Magic and Shadows: A Collection of YA Fantasy and Paranormal Romances

by T. M. Franklin

  The guard turned and shook his head. Her sigh of disappointment didn’t get a reaction from him. “The guards have not yet returned, my princess, but they are scouring the entire forest and town. The queen won’t get far.” He said, confidently. The guard stared at her for a few seconds, and looked at the faint smear on the ground once more. Then with a curt nod, he bowed and took his leave.

  Her anger rose slightly as he left. Incompetent fools, she thought to herself, calmed only by the thought that Damien was out searching for her now, too.

  As she walked towards her bed, she caught sight of the mirror in her closet through the semi open wardrobe door. She wondered if Esther Anna knew what she had in her possession within the mirror. Deciding, or perhaps hoping, that she didn’t, Noelle went and flopped down on the bed.

  Her father’s face plagued her dreams.

  The tears slowly welled up in Esther Anna’s eyes as she recalled Pierre’s expression when he realised he had been killed, and by someone who looked like her, a woman that he loved. She watched on as he slowly died right in front of her. Part of her wondered how he would have felt if he knew that his killer was his daughter. She mentally willed the tears away. There would be plenty time for crying later, she didn’t have the time for that now. Escape was paramount, and she’d already wasted time.

  Esther Anna jumped as a bug crawled over her leg, but she gently removed it and placed it on the ground before getting up. Her joints ached as she did, and she swallowed with a level of difficulty as she was quite parched. She listened again for any hint of water nearby, but there was none. With a sigh, she stepped over the bug, and took off on the path she hoped would bring her far away from the palace.

  It wasn’t long until she heard the single worst sound that could come for her at this moment: Horses. The galloping thundered though the forest, growing louder as they headed directly towards her.

  Dread washed over her, as she kicked herself for resting for too long. Esther Anna cringed inwardly as she thought of what her punishment would be if they caught her. However, she knew that she had to hide, and quickly. She ducked behind a large tree as the guards arrived at her location. She clutched her mouth, shivering where she stood. Her bladder twitch slightly under the pressure of such nerves.

  The leader of the search party raised his hand to halt them. Once everyone was still, he dismounted his horse and quietly announced that he had heard something.

  Esther Anna felt her heart in her throat. They’d heard her! She thought to make a dash for it, but they were on horses and she wouldn’t get very far before they caught up to her and dragged her back to the palace, that evil place. She struggled to keep quiet, leaving hand over her mouth to prevent any accidental whimpers from escaping. Her leg throbbed with pain now, the one she’d hurt when she ducked behind the tree. Esther Anna ignored the pain, and her heart rate had increased exponentially and with each beat it grew louder. She was sure that the search party would hear it.

  The leader of the party said some things she could not hear clearly, since her heart was beating too loudly in her ears. Worried thoughts scrambled for a plan if she’d gotten caught: would she beg for forgiveness? Would that make her seem guilty? Could she try to argue her innocence and point them towards Princess Noelle as the true killer? Would they even believe her? She doubted they would. They would just simply assume that she was trying to point fingers at the princess.

  Do they believe I’m capable of such a thing? She wondered.

  That wouldn’t matter. The daughter of the king had expressly stated that she had seen her kill her father. She was just the king’s second wife, and Noelle was his daughter, she knew that no one would doubt her claim. How could they? Noelle played the part of the innocent Princess so well. Even Esther Anna had been taken in by the act at first. She had the entire kingdom fooled and she doubted anyone would be curing them of that wrong notion anytime soon.

  She feared what angry guards would do to her. Then what of Dormality? What would her father think? Would he believe that his daughter was a murderer? Esther Anna knew he would blame himself and assume that if he had not married her off to Pierre and Tibethia, this wouldn’t have happened. Her heart ached and the tears threatened again, but she bit them back.

  Just then, a torch flashed on the other side of the tree where she’d been hiding. Esther Anna gasped silently, grateful for the hand still placed over mouth. The light moved slightly to the right, and then to the left. She tried to make herself as small and still as possible behind the tree as she held her breath. After what seemed like ages, the light moved on to a different tree and she released her breath slowly and as silent as possible. Shortly after that, the search party mounted their horses and galloped away to comb through another part of the forest.

  Her legs threatened to give way beneath her. She huffed a shaky sigh of relief and slowly sank to the floor, not feeling strong enough to continue running after what had just happened. She peeked on the side of the tree to catch sight of the group. When they were nowhere to be found, she rested her back, struck by the exhaustion.

  What did I do to deserve this? She asked herself, idly rubbing at her injured leg. Her body was bruised and broken and she was more tired than ever. The stress was starting take a toll on her body, and she realised she desperately needed sleep. Esther Anna struggled to get up, her mind swirling with the horror of being discovered as her body succumbed to the tiredness. The nocturnal song birds sang their song, unaware of the lulling effect it had on Esther Anna and she rode the waves, dozing slightly as she clung to her leg. All her bruises stung slightly, but the cut on her cheek was already dry. She drew her legs closer to herself, realising that it was better to fall asleep in a place that had already been checked that to go somewhere new and be discovered. Moreover, she was certain she wouldn’t be asleep for long even, her mind was too disturbed for the doze that fatigue it down to last too long.

  A squirrel raced across her lap and she almost squealed, but she caught herself in time. She was antsy in her delirium. Esther Anna rested her head back on the tree and felt the call, the need of a nice long rest, beckon her. Her exhausted mind saw the innocent, smiling face of Princess Noelle and she wondered how she became that way. Blood rituals and foreign languages, shapeshifting and murder? What had she become?

  In her heart, Esther Anna felt pity towards the princess. Evil had claimed her, corrupted her and commanded her to kill her own father, and used her face to commit the heinous act. What would be gained from that, framing her own step-mother, other than sentence her to an inevitable death for treason? Perhaps that was it, Esther Anna thought, or perhaps something else. Then she thought again: Noelle was evil enough to kill her own father for personal gain. It gave Esther Anna a chill.

  Slowly, the sleep fully enveloped her as Esther Anna dozed off.

  3

  His breathing came at irregular intervals, far apart, and shallow. Though he could easily do without breathing, he did it anyway for the sake of practice and blending in. Damien’s yellow eyes scanned the forest as he sniffed the air. She was close. He peered over at a nearby log and sniffed it, and it created a mental image of her travel path. She is smart, he thought, and he noticed she had avoided leaving tracks in the mud by running in various patterns. Damien was intrigued by that trick, instantly fascinated by her.

  The leaves crunched and branches snapped under his bare feet, though it was barely felt, as his other senses were heightened to dizzying levels.

  At the sound of horses approaching, Damien ducked. He was unwilling to tangle with the King’s guards, even if they were no competition for his strength. Damien didn’t like that these guards were around, but he understood the need for the Princess to keep up appearances.

  The feeble humans wouldn’t stand a chance… Damien’s favourite blade, worn across his shoulder pulsed with anticipation, and he willed it to calm down. His one kill to track for the night was Queen Esther Anna, as the princess commanded.

  The hor
se passed and he waited for their gallops to fade away before continuing his search.

  He scoffed. Did they really expect to find the quarry before I did?

  It occurred to him, however, that the princess had given the guards a reasonable head start. It would all cease to matter soon since she was in possession of the dark book and there was going to be no stopping her, especially if they succeeded in taking care of the problem with the Queen. He wondered what his next move would be if they managed to find her before he did. As unlikely a scenario as it was, he still had to consider it. He would do anything he had to, to get his prize.

  The gallops faded into the distance, and he moved out of his hiding place. Damien peered out in the direction they’d gone, and his senses told him they were aimlessly scouting the forest, without plan or strategy, and he knew this would work to his advantage. At this rate, the guards had probably unknowingly passed over her. Damien contemplated his next move for a moment before he set out in the opposite direction. As he ran, he sniffed the air, seeking out the scent given off by a person running from danger. So far, he’d only picked up faint traces, and he knew he was on the right path.

  A slight sting ran up his heel and he turned sharply, glaring with contempt at the snake who’d bit him, and the animal slithered away. However, Damien knew that the snake would not survive the night, as his blood was toxic to normal living creatures. Damien continued without much regard for the pain in his heel. He was close, he could feel it.

  An ominous feeling washed over Esther Anna, but she was unaware of the source of the sudden distress. She jerked awake suddenly, and anxiously looked around as the forest came alive for the night, seemingly undisturbed by the chase and other activities happening within. After a quick look around, she saw that she was still alone so she calmed down. She rose to her feet, since she felt like she’d rested enough.

  Best to keep moving before the King’s guards decide to come back.

  The town must have heard of her crimes by now, and it broke her heart to think of what the people would say about her. She’d never really judged herself in that way, but these were her people and she was used to them. As their queen, she’d occasionally gone into town to mingle with them. They’d loved her and thanked her for her generosity and appreciated that she would checked in to see how she was doing. From time to time, she’d even overheard maids speaking of her good deeds and she felt wonderful.

  Despite this, she couldn’t speak ill of Princess Noelle.

  She resolved to focus on her escape, and furthermore moving to clear her name.

  Esther Anna peeked out of the side of the tree once more to make sure the coast was clear. When she turned, she saw something that caused her to reach up and cup a hand over her mouth, to stifle a gasp. There was a pair of glowing red eyes staring at her from the darkness. She was petrified.

  It was Damien, staring at the Esther Anna, and his hearts began to pump erratically in his chest. His breathing came in gasps as he stood there, very still. He saw her legs twitch, and readied himself for her inevitable attempt at an escape, but neither of them moved for a moment.

  What is this? What’s happening to me?

  He closed his eyes, an attempt to calm his fluttering heart. As his heightened senses were overly sensitive now, he could hear her heartbeat too. She feared him, that much was apparent. For some strange reason, Damien felt like reaching forward and telling her not to worry, that he wouldn’t hurt her. He’d caught her scent as he spotted her sleeping behind that tree, seeking the innocence that exuded from her and made him stop in his tracks. Damien had even watched her as she slept, and when she woke up, he made sure to hide, not wanting to be spotted, lest she run away in fear. He stepped out of the shadows and watched her eyes widen in horror.

  The purity, it reached out to him. It caressed him and tempted him too, and he didn’t mind that at all. Shame on the princess for sending him after someone so pure.

  He took a step forward, but she shrank back.

  Anytime now... Damien watched her intently, the scent of her purity intoxicated him and still it bothered him that he’d been sent out to snuff out such a light. It was meant to be treasured and treated with care. It struck him, as a great shock, that he not only coveted this paragon of purity, but he wanted her for himself! He watched her tremble in terror at his advances, but still he longed to pull her into his arms and hold her till her fears dissolved. As these thoughts passed through his mind, conflicting thoughts fought to eradicate them. He was a force of nature, a woodsman, trained and highly skilled in seeking and executing his victims with precision and flair. Yet somehow he found himself enamored with this human…and he couldn’t help himself. He couldn’t focus! Nothing matters now. Nothing except her. Damien looked at her one more time, and his mind was made up. He had to have her. Such purity needed to be cherished, and he was more than willing to carry on that task. As far as he was concerned, no one was more deserving of it. Opposites match, after all, and Queen Esther Anna was his opposite.

  Just then, the queen shook her head and in one smooth turn, she took to her heels, speeding off into the distance.

  He watched her retreat.

  The chase was on.

  Esther Anna sprinted as fast as she could. Once again, her lungs screamed and struggled to supply her adequate energy to keep up her flight. She pushed on and stressed herself to the limit, as not to let that creature come near her. Thinking quickly, she ducked beneath a low hanging branch, then made another dash away. No matter how much she was suffering, the pain in her muscles and aches in her bones, she carried on. That monster, with his red-tinted gaze nearly paralyzed her with fear but once she found her legs, that fear only fueled her and boosted her speed in her getaway. That creature… Esther Anna had only heard of creatures spawned from the dark recesses of the earth by black magic and used to do the bidding of the conjurer, but she’d never thought she’d be hunted by one. Why was he looking at me like that?

  The queen ducked another branch, and leapt over a fallen log.

  She came to a brief halt and slowly turned. Esther Anna expected to see the woodsman bounding towards her, but to her surprise, he was nowhere in sight. It seemed highly unlikely that she was able to outrun the creature, but she thought perhaps he had taken an alternate route so she needed to stay alert. Esther Anna took a beat to think through any other shortcuts in the forest based on the maps she’d seen back at the palace, but couldn’t remember any of them.

  The kingdom! she thought.

  Now that Noelle was the highest ranking royal in Tibethia, no one was left standing in her way to take over. Esther Anna shuddered at the thought of what horrors she would commit over the people. Her thoughts were interrupted as a puff of smoke erupted in front of her. The woodsman had arrived, as menacing as when she first saw him. She screamed and veered to the left, her arm scratched by a tree as she blew past it. Esther Anna kept on but stopped abruptly, when he appeared before her once more. She staggered backward, losing her balance as she did, and she fell.

  “Why do you flee from me?” The creature asked. “Can’t you see that I mean you no harm? Just come to me and I will keep you safe. I’ll kill all the guards at your request. I’ll shelter you from the evils of the world!”

  That’s absurd! Esther Anna thought to herself as she stood up. She carefully stepped backwards to create more distance between her and the creature. She wanted to be ready to take off again at the slightest chance. The bile rose in her stomach as an intense fear took solid root in her heart. What does he want with me? With a small shriek, she turned and ran again, this time heading through a thick part of the forest. His cry of disappointment prompted her to flee even faster. The leaves struck her face as she ran, and she was unable to see where she was going. Thorns tore at her exposed flesh.

  Esther Anna stopped with a skid at what seemed to be the top of a hill. She tried to reroute herself but as soon as she started to run, that puff of smoke appeared once again and she was greeted by
the glowing red eyes and he reached out to her. She stumbled backwards, and lost her footing.

  Damien rushed forward in an attempt to save her, but he’d moved a moment too late.

  The queen tumbled down the hill; Gravity set to work on her, as she was pulled down faster and faster. She cried out in agony as her body struck the protruding rocks along the way. Sand entered her eyes and mouth, and she flailed her arms, to find something to grab to perhaps slow or stop her falling. As she neared the bottom, she saw a tree with a large hole carved into it, and she was headed right for it. She screamed as she slipped into the tree grove, vanishing into the ancient looking tree,

  The woodsman watched on from his perch at the top of the hill as she fell further. He had a vague idea of where she might have gone, and it was a strong possibility that he wouldn’t be allowed there. What a wicked twist of fate, to have the object of his affection taken from him so cruelly. He stared down the slope, both concerned and consumed by his defeat. He could sense that this part of the forest was trying to eject him, since his kind went against nature. He conceded to this and took his leave in a puff of smoke, dreading the report of his loss.

  Esther Anna felt like she might have been falling for an eternity. She felt lightheaded and her stomach churned slightly the whole way down. A part of her hoped desperately that the monster had disappeared, as it left her with a fright that she would not soon forget. The threat of the creature, however, was secondary to her predicament at hand. She was falling, and tingling sensation washed over her, and numbed her. Her bruises and cuts didn’t hurt anymore and there was no muscle pain. For the first time since she left the palace, she wasn’t in any pain, and the stress that accumulated during her escape started to trickle away.