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Sorin sat at the dining table feeling anxious. He wanted to pretend that he was feeling this way because of the stressful afternoon he’d spent trying to come up with a plan, when they knew next to nothing about their enemy. But if he was being honest with himself, he was anxious because Shaye had spent almost the entire day training in the yard with Bastian.
His gut told him that Bastian could not be trusted, while Bron, Mavka, and Anik had told him to trust Shaye. Bron pointed out that his feelings for Shaye were perhaps clouding his judgment. Sorin ultimately agreed in attempt to put everyone at ease while they strategized. There were other matters at hand to focus on and he didn’t want to distract them with his own petty problems.
Anik had been eager to get on the road, so he took his leave and Sorin prayed he would make it there in time. More than that, he prayed that Anik would not run into trouble on the road.
Sorin and the others had just sat down to eat when Shaye entered the room with Bastian. Sorin couldn’t help but notice the joy on her face. She was glowing, her eyes even brighter than usual. He did not realize he was staring until Bron elbowed him in the side.
Shaye sat down across from him, launching into updates from her day... How she had tapped into her magic, calling it up as easily as breathing. She held out her hand, fingers twirling above the decanter of water in front of her. Droplets began to rise out of the glass, swirling in the air like rain falling up instead of down. It was incredible. The room erupted in congratulations and praise.
Sorin eyed Bastian. He could not stand the way he looked at Shaye. He looked like a beast eyeing prey right before an attack. Sorin could not hold back anymore, his questions were eating away at them and as much as he wanted to brush it under the rug, he couldn’t.
“Bastian, I understand that you’ve been in Skag. They have zero tolerance for Magi there, if I remember correctly. Was it difficult living under their rule?”
“My friends and I found a quiet village in the northern mountains. It was an adjustment, but we survived.”
“And, uh, what did your friends think of you coming all this way on your own? They don’t share the same sentiments for home as you do?”
Bastian remained cool and collected but Sorin did not miss the aggravation on his face. Bastian quickly replaced it with a look of sincere hurt, before he answered again, “No. They did not feel the same call to come home as I did.”
“Sailing through the western sea would be nearly impossible alone; it's often been described as a perilous journey through rocky waters. How did you cross so quickly? Not to mention, word of the broken relic couldn’t have hit Skagan shores more than a few weeks ago.” Sorin shrugged, attempting to keep a casual air about him. He just needed Bastian to slip up once. For one small detail to be out of place.
Shaye cut in, “Sorin, what are you doing?”
“Just trying to get to know our newest team member.”
“Well, it’s starting to sound an awful lot like an interrogation.”
Sorin threw his hands up in defense. “Bastian has nothing to hide, isn’t that right?”
Shaye pushed her plate aside. “Could we speak? Privately, please.”
Before he could answer, she shoved her chair back and stormed from the room. He followed her quickly through the kitchens and out into the barnyard. The horses whinnied in surprise at their sudden appearance. The door slammed shut behind them and Shaye spun around, turning on him before he had a chance to speak.
“What are you doing? Bastian has done nothing but try to help since he got here. Just because he’s Magi doesn’t mean he’s Nefari.”
“No, it doesn’t, but the fact that he shows up here, alone, out of the blue, means we should be careful. Even Ingemar cannot get a read on him. Something is clearly off and you’re too blinded by your past to see it.”
“How would you know what I’m too blind to see? Here I am, with you, the son of my people’s enemy. I betray the memory of my people, my family, by helping you.”
“Your decision to come with me was entirely your own. I have been honest with you every step of the way. For Mother’s sake, I spilled my guts to you last night, told you things I have never spoken of, and you act as if it means nothing. Instead, you spend the day with him.” Sorin wasn’t sure why he had said that. He was trying to reason with her, but instead he was sounding like a jealous lover.
“Is that what this is about Sorin? That I’m giving him my attention?” She stepped closer to him. “Bastian is my oldest friend. He is Magi, like me, and he understands what I am feeling. You are right, I chose to help you and I do not regret that, not for one minute. But today he gave me a gift; he helped me unlock my magic. Please believe me when I say that he is only here to help us.” She put a hand to his chest, lingering over his heart. She hesitated before stepping closer to him.
He looked down into her face, searching for what she was really feeling. She spoke again. “I belong to no one in this world. Do not misunderstand, Sorin, I care for you. I care for all of you, but I am done feeling afraid. If Bastian can help me get past the fear and tap into my full magic, then it benefits all of us. Of all the people in this world, I need you to trust me. Please.”
Sorin knew pushing her any more on the subject would only make her retreat further into Bastian’s influence. He was going to have to show her. He had an impulse to touch her cheek but held back. They had not talked about that night in the library, but the memory hung in the air between them. Things had shifted since then, and he was not sure they could go back.
“I do trust you Shaye. I trust you with my life. We just have to be careful, to keep all of us safe.”
She nodded in agreement and just as quickly as her body had pressed against his, it was gone. She retreated into the house, leaving him with the lingering feeling of something lost.
He kicked a nearby bucket in frustration. The sooner they found the Nefari stronghold, the better. Tomorrow he would scout with Mavka and Bron. Sorin decided to check in on the horses while he was out here. He picked up a pail, filled it with water, and headed to the barn. The horses were pawing at the ground when he entered the dark stables. He searched for a torch and lit it, casting long shadows along the old stone walls. The stables had held up well against the test of time. King Idor had loved horses and had spent more on building the stables than he’d spent on his servants’ quarters.
Finn was snorting and thumping against the stall door in a panic. Sorin reached out to calm him, rubbing the horse's neck and whispering soothing words to him. A noise sounded from one of the dark corners of the barn and Sorin realized they weren’t alone. He turned to see a massive, black, wolf-like dog, shrouded in shadows. They rolled around its body and Sorin’s heart sank when he saw its eyes; they were as red as the gates of hell. It was a Black Shuck, a hellhound.
The hideous dog lunged for Sorin, giving him no time to call out to the others. He waved the fire-lit torch at the beast, pushing it back away from the barn and the horses. It snarled at him, snapping its razor-sharp teeth. Its body wavered; it was as if its very being was unable to hold its form in the light. Black Shucks were uncommon, but he had read reports dating back through the ages. They came from The Beyond, conjured from the shadows to do their master’s bidding. Only black magic could create something so perverse. Dread set in as he realized there was no way he was going to outrun it.
Sorin grabbed a nearby pitchfork, all he had to do was keep a safe distance between him and the creature until he could get to his sword. The Black Shuck backed away from him, never taking his eyes from Sorin’s throat. It occurred to Sorin that if the hound was here then it’s master would be nearby. He had to warn the others if there was an attack coming.
By now, Sorin had turned them around, and he was closer to the door than the hound was. Backing up slowly, he waited until he was a few feet away before he catapulted the pitchfork at the monstrous canine. The Black Shuck caught the wooded handle in its mouth and snapped it in half. Foam was dripping from its mouth as it poised to pounce. Sorin bolted for the house, before the creature had time to strike, and locked the door behind him.
The Black Shuck threw its monstrous frame against the door, relentless. Sorin could hear it snarling as it tried to break down the only thing standing between it and its prey. Sorin shouted for help, and the group came running to his aid. “Bron! There might be more surrounding the house. Secure the doors and windows. The rest of you, now would be a good time to wield those magical powers of yours!” The door was shaking on its hinges as Sorin pressed his body against it in case it gave in.
Mavka whispered to her moths, and they fluttered off in a blur of gray. Ingemar held out her hands, a glowing gold dust rising from them. “Open the door, King Sorin!” she shouted, the cloud of dust growing bigger. He did as she said. The door launched open just as Ingemar released her magic.
The Black Shuck was knocked across the dirt, landing roughly near the stables. Its matted black fur rose on its back. Razor-sharp teeth snapped in anger. The growl that sounded from the beast was like thunder from a storm. It was already trying to rise when she began to form another cloud, but Shaye stepped in instead. She sent a gust of wind into the dog, knocking it over again, sending it rolling through the dirt and gravel. A silver dust glittered in the wake of her magic, and she gave him a triumphant smile. No anger lingered from their fight before.
It fell onto a tree root and, before anyone could call on their magic again, a vine swept the beast up, launching him out of sight. Jaws dropped open as they turned to Mavka. “That was your doing, I suppose?” Sorin asked, as he pointed to the tree. All they got in response was a shy giggle from the tiny girl.
Bron returned with news that the perimeter was secure. If its master had been near, then he or she was long gone by now. Bron and the girls retreated into the safety of the palace, but Sorin waited as Shaye went to calm the horses. It was just him and Bastian then. Even in the dark of the night, Sorin could see how pale he had become in all the commotion.
“You alright there, Bastian?”
“Just a lot to process, that’s all.” He straightened up and smiled confidently as he spotted Shaye returning from the stable. “Shall we end the night with a drink, celebrate a job well done?”
She took the arm he extended to her. “Yes, please.” She turned to Sorin, “Will you join us?”
As much as he wanted to be with Shaye, he could not bring himself to be around Bastian any more than was necessary. “Not tonight, I’m going to wait a bit, see if the beast returns; but I’ll see you in the morning.”
Her face fell and she bit her lip, but she said nothing. Sorin watched as they disappeared alone into the house, arm in arm.
Frustration overtook him. Between Bastian and beastly attacks, he needed a win. They would find that damned camp no matter what the cost, he decided. Tomorrow, we turn the tides.