Shadow of The Marked: Divine Series

by J. G. Maltos

  Koura curses under his breath as the wall he created starts crumbling down. He looks at a soldier next to him. “Bash! Take Princess Althea to safety!”

  The tan soldier gives a heavy nod, his sharp features carrying the seriousness of a man who grew up in battle. He thrusts his fists out in front of him, extinguishing a fresh wave of fire that was sent flying above our heads, and makes his way to me by jumping over the rails and landing expertly on his feet.

  I take a step back. “I am not leaving!” Bash looks between Koura and myself, unsure of how to continue. I decide to make the answer simple. “Lay a hand on me and this fishing rod will be sticking out of a body part.”

  The soldier raises a perfect eyebrow between the two of us, but Koura holds his angry stare on me. Just as he opens his mouth to respond, the last of his wall crumbles and a fireball crashes near him, sending him back against a railing. A guard rushes forward at the opportunity, a roaring fire blazing like a dagger through his fist.

  Koura quickly forms a clear blue sword and raises it to block the attack from the guard, trapping the guard in his hold and expanding the ice to cover his attacker’s wrist. The guard's lips twitch in anger as he tries to pull himself out of Koura’s hold, but Koura tucks his leg around the guard's ankle and twists his body to send him flying overboard, disappearing into the violent waves.

  On the lower deck, another guard crawls out of the shadows like a roach. His blood-crazed eyes fixate on me as if I was a trophy. He rushes towards me, sword in hand but I use the long fishing rod to block his swing and push him back. It was like I was back in the cage. I found myself bouncing on the balls of my feet, waiting for his next move.

  Anger flashes across the guard’s face and he lunges at me once more. I connect with his sword and raise it high. I see an opening and force my elbow against the side of his ribs as quickly as I can until I hear a satisfying crunch. I step back as the guard bends down. I use the moment of distraction and use the base of my palm to slam it up against the bridge of his nose.

  He falls back and lands with a heavy thud. Koura jumps over the railing, sliding against the wet floor and delivering the final blow with the heel of his boot. Eventually, he stands and looks at me with wide eyes.

  “I cannot believe it,” he stammers.

  I ball my hands as I feel the adrenaline begin to leave my body. The stabbing in my ribs became noticeable once again.“C’mon! They need our help.” Koura nods and rushes forward through the rain.

  We help a few other soldiers on the ship. My body aches from the forced movement but I rather take the ache than having the other side win. Koura tells me to go find Nathaniel on the ship. I look around and it does appear we are winning. Only a few guards are left. I agree and I start making my way into the ship.

  I wipe away the sweat and blood that has collected around my face as I enter the ship's hallway. I walk up the stairs where I think Nathaniel is but something hard connects at the base of my head and all I see is black.

  I wake with a killer headache. I need to stop waking up like this. Soft silky sheets rub against my skin and I am jolted awake to the strange sensation. I am frozen in place as I catch a figure in the corner of my room. I put pressure on my eyes and look back but the figure is gone. Great, now I am seeing things.

  I scan the room. There is no coldness of a metal bed, nor roughness of a thin sheet that can hardly keep out the winter air. I feel warm and everything around me feels smooth. As if that isn’t strange enough, my eyes no longer met the wet cement walls that chip with every raindrop. I take in the beautiful, white walls that hold intricate gold detailing branching out into its corners.

  I swing my legs across the wide bed, ignoring the soreness of my body the moment my feet hit the marble floor. The outlines of white roses trickle throughout the marble ground. It all seems so familiar.

  The Frost Kingdom.

  My throat burns with sudden memories of this castle. This room. On the corner was a bookshelf I remember being nearly empty when I was younger. Now it overflows with books I am not familiar with in the slightest. A lot must have changed. I stop as a smoky scent breezes through my nose. A scent that I have only smelled in the cells. The feeling of deja vu passes through my mind, but I quickly shake my head.

  Am I safe? Or have the dark shadows from the cells followed me as well? The memory of those golden eyes I had once seen flashes before my eyes. I scoff at the thought.

  I walk toward the enormous closet on the other side of the room, catching sight of a row of gorgeous dresses and winter coats. They all look to be my size and I couldn’t help but wonder how long they’ve had these here for. I push the dresses aside to reveal the back of the closet. I smile as I catch sight of the carved lines that are stacked against each other. Althea—7 years old. Koura—7 years old. The memory of him jumping with joy as he saw how he beat my height entered my mind and a giggle immediately escapes past my lips.

  I laugh and laugh without realizing how the sound became more of a muffled cry. A pair of feet near me, but I am too overcome with raw emotion to bother composing myself or even to see who it was that had entered my chambers without permission. A comforting hand closes around my shoulder, but the silence continues.

  “They are gone…” I push the words out through broken breaths.

  “I know nothing I say will make this any better.” It is Koura that speaks. “But you have people here that have missed you and love you still.”

  “I’ve kept myself alive for so many years. I wanted to see the outside of the cells for so long, but I didn’t imagine I would feel like this after—” His grip tightens on my shoulder, but his gaze remains soft as he lets me continue. “Everything is slamming against me like waves of reality. I can’t swim. I can’t breathe. They’re breaking me.”

  “They aren’t breaking you, Princess.” He gives me a sad smile. “They’re shaping you.”

  “Shaping me?” I scoff. “Into what?

  “Well, I suppose that’s what we’ll see.” He lowers his gaze. “I understand that feeling though. My mother died that night, too, protecting your mother. Friends until the very end.”

  My heartache turns into a saddening regret as something familiar flashes in Koura’s eyes. It is only for a moment, but I’ve seen that look too many times in my reflection to not recognize it in someone else’s.

  “That night.” I push down the fear at the memory. “I had seen her, your mother. I had no idea she was in the kingdom that night. She was the first face I saw after waking up, and then my mother came—” I refuse to continue. He knows the end of that story anyway.

  “My mother made her choice to save someone she cared about.” Koura finishes me. “I can understand that better now than I did back then.” His voice stays somber. “It wasn’t until after that night that I was told my mother had left Frost Kingdom.”

  “She hadn’t said anything about going to the Earth Kingdom?” That confuses me. The Earth Kingdom is a day’s travel at least, it’s not something one would do on an impulse.

  “Not that I could remember.” Koura shakes his head and I wonder for a moment if thinking back to those times hurt him, too. “My mother had an argument with Elite Elena the night before. Maybe that had something to do with it? ”

  “They did? Do you know what they argued about?” I ask, biting my nails.

  He shrugs. “I haven’t the slightest idea, but it left her distraught.”

  I move toward him to offer a comforting hug of my own, but I immediately regret the motion. Everything within me hurts. Six years of physical pain finally catching up with me.

  Koura closes the distance between us, bringing his head to my level. “You really need to go get looked at, Princess.” His eyes roam my body with worry. “We tried to patch you up the best we could while we were on the boat. Nathaniel has more experience in that field, but he could only do so much.”

  “That’s okay.” The idea of leaving this little piece of sanctuary sends my mind racing. “Do yo
u think it’s possible for them to come here instead?”

  Koura’s eyes widen with realization. “Of course, Princess. I’ll go get the physician. You just get back into bed and rest in the meantime. No unnecessary movements.”

  I smile at his caring tone. “You don’t have to tell me twice. I’ll be still as a statue.”

  He cups my elbow and helps me out of the closet, walking carefully beside me as if I were to break at any moment. He stops by the window and releases my arm. “It won't take long,” he promises and leaves my room.

  Chapter 3

  A warmth hits my cheek. The sun bleeds through the window in an overwhelming light, brightening the room beyond what I have become used to. My wish has come true. It is summer and I am back at the Frost Kingdom like I would have been all those years ago. But something is still missing—someone is still missing. Part of me feels emptier than I had been back in the cells, but another part welcomes the simple sun.

  I feel the weight of a pair of eyes on me. My heart pounds against my chest as I slowly turn away from the window. My room is empty and silent. But, I cannot shake away the feeling I am being watched. Maybe there was someone in my room. I bite my nails as I continue to inspect the room. The door suddenly squeaks open and I jump at the sound.

  “When you said still as a statue, I didn’t think you meant that so literally, Princess,” Koura jokes, startling me out of my thoughts. His head is peeking through the door and a laugh bubbles within me at the sight. His smile brightens and he widens the door to reveal an older woman in a long, white robe that circles at her feet. “Princess Althea Thierah of the Earth Kingdom, I present to you one of the finest medicine women in the Frost Kingdom, Physician Xenio.”

  “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Physician Xenio.” This princess ordeal can not have been more ill-fitting to me.

  Luckily, the physician ignores the obvious grimace that masks my face and smiles brightly. “It is a great pleasure to be in your presence, Princess. I am truly honored to be entrusted with your health. I assure you I’ll do everything in my power to make the process as comfortable as possible.”

  She seems nervous, but I can’t fathom a genuine reason. I may be a princess, but I’ve been gone for so long, I doubt I held any type of influence anymore. I glance at Koura, begging him silently to help console the woman.

  Koura jumps to my side as if reading my mind. “Physician Xenio, Princess Althea has been absent for quite a while.” He looks back at me for guidance. I give him a simple nod. “Let us not overwhelm her with such devotions so early in her return.” He sent a wink my way. “Although Princess Althea does love devotions.”

  I ignore his obvious sarcasm. “Please, Physician Xenio, simply call me Althea. It’s just the two of us after all, so there is no need for formalities here. Having you comfortable would make me more comfortable as well.” My eyes zero in on the leather case she holds tightly in her hand. “Are there any needles in there, by chance?”

  She pulls the case closer to her. “Of course, Princess—I mean, of course, Althea.”

  “Oh,” my breath catches in my throat. “I must ask to leave them in their spot.” I force out a carefree laugh. “I’ve always hated needles. My mother would have to hold me down as a child when the yearly examinations were due.”

  The physician relaxes her shoulders. “That won’t be an issue. They aren’t necessary for today’s examination, speaking of which.” She makes her way to the edge of my bed. “May I?” Her hand tugs at the silk blanket with a questioning gaze, waiting for my nod. “If I could have you sit up for me, please.”

  Koura inches away from me, but I wave him to join me at the edge of my bed. Xenio places her case on top of the drawer beside my bed and spares him another questioning glance. “Althea, I will be asking a few questions regarding any visible wounds. Would you like Koura to step outside for that portion of the examination?”

  He doesn’t wait for my response before standing on his feet again. “I’ll be at the other side of the door in case you need me, Princess.”

  Panic rises in me again. “I would much rather have you here, Koura. You saved me. I doubt there is much you don’t know anyway.”

  The physician accepts my response and Koura settles back by the foot of my bed. She pulls a clipboard from the case, followed by a series of bottles that I haven’t seen in a while. “I’ll explain everything as I go, Althea.” She holds a large bottle in one hand and a smaller glass flask in another. “I’ll begin by cleaning any visible wounds, disinfecting with alcohol, and follow with a cream that’ll prevent further scarring. I feel I must warn you,” Her lips press into a firm line. “This will be a little unpleasant.”

  I shrug. “I’m sure it’s not the worst pain I’ve been subjected to.” The words leave my lips without a second thought, and I instantly regret having spoken the moment I feel the energy shift in the room. I feel a set of strange eyes on me. I scan the room for the source of hidden eyes but I find none. Great, now I am feeling paranoid. I shake my head.

  Koura and Xenio exchange a glance at my odd behavior but say nothing else. The physician turns around to pull the rest of her equipment, and I notice Koura’s eyes glaze over. It seems I’d be the one doing the distracting this time.

  “How are the soldiers and ship crew members?”I ask.

  “Some were wounded, but there were no fatalities.” He sounds distracted and when I look up at him, he’s staring intently at the physician’s equipment. There was an air of unease around him and I thought perhaps he hated needles just as much as I did. He must have noticed me staring at him and focused his attention back on me. “ Bash Crystallos and Nathaniel Helarze want to thank you for helping. You are an amazing fighter.”

  “I had to learn fairly quickly.” Koura nods uncomfortably at my response. “What happened to me? I thought we were in the clear and suddenly something hit me and that’s the last thing I remember.”

  Koura's jaw tightens, “We had missed a cell guard and he hit you against the head. But we took care of him.” His eyes glaze over with sadness. “I’m sorry, Althea. I should have been paying better attention. I should have protected you.”

  “Koura.” I pull his attention toward me with a soft tone. “You saved me from the cells after six years, you can’t expect everything to have gone according to plan. Nothing is ever that easy.” Something suddenly came to mind. “How was it that you were able to find me after so long?”

  At this, he extends his legs, allowing himself to get comfortable but only slightly. I imagine this topic won’t be a light one. “After that night, Elite Theon had captured a few people from the day of the attack on your kingdom. They swore you were killed in the fight but, without a body, your death could never be confirmed. There was a team assembled strictly dedicated to finding you.” His brows furrowed together, no doubt at the memory. “By that time, I had already been training with his court. I was able to move up in rank and eventually request to be head of the team. I was able to pull answers seldom few could get.”

  “What led you to me?” I ask, puzzled. Not once in my six years could I even have gotten a hint to where I was being kept. “Where was I?”

  “We were able to locate an island between the Lightning Kingdom and the Forgotten Kingdom. An old bridge was made.” His fingers twist together, and he refuses to meet my eyes. “We had maps of the regions and that island was nowhere on the map. We were never looking for it.”

  “An informant just gave you the location?” There was no hiding the disbelief in my voice.

  “I wouldn’t call it ‘giving.’” He chuckles, but the smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “As I said, they weren’t able to get much information out of them until I was involved.”

  I look at him with a cautious glance. “Then how—”

  “We were running out of time.” His voice is firm as if he is trying to convince himself more than me. “I had no choice. I did what I had to do. I wasn’t ready to give up on you. I knew y
ou weren’t dead. No matter how many times everyone tried to convince me otherwise. I never gave up hope I would find you.”

  Xenio silently applies the alcohol to my wounds. A sharp curse escapes me as she touches a particularly sensitive spot.

  Koura reaches toward me, giving Xenio an intense look. “Careful!”

  “It’s all right, Koura.” I try to reassure him, but it becomes difficult as each sting reminds me of what caused the wounds to begin with. I wince again. “I’m just glad to finally be here now. Honestly, I don’t know how much longer I could have lasted there.”

  “What happened to you there?” He lowers his voice as if he is afraid asking me would send me on edge. He isn’t too far off. His question catches the physician’s attention as she moves to the other side of the bed, this time lifting the cover and focusing on my bruised legs.

  Something catches in my throat. “I wouldn’t know where to start if I’m being honest.”

  “Let’s start with what you remember when you were first there.” He guides with an understanding smile. He moves closer to me, careful not to disturb Xenio, and places himself against the headboard, taking my hand.

  I try to smile but it feels more like a grimace. There is no use fooling anyone that I am okay, much less myself. “The first thing I remember was emptiness.” I choke out, shutting my eyes as if that would somehow shut out the memories. “The walls were of rock and concrete, but I felt nothing inside me. There was no energy.”

  “Nothing?” His face shows pain, pain at the mere thought of losing that connection with something so closely tethered to our very beings. He extends his arm, facing his palm ahead of him and small snowflakes dance off his fingertips, circling his elbow. The way they flow so effortlessly, so in sync with him, I could have sworn the snowflakes shared his breath. That would take years of constant practice and constant nurture. He wouldn’t know what a break in the tether would feel like, and I hope he never would. “How is that possible?”