Chapter Twenty-One

 

 

 

 

A rumble of the earth shook her awake. Shade hated mornings more than anything, but the sudden jolt was enough to make her scramble to her feet, pull out her sword and shoot out of her tent. She scanned the encampment and saw that she wasn’t the only one who had been awoken in such a brazen manner.

Surrounding them was a group of warriors on horseback. They each had long hair pulled into thick braids hung over slick metal armor with a crest stamped into the front of the breastplates. Shade expected women, but the warriors were all men, all with long, thick black hair and tanned skin. To her they looked almost Native American in appearance but without the intricate feathers and leather moccasins.

Shade held her sword up, locating the leader as he made his way toward the front of the group. A ring had formed around the encampment, making it impossible to escape in any direction.

Name yourselves and your destination.” The leader was marked by a bold tattoo covering one side of his face, making him look fierce. Underneath his set stare, his eyes were a brilliant amber-green hazel which stood out against his tanned skin like fire.

We travel to the Scren Palace, seeking to return the rightful heir, Shade, to the throne,” Dylan offered while still not lowering his blade. “We’re her escorts.”

Shade glanced toward him, knowing that he, of all of them, would know when to back down.

The Scren Palace is far from where you come, northerners. Not usual to have company heading that way.” He eyed Corb intently, suspicion growing in his eyes. “Who is the pale man? He is not from any northern tribes I’ve encountered.”

Corb. I am the Ancient Ice King of The Great Divide.”

With that, the group burst out laughing, shaking their heads as they murmured their jokes amongst themselves.

I highly doubt that. The Ancients have never been seen amongst us.”

Corb narrowed his gaze and the air dropped several degrees. Shade felt her insides tickle as she felt him draw off their joined power. She could stop him—the bind let her do so if she so wished—but she didn’t. Let them cower in fear, she thought. Looks like they need a wakeup call on who is really boss here. So she let him use his power, eager to see what he was up to.

The dirt and piles of rock all around them crackled into frost as a thin layer of ice expanded from Corb outward, until all the land in sight was frozen solid and the horses whinnied in protest at the magic vibrating in the air. The trees, saplings, fallen leaves and wood were all crackling slightly as the thin layer of ice spread over everything. It even made Shade shiver slightly, but she gripped her sword more tightly to hide the movement.

The raven-haired leader’s smile faded. He stared at Corb, studying the mother of pearl orbs and his frighteningly white skin and hair. The black chunk of hair snaking from under the thick locks caught his attention, making his hazel eyes burn with hatred.

Arrest him! He’s the Unseelie lieutenant,” The warrior hissed.

Wait!” Shade shouted over the starting commotion. Stepping forward, she held her arms out and reined in the ice. It reversed its movement as she pulled it back in toward the middle of the camp. After mere seconds, the layer of ice was all but gone. “He’s already restrained. We are bound by blood. He’s harmless.”

You must be Shade. I’ve heard all about you.” The leader of the horsemen cocked his head toward her, eyeing her up and down. When she didn’t relent, he cracked a smile. “A wild thing chained up can always bite the hand that feeds it.” The gang behind him chuckled, and the horses shifted under them.

Who are you? Will you let us pass?” Shade stepped forward but was met by one of his warriors who had jumped off his horse and now held his sword pointed, ready to strike her down. With each step she took, he took one closer.

We’re the Scren foot soldiers, otherwise known as the NicScren Army. We serve the Seelie Court and its queen.” He waited for her reaction before continuing, taking satisfaction in her confusion. “I’m Nyol, leader of the NicScren Guard. This is Paki, my second in command.” He gestured toward the guard watching Shade on the ground. She lifted her eyebrows at him, hoping he’d back off with the introduction. He didn’t. Loyal guard dog is more like it.

The others are part of my army. We’ve been amassing thousands to guard against Aveta and her unholy minions. They’re destroying the boundaries of Faerie and are probably starting a civil war with the mortal world, if you haven’t noticed.” Again he studied the group, evidently absorbing every detail of each person.

Shade is the rightful queen,” Dylan said. “You must answer to her. Let us get on our way to the palace and you will see we’re right.” Dylan’s patience was waning, and Shade hoped he wouldn’t lose it in front of so many. They would not be able to hold their ground against this army. They looked well trained and thirsty for blood.

Very well, we shall see about that. We’ll escort you to the palace so you can ‘prove’ yourself. It’s not far down the shortened path.”

Dylan and the others looked at each other, confusion swimming across their faces. “A shortcut?” Dylan asked. How had they not known about a short cut?

Yes. Only the royals and the army use it. Follow us, and we’ll get to the bottom of your claim,” Nyol snickered, turning his horse.

Shade had the strongest suspicion that things at the Scren Palace were not what they were expecting them to be. She hoped she was wrong, but now the deep, guttural feeling which often made her want to hurl had returned with a vengeance. That feeling was rarely wrong.

Dylan tilted his head, motioning for them to continue. “Very well, lead the way.”

Nyol nodded, eyeing him carefully, as if dissecting the Teleen guard in hopes of finding a breach in his hardened exterior. Dylan matched his glare, unrelenting. Nyol turned and motioned the rest of them toward the east, which wasn’t the direction of the Scren Palace.

That’s not the way,” Shade interrupted. Paki was behind her in a moment’s notice, giving her a shove. “Ow! What is your problem?” Paki’s stare seared into her. He seemed more aggressive than the others, and Shade got a brief projection in her mind from him. It was a woman, looking much like Paki, dressed in a long, flowing peach-colored gown. Her skin was golden brown, tanned like it had seen a healthy dose of sunlight. Her long black hair flowed over her shoulders, making her frame seem smaller and more fragile.

Who was she?

A frigid, ice-cold hand grabbed Paki and slammed him to the side. “Don’t ever touch her,” Corb snarled at him.

It’s alright, I’m fine.” She waved Corb back, throwing a searing glare at Paki and continued forward with the group. Why did she have the feeling that the woman in the brief vision was important not only to Paki, but to Shade, too? All she could hope for was that they would find out just how critical things were very soon. Maybe she could even discover the reason for Paki’s hatred toward her.

Sometimes the way is not what it seems.” Nyol’s hardened voice echoed back to them, and she looked up toward the brazen leader. He seemed very sure of himself, as if nothing could happen which he hadn’t already predicted. It made her wonder what he thought of them. She hoped there wouldn’t be too much resistance at the palace to her taking the throne back from whatever lesser queen had control over it at the moment. From the looks of it, it wasn’t going to be an easy feat. It might even prove difficult—or darn near impossible—if their feelings toward her were as icy as Paki’s.

They approached a clearing in the middle of the dried-out and sparse forest, and the horsemen gathered at the center of it, patiently waiting for everyone to crowd in closely. Dylan was studying everyone’s movements carefully, making Shade feel increasingly nervous. Claustrophobia crept in as she watched the group press in on her. She shivered as she backed into Corb, who grasped her shoulders, making her spin and almost tumble to the floor. His grip kept her standing, but she could feel his frozen fingers digging into her skin as she found herself staring eye to eye with the Ancient Winter King.

His mother of pearl eyes were not as white and shiny as before. As a matter a fact, they were the lightest color of blue she’d ever seen. He looked, dare she say it, more human with his irises that way. She gasped at the change, unable to take her eyes from his.

What’s the matter, Princess?” He cocked his head to the side as he took in her reaction.

Your eyes. They’re… changing. What happened to them?” She swallowed her fear away and waited as Corb dropped his hands from her shoulders and reached up to touch his eyelids. The silver bracelet gripped into the angry flesh of his wrist and looked even more deeply embedded than before. She had a strong suspicion the cuff was laced with iron to weaken him further. Even if it wasn’t, she couldn’t imagine the searing pain it must cause him and wondered if it would ever come off. If it did, she imagined he’d be scarred forever. Or maybe he didn’t scar. Maybe it would heal quickly the moment it was removed.

The sight of the cuff made her shift, uncomfortable with the thought that it had everything to do with her.

He blinked his human, light blue eyes at her, mystified by her discovery. “I’m not sure, Shade. I can’t say this has ever happened to me before. It must be my connection to you. Maybe in time….” He paused, his eyebrows furrowing as the thought passed his lips. “Maybe I’ll become fully human.”

They both glanced back toward Nyol as his voice echoed across the clearing. “This is the portal. It will take us straight to the entrance of the Scren Palace. Stay close together.” With that, he brought out a staff he’d carried with him and slammed it into the ground. The ground shook with a violent wave, making Shade and everyone else shift to keep their balance. She hoped it wouldn’t be like Camulus’s violent jaunts that made her want to hurl every time he’d taken them on a trip.

Not a moment later, the earth was still and the group began descending out of the clearing onto a cobblestone road which led directly up to the gates of a sprawling palace. Nyol approached the gate with a fluidity that made everyone move out of his way without even a word. He produced a small flute and played a short, melodic tune. The gates creaked open, wide enough for them to filter through, and shut immediately after the last warrior stepped through. Shade found it fascinating. It was similar to the Glass Castle’s gate, but different. There was not just one gate; the next one was an unseen barrier which, if Dylan and Shade hadn’t been behind Nyol’s people, they would have run right into.

Nyol drew a pattern in the air with his finger. He paused at times and jerked his hand in opposite direction, too. Once he was finished, Shade felt the breeze shift, as if a vacuum had been opened, and the troops began to march through. The place was protected by magical locks. How anyone ever planned to get through the gates without a royal guard was beyond her. It could easily be a very confining trap, too. Escape would surely be nearly impossible.

Nyol, who’s the current ruler of the Scren Palace?” Dylan inquired. Shade couldn’t believe she hadn’t asked this before. Even so, something told her she already knew. Someone must’ve mentioned it to her before, but she couldn’t remember who had, no matter how much she tried. The memory spell Corb had used on her must’ve affected some of her long term memory. At least, it was a possibility.

Queen Ariana. She’s not as powerful as King Verenis was, but she has her own tricks up her sleeve.” Nyol threw a cautionary glance toward Shade, making her feel that this queen had a lot more than just “tricks.” “I hope you are who you say you are. She will submit to Verenis’s daughter, but she might make you prove it first.”

They’d arrived at the inner castle entrance and entered into a large entry hall. Shade studied the intricate stone decorations throughout, falling in love with its ornate designs immediately. It felt oddly familiar, like it recognized her, making its magic sing and caress along her skin with a warm breath. It made the hairs stand on end and had her smiling, even though they were being stripped of their belongings and weapons by the NicScren soldiers.

Whispers fluttered in her ears, like the voices of ghosts.

It’s her.”

She’s returned.”

Rightful ruler.”

Shade spun around, attempting to find the source of the whispers, but found none. “Did you hear that?” she asked Dylan.

Dylan looked up, just having handed his swords to Nyol. “Hear what, Shade?”

Noticing that no one else heard them, Shade shook her head, sighed and shrugged her shoulders. “Nothing. I just thought I heard someone whispering.”

These halls hold the memories of centuries of rulers and their magic. It’s not uncommon to hear the voices of the past. At least, it’s not for the rulers of the castle.” He squinted his eyes at her, observing her a little more closely. “So… daughter of Verenis. I would’ve loved to have met him. He’s legend in the Southern Realm. He was great ruler.”

She hoped he’d been great enough to allow her to easily regain the throne from Ariana. From the dread growing in her stomach, something told her that it wasn’t going to be easy at all.