Veiled Shadows (The Age of Alandria: Book Two)

by Wylie, Morgan

  Suddenly a hand reached back out from the darkness, beckoning them to follow.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  It was dark on the other side, darker than the darkest part of the forest that they had been in before. Out of the blue, Chel shouted, “I can see!”

  “Your shifter side has come to the forefront to compensate for what your other side could not do,” the old man said matter-of-factly. “It should be becoming more natural to you as you become one with your other nature.”

  Chel looked at him for a minute, processing what he said, and nodded as if that made perfect sense to her, which oddly it did. She looked around, trying to figure out where they were. Even though she could see, it wasn’t like when there was light. It was more like wearing night vision goggles. Chel gauged the walls of what looked like a cave around them trying to find some kind of doorway or opening to get out, also keeping an eye open for some kind of greedy, ugly creature that would come demanding some kind of payment from them in the form of sacrifices. I mean, seriously? As if anything on this little adventure hadn’t been sacrifice enough already. She wondered what else could be asked of them.

  “There!” Chel squealed as she saw a shimmer in the rock that was actually transparent if you looked at it in the right angle; otherwise, it gave the illusion of being a seamless part of the rock wall. She was bouncing; she could practically see through it to something on the other side. Reaching out to try and touch it, all she could feel was a slight tingle where her hand had passed through the shimmery veil, touching nothing more than a solid cave wall carved out of the rock. Deflated, she tried again and again and finally gave a huff of frustration. “I don’t understand. I can see there is some other kind of room or something other than cave on the other side, but I can’t get through it.”

  Stepping up beside her, Finn grabbed her wrist so she wouldn’t keep swiping her hand through air. “Stop! It’s not going to work until our sacrifices are deemed worthy for us to step through the veil,” he said with a note of his own frustration. Taking a deep breath and hands rubbing through his hair, he said with an exhale as he dropped her hand, “All we can do now is wait.”

  Daegan gently laid Kaeleigh on the ground, covering her with his long duster jacket to keep her from the chill of the damp cave. She moaned slightly as if she was in pain as she began to stir back to consciousness. Chel rushed to her side, grateful to have something else to focus on, and of course to have her friend conscious. Feeling slightly awkward at all of the close proximities, Daegan squeezed Kaeleigh’s hand, whispered, “Thank you,” in her ear, then stepped back to allow her friend access even though it seemed to make his chest feel tight as he did so. Rubbing his chest absently, he walked over to the shimmer in the cave wall and met Finn’s curious stare.

  Neither one was willing to break eye contact. A power struggle at its finest, until a soft voice muffled by the growing intensity that threatened to choke out everyone else spoke and shattered it like glass. Simultaneously, Finn and Daegan turned from each other and moved quickly to where Chel was kneeling next to Kaeleigh, holding her hand and pushing her hair out of her face like a concerned sibling.

  “Where am I?” Kaeleigh’s rough voice croaked. She tried to sit up too quickly, causing her to get dizzy and start to fall back down. Instantly, Daegan’s hand reached behind her head, guiding it to the ground softly so she didn’t hit. Her eyes locked on his for a split second before a brief panic caused her to search out each of friends then back to Daegan. “You’re okay?”

  A brief flame danced in his eyes, but was immediately doused when he frowned but nodded as he growled, “Yes. I owe my life to you, but you should NOT have done that. It was incredibly foolish!”

  Frowning, Kaeleigh let the rising anger she felt fuel her with energy to sit up. Her face was now directly in front of his where he was crouched down resting on the balls of his feet. “Was that a ‘thank you,’ because it didn’t really feel like one,” She threw sarcastically back at him. “I did it because I wanted to. I didn’t even know if it would work...”

  “Exactly! You didn’t know what you were doing. You could’ve killed yourself! It was foolish.”

  Bristling at his tone, she had backed up but quickly regained her composure, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. She got back in his face and even had the audacity to poke him in the chest with her finger several times as she shot back, “I did it for you! I had to try even if it didn’t work! I did it because I wanted to AND I would DO. IT. AGAIN!” poking him each time she enunciated those last three words, pushing harder on the last and causing him to lose his balance and fall back to the ground. She knew he let her, but still she couldn’t stifle the bubble of laughter that crawled up her throat. It had been intense and she needed some kind of release. It wasn’t exactly the kind she was hoping for at the moment as she looked into his chocolate eyes that sparked occasionally with flames. That’s what she wanted to see; when she knew he was feeling something. She really wasn’t sure if what she had done was going to work. But he was alive and not only that, he was free from the control of that evil woman.

  Kaeleigh realized she wanted to kiss him, to taste him and know he was truly alive, but considering there were others in the room and the fact that she didn’t think he even liked her in that way, she would settle for contained laughter. However, she needed him to know that she took care of the people she cared for and she would indeed do it again. Suddenly staring him down, she said, “Are we clear?”

  His face had softened a fraction when she laughed and there was a curiosity that sparked in his eyes, probably watching her switch from anger to laughter to seriousness all in a matter of seconds. A warm sensation soothed his chest at seeing the fire and the light in her eyes. He frowned, understanding that she was serious and would do it again, and it frustrated him to no end that she would risk herself, but especially where he was concerned. It was unacceptable, but he nodded, conceding to her.

  Then in a flash he was up off his backside and back on his haunches creeping deliberately slowing toward her, stalking her like prey where she sat. A flash of surprise shot across her face, and she leaned back. She had lost her ground. There was a twitch of a victory smile. “Now it’s my turn. I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it a long time.”

  Kaeleigh tried to interrupt, probably with some sarcastic remark about how he hadn’t been doing a very good job at it, but he silenced her with a look that said he wasn’t finished and placed his index finger on her lips to keep them from moving. There was a brief spark of electricity where he touched her but he continued without acknowledgment. “Like I said, I take care of myself. Not only that, but I am here to protect you. Don’t ever risk yourself again on my account or anyone else’s for that matter. Are we clear?”

  His expression was strong and unflinching. Kaeleigh wanted to reach her hand out and smooth out the creases in his forehead, but now was not the time. He was serious and she was getting caught in his snare. But his finger was still on her lips and it was making her a little dizzy. She needed something to clear her head. Anger—that always seemed to work. How dare he tell me what to do! She nodded slightly to get him to back off.

  He must have been satisfied with that because he did, but he’d have seen the spark in her eyes and she wanted him to. Not only did he back off, but he jumped up from where he stood and walked to the other side of the little cave-type holding room they were in. But before he could get too far away, she spoke softly but with an undercurrent of anger so he got her point. “For today.”

  Satisfied at getting her last word in and seeing the stiffening of his form as he walked away and in the glare he gave her over his shoulder, she turned to her friends, who sat quietly nearby watching their interaction—Chel with a gleam in her eye and Finn with a scowl.

  “Where are we?” Kaeleigh questioned her friends.

  About to speak, Finn was stopped by the voice of the older man coming out of the shadows where he leaned against the wall of t
he cave silently watching all that was going on. “We are in the cave of the Way of Adbertos. As I was explaining to Finnlan and Chel it means ‘the way of sacrifice.’ We are here in this purgatory of sorts until they—the fates—the guardians—deem our sacrifices worthy to continue on.” The man had an odd way of searching into your soul with his deep blue eyes as he spoke. It was unnerving.

  Unwilling to be cowed by his stare, Kaeleigh steeled her backbone and said most eloquently, “What the blue moon are you talking about?” Then most covertly, she glanced at Chel to see her barely hidden smirk at Kaeleigh’s most inappropriate timing for ridiculous humor. “I threw that in since we are here, where there is not one, but two moons... and one is slightly blue.” Then she looked at both Finn and Aidón staring at her with fierce confusion and rolled her eyes. “I sometimes make inappropriately timed jokes when I’m nervous... okay, bad jokes, but still...” She left her sentence hanging, feeling like she needed no further explanation, when there was a sudden tension building in the air around them.

  Oddly, it was Aidón next to her that grabbed her arm and brought her protectively behind his back. They all quickly gathered together, creating a unified front for whatever monster they were about to confront. Swords and knives drawn at the ready, except for once again the girls felt like they were left to their own creative devices, being how no one gave them a weapon. A blindingly bright light flooded the room. They were forced to shield their faces with at least one arm while trying to keep their weapons locked in a position out in front. The air grew thicker with unknown tension. The light became unbearable; there was no way to keep their eyes open and thus no way to fight an oncoming opponent.

  “Stay as close together as you can!” Daegan shouted as he backed up next to the old man, angling so that he covered part of Kaeleigh behind them. He took a deep breath when he felt her hand grip his shirt from behind. Eyes now closed, they were preparing on instinct and relying on not only their other senses but their sense of hearing as well. Daegan and Kaeleigh both were most sensitive to this sense, but Chel with her shifter blood kicking in more and more could hear now almost as well.

  There was a deafening silence filled with anticipation, but no one knew what kind. Kaeleigh’s heart was beating so fast, she thought she could barely contain it in her chest. What could they do? There had to be something. An idea struck her. She remembered in the forest when they first had entered Alandria and she and Chel were lost and had to fight in darkness, she somehow had created an illusion of light for herself to see. Could she create the opposite and include her friends? Could she create a shield of darkness for them to see?

  Instinctively, she looked deep into herself where she found the epicenter of a caged humming energy constantly in motion sometimes faster than others. As she visualized what she hoped to create, the energy started moving faster and faster, shooting off sparks within herself and creating a frenzy of power. Feeling the tension reaching a point of release, she pushed it out of her core, shoving it and shaping it into a shield of darkness in front of Finn, Aidón, and Daegan.

  It worked! She could see, albeit dimly, like looking through a tinted car window. However, it wavered with tiny ripples and it didn’t appear that the others were seeing what she was. Finn and Daegan both still held their arms in front shielding their faces. Chel had her eyes closed tight but her hands were fisted out in front of her face as if she could fight if something got close enough. Aidón, however, just stood there looking at Kaeleigh. Kaeleigh did a double take, looking back at him to see that he was really just staring at her with eyes wide, puzzling something in his head. Then his eyes lit up and he gave her a quick nod of pride. He then looked back at what was before them, signaling Kaeleigh with his eyes for her to pay attention.

  Taking several steps, having to sidestep around Daegan because he would never have let her just walk through him and Finn, she knew she needed to approach the silhouette that was emerging in the light. That was all she could tell of whatever it was waiting for her. Female or male, she didn’t know. Creature or being resembling a human wasn’t decipherable. What she could tell, however, was that she was the one who had to confront the light first, she had to do it alone, and it was there only way out. She just knew it.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  Kaeleigh was almost past Daegan before he reacted. “Kaeleigh! NO!” he shouted, reaching out trying to grab for her blindly. She sensed not only anger behind his words that she would put herself in harm’s way or that he couldn’t do his job and protect her, but also fear laced with a hint of desperation that gripped her heart. She stopped. As she placed her hand on his arm, he gasped, suddenly able to see through the veil the same as she could from her touch.

  “Are you doing this?” he asked with soft awe looking around able to see, letting his eyes adjust.

  She nodded.

  As she started to walk away again, her hand trailed down his muscular arm until she squeezed his wrist. He gripped her hand tightly before she was able to remove contact from his skin. Whether to continue being able to see or to actually want to touch her she didn’t yet know and in that very moment she didn’t care. He’s holding my hand! TIGHT! She looked into his eyes, which were swirling with energy and a light she hadn’t yet seen and still able to retain the deep chocolate color. “Daegan, I have to,” she explained, pointing into the bright light that was patiently just existing.

  “No.” His eyes sparked with dancing fire once again.

  “You have no idea what’s in that... light.” He pointed directly into the brightness.

  Straightening her spine, she stood tall and looked him in the eyes, daring him to stop her. “I have to.” They remained in an intense stare-down for what seemed like minutes but was only brief seconds. She looked away first, not out of defeat but from distraction... he was rubbing small circles on the top of her hand where his thumb was STILL holding her hand. What?! She looked back up into his eyes—the confusion apparent in hers. He was steady as a rock.

  “I’m going with you.”

  “No. I have to face it alone. I’ll be fine.” She wasn’t really sure that was true, but there was no other choice than to die in this cave.

  Searching her face, he simply looked at her. Taking in a deep breath, he gave her a curt nod, turning back into the man of stone she was more used to. Unfortunately, releasing her hand and releasing the temporary gift of sight against the blinding light was a part of it.

  Kaeleigh turned and quickly stepped into the light before anyone else could cause her to falter. Soon, she was enveloped into the surprisingly cold emptiness of what lay before her. It wasn’t so much as being wrapped around with the warmth of light infusing darkness but more falling into an abyss absent of darkness. It was the exact opposite of what you would expect to feel.

  But there, in the center of the vastness, was a spark of warmth. A light within the light. Blazing, beckoning, calling Kaeleigh forward like nothing she had ever felt before. A breeze swirled about her drawing her closer and binding her arms and legs against herself. Her breathing was labored and her heart beat erratically, a pulse was pounding against the inside of her skull. She knew Chel’s dad wouldn’t approve of her showing fear, but she didn’t care right now. She was afraid. They had to get free even if she didn’t. This much she knew, and that gave her an inner peace—peace that began to fill her entire being driving the fear away. If she never got to find her father, if she never got to realize who or what she truly was becoming, she knew she would do whatever was necessary to see her friends safe. Life seemed to drain from wherever she was. Even the sound of her own heartbeat and her breathing was a deadened sound... an unnerving silence.

  A figure began approaching, stalking her from nowhere, growing larger as it got closer. Its shape twisted and contorted with each step it took, never settling on a single form. First some type of animal like a lion with an eagle’s head, then some kind of creature resembling a wolf, then an opaque black-cloaked figure floating like a reaper. The
form finally settled on that of a young girl about the age of eight. She had fair skin practically illuminated even amidst the light which seemed to have dimmed just as she entered; her hair a light pale blond, a face of innocence, but her eyes, the fiercest pale blue ever seen. Eyes that held danger and authority, eyes that belied the other features that spoke innocence and kindness.

  “You need not be afraid, young one,” she began as she stretched her hand toward Kaeleigh, but she stopped short of entering her “personal space,” as if she was contained by something unseen forcing her to remain where she stood.

  Odd words coming from such a young face, even if her eyes were ageless and yet ancient all at the same time. Kaeleigh had the disturbed feeling that this young girl, this creature, was possibly as old as time itself. A chill ran down her spine and she felt sweat trickling down to the base of her lower back. She so badly wanted to shake it off, but she dared not move.

  The girl watched her with an otherworldliness in her eyes, cocking her head to the side like an animal trying to understand. She spoke again. “Kaeleighnna, you have sacrificed much, but more will be asked of you in the coming days.” The girl’s eyes stared through her as if she was seeing something else unfolding before her and perhaps she was. “You have nothing to fear from me today.” Her eyes softened as she returned from wherever she had just been. “There is still much for you to learn but it must be gained swiftly. Where you go, they will guide you to unlocking the mysteries deep within yourself.”

  She paused an uncomfortably long time, and Kaeleigh wasn’t sure if she was supposed to respond. Just as she thought she should say something, the young girl spoke as if she anticipated her question.

  “Who am I? I am the guardian of the Way of Adbertos—the keeper of the sacrifices, though I have many names.”

  “So, Abi... can I call you Abi?” Feeling completely confused, Kaeleigh shot out what was probably completely inappropriate and instantly felt embarrassed. But Abi smirked a little at her brazenness and nodded with an odd twinkle in her eyes. Feeling slightly emboldened by that, Kaeleigh continued, “What sacrifice do you require for me and my friends to continue on?”