Chasing Shadows

by Ashley Townsend

  Karen laughed outright at that. “That took an extreme turn.”

  With an innocent shrug, Sarah said, “I saw it in a music video once.”

  Smiling, Karen wrapped an arm around Sarah’s shoulders and squeezed her in an appreciative hug. “Thanks for that weirdly supportive pep-talk.” She pulled back and stared into Sarah’s face, her expression playfully stern. “And you, missy, need to take your own advice and march in there with your head held high. You’ll never know what’s going to happen unless you get out of this wagon.”

  “But where are you going?”

  Karen’s arm fell from her shoulders. She sighed heavily and hopped down from the wagon, coming around to Sarah’s side and waiting for her to step down before answering. “I’m going to see if I can spot the professor from the castle gate or near the back entrance. He might be able to give us some information that we can use.”

  “Isn’t it dangerous for you to be wandering around outside the castle?” Sarah asked. She was sure her eyes reflected the concern she felt.

  But Karen was already shaking her head. “My only real threat is Gabriel Dunlivey, but he had to step down from his position as captain of the guard now that Captain Quinn is back; no one has seen Dunlivey for a while, so hopefully he’s too far under the radar to notice me.” Karen tugged on her hood reassuringly. “And these days there’s too much fear going around for people to look a stranger in the eyes for too long. I’ll try to keep a low profile, though, just to be safe. When I find out anything, I’ll come and get you and the horses. Maybe you can ask Will if he’s heard anything?”

  Sarah nodded, knowing that it was time for them to go their separate ways. Sucking in a breath, she walked toward the front door of the large building, silently humming the death march. Karen called her name, and she glanced over her shoulder.

  “I dare him to stay mad with you looking like an ice princess,” Karen said mischievously. Sarah smiled halfheartedly for her friend’s sake.

  “Let’s just hope he doesn’t think I’m made of ice,” she said under her breath as she walked into the livery, pausing in the doorway as she took in the large, L-shaped room. No one appeared to be inside, and she took a hesitant step forward, and then another as she scanned her surroundings. Except for the horses that stared curiously at her from their stalls at the opposite end, life seemed to be nonexistent.

  Sarah sighed, though she wasn’t sure if it was in relief or disappointment.

  She walked slowly through the building, letting her eyes drift over the ancient tools hanging on walls and resting on benches. A worn saddle with cracking leather had been slung over a wooden post that was anchored into the floor, and above it hung horseshoes and bridles. Blacksmith’s tools—hammers, pliers, and also a shooing hook for the horses—littered the long table near the fire, which was situated under the chimney in the left corner of the room. She stepped past these things in the large room and passed by the many pens boarding horses at the back, unaware of her destination until she rounded the corner of the stalls and stood before a single one at the back of the livery.

  The coal-black stallion stared at her from within, and she could see in its eyes a keen intelligence as she stared back. She didn’t reach out to touch the large animal, feeling a little bit uneasy around it without anyone else nearby. The horse walked slowly up to the gate and stood just behind it, watching her. Sarah glanced around, at the line of occupied stalls behind her, wondering why no one was there to watch the horses. Had he hired someone else after what happened to Allan?

  Despite the warmth of the building, a small shiver snaked up her spine at the sudden thought of Will’s former assistant. She grimaced as her scar began to itch madly, and she scratched at the back of her hand. But the phantom sensation was nothing like the pain she’d felt when Allan dragged the blade across her skin, leaking the poison into her body that had burned like fire as it made its way through her veins, nearly killing her.

  Just before that, Allan had trapped the two of them inside an abandoned shack in the forest and attempted to burn them alive—the poison had only been an insurance policy in the event she survived. He would have succeeded had it not been for Will’s quick thinking, both in escaping the fire and getting Sarah to his uncle’s house for medical help. Though the scar on Sarah’s hand reminded her of the horrors of that day, and the venom-induced sleep in the days that followed, it also served as a reminder of how lucky they had been; they’d escaped an awful fate, and Sarah had fought against and survived the poison that should have claimed her life in mere hours.

  The only one who died that day had been Allan, shot from a distance by whoever hired him to silence Sarah and the Shadow.

  It took great effort to stave off the memory of Allan lying in the grass, an arrow lodged between his shoulder blades, rain pooling in his eye sockets as his unseeing gaze watched her. While there were instances from that day that didn’t cause her pain—like Will’s heroism and her discovery that he was Serimone’s elusive vigilante—the vision of Allan’s broken body and blank stare served no purpose in Sarah’s memory, except to cause her great sadness for someone she wanted to hate. She’d rather forget him altogether.

  She had been inside for a quarter of an hour and was growing restless. She considered sitting down and making herself comfortable until Karen came for her, but she didn’t want to give the impression that she was waiting for the proprietor to return. Not wanting to seem overeager in case he came back, she left the penned horses and stepped into the doorway. A form moved into her line of vision, and she started, lurching back a step to avoid colliding with the man.

  “Whoah, there.” He swiped a hand through his mop of blond hair and smiled, showcasing rows of perfect white teeth. Adjusting the bridle on his shoulder, he asked, “Something I can help you with, miss?”

  Sarah pulled her head back in surprise. “You work here?”

  He nodded and stuck out his free hand, steadying the bridle with the other. She shook it hesitantly and then quickly freed her own hand, though he seemed unaffected by her aversion to him. “My name is Robert, Mr. Taylor’s assistant. Can I help you search for something?” His face was open, and his crystal-clear blue eyes were friendly as he fiddled with the gold chain hanging from his pocket. He seemed nice enough, though she was still wary of blacksmiths’ assistants after Allan tried to burn her and Will alive.

  She shifted around him and backed up a step. “Uh, no, that’s okay. I was just looking for someone, but I should really go now.”

  Robert looked puzzled by her behavior. “All right, then,” he said slowly. “Have a pleasant evening.” He moved inside with a glance over his shoulder at her, probably wondering if she had robbed them and was trying to make a quick break for it.

  Neck heating, Sarah ducked her head and quickly moved down the street. The wind immediately whipped her hair around her face, preventing her from seeing anything. The temperature had dropped several degrees, and she gathered her tangled tresses together and held them back from her eyes as she peered around the corner of the livery. She was able to see the castle gate from her hiding place, but there was no sign of Karen out front. Frowning, Sarah debated her next move. Should she go back inside and wait? But that would mean being alone with that assistant, Robert, and that seemed rather awkward after the way she acted.

  She looked around her. Hardly any townsfolk remained in the street, most already having sought out shelter from the biting wind. Sarah had been unable to explore the town the last time she’d come and wondered if now would be a good time to give herself a tour. Karen had recommended that she keep a low profile while they were here, and since there was a serious lack of townsfolk in the square, Sarah figured that there was no better time than the present and jogged down a narrow side street. The wind skipped over the opening between the stretch of buildings, providing the shelter she sought.

  Sarah pulled the hood on her cape over her head, hoping that the occasional passerby would assume that she merely want
ed to keep warm and not disguise her appearance. She made her way leisurely through the empty street, glad that she could let her guard down for a few minutes. Most of the shops had dark shades drawn from inside, preventing anyone on the street from seeing into the buildings; they didn’t have signs hanging over the street boasting the wares that they were selling. Sarah wondered if she was strolling down a neighborhood before she saw the signs nailed to the front of some of the buildings. A few of them had writing on them that she couldn’t decipher, but most had painted symbols that looked a lot like graffiti to her.

  She moved past a narrow one-story and thought one of the shutters might have cracked open an inch, giving her the feeling that she was being watched. Sarah began to feel uneasy and wished that a friendly face would suddenly appear in the street. Her feet moved a little faster as her eyes roamed nervously over the seemingly lifeless buildings.

  Two guards suddenly appeared at the opposite end of the street and began walking toward her, though neither one seemed to have spotted her yet. Though she had no reason to hide, Sarah dashed into the nearest doorway on instinct and pressed herself against the frame, heart pounding against her ribcage.

  “If Cadius continues to scare away maids,” one of them was saying, “then he’s going to put us to work cleaning out ash from the fireplace and cooking in the kitchen.”

  The other one laughed heartily. “Can you imagine us, covered in flour? No, we’ll have to convince the staff to keep on the lookout for new maids to take over at the castle, but they’ll have to make due with what we’ve got until then. And this new lot will have to not scare easily—the last three obviously had no backbone.”

  They came into view then, and Sarah pressed herself against the wood in an attempt to make herself as invisible as possible. She needn’t have worried, though: The guards paid no attention to her as they passed. She slowly emerged from her hiding place and was relieved to see the street empty once more.

  She walked quickly past the buildings, hoping that she could get out of there before she encountered anyone else. A noise like that of an opening door sounded behind her, and she spun around to face it, heart beating erratically. The door suddenly slammed closed before she could catch site of anyone. Whoever was inside must have spotted her and decided to remain indoors.

  Calm down, Matthews, she chided herself, adjusting her hood. You’re being ridiculous. She turned around and began to jog down the narrow street toward the main square, glancing over her shoulder as she moved to ensure she wasn’t being followed.

  With her attention diverted from where she was headed, Sarah ran straight into something hard, gasping at the impact. Hands gripped her upper arms to keep her from toppling backward and pulled her close, over-compensating for her lost balance. She leaned back to look up at the man who held her, and the action caused her hood to fall back from her face. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked into Will’s startled blue eyes.

  ~Chapter 5~

  Will. The name was spoken in her mind like a soft breath of wind. She felt a profound sense of exhilaration and apprehension at her unexpected first glimpse of William Taylor in weeks. His large hands on her shoulders kept her firmly planted against his chest, obviously too startled to release her after helping her regain her balance. They stared at each other for several breaths, and both seemed to be at a loss for words—she was overjoyed to see he was alive and well, while he looked completely speechless over her sudden appearance.

  Sarah had no idea if she should apologize first or pretend like nothing was wrong between them, so she remained silent in her indecision, waiting for him to speak. His startled eyes, an even darker blue than she remembered, stared back at her; she could read the unspoken questions in his gaze.

  “What are you doing here?” Will asked. There was no anger in his words, only astonishment and confusion.

  All of her carefully planned answers fled as she looked down at the hand he had on her shoulder. Her eyes returned to his face, and she struggled for words that made sense.

  “I’m, uh, visiting,” she replied lamely. His powerful presence and the strong grip he still had on her shoulders seemed to have robbed her of speech.

  Will looked like he wanted to say more, but a door nearby opened suddenly, startling them both. He dropped his hold on her, and they turned in time to see a woman emerge from inside. She stood on the doorstep and flicked her waist-length dark hair over one shoulder when they looked her way. Her dress was cut dangerously low and hung off her slender, olive-toned shoulders.

  “I thought I heard voices,” she said, her voice sounding smooth and cultured. She smiled at them, but Sarah didn’t find anything welcoming in the woman’s gaze, except, of course, when she looked at Will. Her expression was vaguely amused as she smiled at him, and her gaze was a little too bold and possessive for Sarah’s liking.

  “I didn’t expect to see you knocking on my door today, William,” she said, her smile almost catlike.

  Will’s expression remained blank. “I’d hoped you would never expect me to knock on your door, Jade.” His voice was not impolite, but Sarah thought she detected an edge to his words.

  The woman he’d called Jade laughed lightly, though it sounded more like a practiced sound than an expression of genuine pleasure.

  “One day soon,” she said mysteriously. She eyed Sarah openly, who felt extremely uncomfortable beneath her scrutiny. “I can see why you aren’t coming to see me today, though I believe I am far more entertaining. Pray, what is your name, pet?”

  Sarah stared back at the rude woman, silently refusing to give her name, and received a patronizing smile in response. When she remained silent, Will placed his hands on her shoulders. “We really have to be going,” he said, not unkindly, as he pushed Sarah past the dilapidated house. Sarah was so startled by the sudden action that she could do nothing but stumble ahead and try to keep sure footing as he pushed her along with his firm hold. She felt a little deflated with the knowledge that Will and Jade knew each other, and he hadn’t bothered to introduce Sarah. Maybe she wasn’t as important to him as she had hoped.

  She glanced over her shoulder to see the woman watching their departure from her crooked doorstep. She caught Jade’s eye and quickly turned her face forward, not liking what she saw in the woman’s tight expression.

  Will let his grip on her shoulders fall away, though he kept a hand at her back to keep her moving. Though he did his best to shield her body with his own against the brutal wind, Sarah still gasped as the cold wind rammed into her, nearly knocking her off her feet. They hurried through town, and he released her to struggle with the livery door. Sarah fought to keep her feet on the ground as her dress and cape whipped madly about her legs.

  He managed to open the door and motioned her in first. She ducked inside, and he quickly followed, pulling the horses and wagon into the building. He allowed the wind to blow the door closed behind him with a bang as he untied the animals from the wagon. The horses danced around nervously, and Will let them to trot toward the back of the building, where they couldn’t do any harm.

  “It wasn’t that bad when we left,” Sarah said, still trying to catch her breath from their fight against the weather outside. She combed her fingers through her hair to lessen the snarls the wind had created. Robert must have left, because the building was soundless except for the horses’ quiet shuffling in their stalls in the back.

  “A storm is coming in,” Will replied dully, raking a hand back through his own tousled waves. His dark eyes searched her face for a moment, and then he shook his head. “You shouldn’t have been down there.”

  “What? You mean that street?” She shrugged nonchalantly, as if the whole episode was no big deal. However, the eerily silent street and the encounter with Jade had disquieted her. She had actually been greatly relieved when Will came to her rescue.

  He moved away from the door and took a step toward her, his face serious and stern, square jaw set. Sarah recognized that look and knew he
was about to tell her not to do something. She automatically stiffened in response to the warning that was about to come.

  “I don’t ever want you going down there. It isn’t safe for you to be wandering there alone.”

  Sarah raised a brow in question. “Why is that?”

  The muscle in his jaw twitched and he glanced at the floor. “That woman we met—Jade—well, she isn’t exactly involved in an occupation that most would deem credible or . . . moral.”

  She stared at him in obvious confusion. “And . . .”

  Will shifted on his feet and averted his gaze again. She couldn’t remember him ever looking so uncomfortable. “She entertains men for money,” he mumbled rapidly, seeming relieved to have it out.

  “So she’s a dancer?” Sarah asked slowly. His eyes widened at her naïveté, causing her own eyes to grow as the full meaning of his words sank in. “Oh,” was all she said, feeling dumb.

  Will nodded, the tips of his ears reddening. “Most of the women on that street have similar occupations. It’s a rough neighborhood that boasts a variety of services, largely revolving around gambling and drinking during the night hours for repugnant men with foul appetites. You were fortunate to have stumbled down there in daylight.”

  A thought occurred to her, and she stared at him intently. “Why were you down there?” Her attempt to sound casual failed.

  He seemed to stand a little straighter. “I was trying to escape the weather and took a short cut. But I can take care of myself.”

  “And I can’t?” she asked, her eyes daring him to say so. He folded his arms across his broad chest and remained silent at her raised brow.

  Sarah knew he was just looking after her well being, but she severely disliked being told what to do, and the fact that he was doing just that after only a few minutes into their reunion grated on her nerves. She felt like reminding him that he wasn’t her father and had no right telling her what to do, but she managed to bite her tongue a split second before the words escaped her lips. She inhaled a shaky breath and exhaled slowly, letting her anger out with the air. This was not how she had imagined their first meeting going, and she had spent quite a few hours fantasizing over their reunion.