Burning Shadows

by Jennifer Anne Davis

“I don’t know.” Anders picked up a rock and threw it across the water. It skipped three times and sank. “Are you afraid you won’t be able to kill him when the time comes?”

  I had no idea if I’d be able to strike Morlet down. That was something I wouldn’t know until standing before him with my weapon in hand. I looked down at my hands—they were shaking. “The path before me is frightening,” I admitted. “Facing Morlet, conceiving his child, and killing him. Will people hate my baby because of who the father is?”

  “That is why Vidar wants to wed you—to protect the child.”

  Marrying Vidar wasn’t the only feasible option. I could have the child and leave. Go to the other side of the mountains where my family lived. “I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

  “But you don’t have to.”

  “I hoped you might be willing to take that journey with me.” That he would be a friend, lover, and companion. “It’s clear you’re not. I’ve severed my engagement with Vidar. When this is over, I am leaving. I have choices. And I choose me.”

  Anders reached out to take my hand, but I stood and walked away from him. Some things were worth fighting for—that was why I was willing to face Morlet. If Anders didn’t want to fight for me, then he wasn’t the man I thought he was. He wasn’t the man I deserved.

  ✧

  “Kaia, love,” Morlet crooned. “Wake up, darling.”

  My eyes flew open. I was lying on Morlet’s bed. Hundreds of candles adorned his room. “What’s going on?” I demanded, sitting up and clutching the soft sheets tight against my body. He sat on the bed next to me, and I scooted away from him, putting space between us.

  “Is that any way to treat me?” he asked. “After I loaned my magic to you and allowed you to escape?” He leaned closer to me and whispered, “Don’t forget, we need to create a life together.”

  “It won’t work in a dream state,” I replied, suddenly aware that I was not ready to be intimate with him. Borrowing his magic was one thing, but sharing his bed was another matter entirely.

  “Oh, I know.” He removed his hood, revealing his face. His blue eyes sparkled with amusement. “However, there are a few particulars we need to discuss beforehand.”

  “Like what?” I scooted further away from him. What could we possibly have to talk about?

  “For my full cooperation and participation in the matter, I have some demands.”

  I blinked several times, processing what he’d said. For his cooperation? What about for my cooperation? I twisted onto my knees, ready to yell at him.

  Morlet held up his hand, silencing me. “Vidar and the assassin will bring you to a location of my choosing where the event will take place. It will be far more entertaining if the two men who love and care for you are required to be there in some capacity.”

  It felt as if someone had taken my heart and squeezed it. Morlet wanted Vidar and Anders there? While we conceived a child? There was no way they were going to witness that.

  “After all,” Morlet continued, “there must be love between the two of us for a child to be created. Given who you are, I obviously feel a connection to you. It is time for you to admit that you care for me as well.”

  His words were hauntingly similar to what Damaris said all those weeks ago.

  “I will contact you in a fortnight with the time and place. Until then, my darling.” He waved his hand and severed our connection.

  ✧

  End of Book Two

  Keep reading for a free preview of the first chapter

  of CAGE OF DECEIT, Book One of the Reign of Secrets series

  About the Author

  Jennifer Anne Davis graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and a teaching credential. She is currently a full-time writer and mother of three highly energetic children. Her days are spent living in imaginary worlds and fueling her own kids' creativity.

  Visit Jennifer online at

  www.JenniferAnneDavis.com

  The following is an excerpt from CAGE OF DECEIT, Book One of the Reign of Secrets series by Jennifer Anne Davis, available now!

  Running along the edge of the rooftop, Allyssa kept an eye on the man below. He was three blocks ahead of her as he sprinted down the street, clutching a bag of coins. Allyssa jumped the two-foot gap to the adjacent rooftop, not wanting to lose sight of the thief. He slowed and turned a corner into an alleyway. With any luck, he’d hide there and she could catch him by surprise. Allyssa couldn’t believe she was the one running on rooftops after him. Grevik had insisted only she could do such a thing because she was smaller, lighter, and more agile. She suspected her friend was just too much of a pansy to do it himself.

  There was one more building to go. Unfortunately, the next one was much further away. If she had to guess, it was a good eight to ten feet. Keeping her breathing steady, she steeled her resolve and ran a bit quicker. She pumped her legs faster and faster, the edge of the rooftop rapidly approaching. Twenty feet to go. Why did she agree to this? Focus, she scolded herself. Now was not the time to think about it. Ten feet to go.

  Her right boot hit the edge of the roof. Using all her strength, she pushed off, flying through the moonlit night. Her arms waved and her legs ran on air as she hurtled toward the adjacent rooftop landing with a jolt. Starting to fall forward, she tucked her head, rolled onto her back, and somersaulted. Crouching low, her heart beat frantically. Blimey. A smile burst on her face. That was fun. Not that she was about to do it again, though.

  Jumping to her feet, she glanced over the edge of the two-story building, searching for the thief. Sure enough, he was right below, hiding in the alley. Allyssa pulled out her dagger and slid onto her stomach. Peering over the side, she carefully aimed her weapon at him. As long as the thief stood still, striking him would be relatively simple. She counted to three and threw her knife, watching it zoom down thirty feet and whack the man dead center in his right shoulder. He screamed, dropping the bag of coins as he looked frantically about for his attacker. The hilt was facing straight up and hopefully wouldn’t give away her position.

  If only Grevik would hurry and catch up. Shortly after they had started pursuing the thief, a rowdy crowd of about twenty men spilled out from a tavern, blocking the street as a fight broke out. Since Allyssa and Grevik didn’t want to lose the thief, he told her to climb the building so she could follow him. She hoped Grevik had made it through the crowd without incident.

  Standing, she scanned the adjacent streets, not finding her friend anywhere in sight. The thief still stood in the alleyway, not making an attempt to run. It was up to her then. She climbed down the ladder attached to the side of the building. Taking a deep breath, she stalked around the corner.

  The man stood in the middle of the dark alley, clutching his shoulder. “Stay back or I’ll gut you!” he screamed.

  “Funny coming from an injured lowlife who steals,” she answered, trying to use a deep voice.

  The man laughed. “Go back home where you belong, little girl,” he said, shaking his head.

  “That’s no way to speak to someone who’s about to wallop you.” She plucked her knives free and held them low. “Now give me the bag of coins you stole from the baker and maybe, just maybe, I won’t kill you.”

  The man yanked the dagger out of his shoulder, stifling a scream. When his head tilted up, his eyes gleamed with malice. Based upon the way he held his body, prepared to fight, he had to have some skill. Nothing she couldn’t handle, though. Not wanting to risk the weapon cutting her, she threw her knife at the dagger he held, hitting it hard enough that he dropped it, the metal clanging on the stone street.

  “What are you waiting for? Scared?” the man taunted.

  Allyssa meandered toward him as she tossed her cape behind her shoulders, freeing her arms and legs. “Yes,” she whispered when she was only three feet away. “I am scared. Scared I’ll kill you when you really deserve to be rotting in a jail cell.” And with that, she spun and kicked his h
ead, sending him to the ground. Much faster than she expected, he sprang to his feet and swung his fist at her. She stepped out of the way and was about to hit him when he punched her cheek. Stars exploded across her vision. Blasted. That would leave a mark.

  “You did not just hit me,” Allyssa said, seething with rage.

  The man had the audacity to laugh at her. She flung her last knife into his thigh. He screamed. Wimp. Using a front kick, she struck his chest and he went flying to the ground. Just for good measure, and because he’d hit her face of all places, she went over and kicked his groin. He had the decency to curl into a ball and surrender.

  A man ran into the alley behind her. She spun around and came face to face with her friend, Grevik. “It’s about time you showed up.” She smiled sweetly at him. “You missed all the fun.”

  He went over to the man lying on the ground, making sure he was knocked out cold. “While you were jumping over rooftops like a gazelle, I was stuck in that brawl outside the Snakeskin Tavern.” He stood and turned to face her. “I can’t believe you took this man on without me, Lilly.”

  The first time she met Grevik all those years ago, she’d told him her name was Lilly so he wouldn’t suspect her true identity.

  “I couldn’t wait for you,” she said with a shrug. Now that she could see Grevik in the moonlight, she noticed his knuckles were cut and bleeding. “Are you all right?” she asked, pointing to his hands, hoping he hadn’t broken a bone.

  He nodded. “It was easier to punch a few of the drunks to make my way through the brawl.” Grevik scanned the rooftop. “I guess we can add jumping buildings to your ever-growing list of skills.”

  “It was bloody fun,” she said, unable to suppress her smile.

  Grevik shook his head. “You’re unbelievable. Only you would think leaping through the air thirty feet off the ground over alleys is fun.”

  “You told me to do it so we wouldn’t lose the thief.” She picked up her daggers and sheathed them.

  “Blame it on me,” he teased, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, tugging her closer to him. Allyssa stiffened before forcing herself to relax. This was the sort of thing friends did. “Come on,” he said. “We need to drop this bloke off to my contact in the City Guard so I can go home. It’s later than usual, and I don’t want Mum to wake up and find me gone.”

  “I need to go home, too,” Allyssa said. If she didn’t arrive before daylight, she would be in severe trouble.

  ✧

  “Wake up,” Mayra hissed. “Your mother is on her way. She’ll be here any minute.”

  Allyssa groaned and snuggled further under the warm blankets. It was too early. She wasn’t ready to wake up and face the day. Her body ached from running on the rooftops and fighting a grown man last night. Just a few more hours—that was all she needed. Mayra yanked the blankets off her. “You are cruel!” Allyssa chided her friend. Grabbing her pillow, she smothered it over her face, shielding out the bright light.

  “Didn’t you hear me?” Mayra tried again. “Your mother will be here in less than five minutes. It is already mid-morning. If she arrives and finds you in bed, you know what will happen.”

  Mayra was right. Allyssa needed to climb out of bed and dress before her mother arrived. Otherwise, she’d never hear the end of it. She threw the pillow off her face and stretched.

  Mayra’s eyes widened at the sight of her, and she gasped. “What happened?”

  “I’m tired is all.” Allyssa yawned and sat up. “I want an easy dress to put on without a lot of frills.”

  Mayra shook her head, her eyes wide with horror.

  “What is it?” Allyssa asked as she slid off the bed and moved to the tall mirror in the corner of her room. She expected to see a tired face looking back at her. Capturing thieves was no easy task. Staring at herself in the mirror, she hissed. “That son of a harlot!” she cursed. The entire side of her face was a deep, raging purple, the color of eggplant. She growled. She’d forgotten the thief had hit her last night.

  “I’ll get the dusting powder,” Mayra said, running to the dresser. “Madelin,” she called over her shoulder. “Find something purple for Allyssa to wear.”

  There was no way they were going to be able to hide this before her mother arrived. Blimey. Rushing into her dressing closet, she ran her hands over her long, brown hair, trying to tame it. She could feign an illness, but then she’d have to stay in bed all day with people fussing about her. The mere thought made her want to vomit.

  Madelin plucked lavender fabric off a hanger and shoved it at her. Allyssa grabbed the material and yanked it over her head, shimmying into the outfit. Mayra rushed in, carrying the tray of powder. As Madelin cinched up the back of the dress, Mayra dusted Allyssa’s face, trying to hide the nasty bruise.

  Mayra shook her head. “If you had come to me right when this happened, I could have made a paste of herbs to lessen the swelling.” She dabbed her brush into more powder and applied a thick second coat.

  A knock resounded through her bedchamber. Her mother was there. Allyssa’s hair wasn’t even done.

  “Keep your head slightly forward,” Mayra instructed. “Try to hide the side of your face with your hair.”

  Allyssa nodded, looking at herself in the mirror. Even with the powder on, her face had a hint of purple to it. The sleeves and skirt of her lavender dress were adorned with thousands of small beads. With the color of the fabric and the shiny beading, it merely seemed as if the dress were reflecting on her face. Brilliant. She hugged Mayra and Madelin. “Thank you.”

  “No need to fuss,” Madelin said, hugging her back.

  “Now hurry,” Mayra added, giving her a small shove. “It’s not wise to keep your mother waiting.”

  Allyssa exited the dressing closet and entered the sitting area of her bedchamber. “Hello, Mother,” she said, trying to keep her head angled so her hair covered her bruise.

  Mayra and Madelin came up behind her. “Your Majesty,” they said in unison, bowing before the empress.

  Empress Rema quickly dismissed the royal guards and Allyssa’s ladies-in-waiting. Once the door closed and they were alone, Rema’s eyes narrowed. “Did you just awaken?” she asked, a hint of disbelief coloring her voice.

  “No,” Allyssa lied. “Why do you ask?” She prayed her mother didn’t notice the bruise.

  “I haven’t seen you today. And you seem a bit . . . thrown together. Are you feeling all right?” Rema came over, gently clutching her daughter’s arms as her eyes roamed over her body, inspecting her for some sign of distress or illness.

  Allyssa stood there, knowing her mother was only concerned for her wellbeing. Since her twin brother died shortly after birth, and Rema hadn’t been able to conceive another child, Allyssa was all she had. If her mother wanted to fuss, the least she could do was let her. She smiled, trying to reassure her, but had to stifle a yelp since her face was sore from being punched. “Yes, Mother. I’m all right,” she forced herself to say, trying not to wince from the pain.

  There was no way Allyssa could tell Rema that she snuck out of the castle at night to aid the City Guards in tracking down criminals. The empress would never understand or allow it, especially since Allyssa was the crown princess and the only heir to Emperion.

  “Very well,” Rema said, releasing her daughter. “I’ve come to tell you that a small ball will be thrown in honor of Prince Zek of Fia tonight.” She moved to the window, gazing outside.

  Allyssa wondered if the boring prince from the tiny kingdom of Fia was ever going home. He’d already been there a fortnight, and she’d been forced to sit alongside him at dinner on more than one occasion. She couldn’t take much more of his idle chatter.

  “He’s requested an audience with us tomorrow,” her mother continued. “You will be there when he speaks.”

  Allyssa stood in front of the hearth, allowing the fire to warm her. She suspected Prince Zek would ask for her hand in marriage at the meeting. Although her parents had insisted she be pr
esent when such declarations were made, they hadn’t pushed her into marrying. Yet.

  So far, all the princes or high-ranking nobles who had come hadn’t interested her. Rema and Darmik told the gentlemen that their daughter was simply too young and in no hurry to marry. But she could only put off the inevitable for so long. She dreaded the day when she would have to choose who would live in this cage with her, who would rule by her side, and who would be her companion for life. Granted, it had worked out for her parents, but their story was far from usual. They were the lucky ones. Rema and Darmik had managed to choose each other and weren’t forced into an awkward arranged marriage.

  “Care to join me in the Throne Room for the weekly proceedings?” Rema gently asked as she turned to face her daughter with sympathy in her eyes.

  Allyssa most certainly did not want to join her mother in that stifling place. However, she knew it really wasn’t a question. “Of course.”

  Rema smiled and came over to her, linking their arms together as they exited the room. “Want to go riding with me later today?” she asked, kissing the top of Allyssa’s head.

  “I would love to,” she answered. Riding with her mother was one of her favorite things to do. “But I’m going to have to decline. I’ll need the time to prepare for the ball.” In reality, she needed to rest. Her muscles were sore, and there was no way she could mount a horse—not after the events of last night.

  “I understand,” Rema said, patting her daughter’s hand.

  “Tomorrow?” Allyssa suggested, hoping she’d feel better by then.

  “I look forward to it.” The empress led them out of the Royal Chambers and to the corridor where their royal guards surrounded them.

  “I forgot to tell you that the Legion of Emperion was thoroughly impressed with your handling of the meeting yesterday,” Rema said, her eyes flickering with amusement.

  Allyssa had to stifle her laugh. The Legion was made up of elderly gentleman. Her mother had told her to make sure she smiled but maintained control at all times by not letting anyone speak over her.