The Shadow Curse

by Kala Merseal

  Cirith took Raethin down to the end of the hall, where staircases went both up and down. Along the way, locked doors lined the hallway, their secrecy suspicious and unsettling.

  Raethin followed the Guardian downward and soon they found themselves in a passage lined with stone. It led to a slim opening that emptied into a domed room, its wall curling with smooth stone adorned with reliefs. A grand staircase, vibrant with daylight, stood to the right and another hallway stood to the right. Cirith turned to the hallway, leading Raethin down it several yards until they approached a fork in the hall.

  One path led to an open threshold. Through it, Raethin saw a vibrant pool illuminated by magick. A tapestry of Rakeva covered the other path.

  Cirith paused at the opening of the pool chamber.

  “This was where you were for weeks,” Cirith said, gesturing to the waters. “We drenched you with Rakeva’s healing waters every day. We dunked you for hours at one point. I even used my own blood to keep the cursed ichor from tainting you further.”

  Raethin noted black stains on the stone floor then turned as Cirith left the opening. The Guardian pulled back the tapestry to the other path, revealing a short hallway leading to another chamber.

  “Here.” Cirith halted within the chamber, gesturing widely to the room. “This is where we performed the ritual.”

  Remnants of the ritual remained scattered across the floor. Burnt candles, ash stains lining the circle. Black stains like in the other room coated splattered against the white stone. Intricately detailed benches were shoved against the wall. The room curved to a point against the back wall, where a woman etched out from the wood spread her embracing arms wide. Kneeling close before her was another statue, this one covered with a sheer cloth.

  “Why show me this?”

  Cirith caught his stare and nodded his head toward the wooden woman. “Come.”

  A bench sat before the wooden woman. Cirith sat down on it facing her and patted the space beside him.

  Raethin sat beside him and looked up, gazing upon the wooden sculpture. The eyes of the woman were carved out and replaced by gems and they gleamed as if the woman’s soul peered out from their depths.

  “This is where Rakeva resides when she incarnates into the realm,” Cirith said. “Every few hundred years, she will come here for a few days to visit with the elders and me.”

  Raethin nodded, still uncertain of their visit’s purpose.

  The Guardian fell silent as he stared up at the sculpture. Then his gaze swept over the covered statue. “The gods can be merciless, Raethin. They demand much and expect full devotion.” Cirith’s voice had dropped to a mutter, as if afraid to say these truths aloud in front of the wooden woman. “They have a range of emotion that can be overwhelming at times. It took me centuries to navigate my goddess.”

  He sighed. “I saved you because Ara Zypherus cares for you. But I have changed your fate. You may be called to do things that may jeopardize the people you care about, just as I was.” Cirith’s eyes peeked at the kneeling statue again as he continued, “I don’t know what higher powers had decided to show you mercy, but I assure you that they won’t care for your feelings. If it is advantageous for them to protect Ara, then they will. If it is not, they may force you to betray her, to break her heart. You must know that the covenant you swore to be what keeps you alive—just as mine keeps me alive. If you break that contract with that being, you will cease to live. You may find that to protect Ara, you will have to hurt her.”

  “You speak from experience.” Raethin crossed his arms, scrutinizing Rakeva’s idol.

  “I do.” Cirith’s shoulders hunched as he leaned on his knees. “My goddess’s nurturing heart is boundless, but she is a jealous goddess. When I sought to love another as she expected me to love her, she retaliated. It just so happened that in her retaliation, she saved the very mortal she wished to strike from my life.”

  “Save?”

  “The Void King will seek more than just the Heir in this keep. I’ve protected another piece to his puzzle for decades.” Cirith nodded to the kneeling statue once more as he heaved to his feet.

  “This destiny has festered longer than you or Ara know.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Ara tried to stifle her embarrassment while she trained but her obsessive thoughts over her private meeting with

  Raethin and Cirith ran rampant as she tried training with Vilithian. Her cheeks were still stained with tears when she entered the training room. The elder said nothing when she approached him but gestured to the cushion on the floor opposite of him.

  Their training always started with meditation. After several minutes, her heart still raced painfully in her chest and her breaths shook. Vilithian stopped their meditation after a few more laborious moments.

  “What is it, child?”

  Aside from Misandreas, Vilithian was the easiest to interact with, his presence comforting.

  Ara sighed and ran through her hair.

  “I’m embarrassed for my outburst.”

  “What is there to be embarrassed about?” Vilithian asked.

  “Well…”

  “There is nothing,” Vilithian said with a wave of his hand. “You live. It can’t be expected of a living creature to not feel.”

  Ara soaked in his words before muttering, “I’m a princess. I should have more reservations and decorum.”

  “The truth is harsh to hear, Ara Zypherus.” Vilithian leaned on his crossed knees, his gaze pensive. “But you are a princess of a fallen kingdom. Your subjects are the only mortals within this keep. You have lost your father and mother and there is a chance that you will never go back to the life you had before. No one expects you to have a heart of stone. You have done well to manage your grief.”

  It was not often that Vilithian spoke as much at one time. His words were harsh and heavy on her ears. Tears welled up. She swallowed down the lump building in her throat and wiped at her eyes.

  “If you wish to take a break then you can,” Vilithian said. “But you must know that each day you go without progress is a day you are behind.”

  “I understand.”

  The elder sat back, his long-braided hair sliding against the smooth stone floor.

  “We can continue with meditation until you feel you are ready to begin as well. It may relax you.”

  “That’s fine.” Ara sniffled and rolled her shoulders.

  Then she relaxed her posture and closed her eyes.

  Meditation continued in comfortable silence. Minutes drew out into an hour. Slowly, her muscles relaxed, and her heartache dulled to a ghost of pressure in her chest. She felt her magick swell when her emotions calmed, its flow opening to her senses. She heard wind crack against the building, footsteps echoing through the halls, and the softest breaths coming from Vilithian. Faint smells of herbs in the rooms down the hall filtered through the air.

  Footsteps grew closer until they halted within the entrance. Ara’s focus waned as she felt his presence, a warmth radiating behind her. A glow illuminated her peripheral vision within the meditation.

  Her eyes fluttered open and saw that Vilithian was also out of his meditation, watching the newcomer approach.

  “May I join?” Raethin asked as he stood beside Ara, his mutter still echoing in the dome-like chamber.

  The elder waved his hand. “Have a seat.”

  “Is this what your training consists of?” Raethin asked as he settled cross-legged beside Ara.

  Ara stiffened.

  “Some of it.” She glanced at Vilithian; his gaze unreadable as he studied the two. “We start with meditation.”

  “What else?”

  “Some channeling exercises then.”

  “She has practiced defensive channeling,” Vilithian said. “She is not yet to offensive.”

  Raethin nodded. “I could help with offensive.”

  Ara began to insist that he did not have to when

  Vilithian nodded.

  “If tha
t’s what you wish to do,” the elder said with a soft smile.

  With another curt nod, Raethin leaned on his knees and closed his eyes. Vilithian followed, falling quickly back into deep meditation.

  After a moment, Ara closed her eyes and took deep breaths, trying to focus on clearing her mind. She could hear Raethin’s steady, deep breaths, his expertise so in-line with Vilithian that it intimidated her. She was reminded of when she was younger when her tutors struggled to teach her.

  This also reminded her of Waetherea’s crown prince. Aescion would sit with her at times, practicing this simple first step to practicing magick. She wasn’t quite sure why practicing with Raethin reminded her of him, but it put her at ease. Aescion had been the only one to help her cultivate magick, even when all she could do were droplets of magick compared to his rushing rivers. He had been patient with her, excitable when she achieved tiny feats.

  Ara peeked at Raethin, finding him still in a deep trance. With his face slack, she was suddenly aware how attractive he was. His lashes were long, casting a shadow against his high cheeks. His relaxed lips were full. His hair during his time asleep had grown to curl around his neck and jaw, its dark chestnut tint gleaming in the sunlight filtering from the dome’s glass ceiling.

  She turned away then, cheeks flaring with heat, and caught Vilithian watching her. The elder smiled as Ara squeezed her eyes shut and ignored the pattering of her heart.

  “Am I distracting you?”

  Ara jolted, her eyes flying back open. Raethin still closed his but a faint smirk crept into his slack features.

  “Yes.” Vilithian answered for her.

  Dumbstruck, Ara eyed Raethin as he looked at her.

  Vilithian sighed.

  “Must we adjourn for today, Ara?” the elder asked.

  “No—” Ara stammered, her cheeks hot as she turned away. “We can continue.”

  “Must I leave?” Raethin asked in the same disappointing tone. “I really looked forward to training you—”

  “No—” She stuttered, covering her eyes. So embarrassing. “We can continue. Just ignore me.”

  “We are training you. How can we ignore you?”

  “Just—let’s just continue meditating, okay?” Ara snapped. She rolled her shoulders and squeezed her eyes shut, taking deep breaths to calm herself. The others hesitated for a moment before doing the same. Ara was tempted to look at Raethin again, knowing that he was smirking, but force herself to focus.

  Eventually, Ara managed to return to her deep meditation, where the flowing creek of magick waited for her. It ebbed and flowed with her attention, wavering when her thoughts betrayed her to the elven man sitting beside her. It took more effort to reign her emotions but with time, she felt the river flowing within her veins.

  “Good.” Vilithian’s praise cut through the comforting darkness. Ara held onto the flowing energy in her veins as her eyes fluttered open.

  “Hold,” Vilithian said. “Slowly, build it up further in your limbs then push it outward.”

  It took several more minutes, her attention waning when she caught Raethin’s scrutinizing stare from the corner of her eyes. She held Vilithian’s gaze as she focused.

  Eventually, Ara managed to push the boundaries of her magick outside of herself. She felt it shift against her skin, a writhing current of cooling energy sweeping over her like water. With further wrestling to support it outside of her body, she began to see the shimmering ward. It warped the sunlight streaming down from above them, like filtering through stained glass.

  Her lips parted and eyes widened with awe. It wavered briefly as she watched it then its surface strengthened and solidified into a wall of glistening liquid, much like the ward protecting the druids’ fortress.

  “I did it,” she breathed. This was the first time since she started practicing that she managed to produce the shield. Light glistened off it as its vibrant colors shimmered.

  “Yes, you did,” Raethin said, grinning.

  Ara smiled, her heart stammering. She could not remember seeing his smile that wide.

  “Good,” Vilithian said. He shifted to his feet, his hair sweeping across the floor as he approached. His fingers prodded the barrier and Ara felt the sensations within her core. He poked around the top and she felt the sensations in her skull then he moved his prodding to the side and tickles radiated across her arm and torso.

  “Do you understand these sensations, Ara?” Vilithian asked as he pulled away. “This means that each attack to your barrier, you will feel as if it hit your body. The stronger the attack, the more it manifests within you. Do you think at this moment that you could sustain an arrow?”

  “An arrow?” Ara repeated, breathless by the thought.

  “I…no, I don’t think so.”

  Humming, the elder placed his palm on the barrier, right over her heart. Then he produced pressure, radiating trickling energy into his physical force. The pressure ached throughout her chest. She clenched her jaw, forcing the barrier out. It flickered as pain radiated from her center, distracting her focus.

  “The shield is an extension of your energy, Ara,” Vilithian said as he pushed further. “You will feel everything. You must endure.” With that, his steady increase turned into a split moment of assault. The shield shattered, energy dispersing like mist.

  Ara hunched forward and clutched her chest. As she steadied her breathing and the pain faded, she looked at Vilithian, who nodded at her in approval.

  “Again.”

  ♦♦♦

  Vilithian’s torture lasted for the remaining daylight and by the end of it, Ara managed to sustain the ward even as he slammed his fists into it. She knew that the elder was not hitting hard but it still left what felt like internal bruising across her body.

  Raethin sat in silence during the entire training session, watching with calculating eyes as Vilithian assailed each ward Ara managed to produce. When they adjourned, Raethin helped Ara to her feet and steadied her.

  “I ache all over,” she hissed, clutching her hand to her chest.

  “It will get easier.” Vilithian gestured at the two as he turned on his heels.

  “Go now and rest,” he said over his shoulder and rushed out of the room.

  Raethin led the princess out into the hallway, holding her arm in his. She shuffled along, dull pain stinging in her limbs with each movement.

  “You did well today,” Raethin muttered as they walked down the staircase to the main floor.

  “Thanks.” Ara paused, eying their proximity. “You can let me go.”

  He met her gaze from the corner of his eye and sighed.

  “You could take my help quietly. I know you hurt.”

  Heat rushed up her neck. Her body betrayed her, the embarrassment of the day flooding in now that she wasn’t focused on Vilithian and his insane training tactics.

  “I’m not weak.”

  “No.” He nodded. “You’re not weak. But relying on others is a strength as well.”

  “I don’t wish to burden you any more than I have.”

  Raethin halted, lingering just before the doors leading outside. She jerked against him, his hand clamping down on hers.

  “You haven’t burdened me, Ara.”

  “But I have—” Her words caught in her throat as she caught his golden eyes. The intense expression in them stormed widely as he leaned forward. His arms wrapped around her, encompassing her in a warm embrace.

  Her heart thundered in her chest. Heat filled her skin as his presence engulfed her senses. Scents of pine and wood surrounded her as she took a deep breath. Her arms hung frozen by her sides.

  “You have not burdened me.” Raethin’s voice rumbled through them both. “I swore an oath to your father to protect you upon my life. I swore to a covenant with a Great Spirit to protect you. I did that without even knowing if you were still alive. If you were not, I was going to avenge you however I could.”

  Dumbstruck, Ara stared into his chest, uncertain what to say or
do or feel. Numbly, she felt tears slide down her cheeks.

  “I asked for this.”

  “Why?” Her sudden response was foreign to her ears, a croak forced from her lips.

  “Because I’m not a coward.” His words came out harsh. “You expect everyone to abandon you because there is nothing left to protect? That is a lie you are telling yourself. Every one of us cares for you. We respected your father and the only future we have is with you. If any one of us were to abandon you, we couldn’t live with ourselves.”

  Ara’s fingers twitched at her side as his embrace tightened.

  “You are not alone. We are your family now.”

  “But what does that mean for you?” Her arms came up to push against his chest. Raethin let go of her, watching as she swiped at her tears and stepped out of his arms. “What do you mean?”

  They were still close, within mere feet of one another.

  Ara took another step, surveying his guarded expression.

  “Why do you care for me?” Ara breathed. “We were adversaries before. We disliked each other. I…I changed my opinion about you but that was over weeks of contemplation and dealing with the fact that you risked your life for me. You did not have those weeks. So why? What do those words mean to you?”

  She was not sure what she wanted him to say. But her emotions welled up once more. Weeks of silent remorse and confusion demanded to release.

  “I’m not sure what you want me to confess, Princess.” Raethin crossed his arms, his golden contemplative gaze hardening.

  Ara paused, eyes wide and searching for answers. But Raethin withdrew inside himself, blocking her out once more.

  So instead, she closed herself.

  “Nothing,” Ara said. “Never mind, forget it.”

  She turned then, shoving the doors open. The sunset loomed over them, shadows of buildings and trees casted across as Ara rushed toward the visitor’s quarters. Raethin followed behind, his expression closed and scrutinizing.

  His hand gripped hers, halting her in her hurried stomping. Ara pulled against him and when his hold did not relent, she turned on him.

  “What is it now?”