Island Shifters: Book 01 - An Oath of the Blood

by Valerie Zambito

  Suddenly, the sound of voices drifted down to them from the top of the stairs.

  “‘Elp!” he screamed, pulling away from Avalon. “Someone ‘elp me!”

  Avalon stood back, shifted into the guard, Penske, and plunged her sword into his throat just as Beck Atlan slammed the cell door open with a crash, his eyes wild.

  “What is the meaning of this?” he screamed, grabbing Avalon’s shoulder and slamming her up against the stone wall.

  In the guard’s body, she held his hands in the air. “King’s orders.”

  Titus fell over to the floor from his knees. Kiernan ran to him and gently lifted his head to her lap. “Airron! Get a healer in here. Quickly!” she yelled.

  Wheezing forcefully, Titus attempted to get air into his lungs so he could speak, but try as he might, he could not do so. Avalon had severed his windpipe. He looked up and noticed Kiernan had tears on her cheeks.

  For me?

  Kiernan’s voice was growing fainter, telling him to hang on.

  If only he could warn her that she was in danger.

  If only he could ask her to tell his Da that he loved him.

  If only he could tell her how agonized he felt that they were not going to have the chance to become better friends.

  But, he died in her arms before he could say any of these things.

  Chapter 16

  DEATHBED CONFESSIONS

  The concussion of a loud thunderclap reverberated through the palace walls, but Kiernan barely noticed as she stormed through the palace corridors with Beck, Rogan and Airron keeping pace beside her. “Open the doors!” she barked to the two Scarlet Sabers standing in front of her father’s personal chambers. The guards hesitated, and Kiernan was so angry that she briefly considered mindshifting them out of her way. Fortunately, her father staved off her actions by opening the doors personally.

  Bewilderment creased his features. “I thought that was you. What is it, Kiernan?”

  Without a word, she walked past him into the room and waited. As soon as the doors closed behind her friends and father, she whirled on him, tears in her eyes. “How could you?” she demanded. “Galen Starr ordered that he was not to be harmed! He was an innocent and you gave the order for his execution! No, not execution, a cold-blooded murder!”

  “What in the world are you talking about, Kiernan?” demanded the King.

  “You know very well, father, that I am referring to the Cyman that you were holding prisoner. You gave the order to kill him!”

  “I gave no such order,” he asserted.

  Kiernan faltered at her father’s denial, and gratefully Beck stepped in to seek clarity. “Well, he is dead, Your Grace, and the guardsman who committed the act said it was on your orders.”

  The King’s face turned grim and he stalked to the doors and threw them open. “Ryan! Summon Captains Nash and Franck immediately along with the two guards at the holding cells. Do you know who they are?”

  Ryan nodded. “Vance and Pen…”

  “Get all four up here now!” he bellowed and slammed the doors shut. He turned back to her. “We will get this straightened out, Kiernan, I promise. I cannot tell you that I am sorry that the Cyman is dead, but the order did not come from me.”

  “But, the guard said….”

  “I did not give the order, Kiernan,” he interrupted, gripping her upper arms. “You have to believe me on this.”

  She took a deep breath to calm her emotions and walked away from the others to gaze out at the storm lashing against the windows. Bajan was out there somewhere hunting. Hopefully, he would make fast work of it so he could return safely to her side. When she finally felt like she was back in control, she turned and said, “Forgive me, father.”

  He waved her off. “No apology necessary. We will get to the bottom of this.” He motioned with two fingers to a servant lurking at the back of the room, and the girl rushed forward to pour wine.

  Kiernan accepted the proffered glass. “While we wait, father, I must ask you about the pendant that Galen Starr mentioned.”

  He shook his head and shrugged. “I have never seen such a pendant. If it exists, your mother must have had possession of it. Her jewelry is still locked in her dressing rooms, and you are welcome to go through them.”

  “I will. Thank you, father, I…. again I am sorry for accusing you.”

  The King reached out to stroke her face. “You look so much like her, you know. You have her spirit, too!” he chortled. “I would give anything to have our situation changed, Kiernan. Truly, I would.”

  “How so, father?” she asked, genuinely curious. “What would you wish differently?”

  He smiled. “For one, I wish more than anything that your mother was still here with us. Every young lady needs a mother to guide her, and the Highworld knows I have not made a very good show of it.”

  “Father….”

  “She would be as proud of you as I am,” he said, cupping her cheek in his large palm. Eyes full of regret, he stepped away and turned his back on her. “For another, I wish that you could take your rightful position by my side as Princess of Iserlohn.”

  Kiernan was puzzled. “I am not sure I understand, father.”

  He turned back. “You are a shifter, Kiernan. The law calls for your exile.”

  She was taken aback, but Rogan spoke up first, setting down his wine glass with a splash. “Your Grace, there is no longer any exile. Pyraan does not exist.”

  Kiernan was angry again as well. “Not only is Pyraan gone,” she pointed out, “but all of the shifters who gave their lives in defense of this island! And you are still talking about exile? Of, what? Five shifters?”

  The King looked uncomfortable. “It is inevitable that more shifters will be born each year, Kiernan, and they will need a place to train and be raised away from ordinary people.”

  She was incensed now. “Father, shifters are ordinary people who just happen to know a little magic. You cannot seriously think after all that has happened of sending the shifters, of sending me, back into exile?”

  King Maximus threw his wine glass against the fireplace with a roar, the lightning outside of the window briefly illuminating the harsh resolve on his face. “It is the law! What good are laws if the King arbitrarily disregards them for his own personal interest? Besides, the people of Iserlohn will never accept a shifter Princess!”

  At those words, all of her passion deflated. “I ask again, father. The people or you?”

  The King’s face was a blank mask. “You will have all of the provisions and mounts you require for your journey ready by morning. The Iserlohn Army will meet the shifters at the Valley of Flame by Earthshine.”

  Kiernan struggled to keep the pain from her face. “Fine,” she said softly. “At least all of the years of pretense are now at an end. I will not burden you with my presence any longer than necessary. I shall leave in the morning and will not be back.” This time she could not stop the single tear that trailed down her cheek. She rubbed it away harshly, annoyed.

  “Kiernan, that is not…” her father began, but Kiernan did not hear him as she brushed past him and slammed the doors on her way out.

  Beck did not immediately follow Kiernan, knowing she needed time to herself. She was intractable in her belief that magic shifters be accepted for who they were, and it would take time for her to come to terms with the fact that most people, including her own father, did not share her view. He loved that about her. Her unwavering courage to stand and fight against people and causes much larger than she was.

  When he eventually did seek her out, he found her in her mother’s dressing rooms on her knees throwing clothes and boxes all over the floor, two young handmaids hovering anxiously behind her. She looked up at him when he entered, frustration in her green eyes. “It’s not here! I have looked everywhere.”

  Beck knelt beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. “I asked one of the servants to send for Miss Belle. According to them, she was closest to your mother and
may know where the pendant is.”

  Kiernan sagged. “I should have thought of that.” She leaned back to kiss him on the mouth, ignoring the giggles of the handmaids. “Thank you, Beck.” Glancing over his head at the maids, she said, “Lola and Leah, you may leave now.”

  “Yes, Your Grace.” The girls curtsied low to the ground and then scampered away, hands covering their grins.

  The moment they were gone, she said, “Don’t do it,” and stood up.

  “Don’t what?” he asked unknowingly, glancing around at all of the clutter at her feet.

  “Don’t talk about my father or Titus or anything else for that matter. I do not want to cry anymore.”

  He did as she asked and remained silent.

  Crossing her arms at her chest, she said, “My only concern now is recovering my pendant so we can leave.”

  He nodded and picked up one of the boxes on the floor.

  “My father is a pig-headed, arrogant bastard.”

  He continued straightening the room.

  “Exile? Really!”

  He returned a velvet slipper to its rightful box.

  “Well?”

  He could not help but laugh.

  “What is so funny?” she demanded, hands on hip.

  He gestured her closer with outstretched arms. “Whatever happens, Kiernan, we will be together. Even if they exile us in the Sandori Sands, I will be happy as long as I have you.”

  She walked into his embrace and reached up to lace her fingers behind his head. “I knew I fell in love with you for a reason,” she said softly.

  “Will you love me forever?” he teased, tracing the back of his fingers down her cheek.

  “Forever,” she promised. “I do not have any say in the matter. You are my Lord Jaron.”

  He gazed into her green eyes, so passionate and alive. “And, you are my Elventine.”

  The door to the outer sitting room opened. “Kiernan?” It was Miss Belle.

  “In here, Miss Belle,” Kiernan responded, pulling away from him.

  Her former caretaker’s large frame took up most of the doorway. Eyes wide, she said, “Whatever are you doing, girl?”

  Beck noticed Kiernan’s face flush before she realized that Miss Belle was talking about the disaster she had made of the dressing room. “I am looking for a piece of jewelry, Miss Belle, a sliver pendant. My mother must have had it, but I cannot find it among her belongings,” she said looking around.

  Miss Belle blanched visibly. “Are you talking about that two-eyed pendant?”

  Kiernan ran to her. “Yes! That must be it. You have it?”

  “I have it, and I will gladly to give it to you. It makes my skin crawl, it does. The eyes actually blink!” she shuddered. “Your mother asked me to give it to you on your eighteenth name day, and I was planning to have a messenger deliver it to Pyraan.”

  Beck looked at Kiernan, smiling. “What did I tell you? You will learn one of these days that I am very rarely wrong.”

  Kiernan punched his arm. “Where is it?” she asked Miss Belle.

  “I will have it brought to your room. Now, make off so I can clean up your mess.” Shuffling into the room, she boldly looked Beck up and down.

  “Miss Belle!” Kiernan admonished.

  “What? I never met an earthshifter before. And, a very handsome one at that.”

  They both laughed. “You are incorrigible,” she said.

  The outer door opened again and hurried footsteps approached. “Princess!” It was Lola, the young handmaid. “Come quickly. I have been ordered to escort you to Mage Starr’s rooms immediately.”

  Kiernan frowned, kissed Miss Belle, and then grabbed his hand. Together they followed Lola out of her mother’s dressing room.

  “This cannot be good,” he said.

  Rogan and Airron were already present in the Mage’s sitting room along with Bajan, who Kiernan was relieved to see was safely back from his hunt. She immediately greeted her friends and put a possessive arm over Bajan’s back. Captains Nash and Franck were there as well, huddled around a table covered with maps and conversing softly. Both knelt with left fist on the floor when she entered.

  The King’s back was to the door, and he was pouring himself a glass of wine. He did not turn around.

  A soldier from the Iserlohn Army, presumably one of the guards from the holding cells when Titus was murdered, was standing before someone lying on a sofa and covered with a blanket. Kiernan gasped quietly when the guard turned to kneel to her and revealed Galen Starr. The vitality and youth of just hours ago had vanished, leaving a face gaunt and ancient and that seemed to be sinking in upon itself. It was frightening to see.

  “Please rise,” she said to the Captains and the guard.

  “Come closer, Princess,” croaked the Mage. “Guardsman Vance was just describing the events surrounding the death of the young Cyman. I must warn you, it is very disturbing.” He waved his hand weakly toward the guard, prompting him to continue his story.

  The uneasy guard cleared his throat. “After it was discovered that the King did not order the interrogation or execution of the Cyman prisoner, we searched for Guardsman Penske to get answers. We searched for hours until one of the servants went to retrieve supplies from one of the wine cellars.” The guardsman gulped audibly. “We found Penske there in a corner of the cellar. He…. I am not quite sure how to put it. His body was shrunken as if all of the air and fluids were sucked out of his body.”

  Airron gasped in disbelief. “He was bodyshifted?” Shifting a human form was unconditionally forbidden in Pyraan and its practice rejected outright by any moral and reasoned human being. It was just not done. Not ever.

  The Mage nodded. “Yes. I viewed the body myself and can confirm that he was. He also had his throat cut.” The two Captains drew closer to the conversation and were now listening intently. Bajan rubbed protectively against Kiernan.

  Beck shook his head. “But, Mage, Airron is the only bodyshifter left in Massa, and I can assure you he did not kill this guard.” Airron looked sick.

  Galen again waved a weak hand. “I do not think Airron was responsible, Beck, but what of the other shifter with you?”

  Kiernan spoke up. “Rory? He is a harmless fireshifter with not much magic to command. It could not be him.”

  “When was the last time you saw him?” asked the Mage.

  Rogan thought about it. “We have not seen him since dinner.”

  Suddenly, the Mage coughed and began to hack and wheeze violently into a handkerchief. Just as Kiernan started forward to try to help, the coughing fit subsided and Galen straightened himself on the sofa, breathing heavily.

  “It appears we have a rogue bodyshifter here in the castle who has managed to kill two people,” Galen managed weakly.

  Comprehension flooded through Kiernan. “Are you suggesting that it could be a shifter who never went to Pyraan?”

  “It is possible,” wheezed the Mage.

  The King spoke up for the first time. “You may go now Vance.”

  The guardsman immediately bowed and headed for the door, looking relieved to be away from the focus of attention.

  All business, the King addressed Colbie Nash and asked him to acquaint the shifters with the Massan maps on the table. The Captain nodded and motioned them over. “How familiar are any of you with the geography of Massa?”

  “Only what we have learned at the Academy,” replied Rogan.

  Captain Nash pointed a finger down at the table and drew their gazes to a point on the map south of Nysa. “You will leave tomorrow at dawn and travel by horse to Iserport. Midway, is the small town of Janis where you can get off the road to spend the night at an inn and get a decent meal. Once in Iserport, you will take the ferry to Deeport and travel the Koda River to Kondor to meet with King Rik and the Dwarves. You will be provided with traveling papers to verify the truth of your words.” He pointed back to the map. “After delivering your message to the Dwarves, head northeast to Sarphia and Kin
g Jerund. According to Mage Starr, your pendants will lead you to Callyn-Rhe from there.”

  “Easy enough,” said Airron.

  “No, Airron, it will not be easy,” said Galen from the couch. “Come closer. There are several things I need to caution you about. First, your presence will not be welcome as you travel the countryside. The people of Massa are very leery of shifters and even other races for that matter. Free travel between lands is very infrequent, so there is no telling how they may react. You must do whatever you have to do to protect yourselves and your mission.”

  The shifters nodded uneasily. “Second, even with the map of the pendants, Callyn-Rhe will be difficult to reach. That you all survived the destruction of Pyraan is the only miracle we can count on in the days ahead. Your ingenuity and strength alone are what will enable you to prevail.”

  He paused to catch his breath. Kiernan thought he was going to launch into another fit, but he did not and a servant rushed over to give him water, which he gulped greedily and then continued. “Third, there is quite a bit of prophecy written about this time, but one concerns me more than the others and specifically relates to the quest for Callyn-Rhe.” Galen glanced surreptitiously at the King. “It reveals the fate of the seekers of the power.”

  “Go on,” pressed Beck.

  “The foretelling claims that during the journey…. one will be betrayed, one will be lost, one will be gravely injured, and one will die.”

  The room was completely silent for several moments and then the King stalked over to Galen, eyes blazing. “If you were not already dying, Starr, I would kill you myself,” and he stormed from the room.

  “I am truly sorry,” said the Mage, looking even more fragile after the King’s avowal. He looked at each of them with watery eyes. “I did not think it was wise to hide the truth from you. Do you still accept this undertaking? Even after hearing those prophetic words?”

  Kiernan felt like her knees were about to buckle, but she resisted the urge to reach out and cling to Beck. It was unthinkable to imagine a life without one of her friends in it. Without Beck in it. It could even be her life that was to be forfeit. Even so, she did not have to consult with the others when she said, “As you know, Mage, we have no choice. Your blood oath demands that we continue if there is any hope to save the people of this island.”