The Shattered Moon (A Divine Legacy Book 1)

by Alexander J Wilkinson

  “Good afternoon Miss Jinx,” he said politely as he stood back up to full height.

  Jinx smiled and waved “Afternoon Aesal.”

  “I beg your pardon miss,” he said to Shaya “We have yet to meet.”

  “My name is Shaya Greyborn.”

  “Oh, of course, Mr Greyborn’s niece. He was worried sick about you when I brought him here. He kept muttering your name in his sleep.”

  “You saved him?” Shaya asked, even though she knew the answer.

  “Myself and two others miss,” he said again.

  “He said you carried him all the way here yourself?”

  “That’s right miss.”

  Before Aesal could say another word, Shaya had launched herself at him and hugged him as tightly as she could. Aesal was obviously not used to this as he looked at the others for help.

  “Thank you,” she said, through a mouthful of dark feathers “Thank you so much.”

  Aesal smiled even wider, and his eyes became glassy with emotion as he wrapped a feathery wing around the young girl “You are most welcome miss.”

  “Sorry he’s so heavy,” Shaya said tearfully.

  Aesal let out a huge guffaw as they let go of each other. “I was rather tired afterwards,” he admitted somewhat embarrassed.

  “Rather tired?” Elle cut in “You damn near keeled over,” she said slapping him lightly on the back.

  “Well, I-,” he suddenly stopped, his gaze fixed on something in the distance he had spotted behind them. He squinted, his beak dropped, and under the feathers, his face was one of shock.

  “No,” he whispered. With that single utterance, he launched himself into the air. The sheer force of his broad wingspan pushed the others backwards, Jinx completely falling off Shaya’s shoulder. They all turned and watched him race towards the horizon confused and concerned. They couldn’t see what had upset him so much. Volanti’s eyesight was second to none, it must be almost telescopic if he had seen something so far away. Shaya took a few steps forward, placing her hands on the wall in front of her and squinted, concentrating as hard as she could. Then she saw it, it was nothing more than an undulating shapeless blob, black against the fluffy white clouds. It was rising and falling and rising again in the sky as if it was trying to stay airborne. As it slowly got closer they saw Aesal catch up to it, and within seconds he was on his way back, with something large clasped in his clawed feet.

  “Oh no,” said Jinx as she put her hands to her mouth.

  “What I don’t-,” Shaya suddenly realised what it was.

  At breakneck speed, Aesal came rushing back. Hovering above them, he gently placed what looked like a tattered heap of feathers on the floor next to Shaya and the others. They watched in shock, unable to speak. Aesal dropped to his knees and pulled the heap towards him, a white wing covered in black ash fell limply to the side, and Shaya could finally see why Aesal was so upset. It was a Volanti, wearing the same red and silver sash. Her once snowy white feathers, now blackened and singed. A single arrow stuck out of one of her wings. Dark crimson splashed across her plumage.

  “Rooksi,” Aesal whispered as he ran his hand down one side of his injured friend’s face. “Rooksi, can you hear me?”

  Rooksi’s eyes opened slowly. They weren’t the keen, sharp eyes of a Volanti. They were dull, unfocused.

  “Aesal,” came a feeble gasp.

  “Jinx,” Elle turned to the sprite, but she was already rocketing away.

  “I’ll get Quill,” she shouted back as she dive-bombed to the levels below.

  “What happened?” asked Aesal, his eyes taking in all the burns and blood, his face horrified.

  “Bastion,” Rooksi coughed “Bastion is gone.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Dare to Hope

  The words of the injured scout had sent shudders down each of their spines and were now left ringing in everyone’s ears. Rowan had just kept repeating What? What did she say? The exhausted Volanti finally lost consciousness. Elle swore loudly, hands balled up into shaking fists. Both Shaya and Aesal just stared blankly at Rooksi, Shaya with her hands clasped over her gaping mouth. The guards from Song Bird Hall bolted over just as Quill appeared alongside Jinx and two other Volanti. Carefully but quickly the two guards carried Rooksi away while Quill barked things like “Keep her head up,” and “Support that wing.”

  Aesal was left on his knees staring at the dark red blood that stained his clawed hands. Elle lay a comforting hand on his shoulder and tried to reassure him that Rooksi would be alright before the other two Volanti had ushered him to his feet and walked him away. Everything else had slipped away at that point. Shaya just felt like she was in a bad dream. Snow began to fall, but she didn’t feel the cold. Jinx started calling her name, but Shaya didn’t hear.

  I don’t understand. What happened? What does she mean Bastion is gone. Her mind asked questions she had no answers to.

  Before she knew it, they were back in Rowan’s house. No one said a word. Jinx sat on the table curling her tiny fingers through her long chestnut hair. Rowan and Elle were stood in separate corners of the room flicking through more papers. Neither one seemed to be reading anything, just staring, making it look as if they were busy. Shaya was on the bed. She kept folding and unfolding her arms, repositioning the way she was sitting. She was more anxious than ever, she didn’t really know how to feel. The sorrow, fear and hatred were waging war inside her stomach.

  Gone, she had said.

  Bastion, one of the biggest cities in the kingdom, was gone? Thousands of people lived there, now it was gone? Impossible, wasn’t it?

  The place was silent except for the occasional exasperated grunts from Elle as she fought back the temptation to go off on a tirade or smash something to pieces. Shaya and Jinx stayed an hour or more in the silent house until they finally went to leave. Without saying a word, Elle pulled a sword and scabbard from what looked like a wooden umbrella stand by the front door and handed it to Shaya. Shaya stood for a moment looking at the weapon. It was a little scratched, undoubtedly, it had seen some battles. Elle went back to her silent reading. Shaya left quietly with nods and forced smiles which were met with the same.

  It felt like a very long walk back to Myana’s house. The sun was just beginning to set as late afternoon became early evening. The sky grey and dull as the snow continued to fall, blanketing everything in more white. Word had evidently spread as the faces they saw on their way, were not the bright smiling faces they had been met with the last few days. They were fearful, depressed and truly shaken faces. A few hushed whispers were exchanged, and stifled sobs were heard, but not much else. It was as if the Volanti city had been cursed with a horrible spell.

  First, Shaya went to Myana’s house, a note on the table told her that Myana was at the stall in Ki Town and would be back late. She probably hadn’t even heard the news yet. Shaya grabbed the sheet from the spare bed and carried it outside. She didn’t realise she was dragging one side of the bedding along the icy floor.

  She opened the door quietly to where Uncle Benjin was sleeping soundly. On the ground by the table was a broken vile and a collection of herbs that had been trodden on. Jinx said that Quill had been in such a panic when she had told him about Rooksi that he had dropped half of his medicine on the floor.

  Shaya sat down in the not so comfy armchair across from Benjin’s bed and threw the quilt around her. Jinx floated over and sat on her lap. She rested the sword by the chair within easy reach. She wasn’t sure when it had started, but now she just felt better with a weapon close by. Some children had their favourite toy or a blanket from when they were a baby to comforted them, Shaya Greyborn had a sword.

  Her and Jinx sat in silence, listening to Benjin’s steady breathing. The sky outside grew darker, Shaya didn’t bother lighting any lamps. She just as there, thinking, lightly tapping her fingers against the hilt of her sword. Without realising it, she was soon sat in complete darkness, save for the soft glow of the now sleeping spr
ite on her lap. One question kept repeating itself in her mind, endlessly taunting her.

  What happens now?

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Uncle Benjin wasn’t in his bed. The quilt was balled up at the foot of it in a messy pile. The sun was shining in through the window, bringing with it a surprisingly warm breeze. The fire was crackling quietly in the corner, next to it lay Shaya’s clothes, clean and folded looking their best. After she washed her face in the sink, she took two pieces of bread from the kitchen, stuck them on the spit and placed them over the fire as she got changed. She felt like herself again in her own clothes. She looked down and saw that the scrapes and rips on her dark green jacket had been stitched up like nothing had happened. She opted to wear the black leggings she’d been wearing under her Volanti robes rather than her brown shorts. She was staying on top of a mountain after all. Grabbing the still hot toast and her new but worn sword, she left and made her way to Storm Bird House.

  The streets were bustling, busier than she had ever seen them before. Volanti walked hurriedly down the streets, leaping off the ledges and into the sky, zooming up and down. It was the opposite of how the place had been the evening before. Everyone was chatting, there was an excitement in the air, she could feel it like it was a living breathing thing all around them.

  “There you are,” a familiar voice shouted out over the buzz of the crowds. Ellesia was standing at the foot of the stairs leading to Song Bird Hall “Where have you been?” she sounded slightly irritated.

  “Asleep,” Shaya said with a mouthful of now almost cold toast.

  “Your uncle didn’t wake you?”

  “No.”

  Elle sighed and shook her head. “I don’t think he wants you to be a part of this.”

  “Part of what?” Shaya looked around “What is going on?” she asked.

  “Follow me,” Elle turned and began the steep climb. Shaya followed. The snow was thick after the flurry they had had overnight. Shaya

  had to walk on her tiptoes so the icy powder wouldn’t pour into her boots.

  “What is coming may be far worse than what you have been through before,” Elle started “This is the beginning of a war. Benjin doesn’t want you involved.”

  Shaya was silent, her uncle had been the one who had trained her. Granted, battles had come a lot earlier than either of them had expected, she was still a child, but that wasn’t the point.

  “He told you that?”

  “He did.”

  “And what did you say?”

  Elle stopped as she reached the top of the stairs and looked down at the young girl with the faintest of smiles.

  “I said that we wouldn’t have a chance of winning without you.”

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  A crowd had gathered outside Song Bird Hall. The townspeople were practically clambering over each other to see what was going on. Shaya wondered that herself, she had never seen so many people on the highest level. Elle pushed them aside shouting angrily as they made their way through. Shaya only came up to the stomachs of most of the bird people, so she got pushed and shoved as she tried to follow Elle. Eventually, she popped out the other side. A line of Volanti guards was keeping the crowd back. The mass of feathers and chattering beaks was not an angry mob, far from it, they were smiling, laughing and excited. Confused, Shaya turned towards the great hall to follow Elle and saw something she had never seen before.

  It was huge, maybe twenty-foot-long, a deep red-brown kind of colour. Its feet, the size of Myana’s circular table, covered in scales the size of dinner plates. Its head complete with long snout sat at the end of its thick elongated neck. The creature had eyes of burnt orange. It’s back was covered in what appeared to be stone, like a turtle’s shell made of jagged rocks. Reins were hooked around two of the stones on the animal’s back and a broad leather saddle decorated with red, gold and green stitching. The creature’s long tail ended in a massive block of stone. Shaya was sure that it would use it as a club if it needed to. It looked like a cross between a lizard and a turtle, with a long reptilian snout, and a turtle’s hooked beak. It lifted one of its mighty feet and scratched itself like a dog.

  “What, what is it?” Shaya asked, her mouth agape, her eyes wide.

  “A saurian,” Elle smiled at the amazement on Shaya’s face “They’re from the Boaruss mines.”

  “The mines?” Shaya tore her eyes away from the huge creature, “Does that mean?”

  “They arrived in the early hours of this morning,” Elle smiled crossing her arms and puffing out her chest “Come on.”

  Shaya hurried after Elle as she continued towards the great hall’s entrance. The saurian stopped scratching itself and turned to look at her. Shaya grinned and gave the animal an excited wave. The saurian tilted its head and let out an odd squeak as it watched her approach the massive door.

  Elle led her up the spiral staircase to the top floor. Around and around they climbed, Shaya’s stomach didn’t thank her for looking down over the bannister just after stuffing herself with toast. When they reached the top of the circular staircase, Uncle Benjin was pacing outside a huge silvery door. Jinx was sat on a seat by herself, looking like a speck of gold dust on an empty chair. A man and a woman dressed in their finery and several Volanti were waiting quietly, not Benjin. He was muttering to himself, and when he caught a glimpse of Shaya and Elle, he suddenly stopped. His face went red, and his moustache twitched. Shaya had seen that look many times before, they were about to get a talking to.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” he stormed up to them. Shaya was about to respond when she realised to her surprise, he was talking to Elle. “You went to get her?”

  “I did,” said Elle glaring at him.

  “What did I tell you?” he said in a low gravelled voice “She is not going to war damn it.”

  “Shouldn’t she decide that?”

  “She’s a child Ellesia, my child. You don’t have the right to involve her.”

  “I’m already involved,” said Shaya angrily. Benjin looked down at her as if he’d forgotten she was stood there.

  “Look, kido,” he said a lot softer, bending down in front of her, leaving Elle clenching her jaw tightly, her hands balled into fists. “This is grown up stuff. This is dangerous.”

  “And what I’ve done so far wasn’t?” Shaya tried not to shout. How dare he dismiss all the things she had done, all the pain she had suffered.

  “Of course it was, but you can’t blame me for trying to stop you from getting hurt, more than you already have been.”

  “And what about you?” she pointed a furious finger at his bandaged shoulder.

  “I’m a soldier.”

  “You were a soldier. You don’t have to fight anymore.”

  “Yes, I do. I have to fight for my kingdom, my home.”

  “So do I,” Shaya stared into her uncle’s eyes. Her voice was softer now, but still firm. The anger began to slip away. Benjin went to speak again, but Shaya interrupted.

  “You’ve trained me my whole life, and it wasn’t to make me a strong young lady. It may have started out that way, but it became more than that. I want to be a soldier, and that is what you have trained me to be. Something like this was going to happen eventually. Every time you tell one of your stories, you say the same thing. Soldiers know; war is always inevitable.”

  “But-,” Benjin’s voice was cracking slightly, “I thought I’d have a few more years yet, you’re still my little girl,” his eyes suddenly shimmered with tears.

  “I am,” she smiled faintly “I’m just this as well,” she placed her hand on the hilt of her sword that hung from her belt. Benjin looked at her for a silent moment. Shaya saw something change in her uncle’s gaze. It was as if he was looking at her for the first time. The strong young soldier before him was no longer the child that cried during lightning storms or hid behind him when she had met her first Boaruss. She felt different, and Benjin could sense it. Shaya watched as Benjin stared in quiet contemplation
, then suddenly smiled broadly, a single tear ran down his cheek and disappeared into his bushy moustache.

  “I’m very proud of you Shaya,” he said with a firm squeeze of her shoulder.

  Shaya grinned, trying not to let her own tears fall. Benjin stood up and glanced at Elle, who was stood silently. She was clearly pretending she hadn’t been watching them, her hands behind her back as if she was standing to attention. Benjin sniffed and nodded to her, Elle nodded back, an oddly satisfied glint in her eyes.

  Suddenly the oval-shaped silver door opened and a Volanti guard poked his beaked head out.

  “It’s time,” he said quietly “Please follow me.”

  Jinx quickly flew over to Shaya and hovered alongside her and Benjin as they walked through the door and outside again. The morning sun was fighting its way through the clouds, it’s light reflected on the intricate metal work that surrounded the stone walls. There were decals of glinting silver and gold intertwining vines that covered the grey rocks. A set of stairs with the same beautiful decoration lead up to yet another level above. Of course, the Volanti naturally leapt into the air and flew majestically upwards. Shaya and the others walked up the stairs, their boots clinking against the metal with every step. Shaya marvelled at the detail of it all. Each vine of steel was covered in silver leaves that looked more like long thin feathers. Sprouting next to them were beautiful golden flowers.

  As they reached the top, Shaya saw that they were on the balcony high atop Song Brid Hall. The crowds below were tiny from this height, their constant excited chatter barely even audible. The silvery vines stretched upwards and curved at the top, surrounding them, like they were all inside a giant glistening egg. The sun shone through the gaps, making the balcony sparkle diamonds. Shaya caught a glimpse of Rowan sat on the other side of a large circular table. His hand was on his chin, his eyes fixed on the horizon to the south. He was wearing his best robes, navy blue and silver. His black hair could almost be considered tidy, at least for him. Atop his head sat his crown glinting in the sunlight. Elle immediately went and stood behind the prince. They didn’t speak, just greeted each other with subtle nods. Next to the prince were Avem and Avis, sat muttering to themselves in quiet voices, but Shaya could see by their expressions they didn’t want to be there. A human man from Tetra and woman from Serran sat beside each other talking at great speed. Shaya knew where they were from, she recognised the city’s emblems on their clothing.