“Go on.”
“You need to go to Henry’s place tonight, don’t delay. I will tell you how get into his secret room and where to find the Element yourself.”
Hesk arched a brow, “I’m not walking into a sorcerer’s lair.”
“He won’t be there. Right now he’s… very indisposed. This may be your only window of opportunity.”
Hesk lifted his chin in thought, “and what will you do?”
Shadaya smiled, “I will do my best. For Dravia.”
“For Saharia,” Hesk responded.
He then walked by her and climbed out of her window. Shadaya wrapped her arms around her as the chill of night slipped inside. She didn’t mind it so much. She hoped that what she had done, in sending the ring to Drayton was the right thing to do. But Hesk was right, he deserved it.
✽ ✽ ✽
Markus marched into his home with an intense look of frustration on his face. He tossed his jacket aside and headed straight for the holding cell in the basement of his mansion. Stiller was right on his heel, blowing into his hands as he followed Markus. The air was still chilly outside, as it was expected to be after a dark storm. All the people who had taken up refuge in his home had returned to their own, just in time for Markus to turn his basement into a prison. Now the only guests Markus had was one who gave him goosebumps and another who made his blood boil.
The moment they stepped into the dank basement they were greeted by their guest. Henry the sorcerer, welcomed them with slow applause and mocking praise.
“Congratulations,” he said, “you managed to capture a sorcerer, what do you plan to do with me now? Turn me over to the prince? We all know that executing a man isn’t really your… way.”
The man unnerved him, he liked him better when he was unconscious. Fortunately, Geoff had managed to set up his staff to keep Henry from trying to escape with his magic. He was sitting on a chair in the corner when they arrived, praying. Now he got up and eased pass them.
“Break time for me,” he muttered, leaving them alone with the prisoner.
Markus stepped up to his cell and glared at him, “where is it?”
Henry looked smug as he shrugged, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“The power stone?”
Henry frowned, “you think I have the Demeris power stone. Even I am not that crazy.”
“We know Shadaya gave it to you and that you hid it. Who did you send to move it?”
Henry looked genuinely interested now and somewhat bothered, “it’s gone? Well I honestly don’t know where it would go. What I can tell you is that if that falls into the wrong hands, it could mean terrible things for many.”
Markus and Stiller exchanged glances, “how do we know you didn’t hand it off to someone?”
“You don’t. Listen to me children, you have no idea what you are up against. You entered a secret lair of the Order of Ev and disrupted a ritual, years in the making. Do you think they’ll just let you walk away? You’re dead men!”
Both Stiller and Markus simultaneously took a step back as Henry proclaimed his judgement. It wasn’t so much what he had said, but the hollow flash of a ghoul that had suddenly transformed his face.
“The darkness lives within him,” Stiller said, looking directly at the angry man, who was almost frothing at the mouth now.
“By the state of your soul I would say that it is you who are the dead man.”
He turned and walked away, hesitantly Markus followed, just as Henry threw himself against the bars and shouted after them.
“you will never win! Maldeev will reign!”
Markus dropped into the chair at his desk with a sigh, while Stiller poured himself some water.
“Don’t look so overwhelmed,” he said, “isn’t this what you came here looking for.”
Markus shrugged, “I guess in a way I just didn’t know that Maldeev’s influence had gotten so deep. We really broke into a meeting of the order of Ev,” he was shaking his head in disbelief now.
Stiller sat down, “you know about them?”
Markus nodded, “I do. And I’m starting to pull all the pieces together… Shadaya’s involvement, her father’s death… it’s all starting to make sense.”
“uh huh,” Stiller sounded disinterested but that never stopped Markus before.
“Shadaya’s father must have been a member of the order, it would make sense being a Pillar name and a member of court, serving so closely to the king. The branding on his sword surely confirms it. Then it would make sense why Luska would target his child to be her predecessor. Something must have changed for Mervin and he wanted out. But he had made that deal to save his daughter’s life and the only way to save her was to die himself.”
“Interesting, you could be right. But none of that matters now.”
“Of course, it does, we now know who is behind it all. The order of Ev, if we…”
“If we what?” Stiller interjected, “You know that we’re not safe here right? That man may be possessed by a thousand evil spirits, but he is right. They won’t rest until each one of us is dead. What do you propose we do, infiltrate their society? Take them down from the inside?”
Markus looked up at him solemnly, “we do not fear the one who can kill the body, but the one who can kill the soul.”
Stiller nodded, “aye,” he lifted his glass, “but let’s not be foolish Markus. Let’s do our part and leave the order alone.”
“I will have to get a message to my team in Ilksvard, they need to know what we are up against and start preparing for the worst.”
“Don’t forget that we have a funeral to attend.”
“Oh yes, I’ll do that afterward then. Shadaya needs our support.”
“She needs a lot of things.”
✽ ✽ ✽
It was late and all was quiet within the Quadin mansion, the young heiress stood before the fire place of her father’s study, watching the flames engulf the pages of the magic books she had received from Henry. In her hand she held the mask, it looked back at her as though begging her for mercy. She felt it’s pull, familiar and enticing but she had tasted of both its promises and its price, and a larger part of her despised them both. Her father did not want her to have such power, or to know such a life and she was now sure that she did not want it for herself. She wanted to know El. This was the first time she had so genuinely admitted that to herself. It was with this admission that she was able to part with the channeler, feeling its velvety texture leave her finger tips. It fell into the flame with a hiss, and for a moment she felt a sharp pain shoot through her, but she held her ground. Gritting her teeth against what felt like a part of her being torn away.
Tomorrow, she would lay a dear friend to rest. She dared not turn to look at the spot where Eunice had laid that night, where her blood had stained the carpet. She was not just doing this for herself, she was doing it for Eunice, for Stacia, for Markus, for Jasper. All the people who did not give up on her, no matter how hard she had run towards the darkness.
The mask continued to burn before her eyes when a shadow appeared beside her. Leaning against the fireplace, she could sense it looking right at her even without eyes. It was in a figure she recognized, for it was her own shadow. The shadow was looking back at her, saying nothing, but Shadaya felt no fear.
“I’m done with you,” she said firmly, “I want no part of you with me.”
“Are you sure you want to give all of this up?”
It straightened up and walked around her, it was unnerving hearing her own voice like that, hollow and void of emotion.
“You do know that that’s what will happen if you reject us, if you reject who you truly are. You will be stripped of everything, your title, your home, your riches… your life.”
Shadaya took deep breaths, keeping her eyes stayed on a point over the fire place, not daring to look at the shadow beside her.
“Is one silent god worth such a grand sacrifice?”
; Shadaya thought of her family, her mother, her servants all the men and women who depended on her. Would she be letting her father down, by letting his name fade away tarnished?
“Your threats are powerless here,” she finally said, turning her head to look at it.
“You are nothing but a shadow of who I might’ve become, a malady of the darkness that once inhabited my soul. But today I choose to be rid of you. The voice of the God of all that is good and true thunders throughout the ages for those who will listen. You know you are trembling over what you know he will do to you. This God is the one I choose as my own.”
She turned on it with a passion that she was surprised she could muster and lifted a finger towards it, “this curse on my life will burn on this flame and you with it!”
The shadow froze, seemingly surprised by her stance. Without another word it took a step back until it blended into the shadows in the room. Shadaya turned back to the flame, the mask was no more, the books were no more… overwhelmed she dropped down onto her knees, pressed her head against the floor and cried.
“Oh El, I’m ruined,” she cried, “but I prefer it…”
Chapter 29
Eunice’s funeral was beautiful, and Shadaya had her mother to thank for it. Lidelia had taken charge of the arrangements, ensuring that Eunice had a funeral worthy of a noble. Shadaya watched the stony mound with tears streaming down her cheeks, despite her expression of calm. They had buried Eunice on the family burial ground, not very far away from her own father’s grave, Shadaya didn’t think Mervin Quadin would mind.
She looked around at the faces of those who had come to pay their respects, some of her new friends were in attendance. Their presence here was a reminder of their commitment to stand with her and her new faith. She understood the risk they had taken in rescuing her and what it might cost them as well. But as Stiller had explained in his fatherly way, followers of El counts the cost of all things and the conclusion of the matter is that the cost of a person’s soul far outweighs the cost of things that fade with time. Even he, had grown warmer towards her, he had even asked her forgiveness for his attitude at the start for never giving her a fighting chance just because of where she had come from. Their eyes met now as he finished his pronouncement over Eunice’s grave and he bowed his head slightly, his own version of a smile. Shadaya nodded and mouthed back to him, “thank you.”
As the guests filed out of the graveyard, Shadaya stooped down and laid a single Fidilly on the top of Eunice’s grave.
“I will miss you dear friend. I will miss you so much, I owe you a mountain of thanks,” she whispered.
Her mother stopped near her and looked down at her, “I’m glad we didn’t lose you.”
Shadaya looked up at her surprised.
“Mervin thought he could trust her with you, and he was right,” Lidelia sighed, “I’m going to visit the Chateau in Minez for a while. I think it would be wise for you to get away as well. Things will get worse before they get better.”
Without waiting for a response her mother walked away, leaving Shadaya frowning. Her mother had known all along. She remained kneeling still dazed by the realization of how little she had known about her own life, as the other guests walked by. They were all heading back to the house for a customary meal together in honor of the deceased.
“I will be right behind you Dorcy,” she promised the young girl she had grown so fond of.
Dorcy arched a brow at her now and her pouty lips extended in disbelief, “yea right.”
Shadaya finally straightened up, turning around in the direction of Dorcy’s outstretched lips and she found Jasper standing nearby. He wore a warm smile on his handsome face. His hands shoved deep in the pockets of his trousers.
“I’ll see you whenever you get back,” Dorcy said with a smirk, as she walked away, nodding politely at Jasper when she passed by him.
“I didn’t expect to see you,” Shadaya greeted.
“Did you really think I would miss it?”
“Honestly, I kind of expected you to show up,” she said with a smile.
“Glad I didn’t disappoint.”
He extended his elbow and she looped her hand through it. They turned and walked towards the main house.
“How have you been coping with the changes in Dravia?”
“Ugh,” she rolled her eyes.
Haddin’s official coronation made her sick to her stomach, that was the last thing she wanted to think about now. But she knew that it had great implications for Jasper’s time here. Now that she knew that time was near, she wasn’t sure she wanted to part ways. She feared never seeing him again and she knew she would spend many days looking over her shoulder hoping to see him standing behind her with that smug smile on his face.
“Have I ever given you the tour of Quadin manor?” she decided to change the subject.
Jasper shook his head, “never, you’re a terrible hostess.”
She chuckled, “how about we go for a ride then?”
“You never told me much about your life in Aldor,” Shadaya was saying as her horse walked lazily beside Jasper’s.
Jasper looked at home in the saddle of her proud black stallion. She had to admit, she had never laid eyes on a man who made her never want to look away before. The man intrigued her in so many ways, and yet there he sat, eyes trained on the land around them as though completely ignorant of the effect he was having on her.
Jasper looked over at her now and shrugged, “that’s because I know that you are expecting to hear of a grand kingdom, a Eutopia compared to your own. But I know that it will only disappoint you to know that at Aldor, we’re not much different to many other Saharian kingdoms.”
He sighed, “we should be, but I’m afraid more and more we’re starting to look like all the others. And not because we’re trying to. It’s just that after years of priding ourselves on being so special and so different we don’t even know how to get along with each other.”
Shadaya folded her lips in thought, “well that’s sad to hear.”
Jasper chuckled, “don’t look so glum. There is hope yet. I believe that the community has the answer to our troubles in Aldor. Aldorians are a proud people, law abiding people, a people who values family and blood and history, but we are a people who lack love. The community here in Dravia have somehow managed to figure out the right balance of brotherhood, charity and separateness.”
“Pity,” Shadaya said urging her horse to a stop just on the flat of a hill they had just descended. Jasper followed suit.
“Here I was thinking I might need to make a break for it to the great city of refuge.”
She dismounted and grinned up at Jasper, but he only looked confused.
“Come, look at this view!”
She left her horse and ran over to the edge of the hill and extended her hand, feeling the wind wrap its chilly arms around her. She looked over the wide expanse of Quadin Manor and took a deep breath. She heard Jasper come stand beside her.
“One day… soon,” she said, “the prince and the Pillars will find out that I have rejected the gods of my people and all of this will be stripped from me. But I am not afraid anymore. I have found all that I need in the light of El and the people I have come to call my family.”
Jasper looked thoughtful, as he too looked upon all that the Quadin’s had acquired over the years.
“I understand what you mean” he said.
“My time in Dravia has not been quite what I was expecting. I always saw this kingdom as a cesspool, a hub of evil, a place rejected by El himself. But I have made friends that I too have come think of as family. I have come to see Dravia through new eyes, through the eyes of the people here who choose not to run to a kingdom of refuge but chooses to stay and fight, because they believe that El’s light is powerful enough. It’s because of this dark place that I have come to know truly El and understand light.”
Shadaya looked over at him, “say what you mean,” she said.
Jasper
smiled, “Let us just say that, you are not the only one who has rejected the ways of your people. By believing in the source of light, I am going against everything that I have ever been taught. I would offer you a place in Aldor, should your prophecy come through. But I myself am uncertain that I would have a place myself.”
They stood in solemn silence looking over the farm lands of Quadin manor, nestled snuggled against gently sloping green hills. The cool breeze blew through the trees with a soothing rustle and against their skin as if trying to comfort them both. It was then that Jasper boldly extended his hand and took hers.
She felt his grip tighten, his calloused fingers touching the soft skin on the back of her hand.
“I may not have a place to offer you in my kingdom,” he said, “but I would be quite satisfied if you would be quite satisfied to find a home for your heart with me.”
Shadaya looked down at their connected hands and then up into his rain cloud eyes, tender and soft and kind and full of something she had never seen directed towards her so intensely before… love, compassion a willingness to lay down his very life.
Her own grip on his hand loosened and she released his hand, Jasper’s worried frown followed her as she shook her head.
“Say what you mean,” she whispered distractedly.
Jasper turned to her and reached out to touch her cheek gently, “I am saying that I have grown to love you Lady Shadaya.”
“Oh, I don’t know Jasper, I’m not… I’m not sure I am the kind of woman you need right now,” she stuttered, wringing her hands nervously.
“But I mean, aside from the fact that your people would never accept me, I am mostly confused. I don’t understand how you can think that you love someone like me. I am Dravian, one who has tasted of the darkness of this world and I still feel it, even now, accusing, beckoning… How can you care for someone like me?”
Jasper reached for her once more, holding both her hands and turning her to face him. The intensity in his Jasper’s eyes held her like a magnet.
“Love is perfect,” he said, “not the people it captures. It is because I love you, that I am not afraid of the faces of people who will not understand us. I am not afraid of your past, I am not afraid of loving an imperfect woman as she grows, even as I know that I am still growing. This is what the light is about, the light of El doesn’t draw us because we are perfect, but because we want to try. I know you want to try Shadaya, I see your heart. I saw it from the moment I laid eyes on you, even with the darkness staining the brilliant hues of your eyes, I saw deep in their depths a longing for the freedom that the light offers. I am just asking if you would try with me, if we can try together and let the perfect love of El make us perfect for each other.”
Shadaya: Out of Darkness (Gemstone Royals) Page 29