The Lord of Shadows

by E E Ewer

  Alastor glanced at Margery. The two of them doubted that Nire would have any knowledge of Lucian’s political strategies. “Perhaps, Lord Seophan,” he began, “it is best to wait for Lord Lucian himself to discuss these matters.”

  Seophan glanced at Nire’s nervous expression and then returned his gaze to Alastor. “Yes, perhaps you are correct.”

  Nire did, in fact, know the answer to his question. However, she wasn’t really sure she felt comfortable announcing that to the world just yet. She also didn’t like feeling like a useless ornament, so she decided to find a medium.

  “Actually,” she said as all eyes turned to her, “he has come to a solution, but I don’t think it is my place to speak of it,” she said as calmly as possible. Alastor and Margery shot surprised glances in her direction.

  “Is that so?” Seophan asked with a raised brow. “Well, that is good to hear. It had been a daunting problem for some time now, as I understand. When he is well we will speak of his solution properly. It would be discourteous to discuss the matter any further in his absence.”

  The massive demon to the left nodded in agreement, and Nire quietly let out the breath she had been holding.

  It took many weeks to get the castle back in order, and with Lucian in the depths for the greater portion of that time it had not been easy. When he finally emerged, he divulged to the other Lords that his son would be taking Azael’s place. In the mean time the South would be governed by three Elders, one representing each of the three remaining quadrants. The Lords agreed with this course of action, and each selected an Elder demon from their respective courts to serve as a member of the new Southern Council.

  It would take time for Eastcastle and the city to recover, but the majority of the Eastern Quadrant had been untouched and with supplies and men coming from every town nearby it was well on its way. With the situation now under control, the North and West bid their farewell and began the journey back to their respective quadrants.

  Nire had grown somewhat used to the constant hassle in Lucian’s absence, but was relieved when he finally made his reappearance. They had decided to allow Eastcastle to fully recover before scheduling a wedding, but a small engagement ball was planned and Nire was sure to be present for this one.

  As years passed, Nire outlived the majority of the residents of Eastcastle. Margery finally left their service at the age of 823, and Miko long before that. Nina had taken her place for a lengthy period, but she too eventually left Eastcastle and her apprentice took her place. Lucian had kept Gibson around for far longer than Nire could have ever imagined possible, but he too eventually disappeared one day.

  Neir still served in the Medics halls, but she was also training an apprentice for the day that would eventually come. Nire’s heart broke and strained every time one of her friends aged and left her, and she understood well why Lucian kept such a distance from mortals.

  This day in Eastcastle was one that had been lurking around the corner for centuries. Despite the care that had been taken, Nire’s heart was finally beginning to fail her. She’d been extremely weak for days, and could hardly bring herself to sit in bed this evening. Lucian sat by her side, holding her hand. He’d done everything in his power to delay her death, but it didn’t seem to be avoidable any longer.

  She lay propped on a stack of pillows, her long brown hair trailing along the cool sheets beneath her. Her skin was smooth and soft, and she appeared no older than the day she’d finally returned to Eastcastle. She smiled at Lucian, who gazed at her darkly, a scowl fixed upon his features.

  “Lucian…” she started, but only sighed. There wasn’t much she could say to him that hadn’t already been said.

  Outside the door a young brown haired man paced back and forth, and a thin red haired girl sat on the floor.

  “Lila! Ezuriel!” called a voice from down the hall. The red haired girl stood and the other stopped pacing. Running to her brother, Lila threw her arms around his shoulders.

  “Luthinos!” she exclaimed.

  Ezuriel approached the two. “Brother,” he said, extending his hand. When Lila released him the two clasped hands and embraced shortly.

  “How is she?” Luthinos asked his siblings tentatively.

  “Not well,” answered Ezuriel, shaking his head. Lila’s blue eyes looked sadly up at her brother, his dark hair tied back neatly in a low pony tail.

  “And father?” he added. The two siblings exchanged glances, but remained silent. “I see. I would have been here sooner but there has been trouble in the South with wildfires. It was quite a chore having to ride around them.” His golden eyes were filled with worry as he studied his brother and sister, who stood very quietly.

  “I don’t think he’s well,” Lila finally said. “Not at all. I’m not sure what’s going to happen. I’ve never seen him like this before.” She held her arms across her chest and looked to the floor. Luthinos placed his hand on her shoulder, his yellow eyes reflecting her concern.

  Her long red hair spun with her as the bedroom door opened, and Lucian stepped out.

  “Luthinos,” he said. “I thought I felt your presence.”

  “My Lord,” Luthinos addressed his father formally and bowed slightly. “How is mother?” he asked.

  “Not well. I doubt her heart will hold out much longer,” Lucian said as calmly as he could manage. Lila moved and wrapped her arms around her father’s waist. Lucian gently placed his hand on her head. “You three should go speak with her for a moment, and then please return to your quarters and allow her to rest,” he instructed his children.

  The three entered the bedroom quietly, and Lucian shut the door behind them. He had always stressed formality with his eldest son, and did not want his presence inhibiting his actions. All three of them had been very close with their mother, and Lucian was well aware that a few moments alone would be all they had left.

  His first born, as it turned out, never did acquire his father’s horns. He shared his eyes, hair and power, but for the most part looked fairly human. His second son took after his mother, and shared her brown hair and green eyes. He was far more whimsical than his brother, but that may have had something to do with his less formal rearing. Both of his sons had clear ties to the shadows, and the darkness that had created him churned within their souls.

  Lila was his third child, and an anomaly. She was quiet, shy and did not physically resemble either of them. She was, however, particularly intuitive and was connected to Nire in a way neither of his sons were. She was less human than he had anticipated, but her soul was gentle and kind. She resembled him in practically no form at all aside from her affinity to flora. It had become her responsibility to maintain the gardens, and she commanded them as well as Lucian himself.

  When his children left the room he bid them goodnight as they hesitantly walked down the hallway, Lila holding to her brother’s arm. Lucian stepped back into his chambers and approached the bedside. Nire smiled up at him with tears in her eyes.

  “I’m glad Luthinos was able to get here,” she said softly.

  “How are you?” he asked as he sat next to her, taking her small hands in his.

  She let out a sigh. “I’m not sure… it’s difficult to breath.”

  “Seophan and Elial are also on their way. I’ve no doubt I will be in need of their presence.”

  Nire placed her hand over her chest and held the silver pendant she still wore tightly. “You’ll find me, wont you?” she asked, her voice breaking and tears threatening to fall.

  “Anywhere you go. I will find you,” he said reassuringly. “I may not always be able to bring you home, but I will always watch and protect you.” He squeezed her hand gently and leaned down to kiss her lips. “You will never be alone, Nire.”

  She smiled. “I love you, Lucian.”

  “And I you.” He placed his forehead against hers and whispered softly. “Remember me.”

  “Always.”

  Epilogue

  Table of Contents
/>
  The darkness seemed to churn as she sat up in bed. Her long brown hair fell on her shoulders as she stared blankly into the corners of her room. It was odd, she thought, that she would be having these dreams again all of a sudden. It had been years since she could last remember having them.

  She looked at her alarm clock. The green numbers flashed 3:00. Always between midnight and three… she thought to herself. Yesterday was her 19th birthday, and she had felt strange when she had gone to bed. Thinking back to when she was younger she could recall the dreams seeming almost real. When she was very young she swore they weren’t dreams at all, but that she was in fact being visited by a tall horned man with yellow eyes.

  Her parents were concerned about her, but he was friendly, she told them. He’d often visit her late at night when she couldn’t sleep, or had woken from a bad dream. He would sit on the edge of her bed and tell her stories of a place called The Realm of Shadows. Lucian, he had called himself, but told her she could call him Lu-Lu.

  When she was nine the dreams suddenly ended, and now ten years later she was having them again. She bent her legs and put her arms around her knees. The darkness moved. She was used to it.

  No one believed that she could feel the darkness around her. Her friends would blind fold her, put paper bags over her head, and anything else imaginable to make sure she couldn’t tell whether a light was on or not. Then they would hit the light switch numerous times, and she would tell them if it was on or off. She was never wrong, but they still didn’t believe her.

  It moved again. This time, however, it seemed to move with purpose. She watched it with interest as it slowly seemed to condense in the far corner of her room. A pair of golden eyes stared out from the darkness and fell on hers, and she lowered her legs into a crossed position and sat straight up.

  The ache in her chest that constantly seemed to plague her, subdued. Her parents had taken her to a doctor numerous times, but the ache only seemed to lessen in the darkness, and when he would visit her.

  The tall figure walked towards her and knelt down beside her bed, folding his arms over the covers. “Nire,” he spoke, his voice low and steady.

  “Lu-Lu?” she asked hesitantly. The demon smiled at the old nickname and nodded. “So… they really weren’t dreams?” she asked.

  “Some were,” he said.

  “Why did you stop visiting?” she asked with confusion.

  “Because worlds drift apart, and traveling between them becomes more difficult as they do… not to mention you began to grow up,” he said plainly. “I doubt it would have been particularly respectful to appear suddenly in the room of a young woman. And besides that, you needed time to find yourself… without my help,” he smiled.

  “So why come back now?” she asked. “I’m still a young woman, and yet here you are appearing in my bedroom in the middle of the night.”

  “Well, this time I have come for a reason,” he said. “Do you remember the stories I used to tell you?”

  “Sort of…” she said, trying to think back.

  “Are you ready to come home then?” the demon asked.

  Nire stared into his golden eyes. Something about him was familiar, beyond what she could remember from when she was a child. “What do you mean, “home”?” she asked.

  “Try to remember the stories, Nire,” he prompted her. “How did they all begin?”

  She thought back. She used to imagine that she was in The Realm of Shadows. All of her games as a child revolved around the stories he’d told her. She liked the stories because he’d made them about her. “There once was a young human girl named Nire…” she said quietly, remembering the games she would play with her dolls.

  “That’s right,” he said, his smile widening.

  Nire sat practically in disbelief, allowing the stories to run through her mind.

  “When you were young, you remembered me, Nire. Do you still?” He knew that it was difficult for humans to retain memories of former lives, but had tried to keep them alive in her.

  She thought deeply for a moment, then looked into his eyes. He didn’t need her to respond.

  “Home then?” he asked again. Nire nodded hesitantly. As he wrapped his arms around her she felt a wave of relief spread through her body, the ache deep in her chest disappearing completely.

  “Do you remember what to do?” he asked, looking down at the small human in his embrace.

  “Exhale?”

  “Precisely.”

  Name Key

  (For perfectionists)

  Nire (nee-ray)

  Lucian (loo-see-ən)

  Miko (mee-koh)

  Neir (nee-air)

  Eireane ( ee-rain-ee)

  Alastor (al-ah-stohr)

  Azael (az-a-el)

  Elial ( ee-lie-əl)

  Seophan (see-oh-fan)

  Lila ( lil-ah)

  Ezuriel ( ee-zur-ee-el)

  Luthinos ( loo-thin-ohs)

  About the Author

  Erin Ewer was born in 1986 in Helena Montana, and spent the majority of her young life growing up in Colorado. She attended the Rocky Mountain College of Art +Design, and graduated with a Bachelors of Fine arts degree in Illustration. In 2011 she founded Liquid Fae Studios and began working as a professional free lance artist. She currently resides in West Virginia, and in her free time enjoys working in her traditional herbalists’ garden

  .

  For more information about the Author, please visit her official website at: www.LiquidFae.com