"Is that understood?" he almost shouted.
I gasped and nodded, no longer willing to speak. How could I matter so much? I wasn't even fully trained. I couldn't do anything to stop the Galvadi. Kado had more chance of doing that than I ever had. Even my father in his present condition stood a better chance than me.
"Good," he said, releasing me. "Now if Makari comes up with a sound plan for escaping, you will try to see it through. But listen to me now, Auren. If it looks like you will be captured, you will leave everyone else behind and shift out of here."
I nodded again, reluctantly, then remembered Kado's vision. I had been captured and tortured until I had essentially lost my mind and became the monster Drevin had predicted as a result. After I explained what my foster father had seen, Zain sighed.
"I have told him time and again the shadow people will show us only what we need to see at the time."
"So, I won't go insane and take over the Empire?"
My father laughed. "I don't believe that will happen, no. The possibility must have been there at one time, but if it was the case you likely would have done so already."
"When Makari broke me. That was the turning point because he realized the truth and healed me instead of bringing me to his father. If he had turned me in then, I would have done exactly what Kado had seen. I would have destroyed all those people and taken Drevin's place as resident psychopath."
"It's possible, but there is no point in dwelling on what might have been. You need to focus on your future and what you are meant to do."
My shoulders drooped. "But I don't know what I'm meant to do."
"You do, Auren, but you haven't allowed yourself to fully acknowledge it yet."
"Couldn't you just tell me?"
Zain smiled. "No, I can't. You wouldn't believe me if I did. It's something you need to come to on your own."
I frowned. Why were shadow stalkers so impossible?
Chapter 7
When Makari returned me to my room that evening, he first checked that nobody was watching, and then slipped inside with me.
"What are you doing? Someone might see you," I scolded.
"I was careful."
"And when you leave? How will you be careful then?"
"I'll check through the shadow world, Auren," he said as though it should have been obvious.
Before I could say anything further, he pulled me into his arms and kissed me. At first, I could only think about what would happen if they caught him with me, especially like this. Then the myriad of emotions he was experiencing flooded my mind. His overwhelming love for me, his remorse about the whipping, and his fear for me all rolled into one; it created an endless stream of scenarios which drove his need. Soon I was just as caught up in the storm of emotions, and we lost ourselves in each other, both mentally and physically.
I'd never been with a man before, but I'd heard people talk about it. None of them had ever had a connection with their partner in the way Makari and I were connected though. It was so much more than just the physical sensations, or even the emotional ones. He and I were connected on a spiritual level that transcended the physical. Everything he felt, I felt and vice versa. We constantly fed off of each other, driving the sensations to higher and higher intensity until I thought the entire universe might shatter. For that moment, time didn't exist for either of us. There was no Galvadi Empire or Coalition. There was no suffering or war. It was just the two of us and the endlessness of time and space.
When we finally returned to the real world, neither one of us could speak for a long time. It seemed any sound might shatter the delicate thread keeping us tied to reality. We didn't need to speak with words anyway. We were permanent residents within each other's minds. But then as busy as our minds were, some things just needed to be said.
"My father believes I’m the only one who can save the people of the Serpent Isles, but I don't know what I'm supposed to do. He said it’s merely that I haven't accepted it yet. But I'm not any kind of savior, Makari. I don't want to be."
"Would it be better to let everyone fall to my father's will?"
"No! Of course not." I gazed at him, shocked he'd even ask such a thing.
"Then you'll find a way, Auren, and you'll always have me by your side."
The lock on the door clicked, halting our conversation.
Curl up and moan as though you're in pain, Makari said in my mind as he jumped to his feet and began dressing.
The door opened a crack.
"What's going…oh. Well, Makari I didn't know you had it in you. You've always been a stickler for the rules," a male voice said.
"Well, when you spend enough time with someone, especially someone as difficult as this one, you start coming up with new and creative ways to get through to them," Makari replied.
"Not to mention fun," the man chuckled.
I could feel the loathing building in Makari's mind. Apparently, the raping of female "residents" was common amongst the guides and Dansig Troops stationed here. Something that was technically illegal, but often overlooked. Females were looked upon, by most, as being useful only as receptacles for producing future subjects of the empire. It was a practice Makari had always found distasteful, but in this instance his quick thinking saved us. He was determined to prevent the trooper from getting any ideas though. Makari didn't like the way he was looking at me, and at that moment, as naked as I was, I was glad I couldn't see it.
"Were you looking for me?" Makari asked.
"No, just a routine check on the girl. She is a flight risk so we do a few visual checks on her throughout the night."
"Well, she won't be going anywhere tonight."
"I can see that. She looks like she might be a lot of fun." I felt the man's lecherous eyes on me again. "I might have to pay her a visit when my shift is over."
Shadow Stalker:
Separate Paths
(Episode 10)
Prologue
"We're so relieved to finally have you with us, Kado. It's been a while," the worn looking general said as Kado approached with Cathnor.
General Wilton looked a lot older than Kado remembered, and he was old when Kado first met him. It was normal for shadow stalkers to live double the expected lifespan of a human, but the average human rarely lived more than one hundred years. Either the general was extremely healthy, or he was a lot younger than Kado gave him credit for, with his gray, military-style haircut, and leathered skin. It was likely the latter. Despite the general's age, he still appeared as fit and strong as their newest recruits.
They had chosen one of the smaller valleys as their base, one which contained numerous caves. This system had two advantages; not only did it keep them warm, but it also provided cover should the Galvadi stumble onto them. With only two small passes leading into the valley, this meant each route could be easily guarded. The mountain peaks were hidden by a layer of cloud, giving the illusion of a large, enclosed space. Fresh snow had fallen overnight, which made walking difficult. Kado had been given a snow suit before being led to the general, but without warmer clothing underneath, it barely took the edge off the cold. Fortunately, he could draw warmth from the shadow world.
"It's a relief for us as well, General Wilton. We would have arrived sooner, but unfortunately we had imperial dealings of our own on the Dark Isle." Kado scanned the activity around them as both soldiers and civilians alike worked together to hand out supplies and set up their temporary home. "The Council of Elders took control and were working with Drevin from the beginning. They aimed to give him control of the shadow stalkers through his son."
"I trust the issue was resolved?" the general asked.
"For the most part, but it is no longer safe for any of our people on the Dark Isle. At least for the moment. Drevin's son is a shadow stalker and has been trained as a shadow warrior and hunter."
General Wilton whistled. "I feel sorry for the person he's hunting."
"That would be Kado's foster daughter," Cathnor
said, his arms folded across his chest.
The general frowned. "I'm sorry. Is she safe?"
"She was captured by the Galvadi, though as far as I know, they remain unaware of the fact that she’s a shadow stalker. I believe Drevin's son knows who she is, but for unknown reasons, he's kept her identity a secret."
The general nodded, his expression grim. "I hope she is returned safely to your people."
"Thank you, General." Kado noticed a lot of people watched the shadow stalkers suspiciously. It seemed only the general was relieved to see them. Kado felt certain the general would offer assurance that the shadow stalkers were there to help. He could only hope there would be no trouble in the meantime.
"There is a cave nearby, which was set aside for the shadow stalkers in case you turned up. There should be plenty of room for your people to set up your own base of operations." The general straightened. "Why don't you get settled, and then we’ll meet up later this evening to discuss strategies. It's time we turned the tide in this war." He turned to a young soldier. "Corporal, please take these men to the caves in sector four."
"Yes, Sir." The man saluted with a fist to his chest and his head bowed, then moved towards Kado and the others. "Please follow me."
Kado and Cathnor kept enough distance from the officer, to enable them to talk discreetly. It was time to settle their people in the caves and gather the shadow warriors. There was no time to waste. Out of the corner of his eye, Kado spotted a young arcane warrior. When he turned his full gaze on the young man, he was hit by a wave of recognition.
"Deakan."
Deakan jogged over to them. His lips were set in a thin line, his blond hair so short he almost looked bald. It made him appear younger. Yet, somehow, he seemed older at the same time. "Hello, Kado. I'm going to assume you know Auren was captured?"
"You'd be assuming correctly. Can you tell me what happened?"
"She learned Jade had been captured and took it upon herself to go on a rescue mission. Without help."
Kado closed his eyes. He took a deep breath to contain his anger. "She risked herself to save one person."
Deakan's gaze fell.
"I'm sorry, Deakan. I know you have strong feelings for Jade."
"I agree with you," he said, dismissing Kado's concern with a wave of his hand. "We made a plan to go together to rescue the council members, Jade and anyone else we could help, but Auren took off in the middle of the night. She left a note to say she knew I'd be captured if I went along, and the Coalition need me. To be honest, Kado, I think there was a part of her that hoped to be captured. She mentioned wanting to find her father."
Kado nodded, even as he questioned the wisdom of allowing his ward go on her own. "You've changed a great deal since we last met."
Deakan considered his words for a moment. "I think war does that to a person."
"It does," Kado agreed. "Are you working on your own, or taking orders from the general?"
"Working alone for the most part, but I have been helping to get the survivors settled here before I go back out into the field."
"How would you like to work with us for a while? We can use your help."
Deakan's lips parted slightly as though trying to form words. When he did finally speak, his tone was almost reverent. "I would be honored to help the shadow warriors."
Kado suspected Deakan had learned a lot about the shadow warriors’ abilities and their role in the last war during his training. It would explain Deakan's reaction. They spent the rest of the day helping the shadow people settle in their new, if temporary, home. Kado couldn’t help thinking about the warnings he’d been given by the shadow people. He couldn’t interfere in Auren’s destiny, but neither could he leave her completely alone. The knowledge that his daughter was being held captive by their enemy was hard enough, though with her he could tell himself she was Sephir's responsibility. But it was his duty to protect Auren, and the possibility his choice might have led her to her death was a difficult burden to bear.
The only way he could help her now was to ensure the Coalition defeated the Galvadi. Even then he wasn’t certain it would be enough. Not anymore. Victory might come too late to save his foster daughter.
Chapter 1
I froze. Did that trooper just suggest he is planning to violate me? Makari's improvised excuse for being in my cell, no longer seemed like a good idea.
Don't worry. I'll take care of it, Makari's voice echoed in my mind.
I hope so because I’m not sticking around for that to happen.
Good. It's about time you started thinking of your own safety.
I frowned, trying so hard not to look at him with the trooper still looming nearby. Did Makari truly believe I didn't care about my own safety?
You're still here when you could have escaped long before I ran into you, he pointed out.
He had a point. But I had been desperate to find my father, and now that I found him, I couldn’t leave without him. I swore I heard Makari groan in my head.
*****
When Makari returned the following morning, he wore a huge grin. "Seems the Dansig Trooper who paid you a visit last night was mysteriously transferred this morning."
"What did you do?" Hopefully nothing that would get him into trouble.
Makari shrugged, a clear indication he wasn't going to tell me. "I've also arranged for you to deliver Shai's meals. I convinced the other guides it was a waste of time to use two residents when the job can be accomplished by one person."
Good. I would deliver Shai's food first. I needed to see her, and at least I'd be able to give Zain a report on her condition. It was my hope if he knew what was happening to her, he might be more inclined to help her escape as well. Those hopes were dashed the moment I saw her. She wouldn’t be escaping any time soon.
Shai's cell was smaller than mine. It was the size of a small walk-in closet. She lay curled in a ball in the back corner. I had to force down the bile that rose in my throat when I got a closer look at her. She was much younger than I'd imagined. I had expected her to be Cali's age, but she was younger than me. It was hard to tell with all the bruises covering her face and body, but she couldn't have been more than fourteen or fifteen. How was that possible? Kado had been my guardian around the time she was conceived.
She was certainly in no condition to travel. I wasn't even sure she was capable of sitting up on her own, much less standing. As I knelt next to her, I laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, checking if she was awake. She jerked away from me, then immediately winced from the effort.
"It's okay, Shai. I'm Auren. I'm your father's foster daughter."
Shai watched me carefully as she pushed herself up, gasping as she did. Her gaze immediately fell to my neck. "Did my father send you for me?"
"No, I was captured, but I've got inside help. I'm doing everything I can to arrange an escape for us, and for my father."
"Please, hurry." The young girl’s eyes filled with tears. "I’ve been beaten daily since I got here, and I don't know how much more I can take. Some days, when I’m close to death, they heal me. They won't even let me die. They keep telling me they're trying to rid me of the evil inherent in all shadow stalkers."
I snorted. "I know how they rationalize their torture."
"They don't know you're a shadow stalker?"
"Makari does. He's Drevin's son, but he's a shadow stalker as well, and he's helping me. He's been keeping the others from learning the truth about me. Do you need help eating?" I held out a spoonful of the rancid smelling soup they fed us.
"I can feed myself, but they don’t know that."
I smiled, holding the bowl out to her. "I won't tell. Do you think you'd be able to walk out of here?"
Shai frowned. "I can barely walk on my own."
It was as I’d feared. "I'm going to have to find a way to prevent the torture, so you have time to heal."
"You can do that?" Her spoon stopped half way to her mouth as she gawked at me.
"We
ll I can't, but Makari might be able to."
"Are you sure you can trust him?" Shai's expression turned wary.
I nodded. "He's my true mate. I know his thoughts."
Her eyes widened. "Does my father know?"
"I don’t think so. No." I lowered my voice to a whisper. "I’m not sure I want him to find out anytime soon."
"How are things on the Dark Isle? Sephir was worried about the Council of Elders."
It was a good sign she was concerned about the world outside our prison. Had she been broken, she might no longer care. "He was right to be. They were working with Drevin and last I saw, Kado was their prisoner. He said they had a plan to escape though, so I have to hope he and the others are safe now."
"I hope so too. I miss Sephir so much." Her eyes glazed over.
I touched her arm gently. "He misses you too, from what I could tell. He and Kado argued about you."
"Did they?" Shai perked up. She looked almost amused.
"Kado was angry they sent you here, knowing you wouldn’t return."
She sighed and nodded. "I really believed I could do this without getting caught. You have to be careful when using the shadow world, Auren. I don't know how, but they always find out when you do."
"I think Makari has been blocking them. He's been doing my cleansing sessions."
Shai's expression became hard. "He's torturing you?"
"No. Well, not anymore. He was, at first, when he believed I was the delohi-saqu. But now he knows his father was wrong about me, and we've spent the sessions since making plans."
"Just be careful," she warned.
I nodded, trying not to let her suspicion of Makari get to me. She had every right to her doubts, and more, after everything she had been through. I took her empty bowl, and before I left her room I added, "I swear I'll find a way to get you out of here. I'll speak to Zain, and we'll work something out."
"You've seen Zain?"
"Yes, he's actually not far from you. He's only two doors down the hall."
Shadow Stalker Part 2 (Episodes 7 - 12) Page 11