Shadowed

by Tara Jadestone

  “You…you have my sword,” I said in disbelief. How?

  The Shadow Reaper edged closer.

  “It was mine, some thousand years ago. It is a fitting time I have it back, do you not agree?” My mind flashed back to the scene of my father reaching for the sword the eagle had showed him. Could that very sword be the one Father gave me?

  The Shadow Reaper toyed with the sword and stepped closer once more, forcing me to take a step back. But when I did, the ground underneath me gave way and I stumbled down the rockface and into the clearing.

  Once again, I found myself on my back with the Shadow Reaper towering above me.

  “Mel!” I heard Selenah shout as she approached us. The Royal Guards followed her.

  The Shadow Reaper looked in her direction, then down back at me. He held out a helping hand, catching me by surprise.

  “Here, let me help you up,” he said, his voice no longer sounding cold and heartless.

  Hearing that, I heard Selenah stop short in her advance towards us.

  I stared at him; he no longer resembled the fearsome Dark Mage that had kidnapped me. He looked as if he were an ordinary man, his green eyes looking down at me kindly.

  I found myself putting my hand in his. His hold tightened as he brought me up to my feet. At his firm touch, my heart beat loudly in my ears, but it was not frantic like before. I thought I heard Selenah gasp as he turned me to face her.

  “Mel…” I heard her whisper. “How could you?”

  I opened my mouth to speak, but the Shadow Reaper spoke instead.

  “Well, Selina, are you satisfied now?” The Shadow Reaper gave her a snide grin. “You now understand what it feels like to be abandoned by the last thing you call family. Now, prepare yourself for true retribution.” He dropped my hand.

  Selenah scowled as black dragon wings sprouted from the Shadow Reaper’s back and he charged at her, the sword Father had given me tight in his hands. Golden wings instantly appeared on Selenah’s back and she broke away from her protective ring, her glowing bow and arrow aimed at him.

  As I stumbled back, I made a reach for my fallen sword though my eyes were still on Selenah and the Shadow Reaper. He cut away each of her golden arrows, the sword in his hands beginning to glow black. Seeing it, a sudden pounding in my head began and I turned away, holding my head.

  For several moments, I could barely move. Visions of things I had never done before flashed in my mind. I saw the Shadow Reaper, in a prince’s attire, holding a hand out for me, and smiling genuinely at the baby dragon in my arms.

  I saw myself handing him a sword, its hilt glinting gold in the sunlight, and its blade emanating a dark glow as he took it from me.

  I shut my eyes, pressing my palms to my eyes. This is not me, I repeated. This is not me.

  Suddenly, everything went still. The visions fled, and I slowly opened my eyes to the scene before me.

  The Dark Mages had moved in on the Royal Guards, several of whom were laying on the ground, motionless. My eyes sought Selenah and the Shadow Reaper. I felt a pulse resonate in my chest, and an instinct told me to look upwards.

  In the sky, I could see Selenah, a bright spot in the blue sky, and the Shadow Reaper, a dark haze. Pulling my attention away from them, I turned back to Owen. He was still trapped in the black sphere.

  I ran towards him and steadied my sword in both hands. Taking a deep breath, I swung it at the black sphere. It shattered like glass. Owen exhaled, and he rushed to hug me tightly.

  “You must leave, Melanie. I did not know the Shadow Reaper would use you…” He paused, rubbing his thumb over my cheek. His eyes were wide and glistening. “Please, Melanie you must go. I fear for the worse.” I sighed, looking away. So this was it? This was my impact on history? “Thank you.” Owen patted my shoulder before running to join the Royal Guards.

  I flexed the sword in my hand, hesitated just the slightest, and then ran behind him. I could not let my story end here when I knew I still had fight in me.

  One of the Dark Mages charged at me, his sword ready for a fatal blow. I jumped out of the way before it could touch me, but the blade dug into the right side of my armor, leaving a clear cut. In return, I swung my sword at him, but he dodged easier than I did. We circled each other for a moment, eying our chances to strike. The memory of what the Dark Mages had done to me in that dungeon cell resurfaced in my mind, and the longer we stared at one another, the angrier I became.

  Running at him with renewed determination, our blades clashed for a while. For those moments, I was on the offensive, hacking at him with a fury I did not know I possessed.

  But my luck ran short when my strength faltered, and the Dark Mage knocked my sword out of my hand. It flew some feet away, and its force drove me to the ground. I turned and crawled to it, expecting to feel the Dark Mage’s sword pierce through me, but it did not.

  I heard a grunt behind me, and I turned around to see Owen pull his sword out of the Dark Mage’s chest. The Dark Mage disappeared once it was extracted.

  “Thank you,” I said, breathlessly, grabbing my sword.

  “What are you still doing here?” he whispered harshly, eyes wide. “I told you to leave!”

  He was either too irate or too worried to hear another Dark Mage coming towards him and I knew it would be too late if I warned him. I threw the sword in my hand like a dagger over his shoulder. It came in contact with the Dark Mage’s upper torso and he fell back, vanishing into the air.

  “Melanie, you need to go,” Owen pleaded. “Now.”

  “No ‘thank you’ for saving your life?” I asked, standing up. “I am capable–” Owen let out a dissatisfied grunt and I took a step back. “Fine, I am leaving.”

  Just as I turned to do so, I heard something like a crack of thunder behind me. I looked back and saw the Dragon up on its hind legs, rearing its long neck towards Owen. Smoke was billowing from its nostrils.

  Owen slashed at it, perhaps to buy me time to run, but I could not. The mere sight of the Dragon so close to me paralyzed my muscles.

  I watched as the Dragon snapped at him, and its dagger-like teeth shattering the blade of the sword. It then lunged for him again, biting into his leg and raising him into the air. Owen cried out in pain.

  “Let him go!” I screamed. And with every ounce of courage I had, I grabbed my sword off the ground –where the Dark Mage had once been– and plunged the sword into the foot of the Dragon.

  It released Owen from its jaws, dropping him to the ground, and stared down at me with narrowed eyes.

  I removed the sword from its foot and slowly took a step back, the blade dripping black blood, staining the grass.

  “Run!” Owen shouted. “Run, Melanie!”

  This time, I obeyed and blindly took off as fast as my feet could carry me. Just as I made it out of the forest, a shadow flew across above me. I stopped mid-run, catching my breath.

  The Dragon swooped down and slammed its claws against the ground, sending gales in all directions. I raised my arms to block the dust from my face and stumbled back a few steps. When the air had settled, I lowered my arms down. The Dragon gazed at me with blazing green eyes. My heart raced as I took in its massive size.

  Suddenly, I felt a pulse resonate through my chest, and I looked up at the sky. The black speck that was the Shadow Reaper and the gold one that was Selenah had clashed, causing the vibration.

  Just then, the two met once more. They stayed airborne for mere seconds before the two fell out of the sky.

  The ground shook as they descended, and I looked back at the Dragon. It had somehow lost its footing and now its head lay inches from my feet. I took a half-step back, but it only stared mournfully at the bloody sword in my hand, as if begging for mercy.

  Seeing its golden eyes, once more, memories of a different past emerged in my mind, and my head began to pound with pain. I saw myself running through the woods with the young dragon playfully bounding after me, tongue hanging out. It was gazing up at me with pure
joy. I saw us sleeping under the stars, a young man –a prince– sitting cross-legged on the grass nearby and playing us a lullaby.

  I fell to my knees, the sword clattering on the ground beside me. I could not bring myself to slay it.

  There was a loud crash somewhere behind me where I imagined Selenah and the Shadow Reaper had fallen to the ground. The Dragon suddenly stood up on its hind legs and I cringed, expecting it to burn me to cinders.

  Instead, it let out a shrill cry, full of pain and agony. Its tail swished back and forth as it cried out, smashing into the King’s Castle behind it. It clutched its heart with its claw and let out another cry full of torment.

  I covered my ears at the Dragon’s cries and cringed.

  I could feel its pain in my chest.

  Abruptly, it stopped, and its scales took the color of gravel. I stared at it and blinked, only to realize it had turned to stone. Without warning, it crumbled. I covered my eyes from the shower of rocks and debris and looked up. All that was left of the Dragon was a pile of dust. I gawked at the sight of it. Such a massive creature...reduced to nothing.

  I gasped, now feeling as if something had seared my chest. My vision blurred from the pain and I doubled over, saliva dripping from my mouth. The burning sensation did not last very long, and I did not have much time to recover from it when a group of men on horseback came rushing past me, scattering the Dragon’s remains.

  The men wore the kingdom’s coat of arms on their armor: The King’s Guard. Following after them were a group of Palace Guards who had the emblem of the Solstice Palace on their armor. I knelt there in shock, when I then wondered, with the Dragon now dead, would the Shadow Reaper be dead as well?

  “Melanie!”

  I turned and saw Owen and Tiran emerging from the forest. Owen was limped on his bad leg, but still managed to walk. As they neared, I saw that two black-shafted arrows had pierced Tiran’s leg and side. Standing up, I rushed over to help support him.

  “Mel,” Tiran whispered. He coughed. Hearing him in such pain made my eyes prick with tears. “My family…”

  “Do not worry,” I said, trying to keep his mind at ease. “Just rest and everything will be taken care of.”

  We laid him and all the other wounded Royal Guards down in the Throne Room. It was now devoid of Dark Mages. Tiran lost consciousness moments after we had set him down. I turned to Owen.

  “Where is Selenah?” I asked, looking about the wounded to see if she was one of them. She was not.

  He sighed, wiping the sweat off his brow. “She was taken away by the King’s Guard. She was badly injured. I believe she was struck in the abdomen by your– the Shadow Reaper’s sword.”

  His last words echoed in my head. The sword is mine, but it belonged to the Shadow Reaper. I shuddered.

  “She will be fine, Melanie. I promise you.” He stood up from Tiran’s side and made a move to come closer to me.

  “Your leg,” I reminded him, forcing Owen to stay by Tiran’s side.

  “I am fine,” he countered, but I ignored his words.

  Walking over to him, I tore the bottom of his trousers, and we both gasped at the sight of his wound. The Dragon’s bite marks were oozing out dark, poisoned blood. I lightly touched the wound’s surrounding area and Owen inhaled sharply. It was in a far worse condition than any normal bite would be.

  “Sorry,” I said, looking at him. “I shall have a nurse look at it.”

  The King’s Guard had brought some of the nurses from the Solstice Palace and some herbal shopkeepers from nearby towns. I caught one of their attention and called them over.

  Owen caught my arm. “Do not leave,” he said as the nurse walked over.

  “I have to,” I choked out. The pain in Owen’s eyes was evident, and it hurt to leave him. But I owed it to Tiran that I contact his family and see how they were doing. “It is the least I can do for Tiran.”

  Owen nodded and handed me his sword, not meeting my gaze. I took it and left the King’s Castle with a guilty heart.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  A CALL TO HOME

  It occurred to me that I had no idea where Tiran’s family lived, and I stopped to turn back when I noticed a white wisp floating in front of me. It danced around me and then moved past me and waited for me as if were a guide. It had to be from Tiran, even in his current state.

  As I walked into Akron, following the wisp, I saw several homes still ablaze and others that had been doused.

  The wisp vanished when I came across a fairly large cottage that glowed faintly at my arrival. This must be Tiran’s home. It was made of brick and stone and was somehow undamaged by the fires. I took a shaky breath and walked up the small steps to knock on the door.

  I waited a moment before a boy that looked the age of seven opened it with an innocent grin. He looked exactly like his father and I forced a smile at the sight of him.

  “Hello child, where is your mother?” I asked.

  “Mama’s making Papa’s favorite soup! He is away fighting evil people,” the boy said. My smile grew.

  “Dillon! Who is at the door?” A woman, a few inches shorter than me, with long auburn hair and a fair complexion –she looked to be in her late thirties– walked over to stand behind the boy.

  I bowed my head in greeting.

  “Good day, Madam. I am Mel–”

  “Duchess Melanie! Please come in, love,” the woman said happily, curtsying before she opened the door wider in invitation. I walked in; dazed that she knew who I was, as Dillon closed the door behind me. “Come this way, Melanie.” I followed her from the large and cozy living room into the cluttered kitchen. “I am sorry it is such a mess,” she said with a laugh. “My name is Reya, I am Tiran’s wife. Your highness, please, have a seat.”

  “Thank you,” I said, sitting down. “But call me Melanie. I am not used to these formalities and I would rather you called me by my name.” Reya smiled. “But may I ask how you know of me already?”

  She smiled. “My Tiran spoke of the young girl who saved his life and what a fine lass she is. I can see now that he was right.” I blushed at the compliment.

  Dillon scampered into the room. “Mama, is she Duchess Mel?”

  “She is,” Reya agreed, taking a sip of her cooking.

  Dillon turned to me.

  “Truly? I thought she would be taller. Papa did say she was fierce and was not afraid of anything!” The boy then examined me, eyes narrowing as he did so.

  But hearing him speak of Tiran made me lower my head as I remembered why I had come.

  “Melanie, love, you did not come all this way to have a friendly visit, did you?” she asked in a low voice. Her voice made my eyes water. “It was foolish of me to have even entertained the thought.”

  “You are right, I have not,” I admitted. Seeing her catch her breath, I quickly added, “But Tiran is alive– just injured.” Reya sighed in relief. “He thought that it would be best to let you know he will not be coming home soon.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “How bad is it?”

  “He was struck by a Dark Mage’s arrow to both his side and leg.”

  Reya stopped her cooking for a moment, and then resumed. There was a long pause between us while Dillon played with the sword Owen gave me. I finally unclasped it from my belt and let him hold it. He staggered back as it was too heavy for him.

  “Tiran told me he had five sons,” I said, trying to lighten up the mood.

  “We do. The boys are out back in the yard, practicing swordplay.”

  “And Dillon cannot join them?”

  Reya shook her head. “He is like his father. He would rather be indoors with me than outside battling to the death.”

  Dillon smiled in my direction and then ran out of the kitchen, the sword dragging on the ground behind him.

  “He must want to show off to his older brothers. They practice with wooden swords,” Reya said, watching him go. Her eyes began to water, and she turned away from me. “Would you watch h
im for me, Melanie? I need a moment.”

  “Of course.”

  “Thank you, love.”

  I followed Dillon from the kitchen and out to their back garden. Seeing that I was after him, Dillon decided to run faster. Seeing his little self, moving at such speed while holding onto such a heavy sword, made me rush after him.

  I feared he would trip and hurt himself.

  Dillon giggled and called for his brothers’ help. “Eryk! Silas! Tristan! Radley!”

  “Dillon!” the four chorused.

  I stopped running at the sight of them. The four boys looked exactly alike and all the same age, which I imagined to be my age or slightly older. Dillon ran behind the four of them and giggled, still holding my sword in his hands.

  “Oh, I am Melanie.” I did a quick curtsy to the four, although it was more a bow in my armored dress. They bowed in return.

  “She’s Duchess Mel!” Dillon exclaimed. “I have her sword, too!” He showed his older brothers the sword I had given him.

  “Quite a find,” one of them said, and gently took the sword from Dillon and handed it over to me. “I think this belongs to you, your highness.”

  I took the sword, reattached it to my belt, and gawked at them. I had never seen four so alike. They all had their mother’s light skin, a vivid contrast to Dillon’s darker tones. When I noticed they were uncomfortable, I apologized.

  “Sorry,” I said, briefly looking away. “I heard Dillon say your names, but which is which?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

  The four must have been used to this, as they did not need to even glance at one another when they introduced themselves.

  “I am Eryk, and the first of four,” the one who had given me the sword said, a hint of pride in his voice.

  “I am Silas, the next eldest.” I noticed Silas’s eye color was not brown like his other brothers. They were gray like his mother’s.

  “I am Tristan, the third born.” Tristan seemed to like color gold since he was the only one with a gold armband and gold ear piercing.

  “And I am Radley, the youngest.” Despite the fact that the four were identical, Radley was slightly shorter.