The Warden and the Shadow Queen: The Warden Saga Book 3

by Paul Summerhayes

  Now’s my chance.

  Keeping pressure on his leg with one hand, Finn scooped up the black sword with the other. It felt warm as it always did when it was hungry for blood, but it was not hot. After a moment, Finn felt his confidence returning as the sword worked its magic. Maybe it rejected Wolfgang after it tasted Finn’s blood. The eldon would never know for sure.

  Wolfgang came to his senses and looked from his burnt hand to Finn holding the black sword. He saw the hatred in the eldon’s eyes. The tables had turned and he knew it. He barged past Finn and sprinted down the corridor toward the front of the palace. Finn slumped against the wall, still gripping his leg. His pants were wet with blood as he watched Wolfgang disappear around the corner.

  Finn clenched his jaw and pushed off from the wall. He had to act fast as no doubt Wolfgang would alert the guards.

  Chapter 22

  Finn limped toward the throne room’s rear entrance as fast as the pain would allow. He had made a makeshift bandage from a length of material cut from his cloak and tied it tightly around the deep wound in his thigh. It stopped most of the blood flow, but pain shot up his body with every step.

  I won’t be much help in a fight.

  He stopped to rest, leaning his weight against the wall for support. Sweat glistened on his forehead, and after a moment he pushed forward again, clenching his teeth with the effort. He couldn’t afford to waste time, Wolfgang would have alerted the guards by now and they were probably already hunting him.

  Karok, I hope you are having better luck...

  No doubt the dwarf could get himself out of any situation he found himself in. Karok was like a fighting machine and Finn couldn’t imagine what could stop him...maybe only a demon.

  The palace was unnaturally quiet and the air felt thick, as though the night knew something big was going to happen. Finn hoped and prayed that the demon had not already been summoned and Anna was unharmed. What monstrous form a demon would take was beyond Finn’s imagination, but his mind flashed back to the dreams he had after he had taken a life with the black sword. The more he used the sword, the less frequent the shadowy demons infected his dreams. No time to dwell on the sword, it was back in his hands and that’s all that mattered.

  The thought of a fiery demon towering over Anna spurred him on.

  Finn staggered down the well-lit corridor and up ahead, he could see two soldiers standing at attention outside the rear throne room door. They were not dressed as palace guards as they wore red surcoats over their mail armour—King Ferdinand’s men wore blue. These men were thick set and had the look of mercenaries. Both were battle-scarred, and no doubt seasoned warriors.

  Who are they?

  As Finn approached, the two men drew straight-bladed swords and readied themselves for battle. The taller one raised his hand. “Halt,” the soldier said firmly. They obviously didn’t know him, otherwise they would have attacked him on sight. “Go back the way you came.” His deep voice made it sound like a threat. He was not a man that was used to being disobeyed. Their weapons made it clear what would happen if Finn kept coming.

  He stopped a short distance from them and drew the black sword. To his ears it seemed to sing as it cleared the scabbard, and a feeling of exhilaration passed through his body and numbed the pain in his leg. The sword made him feel alive! But he knew it was a trick to make its wielder kill so it could feed on its victims. In his heart he knew the sword was evil...as all magic is evil, Mordan had told him. Including this sword. All magic corrupts, the alp had warned.

  The lead soldier glanced at the black sword and raised his eyebrows. He seemed to recognise the sword, or maybe sense that it was special. The soldiers didn’t back down and watched for Finn’s next move. The eldon hesitated, he wanted to tell them to let him pass, but he could feel the sword’s thirst for blood. Its desire to kill was strong and it urged him forward. He was weak from blood loss and he struggled against the sword’s will. He had to kill these men...

  No!

  Suddenly, the first man rushed Finn, thrusting at him with his sword. The eldon sidestepped and parried the blow away. The man’s forward momentum drove him several strides past Finn. Spinning around the off-balanced soldier, Finn moved to face the second soldier. He grimaced in pain as he felt his wound open up and fresh blood soaked into his pants.

  Without warning, the second guard slashed down at Finn’s head and the eldon angled the black blade, deflecting his opponent’s sword away. The clash of the blades sounded loud in the confines of the corridor. In a blink of an eye, Finn spun again and moved around behind the second man. Not wearing armour allowed him to move freer and quicker than the soldiers in this close quarters fighting. But it also meant that he had no protection.

  Finn paused. He was not even breathing hard and returned the men’s stares defiantly. In a heartbeat, he had changed positions with the two men and now stood with his back against the door. The men were baffled. They were the trained soldiers of Solaris and had seen and done more than most warriors. They killed when ordered and without mercy and had witnessed real magic and the summoning of spirits. To them, Finn was nothing. But the skinny eldon was fast and had made them look like it was their first day with a weapon, and not the experienced warriors they were.

  Together the soldiers rushed him, slashing with their swords. Almost like it was second nature, Finn sidestepped and parried the first sword attack, angling it upward and across the path of his companion. The soldier’s blade sliced through the other man’s cheek, opening the flesh to the bone. The soldier cried in pain, dropping his sword to the ground. Staggering back, he held his ruined face as bright blood flowed through his fingers and down his arms.

  Finn brought his blade down and speared it into the top of the first man’s thigh. The black blade parted chain link armour, passing through flesh and bone to protrude out the back of the man’s leg. The soldier of Solaris howled in pain as Finn withdrew his weapon and the man crumpled to the ground, trying in vain to halt his blood gushing onto the white floor tiles.

  Turning just in time, Finn dodged a blow aimed at his chest. The bloody-faced soldier screamed in rage and rained down a series of rapid attacks. Finn jumped backward and barely avoided being hit several times. He thumped into the door at his back and stopped suddenly. He was trapped!

  The soldier pressed forward, hoping to crush Finn with his superior weight. As he closed the distance, he thrust his sword at Finn’s chest which the eldon narrowly dodged. The sword continued past Finn and through his warden’s cloak, embedding deep into the wooden door. The man’s eyes went wide as the black blade arced through the air and bit into his neck. Blood sprayed in an arc as the sword travelled out the other side and his head toppled from the soldier’s shoulders. For a heartbeat the headless corpse stood by itself before it crashed to the floor beside his dying companion.

  Finn released his breath and stared down at the growing pool of blood that surrounded the two dead soldiers. He felt repulsed by their senseless deaths and looked in disgust at the bloody sword in his hands. This sword...is a curse. Before his eyes, the dark metal absorbed every drop of blood and he could feel its satisfaction and the growing strength it gave to his limbs.

  “As soon as I have rescued Anna...I will throw you into the deepest hole I can find.”

  Chapter 23

  The guard on Anna’s right shifted his weight from one foot to the other. They had been waiting for a long time now and she guessed it must have been almost midnight. The two mages looked like they had finished marking the throne room floor. A circle of black powder, thirty yards wide, dominated the centre of the room and yellow symbols or writing filled the circle except at its centre which was left clear of any powder.

  Anna wondered what the symbols meant. Nothing good, she guessed. She glanced up at Tollis. He was motionless sitting on the throne. The only thing that moved were his eyes, following the red and blue mages with interest.

  Does he know what they are doing?

 
; A tapestry behind an undead soldier stirred, drawing Anna’s attention. Something was there. A small bump, about the height of a goblin, moved along behind the tapestry. No one seemed to notice except her. The undead soldiers stood at a statue-like attention, the mages completed their work and Tollis...he just sat there.

  A dirty brown face appeared at the edge of the tapestry. Anna was relieved, it was Flea. His eyes darted around the room taking in his surrounding before they settled on Anna. He looked like he wanted to move to her side. She slyly waved him back, trying to act naturally so as not to raise any suspicion. Seeing his face raised her hopes, he was her only chance of escape.

  The two guards standing over her didn’t seemed to notice the goblin, as they too watched the mages. Did these men know was going to happen here? Probably not. They wouldn’t know any more than any servant she guessed. If any sane person knew that a demon was going to be summoned here, surely they would leave.

  With long, measured strides, Eichmann entered through the main throne room doors carrying a thick leather-bound book. Four red-clothed soldiers followed close behind him. These men were tall and solidly built, like blacksmiths in chain mail. Like the men that guarded her, they too were battle-scarred and grim-faced. These were men that were no strangers to dealing out death.

  Eichmann walked around the marking on the floor and crossed the audience chamber to the dais quickly. The four soldiers stopped inside the main doors, closing them with a boom that echoed loudly in the spacious room.

  “Finally, Eichmann,” said Tollis, sitting straighter. “I thought you had abandoned me.”

  “Your highness...” The old mage bowed and smiled slyly. “That’s the furthest thing from my mind. I am here only to serve you.” Tollis didn’t seem to notice the old mage’s insincerity.

  “Good. You may continue.”

  “Thank you, Your Highness.” Eichmann bowed again.

  “Oh, wizard, if this demon does not obey me...I’ll have you flogged.”

  If the demon doesn’t obey...does he know what he’s saying?

  The old mage brought a hand to his chest. “I am hurt, my lord. I will not fail you.”

  “Good.”

  “The time is not right yet. At midnight we’ll summon your new servant.”

  Tollis smiled and dismissed the old man with a wave.

  Eichmann moved to the other two mages and they spoke in hushed voices. The two younger men seem worried. Eichmann showed no outward concern and he seemed to scold the younger men. Tollis looked on from his high perch, but said nothing.

  “Your Highness,” said Eichmann. “It is almost midnight and I must prepare. I shall return soon.”

  Tollis waved him away and the old mage turned and marched toward the main doors. One was opened by a soldier and Eichmann left the room without breaking his long stride.

  Anna breathed out. Whenever the old mage was near, his aura was like a physical force which seemed to suck the energy out of the room. She was relieved he was gone.

  The air was thick with anticipation. The two mages rechecked the symbols on the floor while Tollis brooded on the throne. The guards, both living and dead, were silent.

  Anna looked for Flea, but the goblin was nowhere to be seen. Even the tapestry was flat against the wall.

  Now where did he go?

  In the darkness behind the dais, Flea knelt and stared at the ground, shaking uncontrollably. In the shadows, a form started to take shape. First it was small, smaller than the goblin, but it grew fast. It was made from shadow and had a humanoid shape.

  The goblin pressed his forehead to the ground and his small arms stretched out in front of him, in total submission. Flea was terrified by what was forming in front of him. All servants of the great Lord Shadow were to be feared and this one, more than the others. Where the mistress was involved, the Lord Shadow would only send his strongest. He wanted no harm to befall his Anna...

  “Are you ready to do your duty to our lord?” The shadow’s voice rumbled like distant thunder, but Flea knew no one else could hear it. It was only in his mind. He whimpered and could feel his sanity starting to tear at the edges. The longer the shadow spoke, the more pressure pushed down on his small mind.

  “Yesss,” the goblin said softly.

  “Our lord uses these fools as tools to awaken her...then all in this world will fear her!” The shadow laughed. Flea clamped his hands over his pointed ears, but it didn’t block out the terrible sound. “And if you are lucky, she will devour you first.”

  “Y-yesss.”

  “At the appointed time you will free her from her bonds. Use this.”

  Flea glanced up from the ground as the shadow being threw a dark object onto the floor before him. It was the shape of a dagger and made from a dark, semi-transparent material. After a few moments, Flea realised it was made from shadows. A shadow dagger. His hand shook as he reached for it, grasping its hilt with thin trembling fingers. It was solid. How is it possible? he thought. No answer could make him understand. He would just do as he was bid or he knew he would die.

  Flea looked up from the shadow dagger, in time to see the Lord Shadow’s servant blending back into the natural shadows of the room. In a few heartbeats the creature had disappeared and Flea stared at a blank wall. His eyes dropped back to the dagger, it still felt solid in his hands.

  “Yesss, I’ll do asss you bid,” he muttered, unaware that a thin trickle of blood ran from his nose.

  Finn opened the door cautiously and peeked in. He looked into the throne room, most of which was blocked from view by the throne and its dais. He could see soldiers lining the walls and two mages checked something on the floor. Closer, there was at least one soldier standing at the base of the dais.

  The eldon slipped into the room and without a sound, closed the door behind him. Limping to the nearest tapestry, he ducked behind it. Peeking out, he glanced around the room again.

  Anna!

  She sat at the bottom of the dais, guarded by two red-uniformed soldiers. Anna wore a dirty dress and was pale and thin, but she was alive! Finn let out a long breath and couldn’t stop himself from smiling. A weight lifted from his shoulder, he felt happy for the first time in weeks.

  “Anna...we’ll be together soon,” he whispered. “Now...where’s that dwarf?”

  Chapter 24

  The main double doors swung open and Eichmann walked into the room. He stopped at the edge of the powder circle on the floor and looked up at Tollis.

  “The time is right...Your Highness.”

  “About time.” Tollis shifted his weight on the throne. “What do you want me to do?”

  “Nothing, Your Highness. We know what to do.” Eichmann’s eyes rested on Anna and he smiled. “Anna will help us when the time comes.”

  I will not! You can go to hell!

  “Without you, Anna, all this would not be possible,” said Eichmann.

  The three mages moved around the large circle and spaced out evenly, facing toward its centre. They raised their hands in unison and closed their eyes. A deep guttural language issued from their throats as they began to chant several phrases over and over.

  Anna didn’t understand the words the mages were saying, but somehow she knew what they meant. She shuttered and felt a cold breeze move over her. The air shimmered high above the circle as she sensed the awakening of magical energies. It terrified her.

  After a long time, the chanting became louder and filled every corner of the room. Blue lightning flashed haphazardly through the air with a deafening crackle, causing Anna’s hair to stand up. From nowhere, whiffs of black smoke started to form at the circle’s centre.

  Nervously, Anna glanced up at Tollis. He too could sense the power being drawn into the circle. He sat on the edge of the throne, holding the arm rests with white-knuckled hands. His eyes were wide and she could see the fear in his face. This was not how he pictured the summoning of his new servant.

  The human soldiers were nervous and several drew their weap
ons. They looked frantically about, expecting to be attacked from all sides. Lightning flashed in the air overhead and many ducked, raising their hands for protection. They might be battle hardened, but this summoning was proving to be too much. A guard beside Anna took a step backward and he looked like he wanted to flee. His eyes moved around quickly, but for now he managed to hold his ground.

  She could feel the ritual coming to a climax as lightning struck the centre of the circle in quick succession, leaving black scorch marks on the tiles.

  The demon is near!

  Glancing away from the flashes of lightning, Anna’s eyes fell on Flea cowering behind a tapestry. Tears streaked down his dirty face as he held something in his small hands. The sight of him gave her hope and broke the dread that was building in her body. She held out her hand, but the small creature cowered on the floor and didn’t look at her. “Flea!” she called, but he couldn’t hear her.

  “It’s time,” said Eichmann with great effort, his face showing a great physical or mental strain. “Bring the girl now!”

  The two guards beside Anna snapped into action, even the scared man’s resolve was bolstered by his master’s voice. They grabbed her arms roughly, lifting her easily to her feet. It was then that she noticed a long silver dagger in Eichmann’s hand.

  He means to kill me! “Nooo!”

  The soldiers pushed Anna forward and she tried to resist, digging in her heels, but they were too strong for her. They covered the distance to the old mage quickly.

  “No!” she screamed again, but the shout was whipped from her mouth and drowned out by the roar of the magical energy that crackled in the air. Flashes of blue, green and red danced high above them as a massive dark shape started to form at the circle’s centre.