“Who are you?”
The man didn’t answer. His heavy breathing was the only indication that he was indeed a man. They sprang into action again and this time, he was merciless. Men fell at his feet, as his sword found purchase in them. Each time he withdrew and moved on to the next, his bloody sword twirling with a speed that almost rivaled her own.
“Behind you!” he shouted, his voice was muffled but the urgency was clear.
She dropped down and twirled, shoving her sword upward, so that it slipped beneath her attackers’ armor. The man looked down at her, his eyes wide. Shadaya withdrew her sword and shuddered as he fell onto his knees before her. A wave of nausea washed over her as she watched the light of life fade from his eyes. She looked at the blood-stained sword she held.
Suddenly, she was yanked to her feet. His grip was like steel around her arm.
“Time to go,” he growled, pulling her towards the trees across the road.
The men pursued them. Shadaya following at the heels of the newcomer into the forest. Suddenly, he paused ahead of her and now it was he who looked flustered, he was not sure which way to go.
“This way,” she shouted, as she darted left.
She did not wait to see if he followed, but she heard his footfalls right behind her.
“That way!” she heard some pursuers yell behind them.
“Here,” she said, pointing up at an Oakwot tree.
She sped up and leapt forward, scaling the tree with the tips of her boots and reaching up to grab hold of a branch. She swung herself upward and stooped on top of it.
When she looked down, the stranger was looking up at her, he had the oddest colored eyes she had ever seen but very familiar. They were grey like rain clouds and reflective like steel. He was not Dravian, could it be? Her betraying heart hoped. For a moment he looked like he would not follow. But then he took a step back and ran forward. He did not run along the trunk like she did, not many people could do that. Instead, he stuck a dagger into the trunk and used it to push himself upward. Oakwot trees had long branches but they were always a good way from the ground. Shadaya resisted the urge to help him, as his gloved hand grabbed onto the branch where she crouched. He made it up just before their pursuers passed beneath them.
“Where did they go?” she heard a man bellow.
They both seemed to be holding their breath.
“This way.”
They watched as the men turned away from them and headed in another direction. Finally, Shadaya released the breath she was holding, but her hand reached for her baton.
The man turned to look at her.
“Who are you?” she asked again.
“I could ask you the same question,” he replied, hoarse from the exertion.
“I guess we are both wearing masks for the same reason.”
He didn’t say anything, but his silver eyes seemed to smile at her. He settled into the crook of the tree, leaning against the bark and drawing his knees up on the branch.
Shadaya kept her distance.
“Still trying to save the world on your own, aren’t you my lady?”
Shadaya’s head jerked upward, instantly she knew who it was sharing this branch with her. Her heart soared with excitement; the betrayer that it was.
“Jasper?”
His eyes seemed to dance in response, “took you long enough.”
She pulled the scarf from over her lips and shook her head, “you shouldn’t be out here, it isn’t safe. What if those men had defeated us… captured us? It would be a great loss for your people.”
“I know. But I am not used to hiding away like a coward. I go where I am needed.”
“How did you know I would be here?”
“I didn’t. But I am glad I chose to run away tonight. Now my debt to you is paid,” he chuckled.
“How long do you think they will look for us?”
Shadaya shrugged, “the forest is vast and at a night like this it’s easy to cross into the dark forest if you’re not careful. I don’t think they would waste their time nor risk their sanity looking for the two of us. Even those dragon warriors.”
Shadaya winced as she shifted her weight on the branch to remove a time piece from her pocket. She was running out of time and she was beginning to feel the effects of her failed attempt to channel magic.
“From what I have seen, you make them want to go to all kinds of lengths.”
“Meaning?”
“That trick back there,” he replied, “it was for you wasn’t it?”
“How are you so sure it wasn’t for you?”
“You do not set up for what you don’t know is coming. It seemed like someone was trying to bait you. They must have had some reason to believe that you would show up here tonight.”
She shrugged, “people hijack shipments all the time.”
But she knew that he was right, they knew that someone would come for Reeva, which meant that they may be more unto her than she thought. Missing the ball tonight was not an option, or surely, she would be discovered.
She smiled as she turned to look down below, the movement reminding her of her wound.
“Are you hurt?” there was that genuine concern that seemed to have come naturally to him, even from the first time they had met.
He leaned forward as though trying to see through her hood and scarf. In the dim light of the moon, Shadaya could make out only his dark frame in the suit that blended him into the shadows around him. He was tall, broad shouldered and he had the gentlest voice she had ever heard on a man. Something about the way he spoke, the kindness and warmth without even trying, reminded her of her father. Maybe it was why she was so comfortable with him, why she had longed to see him, since that night.
“Just a flesh wound,” she replied.
Concern flashed in his eyes, “You should get it looked at immediately. Wounds from Dravian soldiers should not be taken lightly.”
She nodded, “I will.”
“No, you won’t. By the way you are looking at that time piece, you have somewhere else to be.”
“What were you doing here?” she asked, hoping to redirect his kind eyes from her mid-section.
He shrugged, “I wanted to clear my head, when I noticed a damsel in distress. She was way in over her head as usual,” he teased.
Shadaya chuckled softly, “I could’ve handled them.”
Those silver eyes seemed to smile again, then he turned away and looked down.
“I believe our pursuers are gone,” he said, “I should get going before I am missed.”
He turned to look at her now, “please Shadaya, get that wound looked at. It was good to see you… well a part of you at least.”
She could hear the smirk in his voice.
“And you as well.”
Shadaya watched him nimbly lower himself from the branch and slide down the tree trunk. She looked down when she heard him land with a thud. His landing was not as graceful as his descent.
“Hey, don’t forget your dagger,” she said softly.
“Keep it, there’s no way I’m coming back up there,” He gave a small wave before dashing into the darkness of the forest.
Once he was gone, she leaned down and yanked the blade he had used to climb up the tree out of the tree bark.
She smiled again clearly, he wanted her to have it.
Chapter 14
Prince Haddin handed Markus a glass he had poured from a decanter behind his desk and reached for one for himself. Markus looked down at the drink curiously, then tried to surreptitiously sniff it.
“You do not like it?”
Markus shrugged, “what is it?”
“It is a one of Dravia’s finest wines, we call it Broqa. It’s a special blend of spices, aged to perfection. Very expensive, very rare.”
Markus looked up at him, “I am honored that you would spare such a valuable drink on me. But Ilks do not drink strong drinks of any kind.”
The prince looked intrigued, “oh yes, dulls the senses
, doesn’t it.”
The prince took Markus’ glass from him and turned away, “my apologies again. I seem to keep offending to tonight.”
“I’ll take it.”
They both looked over at Cad, who was standing across the room.
“Does he need to be here?” the prince asked.
“He goes everywhere I go.”
The prince shrugged and extended the drink to Cad, who reached for it eagerly.
Markus knew that the prince was not unintentionally offending him, he was testing the extent of his Ilk blood. He was accustomed to people doubting his heritage, and with good reason. Markus did not quite look like his father’s people, other than his pointed ears and the sharp angles of his face, Markus took most of his features from his mother’s side. Ilks were small boned, were of a tanned shade with red undertones, and their features were sharpened, from the slant of their eyes to the shape of their brows, to their jutting chins. And they had straight hair, which they often wore in tight knots atop their heads. Markus looked nothing like them and had stood out like a sore thumb among them all his life. The prince’s assessment of him confirmed Markus’ expectations.
Haddin took a seat behind his desk and gestured for Markus to have a seat as well. Markus sat down on a chair facing the prince, his wide desk sitting between them.
“So Master Cort, I am just going to get right to it. As you may know, Dravia has been trying to forge an alliance with Ilksvard for centuries.”
“Dravia and many others.”
Haddin nodded, “your location on the coast is not only strategically advantageous, but you have shown yourself to be an asset as a people. Any kingdom will do well to have you as allies.”
“And every kingdom has access to whatever it is we have to offer.”
“Yes yes… you pick no sides. I am aware of that. But what determines which kingdom you support over another?”
“We simply do not involve ourselves in conflicting matters.”
Haddin narrowed his eyes, “So if I had a matter that was solely concerning Dravia, I could seek the support of Ilksvard?”
“As your father has been doing for years,” Markus added. He felt that the prince needed to be reminded of his place.
Haddin smirked, “yes of course. Look Lord Cort I know my father was consulting with you. Now that he is gone, someone must take up the responsibilities of protecting this kingdom. I need you to know that you can trust me. With my brother running away from his duties, I am the only one left standing between this kingdom and invasion.”
Markus nodded, “I understand. But your father and I had an understanding… it was between us.”
“Oh, but I know what you were discussing. Before he died father made sure to inform me of it all.”
Haddin had leaned forward and was looking expectantly at Markus, but even with his limited ability to decipher emotional cues, Markus could detect the deception in the prince’s tone. Really, he reeked of deception.
Markus looked back at him, refusing to fall for his attempt to get him to reveal what he had truly been discussing with the king.
The prince sighed, “What do you know about the Element?”
Markus could not mask his surprise and he knew that the prince noticed it too.
“I know it is a powerful resource,” Markus replied.
“It is a valuable piece of history wouldn’t you say?”
Markus remained quiet. He did not miss the way the prince’s eyes seemed to shift to spot beside him as if there was something… there.
“And I could imagine how thrilling it would be for an Ilk to have such a fascinating thing at their disposal. For study of course.”
Markus folded his lips and sighed, “Ilks would not want to have anything to do with something that would draw too much attention to them.”
The prince narrowed his eyes, “but you do. That is why you are the first Ilk to collaborate with a King. To live in his castle to have his ear.”
Markus leaned back, squaring his shoulders, “it does not matter what I believe.”
“But it does,” Haddin said eagerly, “you can be just who I am looking for. Someone who has a mind of his own, who isn’t held back by the superstitions of his people.”
“Ilks are many things, but never superstitious,” Markus corrected, more firmly than he wanted.
“Oh sorry, but you know what I mean. You are the kind of forward thinker I need for what I have planned. I am offering you a place here at court, just like my father did. Let us continue what he started.”
So Haddin did have something planned regarding the Element. This could be Markus’ chance to find out what Haddin knew.
Markus frowned, “even if I was willing to pursue something that goes against the ways of my people…”
Which he already was, by being a member of the community.
“The Element is said to be hidden away where men cannot find it. Men have pursued it for years and failed. What makes you think you can do differently.”
A smug smile spread across Haddin’s face, “let’s not pretend that you do not know where the Element is.”
Markus frowned, “but I don’t.”
Haddin leaned back with a frown, “father never told you?”
“I didn’t want to know,” that was not the complete truth. It was the king who had kept the Element’s location from him.
“What if I told you that I know where it is?”
“Then I would be inclined to take you seriously.”
The prince looked impressed, “I like you Ilk,” he said with a grin.
Markus swallowed hard, this was the opening he’d been waiting for. It was an opportunity to have inside access to what the prince was doing, but already he couldn’t stand the thought of being in the same room with the man. Even now, he longed for the noisy ballroom than the quiet, eerie space in which he now sat. There was something dark in the space surrounding the prince. He had felt it the moment he approached him, and it seemed to grow stronger as he sat here talking to him.
“Throw me a morsel and I will throw you a feast,” the prince crooned.
Markus looked thoughtful, “okay. The king and I were working on finding a secure location to hide the Element again. He didn’t want anyone else getting their hand on it. The Ilks had helped last time, but he didn’t want to get them involved again, least the other kingdom’s get wind of it and try to fight him for it. He didn’t want a war starting over the Element again. So, he asked for my help.”
Haddin smiled, “good old father, always trying to protect our sacred world. I too share his sentiments. We must keep the Element away from unworthy hands.”
“Yes.”
“Do you… know where my father sent it then?”
“Sent it? You mean it’s not here?”
Haddin sighed, “I did not want to say this. I know how highly people think of my dear old brother. But… I’m sure you can be discreet.”
Markus arched a brow, watching the prince was like watching a bad drama play out before him.
“My brother Drayton…” he shook his head sadly, “he wanted the Element for himself. He thought it would make him a stronger ruler. You know, so much people were saying that he was weak and would not be respected as a king. He thought the element would help him. Father trusted him so much that he placed the element in his care. But my dear old brother, he betrayed us all, he took the element, escaped with it along with a few traitorous men. My father’s heart was broken, part of me feels like he mourned over Drayton’s betrayal to his grave.”
Markus felt very uncomfortable listening to the prince’s story. He didn’t trust the man and he surely did not believe a word that was coming out of his mouth. Yes, maybe Drayton did have the Element. But he had met the favored prince and he could see nothing but genuine respect and loyalty to his father. Drayton was the one the king had entrusted with the task of securing the element. Haddin knew that much, but he must not be able to locate Drayton, so his best move was
to discredit him.
The prince was looking at him eagerly, “Can you help me Lord Cort. Can you help me protect our world from a power we do not fully understand?”
Markus finally sighed and shook his head, “I am sorry your majesty.”
Instantly, the prince’s smile faded, and his perfectly trimmed brows met each other in a thunderstorm of rage.
“Are you rejecting me?” he asked gruffly.
The sudden change unnerved Markus and he knew that Cad’s grip was tightening on his sword this very moment.
Markus summoned a strong helping of courage, “I am… simply making a decision prince Haddin. I am not comfortable….”
Haddin’s palm against the top of the table, almost made Markus jump. The man’s pale face had turned into an embarrassing shade of pink.
“You dare reject the prince of Dravia?”
“Just as my people have rejected greater than you. We look out for the greater good of Saharia, it is why we can never align ourselves to just one kingdom. Saharia has many kingdoms, these kingdoms provide balance to our world. I will not have anything to do with anything that upsets that balance. With all due respect your majesty.”
By now Haddin was a splotchy red-faced mess, he was standing to his feet now. His cold eyes looking hatefully at Markus.
“You won’t survive here without my protection,” Haddin warned, “the people already hate you and what you represent, the nobles are looking for any opportunity to dismantle the Cort name. Are you sure you want to cross me?”
Markus deliberately hesitated, then lifted his eyes to Haddin, “in all your talk of this… collaboration. You assume that I am not like my people, yet enough like my people so you can bribe me with the opportunity for scholastic pursuits. What makes you think that appeals to me at all. Your father and I had an agreement. He made me Lord, what do you offer?”
Haddin’s face softened, playing right into Markus’ game.
“Ah I see,” Haddin eased back into his chair and flexed his shoulders.
“Now that is something I can work with,” he said, “what is it that you desire Lord Cort. Is it riches? Land? Slaves? Women? Tell me and I can make this worth your while in ways you cannot even imagine.”
Shadaya: Out of Darkness (Gemstone Royals) Page 14