Unleashing the Shadows (Nine Kingdoms Book 1)

by Ann Bakshis

  I nod just as Caster returns. He stares at the two of us, clearly confused about what he’s just walked into.

  “What did I miss?” he asks, worried, as his eyes dart between the two of us.

  “Ore met someone today,” my mother replies.

  “Really? Who?” Caster asks with profound interest as he walks further into the room.

  “Just someone traveling around the kingdom,” I reply. “He gave me a ride home from the market.”

  Caster steps up to me and gently tugs at my damp locks. “Then why is your hair wet?” he asks, eyeing me with suspicion.

  My mother takes a step back and eyes me up and down. “Your dress is soggy,” she comments. “What were you up to?”

  “Nothing,” I say, stepping back as the air turns hostile. “I went for a little swim after I left the market.”

  “With this young man?” my mother asks, her temper rising.

  “No,” I reply. “He followed me from the market to the lagoon. It was at that point where I met him, and he brought me home.”

  “Do you believe this?” my mother asks, turning to Caster.

  “Did he see you?” Caster asks delicately, though I know what he’s trying to suggest.

  “No,” I say, lying. “I was already out of the water and dressed when he approached me. I pulled my hunting knife on him because he scared me so much. He handed me a blanket from his horse to help warm me up since the water had been freezing, and then brought me straight home.”

  “It was bound to happen eventually, Elizabeth,” Caster says. “She can’t keep living a sheltered existence. That’s not how you or David would’ve wanted her to be raised. She needs to venture out into the world, otherwise you’ll suffocate her.”

  “I can’t lose her too,” my mother cries.

  Caster pulls her into his arms. “It’s going to be all right, my dear,” he says, trying to calm her. “Ore is a force to be reckoned with. She has to grow up some time, it just happens to be today.”

  “Please don’t leave me,” she utters as her grip around him tightens.

  I’m not sure when the relationship between my mother and Caster changed, but it was some time ago. It’s not like the two are in love with each other, at least I don’t think they are, but more like they depend on the other one to survive. Whoever my father was to both of them, the need and love for him is what keeps them together. Caster takes my mother into his room, closing the door behind them. I won’t see either of them until the morning, so I step out the back door, grab my quiver, and head into the woods to create new arrows to use for hunting tomorrow.

  I work until the sun sets, then place my newly-crafted arrows on the kitchen table, grab a quick bite to eat, and head off to bed. Sleep is difficult to come by as Evan’s face keeps invading my mind. I’m struck by how kind and considerate he was, given we’ve never met before. I thought the first time I met someone like him I’d be terrified, but I felt safe with him. I grin at the memory of his smile and the warmth in his eyes.

  What the hell is wrong with me? I can’t continue to think like this, as I’ll probably never see him again, and if by chance I do… how do I handle it? I can’t let a little infatuation derail my senses. Tomorrow not only will I hunt, but I’ll work on my fighting skills and knife usage just to stay sharp.

  Caster and my mother are still asleep when I get up early the following morning. I put on a pair of black pants with a dark blue blouse, heavy leather boots, then braid my hair to keep it out of my eyes. I eat a quick breakfast, snag one of the apples I bought yesterday, and gear up, securing the hunting knife around my waist along with the quiver and longbow across my chest and back as well as a rucksack to carry the game I kill. Before heading off I hand the apple to Caster’s horse and gently rub his mane, then go down the lane for several miles before cutting east into the thick part of the forest. Within a few minutes I come upon several pheasants nibbling at seeds that have fallen from the trees surrounding me.

  I nock an arrow and carefully aim at one of the birds. In only a matter of seconds I have killed all three. After removing the arrows, I stuff the pheasants into the bag and move onto the field where the forest opens up into tall grasses that sway in the warm wind. I sit on the ground and prop myself up against one of the trees, listening for sounds of animals approaching. Sometimes I think my hunting skills are better than my fighting ability, but aren’t they both working on the same principle? Survival of the fittest? It’s just easier when the game can’t fight back.

  I nock an arrow as the sound of heavy footsteps fills the air, but I can’t tell where they’re coming from. I get as low to the ground as possible when a figure enters the field and slowly begins approaching my area. I raise the bow, but I don’t fire.

  “Ore, are you out here?” Evan calls as he stops.

  “Are you trying to get shot?” I ask, relaxing my arm as I cautiously stand so I can make my way towards him.

  “You weren’t at the cottage when I knocked on the door this morning,” he says, looking slightly embarrassed. “The man who answered told me today is the day you normally go hunting and that I’d probably find you here.”

  “Thanks, Caster,” I say to him in my head, with much displeasure.

  “What do you want, Evan?” I ask, annoyed by the intrusion.

  “That cold water yesterday seems to have chilled your mood,” he says, trying to sound angry, but he winds up smiling. “What’s the matter? You all right?”

  “I’m fine. I just don’t like having my routine disrupted, that’s all.”

  “Then go about your day, but I’d like to stay with you if you don’t mind the company.”

  “Why would you want to? It can get pretty boring.”

  “Because I want to get to know you better,” he says.

  I roll my eyes and nod for him to follow me back to the tree I was resting against. As we sit, I nock an arrow again in case something should cross our path, but with Evan’s presence the animals know we’re here and will now avoid the area.

  “Have you caught anything so far today?” he asks after a few minutes of peaceful quiet.

  “A couple of pheasants,” I reply as my eyes dart along the tree line across the way.

  “Is that good?”

  “It’s fair for an early start.”

  “How long do you normally sit out here?”

  “All day if I have to.”

  “What do you do with the animals you capture?”

  “I take some home and sell the rest in the market. Not everyone here knows how to hunt, and fresh meat is hard to come by this far south in the kingdom. I can trade the meat for other things we might need, so it’s a fair deal for everyone.”

  “Nysa seems pretty self-sustainable,” he says. “Have you visited other villages or towns in Pelheim?”

  “No,” I respond, snickering as I rest my longbow and arrow in my lap. “You saw how my mother reacted to me bringing a stranger home yesterday. Do you honestly think she’d ever allow me to travel far from here?”

  “If you could, would you go?”

  I stare at him. “Is that a proposition?” I ask, taken aback by the question.

  “No, just a simple enquiry,” he replies.

  “Sure, as long as I can take my mother and Caster with me.”

  “Is he the man who answered the door?”

  “Yes.”

  “He’s not your father?”

  “He’s a friend of my father and my mother who helped raise me.”

  “Have you been in Pelheim your whole life?”

  “What’s with all the questions?” I ask, cocking my head.

  “I’m just trying to get to know you, that’s all. You don’t have to answer them if you don’t want to.”

  “Yes, I was born here,” I finally reply. “Now, answer something for me. Are you always this forward with people, or just with me?”

  Evan laughs in such a way that his entire face lights up. “I guess that’s my downfall,” he r
esponds. “I’m too friendly with people and I just don’t know any better, but mainly because it’s you.”

  “What drew you to me yesterday? I’m curious to know in case I need to turn it off or something.”

  He chuckles and I notice how the corners of his eyes crease when he laughs.

  “It’s the way you carried yourself,” he says. “You walked like you had a purpose, that you knew exactly what you wanted and there wasn’t anything that was going to stop you. You exude a confidence I’ve never seen in anyone before. Oh, and you’re beautiful.”

  I’m about to respond when something over to the left at the far end of the field catches my attention. I sit up and raise my bow as Evan tenses up beside me.

  “What is it?” he whispers. “An animal?”

  “No,” I whisper. “We’re being watched.”

  “Are you sure?” he asks, surprised. “From where?”

  “Just a few meters behind the tree line to our left,” I reply.

  Evan sits up straighter and scours the area. “I don’t see anything,” he says.

  “It’s there,” I reply as the figure moves closer in our direction. “It’s coming our way.”

  I’m about to let the arrow fly when Evan grabs it. “Don’t shoot,” he says in a panic, then stands after letting the arrow go. “Argus, come out!”

  Branches break as a tall, solidly-built man emerges from the trees and crosses the field towards us. He must stand at least seven-feet tall or more, has a square-shaped head, hair so closely cropped to the scalp that I can’t tell what color it is, long limbs, and big hands. The man stops a few feet away and looks almost timid.

  “Ore, this is my friend Argus,” Evan says. “He’s a dwerg-reus.”

  “What’s that?” I ask since I’ve never heard the term before.

  “A dwarf giant,” Argus replies. “I come from the Kingdom of Axis where my kind live with regular giants and normal people.”

  “What were you doing lurking in the trees?” I ask, standing.

  “Keeping an eye on things,” Argus replies in a deep booming voice. “Normally I’m pretty good at hiding, but I guess not today.” He smiles at the last comment. “How’d you find me anyway?”

  “I know what everything should look like out here no matter the time of day or weather, so when I spotted something that looked out of place, I armed myself,” I reply. “Why were you keeping an eye on things?”

  “It’s what I do when we’re in a new place,” he replies.

  I find his response odd but decide not to push the matter since I’m sure Argus can snap me like a twig if he got upset or angry. I strap the rucksack across my shoulders, then nock an arrow to be prepared.

  “Well, time to move on to another location,” I mumble.

  “Why?” Evan asks, surprised.

  “Because with the two of you prancing around you’ve scared off the wildlife. They won’t come near this field anymore today,” I reply.

  “So, where are we going?” Evan asks, smiling.

  “Two miles that way,” I respond, pointing to the west, which is behind us. “There’s a stream where deer like to go for fresh water. Maybe we’ll get lucky and catch one.”

  “I’ll get the horses,” Argus says.

  “Don’t,” I say. “The deer will smell them and stay away from the area.”

  “Let’s leave them tied up where they are for the moment,” Evan says to Argus.

  I lead the way, keeping an eye on my companions. We have to cross several lanes before coming upon a small, slightly dilapidated building that overlooks the stream. I scan the area for a spot to hide, finding one a few meters down where the trees thicken around a bend in the water. I nestle myself against one of the trunks while Evan and Argus try their best to do the same. We sit peacefully for quite a while before a few more pheasants wander by. I raise my bow and fire rapidly, striking three of the four. I get up to retrieve the arrows and stuff the birds into the rucksack.

  “Wow, you’re good,” Evan says, a shocked look on his face when I return. “I’ve never seen anyone fire so rapidly before.”

  “I’ve been doing this for so long it’s instinctual now,” I reply.

  “What else are you good at?” Argus asks.

  “She’s quick with a knife,” Evan answers, nudging me in the arm, which causes me to smile.

  “Caster and my mother have made sure I’m well versed in knife throwing and hand-to-hand combat,” I reply. “They want to make sure I know how to handle myself in any situation.”

  “Have you ever handled a sword?” Evan asks.

  “No,” I reply. “There aren’t many people around here who have them.”

  “I know nothing about archery, so if you teach me how to shoot, I’ll teach you how to sword fight.”

  I stare at him. “I haven’t seen you carry a sword, so how do I know you have one?” I ask.

  He smiles. “It’s back at the inn in Nysa,” he replies. “How about I call on you tomorrow morning at the cottage?”

  “All right,” I reply.

  “We need to get going,” Argus says as he rises, nearly hitting a low-lying branch.

  Evan’s face falls, but he stands, and they leave. I sit for another hour or so before heading to the market to sell the birds.

  Four

  Evan

  Argus is too quiet as we make our way back to the field to retrieve the horses, and I can tell it’s because he’s got something on his mind. I hate when he gets into one of his sullen moods.

  “Out with it,” I finally say when the silence becomes unbearable.

  “Your father won’t be happy that you’re not acting as he instructed,” Argus answers. “He didn’t send you down here to romp around the woods with a young woman, despite how lovely she is. You’re supposed to be familiarizing yourself with the kingdom without being noticed.”

  “I am,” I snap.

  “We’re only scheduled to remain in Nysa for a few more days before moving on. What are you going to tell Ore?”

  “I haven’t thought that far ahead,” I answer, dropping my head to my chest.

  Argus grabs my arm and turns me to face him. “You have to,” he says, annoyed. “As the future King of Pelheim, you need to always be thinking five steps ahead and not in the moment like you have been since we started this journey. Ore has better instincts than you and she didn’t have your upbringing.”

  “Maybe that’s the problem then,” I say, freeing myself from his grip. “How can anyone rule a kingdom if they’re only getting to know it a month before the coronation? I’ve never been allowed to leave Latrest until now, so how am I supposed to learn everything I need to know in such a short amount of time? My father can’t expect me to be as powerful an influence as he is if I’m not given the proper amount of time.”

  “You know the king was only doing what he thought was best,” Argus says as we continue on. “He was lost when your mother died, and you were so young that he didn’t know how to raise you without making some mistakes. You need to focus on what’s most important right now and leave the rest for later. And to be honest, Ore isn’t on the agenda, so you need to get your head back on right before you do something you’ll regret.” He stops talking, but I know there’s more on his mind, which comes out a few minutes later. “Why did you lie to her? You know how to shoot an arrow. You’ve known since the minute you began to walk.”

  “What other excuse was I going to use so I can see her again?”

  “Why are you so taken with this woman? You just met her, and besides there are others you may come across on this journey who are far better than Ore.”

  “She intrigues me,” I reply, grinning. “She’s nothing like the other young women I’ve met in Latrest.”

  “None of them down here are going to be, Evander. You just can’t fall for the first maiden you see. There will be others.”

  I know he’s right, but I just can’t get Ore off my mind. The moment I saw her in the market I knew I had
to meet her. She draws me in with her wit, candidness, and charm. Normally when people approach me, they turn all formal because of who I am, but since she doesn’t, it’s refreshing to actually be able to talk to someone casually and without restraint. I feel like a regular person around her and not the soon-to-be King of Pelheim. Even though I only met her yesterday, I feel like I’ve known her my entire life, and I don’t want to give that up. I’m sure Argus has already sent word to my father about Ore since he’s supposed to report on me daily. The courier for Nysa should be almost to Latrest by now if he left last night, so it’ll be a full day if not more before we receive a reply. That’s enough to spend some more time with Ore before I’m forced to leave.

  We find the horses right where we left them and proceed back to the village. We spend the rest of the day wandering the surrounding area, which isn’t much, so I doubt we actually need to be spending a few more days here anyway. I wish my father had allowed me to venture from the castle before now because then maybe I would be better prepared to assume the throne, but I’m not because I’m young and inexperienced. I believe being twenty-two is too young to take power, but I don’t have a choice in the matter. My father’s health is failing, and the physicians have only given him a few more months, which is why I need to move through this tour quickly in case things change.

  We eat dinner at a small tavern along the outer edge of the village and get to know some of the locals, though they have no idea who I am, and we’re supposed to keep it that way. We’re asked where we come from, what our purpose for visiting Nysa is, and what our plans are for when we leave. Argus and I give very brief answers and disclose just enough information to pacify them without revealing our true intent.

  “It’s a shame you’ll be leaving shortly,” an old man across the way says as he motions to the barkeep for a refill of his drink. “We have our annual summer festival the day after tomorrow. It signifies the start of the summer planting and allows us to take a break from all our hard work to enjoy ourselves for a little while.”