The Darkness of Shadoewynne: Book 3 of the Shadoewynne series

by Penelope Kein

  I struggled to rein in my impatience with him as I sorted out his feelings in the bond. He was terrified.

  That gave me pause. I took his face in my hands and kissed him tenderly. “It’s fine, Kait. Believe it or not, I know what I’m doing.”

  His fingers tightened on my hips, digging in almost painfully. “I…”

  I kissed him again to shut him up. Whatever he was about to say would piss me off, I was sure of that. “Love, you need to trust me.”

  He relaxed almost to the point of collapsing. His forehead landed on my shoulder as his hands shook. “You don’t understand. I have no reason to live if you die. You need to stay safe, but you are too bullheaded to listen to me. How can I keep you safe if you don’t listen?” He delivered the last sentence in a whisper, almost like he was talking to himself and not to me.

  “I understand. But, I refuse to be locked up or kept in an ivory tower. I know you want me to be safe, but it has to be in a way that works for me. Train me to protect myself, to learn my power. I will not be happy sitting at home while everyone else has adventures. According to what Eir just said, that would kill Shadoewynne anyway. Besides, Kait, that isn’t what you are afraid of, is it?”

  He shook his head. For a second, I didn’t think he would answer me. Then he whispered. “I heard her thoughts. I don’t normally, so she must have let me in. Everything she said was absolutely true, but her instincts are hard to overcome. She was close to attacking you for those questions, Princess. You would not have survived. I know you needed those answers, and in a way, I’m glad you asked, but for the love of all that is holy, can you please, please, try to have a little more finesse when dealing with her?”

  I snickered. “I’m sorry, Kait. I’m not tactful and I refuse to grovel. She asked for my friendship, which means she gets me, warts and all. I will not change my personality to deal with someone who wants to be my friend.”

  His fingers reflexively tightened on my hips again as he struggled with his feelings. I quietly watched him. There was nothing more for me to say. Eventually, he nodded. I glanced around. Travis and David were watching us with almost identical expressions of fear. Both faces were white and David was chewing on his lower lip. I raised an eyebrow at them, so they came over to where I was. Travis was looking between David and Kait, somewhat lost.

  “So, David explained a little, but what just happened?” Travis was eyeing me now.

  I quickly explained what Eir had said, as well as some of what Kait had said. They didn’t need to know everything. Kait shook his head.

  He met David and Travis’s eyes before saying clearly, “Eir had to fight her instincts due to Princess’s presumptuous questions. She was close to attacking her. It scared me.” I hid my shock. I thought Kait didn’t want the guys to know how afraid he was. He turned to me. “They have to see me as a man, too, Evalia. They can’t do that if I hide my feelings. From them or you.”

  Wow. That was unexpected.

  Eir cleared her throat behind us. “Are you done discussing something that would have never happened? I am not ruled by my instincts, Kaitsja. Yes, I had a fleeting whim to attack but I would never have followed through on it. I didn’t get to be my age without learning to control myself. You are more presumptuous than she is!” She harrumphed as she strode away without giving us another glance.

  I chuckled at Kait, who was watching her with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. Putting a finger under his chin, I closed his mouth before placing a soft kiss on his lips. “Now who’s in trouble?” I whispered, then followed Eir, hurrying to catch up.

  We turned the conversation to more mundane things. “So, Eir, obviously, I haven’t lived very long at all, compared to you. How has the world changed during your lifetime?”

  Her eyes widened for a moment before she chuckled. “No one has ever asked me that. In some ways, it has changed a lot, but in most ways it has not. Human nature will never change, and truthfully, neither will Shadoewynne. Our species are more alike than many would like to acknowledge. Just the fact that children can be sired between species means we are closely related genetically. My theory is that there is a common ancestor between the two. It would explain much. History is one of my hobbies and I have researched the time before.” She glanced at me. “The time before me, child. I am thousands of years old, yet life in Shadoewynne has changed little. No technological advances, not even to increase comforts. Why is that? No one knows. On Earth, in the same time frame, people went from living in mud huts to living in climate-controlled homes, with vehicles to take them anywhere they want to be. But they don’t have magic. On Shadoewynne, we can control our environment, travel within this realm and beyond, in the blink of an eye. Many residents of Shadoewynne believe this makes us more than humans. I don’t. I think they are more, because they have the power to change. I’m sorry. That wasn’t what you asked.”

  I waved a hand at her, hiding my astonishment. “No, it’s fine. That was something I had wondered about as well. Kait’s house between dimensions was dated, but didn’t lack any of the comforts of home. It is my understanding that he built it well before Earth had plumbing and I wondered if he updated it, or if he knew about indoor plumbing before Earth did. It’s one of those things not worth asking but it nibbles at the back of your mind.”

  She smiled. “You are naturally inquisitive. That will serve you well. I am sorry for alarming you and your bonded. It was not my intention.”

  I hesitated a moment, then reached out and patted her shoulder. “I understand. You were merely answering my questions. It’s just one of those things. I shouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t ready for the answer.” I let my hand drop as I shrugged. “I was just hoping my role in all this would be done once we healed David and I could get back to my regularly scheduled life.”

  “The Svikari would not have been interested in you for merely your connection to the previous ruling family. There has always been more to it than that. They knew and your mother knew.” She paused thoughtfully for a second before adding, “Well, your mother knew some.”

  That made me stop walking for a second. Then I shook my head and continued walking. No matter what I thought of that damn conniving bitch now, she would be out of my life forever shortly. I don’t think I even want to see her before it happened.

  Now, it was Eir’s turn to comfort me. She laid a hand on my shoulder, giving it a quick squeeze before letting go. “She is biologically your mother but you don’t have to claim her. Family is more than genetics. It’s people who love you unconditionally, accept your flaws and celebrate everything that is you.”

  I nodded, still lost in my thoughts. Arms wrapped me up from behind, making me jump. David whispered in my ear, “We are your family now. Us, Janelle, Sarah and Orn. As well as Travis’s mom, who you haven’t met yet.”

  Turning in his arms, I stared into his beautiful grey eyes for a moment before kissing him tenderly. His fingers tangled in my hair as he deepened the kiss. I kneaded his butt with my hands. He gasped against me as he picked me up. My legs wrapped around his waist, causing my center to rub against him. I moaned as my hips moved on their own. His fingers dug into my butt and his tongue explored my mouth feverishly.

  A throat cleared behind me, reminding me we had an audience. I could feel my face turn red as David lowered my feet to the ground. “Sorry about that. I, uh, I don’t know what came over me.” Kait’s chuckle drew my eyes up to his.

  “Don’t worry about it, Princess. We didn’t mind.” He adjusted himself in his pants before he started walking again.

  “You didn’t, but Eir may have! Damn men!” I yelled the first part, then muttered the second part. Kait still heard it, though. He was still chuckling.

  I shook my head as David took my hand and began walking. He leaned in close to whisper in my ear. “I liked them watching.”

  Those little, innocuous words caused a shot straight to the juncture of my thighs. It was all I could do to hold back a gasp at the sensation. David chuckled da
rkly as he nuzzled my ear. How he could do that and still walk without tripping was beyond me. My legs could barely support me. Without David’s arm around me, I would have collapsed into a puddle of hormones already.

  After a minute or so, he finally took pity on me and moved away a bit. He didn’t release my hand, though. He cleared his throat. “So, Sugar, anything interesting happen while I was gone?”

  Since my mind was still full of hormones, it immediately went to the threesome with Kait and Travis. David missed a step as I dragged my mind out of the gutter. “Oh! I almost healed a cursed forest!”

  He glanced at me before looking to Kait, who nodded. “Wow! That is amazing! How did you do it?”

  I told him about training with Eir and the process she explained to heal the curse. I was babbling but he didn’t stop me and I could tell he was listening. I was gushing about going to see dragons on vacation when Kait stopped in front of a run-down cabin.

  “We’re here. Let’s get inside and get a fire started, then we can look at fully healing David.”

  I eyed the crumbling shack. The moss-covered wood shingles on the roof didn’t look like it was much protection and the entire building leaned slightly to the left. There was no glass in the windows and the swelled door couldn’t close all the way. We aren’t any more protected inside than we are in the open.

  Kait glared at me as he put his shoulder to the door to force it open, so I shut my mouth and followed him in silently.

  I don’t know why it surprised me. Past experience should have taught me not to judge by appearances. The interior was roomy, clean and homey, even with a packed dirt floor. A yellow light came on by itself when he opened the door and it was already significantly warmer. Damn magic.

  Kait harrumphed at me as he went about starting a fire in the wood-burning stove. He had to duck around the pots hanging from the ceiling surrounding it. I rolled my shoulders as I sat on the very comfortable, modern sleeper-sofa pushed against the wall opposite of the black iron stove. It looked like a studio, with only one door that I bet led to the bathroom. Eir sat down on one side of me while David sat on the other. David’s hand went to my knee and started making small circles on it while his foot tapped.

  After a minute of no sound but the tapping of David’s foot, Eir began speaking. “David, I would like to begin as soon as possible. It would be for the best if we do this before you eat.” He swallowed so hard I could hear it before he answered.

  “Yeah, sure. No problem. Where do you want me?”

  I snickered. That sounded dirty to me. Eir glared at me a moment before replying, “Please sit between us. We both need to touch you for this.”

  David turned pink. Eir’s response hadn’t helped get my mind out of the gutter and David was surely picking up what I was thinking. Eir played no part in my fantasies, and David wasn’t the one in the middle, but that wasn’t the point.

  Eir jabbed me in the shoulder with her finger. “Evalia! I have been speaking! Please listen! David’s life, and your own, may depend on it.”

  I sighed and nodded. Party pooper.

  “As I was saying, first, I will enter his mind and you will follow. Then, we will release the barrier you two created. I will assess the situation and let you know what the next step will be. Do not, under any circumstances, allow it to touch you until I determine its origins. Do not listen to it, either, David. Be ready to rebuild the barrier at a moments notice. I will tell you if you need to. Do you understand?”

  I wasn’t sure whose hand was shaking, mine or David’s, which was now holding mine in a white-knuckle grip. The sinews stood out on his arm and his Adam's apple bobbed convulsively as he swallowed repeatedly. His grey eyes stood out in his pale, bloodless face as he slowly nodded.

  “It will be fine, child.” She pulled a silken rope out of thin air. “I am sorry, but we need to restrain you, David.” He nodded and she quickly tied his hands and feet together. “We will not gag you as I originally thought we should. Evalia, wait a minute, then step into David’s mind.”

  I exchanged worried looks with David as I nodded. His eyes were following my pacing around the room. Wait! How long had it been? I should have checked my watch when her eyes slid shut.

  Mildly panicking, I put my hands on David’s head before closing my eyes. Eir clucked at me as I opened my eyes in David’s mind-scape.

  “That was barely a half-minute. I am not ready. You will need to wait.”

  Since her eyes shut as soon as she stopped talking, I didn’t answer. An odd whispering sound drew my attention to the barrier. I glanced at Eir, but her attention was on what she was doing. The murmuring grew louder, almost to where I could make out what it was saying. My hand traced the vines that were the bulk of the wall as blackness seeped between them. Darkness formed in my mind, showing me what I could achieve with my powers if I let go of my inhibitions.

  I flew backwards, my butt bouncing off the floor. I stared up at David, who was glaring at the barricade, while anger crashed through me.

  I will kill him for treating me that way!

  Wait.

  I shook my head; the darkness dissipated as if it never existed. Why would I want to kill David? I love him.

  As I struggled internally, another wall of vines grew around it, sealing the darkness behind it. A finger under my chin made me look up. David’s grey eyes, swirling with his magic, looked down on me, fear clear in the lines on his face. “Sugar, what happened? I called your name, but you didn’t respond.”

  “I think I was very stupid.”

  Eir’s voice made me jump. “Yes, you were. I told you to wait a minute before joining me, you did not. I told you to be careful, you were not. You touched the barrier. I told you not to listen to it, yet you did. The darkness almost overtook you. This is not a madness inherent in David’s mind. An outside force caused this.” Her finger pointed at my face, less than an inch from my eye. “If you will not listen, you will not help! Do you understand?” I nodded, mute from fear, both from her and what almost happened. Her voice was echoing, with multiple tones that all indicated her displeasure. My mouth was dry as I rose to my feet and dusted off my backside. She shook her head, then continued, “Move away. We will bring down the barrier. Do what you must so you don’t fall victim to its tricks again. Do not listen and do not let it touch you.”

  Once we had moved a considerable distance away, Eir began giving instructions again. Her ire had faded, so her voice was as normal as it ever was, with only a hint of the extra tones. “On the count of three, dispel your magic containing it. I will face it from here.”

  Chapter 11

  We set ourselves to be ready for anything. Eir began chanting in the same lyrical language Sibhre used when we broke the ward on me. My hands trembled as I held them ready in front of me. I could hear David taking deep breaths like he was steeling himself.

  Eir’s voice changed, and she called out, “One!” She paused for a heartbeat. “Two!” Another heartbeat. “Three!”

  I pulled the magic from the barrier. David must have done the same, because it crumbled to dust a second later, the fine black powder blasting forth and coating us liberally. I spit the grit from my mouth, grimacing at the taste while I did. Eir stood her ground, but David must have inhaled some. He was spluttering and coughing, his eyes streaming and snot running from his nose.

  An ominous figure stepped out of the haze of dust, bringing an involuntary gasp from me when I recognized it. It was a polarized version of Alarr. He darted to the side, away from everyone. David threw up his hands, creating a wall of vines in front of him. The reversed Alarr merely changed directions, heading back to where he started. He jumped toward Eir with his arms outstretched and fingers pointed. Like he thought he could use his arm as a sword and ram it through her body or something. I had to smother a laugh. Now is not the time to get distracted.

  To prove that point, he changed directions mid-air, coming for me now. I didn’t have a weapon, so I brought my arms up. This was Dav
id’s mind. Maybe it would work like in my mind. I pictured a shield appearing on my arm and a matching sword in my other hand. With only a slight flicker, both appeared just as he reached me. His fingers clanged off the shield, throwing me backward while I swung desperately with the sword. The tip grazed the odd black haze that followed him like a long coat that billowed out. It didn’t slow him down in the least. He spun on his heel and headed toward David.

  I sprinted toward David as well. We needed to be close so we could double team him while Eir worked. I glared at her. Her eyes were closed and she held her glowing hands out in front of her. The light reflected oddly on the smog still in the air, giving the surrounding area an eerie blue glow. Shadow Alarr flinched as he moved closer to her. We didn’t attack him; why did he flinch? David’s attack pushed him back, almost making him hit Eir. I jumped to get between them but he recoiled away again. Eir’s light hurt him!

  Satisfied that I didn’t have to worry about protecting her, I attacked while his back was turned. When he spun to face me, David attacked. We weren’t injuring him; he didn’t react, no matter how our swords stabbed or sliced. Wounds closed instantaneously with no blood and he didn’t seem to tire.

  We were, though. I hoped that Eir would hurry. It felt like this fight had lasted hours but I was sure it was just minutes. I was bleeding from several superficial cuts on my arms, and one streamed stinging blood into my right eye. Wiping at it with the back of my arm didn’t do much, just rubbed it into my hair. Luckily, my mental projection of myself didn’t wear glasses. I guess my mind wears contacts.

  I snorted at my thought as I blinked the blood from my eye. Shadow Alarr was circling us warily now. We had bounced him into Eir’s light several times, since it was the only thing that he reacted to. I feinted, he retreated straight into David’s blade. It ran him through the stomach, but he didn’t react, merely stepping forward off the blade. I know this is a mental image, but geez, this is ridiculous.