“His own?”
Shadaya nodded, “it is one of the most controversial beliefs we have. It is why Aldorians struggle to wrap their minds around it. They too thought the source would be another tool they could wield over their enemies. Not knowing that El was drawing men from every tribe and nation to him, through the Source. Not a thing, not a power source, not a mere instrument. But a person, wrapped up in power, love and perfection and focused on fulfilling El’s will alone.”
“And where is this man?”
“He paid the ultimate sacrifice.”
“You mean to tell me your great and powerful gift is dead.”
Stacia smiled, “not really,” she replied, “the light he brought was only fully released when he gave up his life willingly, not quite like we have forced our sacrifices to lay down their lives for us.”
Shadaya looked thoughtful for a moment, then shrugged, “I think my way works for me.”
“Is it your way that has those dark circles beneath your eyes, that has you struggling to rest, that has lost you so much weight?”
Shadaya looked down at herself, then back up at Stacia and a smile cracked her face.
“Only you and Eunice ever have the audacity to speak to me this way.”
Stacia smiled, “because you know we’re always right.”
“Not always. You believe in a fairytale savior, that not even the Aldorians have embraced.”
“We’ll see.”
Some commotion at the entrance caught their attention then, and both women turned to see two dirty looking teenagers struggling to enter. One of them was straining against the weight of the other. Concerned lines formed on Shadaya’s brows, as Stacia hurried to approach them.
“What happened?” Stacia asked.
“She’s hurt,” the boy said worriedly, he lifted panicked eyes to Stacia, “please help her Missus Valen.”
Stacia gestured for one of her patrons to help, “come through here.”
The wounded one was handed over to a more capable burden bearer who helped them stumble to the back room. As they passed by Shadaya’s table, the one in need of help, lifted her head.
Tired brown eyes met Shadaya’s and widened in recognition, reflecting the look in Shadaya’s own eyes. It was Dorcy.
Shadaya stood outside the door where they had disappeared with Dorcy. She was pacing, tapping her index finger against her lips, when Stacia came outside.
“What are you still doing here? I thought you would have left by now,” Stacia exclaimed.
Shadaya shrugged, “how’s the girl?”
“Better, just a few cuts and bruises. She is mostly dehydrated.”
Stacia walked towards the back of the counter where she did her transactions and picked up a towel to dry her hands.
“It’s common among runaways like her.”
“Runaways?”
Stacia nodded, looking glum, “it’s sad really. They cause us so much trouble around here, but we can’t really blame them. Most of them are runaway slaves or servants or children of slaves or servants, all below the age of eighteen I believe. They look out for each other, but they steal to survive, people don’t take too well to thieves.”
“Runaway slaves you said? But we don’t do slavery anymore.”
Stacia smiled sadly, “there is still a lot you do not know about Dravia. Slavery still exists, because there is always someone who thinks someone else is less of a person. Underhandedly people still sell their children into slavery to pay off debts. People still buy them. Some aren’t very well treated, some rebel, like little Dorcy in there.”
Shadaya remembered the bright-eyed girl who had fought bravely beside her. Not for a moment would she have thought her to be homeless and starving, even to the point of dehydration.
“Let me see her.”
Stacia motioned for her to go ahead, she looked tired, “I’ll be out here if you need me.”
Dorcy was lying on a narrow bed in a very cozy room. The bed and a small stool were the only furnishings in the room. When Shadaya entered, the girl turned and her companion who was crouched in a corner stood up defensively.
Dorcy smiled at the sight of Shadaya, “well you look important,” she croaked, and even in her weakened state managed a wink.
“Can you give us a moment?” Shadaya directed her question to the boy in the corner.
He too was Ribonian, with knotted hair standing up in different directions on his head. He looked like he was ready to attack at any moment. Dorcy calmed him with a weakly raised hand.
“It’s okay. She’s alright.”
Shadaya waited for him to leave before sitting down on the stool and looking directly at the smiling girl.
“Why didn’t you tell me you have nowhere to go?”
Dorcy smiled, “would you have taken me with you?”
At Shadaya’s hesitation, she grinned, “it’s okay. I have somewhere to go,” she gestured to the door, “we’re all family, we have each other.”
“That’s your cause.”
Dorcy nodded and sighed, “it’s hard for us out there. People are mean to Ribonian slaves. We have our own little family and we survive as best we could.”
Spoken like a true Ribonian. Before Dravians enslaved the Riboni people, they were a proud and industrious race. They were passionate about preserving their history, and family was more important to them than anything. It was the main reason they could never settle for slavery, even if generations had passed since they were conquered by Dravia.
“Dorcy how old are you?”
Dorcy looked like she was contemplating not answering her question, then she sighed.
“Fourteen.”
Shadaya lowered her head, “I am sorry you have to go through this.”
The girl shrugged, “we make it as best we could. And you are doing a really good thing too. We’ve never felt this safe walking the streets at night, since… the Shadow.”
Shadaya managed a sad smile, “you won’t be safe for very long if you get caught stealing.”
Instantly Dorcy’s face dropped, “we have to eat, we don’t mean…”
Shadaya stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm, “it’s okay. I understand. Just focus on getting better.”
Dorcy nodded, “thanks.”
Shadaya left the room feeling burdened, it was the same feeling she had gotten when she started her basket charity and when she had decided to become the Shadow.
“You alright?” Stacia asked from behind the counter.
Shadaya shook her head, “I’m sick of this,” she muttered.
“I’m heading back to the manor, I’ll come in to see her tomorrow,” she said as she reached for her purse.
She handed Stacia five gold dravs, “take good care of her and don’t let her leave until she is better.”
Stacia smiled proudly, “you are kind Lady Shadaya.”
Shadaya nodded stiffly, “and get her friend something to eat. He looks like a weak little thing. And I don’t think you want two patients on your hand.”
✽ ✽ ✽
With trembling hands, she carried the water pot across the room and poured it into the steaming cauldron. The creature kept his back turned to her as she made another trip to the barrel across the room. The shackle on her ankle burned against her skin, rubbed raw from days of doing the Vroc’s bidding from within the small smelly cottage.
Slowly the creature turned, arching its head up as though listening, or smelling or both. Its bulging lopsided eyes then fell on her, seeming like it was hanging by thin strings to its sockets and would fall off any moment now. The pale, bluish tone of its skin, glistened with an unnatural inhuman moisture as it turned to the door.
“You have a visitor,” it said in its gargled voice.
The urge to vomit at the sight of it had subsided after a few days of being forced to live in its cottage but she still found it difficult to eat in its presence.
Heavy footsteps could be heard outside ascending the three woo
den steps. Then three sharp raps sounded against the wooden door.
The Vroc waddled forward and opened the door, then stepped back. A dark cloaked man entered the room and removed his hood. When he turned in her direction a sigh of relief left her lips. Never had she thought she would be so happy to see Captain Hesk, the man who had imprisoned her here.
The captain extended a sack to the creature who snatched it out of his hand without a word. He looked inside and gave a satisfied nod, then turned away as though bored.
Hesk marched towards her, his hard eyes sweeping over her from head to feet.
“How are you?”
Shyly, she turned away to hide the tears that had started forming in her eyes.
He stepped closer then dropped to his knees before her, and to her surprise he proceeded to rub a cool salve on her ankle where the shackle had rubbed it raw. He was surprisingly gentle and by the grim set of his lips, did not like her situation any more than she did.
“It won’t be long again,” he said softly.
She strained to hear him above the sound of the bubbling pot which the Vroc always seemed to be tending to.
“Just do as you are told and don’t upset the Vroc.”
She nodded frightfully and blinked back her tears.
He stood up and looked down at her sadly, “I am sorry you have to go through this. But you have to admit this is a better outcome than the prince had in mind.”
“And what happens when he finds out,” her own voice was hoarse and painful, after inhaling the fumes of whatever the Vroc couldn’t stop boiling.
“He won’t,” Hesk replied, “Vrocs use a special cloaking magic to protect themselves from sorcerers who are always trying to capture their kind. If that’s not enough, then rest assured that Haddin will not risk casting his power to this side of Dravia unnecessarily and even if he does, he won’t see you in here.”
“This is a dark place.”
Without being able to look outside she knew that she had to be somewhere near or within the dark forest. The thought made her shiver. To her surprise Hesk placed a calming hand on her arm.
“I know but right now it’s the only place where you are safe.”
“Safe? You will never get to the Shadow this way,” her eyes pleaded with him to let this go, to let her go.
“You do not understand. Guilt is a powerful thing; the lady will do whatever she can to ease her conscience of your disappearance and return you to your poor grieving father.”
“You don’t know that she even knows the Shadow.”
He stepped forward and lifted her chin with a gloved finger, “oh yes, she does,” he said softly.
“There is only one person who would care about you enough to send not one, but two assassins to rescue you.”
He let go of her chin and stepped back.
“And what happens when you run out of those trinkets that you give him?”
Hesk glared at her, “you ask too much questions.”
He turned to leave.
“Please don’t leave me here!”
He stopped and sighed, “it will be over soon Reeva,” he turned to look at her as if genuinely concerned about her,
“But you must eat. You are nothing but skin and bones and you will need your strength.”
The sound of the door closing behind him shook her and she slumped to the floor, fighting against the sobs that threatened to escape. The Vroc hated crying, he hated anything that disturbed his precious silence.
“More water,” he growled.
With tears streaming down her cheek, Reeva fought to stand and bowed to pick up the water pot again.
Chapter 19
Her feast was a disaster. Shadaya stood outside on the porch of the great hall of Quadin mansion, looking in at the guests enjoying themselves. A sneer tugged at the corners of her lips and she tried to drown it with a sip of wine. As if this night could not get any worse, she noticed Earl Hatherbee approaching her with an eager glint in his eyes.
Throwing caution to the wind Shadaya leaned back and downed the rest of her drink before turning her back on the commotion and to the moonlit view of the mansion grounds. A contrary thought flitted through her mind as she gazed at the drop from the second floor to the lawn below. She knew she was more than able to make the leap, but such an overzealous show of displeasure would surely reveal her secret identity.
“Beautiful night isn’t it?”
Earl sidled up beside her, uncomfortably close and with a ridiculous smug grin on his narrow face.
Shadaya glanced at him and then back to the view outside, she had always found Earl and his family insufferable. Of all the Pillars they were the furthest from the throne and the proudest which made them the most desperate to raise their station.
“Yes, yet we choose to spend it on frivolous feasting while the poor starve all around us.”
Earl nodded awkwardly, she could see him grasping for an appropriate response to her dark answer. Shadaya had to admit it was fun to see him squirm.
“Oh, there you are!”
They both turned towards a man walking towards them holding two champagne glasses out. A wide grin splitting his out of place face. Shadaya’s eyes widened as Jasper approached them. He was dressed in a buttoned-up navy blue coat, straight black pants and shiny wing tipped shoes that fit in just right with the crowd tonight, his heavy hair was pulled back behind his head, revealing more of the twinkle in his eyes.
“Hi,” Shadaya greeted, as she accepted his offered drink.
“I turned my back to get you a drink and then you were gone,” he said with a wink, “if I didn’t know any better, I would say you were trying to avoid me.”
Shadaya tried not to laugh at Eril’s confused face, he did not seem to be able to identify Jasper as an Aldorian. Not many people knew what Aldorian’s looked like.
“Oh yes, I just stepped out for some fresh air,” she replied, playing along.
“Eril this is…”
“Lord Canning,” Jasper interjected, “merchant from the East. Lady Quadin and I have some business we need to catch up on.”
He frowned at her as though displeased, “you cannot keep putting it off my lady.”
Shadaya restrained a smirk, “you’re right. We should get right to it.”
Eril nodded stiffly, “I should leave you to your work,” he said finally.
He kept his eyes trained on Jasper as he spoke, “if you need any help, I won’t be very far away.”
His attempt at protectiveness warmed her heart, “thank you Eril.”
Once Eril was out of earshot, Jasper released a chuckle and Shadaya playfully slapped him on the arm.
“Are you crazy!”
His grin widened, “here I am, saving you as usual.”
Shadaya rolled her eyes, “you shouldn’t be here.”
He shrugged, “I wanted to see you.”
“Why?”
He didn’t reply right away, instead he held her gaze with those somber grey eyes, that always seemed to reel her in. Finally, he shook his head and looked away.
“I don’t know,” he said, turning to lean against the balcony.
“I don’t like that you take these risks,” she said.
He nodded, “neither do I. But for some reason I am always worried about you.”
That independent impulse flared up in Shadaya a moment, she did not need to be protected. She waited for that familiar outrage, but when it didn’t come, she found herself standing closer to Jasper, looking out into the dark distance.
“Let me remind you again, I can take care of myself.”
“I know.”
Shadaya gnawed on her lips, Jasper was the first man who made her nervous, outraged and excited all at the same time. She exhaled, trying to shake away those feelings drawing her to him. She couldn’t develop any kind of affection for him. He was Aldorian, he went against everything she believed in, he was to be the next king of the unreachable people beyond the border. It made no sens
e that he would want to be around her; a Dravian noble, a murderer… a kind of sorceress.
“Does Geoff know you’re here?”
He chuckled, “there isn’t much that can escape that man. But I think I managed to evade him tonight.”
“I admire your friendship. Have you known him long?”
“Oh yes, we grew up together. Our father’s worked side by side and we walked in their shadows…”
“Side by side,” she added.
He smiled and nodded, “we were inseparable, until our responsibilities set us on different paths.”
“But you are here, together now.”
“Well I guess my sister’s rebellion provided us with an opportunity.”
Shadaya arched a brow, but didn’t prod.
He looked over at her now, there was a tenderness in his eyes towards her; it made her uneasy.
“Sometimes even a prince needs to get away.”
She frowned, “get away from what?”
“After my mother died, my father withdrew from us. Throwing himself into his work, my sisters felt the brunt of his… distance. I had to step in, and it just seems like since then I’ve been stepping in, stepping up. Sometimes you just need some time to breathe, to pray, to reevaluate how you want to impact this world.”
Shadaya reached out and touched his shoulder, gently almost fearfully. When he did not show any discomfort at her touch, she let her hand linger.
“You… do not want to be king, do you?”
Jasper inhaled sharply, then chuckled, “oh that’s a conversation for another time.”
Shadaya smiled.
“This party is utterly boring. I’m obligated to throw one of these every now and then. But you are welcome to stay awhile, if you want. It’s mostly snobbish out of touch rich people drinking too much wine.”
Shadaya: Out of Darkness (Gemstone Royals) Page 19