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

by T. M. Franklin

  His blade throbbed slightly as he sensed another guard wandering in front of the room. Damien closed his eyes, and readied himself for the battle that could arise. As an experienced fighter, he didn’t need special preparation to do something as mundane as killing a guard. His blade could almost do it all on its own even. The guard, just like the first, eventually overcame his curiosity and walked off. He couldn’t blame them. There was something infinitely tempting about being asked not to do something. It made one more likely to go on and do the thing one was instructed against. It was basic human nature.

  Understanding humans was vital to his job as a woodsman and hunter. After eons of doing this job he had realised that they always stuck to a pattern, and he had learned to explore that pattern. His success rate was the reason he kept being summoned. He asked no price for it, but as far as his trusty blade stayed fed with the soul of the vanquished, then everything was alright. And that’s how it had been since the beginning of it all, and, he reckoned. It would remain that way for all time.

  So far, he’d been sent after kings, priests, witches and wizards alike, and none had ever survived for much longer after he was dispatched. He was known by many practitioners of the dark arts and those who didn’t know him by name or face knew him by reputation. His infamy thrived in fear and he was more than happy to keep it that way.

  Oh, Esther Anna… He thought of her again. When will we meet again so I can make you mine? Soon, he hoped. Damien knew that the fairies had a distaste for humans, so it wouldn’t be long until they ejected her or cast her out. He only had to wait and remain vigilant. Then again, Esther Anna worked her way into the heart of a demon woodsman from the Black Abyss, so it was entirely possible that she would use that charm on the fairies as well. That feeling inside his chest ached for her, so he hoped that he was wrong.

  The door flung open.

  He jumped to his feet, and unsheathed his sword as a reflex. The blade glowed a bright red as he readied himself to strike, but it he quickly realised it was the princess and dropped to his knee as a greeting of respectful welcome. “Your majesty.” He’d been so distracted that he couldn’t sense presence or anticipate her arrival.

  Princess Noelle waved at him in acknowledgement of his bow.

  The woodsman sheathed his sword and stood up, and with one glance he already knew that her search was unsuccessful. “I assume you were unable to find them.”

  Irritation was clearly written all over her face. “I don’t need them. I have other ways to get what I want, don’t worry. You? Have you gotten what you wanted from her room yet?”

  He nodded, and took a deep breath. Damien had entered Esther Anna’s room and it was so ripe with her scent, it was intoxicating. He held back a smile in that regard, as he kept his gaze on the princess. Foolish girl… he thought. Noelle was still under the impression that he was working for her, that he was Esther Anna’s hunter, when really, he was now her guardian. He intended on maintaining this façade for a little longer, as utilizing her and her resources would work to his advantage.

  “Good. I’m certain I we’ll be seeing her dead body or even her severed head soon.”

  Damien detected some movement and ducked out of sight, as a guard walked through the door. Noelle paid no attention to him and walked away in a huff, but he pursued her to deliver the details of the search.

  Once they were gone, Damien inhaled the scent of his queen. Esther. It was a good thing he came here to find her scent, as it was still fresh, and he knew that as the moments passed it would gradually fade away. He was reluctant to leave such a serene room with that intoxicating scent, but after one last look, Damien vanished in a puff of black smoke, leaving the faint aroma of sulphur behind.

  Present time. Fairy Kingdom of Fandrela.

  * * *

  Esther Anna shut her eyes tight and reopened them expecting everything to have reverted to normal, but nothing changed. She vigorously rubbed her eyelids and blinked them open again, but everything remained the same.

  Beside her, Prince Phillip turned and bent towards her, smiling broadly. His teeth looked to her like enormous slabs of concrete, imbedded in the world’s largest chewing gum. She shifted back, scared out of her wits by the sudden change in perspective. She looked around and gasped as one by one, the fairies landed beside her. They were disinterested unlike before, perhaps since she’d been with them for a while. Queen or not, she was a stranger in their kingdom, and she didn’t mind their curiosity or even their standoffishness. If they’d come to visit her realm, the roles would be reversed and the feelings would be the same.

  Esther Anna watched as they moved away from the large ship-sized shoes that belonged to the Prince.

  “What did you do?” She asked the citizen standing by, quite astounded by the change of scenery.

  “I made you our size.” The fairy responded, casually.

  Esther Anna stared in awe at the large flower stalk protruding from the ground, amazed by the beautiful grains of sand as they sparkled. “C-Can you change me back?”

  “Of course! Don’t worry. The effects are only temporary, so long as you’re staying here. This way, you’ll be able to see our kingdom. Our king has requested to meet you.”

  The king? He wants to meet me? Esther Anna had a moment of shock at that statement, but it trickled away as she pointed at one of the others who’d spread their wings and took flight. “That! Can I do that too?”

  “Unfortunately, no, my dear.” The fairy woman chuckled softly and shook her head, and with that she fluttered away.

  “This is so strange…” She uttered under her breath, amazed at the magic of this place.

  “You’ll get used to it. Though, having wings does help.” The prince smirked. He had finally shrunk down to his natural form, and stood beside her with his wings free at his back. “Now, off we go.”

  Esther Anna hesitated for a moment but she stepped closer to the prince and wrapped her arms around his neck.

  He held on to her waist and looked down into her eyes with a smile. “Hold on tight…”

  The wind picked up around her, and blew her hair into her eyes. Esther Anna used a free hand to brush the strands away and when she peeked, the ground seemed so far away. She felt a turn in her stomach at the height, but was exhilarated by the feeling. A joyful laugh escaped her, thrilled by the way he moved in and out of the grass and flowers, almost as if he was showing off specifically for her benefit.

  Prince Phillip performed one of his trademark flight manoeuvres and he smiled in satisfaction as her excited squeals greeted his ears. He felt a great need to impress her as he escorted her to the castle. The way her body melded into his, and the way she held onto him as they flew, threw off his concentration. Her scent filled his nose and soothed him, and even left him with a desire for more. All of that, on top of the purity that he couldn’t get enough of made him realise he was hooked, enthralled and enchanted by her. The strong need to protect her overcame him, and he held her tighter.

  He made one final swoop, with its accompanying squeal of excitement from the queen, and set course to land at the castle.

  5

  The castle interior was intricately decorated. Its floors were made of soft, cushion-like material that felt good against her bare feet. magical chandeliers lit the way, though not attached by any chain, as they were suspended in mid-air. Esther Anna had been around affluence and beautiful castles all her life, but they all paled in comparison to this one.

  It was thrilling for her to see that magic was real. Practitioners of the dark arts had been exiled long before she was born and tales of those times had been just that to her. Now she was experiencing magic in its fullness and so it took some time to process that this was her reality. There was so much she didn’t know, and her mind drifted into a tangent: Were dragons real? Trolls? Elves? Goblins? She made herself gasp at that terrifying thought, and figured Prince Phillip might know. He had quite the knowledge of humans, so it was possible that he might confirm t
he existence of these creatures if she asked.

  She was on her way to the throne room for a private audience with the king, and along the way, there were many fairies staring at her as she passed, including a couple she recognised from her rescue. They avoided eye contact with her, which was a little unsettling, but she did her best to ignore them for now. The only one who trusted her was the prince and so she would continue to follow him through the castle. Handmaidens flew in and out of the rooms, and each snuck a glance at the prince. He was a beautiful man, she admitted, and by the way they looked at him, the maids thought the same.

  Things were run differently here, and magic seemed to make a lot of things easier. In a human kingdom, they would have utilized crude interrogation methods on her which would force results of admittance to things she may or may not have done. Words shaped and uttered to simply stop the pain. The technique the prince used was more effective, efficient, and got down to the truth without any fabrication. It stood to reason that it was not an easy thing to beat.

  As she was left to her thoughts, Esther Anna began to doubt herself. She wondered if she could have done something to save Talia, but she’d been paralyzed by her own fear. That same fear rolled in when she lost the king, and then again when the demon came for her. Guilt washed over her. She’d been framed for murder, one she witnessed, not committed. Esther Anna looked at Prince Phillip and the confidence he exuded made it seem like he rarely doubted himself like she had. There was a strength there, within him, and she envied that. His subjects respected him, he commanded it.

  “Am I going for trial for trespassing?” She joked, trying to break the silence.

  He looked at her askance, and when she stopped smiling, he burst into laughter. The queen was quick to join him in laughter after accepting his silent way of joking and the pair laughed all the way to the throne room door.

  The guard posted there bowed to the prince and offered a stern one look at the Esther Anna, before he ushered them in.

  The throne room, by far, was the grandest part of the castle she’d seen. It completely took her breath away. The king was already waiting inside. He was sitting at his throne and he watched as they approached. Esther Anna noticed that the king looked like an older version of Prince Phillip, a mirror version of her heroic rescuer, though his face had shown the lines of time.

  He smiled as they approached. “So, this must be the human I’ve been hearing about all day!”

  Esther Anna was put at ease by his smile, but she blushed sheepishly at his greeting. The king to burst into a fit of hearty laughter and the rest of his court joined in until the room was filled with the joyful chorus of laughter. Her nerves faded away at the sound, and she stood up a little straighter as she offered a smile and polite curtsy to the king.

  “You caused quite a scare my dear.” The king said, between guffaws. “It’s okay however. My people are just not used to seeing your kind in our kingdom. For a lot of them, this was their first time.

  This isn’t so bad… She thought. Here she thought she was in trouble.

  “My men informed me that you’d escaped from witnessed the death of your husband at the hands of your step daughter, and fell here during your escape. You’ve supposedly been framed. Is this correct?”

  Esther Anna’s eyes were wide, and she slowly nodded.

  The king shifted forward in his throne. He clicked his tongue. “This is a tragedy. I do offer my condolences. Pierre LaChance was a great man and a great king.”

  There was a joint confusion shared between her and the prince at his mention of King Pierre. Esther Anna’s husband had never mentioned a belief in the existence of fairies, nor did he ever state he’d known one personally. There seemed to be a lot of things she didn’t know about him. Everyone was entitled to a few secrets.

  “You knew him?” She asked in surprise.

  A smile bloomed on the king’s face, one that was bright enough to have assisted in the win over many negotiations. “Yes. Yes, I did. However, this was a long time ago. It was necessary, if not imperative that he and I meet. Sadly, I’d lost touch with Pierre long before the death of his first wife, though I had gotten word of his new marriage, to you, my dear.” The king looked rather solemn when he made mention of their meeting from years ago.

  Prince Phillip stared at his father with a curiosity that meant he would inquire about this meeting later. It was fitting that the heir of the kingdom would know of its alliances and its history.

  “Now, I don’t know what you intend to do about your situation. In times past, the fairy kingdom may have stepped in to prevent the earth-shattering calamity that would arise from the rule of one taken by darkness. T’was a different time, and for now, the knowledge of our existence must be kept to a select few. Your majesty, I extend an offer for sanctuary here, as long as you need, but as of right now, we cannot make any moves against Tibethia.”

  Esther Anna understood what he was saying, that he wanted to preserve the mystery of the fairy kingdom for the safety of his people. She had tremendous respect for that, though it confused her as she didn’t ask him for assistance. The older times he was keen to mention, wars were fought, battles won, and treaties were written. Whatever life he moulded for his kingdom beyond the fight, the decision to protect his people, she would not disrespect.

  Prince Phillip stepped forward. “Father, I’d been thinking about it as well. Now, I’ve seen the things she saw, I’ve been inside her mind. I assure you, father, it is every bit as horrible as described, maybe even more so. This… Noelle is a villain and must be stopped. The horrible things she did…” He shook his head in disgust. “There was a look in her eyes, and I remember it clear as day. She enjoyed doing those things. This is not just any villain, no. She is like a cankerworm who will devour the very fabric of all kingdoms if do not move to put an end to it. There’s no time to waste. She must be stopped, and soon.”

  Esther Anna was surprised at the prince’s eagerness to step forward on her behalf.

  “…what I’m saying is: after being witness to the queen’s memories, I cannot in good faith let the princess of Tibethia carry on. I declare my intent to join forces with Esther Anna, and put an end to this potential reign of terror. Perhaps my methods of extracting the truth have pulled me into this, and now I am personally invested. Queen Esther Anna needs all the help she can get, and I am extending my hand, should she except.” The prince looked over at her, and offered a smile.

  The queen was beaming back at the prince, floored by his declaration. After running for her life, she’d felt so alone and so helpless. He changed that in one sweep. She nodded at him, confidently.

  The king was at the edge of his seat as he cast a look between his son and the queen. He studied both of them carefully and quietly until his eyes dropped to the necklace she had on. For a second, those kind eyes darkened, but then he composed himself once again. “My son. I understand your need to do this, but think carefully about what you would be doing. The outside world is not what you think. Reading about it, is one thing and experiencing it is another. The princess seems as evil as they come. Consider your place here. Your home. Your people.”

  The Prince considered his father’s words for a moment. Yes, it was true that the need for his presence among his people and his kingdom was immense. He would make his rounds in the kingdom just to mingle and get to know the citizens here, which made him well-known and loved. Everyone felt safe, because of it. He turned and looked at Esther Anna. Her purity shone bright. She was effortlessly beautiful, and her need for his help was compelling. He knew that she must have been adored by her people, and upset him to think that her name was spoiled by a lie and a deception that must be overturned.

  Outwardly, she was holding up well, despite the circumstances. However, he’d seen what was in her mind… the guilt, the fear, the angst. Esther Anna felt helpless against the evidence that was stacked against her, for a crime she didn’t commit. No, she didn’t ask for help but he wanted to be there f
or her because of such modesty. Phillip wanted to help her.

  Justice had to be served.

  Prince Phillip looked up at his father, with a steadfast devotion to match his words. He’d thought about this decision for a while, but his mind was finally made up. He was convinced he was doing the right thing, so his father had to respect such a notion. “I will go with the Queen Esther Anna, father. I will help clear her name, and bring justice to the Kingdom of Tibethia. I swear this on our good name.”

  His determination made the king proud. “You’re a good man, my son. Putting yourself in harm’s way to help others is a valuable trait, one that cannot be taught. I am sure you will persevere, survive this quest, and furthermore you will make a wonderful king.”

  Phillip basked in his father’s praise, and he stood with confidence that he had made the right decision.

  Esther Anna was still blushing with delight and relief at that prince’s offer to help, though she figured with her luck the prince would change his mind at any moment. Yet, that moment never came. The prince made his choice, and she had a very powerful ally in hand.

  “Okay,” said the king with a nod. “Let’s eat.”

  After the feast, Esther Anna retired to her chambers. Her stomach was full, as she was armed with a surprisingly large appetite that grew at the sight of the fairy dishes. Esther Anna wanted to try a little bit of everything, to the amusement of Prince Phillip and the king, who mentioned on separate occasions that she was not like other queens they’d come across in their time. The prince was still surprised that she’d been able to find their kingdom at all. He also mentioned something about her purity, but at that point, she’d been too sleepy to comprehend it.

  She lazily plopped into bed. It was the most comfortable thing she ever laid on, and she’d been told that the bed was made of phoenix feathers—even though she was certain there was no such thing. Esther Anna propped her hands behind her head and breathed out in relief, still in shock about how the night turned out in her favour. She couldn’t believe her luck. Things were looking up.