Island Shifters: Book 03 - An Oath of the Children

by Valerie Zambito

  “What do you mean?”

  “They never came home. I checked with the families of all twelve watershifters. They are missing.”

  His eyes turned to ice when his instincts screamed at him that the Ellvinians were responsible for the disappearances. “It is not safe here, Alia. You really must return home while I look into what you have told me.”

  To his surprise, she stepped into him and put her arms around his waist, her cheek pressed hard against his chest. “I feel safer when I am around you.”

  His breathing caught in his throat at the unfamiliar feel of a girl pressed so tightly to him. Clumsily, he patted her back. “I will find out what happened to the watershifters, but you must go back to Aquataine, Alia.”

  She looked up at him through big blue eyes framed by long eyelashes and pursed her lips. “Only if you promise me a date when this is all said and done.”

  “A date?”

  “Yes, unless, of course, you have something against watershifters because wherever we go, I will have to have access to a lake or the ocean or even a bathtub.”

  Despite everything, he laughed.

  She tilted her head and looked up at him. “You don’t do that often enough.”

  “Do what?”

  “Laugh.”

  “I know.”

  “Well, my Prince, what will it be? I am still waiting for your answer.”

  “You win, mermaid.”

  She smiled victoriously. “I will be looking forward to it.”

  He stepped back to let her go, but she lifted up onto the tips of her toes and brought his face down to hers. Their lips met and she smiled against his mouth. “I have wanted to do that for a very long time.”

  The kiss was over as soon as it started, but it was enough to ignite a fire in his young body. He was thinking of pulling her close for another, when a sardonic voice cut through the quiet of the night.

  “Ah, young love!”

  Kane spun around. It was the group of four Ellvinians he had been following.

  “Alia, you were just leaving, were you not?”

  The girl squared her shoulders and stood up next to him. “No. I will not leave you, Kane.” With a flick of her wrist, a puddle of water that had formed from the rain rose up from the ground in a long stream and settled between her hands. She twisted and turned until she held a circular liquid ball.

  Oddly, the Ellvinians began to sniff at the air. “Magic,” one murmured.

  Another licked his lips. “I would give anything to taste the blood.”

  Blood? Kane stepped back. “Alia, go. Now.”

  “No.”

  An Ellvinian reached out and grabbed her by the waist. “We could have some fun with this one.”

  “Leave her alone,” Kane hissed.

  Alia took the water orb in her hand and smashed it on top of her aggressor’s head.

  His cohorts laughed. “You said you wanted feisty, Joff!”

  “Alia! Go home!”

  The wet Ellvinian smirked at Alia. “I do not have time to deal with you tonight, but I will find you. I promise you that.” He ran a finger along her jaw. “Look in my eyes. You want to go home. You wish nothing more than to go home.”

  Alia nodded. “Did you hear that Kane? What a lovely song! Yes, I will go home.” Without another glance his way, she turned and walked away down the pier.

  A song? What was she talking about? How they were able to get people to do as they said? “Why are you here?” he questioned harshly.

  “We ask the questions, young man. Let us start with why were you following us?” The dark Ellvinian stared at him with a sneer and when Kane did not answer, the Elf backhanded him across the face. “Answer me! How much did you hear?”

  Kane put the back of his fist up to his lip and it came back with blood. His first instinct was to summon his magic, but he did not do so. He had a theory to prove out. “I heard nothing.”

  One of the Ellvinians bent toward him. “That’s right. You heard nothing. You know nothing. You will go home and forget this night.”

  “Yes, I will go home and forget this night.”

  “What a sheep.” The Ellvinian cuffed him on the back of the head and laughed as he walked away with the others.

  Kane turned and returned to the alleyway where Jain was hiding. Immediately, the white cat peeled away from the shadows of the buildings.

  Can I kill them now, Prince?

  No.

  Well then, did you find your answers?

  Yes.

  What did you learn?

  I learned that the Ellvinians use a form of mind control.

  Jain growled. Anything else?

  Yes. I learned that whatever power they possess, it does not work on me.

  CHAPTER 13

  TRAPPED

  Izzy Falewir crouched in the corner of the room thinking that she had never felt this frightened or confused in her life. Frightened because she knew the two Elves in the room with her meant her harm and confused because she did not understand why she followed them here in the first place. She remembered walking beside them willingly, but why? More importantly, why did everyone else abandon her?

  Jala, Kellan, Kane, Elon, her brother, Reilly. Even her parents. All those she cared about discarded her into the hands of these strangers.

  Jala promised not to let go of her hand, but she did. A tear trickled down her cheek as she pressed her body deeper into the corner of the guest room. The Ellvinians were arguing. Arguing about who would have her first.

  She cast out with her magic for any nearby animals that she could summon to her aid, but found none. She assumed the Draca Cats were in the mayor’s estate, but her magic did not work on them. Her eyes searched wildly for anything she could use as a weapon. Maman! Father! Please help me! The tears turned to sobs and the dark Elves turned to look at her.

  “Let’s get this over with,” one suggested.

  The other glanced at her sideways, a frown on his face. “We are not animals, Oren. Maybe we should let her go.”

  “No,” Oren responded. “You can leave if you want, but I have never seen anything like this white Elf, and I will have her.”

  “She is so young.”

  “Old enough for what I have in mind,” Oren leered.

  The other Elf looked at her once again with sadness in his eyes. For a hopeful moment, Izzy thought he might try and stop Oren from what he planned to do, but then he said, “Fine. I will wait outside.”

  “I won’t be long.”

  The Elf nodded and left the room without a backwards glance.

  Izzy stood and raced behind the sofa to put it between her and Oren. “Leave me alone!”

  “Now, now, wildcat. Just be calm and do as you are told.”

  “Never!”

  “I don’t even think I will use Ascendency on you, little one. I want you to remember this.”

  Izzy picked up a candleholder on the stand next to the sofa and threw it at him. He easily evaded the missile and laughed.

  Desperate now, she reached out with her magic once again. Yes! There! Her heart raced as she entered the mind of one of the mayor’s hound dogs from the stables.

  Come!

  The dog was not a wild beast, but it would at least provide a distraction while she fought off the Ellvinian.

  Come!

  The hound bayed loudly outside of the window. It was coming closer.

  Oren charged after her and jumped over the sofa. She ducked just out of his reach and ran for the door.

  Come!

  Her fingers closed on the handle and she managed to open it a few inches before Oren tackled her to the ground. She landed hard on the floor with a grunt, and the tall Elf fell on top of her and pinned her arms over her head.

  “Please, don’t! Get off me!”

  The Elf ignored her pleas and leaned his face down close to hers as if to kiss her. She slammed her forehead into his face.

  He screamed out in pain and released her arms, but still s
at straddling her body with a contemptuous glare as she clawed at him with both hands. “I just might have to use Ascendency on you after all, wildcat.”

  A vicious growl sounded in the hallway.

  Kill!

  Outside the door, the hound’s feet scrabbled for purchase on the marble floor as it rushed to do her bidding. Oren flinched in fright as the animal slammed through the partially open door and lunged for him. The Elf twisted off her and cried out as the dog tore a chunk of flesh from his arm.

  Digging her heels into the floor, Izzy crawled away as fast as she could.

  Kill!

  The animal tore into Oren with renewed frenzy at her command and blood splattered the floor as the dog carried out a relentless assault.

  Izzy got to her feet and ran once again for the door, but skidded to a stop when she saw that another dark Elf stood blocking her way.

  “What is this?” the Ellvinian demanded.

  Izzy recognized him as the Ship Captain, Chandal.

  “Help me, please,” she begged.

  Oren groaned and writhed on the ground from the hound’s vicious bites.

  Chandal pulled out a small crossbow and aimed it at the dog.

  “No!” Izzy screamed, but it was too late.

  He let loose the bolt and it slammed into the hound, sending it into a violent roll. The dog came to rest against the legs of the sofa, where it lay still.

  Chandal looked at her as though seeing her for the first time. “A white Elf? Why have I not seen you yet?” He reached out to touch her hair and sniffed the air. “And, a magic user. How delightful.”

  “Help me,” Izzy pleaded once again. She pointed toward the Elf on the ground. “He was trying to hurt me.”

  Chandal smiled. “Do not worry, little one. I will not let him harm you. What is your name?”

  Izzy breathed a sigh of relief. “Izabel Falewir.”

  “What a beautiful name for a beautiful child. Mine is Chandal and I will keep you safe.” Chandal walked over to the prone Oren and kicked him. “Get out! You are reassigned back to the ships at once and you will not set foot on Massa again.”

  Oren held his bleeding arm and lumbered to his feet.

  “Get out!” Chandal yelled.

  Leaving a trail of blood on the floor, Oren sprinted through the door.

  “My apologies, Izabel,” Chandal said and moved back to her side. He gently lifted her chin. “You will come with me now. You do wish to go with me, Izabel, don’t you?”

  She smiled at the soothing inflection of his voice. “Yes.”

  He ran his hand slowly down her hair. “Do you like this, Izabel?”

  “Yes,” she murmured.

  “Izabel, from this point on, whenever you think to use your magic, you will become violently ill. Do you understand? You must not use your magic.”

  “I understand.”

  “Aye, that is a good girl, because you are now mine, Izabel Falewir. All mine.”

  * * * * *

  Kenley pulled her knees up close to her chest and let her head fall back against the wall of her prison. Loose clumps of dirt fell in her hair, but she ignored it as she struggled to stay awake. Struggled to think of a way to get her and Baya out of this earthen snare the Draca Cats set for them.

  She knew it must be nearing dawn when the black of her world began to turn gray. Exhausted and dispirited, her eyes grew heavy and closed.

  Kenley twirled in front of the mirror, holding her white gown up at the sides as she admired her reflection.

  She could hardly believe that it was finally happening. Today was the day she married the man she had loved all her life. By now, he would be standing at the altar of the church waiting for her in his red and black uniform, his unruly curls pressed into place.

  The door opened and she knew it would be her mother.

  Mother, how do I look? she asked breathlessly and turned to face the door. The smile melted from her face at the sight of her mother dressed in all black with a lace veil covering her face. What an odd choice for a wedding.

  Kenley! Why do you have that dress on! Take if off right now!

  Kenley blinked in confusion. But, it is my wedding day.

  Even through the veil, Kenley could see the pain in her mother’s face. No, Kenley, it is not your wedding day. Your grief is playing tricks on your mind.

  She rushed to her mother’s side. It is my wedding day, mother!

  No, Kenley.

  Where is Kirby? He will straighten this out.

  Her mother crumpled a white cloth in her hands and looked down. Kirby is dead.

  What?

  You are too late, daughter. Kirby is dead and today is his funeral.

  The horror of her mother’s words jarred her awake, and she sat up with a strangled cry. When she opened her eyes, a grateful breath escaped her lips at recognizing she was still trapped in her hole in the ground in Haventhal. If she was here, it meant Kirby was still alive.

  What is it? Baya asked.

  Nothing, she replied and leaned her head back against the wall. Just a dream.

  Afraid to close her eyes again, she glanced up at the grate that had kept her up all night. At first, she could not understand why she could not blow it open with air. She had enough power to be able to drive that grate sky high with her airshifting.

  After many hours of thought, she realized that her prison must be an abandoned entrance to Aquataine. It seemed that once the watershifters closed this portal, they magically sealed the grate from below, but had not bothered with the outside. Innate spiritshifters, the Draca Cats seemed to have no problem nudging it open from up top, but she did not have that same ability from below.

  Once she gave up on the grate as a possible means of escape, she worked with Baya throughout the night attempting to carve out a tunnel in the wall. But, without a support system for the excavated channel, the dirt just continued to fall back in on the hole impeding any chance of success. She wanted to scream in frustration. The only other time she had ever felt this helpless was when she was kidnapped by Avalon Ravener as a young child. She quickly shook her head to rid her mind of that event in her life. She did not like to think about it. Ever.

  Instead, she turned her thoughts to the Draca Cats and wondered what they could be doing at this moment. She knew that they would not harm her family, but what about the people of Iserlohn? How would the cats react to resistance from her people? Nazar killed members of his own pride to start this revolution, so it was unlikely he would spare human life if they stood in his way.

  She also wondered how her brothers would react to a possible threat by the Dracas. Had they gone as she asked with Kirby to Northfort to greet the Ellvinians? Were they now back home in Bardot? Her parents left her in charge of their well-being and all she had managed to do was get herself in trouble. Her only source of comfort was the fact that at least Kirby was with the children, and in her mind, there could be no one more reliable than her austere Saber.

  Thoughts of Kirby brought stinging tears to her eyes. It was just a dream, she reminded herself.

  Do not cry, Princess.

  She hastily wiped the back of her hand across her face. I’m not.

  You are. Are you hurt?

  No. Apart from the fact that I am hungry, cold and imprisoned while a pride of angry Draca Cats swarm toward Iserlohn, I am perfectly fine.

  Yes, that is a problem. I promise you, Princess, Nazar will be very sorry when I next lay eyes on him.

  How is Nazar able to do this to me with the oath? she asked Baya.

  To be precise, he has not harmed you in any way.

  He hasn’t? I’m starving, I’m freezing and very, very angry. I would call that harmed.

  In terms of the oath, I would probably call them inconveniences.

  Kenley stood and began pacing the small space. There has to be a way out, Baya!

  If there is, I cannot see it.

  That was exactly the same conclusion she had come to over the past twenty-fo
ur hours. If they were to ever get out of here, help would have to come from outside.

  She snorted.

  An outside that knew absolutely nothing about her predicament.

  CHAPTER 14

  BLOOD SUPPLY

  “Wake up.”

  The voice was soft, but Kellan came awake with a startled jolt. Kane was standing over his bed, still in the same clothes he wore before leaving them last night. Jala was standing next to him.

  “What is it?” he asked, sitting up.

  “Izzy’s missing.”

  Kellan swung his long legs to the floor and pulled his trousers on. “What do you mean Izzy is missing?”

  “I let go, Kellan.” Jala covered her face with her hands. “I let go.”

  Kellan guided her to the bed and knelt in front of her. “Tell me what happened.”

  “I…I don’t know how we got separated last night, but we did. I…I remember going to bed last night, but as soon as I awoke, something did not feel right. I ran to Izzy’s room to check on her and she was not there.”

  “That’s not all,” Kane informed him. “There is no sign of any of the protectors or the watershifters that met with the Ellvinian ship yesterday.”

  A frown creased Kellan’s face. “Gregor is not outside?”

  “No.”

  Kellan reached back into his own memory of last night. He remembered walking down to the gala and then his face reddened when he remembered dancing with Samara. Did he just leave the girls behind to dance with the Ellvinian woman? He also remembered escorting Samara to her chambers and having a brief conversation with Maks along the way. Maks! Kellan stood in a rush and pushed by Kane to go into the sitting room.

  The big white cat lifted his head. Yes.

  Where is Gregor?

  As I told you quite forcefully last night, he is missing.

  You told me? Wait! Yes, I remember now.

  It appeared as though you had other activities on your mind and you sent me away.