Kingdom of Shadows

by K M Reynolds

  With that, she turned and strode towards the shadowy tree line, motioning for the others to follow behind her. Juniper trotted along behind her, long tail held high.

  “The next part of our grand adventure is about to begin,” noted Cambria.

  “Let’s just pray we survive it,” Adelaide replied as the group left the lake house for the last time.

  FLIGHT FROM THE TANGLE

  A delaide stumbled over a raised root and Charles steadied her. The group crunched through the underbrush of the jungle at a fast pace, Wynne’s floating orbs lighting the way in the darkness. Creatures called in the night, causing Adelaide to shiver. She grasped Charles’ hand tightly as the group wove between the huge, gnarled tree trunks.

  Senaris whickered softly and Wynne’s mare answered, and Wynne pulled the group to a halt, scanning the shadows around them. Juniper wove between their ankles, hissing at the darkness.

  “What do you see?” Wynne squinted and waved her hand, brightening the orbs.

  With a hiss, the Dagai struck out, fanged mouth opening wide. Its ruby red eyes glittered in the light of the orbs and Adelaide gasped, falling to all fours to avoid the snake’s bite. Senaris reared up on his hind legs, shrieking.

  “Abreti!” Wynne cried as she flailed backwards into the underbrush.

  The spell hit the mighty serpent squarely in the face, and it froze in place, sinewy body writhing. A great shudder ran along its length, making the branches tremble above them. As quickly as it had come, it retreated back into the treetops.

  “By The Five,” Cambria muttered. “That was close.”

  “Too close,” Wynne agreed. “We need to pick up our pace. It’s hard enough to pass through The Tangle in the daylight, doing it at night is a risk I wouldn’t take unless we were hard-pressed. And we are hard-pressed.” She urged the horses on and the group plodded forward. “I’m hoping we can make it to the Eastern border by sunrise, and quickly get cross the river.”

  “Then we will be safe?” Adelaide asked.

  “Safe is all a point of view,” Wynne replied, ducking under a low-hanging vine. “But for certain we will be safer there than we are right now.”

  “Fair enough,” Charles grunted. “Then let’s get there in one piece.”

  The group continued to move through the jungle, panting and sweating as the hours ticked by. At long last, the sky began to lighten and Cambria gestured excitedly ahead.

  “Look! I can see a clearing!”

  “That’s no clearing,” Wynne announced. “Welcome to the Eastern border of The Tangled Marshwood. We made it.”

  Lord Bainbridge squinted at the sky as it lightened from midnight blue to a dusty violet. Up ahead, the lights of Black Lake glittered in the stillness. His men rode on silently behind him, the sounds of squeaking leather and hoofs plodding into the earth filling the air. Thanaeron rode beside him, her posture rigid and fixed as always.

  “We will stop in Black Lake to freshen up and water the horses. We will let the men rest for a few hours and then be on our way.”

  “We can stop for the horses, certainly,” Thanaeron asserted, “but allowing the men to rest for hours would be foolhardy. We need the advantage of time. I can cast a spell that will make them need neither food nor sleep until our task is completed.”

  “You can do that?”

  “Of course I can,” she scoffed. “Who do you think I am?”

  “I just hadn’t thought of it,” he grumbled. “I’m not trying to insult you.”

  “It’s fine, Desmond,” Thanaeron said, waving her hand dismissively. “Elbret fal em rou taln.”

  Lord Bainbridge shivered as a chill coursed through his body as she finished her incantation. His eyes widened in surprise as he realized that his back no longer ached, and the growling in his stomach was gone. His mind felt clear and alert, like a fog had been lifted. He glanced at his men and saw them all straightening up in their saddles, gazing at each other in wonder and confusion. He wheeled his horse around and addressed the bewildered soldiers.

  “Listen up! We are going to stop at Black Lake to water and feed the horses. Once they have had a chance to eat, we will be on our way. We want to reach The Tangled Marshwood as quickly as possible, to ferret out the usurpers before they can escape.”

  “I’ve cast a little spell, I’m sure you’ve noticed,” Thanaeron announced. “This will allow you to ride and fight without tiring, to go without hunger or thirst, until our mission is completed.”

  The men all voiced their appreciation for the spell, and Lord Bainbridge raised a hand, quickly silencing the group.

  “Now, I don’t need to tell you that you are my best warriors. This is not a retrieval mission. It is an execution. When we find the targets, you have permission to kill them on sight.”

  “In fact, you are encouraged to do so,” Thanaeron added.

  Lord Bainbridge turned his horse back toward Black Lake, signaling the group onward. “Let’s go.”

  The group trudged forward wearily across the hilly terrain, silent save for the sounds of their breathing. The sun beat down from overhead, warming the earth and roughly kissing the cheeks of the travelers.

  “I did not miss this,” Adelaide panted. “I wish there were trees here, or something, to block out the sun.”

  “Agreed,” Charles chimed in. “But we’ll be there soon, and we can rest and refresh.”

  “It’s just a few more miles to Southtree,” Wynne said. “We will be there before suppertime.”

  No sooner had the words left her lips, a dagger flew through the air, missing her cheek by mere inches. The group drew up short, gasping. With a cry, a group of a dozen men surrounded them, brandishing weapons.

  “Well, well, well, look what we’ve got ‘ere,” sneered one of the men. He grinned, flashing a row of crooked teeth. “These folks look an awful lot like them usurpers Lord Bainbridge is lookin’ for, don’t they?”

  His companions all grumbled in agreement, pressing closer to the four companions. Adelaide glanced nervously around at their faces, all rugged and stained with dirt. The man, clearly their leader, spoke again, pressing his face mere inches from her own. She shuddered as his foul breath washed over her.

  “Looks like we’re gonna have to take you as our pris’ners.” He chuckled, running a dirty finger down Adelaide’s cheek. “Shame. You’re a real pretty one. I’d keep you for myself if I could get away with it.” He raised his hand and moved his finger in a circular motion. “Tie ‘em up.”

  “Abreti!” Cambria cried, holding out her hands as the magic rippled from her fingertips.

  The men stumbled back, stunned by the blow.

  “Run!” cried Wynne, and the group sprang into action.

  They rushed out of the circle and made for high ground, panting as they wound their way up the nearest hill. The magic didn’t last for long, and the men were soon hot on their trail and closing fast.

  “Get back ‘ere, you lot!” the leader shouted, sweat glistening on his balding head. “You’ll pay for this!”

  The group reached the peak of the hill and whirled to face their assailants. Adelaide’s heart was pounding in her chest as she grasped at Charles’ arm. “What do we do?”

  “We have no choice,” Wynne said firmly. “Adelaide, your bow. Charles, your sword.” After a moment of shocked silence, they complied, readying their weapons. “Take them down.”

  Adelaide knocked an arrow with trembling fingers. Her breath was coming in ragged gasps and her pulse roared in her ears. In her mind, she could hear the screams of the Uuvern and Woodlyn she had faced back at the lake. Her stomach rolled as she remembered the feeling of long claws tearing into her flesh.

  “Adelaide, release! Release now!”

  Wynne’s voice broke through the rampant haze of memories and she released the arrow, exhaling sharply. It found its mark, burying itself right between the eyes of the leader. Adelaide gasped as his eyes widened and he fell where he stood, mouth agape in shock.

&nb
sp; His death did not slow down the rest of his crew and they charged up the hill with renewed fervor. The companions fought them off, dropping them one by one until there were none left. Adelaide sank to her knees, shuddering as the dust settled.

  “Addie? “Addie, are you okay?” Charles’ voice broke through her thoughts and she snapped back to attention.

  “I… no… I don’t think so,” she murmured. “I just killed a man.”

  “More than one,” Cambria pointed out as she strode past, dusting off her skirts.

  “Not helping, Cam,” Charles grunted as he sank to the ground beside Adelaide.

  “I killed a man. A person,” Adelaide’s lip trembled as she spoke. “He could have been someone’s father.” Tears filled her eyes. “He was somebody’s son.”

  “Hey, you did what you had to do,” Charles said softly, wrapping his arms around her. “It was them or us.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Adelaide said flatly, tears breaking free of her lash line. “I still killed a person. What does that make me?”

  “A warrior,” Wynne replied, extending a hand. “In this fight, there will be plenty of opportunities to take life, or to spare it. In this case, sparing life wasn’t an option.”

  Adelaide grasped Wynne’s hand and stood, wiping the wet trails from her cheeks. “I still don’t feel good about it.”

  “You don’t have to feel good about it. Taking human life is a tricky business, but sometimes, it is a necessary evil. I always try to spare life when I can, but sometimes, that line must be crossed.” She sighed deeply, placing her hands on Adelaide’s shoulders. “Listen, Addie. This war we are declaring is going to have incalculable loss, on both sides. It’s not going to be easy. It will be bloody and painful and hard. But it’s a fight we have to have, for the good of the whole kingdom.”

  Adelaide nodded slowly. “I understand.”

  Wynne glanced around, surveying the land. “We need to get moving. There could be more rogues and bandits out there who would jump at a chance to grab us. We don’t want to have to fight our way to Dragonspire.”

  “What about the bodies?” Cambria asked. “We can’t just leave them here.”

  “You are right,” Wynne sighed. She thought for a moment before suggesting, “Let’s burn them and carry the ashes with us to the sea. We can dump them there.”

  “Won’t it take too long to burn the bodies?” Adelaide asked, glancing around.

  “Not if we do it with magic,” Cambria replied. She turned to face the corpses strewn down the hillside and spoke an incantation. “Fa nil eh tormuna!” The bodies all quivered in place for a moment, then slowly rose into the air, gathering in a pile.

  “Mal et farnir!” Wynne commanded, and a deep purple flame engulfed the bodies, quickly dissolving them into ash. With another quiet command, the ashes rose from the ground and streamed into a pouch she held out in front of her.

  Adelaide’s mouth hung open as she gazed down the hill. There was nearly no trace left of their battle with the bounty hunters.

  “Now we can be off,” Wynne announced, securing the sack of ashes at her side.

  The group lumbered down the hill, determined to make up the time they had lost.

  “I can’t wait for a hot meal and a bed,” Charles said, groaning as his kneecap cracked. “I’m exhausted.”

  “I think we all are,” Adelaide agreed, slipping her hand into his. “This part will be over soon.” She glanced around again at the rolling hills, her eyes peeled for danger. “I hope.”

  Lord Bainbridge eyed the tree line warily as his horse shuffled impatiently beneath him. The dark jungle felt wrong somehow, and it gave him a nauseated feeling.

  “The cottage is on the shores of the lake, so we will enter here and head Southwest through the jungle. We should reach the cottage by daybreak,” Thanaeron explained.

  “We are going to travel through there now? At night?” he asked incredulously. “This would be foolhardy even in daylight, but at night? It’s a suicide mission!”

  “We will be fine. I will cast a protection barrier. As long as we all stay within it, we will be perfectly safe. I make no promises for anyone who falls behind, however.”

  Lord Bainbridge nodded and turned to his men. “Alright, listen closely. We are about to enter The Tangled Marshwood, which I’m sure I don’t have to tell you is dangerous. Thanaeron can protect us, but we must stay close. If you stray too far, you will be outside of the protection boundary, and may Elios have mercy on you.”

  The soldiers all nodded and bunched together, like a school of fish gathered in a net.

  “Abret nil tormuna,” Thanaeron muttered, flicking her wrist. A shimmering pale green hoop appeared, encircling the group. “This is the boundary of the protection spell,” she said, gesturing to the circle. “Stay within, you will be safe from the deadly creatures of the jungle. Stumble outside, and I make no guarantee of your safety.”

  “Let’s move!” Lord Bainbridge commanded.

  The group shuffled forward slowly, careful to stay inside the barrier. Lord Bainbridge cast a glance over his shoulder as they descended into the shadows of the jungle, sending up a silent prayer that he would return to the light beyond the trees.

  The little boat rocked and swayed perilously on the waves and thunder rolled in the distance. Senaris whinnied and tossed his head frantically as the salty water sprayed up against the bow.

  “Shhh, it’s ok,” Adelaide soothed him, “We will be there soon.”

  “Not much longer till we cross the boundary line to safety,” Wynne promised, squinting her eyes ahead. “See there? That low-lying lump on the horizon? That’s Dragonspire.”

  “I didn’t realize it was so far from the shore,” Charles groaned, clutching the side of the boat. “On maps it looks much closer.”

  “Yes, well, cartographers haven’t always been great at distances, especially when there are seas involved.” Wynne chuckled and shook her head. “But don’t worry. A few more minutes and it will all make sense.”

  “This storm is coming fast, will we make it to the island before it hits?” Cambria worried. “I don’t think this boat could survive it.”

  “Patience, friends.”

  “Do you feel that?” Cambria whirled to face her friends, brow furrowed. “That tingling sensation?”

  “No, I don’t feel anything,” Adelaide replied, glancing around at the tossing waves.

  “That’s the barrier,” Wynne answered, pointing ahead. “Here we go!” She raised both hands and cried, “Asimantus!”

  Adelaide gasped as they were surrounded by a flash of blinding white light. She blinked hard and looked around, her vision dancing with spots. The sea was suddenly calm, the sunshine warm and friendly. Looming ahead was a large island, with several smaller islands visible in the surrounding water. A large stone fortress stood proudly on a clifftop, and there was a small harbor with a wooden dock at the base of the cliff. The boat was sailing directly for the harbor.

  A young man was standing on the dock, and he waved as they approached. A roar filled the air and Adelaide flinched. Her breath caught in her throat as a shadow fell over their boat and she looked up. There, soaring high above them, was a dragon.

  “What in the name of…” Charles’ voice trailed off as he stared up in wonder at the gargantuan beast that seemed to float effortlessly on the breeze. It sailed over the stone fortress, disappearing behind the cliffs. Another roar echoed across the water.

  “That was… that’s a real dragon.” Adelaide’s mouth was dry and she hardly got the words out.

  “Yes, it is. There are several here at Dragonspire,” Wynne remarked, smirking at the bewildered expressions of her companions.

  “But I thought dragons were extinct?”

  “That’s what Geofmeron would have you think. He’s very protective of his dragons, and it’s one of the main reasons he has shielded Dragonspire from the outside world.”

  The boat pulled up to the dock and the young man ap
proached. Adelaide scrutinized him as he shuffled over, tossing a rope to Charles and helping them moor the boat to the dock. He was tall and well-dressed, with an engaging smile. He called out a greeting.

  “Hello there, and welcome to Dragonspire! My name is Shindle. I’m Geofmeron’s apprentice and assistant. Please, allow me to welcome you to our home.”

  “Thank you, Shindle,” Wynne replied as she stepped out of the boat. “It is good to finally meet you. Geofmeron speaks highly of you.”

  Shindle blushed and cast a glance at his feet. “Oh man, really?” He shuffled his feet smiled shyly at Wynne. “That is kind of you to say. Geofmeron has been good to me, and I am grateful to be here in his service.” He turned and addressed the others as they disembarked. “I will show you the way up to the fortress, and help you all settle in. There will be a feast tonight, in your honor.” He turned and addressed Adelaide, bowing deeply. “My queen. It is an honor.”

  Adelaide flushed and smiled, extending a hand. “No need for formalities, Shindle. You can call me Addie. I prefer it.”

  “Oh, wow, alright then!” His eyes were wide and he babbled excitedly. “That’s great. You’re great. I mean… it’s great that you are here, now… oh man, I’m sorry. I’m freaking out!” He took several deep breaths to calm himself and Adelaide giggled. She placed a hand on his arm.

  “No worries, Shindle. It’s alright.”

  “We just don’t get very many visitors here, much less royalty!”

  “I believe it,” Cambria stretched her arms above her head and groaned. “It’s a little out of the way, not to mention hidden from the world.”

  “So, about the dragons?” Charles asked, finally finding his voice. “There are dragons.”

  “Yes, there are dragons. We have eleven of them currently living here on the island, and there are three eggs that should be hatching relatively soon.”