Marked in Shadow's Keep

by LJ Andrews

  “I don’t think he gets out much,” I said before we stepped out of the car.

  “I would have to agree,” Finn whispered.

  “Are you rested?” Clement asked, his voice shaky and nervous. When we nodded he continued. “Good, there isn’t much time. I sensed a shift of energy, and I suspect the imps are trying to penetrate Ama’s vein without Laney. They will soon find it is impossible and come back for her. Finn, can you handle opening the portal?”

  “I can get us through,” Finn responded confidently.

  “Do it behind the building,” Clement instructed, still glancing around like a paranoid fugitive.

  We moved quickly, hiding beneath a worn metal awning covering the metal dumpsters.

  “Remember, reach out to Jacque. He is expecting you, but don’t bring too much attention to yourselves with the other elders. Take this to him, I’ve compiled some of my notes and theories,” Clement instructed Finn before facing me. “Laney, Jacque will help you with everything you are supposed to do. You can do this, I know you are the one who will bring the change this world needs.”

  His confidence in me was stirring, but I couldn’t stop the trembling in my legs as I wrapped my arm through Finn’s elbow. My nails dug into Finn’s skin, but he didn’t seem to notice or care.

  “Laney, hold on to me and don’t let go,” Finn whispered close to my ear.

  His face was close to mine, and his tantalizing eyes sent a thrilling wave rushing through my system. I stepped even closer, tightening my grip, but feeling safer with Finn next to me. He reached his hand toward the ground, hovering his palm just above the asphalt. A pulse of energy warmed the soles of my feet, and the small bits of gravel rattled against the trembling earth.

  A bright sphere encompassed us as Finn clenched his eyes closed with such intensity I could see the veins pulsing along the sides of his head.

  “Finn,” I called to him desperately, my head swimming as the light wrapped its ribbon-like tendrils around my body and seemed to pull me down toward the center of the earth.

  “I’ve got you,” he said through clenched teeth, pulling me tighter against his side, so my face was nuzzled in his neck.

  I wasn’t sure if I screamed, since a furious rush of wind blasted around me, whipping my hair violently about my face. I clutched Finn’s body as we were ripped through a tumultuous tube filled with blinding light.

  Pressure mounted, threatening to crush my body as I was squeezed, tugged, and pulled in all directions. The wind was like a cyclone, so powerful it seemed to suck the air straight from my lungs. I gasped for fresh breath, but nothing came. I was going to suffocate. As if sensing my panic, Finn’s arms tightened, squeezing me with comforting pressure. When I thought I was about to die from the humid, smothering air, my feet slammed against a woodsy ground. I rolled free from Finn’s grasp and landed facedown in a heap of sappy pine needles.

  My body ached, and my lungs exploded with new air. Coughing, I carefully pulled myself to my feet, feeling every joint in my body as my knees, elbows, and neck creaked in soreness. Wiping pine needles from my ponytail, I marveled at the beauty surrounding me.

  Trees the size of skyscrapers sprouted from the earth, aiming toward a lilac sky. The swirling clouds seemed to mix against the purple shade, like smooth cream. A beautiful, sapphire river babbled next to us, with large granite boulders creating tiny waterfalls throughout the water. I marveled at the crispness of the color. It seemed as if the water was truly pure, not even sediment from the riverbed polluting the surface. All my senses seemed invigorated. The smell of the rich flowers caused my mouth to water from the succulent scent, strange calls of birds sang sweetly, as if their voices were made from windchimes, followed by the chirps of hidden woodland creatures.

  I rested against a large stone next to the river and found I was too wonderfully overwhelmed to move. Finn’s gentle touch to my shoulder caused me to jump back. I’d forgotten I wasn’t alone. He seemed pleased at my reaction and smiled, soaking up the brilliant white sunlight.

  “Welcome to Tala, Laney.”

  Chapter 19

  “Finn it’s…it’s beautiful. This is where you live?” I asked with disbelief that a place such as this could exist.

  He chuckled and nodded. “Tala is filled with the purest of energy offered from Ama. Everything is more vibrant, more alive. Come, we need to get to the village.”

  I allowed him to take my hand and lead me through the wood, though my mouth still hung open like a fool. The intense power I sensed in Tala was overwhelming. Each shrub, each leaf on the branches seemed to speak to me, not with a voice, but with energy. Every living creature spoke in its own unique language, emitting an energetic fingerprint. My mind fought against the strangeness, but it seemed as if everything we passed by was welcoming me to the realm.

  A steep ledge stopped us from continuing, but Finn pointed down the hillside toward a town. The buildings were simple. Each house had its own look, but all were small and humble. Some walls were painted red, others cream. In the center of the town I saw a blue pool of water where people were gathered with wooden buckets, as I would imagine in a medieval village. In the distance, a larger structure, made of white stone and wood, towered over the town like a palace.

  “We will find Jacque there,” Finn said, pointing to the stone building. “It is the tower of the elders.” He checked to be sure he still carried the leather notebook Clement had given him and helped me onto a rocky pathway leading toward the small village. “I will take you to my home first, to gather support from my family to seek the elders. I feel we must be careful who we tell, or word could travel back to the those who may disagree with Jacque.”

  I held my breath as we walked down the switchback trails, the gravity of our situation fighting back against the serenity of Tala’s woodlands. I gathered strength from Finn’s firm grasp on my trembling hand, but as we crept closer to the small village my heart seemed as if it might pounce out of my mouth.

  “Finn, people are going to know I’m not from here,” I whispered, pulling his arm once we reached the city gates.

  His hand brushed my hair back, surprising me again. Finn clenched his fist, as if fighting against an inner struggle and stood straighter. “Laney, you look as if you are Talan. Trust me. My dwelling is just there,” he said, pointing toward a modest home made from logs. White smoke filtered from the stone chimney, and the colorful flowers boxed along the two front windows surrounded the porch with sweet scents.

  As we stepped onto the porch, the door swung open. A towering man dressed in a white tunic and brown cutoff pants watched us with rich brown eyes. His dark hair was long, pulled back behind his neck with a leather strap. He was broad, but his chiseled chin looked identical to Finn’s.

  “You’ve returned.” His voice was gentle and rolled in a deep baritone. “I pray you’ve brought peace for Ama, there is a strong disturbance.”

  Finn swallowed hard, his hand squeezing mine so tightly it almost hurt. “I hope to bring such peace soon, Father.”

  I shrunk behind Finn’s back as his father’s eyes shifted toward me.

  “Who have you brought, Finn? I sense as if Ama is standing before me in human form. How is this possible?”

  “We have much to explain, Father. Is Mother here?”

  His father moved aside, ushering us inside the home. “She is giving thanks and will join us shortly.”

  The back of my neck burned as I sensed Finn’s father’s eyes on me as I stepped over the threshold. The home was small, with only a single sitting room filled with two wicker chairs padded in floral cushions, and a knotted, circular rug covered the rough-cut floor. Candles dripping in wax were placed on every table, with a ceramic vase in the center of the table. Finn pulled my hand back into the kitchen.

  I felt as if I had disappeared into another century. A wood burning stove leaned against one wall, and a small round table took up most of the space. An old ice box was nestled beneath one of the back windows, and han
ging herbs lined the rafters above.

  Although it was a stark contrast from my world, it was comfortable and peaceful in the small kitchen. I smiled, imagining how strange Finn and I looked dressed in modern clothes in a world far from anything modern.

  “Laney, this is my father, Matthew. Father, this is Laney. She is needed to counsel with Jacque,” Finn said nervously, once his father took his place in one of the chairs at the table.

  “Then I wonder why you have come home first,” Matthew said briskly. “Shouldn’t you have gone to the tower?”

  Finn sighed. “I needed to explain things to you, there may come a time when our energy is needed.”

  “Needed for what? Finn, it is wonderful you have returned.” A petite woman, barely standing to my shoulder, stepped into the house. Her blonde hair was covered with a linen cloth she wore like a shawl over her shoulders. Her eyes were a striking blue, much like Finn’s, though her color swirled in streaks of gold instead of the dark ebony of her son’s. “I see you have a guest. Do you really think it prudent to form a union in times such as this?”

  “Mother,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Laney is not…we aren’t forming a union. Imps have attempted to penetrate Ama’s vein which supplies the human realm. The disturbance you’ve felt is because they have been able to expose the vein of dark energy. We have a plan to stop them, and Laney can help.”

  His mother smiled sweetly, turning toward me, stroking my shoulders with her soft hands. “Hello, my dear. I am Amanda, Finn’s mother. I’m so pleased you’ve come to our home.” She introduced herself, ignoring Finn’s declaration completely.

  “Nice to meet you,” I responded quickly.

  “My, you have a beautiful energy about you, almost as if—ˮ

  “Ama is standing before us in human form?” Matthew interrupted, repeating the words he’d said earlier.

  “Exactly,” Amanda’s voice was soft and breathy, like a calming whisper. She snapped her fingers, and the wood burning stove erupted into warm flames. “I was feeling a chill, I hope the fire won’t be a bother to you.”

  “It’s wonderful,” I replied, in awe at the use of power. I’d seen Finn start the car and inflate an air mattress, but watching his mother create fire with nothing was incredible.

  “Finn, how was your journey to acquire more energy? Do you feel you can harness without effort?” Amanda asked.

  “It is not important right now,” he insisted.

  “You said imps are trying to access the dark vein of Ama,” Matthew interjected. “How do you know this?”

  “Because I saw them. We halted their plans for now, but it is only a matter of time before they try again. They will come for Laney,” he finished slowly.

  His words piqued Matthew’s interest, and Finn’s father studied me while stroking his chin rhythmically. “Why would imps be after this woman?”

  I shook Finn’s hand, offering a pleading glance. Clement had warned us some people in Tala wouldn’t be receptive of the paradox my existence had created. Finn smiled sweetly and nodded.

  “They can be trusted, Laney. Don’t fear them.”

  “My dear, trusted with what?” Amanda asked, stepping closer toward me.

  Taking a deep breath, Finn wrapped an arm around my shoulders, as if trying to encourage me to calm my nerves. “Laney is the paradox the elders have spoken of. A human marked with the energy of Ama by the hands of a Talan.”

  Finn’s parents were silent, their expressions never changing as they both watched me. My heart pounded furiously as I wondered what they could be thinking. Were they fascinated with the tale? Did they want to turn me into the elders? The silence was deafening as I waited for them to say something—anything.

  “How can you be sure?” Matthew asked darkly.

  “I sought out Clement,” Finn responded as if he were admitting a great mistake.

  Matthew tossed his hands in the air, though his voice never changed in tone; it was still the deep peaceful line of questioning. “Clement was removed from Tala for breaking the law, Finn. What does his word mean here anymore? Finn, if you are ever to gain a stronger sense of energy you must associate yourself with those who can teach you. Not expelled elders. If you cannot communicate with Ama’s energy, then what is the purpose of anything?”

  Matthew spoke so gently, but still so harshly it pained my heart. Before I could even stop myself, I was stepping forward in defense of Finn. “Finn showed incredible bravery in the human realm,” I said, drawing his parents’ attention toward him.

  “Laney,” Finn whispered a warning.

  A rush of embarrassment flooded over me, and I backed up. “I just thought you both should know, he is strong enough to save me.”

  “That’s kind of you to say,” Matthew acknowledged. “But I’m afraid it is impossible for a human to understand how weak his abilities truly are. Finn tries hard, but something simply stands in his way. I mean this with no disrespect, but to a human who does not understand the strength of Ama, any show of power would seem immensely strong.”

  “It doesn’t matter how strong I am, the burden of aligning the energy will not fall on me. The reason I met with Clement, Father—you know he was the elder who created the paradox in the first place. Who better to recognize the power than the one who created it? The imps used Laney to ignite the vein. When she touched Ama, something happened. Because she is filled with so much power, when her human energy and the power of Ama all connected with the vein, it warped itself. It was corrupted. The imps are seeking dark energy, and they are close to winning,” Finn finished.

  Amanda and Matthew considered what he’d said for a long, tense moment. I rocked back on my heels, waiting for them to turn me over to the elders who wished to destroy me. Finally, his mother sauntered closer, alternating her gaze between us.

  “You believe what you say—I can sense the power of your convictions,” she said. “Why have you brought her here, Finn? What do you both plan to do to stop the dark energy from escaping?”

  “This is what we’ve come to discuss with Jacque, Mother. I would rather seek his guidance before sharing the plan openly.”

  I expected them to argue, I know my mother would insist on knowing details before allowing me to participate in something so dangerous. But his parents simply nodded.

  “Wise choice, Finn,” Matthew praised.

  “We are pleased you informed us of your arrival. Ama be with you as you carry on to Jacque,” Amanda finished sweetly.

  Amanda and Matthew joined together, offering a rapid embrace of their son together before releasing him. They turned to me next, clasping both my arms. I was enveloped in a surge of energy as they pulled me close. They were powering me. The realization struck me with such force, they were sharing their energy as if I needed fuel to continue.

  “Very strong power,” Matthew said as he pulled away. “It was nearly impossible to offer my energy.”

  “We will meet again soon,” Finn said, guiding me toward the front door. I smiled cautiously as Matthew and Amanda watched us leave.

  We were hardly down the walk when I paused to take in the small village. People meandered about peacefully. They hardly glanced in our direction. I watched a small boy touch a wilting flower, and the petals responded by reaching beautifully toward the sky.

  I marveled as a woman gathered water at the open fountain by scooping her hand deep into the water, and scooping it in flowing spheres cupped in her palm before dropping it into her wooden bucket. Tala was a place from my dreams, a place of fantasy, but as I glanced around, it seemed as if it were the place I’d always belonged.

  “I’m sorry my parents were so hard on you,” Finn said, as he led us toward a path cutting around the outer border of the village.

  I chuckled. “That was how your parents sound when they’re being hard on something? They hardly spoke above a whisper. You experienced my mother ranting and raving over a missed phone call.”

  He scoffed as a young girl cut across our pat
h. She was leading a herd of small, blue creatures with silky coats glimmering in the light. They looked like long-haired sheep, except their coats covered their eyes and dusted the ground like a broom as they walked. Each animal was dressed with a tinkling bell and brayed low and deep. I watched carefully as she whispered praises to the beasts once they followed her commands. When the creatures had passed by, she offered a genuine nod and a sweet smile in our direction. Finn responded by bowing his head before turning back to face me. “Well, things are slightly different here, as you can see. Each person tries to respect one another. If we are not at peace, we cannot align our energy properly.”

  “Do you suppose that is your problem?” I regretted asking the moment I’d spoken. I didn’t know how sensitive Finn truly was about his struggle with harnessing energy. His face shadowed, and I wanted to stuff my fist deep into my mouth.

  “Why would you think I’m not at peace in Tala?”

  “I didn’t mean anything by it, Finn,” I backtracked.

  “This is my home, of course it brings me peace. You know what the hardest part of journeying to the human realm was?” he asked sincerely and without malice.

  “What?” I felt my heartrate increase as he pushed his face closer to mine.

  “Finding out a mortal is more powerful than I am and doesn’t even know about the beautiful gift of Ama’s energy. You are so strong, I can sense it Laney. But it saddens me to know you don’t believe it, or don’t understand it. I’m not sure which is the truer statement.”

  “Finn, I didn’t mean to upset you,” I said.

  “I’m not upset for me,” he insisted, before pausing. His eyes darted to the ground as he pondered on what he wanted to say. “I’m…I’m upset for you. I want you to know how…how incredible you are—I mean the power inside. The power no one else has.”

  Finn sucked in a breath and awkwardly moved away from me, trudging down the road toward the tower. I was speechless. What was happening? Days earlier, Finn was aloof and frustrated he had to drag me along with him. Now I watched him stalk up the road after admitting he was more concerned for my feelings. He’d explained early on the people of Tala were not self-absorbed, but this seemed different, and I wasn’t certain how to react.