Shadows Book 1 in the World of Shadows

by Cheree Alsop

  “Take care,” he said, turning to go back to his family.

  “And you do the same,” I replied. I took a step away, then realized it would be a good opportunity to test the old woman's theory. “Can I ask you a question?”

  He paused and turned back. “Ask away.”

  I hesitated a moment, not sure how to phrase it carefully, and settled for, “Would you fight, if they asked you to?”

  He studied me for the length of several heartbeats and I appreciated the fact that he took my question seriously. He then nodded. “I would fight, if I knew what I was fighting for.”

  “It's not enough just to fight?” I pressed, curious at the answer he had given.

  He tipped his head toward the corner where his family waited. “It might be for me, but not for them. If it was worth it, I would go.”

  I nodded thoughtfully. “Thank you. I appreciate your time.”

  He held out a hand. “It was my pleasure. And my name's Pyth.”

  I followed the Duskie’s directions to the heart of the fighting, the docks and beaches around Lumini’s gulf port. As I drew closer to the water, the river stone and sparkling mortar houses gave way to wooden warehouses and smaller wooden shacks. The cobblestones turned into roads paved with smaller pebbles and dirt that made for unsure footing and would be a mess of mud after a rainstorm.

  The sounds of swords clashing and men yelling increased with each step. The streets in between the market and the port were empty and the board houses and warehouses stood vacant. Several bore shattered windows and burn marks as though the fighting had broken through and had been pushed back. I wondered if that happened at the shift change between Luminos and Nathos, or if the Lysus army had Duskies fighting for them.

  I climbed a flight of wooden steps to the top of one of the port warehouses and stared at the scene below. Hundreds of Luminos wearing the green and gold of Lumini fought from horses and hand to hand against red and gold clothed Lysus soldiers. Blood covered the streets in so many places it looked like it was paved in dark, liquid red. I watched helplessly as two Lysus soldiers backed a Lumini into a corner and proceeded to hack him apart. The next street away, Lumini warriors pushed Lysus soldiers into a warehouse, then followed them into the darkening depths. Screams followed along with the sounds of a harsh, quick battle; eventually, only one Lumini warrior emerged breathing hard and bleeding from several wounds.

  A dozen ships filled the gulf, and several more waited beyond the mouth. As I watched, boats of Lysus Luminos were rowed back to their ships by Duskies while other boats of still sleeping Nathos were rowed to the shore. But none of the Duskies were armed and it was clear they weren’t fighting for Lysus.

  Several of the wooden warehouses along the docks smoldered while others burned brightly against the setting sun. The cries of fighting and wounded men echoed along the streets. Soldiers ran in companies, looking for what damage they could do before they left for the shift change. A couple of streets over, men carrying stretchers made their slow way back to the soldiers' quarters and hospital. By the looks of things, it would be a very long siege.

  I hurried down the stairs and quickened my pace, running down alleys and pausing only long enough to make sure the way was clear before darting across the main roads. Two more streets away, I met a group of Luminos on their way back to the palace.

  “Where can I find Prince Axon?” I shouted as they thundered by on magnificent horses.

  One rider in the rear turned his mount with an impressive short halt and stared at down me as though amazed that I would dare ask. His gaze softened when he saw that I was just a lone girl, not some stealth group intent on killing his prince. “Still at battle, but they should be following shortly. The King’s party is behind us.” He turned his horse before I could thank him and spurred it to catch up with his companions.

  I waited a few seconds, wondering if I truly dared to do what I intended. I hovered in a dark doorway and pulled the hood of the soft gray cloak up to hide my face. The sound of hoof beats neared. My heart thundered in my chest and I took a deep breath, then stepped out just before the horses passed.

  “Whoa!” The lead soldier cried out. He pulled up his horse just before it trampled me. “Out of the way!”

  “I need to speak to the King,” I said. “It’s urgent!”

  The soldiers in front circled me on their horses with swords pointing at my head and chest.

  “It’s alright,” a deeper voice called from the back. “Anyone alone who dares to find me in the midst of battle gets a chance to talk just for having guts.” The soldiers parted and the King urged his magnificent white steed forward.

  Where Axon’s mother resembled her son, his father was the mirror image with good aging that made his white blond hair even whiter and his pale blue eyes sharp and intense. His gold armor and green cloak were outlined in silver and seemed to glow in the setting sun. He glanced at that same sun and his gaze tightened. “You have my attention, but only for a short moment, so I would suggest stating your business quickly.” I pushed the hood back from my head and his eyes widened slightly. A touch of humor deepened them and he nodded. “I think this might be interesting.”

  “You recognize me?” I asked, just to make sure.

  He smiled and it touched his eyes like Axon’s. I was grateful he had gotten most of his mannerisms from his father instead of his mother. “You are my son’s friend. You saved his life.”

  I nodded. “And he saved mine.” It said a lot of the King that he gave me the chance to speak. I took a deep breath. “I know how you can defeat the Lysus.”

  His mouth twisted into a thoughtful frown and the humor in his eyes intensified. “Not exactly what I expected to hear, but I’m listening.”

  I watched him closely, unsure how he would react to my next words. “The Duskies need to fight. They’ll turn the tide of battle.”

  Instead of laughing like I had expected, he glanced around, silencing the chuckles of the soldiers around him, then turned and looked back down at me. “You understand that arming Duskies is a risky venture, especially at dusk and dawn when we're unable to defend ourselves?”

  I nodded. “But the Lysus soldiers will be unable to defend themselves as well. I’ve been watching their ships. They brought Duskies, but they’re also unarmed and used only to man the small boats.”

  The King glanced at the sun which disappeared slowly behind the buildings. “How do we know we can trust them?”

  “They have as much to lose as you do. Any differences can be settled after the Lysus leave.”

  He rubbed his grizzled chin and his eyes took on the distant gaze I was used to seeing from Axon. He glanced at the reddening sky, the sun no longer visible, and shook himself. “Let’s move this conversation to the palace.” He gestured to one of his men.

  Before I could move, the soldier bent down and scooped me up onto the front of his horse. The guards fell back around their King and spurred their horses as one. I held onto the mane of the light brown horse and we thundered up the road to the palace. My hood wouldn’t stay up and I caught several surprised glances from Duskies at their shops. I turned to look back at the pastry store where I met the old woman, but the main shutter was down and the curtains closed. I willed my thundering heart to slow and watched the ground be eaten up quickly by the horses' hooves.

  We pulled up in the courtyard and several stable hands ran out and caught the reins of the horses before we even had a chance to dismount. The King hurried into the palace with his guard still around him in tight formation. I was swept along with them up a flight of stairs and down a long hall to what appeared to be a war room. Giant maps of the land and ocean channels were spread along the walls. One map was marked with red and yellow pins. I walked over to get a closer look and a voice spoke behind my shoulder.

  “Sathen attacks. They’ve gotten more aggressive lately.”

  I turned to find a white-bearded older Luminos with light golden eyes and tight lips. His skin was dar
ker gray than most of the Luminos I had seen. Something about his countenance said that I could trust him. “Tell me about it,” I responded. “I didn’t know they could survive underwater.”

  He nodded. “A new trait they’ve developed, apparently. Deadly for ships, especially at anchor.”

  I studied the red pins dotting the ocean just outside the gulf. “If Duskies worked on the ships, they wouldn’t have to anchor.”

  His eyes tightened, though I couldn’t tell if it was from humor or frustration. “If we could get the Luminos, Nathos, and Duskies to trust each other on a ship, that is.”

  I shrugged. “They trust each other here.”

  He smiled. “Not much of a choice, is there?”

  “Then they should just get over themselves and realize their best chance of survival is to work together.” I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth, but several chuckles sounded. I turned to see the rest of the King’s party gathered around us.

  “You are a little spitfire, aren’t you?” the King asked, his eyes kind.

  I blushed and dropped my gaze. “I guess I don’t see the point of this war.”

  He laughed again, surprising me. “Is there ever a point to war except to prove to ourselves that we are the strongest?” His words turned slightly bitter. “If we don’t make a change quickly, we’re going to have some serious problems.”

  “That’s where I come in,” I ventured. I looked up to see him studying me. “They would fight for you. They hold their families and homes just as precious as the Luminos and Nathos. They should have a chance to defend themselves.”

  He leaned against a thick table with clawed feet, his green cloak flowing from his shoulders. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “You say they instead of we.”

  I looked away. “I’m not from here. I don’t exactly fit in.”

  He was silent for so long that I finally looked up. I was surprised to see how quickly his strength and that of his guard was fading. More time must have passed then I thought. “I don’t think they would fight for me,” he said, but before my heart could fall, he continued, “But they would fight for you.”

  I stared at him. “B-but I don’t know anything about leadership or war. I’m just a-“

  “Just a Duskie from Firen Caves who saved my son’s life on more than one occasion fighting against worse odds than we have here,” the King finished.

  I couldn’t think of a response.

  He gave me a kind, weary smile. “Let’s discuss this in the morning. We should still be here by morning, right Commander?”

  The older man I had talked to about the Sathen nodded. “Commander Thursten sent word this morning that his troops were well matched against the Lysus Nathos. If they don’t gain any ground, at least they’ll hold their own.”

  The King nodded. “Reconvene tomorrow at first light with the results.”

  The soldiers saluted and left the room. The King followed them, then stopped at the door and looked back at me. “I trust you’ve found your rooms sufficient.”

  “More than sufficient,” I said, surprised at his sudden concern.

  He gave a small smile. “My son cares about you, much to his mother’s dismay.”

  I nodded. “I was summoned to her this morning.”

  His eyes softened as though he knew how the conversation had gone. “Have patience. You’ll win her over yet.”

  I shook my head. “I’m not so sure.”

  He smiled. “If you were as defiant with her as you are about the battlefield, I can imagine you had quite the conversation.” He sighed. “Midissa loves her son very much; we both do. She just wants what’s best for him.”

  I lowered my eyes. “A Duskie isn’t what’s best for him.”

  He waited for me to look up, then gave a smile that was so like his son’s I couldn’t help but smile back. “Axon knows what’s best for himself, and I trust him to make the right decision. Midissa will do the same; she just needs time to get used to the idea.” He gave me a fatherly smile, his lips pressed tight in concern. “You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you?”

  Tears prickled my eyes and I blinked them away, not trusting myself to speak.

  Understanding reflected in his eyes. “Axon was right to bring you here; you are more than welcome.”

  I swallowed. “Thank you, Sir King.”

  He gave a small smile. “Please call me Adexo. Axon is careful with whom he allows close. If he's dropped formality with you, then I do the same out of respect for you both. I have a feeling we’ll be working closely together these next few days.”

  I nodded again and he departed, leaving me more confused and overwhelmed than I had been when the day started. I made my way slowly to my room and found a tray of warm peppered meat, white cheeses, a fruity drink, and several types of bread and spreads waiting on a table next to my bed. I pushed the worries of the day to the back of my mind and concentrated on filling my very empty stomach.

  Lying in bed that night I couldn't help the tears that came to my eyes when I thought of Axon's men who should have been at the castle instead of me. Dathien with his jutting front teeth and warm smile, his wife and baby girl somewhere in this city, Jatha, the youngest, who was quick with a shy smile and was a handy assistant to Staden, the calm, collected doctor who seemed to view the entire group as his sons to be watched over. The thought of Marken's desert crabs and cooking, and Rasa's generosity with the food after I saved them brought tears to my eyes; the memory of Dyloth's song on the pan pipes made my chest so tight I could barely breathe.

  I could only whisper their names and remember how wonderful they had been. I was certain Axon had a funeral planned, but I wasn't sure if I would be welcome to it. I didn't want to put any additional stress on their families. I just hoped they had their own warm memories to hold onto. I vowed after the war was over to make sure their families were well cared for.

  I fell asleep and dreamed that I was fighting the Lysus soldiers. The battle was thick and bloody. We held our own, but barely. When I turned to see who was fighting with me, it was Axon's men, but in my dream they were Duskies instead of Luminos.

  Chapter 20

  “Our Duskie Commander has arrived,” King Adexo announced when I entered the war room at first light the next morning.

  Axon turned and when he saw I was the one his father referred to, his eyes widened and he shook his head. “Not Nexa, she can’t-“

  “She can, and she will,” his father cut him off with a firm hand gesture. “You know far better than the rest of us what she’s capable of, and by your account of her exploits, she’s more than qualified for the position.”

  “But Father!” Axon stared at me helplessly and raised his eyebrows as if to ask me if I knew what I was getting into.

  I gave him a small smile, hoping it was more confident than I felt. King Adexo motioned to a seat at the end of the table and a servant hurried forward to pull it back for me. I sat down and tried to pretend that having someone’s assistance with a chair, as well as sitting at a table of war commanders, was a common occurrence.

  “It’s alright, Axon,” the King continued. “I’ll see to it that she’s kept out of harm’s way. But she’s right that having the Duskies fighting alongside us would turn the tide of battle. Are you willing to let our people pay for our reluctance to trust the Duskies?”

  Axon grimaced and shook his head. “No, but neither are the Duskies ready to fight. They haven’t been trained.”

  The King glanced back at me and my heart raced. I took a calming breath. “It won’t matter. We’ll attack at dusk when they’ll be at their weakest. It should give us enough advantage to cause some serious damage and perhaps make King Ragen second-guess his decision to attack.”

  The Commander with the light gold eyes from the evening before cleared his throat. King Adexo gave him clearance to speak with a nod. “My King, my Prince, Commander Thursten sent word that though the troops held their own through the night, they were unable to make any hea
dway in pushing the Lysus back to their ships. He agreed that having the Duskies fight beside us would be a valuable asset.”

  Axon looked from the Commander back to his father. “You already put this before the Nathos Commander?”

  King Adexo nodded. “I needed to make sure we were all on the same page. None of us want this battle to go on any longer than it already has. It’s on our own docks and streets, and I want it over with as soon as possible. Nexa has given us the opportunity to do just that. But I knew that if you were told of Nexa’s involvement before speaking with her in person, you would be against the idea.”

  “I’m still against the idea,” Axon said. “It was a rough journey getting here, she had a hard life before that, and she deserves a break.”

  I met his eyes, willing him to understand. “Axon, I’m the one that came to your father with the idea, not the other way around. I want to help.”

  “And I want you alive,” Axon shot back, then he seemed to remember we weren’t alone. He looked at the Commander. “Commander Jashen, isn’t there someone else who can lead the Duskies?”

  The Commander shook his head and looked truly regretful. “I apologize, but there is not. Unfortunately, our relationship with the Duskies has been a working one at best. There is no one who has worked alongside Luminos in battle other than Nexa. The fact that she saved your life at the risk of her own on multiple occasions shows that we can trust her.” His voice softened. “Not to mention your own relationship.”

  Axon’s eyes sparked. “We’ll keep off that topic, Commander.”

  His vehemence surprised me and I turned away, wondering if he truly was having second thoughts like his mother implied. I met the King’s eyes. He gave me an understanding smile and mouthed something that looked like ‘young love’.

  I blushed and looked down. Silence fell over the war room and a guard by the door coughed. I took a deep breath and looked at Axon again. “I don’t want you to fight alone.”