The Shadow's Heart

by K J Taylor

  Laela smiled at him — a smile that felt soft and sweet. ‘Thank you.’

  Not caring that they were in public, she kissed him on the mouth. He kissed her back, causing several of the onlookers to chuckle and nudge each other.

  He glanced at them, and leaned down to whisper in Laela’s ear. ‘What do you say that we retire now?’

  She grinned evilly. ‘Yeah, let’s.’

  Akhane gave her a slightly puzzled look, but quickly deciphered her meaning and smiled again. ‘It has been a long journey, but I am not so tired. I am used to travelling.’

  ‘I heard. Spent half yer life runnin’ from place to place, Kullervo said. Feel free t’stop by an’ visit yer wife along the way, though.’ Laela grinned. ‘I’m gonna go get another drink before we leave. Want one?’

  ‘I would be grateful,’ he said gravely.

  Laela laughed at his solemn expression, and turned to leave.

  As she took a step toward the wine and mead barrels, her neck prickled. She stopped in her tracks, looking around quickly. Everything looked fine, but the tingle of fear had not gone away. Her hand went to the hilt of the dagger in her belt.

  Akhane had noticed her behaviour, and came toward her with a look of concern. ‘What is wrong?’

  Laela held up a hand to stop him. ‘I got a bad feeling. Be on the lookout.’ Without waiting to explain herself, she drew her dagger and backed away from the partygoers, her blue eyes narrow and searching everywhere, as if looking for a target. Her free hand went to her neck and adjusted the hang of the thick silver neckring she had taken to wearing during the last few months. It looked nice and decorative, but it was also solid metal, and it covered most of her throat.

  Akhane was also looking around, puzzled as well as apprehensive. ‘What is it? What have you seen?’

  ‘Nothing,’ Laela said grimly. ‘But if I’ve sensed right, nobody will see anything. Dammit, where’s Skandar? I’m payin’ a fortune to feed the bastard, but when I need him, where is he?’ She tightened her grip on the dagger. ‘Have yeh got a weapon?’

  ‘No, but I am strong enough without one.’ Akhane had already guessed what she was afraid of. He moved closer to her, taking up a protective stance in front of her. ‘You think that your enemy is here?’

  ‘Yeah.’ Laela was still looking for Skandar. ‘She crept up on me before, outta nowhere, an’ right now it feels like it did then. I didn’t think she’d have the guts t’come back here after what happened last time.’ The fear tightened its grip on her throat. ‘Look,’ she said quickly, noting that several of the guests had noticed the disturbance. ‘If somethin’ happens to me — argh!’

  Even as she spoke, with every muscle tensed ready to fight, the grip on her throat became a hand of ice, wrenching her violently backward and into darkness.

  She heard Akhane shout something, then he was gone, and the void took her.

  But the void was not death. It was icy blackness, full of nothing but fear and those freezing hands dragging her away. She tried to break free, but here those hands were stronger than iron, and the darkness was in her mind, paralysing her body.

  Every moment she expected to die, expected those hands to break her apart, but they didn’t. And despite the terror, she realised that she had travelled like this before.

  But last time it had been away from danger, not toward it, and the icy grip had been protective. Even loving.

  But Arenadd was gone now, and Saeddryn …

  The sickening journey ended when she was thrown out of the darkness and into light, landing hard on a floor. She rolled over, gasping, but had the presence of mind to grope for her dagger. It was gone. She didn’t even remember losing it.

  A boot kicked her hard in the side, rolling her over onto her back.

  Laela looked up into the face of the Shadow That Walked.

  Time had changed Saeddryn, and for the worse. She had grown gaunt and sick-looking, and her eye had lost its brightness and gone dull and lifeless. But it was much less horrible to look at than the place where the other eye had been. Weightloss had made the skin draw in around the empty socket, deepening the hole and filling it with shadows.

  If Saeddryn hadn’t looked so otherwise mundane, Laela might have thought she was looking at the Night God herself once again. But the utter contempt written in every line of that face was exactly the same look she had seen that awful night.

  Laela’s own face twisted. ‘You,’ she spat.

  ‘Aye, me,’ Saeddryn rasped back. ‘Surprised?’

  ‘Honestly?’ Laela pulled herself to her feet. ‘Yeah. Didn’t think yeh’d have the guts to come crawling back. Didn’t you learn yer lesson last time?’

  ‘I did,’ said Saeddryn, surprising her. ‘That’s why I didn’t try an’ kill ye there. That’s why I brought ye here instead, where Oeka can’t find me.’

  Laela quickly took in her new surroundings: a room somewhere, not one she knew. It looked like she was in a building somewhere in the city.

  ‘What makes you so sure about that?’ she asked in her most confident, sneering voice. The best strategy now would be to keep her talking. Play for time, keep her busy until … until nothing, but more time spent living was worth it.

  Saeddryn did not rise to the bait. ‘Somethin’ tells me she’d have struck by now if she could have. Goodbye, half-breed. The void is waiting.’

  She lunged forward with lightning speed. One hand caught Laela by the front of her gown. The other seized the neckring and wrenched it off so hard the clasp broke.

  A crash made Saeddryn look up sharply. She drew her dagger, but before she could strike a powerful blow knocked her down.

  Laela went staggering to the ground, but she rolled and recovered herself in time to see Saeddryn struggling against an enemy much bigger than her, and far angrier.

  The shout burst joyfully out of Laela’s mouth. ‘Kullervo!’

  But this was a Kullervo she had never seen before: snarling and savage, hands sprouting talons to slash at Saeddryn’s face. His wings had come free of the cape he had used to cover them, and flailed weakly; they were featherless again, and horrible to look at.

  Saeddryn leapt at Kullervo; she had lost her dagger, but grappled with him anyway, and despite the big difference in size between them she held her own against him without much effort.

  But Kullervo, for once in his life, did not back down. He was possibly too angry for that. He hurled Saeddryn to the ground and pounced on her, hands closing around her neck.

  Saeddryn grabbed at his wrists, but could not make him let go as he dragged her upright again. Yet there was no fear in her face. She grinned horribly. ‘Tonight was going well already,’ she rasped. ‘But now it’s perfect. Both of ye here in one place. I can finish it in one go.’

  Kullervo’s teeth were bared. ‘Curse you,’ he snarled. ‘I gave you a chance. I asked you not to start a war. Why didn’t you listen? Why did you force me to do this?’

  Saeddryn spat at him. ‘Take yer filthy hands off me, half-breed.’

  ‘No.’ Kullervo’s eyes blazed. ‘I won’t obey you or your master ever again.’

  ‘Fine.’ Saeddryn kicked out, catching him in the stomach. He let go in shock, doubling up as the wind thumped out of him. In an instant she had darted away and retrieved her dagger, diving back into the shadows.

  Kullervo ran to Laela, helping her to her feet. He shoved her toward the door. ‘Laela, run! Get out of here! Let me fight her.’

  She didn’t let go of him. ‘No. I ain’t leavin’ you. We’re stronger together.’

  ‘Are we?’ Kullervo turned, lashing out at nothing. ‘Damn you, show yourself! You coward! Argh!’ A wound opened on the side of his neck.

  Laela moved closer to him, holding her hands up to his throat. ‘Kullervo, cover it! Cover yer neck! Don’t give her a target!’

  ‘Right.’ Kullervo wrapped his left hand around his throat and breathed deeply. ‘Laela, move away,’ he said. ‘Don’t leave, just go over there.’
/>   ‘No. I told yeh, if we stay together — ’

  ‘Just do it!’ Kullervo shouted. ‘Now!’

  Laela, hearing an authority in his voice that had never been there before, went obediently to the other side of the room. Kullervo stayed where he was, following her with his eyes.

  A moment later, they narrowed into slits. ‘There you are,’ he said, growling, and leapt. His hands reached out into the empty air, and for a moment Laela thought she saw them vanish.

  Kullervo turned sharply and hurled Saeddryn out of the shadows. ‘Got you,’ he growled. ‘You can’t hide from me, Kraeaina kran ae.’

  Saeddryn dodged out of his reach. ‘Who are ye?’ she screeched. ‘How …?’

  ‘I’m my father’s son,’ said Kullervo.

  Outside, beyond the shattered door, came a screech. Two griffins came with it, snarling and scrabbling to get in. Senneck and Skandar.

  Saeddryn knew she was beaten. ‘The Night God will have ye,’ she said. ‘Yer souls will be hers, I swear it.’

  ‘Get out,’ Kullervo threw back. ‘Get out of here and go back to the shadows where you belong. And tell your master that when I die she can send me to the void for all I care. But if I find her, I’ll tear her throat out with my talons.’

  Saeddryn slid back into the shadows and was gone.

  A few moments later, Kullervo relaxed and went to Laela. ‘It’s all right,’ he said. ‘She’s gone. We’re safe.’ The rage had left him now, and his usual diffident affection came back as he hugged her.

  Laela clung to him, breathing harshly. ‘Oh gods, I thought she was gonna kill me, I thought …’

  ‘It doesn’t matter now,’ Kullervo told her. ‘She won’t come back.’

  Senneck managed to force her way into the room, leaving Skandar feeling frustrated outside. ‘Kullervo,’ she said. ‘I am so glad you are safe. How did Kraeaina kran ae find you here?’

  ‘She didn’t,’ said Kullervo. ‘I found her. Wait — ’ he looked at Skandar. ‘How did you know where we were?’

  ‘I did not,’ said Senneck. ‘I only followed the Mighty Skandar.’

  Laela was in no mood for questions. She let go of Kullervo and went through the door to Skandar’s side. He huffed and sniffed at her, reassuring himself that she was safe. ‘You stay now,’ he told her brusquely. ‘Not leave again. Danger here.’

  ‘Yeh don’t say?’ Laela glared. She looked at Kullervo again as he came out after her with Senneck. ‘Kullervo, how did yeh know? How did yeh find us so fast?’

  He looked slightly puzzled. ‘I don’t know. I was out in the city, near the temple, and I just … had a feeling that you were in trouble. And I sort of followed it, and it led here.’

  ‘That doesn’t make any godsdamned sense!’ Laela exclaimed. ‘Skandar? How did you get here?’

  Skandar cocked his head. ‘Have feeling. See something fly to here, and followed.’

  ‘“Something”?’ Laela echoed. ‘What something?’

  ‘See something,’ Skandar repeated stubbornly. ‘Come, we go back to Eyrie now.’

  Laela shook herself. ‘Good idea. They’re probably all going mad back there.’

  She climbed onto Skandar’s back. Kullervo got onto Senneck, and the two griffins flew back to the top of the Council Tower.

  The party had long since broken up, and most of the guests had left. But Akhane was still there, looking very pale in the face. When he saw Laela he ran to her.

  She gave him a wan smile. ‘Don’t worry, I’m fine. Where did everyone go?’

  ‘They are searching for you,’ said Akhane, embracing her carefully. ‘The entire Eyrie is on alert, and the guard are scouring the city.’

  Laela looked pleased. ‘Good men, they are. I’ll make sure they get a bonus for actin’ that fast. C’mon, let’s go and spread the word. Can’t have everyone runnin’ around like headless chickens when they oughta be in bed.’

  Kullervo smiled and nodded to her as she left, with Skandar loping along behind her. When they were gone, he and Senneck were left alone among the ruins of the feast.

  Kullervo wandered over to the tables and helped himself to some of the leftover food. The night’s excitement had finally given him an appetite.

  Senneck found a carcass with some meat still on it, and ate as well. ‘I am glad to be with you again,’ she said eventually.

  ‘So am I,’ said Kullervo. He finished off a cake and ran his talons through his hair. They had extended his fingers; he would have to trim them if he wanted to use his hands for anything delicate. ‘Where were you?’

  ‘I was with the Mighty Skandar,’ said Senneck, unembarrassed.

  Kullervo watched her, nostrils flaring as he took in her scent. ‘You mated with him, didn’t you?’ he asked quietly. ‘That’s where you were all evening.’

  ‘Yes,’ said Senneck, almost carelessly.

  ‘I can smell it on you,’ said Kullervo. He paused. ‘Do you think you’ll lay eggs?’

  ‘I hope that I will,’ said Senneck. ‘And I will pair with him again to be certain of it. He will give me strong chicks.’

  ‘Yes …’ Kullervo sat down by the tables, looking somehow smaller than before. ‘I hope you do have eggs. I know you wanted some. If I could have, I would have …’ He trailed off and shook his head slowly, as if trying to dislodge a thought he didn’t want to have.

  Senneck watched him for a while, slightly confused, before returning to her food.

  After a while, Kullervo seemed to find his voice. ‘We’re going South.’

  Senneck dropped the bone she was attempting to crack. ‘What?’

  ‘At least,’ said Kullervo, ‘I’m going South. You can come with me if you like, but you’re not going to talk me out of going.’

  ‘Why are you going?’ asked Senneck.

  ‘I’ve been given a mission,’ said Kullervo. ‘Go South and talk to the Eyries. Make a treaty. I’m Laela’s brother and her heir; I’m the best choice for ambassador.’

  ‘It will not work,’ said Senneck. ‘You have black hair; they will call you a Northerner and kill you on sight.’

  ‘I know,’ said Kullervo. ‘That’s why I’m going there with my wings uncovered.’

  ‘No,’ said Senneck. ‘Kullervo, this is foolish. They will see you as — ’

  ‘As myself!’ Kullervo snapped. ‘Senneck, I’m tired of lying. I’m tired of pretending to be something I’m not. I’ll let them see me for what I really am, and I won’t pretend to be a prophet or a holy man, because I’m not. I’ll tell them who I am: Kullervo, son of Arenadd, Prince of Malvern, hybrid freak of nature. And they can say what they like; I’m not afraid of words.’

  ‘You do not need to be afraid of words,’ Senneck hissed. ‘You should be afraid of swords and talons. If they know you are Arenadd’s son, they will kill you.’

  ‘Then as Arenadd’s son I’ll ask for their forgiveness and offer them peace.’

  ‘No!’ Senneck stood up, tail lashing angrily. ‘I cannot allow this. I will not lose another human to stupidity.’

  ‘You won’t,’ said Kullervo. ‘Senneck, my father made hatred. He drove the races even further apart than they already were. I will bring them together again, and I’ll do it without violence or lies. I’ve seen enough of that for one lifetime.’

  Senneck took an aggressive step toward him. ‘I will not allow you to leave. You will stay in the North, and if you try to leave I will stop you, by force if I must.’

  Kullervo nodded curtly. ‘I understand,’ he said. ‘I’m going to my room now. I need to rest.’

  He walked off.

  SEVENTEEN

  JOURNEYING AGAIN

  Senneck didn’t see much of Kullervo for the next two days after that. She still shared quarters with him, but when she saw him in the evenings he was distant and distracted. He spent his days talking with Laela or hiding out in his room.

  Senneck was content to leave him to his own devices. Now that she was home again and felt secure, she relaxed in he
r own way, spending her time flying lazily over the city or squabbling with other griffins who saw fit to try and pretend they were superior to her. But she spent plenty more time with Skandar. The dark griffin was happy to accept her presence, as long as she stayed out of his nest, and as she had promised she paired with him several times, until her body’s natural cycles made her lose interest in that and therefore in him. After that they parted ways without a thought, and Senneck was left to rest and imagine she could feel the beginnings of new life stirring inside her.

  And then, three days after their return to Malvern, Kullervo was gone.

  He was gone for more than half a day before she realised it. She slept late that morning, and when she woke up and found his room empty she assumed that he had already gone off to see Laela or attend to some other human business. He had left food for her, so she had no reason to go looking for him.

  She ate and spent a lazy morning roaming the city, and didn’t realise that anything was wrong until she returned to her nest some time past noon. Kullervo was not there, and there was no scent to indicate that he had returned since the previous night.

  Senneck began to look for other signs, and found that some of his clothes had gone.

  That was when she knew he had left.

  She set out through the Eyrie, looking for a scent. But if Kullervo had left one on his way out, it had long since been covered up. She asked several griffins and griffiners she met along the way, but none of them had seen him. Nor was there much point in asking. She had already guessed where he had gone.

  She went back to the tower-top where they had argued, and sat down in the sun. Her human had ignored her warnings and gone South, alone. By now he must be well on his way.

  Senneck’s course of action was clear: she must go after him and bring him back, before he crossed the border. But would she be able to catch up with him in time? And if he did enter the South before she found him, what then?

  As she sat there and groomed herself to soothe her nerves, the sound of another griffin’s arrival intruded on her thoughts. She looked up irritably, raising her wings in readiness to make a threat.