Island Shifters: Book 01 - An Oath of the Blood

by Valerie Zambito

  The bystanders in the street scattered like leaves in a strong wind.

  Heavy footsteps on the planks behind Beck caused him to turn to the sound. One of the largest men he had ever seen in his life was standing on the platform behind him, glowering. By the look of him, Beck assumed it was The Lantern’s innkeeper by the apron tied around his generous waist. “Go on home, Sully. I’ll take care of Cara, and these folk here.”

  Beck let his magic go and Sully rubbed at his wrists when the tree branches snapped back into place.

  The innkeeper gestured with his head to Beck and the others. “Get inside.”

  “Come now, Jase! You’re gonna let these people stay here after how they just treated me? I’ve got my pride, you know!”

  Jase stared down at the despicable man. “A man who has pride in himself does not beat his wife, Sully.”

  “It aint the end of this, Jase,” Sully retorted, backing away from the inn.

  The large man simply shook his head and then turned and walked into the inn behind Beck.

  Several people seated at the tables in the dining area looked up as they entered, but resumed their conversations when it looked like the trouble had passed.

  Beck held out his hand. “Thank you, Jase.”

  The innkeeper waved an enormous hand. “Bah! It is high time someone stood up to that bloody coward,” he said loudly, looking around at his guests. “Most people in this town would rather turn a blind eye than take him on.”

  “So, why did you?”

  “Two reasons. One, I am ashamed that it took strangers coming in here to our town to oblige us into doing the right thing by one of our own. Two,” he said turning to Kiernan and settling his large frame down to the floor on one knee, “if you are traveling with the Princess of Iserlohn, it is my duty and honor to protect and serve.”

  Kiernan shook her head. “But how….”

  “Your eyes, Your Grace. I have not seen you since you were a little girl, but those are eyes that once you’ve seen ‘em, you never forget ‘em.”

  Chairs scraped back as the diners in the inn hastily knelt.

  She smiled fondly at Jase. “Just call me Kiernan.”

  Jase looked horrified at the suggestion. “Goodness, no! I could never do that, Your Grace. Now, you folk have a seat, and I will have the cook whip you up a nice dinner and then you can retire to your rooms.”

  “Please rise,” she said clearly, so that all could hear.

  The big man stood and Beck looked at him. “We appreciate your kindness. If there is anything we can do to repay you, please tell me.”

  The man tilted his head. “That thing you did with the tree. Are you one of them earthshifters?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Well, my water well out back has pretty much dried up and I’ve been digging for over a week now with no luck. My back is not what it used to be,” he admitted, rubbing it tenderly. “Do you think you can remove some dirt for me, so I can find a spring for a new well?”

  Beck nodded. “Sure. I will do it right now.”

  “Are you sure it is no trouble?”

  “No trouble at all,” Beck assured him.

  Jase clapped Beck on the back. “You know, Iserlohn sure could do with more shifters around. Think about all of the good you could do for people!”

  Beck smiled. “I wish everybody felt the way you do, Jase.”

  “If you don’t mind my asking, what about your exile? Are the shifters free?”

  They had decided before the trip not to mention the invasion to the citizens of Massa if they could avoid it. They did not want to cause undue panic before the Kings could rightfully call their arms to bear and address their people as they saw fit.

  “I hope so, Jase. I really hope so.”

  The laughter of the two young Elves as they frolicked through the woods was so pure and ethereal it was beyond description. The delicate lilt of their voices evoked sensations of sheer ecstasy.

  Anyone listening to them would have known immediately that they were of the Elven race.

  Anyone watching them would have known immediately that they were in love.

  The male affectionately grabbed for the girl, but she gracefully leapt out of his reach, her feet barely touching the ground as she flitted through the Du’ Che Forest.

  Several young deer ran alongside, keeping pace with the Elves, and rabbits and other small animals darted in and out of the brush, hopping in delight. Not to be forsaken, blue birds sang out and swooped down through the tree branches, joining in the merriment.

  Face flushed with enjoyment, the girl stopped and whistled. She held a thin hand out high and one of the birds alighted on her finger, and she spoke softly to it. When she finished with a mischievous glint in her violet eyes, the bird rose in the air again and dove down at the head of the Elven boy. His laughter rang out as he ducked and took off running, this time the girl in pursuit of him.

  Suddenly, the male froze in place, his hand held up in caution. He made a quick hand signal to the girl so she would understand not to talk. The two melted into the forest background as silently as a breeze drifting through the trees. The boy stopped and peered from behind an enormous oak with a trunk that three men would find difficult circling with their arms. He pointed through a gap in the woods, and the female’s eyes widened in shock. The space beyond the trees undulated strangely as if underwater. And, in that wavering landscape was a large hole that gave the impression that a circular rent had been torn into the fabric of the world, revealing a new universe beyond.

  Despite a warning hiss from her companion, the girl drew closer and reached out to touch the rippling backdrop. Her hand recoiled. The concealing membrane pulsed with life! She motioned the boy forward and they both looked into the hole. It was their first glimpse of the Cyman Army passing through the Sandori Sands in northern Haventhal.

  She used hand signals to question him. Who are they?

  A better question is what are they? he replied, fingers moving fast.

  She nodded and shuddered. Look at their eye! They look like ogres. They are traveling beyond our sight, but how?

  Magic.

  Do you think they mean us harm? she asked innocently.

  I know they do. I can feel it in the air around us. Let us go. We had better tell our fathers. They will know what to do.

  The youngsters turned to flee and two enormous hands reached out of the trees and grabbed each Elf by the upper arm. The female Elf let out a scream, and the tall, monstrous soldier who held her hit her across the mouth to silence her. “Quiet!”

  The boy struggled against his captor with murder in his translucent eyes. Quickly realizing it was futile, he stilled and signed to his companion. Do as they say, and let them think we are submissive. We will find a way to get free. They are big and clumsy.

  But, how did we not hear their approach, Falcon?

  I told you, magic.

  “Arlan. I think they’re talkin’ to each with their ‘ands,” said one of the soldiers.

  “‘Elp me tie them up,” said Arlan.

  “Wait!” shouted the girl as she wrestled her arm away.

  I love you, Falcon, she signed quickly.

  And, I you, Siole.

  After the exchange, the soldiers made short work of binding the wrists of the slight Elves.

  “Look at their ears and silver ‘air, Cyrus. They must be the Elves that Lucin was tellin’ us about.”

  Cyrus stared at them intently. “What should we do?”

  Arlan shrugged his shoulders. “We can’t let ‘em go. Lucin said that ‘e wanted to avoid conflict with the Elves until the timin’ was right, but these two will go back and tell the others.”

  Cyrus thought about it and then said with a voice filled with regret, “You know what will ‘appen if we bring them to the Mage.”

  It was not a question.

  Arlan sighed. “We ‘ave no choice. When it comes to our purpose ‘ere, it is Cymans first and Massans dead last.”
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br />   Cyrus nodded and dragged the young female Elf through the breach in the shield and into the sand toward the army.

  Chapter 18

  THE WRATH OF A PRINCESS

  A muffled noise sent Kiernan springing upright in her bed at The Lantern Inn.

  Something was wrong.

  She quickly swung her legs to the side, slid into her sandals and began to lace them, listening intently for the sound to repeat itself so she could identify the source.

  Her head whipped up. There it was! It sounded like a woman’s cry.

  Cara!

  Kiernan had been up half of the night with the woman trying to convince her that she was safe, and before Cara retired to her own room, she assured Kiernan that she was feeling stronger and that her kindness had emboldened her to fight back against her abuser.

  Kiernan raced to the window of her room and looked out. Standing in the street in front of the inn was Cara’s husband, Sully, with two of his cronies, and they were lifting a struggling Cara onto one of their horses. Before Kiernan could so much as shout for help, the four were mounted and tearing down the street toward the outer gates.

  With a curse, Kiernan slapped her scabbard over her shoulder, checked to see that her dagger was still in place on her thigh, and sprinted from the room. She took the stairs two at a time, leaping past the last four rungs at the bottom. Landing smoothly, she pushed outside into the night and headed for Jase’s stables at a dead run. Skidding to a stop in the hay outside of Milan’s stall, she hastily bridled the mare, and without taking the time to saddle her, took a running jump onto a stool and flew at the animal’s back. Milan was startled, but allowed it, familiar now with her scent.

  “Git!” she screamed, grabbing the reins and nudging Milan roughly with her knees. The horse needed no further encouragement to run as she tore out of the stable doors and raced out onto the street back toward the town gates. Kiernan’s only concern as the buildings flashed by was reaching Cara and seeing her safely away from Sully. The large iron doors were just clanging shut behind the three kidnappers as Kiernan bore down on them.

  “Open the gates!” she yelled. A man dressed in dark clothes on top of the wall swung a bow into her vision and loosed an arrow at her as she approached. She reached over her back for the hilt of her sword and drew it, contemptuously cutting the arrow out of the air, then reined in Milan one-handed and the horse reared up before a lone night guardsman on the ground before the gates. Peering through the iron bars at the kicked up dust from the fleeing horses, she gritted her teeth.

  She brought the horse down and pointed her sword at the guardsman’s throat. “Open the gates! Now!”

  Kiernan could not have imagined the imposing figure she cut atop her elegant horse, eyes blazing with determination and her voice resonating with command.

  A Princess Warrior in all her rage.

  The guard cowered from her and quickly scurried to obey. She sheathed her sword and guided Milan through the widening aperture as soon as the horse was able to fit through, and raced into the night beyond. The kidnappers were leaving a conspicuous trail in their wake, and the capable Milan would be upon them in no time. She laid her torso flat over the horse to give the mare as much speed as possible.

  A sudden movement off to the side caught her notice. Bajan was charging out of the forest to the west of her and was soon keeping pace beside Milan, sinew and muscle rippling powerfully with feline grace as he sprinted.

  Up ahead, two of the kidnappers peeled away and sped off in different directions, and Sully was slowing. He had to know that she would catch up with him eventually. Still, it unnerved her that the others were getting away.

  When he came to a stop, he dismounted and dragged Cara down with him, holding a knife to her throat.

  It took all of Kiernan’s skill to stop the racehorse, who wanted to continue with their spontaneous sprint. She drew her sword and swung down. “Let her go,” she ordered Sully, with Bajan backing up her order with a heart-stopping, savage growl. Cara whimpered and Sully pulled her tighter to him, using her body as a shield for whatever violence Kiernan or Bajan might attempt to inflict upon him.

  Kiernan’s eyes turned black.

  Leave him to me. I do not want the woman hurt.

  As you wish.

  Bajan settled on his haunches and watched Kiernan stride closer to Sully and Cara, her sword still in her hand but held away from her body toward the ground non-aggressively.

  “Are you all right, Cara?”

  “Never mind, witch!” Sully snapped. “Now get back from me or I’ll kill her right now.” To prove his resolve, Sully jabbed Cara with the knifepoint, and she cried out as a bead of blood blossomed on her neck under her chin. Cara turned to look at Sully with heat in her eyes. Turning her body to the side, she surprised Kiernan and Sully both when she wrenched her arm back and rammed her elbow hard into his abdomen. He loosened his grip on her just enough that she managed to escape his grasp.

  “Run!” shouted Kiernan. With his buffer suddenly gone, Sully dropped the knife in his hand and unsheathed his sword. Kiernan closed with him immediately. The two exchanged blows, sparks flying when steel met steel. As she parried his thrusts, she tried to establish a link so she could mindshift him, but the crafty criminal somehow closed his mind to her. Tiring of the dance, she slashed out at his neck and a fountain of blood spurted from the gash. Bellowing in rage, he made a clumsy lunge at her and, using his momentum, she grabbed his beefy wrist in her hand and spun him to the ground.

  “I do not want to kill you,” she said over the top of him, “but you must agree to leave Cara alone.”

  Sully sat up and spit at her, pressing a hand to his neck wound.

  Behind her, Kiernan heard a yelp. She twisted around and saw Bajan yanked harshly backwards to the ground by a rope twisted around his neck. Sully’s cohorts had looped a noose around Bajan’s neck and were pulling the rope tight in opposite directions. The Draca Cat hissed and clawed in pain as he tried to break free of the tightening deathtrap.

  Growling, Kiernan whipped her dagger free of its concealment on her leg and in one smooth movement hurled it underhanded in the direction of one of Bajan’s captors. The dagger embedded itself in the man’s chest just as Sully hit her from behind. She went sprawling in the dirt, and the brute immediately jumped on her with his sweating bulk and punched her in the jaw. “Not so high and mighty now, are ya?” he snarled at her. He sat astride her and pinned her arms to the ground. She thrashed under him, but the man was easily more than twice her weight. She could hear Bajan struggling to breathe and she cried out in rage and frustration. Even with one of the men dead, Bajan was too weak now to save himself. They were both going to die out here, and there was nothing she could do to help either one of them.

  Sully lifted his sword, the point hovering directly over her breastbone. “Like I said before, we don’t take to your kind around here. Enjoy the Netherworld, shifter!” Before he could begin his downward thrust, a primal screech rang out and Cara buried Sully’s own knife in his temple.

  As soon as Sully slumped away from her, the man holding Bajan let go of the rope around his neck. She pushed out from under the dead man and ran to Bajan who was hacking coarsely.

  “What happened?” asked Sully’s accomplice, looking around at his surroundings in a befuddled manner. Kiernan stood to glare at him. Looking into his eyes, realization dawned on her. This man had been mindshifted! And, the link abruptly ended when Sully was killed! That was how Sully was able to convince the citizens of Janis to ignore his abuse of Cara. He must have been methodically planting thoughts and lies in enough people that the rest were too scared to stand up to him. These two men here might have been under Sully’s power for the past moments, but they were no innocents. They could not be, considering how eager they were for a fight earlier that day.

  First a rogue bodyshifter and now a rogue mindshifter? What is going on?

  Kiernan bent down to retrieve her sword and then looked at the
only man left alive. “Get out of here,” she commanded. He did not have to be told twice, and he sprinted back toward Janis, not remembering he had a horse hidden somewhere in the darkness.

  Bending down, she removed her dagger from the chest of the captor she had killed and wiped the blood on his cloak before sheathing it. This was the second man she killed. First Teag and now this one.

  I did what was necessary to protect the lives of Cara and Bajan. Highworld knows, though, I don’t have to like it.

  She would tell Jase what had happened when she returned to town so the bodies could be retrieved and their actions reported to their liege Lord or Lady.

  Cara approached and kneeled in front of her. “Thank you, Your Grace, but you should not have risked your life so coming after me! Your life is much more important than mine.”

  Kiernan sighed tiredly. “All life is equally important, Cara.”

  She mounted Milan and Cara mounted Sully’s horse, and they rode back to Janis in the pre-dawn light. Bajan recovered enough to slip back into the forest.

  After parting from Cara in front of The Lantern, Kiernan stabled Milan and walked up the stairs in the back of the dining room to the second floor, anxious for her bed. Just as she put her hand on the knob, Beck came out of his room, stretching languidly. “It’s about time, sleepy head. I knocked on your door earlier, but you were not awake yet. Are you going to loll around all day or are you ready to leave?”

  Beck stretched his long legs out in front of him before the fire, his nose buried in The Protetor. The pleasant aroma of roasting meat drifted toward him, and he inhaled appreciatively as he lifted his head to gaze at his silent companions. Kiernan was slowly turning three rabbits on a spit over the fire, Rogan was honing the long dagger he always carried at his hip, Airron was peering down at the silver pendant he held in his hand, and Rory was watching Airron and the pendant with a peculiar look on his youthful features. The Scarlet Sabers were on first watch somewhere in the darkness beyond the fire, and Bajan was off hunting. They would not see the Draca Cat again until Kiernan called to him to board the ferry to Deeport. The potential to attract unwanted attention was high enough with a Princess, Dwarf and Elf in their party without an enormous mythical Draca Cat at their side.