Kingdom of Shadows

by K M Reynolds

  “That’s…” Cambria exhaled, eyes wide. “Wow. I’m honored.”

  “I have magical accoutrements at the house, as you’ve seen, but I wanted a separate retreat to hold my most secret and sacred spells and ingredients, just in case I was ever discovered.”

  “This is… I don’t even have the words for it.”

  “Come.” Wynne extended a hand to Cambria. “Let’s begin.”

  Cambria approached the table and eyed the candles. “What do you want me to do?”

  “Today, we are going to start with something simple. I want you to light these candles.”

  “That seems simple enough,” Cam mused as she glanced around for a match or striking kit. “Where are your supplies?”

  “No, that’s the catch. You will be lighting the candles with magic.”

  Cambria laughed, her voice bouncing off the dirt walls. “Wynne, I don’t know the first thing about magic, and you want me to figure out how to summon fire out of nowhere?”

  “That’s about right,” Wynne nodded. “Everything you need for this is already inside of you. You just have to focus and be willing to dig deep to find it. The magic of your ancestors is centered on light, so starting with fire is our best bet. You will likely connect most with spells and enchantments that use light and fire.”

  “I have a hard time believing that this will come easily to me, if it comes at all,” Cambria replied, “but what can I lose?”

  “Nothing. There’s nothing to lose, and so much to gain. You just have to look inside and focus. I promise, this will all be worth it.”

  “I’ve always been a skeptic of magic, but after seeing what you can do with my own two eyes… I think it’s safe to say I’m a believer. I just have a hard time believing that this power is in me, too.”

  “I’m a believer too, Cam. A believer in you.” Wynne smiled and placed a hand on Cambria’s arm. “You are going to change the world as we know it, and it all starts today, with these candles.” She motioned to the table and smirked at Cambria, giving her a gentle nudge. “Just try not to burn my cave down, will you? I’d be very sad.”

  “I’ll do my best, but I make no promises!” Cambria laughed and turned to face the candles, narrowing her eyes at them. “Let’s do this.”

  Sweat beaded on Adelaide’s brow as she let another arrow fly from her bow. She hissed in frustration as the arrow once more missed its mark, fighting the urge to hurl her bow into the shadowy jungle. Tears stung her eyes as she rubbed her blistering fingers.

  “It’s no use. It’s been hours and I’m no closer to hitting that stupid tree,” she cried. “I can’t keep doing this. Every attempt gets worse and worse!”

  Charles exhaled and placed his hands on Adelaide’s shoulders. “I think you’ve had enough for today.”

  “You think?” Adelaide snapped, whirling to face him. “I told you that hours ago, but you insisted I keep trying, that I would improve. What do you think now, huh? I told you this was pointless.”

  Charles held up his hands. “Hey, I was just trying to—”

  “Just trying to what?” Adelaide couldn’t hold back the tears as they sprang from her eyes. “Trying to keep me busy? Make me feel important while Wynne is off with Cambria, teaching her about her super magical life-altering destiny?”

  “Help.” Charles muttered weakly. “I was just trying to help.”

  “Well… next time, don’t.” Adelaide’s throat stung as she stifled a sob, flopping to the ground. She drew her knees to her chest and buried her face, angry and ashamed at her outburst. She felt Charles settle to the ground next to her and she balled her skirt in her fists.

  “Hey, it’s ok,” Charles murmured, gently running his hand over Adelaide’s hunched back. “I know how badly you want to do this. To do something. I promise you Addie, you are important. You are the queen. The crux of our whole mission. Sure, Cambria may have a ‘super magical life-altering destiny’, as you say, but you are going to lead our kingdom to greatness. You will make us whole again.”

  Adelaide felt her resolve crumbling as he spoke, and she found herself turning toward Charles, against her better judgement. She buried her face in his chest and clung to him, her tears running freely from her eyes. She wiped them away and winced as they stung her swollen, raw fingers.

  “Ow.” She leaned back, sniffling.

  Charles gingerly took her hands in his own, scrutinizing her tattered fingertips. He gently placed a kiss on the palm of each hand before standing and helping Adelaide to her feet.

  “Let’s get these fingers bandaged up. I’d forgotten just how hard archery can be on inexperienced hands.”

  Adelaide nodded and allowed Charles to lead her across the yard and into the house. She sat on the couch while he busied himself gathering clean bandages and a small bowl of water.

  “I don’t know why I’m so jealous of Cambria,” Adelaide confessed as he began to clean her hands. “I know it’s ridiculous. I’m a lost princess and heir to an entire kingdom, and she’s my very best friend. I should be happy she gets to play a significant part in this story. But…” she inhaled sharply as the water stung her fingers.

  “But this whole time, the story has been about you, and how you will restore the balance to Echaria. And now Cambria is this major component, and has all of these untapped magical powers, and you—"

  “—feel jealous.” Adelaide finished his sentence. “I know, it’s absurd.”

  Charles smiled and looked into Adelaide’s eyes. “As long as you know it.”

  “Hey…” A smile flickered across Adelaide’s face. “Don’t tease.”

  “Sorry, I can’t help it.” He finished bandaging her fingers, carefully placing her hands on her lap. “Sincerely though, I think you should talk with Cambria about this. You don’t want these feelings to eat you up.”

  Adelaide took a deep, slow breath and closed her eyes. “You’re right, of course.” When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see that Charles’ own eyes were misty. She placed a hand on the side of his face, smiling. “What would I do without you?”

  “I hope we never have to find out.”

  Adelaide leaned forward and rested her head against Charles’ shoulder, her heart beating faster at his warmth and proximity. The hurt and betrayal that had been lurking beneath the surface since his identity had been revealed seemed to wash away, banished by the undeniable ache in her heart. His strong arms wrapped around her and she felt completely, absolutely safe. They sat that way, cuddled in a silent embrace, until the sunset began to cast long shadows across the floor.

  Cambria cracked an eye open and peeked at the candles. Still nothing. A wave of disappointment washed over her, and she sighed and let her hands fall to her sides. She glanced around the quiet room, her gaze flitting over the various jars and baskets filled with herbs, crystals, and potions. She turned in place, cracking her knuckles and neck to relieve the tension she felt. On all the shelves and tables she observed, there seemed to be nothing to light the candles with. All this magic, and nothing to light a fire. She turned her attention back to the array of candles before her, sitting exactly as they had been for hours.

  “Listen up, candles,” She muttered. “I’m going to give this one more shot. I’ve been down here for a long time, and I’m tired. I don’t know exactly what it is I’m supposed to be doing, or tapping into, but all I know is that I need you to light yourselves. So let’s get to it, shall we? I’m ready to get out of this cave.”

  She closed her eyes and clenched her fists at her sides. In her minds eye, she pictured the table of candles ablaze with light, and from the depths of her mind a single word sprang forth, whispering past her lips.

  “Please.”

  A soft rush of wind surrounded her, causing her to gasp. Her eyes sprang open and her heart skipped a beat as she took in the table before her. The candles flickered gently, each tiny flame dancing atop the wax pillars. Cambria’s eyes misted as she took in the table before her, joy and confidence
surging through her. She felt a tingle in her hands and glanced down, her eyes wide. The tips of her fingers were gently glowing with a soft violet light that quickly faded as the tingling sensation subsided.

  “Well done, Cam.”

  Wynne’s soft voice behind her made Cambria jump.

  “Wynne! Where did you come from? And where did you go?”

  “I didn’t go anywhere,” Wynne laughed. “I’ve been here the whole time. I just cloaked myself to keep you from being distracted. You needed to do this on your own.”

  “So you’re telling me you pretended to leave, made yourself invisible, and snuck back in? And you’ve just been sitting here, watching me struggle with this?”

  “Yes.”

  Cambria scowled. “I could have used a tip or two. This has been frustrating!”

  “But you did it. And you did it completely on your own, by tapping into your nature. Doesn’t that feel good?”

  “Yeah, I guess,” Cambria grumbled.

  “If you had done it with help, would you feel this good? Would you have any confidence in your ability to truly use magic?” Wynne arched an eyebrow, crossing her arms.

  “No, I guess I wouldn’t,” Cambria sighed. “You are right. I needed to do this on my own.” A smile crept across her face as she glanced at the table of candles. “Hey Wynne?”

  “Yes?”

  “I did it!” Cambria’s smile overtook her face now, her joy bubbling up and bursting from her mouth in a laugh. “I really did it!”

  “Yes, you did!” Wynne matched Cambria’s enthusiasm, embracing her. “You’ve taken a huge step towards embracing your destiny and identity. I am so, so very proud of you.”

  Cambria’s stomach growled loudly, interrupting their celebration. She grinned sheepishly, clutching her abdomen.

  “I guess it’s been a while since breakfast; I’m starving!”

  Wynne laughed, motioning towards the stairs. “Agreed, it’s time to head back. It will be nightfall soon, and even though the way is enchanted, we still don’t want to risk being here after dark if we can help it.”

  “Understood.” Cambria nodded and followed Wynne up the stairs and into the clearing. “Hey, Wynne?”

  “Yes?”

  “Thanks.”

  OMENS AND DREAMS

  F lames cast eerie shadows across the faces of Lord Bainbridge’s men as they pounded on the tavern door, torches held high. After several minutes of relentless pounding, a disheveled Leslie answered the door, looking bewildered. Without warning, the soldiers stormed into the tavern, creating a circle around Leslie.

  “What is your name, wench? Who else works here?” The captain held his torch close to Leslie’s face and she flinched away, her gaze darting from one soldier to the next.

  “My name is Leslie, and my… my cousin, Milo tends to the animals in the back,” she stammered. “Please, what is this about? We pay our taxes, and we’ve never broken the law. We run a reputable inn here, ask anyone in Brenton. What is the problem?”

  “You have information,” the captain hissed, sidling closer to her. “You harbored dangerous fugitives, and Lord Bainbridge wants to know everything you know.”

  Tears welled in Leslie’s eyes and she fought back a wave of nausea. “I don’t know who you mean. Please, this must be a misunderstanding. If we ever harbored fugitives, it was unintentionally.”

  “Two young women and a gentleman. You may remember them? The women were rather unique—young. One had red hair, one had dark skin. The man may have been dressed in unusually ornate attire for this region.”

  Leslie’s eyes grew wide and she gasped. “No, that can’t be… they were perfectly kind, and polite. They were fugitives?”

  “Let’s just say they pose a threat to Lord Bainbridge and the wellbeing of the kingdom, and we need to hunt them down. Tell me everything you know about them.”

  “Les?” A deep voice came from the darkened staircase. “What’s going on?” Milo stumbled into the room, his blue eyes squinting in the flickering torchlight. “Who are these men?”

  “No, Milo! Run!” Leslie cried out, waving frantically. “Get out of here!”

  In a single movement, one of the guards grabbed Milo, holding a dagger to his throat. The captain smiled and looked back at Leslie.

  “My my, what a predicament.” He leaned closer, and Leslie could smell onions on his breath as he spoke. “You will tell us everything, or your cousin dies.”

  Leslie’s legs buckled and she dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks. “No, please! I’ll tell you anything you want to know, but please let him go. He’s the only family I have left.”

  “What are their names?”

  “The—the man’s name was Charles,” Leslie swallowed hard, wracking her memory. “The girls are harder to remember… maybe Camila and Addison?”

  “Maybe?” the captain sneered. He gestured at Milo, who shook his head at her, eyes wide. “All this pressure, and you can’t give me a direct answer?”

  “They usually called each other Cam and Addie… I can’t remember their full names,” Leslie cried. “I’m trying, please.”

  “Cambria,” Milo spoke up. “Cam’s name was Cambria.”

  “Well then, that’s a start.” The captain knelt in front of the weeping Leslie. “How long did they stay here?”

  “They were only here for one night, and we barely saw them.”

  “Did you overhear anything important? Anything about our Lord? Or about a plot?”

  “No, nothing, I swear. They seemed like innocent travelers. I didn’t ask them their business, and they didn’t choose to share.”

  “Do you know where they came from, or where they were headed?”

  “They came from Swanton, they did mention that. But I don’t know if they were Echarian, or if they had come down from Alista. That’s all I know, I swear to you.”

  The captain sighed, standing to his feet. “Very well. If that’s really all you know, I suppose that’s that.” He motioned to the guard holding Milo. “Kill him.”

  “No!” Leslie screamed, reaching for the captain. “No, you can’t!”

  The guard plunged his knife into Milo’s neck and Leslie screamed again, over and over, her cries ringing through the empty tavern. Milo’s eyes bulged as his blood flowed freely down his neck and torso, his body falling to the floor with a thud as the guard released him. Leslie began to crawl towards his lifeless body, sobbing, but the captain grabbed her by the arm.

  “Oh, no you don’t, sweetheart. We aren’t done with you yet.” He turned to the guards, a wicked smile on his face. “Have at her, boys.”

  Howling like wild beasts, the guards set on her, pulling, touching, prodding, as she screamed and fought with every last ounce of strength in her body. When it was all over, she lay on the floor, battered and bloody, clinging to Milo’s lifeless form. The captain stood over her trembling body, his shadow darkening the room.

  “Don’t worry, pet. You’ve served your Lord and Master, and his subjects. Now you can be reunited with the rest of your family.”

  Leslie lifted her head, her eyes dull, her mouth bleeding, and looked him in the eye. Her voice trembled as she asked, “Why?”

  The captain sneered as he replied, “Because we can.” With a final laugh, he drove his sword through her heart.

  Cambria woke with a gasp, a thin film of sweat coating her body. Her heart was racing, and in her mind’s eye she could still see the flames that had felt so real in her dream. Her ears rang, the silence of her bedroom unable to drown out the sounds of screams that still lingered.

  A glance at the window revealed that dawn was quickly approaching, and she wrapped her blanket tightly around her shoulders. Slowly, her breathing steadied as she sat on the edge of her bed, willing her heart to calm down. With an absentminded flick of her wrist, the candles on the other side of the room sprang to life, casting a faint glow across the room. She stood, letting her blanket fall as she crossed to the window. The stars we
re almost invisible in the heavens now, running from the nearing dawn.

  She pressed her hands into the smooth wood of the windowsill and closed her eyes. Fire and carnage flashed behind her eyes, and she felt her stomach roil. The nightmare had been so vivid, she still wasn’t quite sure that it had only been a dream. She opened her eyes and focused on the yard, taking deep, measured breaths and humming softly.

  As the sun slowly brightened the world, Cambria could see a light coat of frost on the grass. Fall had finally come to Lake Lemange. A soft knock on her door interrupted her thoughts.

  “Yes?” She turned to face the doorway, expecting Wynne to answer. To her surprise, it was Adelaide who spoke through the door.

  “Hey Cam, can I come in?”

  “Of course!” Cam swiftly crossed to the door, swinging it open. “What’s wrong?”

  Adelaide shivered, crossing her arms in front of her. “I had a nightmare.”

  The hair on the back of Cambria’s neck prickled, and a chill ran down her spine as the flames from her own terrifying dream flickered in the back of her mind. She furrowed her brow and beckoned to her friend. “Come in and tell me about it.”

  Adelaide padded across the floor and sat on Cambria’s bed, drawing her knees to her chest. “I was back in Redloch,” she began, “and I was with Gran. We were just… living life as normal. It was wonderful.” She took a deep breath, steadying herself. “Then out of nowhere, she collapsed. I tried everything, but there was nothing I could do. She was in so much pain, and then she..” Adelaide’s voice trailed off as her eyes filled with tears.

  “Oh Addie,” Cambria sat on the bed and embraced Adelaide. “I’m so sorry. That must have been awful.”

  “I couldn’t do anything to stop it,” Adelaide whispered into Cambria’s shoulder, tears spilling from her eyes. “I couldn’t save her.”

  “It’s okay,” Cambria crooned. “It was just a dream. Gran isn’t suffering.” Cambria hesitated for a moment before continuing, “I had a nightmare, too. I woke up just a few minutes ago.”