by Jeff Gunzel
She took a tentative bite of her mutton, then washed it down with more pear nectar. Clearly she had offended him, but under the circumstances, her distrust would have been more than justified in any normal human society.
“But I’m not certain where you would go even if you choose to leave,” he added.
She looked up, her earlier question suddenly burning on the tip of her tongue. “Where am I?”
“The Latrain Mountains.”
She dropped her fork. It tinkled against her plate and bounced onto the table. “That’s impossible,” she mumbled. “The Latrain Mountain Range is hundreds of miles north of Shadowfen. How could we have possibly traveled that far? Anyway, no one lives there. It’s nothing but a barren, snowy wasteland.” A chill reminded her once again of how cold the room was. Trying not to shiver, she briskly rubbed her knees.
“And yet here you are,” said Ghatrie, moving towards the bed to strip off a single blanket. He draped it around the back of her shoulders. “And just because you have never seen it for yourself doesn’t mean it is a barren wasteland. I’m afraid this is the reasoning of humans I was just talking about.”
“But how did I get here? If we are as far north as you say, then how am I supposed to get back?”
“Back to what, exactly?” he reasoned, more a statement disguised as a question. “Back to a city where your authority is no longer recognized? Back into the arms of a king who would rather see you dead than have you retake the throne at his side? Tell me, Bella, what is it you miss so badly about your old life that you’re in such a hurry to get back to?”
“How do you know all of this?” she asked, her fork scraping circles around her plate. It was unnerving having a perfect stranger seem to know every detail of her life.
Ghatrie stood, offering her his hand. “A good question indeed, one you should ask the Moon Mistress herself.”
“Then let’s get on with it,” she said, rising to her feet but ignoring his assistance. She wasn’t completely recovered, but felt better than she had since first awakening. Now with some food in her belly, she could feel her strength returning. “I see no need to put this off any longer. My fate is already sealed no matter what.” Dipping her head to the man with an outstretched hand, she gestured for Ghatrie to lead the way.
The hall was cool, possibly even colder than the room had been. Thin carpet covered a hardwood floor, and the stone walls were painted a light blue. Plain, even a bit drab, the hall didn’t match the fine room they had been keeping her in. Lit candles mounted on the wall every few feet barely provided sufficient light as they walked in silence. But with the halls nearly empty of furniture, there was no real concern of bumping into anything. The dreary surroundings reminded her of an old abandoned house. She felt certain there would be thick black cobwebs in every corner had the cool environment been more suitable to spiders.
Walking along in silence, Bella was surprised at how calm she was. What were these people, and what did they want with her? So many unknowns, yet she had no fear of her situation. It was obvious they wanted her alive. In fact, they had gone to great lengths to make sure she survived her horrific ordeal. They passed others in the hall, usually walking in pairs. More often than not, she received a nod of acknowledgement from the men and women who passed by.
But after the third or fourth pair had passed, she began to notice a trend in their appearances. Their faces all looked different, as varying as any group of random humans. But the men all had the same light blues eyes and reddish hair, just like Ghatrie. The women all had straight black hair, usually long with a few exceptions. And gold-colored eyes much like the scales she could see clearly on the lower portion of their necks.
After leading her partway up a stairwell, Ghatrie stopped just short of the top. Above them was a wide-open space, and even just standing here Bella could feel another drop in temperature. “I am not permitted to go any farther,” said Ghatrie, stepping aside with his back flat against the wall. “You will find her waiting up there. May fortune smile on you.”
Taking a breath, Bella turned sideways and slipped past him. Hands to his sides, back straight with unblinking eyes, at that moment he very much reminded her of an obedient soldier. He may have been just that for all she knew. After going halfway up, she glanced back over her shoulder. She could see he was still standing guard with eyes fixed straight ahead. Although she knew nothing about him, she felt a connection of sorts, a kind of trust more in the form of a gut feeling than any logical reasoning.
“Thank you,” she said. “Thank you for everything you have done for me.” He said nothing, but a slight hint of a smile revealed much. She returned his smile, then proceeded up the last few steps.
Ascending through the square entrance, one that looked as if it should have a trapdoor attached but was little more than a hole in the floor, an arctic blast chilled her to the bone. The room was just as cold as she had feared. Hugging herself to help retain every bit of precious body heat, she could see black drapes around the room snapping around like flags in the breeze. Seated in a large white chair across the room was a woman in a black dress. Like all those Bella had seen so far, her hair was long and black, but her eyes were dark instead of gold. Young and beautiful with a confident posture, there could be no doubt as to who this was.
With a warm smile and inviting gaze, she rose from her white throne and seemed to drift across the thin blue carpet thrown down over brittle stone. What looked like a normal dress at first suddenly lifted in the breeze, revealing itself as a series of black ribbons tied to various parts of her body. Arms, shoulders, and legs flapped wildly with silky black banners. With her two-piece undergarment now fully exposed, Bella got a far better look at her body than any of the others.
Overlapping scales covered her lower neck and body, forming a shimmering golden mesh, but her legs and arms remained flesh-colored like any other human. As she drew closer, Bella could see she wasn’t entirely correct about this woman’s eyes either. They were dark, but with flecks of gold color that seemed to glimmer when the light hit them just right. Her smile dimmed upon seeing the shivering human up close.
“My apologies,” she said, changing direction to snatch a fur hanging on the wall. Returning swiftly, she twirled it up and around Bella’s shoulders. With the soft, warm wrapping around her, Bella nodded her thanks while trying to stop her teeth from chattering. It wasn’t just the discomfort of the cold that was bothering her; it was also appearing so weak and vulnerable in a situation where she still wasn’t sure what was going on. “I’m sorry about that,” the woman apologized again. “Over the years our people have become so accustomed to the elements that we rarely think about them anymore.”
“I was told I have been brought to the far north, to the Latrain Mountains?” asked Bella, already certain of the answer. During this time of year, no place else could possibly be this cold.
“Indeed,” the woman answered, circling the room while snapping fasteners along the bottom of each drape. Cutting off the icy breeze made a dramatic difference. Already the warm fur was beginning to feel excessive. Bella loosened her grip, letting it slack down around her waist.
“And why am I here?”
Fastening the last snap, the woman glanced back over her shoulder, amused. “Why are you still alive? I would have though the alternative would have been a far bigger concern for you. Do you not value your own life?”
“I am no longer sure,” Bella answered honestly.
“I see,” said the woman, stepping back to the center of the room. “That is a shame indeed, Your Highness.” Bella opened her mouth to protest the assumed title, but changed her mind. What did it matter anyway?
“I am Rishima, mistress of the moon, guardian of the spiritists of the north. My people call me the Moon Mistress.”
Bella bowed her head respectfully. “Well met. I am—”
“Bella Gylbard, queen of Shadowfen, wife of King Milo Gylbard. We know exactly who you are.” Rishima bowed, low and grac
ious. Graceful and elegant, the flourishing movement almost seemed unnatural. “I welcome you to Lunaris Tower.”
Bella found the display of admiration to be both humbling and painful at the same time. “The woman you address with such reverence and respect...no longer exists,” said Bella, fighting back the tears. “I am truly sorry you have been deceived.”
“Deceived? No, I think not. If the spiritists have one strength, it is that we are not easily tricked. We speak directly with the spirits themselves, and the spirits see all. Information is abundant to us. We have made no mistake.”
“That’s not what I meant,” said Bella, wiping her moistening eyes. “The person who stands before you now is a shell of the woman you seek. I have no power, no authority, and no standing among the royal ranks. Rogue. Deserter. Call me what you want. My rank has been stripped and I now hold no more power than any common peasant. Less, even. A commoner has a home. I don’t even have that.”
“Intriguing,” the mistress replied, two fingers sliding down her chin. “Humans are fascinating indeed.” The mocking tone annoyed Bella. Here she was admitting her complete and total defeat to a stranger, and that same stranger was talking down to her like a child. “I am already aware of everything you have said. The betrayal of the man you gave your heart to, the physical suffering you’ve experienced since being banished from the keep, everything.” Bella winced at the painful memories. Was this woman trying to torment her?
“But in your darkest hour, you’ve somehow convinced yourself that you’ve lost everything when that is simply not true.” Rishima pointed down to Bella’s ankle. “Tell me, what is that mark you bear?”
Bella glanced down to the ink marked just above her ankle. The image was that of a three-pronged scepter with a golden crown hovering just above it. “The royal seal,” she said, her voice distant as if she were talking more to herself.
“And when a queen has fallen from grace, whether or not those reasons are just, is that symbol not removed from her skin? Burned, cut, or by whatever barbaric means are deemed necessary?”
“Yes, sometimes,” came her soft reply, unable to take her eyes off the mark while pivoting her foot to display it clearly. “But that is actually quite rare. Once a royal member has been deemed unfit to rule, the formal charge is almost always treason. After going through the motions of a mock trial, the farce ends in a public execution, usually by burning or hanging. I’m not sure if anyone has ever had the mark removed, then been allowed to live on in exile. It’s an option clearly stated in our laws, but in real-life practice, it’s a thing unheard of.”
“Just so I understand you completely. You still bear the mark that was never removed,” Rishima stepped closer, tracing her fingernails down the side of Bella’s cheek, “and you still seem very much alive to me. By your own irrefutable laws, does that not mean you’re still recognized as the queen of Shadowfen, no matter how much the king despises that fact?”
Bella went weak in the knees. Never once did it occur to her that she might still be in power, legally speaking. Their laws were old and outdated to be sure, but there was nothing to be done about it now. Even if the king were to revoke the old laws immediately, it would be too late. Any new laws would not apply to her situation. She had not been tried and sentenced to death, nor had the mark been removed. By law, she was still the queen.
Bella shook her head. “No. I mean yes, I am still the queen by law, but my authority is no longer recognized in Shadowfen. King Milo’s word will always outrank his queen’s, no matter who sits on the throne. My title means nothing. It is worthless.”
“It is worthless within Shadowfen’s city borders,” Rishima corrected. “Let me remind you that the world is a big place. Please, come with me. There is something you must see.” Taking Bella by the hand, she led her over to the far wall. With a gentle push, the thick stone slid back as if it were light as a feather. A frosty gust of wind blasted them momentarily, then died down as they stepped out onto a stone balcony. Bella readjusted the thick fur, wrapping it up to her neck. Despite the frozen atmosphere, the heavy fur did its job admirably, keeping her warm and comfortable.
She gasped, not from the biting cold but from the stunning view. White-capped peaks dotted the landscape as far as the eye could see. The nearest ones were crystal clear, while the rest grew hazy, swallowed up by mist the farther out she looked. Dark storms bombarded several nearby mountains, assaulting their peaks with driving snow. The occasional angry flash of lightning lit up the underbelly of blackened clouds, followed by a deep rolling rumble. Other peaks lay in peace, untouched, as if completely invisible to the wild forces of nature attacking their neighboring mountains.
“Beautiful, is it not?” asked Rishima, wearing an awed grin as if seeing it all for the very first time. Her breath stolen, all Bella could do was nod in response. “The spiritists of the north have ruled over this region for centuries. There is little record of our existence simply because we do not draw attention to ourselves. With little violence and no wars to speak of, it means most of your kind are unaware we are here. Warring nations go down in the history books as either conquering legends or victims of a tyrant leader. In the end, all are immortalized by the glory of bloodshed, yet no one remembers why those nations went to war in the first place. Peaceful nations are of no interest when it comes to recorded history. I hope to never leave my mark. If I am remembered, this only means that I have failed.”
“You said your people rule over this region? Rule what?” asked Bella, still gazing out over the barren mountains.
Placing a hand on her shoulder, Rishima led her to the edge of the balcony surrounded by a stone rail. “That town down there,” explained Rishima, pointing down into the valley below. Sure enough, Bella could see the tiled rooftops through the foggy haze. “That is the town of Langdale, a traders’ paradise where merchants come from miles around to trade for furs. Farther north,” she adjusted her finger, now pointing squarely into the fog at nothing visible, “lies a larger town called Haran. Their legendary blacksmiths forge some of the finest weapons in the land. Farther east lays Westwend, home to the largest library of ancient texts this side of Ayrith. These treasures hold many of the secrets of your long lost-ancestors. I can only imagine what Shadowfen would do to get their hands on such treasures.”
“And these towns are all settled by humans? They have no issue being ruled over by another race?”
“Precisely,” Rishima replied, answering both questions at once. “As I said, this arrangement has been the way of things for centuries. They are not cut off from the rest of Ayrith, I remind you. But they are aware of how other human rulers treat their own people. The extreme taxation, violence, greed. I assure you, the idea of a human ruler frightens them far more than I ever could.”
Everything Bella believed to be true about the north was obviously false. Not only did these frozen lands contain a flourishing society, but a fair amount of heritage and history as well. What was more, this race of “spiritists” ruled over this region. The reality of that was both shocking and humbling all at the same time.
“But perhaps rule is too strong of a word,” Rishima continued. “Saying we watch over them is probably a more accurate term. The humans are free to trade, govern themselves for the most part, and celebrate their varied and confusing holidays, which I have never fully understood myself. I swear you humans will use any excuse to celebrate your own existence.” Bella laughed. She couldn’t help but appreciate the vast amounts of truth in what was meant to be a joke.
“Which brings me to why you are here.” The lighthearted humor dropped away from Rishima’s youthful face, her expression now deadly serious. “For centuries, we have lived side by side with the humans. The nearest independent city is fifty miles south from here. No has ever had the resources, nor had any reason to invade this far north. Until now, that is.”
“Your people have made enemies?” Bella asked. “Are you expecting an attack?”
“Not human,”
Rishima was quick to point out. “But yes, there is a threat rising in these lands. And not just an enemy to the spiritists, but to all living things that inhabit this small world we share.”
“Those ash creatures,” Bella hissed.
“Yes, ghatins they’re called.” Rishima nodded. “Their anger and hatred knows no bounds, and I fear this is just the beginning. By now I’m sure you are aware of their siege ritual.”
“Leave one alive to tell the tale, kill the rest.” Bella sighed. Even here in a land no one had ever heard of, word of these sadistic beings had left its mark.
“Yes,” the mistress answered softly. A long silence lingered between them for a time. The heavy winds howled, whipping both their hair about like snapping flags. “Which is why I need you to join forces with me,” she said at length.
“I don’t understand,” Bella protested, already shaking her head at the idea. “Like I already told you, I have no power in Shadowfen.”
“You are no longer in Shadowfen!” Rishima retorted, more sharply than she had intended. Immediately she softened her tone. “Look around you. My people and I oversee a number of human colonies, each one trusting us for generations only because we offer peace and stability. Our relationship with the humans has never truly been tested before. But as you already know, that is about to change. What happens when these vile beasts find their way to the far north? These humans are not ready to face such a menace.”
“No one has been ready!” Bella snapped. “Even towns and cities with days of warning could do nothing to slow their assault. If all reports are true, and I have no reason to doubt them, given the carnage we’ve seen, they are all but invincible to normal steel. No blade can cut them. No arrow can pierce them. There is nothing anyone can do to stop them!”
