Moonshadow

by J. D. Gregory

  “I informed the Lady Raven,” the voice of Miri called out as she descended the stairs. Despite the self-righteous declaration, Diana felt the shame that gripped Miri’s heart.

  “You did your duty to Endymion, and to your people, Alma Miraena,” Edea said with pride. “Your quickness may have saved Endymion, our clan, and the dominion, from perpetual ruin.”

  “You haven’t already sent the Inquisitors and the Shadowstalkers after us?” Diana asked, stunned.

  “Of course not,” Edea replied, seeming almost hurt by Diana’s surprise. “As much as I would like to see your head on a pike, you are now soul-bound to my brother and I love him. I will honor my previous arrangement with Endymion. If he returns home, and to his place on the High Council, I will let you live.” Diana almost sighed in relief but was cut off. “But only if you dispose of the abomination growing in your womb. If you refuse, there will not be a stone you can crawl under to escape my wrath. You will be found and made to suffer.”

  Diana found the audacity of Edea’s ultimatum utterly shocking, however, she was more surprised by her own shock. Hadn’t the Lady Raven only suggested the very course of action that Diana, herself, had been contemplating since the moment she found out she was pregnant? Why did Edea’s command fill Diana with such indignation?

  Diana felt her heart swell as she realized the truth. In spite everything—the changes, the danger, the unknown—she wanted this child; Darien’s child. It was the product of their indescribable love, and she wanted it to live. Diana refused to believe that a child brought into the world by something so beautiful could bring about death and destruction.

  “Forgive me, my lady,” Diana said with resolve. “But you can choke on your offer. This child is ours—mine and Endymion’s—and neither you, nor anyone else, has the right to determine its destiny.”

  Diana expected Edea’s face to be filled with fire and rage, but found her stone cold, emotionless, features much more alarming. She would have rather Edea been furious. She certainly lived up to the name of Stoneheart.

  “So be it, Moonshadow,” Edea replied, her tone ice cold. “Watcher Terraiyah, you will dispose of the creature’s child. You can take care to preserve the girl’s life, if you wish, but it’s of no consequence to me.”

  Diana felt the fear welling up as she turned to Terra. Would she go through with it? Regardless of some hidden power she had yet to tap into, Diana was no match for Terra. Was this the end? After she had fought so hard to make her choice and stand against Edea?

  “I am truly sorry,” Terra said with remorse. “But I must refuse your request, my lady.” Diana simply stood stunned.

  Edea’s stone white visage finally flushed with anger.

  “You would dare to refuse a direct command from the Raven Throne?”

  “Edea,” Terra said with the pleading eyes of a close friend. “I have seen, and been through, entirely too much tragedy to separate a mother from her child, regardless of the situation.”

  It was then that Diana remembered Terra’s tragic past, and the family that she had lost, long ago, in a fire of her own power’s making. Until now, Diana never truly understood the loss that Terra had felt. Instinctively, Diana rested her hands softly on her stomach, wanting to caress her unborn child. No one is going to take you away from me.

  “What’s the matter, Edea?” Diana asked in defiance. “You can throw around commands easy enough, but you can’t get blood on your hands?”

  “You insolent wretch of a Tanar,” Edea seethed. “I’ve always wondered if Moonshadows were as vile and contemptible as the legends say; you have done nothing but affirm the truth. I will gladly end your life with my own hands.”

  Diana felt Edea calling on her magic and she knew something deadly was about to be unleashed. Diana attempted to will something deep inside to draw on her Moonshadow heritage, but felt nothing.

  She had no defense.

  Bracing herself for what may come, Diana tightly closed her eyes as Edea lifted her hand.

  Diana felt the metal stir against her skin, but the realization came too late.

  In less than a moment, panic erupted within Diana as her windpipe tightened, closed off to the life giving air she needed to breath. Edea was choking Diana with her own necklace—the necklace that had belonged to the Lady Raven’s mother. Diana’s hands quickly went to her throat, in a vain attempt to tear it away, but she could do nothing. The symbol of Diana and Darien’s love was going to be the weapon that separated them forever.

  “How dare you!” bellowed a man’s voice from the open doorway and the necklace went lose.

  Diana slumped to the floor, gasping for breath, as indescribable relief filled her alongside the air she breathed into her lungs. When she was able to look up, she saw that Darien had returned.

  Darien stood in the doorway, holding his hand out towards his sister, in a gesture that Diana had seen Miri perform in the past. Edea mirrored Darien’s position.

  The Stoneheart twins were negating each other’s magic.

  “Brother, you are being foolish,” Edea lectured. “Can you not see the consequences of your actions; not just for our clan, but for our people, as well? Let the creature and her child die and be done with it.”

  “How dare you,” Darien repeated with seething anger. “How dare you attack the love of my soul and wish the death of my child—your own flesh and blood!”

  Diana stood up from the ground, coughing from the esophageal trauma as she rubbed the pain in her neck.

  “My flesh and blood?” Edea said, as if the words were filled with poison. “That child could destroy us all. I thank Elberon that mother and father are not alive to see what has become of their flesh and blood. What a legacy you have sired for them brother—an abomination with a Moonshadow whore.”

  Diana slapped Edea hard across the face and the sound of the impact echoed throughout the house.

  The force of the blow left Diana’s hand stinging with pain, but it was worth it.

  Edea was thrown off balance, almost falling to the ground, but she caught herself. She brought a hand to her cheek and just stared at Diana in astonishment.

  Diana narrowed her eyes at Darien’s sister and they were filled with the righteous fury she felt inside. “I don’t need to know how to use my powers to make you sorry to cross me, bitch,” she said with stern resolve. “If you ever threaten me, or my child, again, I will end your miserable existence.”

  “You dare–” Edea began but Diana cut her off.

  “If I were you, I would leave before I rip off that ugly dress and strangle you with it.”

  As Darien smirked at Diana’s threat, his face beamed with pride.

  “I would listen to her, dina’ssia,” he said. “The lady means it.”

  Edea stared at Diana with obvious murderous intent. She wanted Diana dead, and wasn’t at all trying to hide it. If Darien wasn’t suppressing her power, Diana would no longer be among the living.

  “This isn’t over, Moonshadow,” Edea seethed with narrowed eyes. “I will see you dead before long.” She walked to the open front door to leave, but stopped and turned to Darien. As Edea shook her head, Diana could feel her genuine sorrow. “I tried to spare you from the Nightmare, din’issi. It will be out of my hands when Justice finds you.” A single tear escaped the corner of the Lady Raven’s eye. “Farewell,” she said with finality, and then crossed the threshold.

  In a matter of moments, Darien dropped his defenses and rushed to Diana’s side, pulling her into arms that threatened to never let her go. The unsurmountable relief Diana felt within him let her know just how much danger she had been in at the hands of Edea Stoneheart.

  “Thank Elberon I returned when I did,” he said. “How did Edea find out about the child? When I left her, she knew nothing.”

  “You can thank Miraena for the Lady Raven’s visit,” Terra said from behind.

  The three of them quickly turned their attention onto the shrine maiden.

  “Why would
you do such a thing?” Darien asked, astounded and hurt by her actions. “You knew what would happen to Diana if anyone in authority found out, especially my sister.”

  “I thought you were my friend,” Diana said with pain, desperate to know why Miri had been so willing to betray her.

  At her words, Diana could feel Miri’s inner turmoil twisting within her and she knew the Alma was on the verge of tears.

  “I—I didn’t know what else to do. I am your friend, Diana…but how could I know you were a—a…”

  “A Moonshadow?” Diana said, finishing Miri’s sentence. “What does it matter? I’m still Diana Selene—the girl that you gave pretty dresses to, and who you told deserved love and respect.” Remembering Miri’s kindness made her betrayal all the more painful. “Do I really deserve to die, just for being more like you than a normal human?”

  “No—I…I’m sorry, Diana,” she couldn’t bear to look Diana in the eye, and this time, not due to aversion. “I didn’t want you to die; I just didn’t know what to do. I just knew that Endymion’s sister would try to help him rather than punish him.”

  With a pained look of understanding, Darien shook his head. “Before you judge Miraena too harshly, Diana, you should know that the Temple has done nothing but indoctrinate her into hating you, and our child. The fact that she didn’t kill you while you slept is evidence enough that she cares for you.”

  Diana sighed, considering Darien’s words. He was right, of course. She had studied too much of human history not to know how easy it was for authorities, religious or otherwise, to instill fear and prejudice into their followers, all in the name of the “greater good.” Could Diana really blame Miri for being conflicted?

  “I understand,” she said, moving closer to Miri’s side “It doesn’t mean that I’m not mad at you, Miri, but I forgive you.” Diana went to take Miri’s hand but the Alma flinched away.

  “I…I’m sorry,” Miri said, trembling with hesitation, though finally managing look Diana in the eyes. “Your forgiveness means the world to me but—I need some time.”

  Tears forming in the corners of her eyes, Miri turned away from Diana and rushed back up the stairs.

  “Time we do not have, I’m afraid,” Darien said with gloom.

  Feeling her anger rise, Diana turned her accusing gaze onto Darien.

  “You have time enough to tell me why you felt the need to abandon me—at the most traumatic moment of my life, I might add.”

  “I’m sorry, Diana,” he said, looking genuinely ashamed and apologetic “I’ll admit that the revelation was a bit too much for me, and that I made some very poor choices in how I reacted. I could only think about the worst possible scenarios—and how I might prevent them from happening. Since then, I’ve been making arrangements.”

  “What sort of arrangements?” Diana’s asked, her curiosity quelling her anger for the time being.

  “I had to use some of my more unsavory contacts to procure us some untraceable new identities; Darien Shepherd and Diana Selene will be wanted fugitives soon enough, in both Naphalei and human circles.”

  Even though she felt a bit more at ease knowing Darien had rushed off to make sure he could keep her and the child safe, Diana was still hurt that he hadn’t at least told her of his plans. “I might understand why you left,” she said “But don’t think this over. We will be finishing this discussion once we’re safe.”

  “Of course,” Darien nodded and Diana felt his anxiety grow at the notion. “But right now, we need to leave quickly. Edea will make good on her threats by the end of the day. As soon as she can make contact with the realm, there won’t be a single Ranger, Inquisitor, or Shadowstalker that isn’t hunting us.”

  “I will do what I can to slow them down, Endymion,” Terra declared with resolve.

  Diana turned her gaze onto the fire mage. At one time, Terra had tried to burn her to death, but now, she was probably risking everything to save her.

  “Thank you, Terra,” Diana said to the former assassin, and new-found friend. “Not that I’m complaining, but why the sudden change of heart? Before, you would have eagerly followed Edea’s orders to kill me.”

  Terra closed the distance between them and took both of Diana’s hands into her own.

  “For that, I’m truly sorry, Diana. I thought you were just a silly human girl that would get Endymion into trouble.”

  “I am and I did,” Diana said through a chuckle.

  “True,” Terra replied with a soft smile. “But I realize now, that there was always much more to you that only Endymion could see. The two of you have found something that many people have had and lost, and wish beyond anything in this realm, that they could have again.”

  Terra’s deep, unhealable, emotional pain echoed within Diana and her own heart reached out to embrace her. Somehow, Terra sensed Diana’s empathetic consolation and smiled her heart-felt appreciation.

  “Thank you,” Diana said as she pulled Terra into a warm embrace. “I will repay your kindness, someday, I swear.”

  Pulling away, Terra gently placed her hand on Diana’s belly.

  “I ask nothing save that the two of you treasure this child like the blessing it is.”

  “You have my word,” Diana agreed with determination.

  Over the next half hour, Darien swiftly packed the essentials he needed to start their new life on the run. As she watched him struggle to decide on which precious items he could part with, Diana couldn’t help but wonder how they were going to survive what lay before them. In the end, she could only put her faith in their world-defying love. They hadn’t come this far, and been through so much, just to give up now and let unrestrained prejudice and fear destroy something so precious.

  With Darien finally packed, it was time to say their farewells.

  Standing in the foyer, Diana ran her fingers across the cold marble table as she took one last look around the Shepherd house. As she recalled the memories she’d experienced within those walls, Diana couldn’t stop the tears from forming in her eyes. It had all began there, the night Lani dragged Diana to Andrew’s party. She could still hear the loud music, taste the gross beer, but most of all, she could still feel the unrestrained animosity that had welled up inside of her when Darien found her in his study, and how she had wanted to rip the condescending smile off of his face.

  Diana smiled. She still wanted to rip that smile of his face, most of the time.

  “I’m going to miss this place,” she said with fond remorse.

  “Honestly, I will too,” Darien said with a pained smile. “It wasn’t Belaron Stoneheart, but for once in a long while, I felt at home.”

  Knowing the true meaning behind his words, Diana nestled against Darien and kissed him. She had felt at home with him, as well. Now, only God knew where home would be.

  The thought startled Diana and she realized something she’d yet to consider. “How are we going to get anywhere? We obviously can’t take the Rolls.”

  Darien looked a bit concerned about the notion as well. “I thought Maurice could help us procure a suitable vehicle.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” Andrew called out, suddenly appearing from out of the kitchen.

  “It’s about time you showed up, Anderon,” Terra scolded “Where have you been? Do you even know what has been transpiring under this roof?”

  “Spitfire, there isn’t anything under this roof that I don’t know about, thank you,” he said with smug confidence. “When I came home to find that you and Miri had abruptly left for Qir’Halzereth, I talked to Marjorie and put the pieces together, myself.”

  Andrew shook his head with mock disbelief. “Honestly, Terra? Did you really have to go all the way to the archives? I figured it out in five minutes. We all knew these two were bound to flint sparks, eventually.”

  “Anderon, do you have to be so crude?” Darien asked with a sideways grimace.

  “Flint sparks?” Diana asked, curious about the turn of phrase.

  “It’
s an extremely juvenile term for love making among the younger generation,” Darien replied with arms crossed.

  “Anyways,” Andrew continued. “She was a Moonshadow and she was pregnant, or she wasn’t, and just ate some bad eggs; either way, you’d probably end up on the run, eventually. I figured Terra would be the one to turn on you. Color me surprised.”

  “Color you something,” Terra said in reply and Andrew just smirked playfully.

  “Following the episode with the mongrel football players, Eric and I have gotten to be quite good friends. The two of us have been working on restoring an old classic that I purchased at an auction some time ago. It needed a lot of work, but I’ve spent the last few days putting the finishing touches on it. It’s untraceable to both human and Naphalei authorities, and yours if you wish it.”

  Overcome by Andrews offer, Diana rushed to his side and threw her arms around him. “Thank you so much.”

  As he returned her embrace, Diana felt how much Andrew cared for her and Darien, even if he rarely voiced his sentiments.

  “Take good care of Endymion,” he said. “You’ve done a good job so far with him. He’s not quite the priggish bore he used to be. Keep it up.”

  When Diana let go of Andrew, Darien stepped in and the two Naphalei grasped each other’s forearms.

  “You’ve been the brother I never wanted, and the one I wish I had, my friend,” Darien said with a proud smile. “May Elberon weave our journeys together once again.”

  “Oh be off with you,” Andrew said with a playful smirk that Diana knew masked the grief welling up in his heart. “Before you make me regret giving you my car.”

  With a heavy heart and a sense of finality, Darien opened the front door of Shepherd house for what could quite possibly be the last time.

  “Wait!” Miri’s voice called out from the top of the stairs.

  In moments, Miri appeared rushing down the steps, attired in her Alma robes, holding a mandolin in her hand.

  “Wait, please,” Miri begged again. When she reached Diana, the Alma looked on her with trembling, tear-filled eyes, before taking her friend lovingly in her arms and hugging her so tightly that Diana almost had the wind knocked out of her. “I’m so sorry, Diana. No matter what happens, you are my dear friend and I will always pray to the Powers on your behalf.” Miri pulled away from Diana just enough so she could look her in the face. “Please, before you go, I want to send you off with a dance of blessing. I composed the song as a Christmas gift for you, Diana,” Miri said with remorse. “Will you please accept it?”