter again, nearly toppling over in the shallow water.

  Adelaide glowered at the pair, wringing the water out of her hair as she spoke. “So, you think that’s funny, do you? Well, I never.” She huffed, flinging her sopping tresses over her shoulder. “You will pay for that, you will. Mark my words!”

  “You’ll pay for that, you will,” Cambria mocked, impeccably imitating Adelaide’s gestures and tone. “Relax, grumpus. We got you good, just admit it!”

  Adelaide tried to hold her stony exterior, but a smile cracked through. “Yeah, you did.”

  Charles swam over to Adelaide, lightly splashing her with water. “So, you ladies felt like a morning dip and didn’t even think to invite me?” He placed a hand over his heart, feigning offense. “I’m hurt, truly.”

  “Well, now that I know how you play in the water, I will make sure to forget your invitation next time, too,” Adelaide teased, splashing him back.

  “Oh, that’s how you’re going to play it, huh?” Charles sent a well-timed wall of water in her direction.

  That was the beginning of an all-out water war among the trio, and they laughed and splashed in the sun, lost in the pure revelry. Adelaide lost track of the time until she realized that Wynne was sitting quietly on the sandy shoreline, watching them. Cambria and Charles quickly stopped their battle and the water stilled as they waited for Wynne to speak. Several moments passed in drawn out silence, broken only by the occasional bird. Finally, Wynne stood.

  “Cambria.” She motioned for Cambria to approach her. “Come with me. It is time for your training to begin.”

  With that, she turned and walked away from the lake, back towards the house. Cambria looked at her companions and shrugged, sloshing through the water to the beach. She turned and waved to them before jogging up the slope after Wynne, wringing the water out of her slip as she went.

  Adelaide looked and Charles and sighed. “I guess our work begins now.”

  keeper of shadows

  C ambria settled into the pile of cushions on the floor and looked at Wynne, who sat on a similar pile of cushions in front of Cambria. Juniper sat at attention beside Wynne, purring and staring at Cambria with wide, unblinking eyes.

  “What’s with the cat?” Cambria asked.

  “Oh, Juniper is my familiar. We’ve been together for centuries.”

  “So, the cat is… immortal?”

  “The cat is more than she seems,” Wynne responded with a smile as she stroked Juniper’s fur. “But we will talk more about that later. Right now, it’s time for more important things.” Wynne smiled and inhaled deeply, then lit a small bowl of incense and placed it on the floor between them. The heady scents of jasmine and sandalwood filled the air, and Wynne took several more full, measured breaths.

  “Well, Cambria, Keeper of Shadows, descendant of the Ka’tellna. Are you ready to begin?”

  Cambria sighed, spreading her palms in front of her. “I suppose I am. But first, who are the Ka’tellna? And what is a Keeper of Shadows?”

  “All of your questions will be answered, and more, during your training. Do you trust me?”

  Cambria narrowed her eyes as she gazed at Wynne and nodded. “I do.”

  “Then let’s begin.” Wynne motioned to the smoldering bowl of incense between them. “Lean forward and close your eyes. Take deep breaths and allow your mind to become still. Feel your pulse in your veins and the air in your lungs. Allow yourself to connect with your body, your mind, and your ancestors. They are waiting.”

  Cambria did as she was instructed, leaning over the bowl and closing her eyes. The aroma of the incense was strong, and Cambria quickly felt her muscles relaxing. She focused on her breathing, drawing the air deep into her lungs and holding it for a few moments, then releasing it in slow, measured exhales. She felt herself falling inward, as though she were becoming lost in her own skin. I wonder what’s in this incense, she thought. I feel like I’m falling asleep.

  The darkness behind her eyelids began to dance with light; first small embers, then bright, colorful patterns. With the lights came a drumbeat, primal and familiar, growing louder and louder as the colors swirled in her mind. She could feel herself falling now, tumbling through the darkness as colors flashed and burst around her like canon fire. Familiar voices rang past her ears; her mother, her father, her dearly departed Nona. She flung her arms wide, reaching for something, anything to grab onto as she hurtled headlong into the blackness below. Her mouth gaped open in a silent scream as the darkness pulled her down, down, down.

  With a jolt, everything stopped. Cambria raised her trembling hands to her face as she cautiously opened her eyes. It was night, and the stars blazed overhead in a glorious display. She was in an open field, across which, the lights of a small village twinkled. She stood slowly on unsteady legs, and began to make her way through the tall grass toward the village. A faint drumbeat floated through the balmy night air, and Cambria could hear the voices of the villagers laughing and chanting.

  She cautiously made her way into the village, her eyes sweeping the dirt paths and thatched huts that made up this small haven in the field. She rounded a corner and found herself entering the village square. A fire roared in the center of the courtyard, and the villagers were gathered around it. Some were dancing, some were preparing food, and a few were beating on drums, chanting words in a language Cambria did not recognize. Everything about this scene was foreign to her, but in her bones, she somehow felt right at home. The firelight flickered, casting long shadows across the brightly-garbed villagers. She stood in the shadow of a large building, watching and waiting. A voice to her left made her jump and cry out, clutching her heart.

  “These are the Ka’tellna.”

  “By The Five, Wynne!” Cambria’s shrill voice was discordant against the drums as she gasped for air. “Where did you come from?”

  “I’ve been here. I just didn’t say anything. I wanted you to absorb your first impressions all on your own.” She gestured to the scene before them. “So, what do you think of your people?”

  “My—’ Cambria raised her eyebrows and motioned toward the fire. “My people?”

  “Yes, the Ka’tellna. I told you.”

  “Where are we?” Cambria peered up at the sky, searching for familiar constellations. “This isn’t Echaria.”

  “No, it isn’t,” Wynne confirmed. “We are far across the Avorakho Sea, in the land of Rombewa.” Wynne paused for a moment to allow Cambria to absorb this information before adding, “We are also 400 years in the past.”

  Cambria’s eyes bugged out and her mouth hung open. “What do you mean, we are in the past?”

  “Well,” Wynne explained, “We aren’t really here at all. We are on a spirit journey.”

  “Wait, so all these people… they can’t see us? Are we invisible?”

  “Yes, like I said, we are here to merely observe. Your heart brought you here. You reached out to your ancestors, and here they are. It’s time for you to learn where you come from. Many of the Ka’tellna made their way to Echaria over time, but this is where it all began.” Wynne pointed to an old woman approaching the fire.

  The woman was naked except for a thin swath of cloth tied around her hips. Her time-worn body was adorned with brightly-colored paint, and she wore dozens of necklaces that jangled softly as she moved. Her hair was snow white, plaited in locs that fell past her waist. As she hobbled forward, she leaned on an ornately carved walking staff. The villagers fell silent as she slowly approa
ched the fire, until the only sounds remaining were the crackling of the flames and a single drum that carried on the hypnotic beat.

  “Behold, your family matriarch,” Wynne whispered. “Mama Calina.”

  Cambria’s skin rippled as a chill snaked down her spine. She could feel tears building in her eyes, and her limbs twitched, longing to dance to this alien yet familiar rhythm.

  The old woman raised a fist to the sky, and the drumming ceased. She surveyed her tribe with sharp eyes before crying, “N’kenne mbau Ka’tellna!”

  The villagers repeated her cry, and Cambria felt tears beginning to trickle from the corners of her eyes. She inhaled deeply, suddenly aware that she had been holding her breath. Her eyes were riveted on the old woman.

  Mama Calina reached into a small pouch that had been placed on a flat stone near the fire, removing something that she held over the fire.

  “It is time. Let our Tale of Beginnings begin!” With those words, she dropped the handful of what Cambria assumed to be dried herbs in the fire, which roared and billowed a beet-purple smoke in response. The drums started again, and the villagers began to sway in unison, humming deep in their throats. The purple smoke rising over the fire began to take shape, and Mama Calina began her story.

  “Long ago, when the soil was new and the stars still sang in the heavens, there was peace. The Great Mother walked among her creation, breathing life into the people and creatures of the land. She came to Rombewa, and there she carved a woman out of a mighty tree. She kissed the woman, breathing into her life and magic, and she named her Coranna.

  The Great Mother told Coranna that she would create a people who loved the land and all the creatures who lived there; who would wield a magic unlike any seen before. A people who would be able to harness The Shadows and restore The Light to the land when needed. The Ka’tellna.”

  At this point in Mama Calina’s story, the villagers erupted with whooping cheers. Mama Calina held her hands high, laughing, and the din subsided. The villagers craned to hear more, despite knowing the story of their origin by heart.

  “Old Father Death did not like this gift that Great Mother had bestowed upon Coranna, for he believed that none should have the power to harness The Shadows. So out of the mountainside, he carved a man, and breathed into him the power to create Shadow, and called him Morandu. He made him a vessel of death and darkness, with the sole purpose of corrupting Coranna’s legacy.”

  Mama Calina grew silent, pacing the fire. The purple smoke continued to dance and billow above the flames, illustrating the story as she spoke. Cambria hung onto her every word, her breath hissing through trembling lips.

  “Morandu came to Coranna, and he spoke charming words into her ear. He tried to sway her heart to his favor, and when she turned him away, he grew angry. In an effort to appease Old Father Death, Morandu tried to poison Coranna’s heart and claim it for The Shadows. He stole away her first born child, Ulljeka, and broke Coranna’s heart. Ulljeka was raised to love The Shadows, and her magic became perverted and dark, like Morandu’s heart. Coranna raised her second child, Cilia, to be a Bringer of Light, and to Keep the Shadows at bay. She grew up strong and pure of heart, just like her mother.” Mama Calina leaned on her stick, her voice trembling with intensity.

  “The day finally came when Ulljeka returned to challenge her younger sister, demanding that Coranna choose between her children, thus darkening her heart with unnatural favoritism. It was the darkest day Coranna had ever known, for despite the Shadows that had taken hold within Ulljeka, she loved both of her children equally. Ulljeka cast a horrible spell that rebounded, and she was grievously wounded. She fled from that place, never to be seen again. Coranna’s heart was broken, and she cried out in her despair to Great Mother. Before Great Mother could arrive, Morandu came. He once more tried to sway Coranna to The Shadows, attempting to use her grief as a weapon against her.”

  The villagers booed and hissed, stomping their feet on the packed earth. Cambria tried to swallow the burning lump that had been growing in her throat, to no avail.

  “But did Morandu succeed?” Mama Calina called out to the village.

  “No!” They replied.

  “Did Coranna give up, and stop fighting against The Shadows?”

  “Never!”

  “And are we, the Ka’tellna, prepared to face The Shadows when the time comes?”

  “Yes!” The village erupted in cheers as the drums reached a frenzied climax.

  Mama Calina continued, “When Death comes calling, we are ready. We will bind The Shadows and walk with our brethren to the other side. When Pestilence calls, we will banish the darkness and bring forth The Light.

  We are the Keepers of the Shadows. We are there to bring back The Light of the Great Mother when the time comes. We are few, but we are mighty! And we are ready!”

  The crowd cheered again, and Mama Calina pumped her arms, encouraging them. Cambria’s throat stung, and she realized that she was cheering along with the enthusiastic villagers. As if guided by one instinct, the people began to dance around the fire. Their bodies glistened in the firelight as they writhed and gyrated to the rhythm that pulsed in the air, permeating everything with a primal need to simply be in the moment.

  Cambria closed her eyes and lost herself in the pounding beat, moving her body instinctually as tears streamed down her cheeks. For the first time in forever, she felt like she was truly home. Her blood moved like fire through her veins as she succumbed to the call of her ancestors. Gradually, the drums faded in her ears and she slowly opened her eyes, momentarily bewildered by the sudden change.

  They were back on the cushions, the incense bowl quietly smoldering between them. Cambria raised a hand to her cheek and wiped away the tears that remained, catching her breath. Sweat had beaded on her brow and she dabbed it with the hem of her skirt. Wynne was tranquil, seeming unfazed by their journey across land and time.

  “Was any of that real?” Cambria asked, already sure in her heart of the answer.

  “Of course it was. Those are your ancestors. That’s where you come from.”

  “Why did you take me there?”

  “I didn’t take you there, your heart did. But as for the why—it’s important to know where you come from, and recognize the source and legacy of the power you hold within you.”

  “Power?” Cambria scoffed. “My ancestors may have had magic, or at least stories of magic, but I assure you, I’m a completely regular person. I am not gifted in any capacity, except maybe baking. If I had any sort of magical ability, I would have discovered it by now.”

  “You’ll learn, Shadow Keeper. You don’t know about your powers because over time, the stories have been lost. Your people were scattered, and after Lord Bainbridge came to power, those left of the Ka’tellna tribe here in Echaria went underground. He hunted down all magically gifted people with a vengeance, no matter where they came from. You don’t know your history, but it was for your own safety.”

  “I can’t believe my mother never told me.” Cambria shook her head, sorrow twisting her gut. “I had no idea… I wish she would have told me.”

  “Your mother was not even born yet when Lord Bainbridge took control of Echaria. She may not even remember herself. If anyone knew, it would have been your grandparents. The gift is passed down through the matriarchal line. So your mother’s mother would have known. She would have gone into hiding when Echaria fell.”

  “Nona…” Cambria chuckled. “Of course. She used to tell me these old bedtime stories about magic, and the good witches fighting the shadow monsters. I almost don’t remember them… I always thought they were just stories to frighten me into good behavior.” Cambria smiled wistfully, continuing, “She passed away when I was still a child. My mother didn’t continue the stories after she passed, I suppose because she didn’t realize their significance.”

  Wynne gave a small smile and nod. “In her own way, she was trying to preserve your family’s history. Even if you thought they wer
e just fairy tales, at least the stories from her history got told.”

  “I wish I could talk to her,” Cambria sighed. “I’m sure she would have so much to tell me.”

  Wynne reached across the space between them and took Cambria’s hands in her own. “I’m sure she would have much wisdom to impart.” She released Cambria’s hands and stood up, beckoning her to follow. “Come with me. I have something else to show you.”

  thanaeron

  T he sounds of Marlon’s boots echoed through the great hall as he approached the throne. High overhead, leering gargoyles perched on the stone parapet, and in his mind, Marlon could hear them snarling. The evening light streamed in through the ornate stained glass windows, casting rainbow light over the empty tables. His lips trembled and he clutched his hands together as he drew to a halt, dropping to his knees in front of the massive stone seat.

  He dared to raise his eyes for a fleeting second, glancing furtively at Lord Bainbridge before returning his gaze to the floor. His breath hitched in his throat as he began to speak, and the words tumbled out of his mouth in a quiet rush.

  “My Lord, I bring news of a usurper in the Kingdom who plans to betray you and steal your throne.”

  Lord Bainbridge’s thunderous voice boomed through the room, causing Marlon to cringe. “What, boy? Speak up, before I carve your tongue out of your head and feed it to my hounds. Do not waste my time. Who are you, and why have you come?”

  “M-my Lord,” Marlon repeated, raising his head slightly to help project his voice, “My name is Marlon, sir. I am a resident of Brenton, to the West of the Evermore Mountains, my liege. I bring news of a great betrayal. A usurper who plans to make a claim to your throne.”

  Lord Bainbridge’s face grew dark and his eyes flashed as he stood to his feet. He bellowed, “Who would dare to challenge my rule? The Malcray’s are dead; there is no one to defy me. There is none who can make a rightful claim. I made sure of that years ago.”