I turned my head to the boat, where Zander and Gwen stood at the side of the boat with Thana. The Prince watched with disinterest.
I looked back to the shore, almost a quarter of the way. I kept kicking. They couldn't keep me prisoner. My progression was slow from lack of experience, but I was moving.
Smooth slimy edges brushed against my thin pants, touching my ankle. I glanced around, frozen in the murky water, unable to see what lurked beneath the surface. The feeling came again, a brush of slimy scales against my leg, caressing my skin.
My screams joined the others. “Help! Help!” I gulped down water as my head submerged as it wrapped around my ankle, pulling me under. Somehow, my legs were kicking, trying to scare the creature away. I felt warm tears streaming down my face, washed away by the lapping water. My legs and arms were sore, I didn't know how much longer I could keep going. Surely I would run out of energy, as soon as the creature touched me again, my energy renewed. I slammed my feet into the hard body.
A warm arm wrapped around me, pulling me back toward the boat. A cloud of black smoke left to dissipate in the water where I had been. Several hands grabbed at me when we reached the boat. My back scraped on the railing and I landed with a heavy thud. The scaly monster emerged from the water, jaws wide and ready for his snatched meal. It landed with a hard splash and drenched the entire boat in water.
I laid on the deck, trying to catch my breath, unable to move from the spot I had landed on. My feet tangled in a rope and my head tilted to avoid a jutting piece of wood.
“What is she, stupid? I was joking,” Keiran said.
I looked up at the Prince, who was soaking wet. He had saved me.
My entire body was convulsing in shivers, while he stood as though the icy water had not affected him at all.
“Yes, she is,” the Prince said.
“What was that thing?” I asked, ignoring the insult.
“A hydra,” Thana answered.
“You should have let her drown,” Zander commented as he looked over the edge of the boat for the horrendous creature.
The Prince shook his arms, water splattering everywhere. “I'm sure Goddess is encouraging that. But apparently, we need her.”
In my short time in the Underworld—Astrea, I had heard more mention of Goddess than I had in my entire life.
What a bunch of religious nuts.
7
The grand interior of the Keep seemed more than a place to store soldiers. But the deeper in I went, I found only a few guards, and even fewer servants. Everything appeared dust-free, and the sleek black railing up the stairs even shined. Despite the cleanliness, a desolate feeling hung in the air.
Gwen stopped in front of a door after a walk through the drafty hallways. “You can sleep here,” she said as she pushed something into my hands. “And these should fit you.”
I looked at the bundle of dark clothing and gave a small smile. “Thanks.”
Her face contorted as a heavily armored man approached, standing at the side of the door. “Just a precaution,” she assured me.
I nodded, secretly thankful for the protection from the Stalkers, even if it was provided by one. Small tufts of curly black hair seeped out from under a hood, covering his face. His body was covered in the same dark scaled armor as everyone else. Scales that came from hydras.
Gwen opened the door, revealing a small bedroom. There was no windows, and she assured me it was for my own safety. However, the guard stood outside the door, and my status as prisoner was no secret.
“Nobody can Shade in here. You'll be safe.”
“Shade?” I repeated the word.
“Shading is how they move through the Shadow. It can only take them somewhere they've been before.” She looked up, shaking her head. “It's not my specialty. Maybe you should ask Demetri about it.”
At the sight of my expression, she bid me goodnight, and I closed the door behind her. Finally able to relax. As much as anyone could in such a strange place. Beneath the ground I had walked on for my entire life...there was an entire kingdom.
Peeling the wet clothes from my skin, I used a basin of water to wash myself. The cold splashes hit my skin, and I thought of the warm arms of the Prince wrapped around me. My heart skipped a beat at the thought.
I eyeballed the door, half afraid of being locked in, and half afraid someone would walk in and see my scars. I pretended to be strong, but a real warrior would never be afraid. I was from Krev, and I had a duty to my people to stay strong and make it home. If fate made me Queen, that meant something would happen to my father and Bryony. And as much as I hated her, I had a duty to save her, too.
After dressing, I glanced into the mirror, thankful for the long sleeves and pants. Everything was black, but the clothes fit well and the fabric felt soft. I pulled on the thin leather boots, replacing the tattered slippers.
Laying back on the bed, I wondered if the guard outside would stop me from leaving. Before I could test it, I fell into a deep slumber from the tiring day, hoping my hunger would dissipate by morning.
I felt like I hadn't slept a wink as the knock sounded. Gwen's lavender hair spilled into the room, her eyes wide and smile sparkling. I forced myself to smile. It felt like a cringe.
“How'd you sleep?”
I shrugged. “Good.” No need to mention the several petrified awakenings as my mind balanced out this new dream world. The Underworld. I still half expected myself to fall asleep and wake up back home in Krev. Home. The hot dry desert, the smell of roses in the courtyard, Anten, and the coliseum.
“You should grab something to eat and hurry downstairs.” Gwen gestured to the table by the bed and rushed out of the room.
Pastries and fruit piled high on the tray. The hot tea chased away the damp chill from my bones. Sugar from flaky pastries with warm fillings covered my fingers and fell to the plate like snow. Krev never had food so delicious. Warriors needed to be fit. Despite the likelihood of a poisoned bread roll, I all but licked the plate clean.
When I opened the door, the echo of voices led the way, the guard following closely behind. The many hallways shot off in a series of dark tunnels. Candles hung along the main corridor, but provided little light, only guidance. The Stalkers seemed to prefer the darkness.
I glanced out a narrow window to see the same twilight sky. Still no signal of time passing.
“...doesn't need a babysitter.” I peeked over the banister to see Gwen down below, on her tippy-toes to compete with Zander's height. He still had over a foot on her.
“Maybe I didn't make this clear, but because of you, we are playing host to a murderer.”
“Me? Well, I'm sorry for preventing another war with the Reds.” Sarcasm dripped from Gwen's voice. She rolled her head back in annoyance and saw me on top of the stairs. Her eyes widened, her mouth going crooked as she wondered what I had heard.
Zander continued without noticing, “The Red will stay with Thana today—”
I began down the steps, the guard behind me cleared his throat to announce our presence.
“On whose orders?” Gwen demanded.
“Mine,” a cold voice said from the opposite staircase. I looked up to see the Prince descending. The soldier at my side threw his hand into a salute, stiffening his posture. The Prince gave a slight nod at the guard, gesturing for Zander to follow him.
I jogged forward toward the Prince. “I wanted to say thank you for saving me.” But he continued walking as though he had not heard. Before I could follow him, the guard grabbed my arm, a little too tightly, and a throb of pain ran through me.
The guard escorted me to Thana's boat, the torch lit at its head. She harried me on board, waving the guard away. “I'm on direct orders from Prince Demetri to watch the Red.” Though he said it with confidence, there was a hesitation in his eyes.
“It will be our little secret,” Thana said in a cold whisper. She began to remove her glove and the guard backed away, turning to run away from the boat. She smiled at h
is sprinting form. She pulled her glove back on before looking to me with uncertainty. “I doubt you'll jump in the river again, anyway.”
I nodded in agreement, sitting myself as far from the edge of the boat as possible. With the cabin wall at my back, at least one angle was covered.
“Bad enough I have to deal with you,” Thana muttered to herself and began to use her long stick to push the boat, gaining momentum within minutes. The further from the city, the darker it grew, until all I could see was the reflection of the flame on the water.
“Why is he afraid of you?” I asked, pushing against the pulsing hum of silence in my ears.
“Are you not?”
I shrugged. But a real warrior would never be afraid. Before I could answer, the boat shook, hitting land. I jumped to my feet.
Thana scoffed at my reaction. “Some Red you are.” She jumped from the boat with more grace than I expected and raised her hand to stop me from following.
I looked to the dark bank, watching her disappear under the constant layer of fog. The crunch of her steps on the rocky beach morphed into water sloshing against the side of the boat. My heartbeat quickened, my skin bubbled into goosebumps, feeling a hundred pairs of eyes in the darkness. The torch provided a glowing ring around the boat, but no sense of security. It merely gave a clear view to everything looking, like bugs attracted to a light. Time scraped by.
I heard the grunts and the sound of rocks being shifted, dislodged into the river with a plop. I squinted, but it was impossible to see.
“Who's there?” I said into the void.
A loud thud hit the boat and I screamed as a waterlogged body was dumped in front of me. The eyes bulged out, the stench of decay hitting my nose. It laid on a bed of crumpled brown feathers. Wings.
“Quiet yourself.” Thana demanded as she boarded the boat, getting us moving once again.
Though quiet, I watched in horror, wondering what lay before me. A sharp nose, and hallow cheekbones, long eyelashes and matted brown hair. It looked so human, but instead of arms, wings jutted from its shoulders. My nose curled from the scent. “What is it?”
“A harpy.” At my confused look, she continued. “You know, a scavenger bird. This one must have gotten caught in a storm. Washed up on shore.”
“A storm? We're underground.” I gave a short exhale to keep from laughing at the madness.
“Ay, Red, and when the next storm hits, you'd best hope you're back in the Upperworld, safe.”
Thana stopped the boat within the center of the river. She heaved the body over the side. The waters rippled for a long moment until they shook the boat, bubbles coming up from underwater. I grabbed hold of the bench, clinging for dear life.
The crash of the wave hit the boat, propelling us backward, water drenching us both. With the winged body in its teeth, the head of a gigantic monster surged toward us. A second head rose out of the water, showing off its many rows of sharp teeth as it fought for a piece of the meal. The creatures moved toward the boat, diving just in time, and the boat remained upright.
“What the hell was that!” I shouted.
She laughed. “Oh, he's harmless. Harpies are his favorite snack.” She looked to the other side of the boat. The creature jumped from the water, three heads attached to a large four-legged body. Its webbed feet stretched in the air. Its body splashed back into the water, another splash hitting us. The two heads came up, the dead harpy now gone. A third head rose from the water, but only revealed its eyes. “This is my good friend, Cerie. He's a hydra.”
She removed her glove, stroking the two heads she could reach. I half expected her hand to be missing when she pulled it back. But it was intact and the creature disappeared below the surface.
“You see them as monsters.” I opened my mouth to defend myself, but she raised her bare hand. “You are not the only one. Hydras have defended this land for all of time, and they even provide armor with their shed scales.” She paused. “Unlike the others, I cannot Shade.” She looked to her hand. “When I touch people, the Shadow takes them. But the Hydra's don't fear me.”
8
The Keep came into sight, along with a dozen people waiting by the dock. Thana maneuvered the boat into position. As I stood up, two guards boarded the boat, grabbing each of my arms and lifting me onto the dock. Another half dozen guards surrounded the group. Zander stood next to the Prince, hand on his sword, watching me intently.
The Prince of Darkness stepped forward. Though his face was still, I could see the wrath burning in his eyes, looking between Thana and me. “Thana, you are not to scare away the protection I provide.”
Thana scoffed. “Do you forget? I protect you, my Prince.” His lip twitched, and Thana bowed deeply. “It will not happen again.”
The Prince turned and walked away, followed by two guards. Four guards boxed around me, and we entered the dark fortress. Everyone within the center of the Keep bowed as he took his throne. His anger radiated, the fear of his subjects stifled the room. Shadow crawled around him, prepared to take him anywhere in an instant.
“Will you not bow, Princess?” He asked, a smirk on his face. I glanced around, noticing I was the only one still standing. “Of course not. You've been taught that this is not a Kingdom. That Astrea was destroyed long ago.”
Despite his upturned lips, a layer of danger laced his words. I nodded my head forward, my eyes remaining on him. “Perhaps you did not hear me earlier, your Highness. You have my gratitude for saving my life, but such respect must be earned. If you ensure my safe journey home...”
There was a long silence before he spoke. “Such diplomacy. What do you know of the Tides, Elara?” His hair cast Shadow over his eyes, but I still felt his gaze.
I ignored his informality. After all, I was his prisoner. “Tides mark the passing of time. They are the pull of the moons on our world, increasing our abilities.”
“Is that all they've taught you up there?” He gave a short laugh. “A Tide is what allowed you to enter Astrea. To keep this simple, a Tide opens the Gate. With the Shadow, we can pass through these barriers. But you cannot. Once we get to a Gate, you'll be able to pass through only during the Tide. There are many Gates, most of them uncharted. And most of the time, it's a one-way trip.”
I thought of the red skies of Bloodtide as I fell into the Pits. Bloodtide, which only came around once every few years. “It's going to take so long?”
The Prince shook his head. “Time works differently here. The next Tide is about a month away in our time.”
I shook my head. How long had I been gone from the Upperworld?
The Prince interrupted my thoughts. “To make it in time, we must go through Taroth.”
A chorus of discord erupted. “You're joking,” Keiran interjected.
“It's the only way. We can't afford to waste time going around,” Zander confirmed.
The Prince of Darkness ignored them, looking at me. My heart sputtered from his full attention. “You want to go home, and we'll take you there. All I ask in return is that when you become Queen, you bring peace between us.”
9
A familiar sound met my ears as I laid in bed. Unable to pretend to sleep any longer, I rose and exited the room. The slumping guard jumped, straightening his posture as he followed me.
The ringing of metal echoed down the long corridors, leading to an open door. I peeked inside. Weapons lined the walls, and armor hung like decorations. Three large windows looked out on the city below, filtering blue light into the room.
Keiran circled around a girl with long black hair and a curvy figure, accentuated by the tight-fitting clothes. She held her eyes half-open, probably due to the mile-long lashes, laden with thick black mascara. She held two long daggers, sais, while Keiran used a long thin sword. Glowing crystals flashed from the weapons as the two fought.
“Get him, Celeste!” Zander said. He and the Prince sipped on a dark amber liquid from glasses as they watched the two fight.
A much faster pac
e than the brute force I was accustomed to seeing in a sword fight. The two dashed in and out of the Shadow, always trying to surprise the other. Their bodies almost danced. Flashes of silver as they sliced and stabbed at each other, dodging and blocking blows. My heart raced as the swings narrowly missed, almost forgetting that neither could Bloodburn.
Celeste disappeared in a strip of Shadow, appearing on the other side of the room. Keiran spun around, preparing to attack her, but his body froze when his gaze landed on me. A dagger met his throat. Her eyes followed his gaze to me at the door.
Keiran grabbed Celeste's wrist and pushed the weapon away. “We'll have to do a rematch. Since the Red interrupted.” He almost snarled the words, narrowing his eyes toward me. The Prince and Zander watched with disinterest.
“I thought you were joking about finding a stray Red, Demetri,” Celeste said. Her voice was throaty, her eyes were wide, and her lips pouted as she glanced toward the Prince.
“Wouldn't make for a funny joke,” the Prince said. “Go on, Keiran, show the Red how it's done.”
I tried to calm my heavy breath, watching Celeste walk to the Prince, sheathing her daggers. In a panic, I raked my brain for any excuse. “How can I fight with no weapon?”
With a loud clang, a sword landed in front of me. “Zander! No!” Celeste called out. “This could all be part of her plan.”
“What can she do with me and Demetri here? Go on, give us a show,” he encouraged me, gesturing toward the sword.
I stood frozen for a long moment, as long as I dared to hesitate in front of the Prince of Darkness. I grasped the handle gingerly as I picked up the sword. Lighter than those within Krev. I turned it in my hand, noticing the slight curvature of the blade. A piece of metal wrapped around the handle, a guard to protect the hand.
Celeste jumped toward me, her face in mine. “We never hurt each other. It's only until surrender.”
I gave a short nod, trying to adjust myself to the new weapon as she backed off, crossing her arms.
Shadow and Starlight Page 5