The Covenant of Shadows Collection

by Kade Cook

  Noticed but invisible and keeping a close eye on his valuable driver from the comfort of the backseat, Adrinn’s hazel eyes flicker with orange sparks around the fringes of his widened and focused pupils. The edges of his mouth coil upward into a deadly grin as he silently watches Gabrian through the rearview mirror.

  Chapter Thirty

  Master Yoda

  THE NEXT FEW days fly by as Gabrian prepares herself to head back to Manhattan. Ethan notices that she seems to have a new attitude toward her training. She has become more focused on controlling her borrowing. He also notices the absence of her aura. He can barely see it and wonders what the sudden change is about. Not wanting to pry into her private thoughts, he decides to ask her.

  “So, how is everything going?” Ethan probes from behind the pile of files stacked up neatly on his desk, watching her out of the corner of his eye.

  “Great!” she says as she reaches with her mind outside the room and begins to pull in strange fragments of energy from all directions. Ethan watches as they begin to join together, swirling and twisting, faster and faster all around her until they create a blanket of light that covers her entire body, making it barely visible. Then she holds out her hands and one by one the vigorous strands slowly leave their orbit around her, gathering together between her extended fingers before spinning counter clockwise into a spherical orb. The ball of light sparks and flares as it rotates.

  Fascinated by what she is doing, Ethan moves closer to her to get a better look. “What exactly are you doing, Gabrian?”

  “An experiment,” she calmly explains with her eyes still firmly focused on her manifestation. “The other night something startled me and coincidentally, the lamp that sitting beside me on my table flared up brightly, nearly exploding. Only for an instant, but still, it made me curious.”

  “Curious about…?”

  “Well, if we are made to draw out energy from people, and essentially people are made up of numerous small electrical currents that run continually throughout their bodies, then I began to wonder if I could just tap into the electricity readily available around me?”

  Ethan squints his eye, making his brow tilt lopsided across his face and scratches the end of his chin—contemplating the validity in her efforts. “You mean to tell me you are drawing your energy off of the electricity? You are actually absorbing it?”

  “No. Not technically,” she admits. “I have not actually tried to absorb it. I was just curious to see if I could capture it. It is on my to do list when I am feeling braver or I get bored.”

  Ethan laughs at her, feeling a wave of relief come over him with her newfound enthusiasm for life. “Are you all set to head back to the city this weekend?”

  She glances over at him briefly with a nervous look in her eye as she continues to play with the ball of energy in her hand. “No, not really, but I guess I have to face the real world eventually—not to mention the upcoming visit to the Covenant of Shadows.”

  “Ah, yes, the meeting with the Elders.” He walks over to her, fascinated by her discovery and reaches his hand out to see if he can feel the energy, but when he gets close, it surges—flaring outward in his direction—burning him. He yelps as the wave of pure power sears the ends of his fingertips. Surprised by Ethan’s sudden pain, she disengages with the orb and the energy disperses like little white snakes slithering off in all different directions, back into the atmosphere.

  “Oh, my word, Ethan. Are you alright?” Gabrian reaches out for his hand to see if he is okay.

  Feeling the ends of his fingers sting from the burn, he nods his head. “Yes, I will be fine. I should have known better than to interfere with someone else’s experiment.”

  Gabrian reaches out and touches his hands. She then pulls a thread of light grey essence from within her hand and wraps it around Ethan’s fingers and closes her eyes to concentrate on an image of healing his burns. He feels Gabrian’s essence absorb into his skin, healing the scorched flesh.

  “Better?” She looks up from his hand with a straight crease in her mouth, her pupils still wide and barely laced in ice blue from her moment within the silent incantation.

  “Better. Yes, thanks,” he replies, admiring her instinctive need to help and heal others. It would be a quality that would either make her stronger or eminently destroy her. “When did you learn to do that?” he asks, curious. “Another experiment?”

  “No,” she says, releasing his hand and sliding back down into her perch beside the heater. She turns her eyes away to stare out the window. “I remember seeing you do it in the park to those people I...” Her enthusiasm suddenly leaves her with the memory of what she did, of what she could have done if they had not stopped her.

  “That was in the past, Gabrian,” he ensures her. “There is no future living in the past.”

  Her face softens and she releases a soft panted chuckle at his attempt to ease her conscience. “Yes, Master Yoda.”

  He waves his hand at her, dismissing her playful sarcasm. Ethan decides now is a good time to give Gabrian a word to the wise. “I noticed you were cloaking your aura these last few days.”

  “Just something I was trying,” she answers quickly, fidgeting with the flake of cracked paint on the edge of the windowsill. Keeping her eyes down, she avoids Ethan’s prying stare; her skin prickles from his question—feeling a little edgy about the subject.

  “You know, Gabrian; you can do whatever you like with your gift when you are back home and in different company. But when we enter the Covenant, I would advise that you release your aura. The Elders will be watching you closely and will notice if your essence is absent. The last thing you want to do is have them thinking that you are becoming a rogue,” he says, looking down at her while sitting down in front of her on the edge of his desk, his voice firm and low. “Because if they do, then they will never let you have a moment of peace again.”

  ***

  JARRISON AND SARAPHEANE escort Gabrian to the Great Hall of the Covenant of Shadows. She trails behind them as they talk amongst themselves. As dreadful as it is for Gabrian to enter the Magikal edifice, she cannot help but be struck with awe of the power that resonates with these walls.

  As she studies the room, it seems that there are more people in attendance today than last time, and she hopes they are not all here to witness her moment in front of the Elders. It is bad enough just sitting before them; she does not relish the thought of having an audience to cheer them on.

  They reach the High table and Ethan and Orroryn are already seated while a few of the other Elders edge their way toward their posts. Gabrian takes a deep breath, remembering to allow her colour to show brightly in order to avoid any stirring of lingering insecurities the Covenant may harbor about her. Releasing her aura—although somewhat constrained—she feels a few negative thoughts surface from around the room, but she ignores them the best she can and holds her chin high. She is not going to let them push her down in the dirt this time like a bunch of school yard bullies. She cannot change who she is so she might as well embrace it and thicken her skin in order to deal with those who would condemn her.

  She stands back and listens as the Elders finish up with other business of the Covenant that does not concern her. Ethan sends her a cheerful hello through his mind’s voice. She looks over at him and smiles graciously. Are they going to burn me at the stake? she asks him.

  No. You will be fine. Just remember to breathe, he tells her.

  Just breathe, she repeats his words. With the heaviness of the wards wrapped around the Covenant of Shadows bearing down on her, Gabrian feels as though it takes most of the energy she has just to do that.

  After a few moments, it is her turn to be addressed by the Elders.

  Vaeda gives Gabrian a warm smile. “Hello, Gabrian, please come forward,” she instructs, raising her hand toward the stone chair Gabrian had sat in the last time she was there. Reluctantly, Gabrian edges her way to the chair and stands erect, head held high. The Elders all turn in
their chairs to face her, and her heart races in response. She cannot believe the power these people have over her just by looking at her. Never the less, she does not cower. She remains falsely confident and awaits their verdict about her instructions.

  “Take a seat, dear,” Vaeda insists. “Gabrian, we have taken into account the fact that you are indeed an innocent, and in conjunction with the positive reinforcement of the absence of Darkness within your mind we have as a whole, the Elders of the Covenant of Shadow, decided it would be in your best interest to continue your studies. We have arranged an opening for you to train at the Legacy School for Gifted Children in our Manhattan division.” Vaeda’s face remains statuesque, painted with a pleasant upturned curve on her reddened lips. Her eyes smile, pinched at their edges and rest solely on Gabrian as she relays the final decision of the Elders.

  Gabrian continues to stare blankly at the table, maintaining her indifferent reaction to their mandate while not really looking at any of them.

  “There you will be given an instructor that will, in turn, guide you to the best of his or her abilities in the proper conducts of the Fellowship under the agreed standards of the Covenant.”

  Gabrian bites her lips slightly, fighting back the urge to say something sarcastic, knowing it will only lead to trouble. “Also, since Manhattan is where Orroryn maintains his living quarters, you will be expected to meet with him on a weekly basis for a probationary period of six months. If your probationary period ends without any issues or setbacks during this timeframe the meetings will be deemed unnecessary and therefore terminated.”

  As much as Gabrian likes Orroryn, she despises the fact that she is being forced into meeting with him so he can spy on her for them. Gabrian struggles with her façade as she feels her blood beginning to boil.

  Just breathe, Gabrian. She can hear Ethan’s voice calmly whisper through her thoughts. It is almost over.

  “We will expect quarterly visits from you to the Covenant of Shadows upon proper notification, escorted by either Tynan, your parents or our own Schaeduwe Elder himself if he so pleases,” Vaeda continues politely.

  Gabrian hears the snide comments bouncing around the High table between a few of the Elders’ minds. She wishes she could summon one of her energy orbs and blast a couple of them with it. Ethan covers his mouth with his hand to hide the grin on his face as he hears her silent commentary of the meeting but is in agreement with her that it would definitely rid them of some unnecessary negativity.

  “If you agree to comply with our indisputable decision, state so now,” Caspyous demands, leaning forward in his chair—glaring at her while snide comments of his dislike for her kind flare through his mind.

  Gabrian swallows down her contempt and drones out her answer loud and clear. She does not want to have to repeat it again. “I will comply.”

  “Very well, then I see no reason to prolong this meeting.” Vaeda announces cheerfully, relieved there are no unnecessary incidents today. “Please, feel free to take your leave.”

  Vaeda gives her a sympathetic smile knowing her stale coldness is not received well and feels terrible for having to display such indifference toward her. If she had not distanced herself from her affections for Gabrian, the rest of the Elders would have turned the meeting into a circus, crudely attacking Gabrian and trying to cut down her defenses. It would have made tonight’s experience seem like a fairytale in comparison. Ethan promises Vaeda he will explain her lack of empathy toward Gabrian once the meeting is adjourned and she is outside the walls of the Covenant.

  Gabrian rises, afraid her legs might betray her performance to the Elders. But they hold steady as she finds her way to the other side of the room where her parents await her return. “Can we get the Hell out of here now?” she pleads with them, tucking herself securely between them and gripping onto her mother’s arm.

  “Of course, dear,” Jarrison confirms, gently resting his massive arm around the top of her shoulder. He guides them forward and leads the way back to the exit; a large sculptured archway carved into the marble walls awaits their departure.

  Just as they reach the entrance to the passage, Shane and Tynan enter into the Great Hall from an archway, directly adjacent to Gabrian’s on the other side of the room. He looks over just in time to see Gabrian and her parents disappear into the shadows.

  Shane’s heart jumps for a moment at the sight of her but strangely recalls there was to be a meeting today. The Elders were to deliver their decision on a possible rogue Boragen matter. The shock of understanding hits him like a bus—the gears in his mind begin to turn, and he puts two and two together. He suddenly grows visibly tormented, feeling a sharp pain rip across his ribcage like his heart is being brutally torn from his chest.

  “What has got you all riled up?” Tynan probes as he notices Shane’s sudden change in demeanor.

  Pushing his emotions down deep into the Darkest parts of his soul so that Tynan can no longer see—so that he no longer feels—Shane retorts coldly. “Nothing! Absolutely nothing!”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  A Familiar Nightmare

  “GAB...RI...AN,” A VOICE calls out in the Darkness. Gabrian slowly sits up and pulls down the covers to free her legs. Swinging her feet to the side of the bed, she slips down to the cool surface below. Feeling a strange texture beneath her feet, she eyes the floor…or what used to be one. Now, all she sees is Earth between her toes—cold, frozen ground. Gabrian turns back around, seeking the warmth and protection of her bed again, but it is gone. She is no longer standing within the safety her room. Her senses convulse, sending painful shivers slicing through her as she looks around. There is nothing in this void but the cold shroud of Darkness to console her.

  She sees fragments of light scattered through the trees up ahead and begins to head toward it. But with each step she takes, the Darkness beneath her begins to cling to her bare feet. At first she thinks it is just mud, but it does not feel like Earth; it feels completely different. It is more gas than solid matter. With no other choice, she continues toward the light.

  “Gab...ri...an,” the voice calls out in broken beats. It sounds familiar, and her mind tells her that it is a voice from the past, from her childhood. It also tells her whoever it is, is getting closer. She strains her eyes trying to see, but all she finds is the dark heavy fog inching closer, surrounding her and thickening with every passing second. An eerie chill runs across her skin, igniting the sensation of looming danger. Confused and frightened, Gabrian starts to run aimlessly, not knowing which direction to go—only knowing she does not want to be here.

  Catching her foot on what Gabrian suspects to be a root protruding up out of the cold damp ground beneath her, she trips and falls, cutting her leg on something sharp.

  She cries out and reaches downward to grip at the sudden pain in her leg. Catching the subtle copper scent in the air, her eyes drift downward to her bare appendages and the familiarity of the smell is confirmed. Across the top of her knuckles spills a crimson trail of blood—slowly trickling downward from the open wound.

  She sits quietly on the cold ground as something catches her attention. She holds her breath for a moment, listening to sounds of things she cannot see shuffling and moving all around her. Whispers of words she cannot understand fill her ears, taunting her fears. The heaviness of the fog begins to pull down on her. She tries to lift herself up onto the tree in front of her, but she cannot wrench herself free from the icy grip that has a hold on her legs. Gabrian gasps as she watches the Darkness continue to grow—clinging to her skin and climbing up her legs, making it impossible for her to stand. Panicking, she yells out for help only to have the fog encase her—entering into her mouth and choking out her sound.

  “He is coming!” Squawks echo through her ears from a large black bird that has suddenly appeared above her. It paces back and forth on a branch of the tree beside her. Then it turns sharply, staring behind them and its hops become frantic. Feeling her heart rate respond to the bird�
��s shrieks, the ends of her fingers starting to burn, and she turns to see what looms in the Darkness. A tall foreboding figure slowly slithers its way toward her.

  “Gab...ri...an. Come...to...the...gate,” the thing chokes out in a distorted voice. The black bird screams at the creature and dives down in an attempt to protect her, but there is little it can do. The creature quickly swipes its ragged limb out at the bird, knocking it to the ground. Seeping up from the cracks in the Earth, the Darkness writhes and swirls with pleasure as it surrounds and cloaks the existence of the bird—smothering it and consuming its entirety.

  Gabrian screams involuntarily as fear wells up inside of her and escapes through her anyway it can. She feels the Darkness creeping higher onto her thigh, pulling at her, and draining her.

  Gabrian raises her eyes to look upon the nightmarish creature standing before her, still unable to see its face. Strangely, this thing feels familiar to her—not as frightening as it had seemed before. But with the stench of death looming all around it, she still fears for her life.

  With the Darkness clinging at her shoulders now, she struggles to stay alert. Claw-like appendages pull and tear at her flesh as the Gargons begin to drain the life out of her. “Learn to fight back, Gabrian,” the voice says—the words resonating through her mind. “Or they will destroy you.”

  She feels weight at her throat as spindly webbed strands shoot out from a hollowed crevice within the mangled Gargon’s face hovering over her; it is choking her. Petrified that her demise is marked, her eyes strain to find help. Her lungs burn as she struggles to find the breath to scream out his name, pleading for his assistance. “AYDEN! HELP ME!” Freeing her hand from the Gargon’s deathly grasp, she reaches out for him. He lifts what appears to be his arm toward her just before disappearing into the dark mist. The heaviness of the fog overtakes her, crushing her body to the ground as she feels the suffocation of death deliver her into Darkness.