Dancing with Shadows

by Bridie Henderson

  “No such thing as children anymore… there’s only prey or predators. You were a predator once and now you’ve willingly joined the prey for the slaughter… silly little lamb,” his voice was taunting, his eyes filled with sick laughter. Liam took another step forward, dropping his sword to the ground.

  “You enjoy hurting little girls? Come and fight me like a real man,” he said, bating the asshole. He wasn’t sure what it was that he said but the soldier pushed the girl aside taking a step forward as he pulled a gun from his waist band with his free hand.

  “Why bother,” were his words as he cocked the weapon and aimed. Liam closed his eyes against the inevitable pain but it never came. When he opened them, he found Colt standing above the dead soldier wiping blood off of his blade.

  “Sleeping on the job, soldier boy?”

  Liam found himself smiling. The man who had wanted him dead had just saved his life. Strange, the way that things worked out. He grabbed up his sword and once again jumped into the fray. He took one side of the prisoners and Colt took the other, working separately yet in tandem they tackled soldier after soldier until only a handful of prisoners remained. Still, it didn’t matter how many soldiers they cut down, they just kept coming. It was almost as though they were waiting for something. They moved towards the portal, closer and closer, until the last prisoner jumped through. Until it was just the two of them left, facing at least eighteen soldiers? If they dove through the portal the soldiers would just follow them and then the battle would begin again on the other side. That was what they had been waiting for, he realised. A way to quell the rebellion once and for all. Allowing the prisoners to escape, only to force them back into slavery when they finally thought they were free would be the final straw in breaking them… The prisoners, who had just been granted their freedom, wouldn’t be safe, neither would the others… no it needed to end here and the portal needed to be closed so the soldiers couldn’t get through. He glanced at Colt who seemed to be thinking the same thing, looking down at the portal disk and then at the soldiers with a growl.

  Without thinking it through any more than was strictly necessary, he turned, placing his blade up to Colt’s throat. The man looked at his him, his eyes wide with shock until they narrowed with anger.

  “You son of a-“

  “Sorry, my friend, if I live through this, I promise you can kill me later,” he murmured before shoving the man through the purple swirl. He heard Colt’s voice yelling out another expletive as he disappeared into the vortex and then with a swift stab of his sword, he broke the disk in two. The portal disappeared with a pop as several of the soldiers shouted out their irritation in a cacophony of roars and growls. Now there was no way for the soldiers to follow them… or for him to get free for that matter. Hells, he’d completed his mission… helped to save hundreds and yet he still wasn’t sure it would be enough to remove the stain on his soul. It’d certainly help though. He would go to meet his maker with the knowledge that he had done something good. He could live, or die, with that. He held his sword up, ignoring the pain in his side and arm as he poised for the upcoming fight. Live or die, I did right… for once, I did right.

  Chapter 25

  “What the hells is that supposed to mean?” Slade growled, eyeing the King with a mixture of disdain and loathing.

  “Why, it’s quite simple, Slade Azera… in fact, I’m surprised none of you have figured it out yet, but then I am aware that there isn’t an overabundance of schooling out there in uncivilised society,” Jackson took a step into the room, his movements fluid like an animal… a predator.

  “You just come down here to insult us?” Slade sneered, glancing back at Quinn as discreetly as he could. She had stood straighter, her face emotionless but there was a harsh tension in the set of her shoulders. She glanced up at him, her eyes rimmed with dark circles and exhaustion seeping through every pore.

  “Of course not, I came to claim my prizes,” the King murmured, taking another step towards Quinn. Slade growled deep in his throat and took a step in front of her. Quinn may not have been the type of woman who would appreciate male heroics but she was beyond tired and weak… he needed to protect her. “Don’t be ridiculous, boy. If I chose, you’d be dead before you could blink.”

  “Yeah… there’s one of you and four of us, I like our chances,” Aaron muttered, pulling his blade free. Always so eager to fight, that one. Hells, he didn’t even need a reason, never had. The man was all about instant gratification and Slade loved him for it but right then, he felt it would have been better to err on the side of caution. The King had a trick up his sleeve… he could feel it.

  “What on earth makes you think I’m alone?” The King murmured, his mouth twisting up in a cruel smirk. At his words, soldiers began pouring into the room from doorways hidden in the walls confirming Slade’s suspicion. They were like wood termites, scrambling free from the cracks in the tree bark, each fighting to be in front of one another.

  “You had to open your big mouth, didn’t ya?” Kieron muttered to Aaron, pulling his own blades free. He took a step back and Aaron did the same until the three of them took a position beside Quinn, ready to fight and protect as the situation was sure to dictate.

  “Now, now, there is no need for any more bloodshed… not yet at least. If you’d all please follow me,” the King murmured, turning on his heel and gliding to the door. He stopped when no-one moved to follow and turned back to face them, “Of course, you could stay here and my men will dispatch you all… choice is yours,” with that he left. Slade looked round to survey the sheer number of soldiers, each carrying a short sword and a pistol, salivating for the kill. They weren’t going to survive this battle but shit… he was willing to try.

  “Let’s do this,” he muttered, reaching to pull his gun from his belt but Quinn’s cold and clammy hand on his arm stopped him. He looked down at her, seeing the resignation in her eyes.

  “We won’t win and I need to find my sister,” she whispered, “better to choose our moment.” He sighed, seeing the logic in her words but no less pissed that she was right.

  “Fine. Weapons down,” he murmured, echoing the matching looks of disgust on Aaron and Kieron’s faces with one of his own. They did as he said reluctantly and as one, they started to move forward following after the King. They were but a few steps in when Quinn faltered, her knees seeming to give up the ghost beneath her. He stopped, scooping her up into his arms and taking a jab to the kidney for his trouble. He whirled round his teeth bared as he growled something unintelligible under his breath.

  “Put her down. She ain’t yours to carry,” the soldier sneered, the butt of his gun poised for another strike.

  “Fuck you, asshole. She can’t walk. What do you suggest?”

  “I’ll carry her,” he muttered, a leering smirk on his face as his eyes dragged along the length of her body.

  “You lay a finger on her and I’ll-,” Slade started, his hands shaking with the need to crush something… preferably the soldiers face.

  “You’ll what? Don’t you get it? You’re already dead. Now be a good boy and hand her over,” the soldier released his gun, holding his arms out to take her as it swung to his side.

  “You sure you want to be doing that? The King wants her, didn’t you hear? You touch her and it won’t be me you have to worry about,” Slade muttered, his voice dangerously low. The soldier seemed to reconsider at his words and after a moment dropped his arms, his blue eyes narrowing in thought.

  “Just get moving… when he’s finished with her I’m sure she’ll make the rounds like the rest of them. I can wait,” he smirked again and Slade, biting his tongue, turned away from him, lest he do something he definitely wouldn’t regret but would probably get them all killed. They walked for an age, every footfall feeling like a step closer to death. By the time they reached their destination, Aaron had a bloody nose and Kieron was nursing a painful looking gash on his side. Apparently, the soldiers didn’t care what condition they
made it in as long as they made it there. The room was by far the most opulent he’d seen yet. The walls were covered in gold framed paintings of beautiful scenery and portraits of well-dressed rich folks, small floating lights hung above them as their eyes followed Slade around the room. The golden marble flooring was hard and smooth beneath his leather boots, buffed so well he could almost see his own grizzled reflection in it. There were glass cases spread in intervals in two straight lines down either side of the long hall, each containing some strange apparatus from times long since passed and at the head of the room, just before a set of beautiful stained glass windows sat a long white table surrounded by uncomfortable looking chairs, hard and cold and clean. It were as though he were looking at the product of two very different personalities… one who was clinging onto better times, taking simple pleasures in beautiful things and the other who was concerned only with business, clinical and cruel. Slade had stopped when he first entered the hall, his eyes whipping from one point of interest to another but a swift jab in his back sent him moving forward again with an irritated grunt. The King stood in front of his table, his long black jacket and uniform in stark contrast to the white furniture behind him. His hair was a mix of salt and black pepper as was his well-groomed facial hair… bright blue-green eyes set above a broad nose finished his look. Odd… though the King’s face was familiar to him, the bulletins and news points across the country showed it often enough, he’d always thought the man himself would be more intimidating in person. At the very least, he thought he would have been taller but Slade himself stood almost half a foot above him. Not that that was unusual he stood above most people. Quinn had fallen asleep in his arms as they had walked but, apparently sensing danger, her eyes opened, slowly at first but clarity soon filled them the closer he drew to the King and the table.

  “Is she injured?” the King asked and if Slade hadn’t known better he would have been sure there was real concern in his voice.

  “She’s exhausted… you’ve seen to that,” Slade muttered making no effort to hide his distaste.

  “Ah… of course… well, please take a seat. We have much to discuss,” the King swept behind the table, taking a seat himself and gesturing to the white wooden chairs in front of him. He kept a serene smile on his face as he did and Slade was coming to the rapid conclusion that this guy was off his freaking axle. Quinn nudged his arm and he reluctantly put her down. She took a tentative step, as though testing herself, before moving in quick confident strides, apparently feeling a little better. She took the seat directly facing the King and wasted no time in demanding some answers.

  “Where is Amira? I know she was due to arrive tonight,” she said her hand laid flat on the table, her knuckles whiter than snow.

  “Whatever gave you that idea?” the king asked, his smile widening. He definitely knew something they didn’t. “Oh, of course… my little mole.”

  “What?” Slade muttered, moving to stand behind Quinn as she frowned in confusion.

  “You have accused many of your own men of betraying you but you forgot to look a little closer to home, didn’t you? Your precious little princess?” the king chuckled, raising his hand at a soldier who scurried off to do his bidding.

  “Fuck you, asshole. My daughter wouldn’t do that to me. She couldn’t.”

  “Well, your only half right, I’m afraid… she wouldn’t… but she did.” The king laughed loud, almost manically, his eyes bright with some inherent fever Slade couldn’t define. “Of course, she didn’t know it but there you go, the best mole is one who has no idea they’re working for the other side. Basic warfare. I was surprised you were able to force her back into her body. I didn’t think it was possible but when our connection severed I knew it was time to come and get you myself. We really do have much to talk about,” he finished, his expression growing serious. The soldier he had beckoned returned holding a silver tray, several glasses and a decanter full of amber liquid. “Now, sit… I won’t ask again.” Quinn’s face was hard but determined as she reached behind her and pulled Slade into the seat next to her.

  “It’s awfully crowded in here, don’t you think? I don’t much feel like having a conversation with so many ears listening,” she murmured, doing her best to look confident but he could feel the trembling in her fingers as she clutched onto his arm beneath the table.

  “That is fair.” The king nodded, waving a hand in the air, at which many of the soldiers left, leaving only eight behind. Each spacing themselves out at intervals around the room, clearly standing guard. Still, their odds of survival had improved drastically with their exit. “I don’t need my men to protect me, boy.” The King murmured, spearing him with a look, seemingly reading his mind. Maybe he had thought too soon.

  “This room isn’t coated in silver,” Quinn noted and Slade realised belatedly that she was right. “Taking an awful risk, aren’t you?”

  “Silver may hamper your gifts but it would also hamper mine,” the King said with a grin as he poured five glasses of the cool amber liquid and nudged them towards his ‘guests’.

  “You hate the gifted, yet you have gifts of your own?” Quinn’s voice was incredulous, full of surprise and no small amount of disgust.

  “A means to an end. It is best to fight fire with fire. Your kind are a plague on the world and the best way to be free of a disease is to cull it. Difficult to do that when the majority of you could take the rest of us out without lifting a finger.”

  “We are the plague? You kidnap children, murder families… you’re a monster. What would your daughter think of you now,” Quinn murmured, her voice dropping several octaves as she squeezed Slade’s arm in an effort to stay calm.

  “You dare to speak of her? You think you have any right to even think of her?” the king whispered, his eye’s thinning to tiny slits as he slammed his glass down on the table.

  “You took my sister from me. I think I have the right to take a memory from you,” Quinn replied leaning forward in her chair.

  “Oh, of course, little Amira. Sweet girl… she’s here, waiting for you.” The king said, his sour demeanour suddenly changing to happy, though there was still a cruel, angry gleam in his eye. He nodded towards another soldier who disappeared through yet another side door as he spoke.

  “What have you done to her,” Quinn asked, the tremble in her voice evident to anyone with ears. Her cheeks had reddened and her breathing had intensified. It was then that Slade realised she hadn’t been holding on to him for support but to prevent her gifts from breaking free. Truth be told, he was glad about that. He didn’t think she’d be able to take another release of power. She was already weak and a ten minute nap just wasn’t going to cut it.

  “Me? Oh nothing… she’s been here the better part of a week and no harm has come to her. Maybe I should explain. You see, all those years ago, I went looking for an Immortal with a most unusual gift. One whose abilities, if harnessed correctly, could be a cure for the plague your race represents. Imagine my dismay when my men returned from their mission, not with the immortal I sought but with his child… his daughter. A pretty girl to be sure but useless in the grand scheme of things.” Slade’s world crumbled out from beneath him. This couldn’t be right? He was lying. Had to be.

  “Bullshit,” Quinn muttered, slamming her hand down on the table.

  “Oh come now, no need for vulgarities. What would I possibly want with the gift of electricity? I have harnessed several of those already. No. What I wanted was the man whose gifts act as a magnet. The gift that repels the gifts of others, essentially rendering them inactive.” The king stopped short, his head whipping towards Kieron who sat at the end of the table. “I can feel your mind meddling, boy. Do it again and you’ll find yourself without a head.” Kieron’s eyes widened a little as they flashed between the King and Quinn, clearly surprised by the detection. “Anyway, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted… your… gift… It can be used to vaccinate every immortal… imagine, no more running, no mor
e death… no more of this sickness. A humane solution to a beastly problem.” The king clasped his hands together as though that was all that needed to be said.

  “No freedom either… you’re forgetting that we might like what we are. We aren’t ashamed of our gifts, you are,” Slade muttered, his foot tapping uncontrollably against the marble floor.

  “That’s not true for all of you, is it?” the King murmured, looking pointedly at Quinn. “Your sister has told me of your troubles… of how many people almost died at your hands because of your inability to control yourself. Don’t you see…? I can take away that fear.”

  She ignored his comment, leaning back in her chair, “one thing I don’t understand is how and why you used Shay to spy on us?”

  “Well, I’m sad to say the science is imperfect. You see, when I separated her consciousness, which was purely an accident might I add, and she escaped… didn’t account for the air vents, did I?” he posed the question to himself, shaking his head as though he were discussing the weather as he turned towards Slade, “I thought I had lost my advantage. I was attempting to use the familial connection between you and her to track you down. I have since perfected the technology but suffice it to say, things did not go to plan in the beginning. Imagine my surprise when I realised I could track her very energy… the signature, if you like, of her consciousness. We traced her for over a year before she finally made contact with you. Her signal was not very strong then… I assume it was because you were reluctant to believe in her existence. Understandable, but it did hamper my research considerably.” His spoke as though he was giving justification for a poor work review. Asshole is insane! “When her signal did improve, it was right here… in this very room. I was in the middle of receiving some rather troublesome news so I, well, I killed the messenger so your girl couldn’t give too much away. Then I made sure to drop enough breadcrumbs that you would eventually come to me… I much prefer it that way. Come now, you must have wondered how you made it this far without dying? If I wanted you dead, you would be already.”