I shut my eyes briefly, squeezing the sword in my hands as Owen turned around to face me.
“Duchess Melanie will be at my side as the next Queen of Tenebris.” I felt my heart skip a beat as he said my name aloud and gave me a bright smile.
Walking forward, I stopped to stand at the base of the dais. I held the King’s Sword outstretched before me and dipped low, bowing my head. I swallowed, praying I would not mess up on my vows as I glanced up at him through my eyelashes.
“To my King, I surrender my heart,” I said, just above a whisper, “and to my kingdom I surrender my loyalty.”
Owen lifted the sword from my hands and unsheathed it. The sword rang in the air and shone in the glittering light from the chandeliers above and through the tall, framed glass windows. Connor stepped forward and took the scabbard of the King’s Sword from him.
“I accept your devotion, Duchess Melanie.” Owen then placed the sword’s cold edge below my chin and slowly lifted my face to look at him. My heart warmed at the sight of him smiling down at me. “May Tenebris flourish with her new Queen,” he finished, taking back the scabbard from Connor to sheath the sword and placed it onto his belt.
The moments now would change my life forever.
Owen stepped down from the dais, a crown in his hands. I remembered seeing its gold sheen and emeralds form when I had first seen it in the King’s Castle Throne Room, unused.
I held my breath as he secured it atop my head with a radiant smile. The audience behind us applauded, and I heard Selenah’s shout my name in happiness above all else. Taking my hand, Owen helped me to my feet, and we walked down the aisle to meet the people of Tenebris with a hopeful future.
The rest of the day was a blur of serenity. I could not remember ever being this happy. I was no longer Selenah’s shadow– I was my own light, having risen from every obstacle of my past. Owen and I spent those hours speaking with townspeople and noblemen alike, receiving wishes of goodwill and longevity.
When night had finally come, I was exhausted from all the dancing, laughing, and simply smiling so much. But I was grateful. Grateful to finally have comfort in a life that had always brought me down.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
AN OLD beginning
I awoke to the sound of the birds’ calls. A breeze blew in, scattering leaves into the chamber. I sighed and closed my eyes, pressing against Owen’s sleeping chest when I noticed something by the balcony curtains.
Brows furrowed, I stepped out of the bed, biting my lip as my feet made contact with the cold stone floor. I stepped over the purple lilacs and garlands that had been strewn across the floor in accordance to royal tradition and made my way to the balcony. Hugging myself, I could now see Niro perched on the stone railing, staring longingly at the open skies before him. Who brought him here?
Disheartened at the sight, I picked Niro up, brushing my lips to his feathers. It was time for him to start a new life, too.
I walked over to the threshold of the railing and unclipped his wings before I threw him to the winds.
“Fly, Niro,” I whispered.
His wings unfurled with a snap and he glided into the bright blue skies of the morning. Watching him go, I felt the necklace I wore begin to warm, and I instantly put my fingers upon it.
Niro’s body became smaller as the seconds drew on, and a tear rolled down my cheeks. Sniffling, I brushed the tear away. I knew it had been a matter of time before I would have to set him free. Closing my eyes briefly, I turned to go back inside when I heard a sharp call. Niro flew swiftly back onto my extended arm, flapping a few times before settling.
I smiled as he rubbed his head against my cheek.
“You need not stay with me anymore,” I said. “Niro, you are free now.”
At those words, Niro flew off my arm and perched onto the railing. He turned to face me and opened his beak, but no sound came out. Instead, black smoke enveloped him as I stepped back, shielding my eyes from the dark fumes.
When the smoke had cleared, standing before me now was the Shadow Reaper. Niro’s body was slumped against the ground, lifeless. My eyes widened, and I shook my head.
“No, no…” I mumbled, blinking furiously. “This cannot be…”
“Oh, Melanie. I feel almost indebted to you for saving me once more.”
“What?” I nearly shrieked. This must be a nightmare.
A terrible, terrible nightmare.
“That necklace you have dutifully worn since the day of my defeat? It is a charm of my powers that you have kept alive.”
I clawed at the chain, trying to pull it off me, only to realize it was no longer there. I shook my head, unable to speak. No. No. I thought Selenah gave this. What if–? The Shadow Reaper stepped forward, and I realized I could see right through him. He smiled at my recognition of his appearance.
“Yes, I am in spirit now. But soon, I will not be.”
“What do you mean?” I choked out, moving away from him until my back hit into the balcony wall.
“Soon I will be reborn as King,” he answered, kneeling before me. “Thanks to you.” I turned my head away from him, a sudden cold wind seeping into the nightgown I wore. “Melanie, I warned you and yet you ignored my call,” he hissed, making my heart jump at the vehemence in his voice. “And now you will be the one to make this last sacrifice.”
I turned my head in time to see him enter the chamber, looking on in horror to where he headed: Owen.
Scrambling to my feet, I pounced on the Shadow Reaper, in effort to stop him, only to remember he was not solid.
I fell to the frigid stone with a grunt as the Shadow Reaper continued on his way towards Owen. Forcing myself up, I raced over to the bed, ignoring the pain in my chest from the fall.
“Please, do not hurt him,” I pleaded, watching the Shadow Reaper study Owen while he slept.
There was a smile on his face. That could not be a good sign for either of us.
“He is much like Osric,” the Shadow Reaper said, now slightly frowning, “which is a shame, really.”
“What?” I asked, perplexed. Who is Osric?
“May my brother rest in peace,” the Shadow Reaper said, pulling out a sword –the same sword my father had given me so long ago– into the air.
He raised it above his head and I cried out, flinging myself onto Owen’s exposed chest to shield him. I flinched, expecting to feel the steel of the Shadow Reaper’s sword cut through me. It did not.
I slowly lifted myself to peer down at Owen to make sure he was all right when I noticed the Shadow Reaper’s sword had poked out of my chest and was imbedded into Owen’s.
Gasping, I felt my chest, the sword passing through my hand as if I were not there. I glanced back at Owen, hoping the sword had the same effect on him as it did me. But it did not. Blood stained his shirt, spreading fast.
“Owen?” I whispered, my voice cracking at the sight of his deathly pale face.
The sword glowed fiercely, and I covered my eyes from the bright flash. When I opened my eyes, the sword was gone and so was the Shadow Reaper. I gazed back at Owen and my heart skipped a beat at the sight of his unmoving chest. The blood was gone.
I flung myself onto him, sobbing.
“Owen, please…” I muttered into his still chest. “Owen, please be all right!” I cried into the folds of his nightshirt, shaking my head.
This is not happening. Not to Owen. I cannot lose him. Not now.
I had lost all sense of time when I felt his chest rise and fall against my cheek. Dazed, I looked up, seeing Owen smile down at me. Instinctively, I grinned up at him, relief flooding through my veins. He is all right. Leaning forward, I kissed Owen gently, letting him draw me close.
When we parted, I gazed into his eyes, expecting to see his bright blue ones. My throat constricted at the sight of vibrant green eyes winking up at me. Green eyes that belonged to a man that should have been dead.
“I promised you I would be King,” he whispered. “And now I am
.”
ACKOWLEDGEMNTS
A big thanks to my first editors, Jess, Beki Pate, and Rachel Morgan. Along with the many beta readers from Wattpad, I cannot thank you all enough. In addition, I would like to thank M. H. Afa for putting up with my demands for reading and editing every draft of Shadowed I’ve ever written. And a huge shout-out to the wonderful woman who created Shadowed’s book cover.
Check her services at moonchild-ljilja.deviantart.com.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tara Jadestone is a graduate of Midwood High School. She has been writing stories ever since the idea of storytelling was introduced to her. She lives with her large, annoying, but loving family in a small neighborhood she likes to think is perfect. She aspires to be a famous writer, with at least one of her works to be filmed on screen.
Shadowed is her debut novel.
To read more and stay updated on Tara’s work, visit: http://tarajadestone.webs.com/.
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