“No this is the man,” Stacia said quickly, “please come inside, you shouldn’t be seen standing out here.”
Stacia beckoned for her to follow her. Shadaya directed her guard to secure the carriage and followed Stacia inside. He did not look very pleased to comply but before he could object, she had already breached the front door.
The crowd filling the small space, perked up at the sight of the noblewoman standing amidst them. Immediately, Shadaya could feel their discomfort.
“What is happening?” she whispered to Stacia, as her eyes adjusted to the dark, musky space.
Her gaze fell upon someone lying on a bed in the far corner of the room.
In the silence brought on by her presence, Shadaya could hear pained groaning. The man she had come to see was lying on a cot on the floor, bundled up to his neck, groaning in pain. Around him was a woman holding onto her lips to restrain her sobs and Stacia’s husband, stooping over him protectively. He lifted angry eyes to Shadaya.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he growled.
“I am sorry but…” she stopped short when she recognized what she had walked into. She felt the atmosphere in the room change. Men started to stand up protectively, women shielded their children and Stacia and her husband exchanged a worried look.
“Hey what’s the meaning of this Stacia,” one man bellowed, “are you trying to get us all killed.”
A hooded man, who was standing over the man, turned around then and a warm smile lit up his face.
“My friend,” he greeted affectionately, extending both hands at his side.
“Geoff.”
“Don’t worry brothers, she is a friend.”
He came up to her and they embraced, “good to see you Lady Shadaya.”
“Good to see you too,” she looked around behind him, ignoring the curious stares.
“Where is…”
“Not here,” Geoff replied, and in his good-natured way ushered her out of the crowded room.
“We cannot risk him being seen at all. I can say though, he longs to see you. He says he owes you a great debt. Well we owe you. If it wasn’t for you, we would not have made it out.”
“Well I made a promise.”
Suddenly Stacia emerged from the door they had just exited. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
Shadaya waved off Stacia’s reprimand, “My concern is that I know that man. He recently stole from the prince and had his eyes poisoned… but I do not understand why he seems to be nearing death’s door. Was his debt not paid?”
Stacia looked at her with those perceptive eyes, “You were the one who sent the money, weren’t you?”
“That does not matter. Tell me how do you know him? Is he a customer? Did he come in and fall ill? I thought the prince was supposed to help him once his debts were paid.”
Stacia sighed, “his name is Renil and I know him because his wife is close to Stiller and me. She came by with him to ask for our help when he started to get worse.”
“Did the prince not give the antidote?”
Stacia shook her head, “they are to collect it tonight. However, we are preparing for the worse. We know the prince isn’t one to keep his word but paying off the debt would secure Renil’s family. So tonight, he will pay the collection officers but now, we pray…”
Shadaya lowered her gaze, “I am sorry if my presence offended you. I did not mean it in anyways. I respect your persuasions, I just didn’t know what I had walked into.”
Stacia gave her a forgiving smile and touched her shoulder affectionately. Geoff’s smile echoed similar sentiments.
“I think I can speak for us all, when I say you are always welcome among us,” the Aldorian priest said.
“Thank you, Geoff. But we know that’s not true. I will leave but…” Shadaya took a small bag from her purse and extended it to Stacia.
“I was going to give this to the man’s family when I found him. But use this to replenish yourself and your friends.”
“Oh, lady Shadaya, you are so kind,” Stacia said.
She reached out and affectionately covered Shadaya’s hand where she held the bag out to her.
“You are so different from the rest of them. I pray that you will come into the light.”
“Stacia, is there a day that goes by when you do not talk about the light?”
“How can I not? It is part of who I am, it is my life. It is the only hope we have here in this place. He is the God of all who would receive him. He is our God and yes, we believe he has the power to heal Renil from the prince’s magic.”
Geoff stood beside Stacia with an odd perceptive look on his face. He did not have his staff with him, but she had seen him wield Aldorian magic. There was something to it.
Shadaya chuckled uncomfortably as she took a step backward, “You are right I should not be here. Do not worry, I will not betray you Stacia. Whatever people believe is their right.”
Stacia smiled in that motherly way she had, “our kingdom is a dark place Shadaya. I am just asking you to let El’s light in to your heart and see for yourself what we are truly up against.”
Shadaya nodded, “thank you but… I am quite comfortable with my life as it is. Besides I do not need to pick a side. I know fully well what I stand for. How different is your God to the Dravian gods, who require the blood of innocents and give nothing in return? What have you offered your God in exchange for this man’s life?”
Stacia smiled, and Geoff answered with an eagerness to defend his faith. As an Aldorian priest Shadaya knew that it was his duty to do so. But for the brief time that she had known him, she knew this was not just obligatory defense. This was a man willing to give up everything for his God.
“El is not like the gods of Dravia,” Geoff interjected, “He cares for us like his own children, and do children give anything in exchange for their parent’s goodness?”
“You think your God can heal Renil?”
“We know he can, he has done it before, whether he does it now however, is up to him, for he knows all things,” he replied.
“If Renil had not stolen from the prince he would not need your God’s healing now. Is this what service to your God requires, poverty, sickness, stealing and breaking the law?”
“We are all imperfect people my lady, we do not all get it right. I’m sure you did not consider Renil’s crime when you send money to pay off his debt. You saw him as a human being as a father, as a husband. You did so out of kindness, how can we who serve a God of compassion, withhold good from anyone who needs it.”
Shadaya nodded, despite her internal protest, “How can I not respect that?”
She turned and walked back into the dwelling, where Stacia’s husband was still hunched over the dying man. The authority and boldness with which he addressed his God was not lost on Shadaya. Yet she pitied the poor man’s family, clinging to such empty hope.
✽ ✽ ✽
A day before the Aldorian Princess is rescued
“Good day!” Shadaya greeted cheerily.
Stiller turned around from where he stood before his book shelf with an open book in his hands.
“Good day Lady Quadin and thank you for using the front door this time,” Stiller said in his gruff way.
She had dropped in this morning on her way to get some updates from a spy of Stiller’s at the Demeris castle. Only when she did, it had been via the window of his bed chamber.
“I only used the front door because your visitors are out today. I saw them around Arduway, they don’t look like Aldorian spies.”
“Exactly, they’re just children. That’s why we need your help,” Stiller said.
“Hmm, children or not I don’t know how I feel about my own people joining with Aldorians.”
“How do you think my people feel about me?”
She smiled at the hint of warmth she saw on his flint like face.
“How did it go this morning?”
She dropped onto the couch in his living roo
m with a sigh, “It went smoothly on our part, but the news was not exactly what we expected.”
Stiller inserted a marker in his book and put it aside, “what is it?”
“The princess is being kept as a prisoner of Haddin’s, not as a guest as we would have thought. We don’t know what he intends to do with her, but whatever it is, the young lady was less than cooperative.”
“She did not know what she was getting into, but as an Aldorian princess she would be loyal to El. Haddin doesn’t just oppose Aldor he hates their God.”
“You mean your God.”
Stiller nodded, “and he can be yours too.”
Shadaya looked away, “anyways, Stacia told me that you sent in that young man with the information we received and that you’ve set up an inside woman to help him once he gets in. Let’s hope your God is as powerful as you say, for the Demeris castle is a den of lions, the magic wielding kind.”
“Thank you for your help Shadaya, truly. I know I have not been very warm towards you. But Stacia is right you have a good heart.”
“This isn’t just about you. I care about my people and if Haddin is endangering them in any way, I will do everything in my power to stop him. I can’t have Aldor marching in here.”
“Yes, he must be stopped. There is much to do and there is great risk to tonight’s mission. Are you sure you want to do this?”
“I am.”
Stiller nodded, “Stacia trusts you and I trust my wife. We are entrusting you with very sensitive information. Later this evening we have a meeting and I want you to come.”
“I’ll be there. I’m not about to entrust the future of my kingdom to two Aldorian children.”
✽ ✽ ✽
“Eunice!” she called as she ran up the stairs.
Eunice poked her head out from down below, “You are back. I was beginning to worry.”
“I am going to lie down, I have a terrible headache and wish to not be disturbed. See that no one bothers me for the rest of the night.”
Eunice nodded, a concerned frown forming, “should I make you some tea?”
“Oh no, all I need now is rest…please.”
Once Eunice agreed, Shadaya hurried into her chambers and locked the door behind her. She knew that Eunice would guard her rest like a dog frothing at the mouth, with Pit at her side supporting her. She immediately went to her closet and found her hooded coat. She then pulled on her riding habit and her most comfortable boots. Finally, she attached a metal baton she had been training with to her own customized belt, wrapped it in a dark cloth and shoved it under her arm. She did not want to risk going out with her father’s sword again, the last time she did, a life was lost.
Finally, she stopped before her mirror and pulled open a small locked box she kept in the drawer of her dresser. She took out a small vial and took a deep breath. It had not been adjusted by Henry, so she had to mentally prepare herself for the side effects before tossing its bitter content into her mouth. She watched her reflection as slowly the rich blue hues of her sky eyes darkened and morphed into a forest shade. She felt the magic surge through her and gripped the edge of the table with its complementary momentary pain.
When the pain subsided, she carefully climbed out of her bedroom window. Once she was safely out of the mansion, she bolted across the grounds, leapt over the stone fencing with a grace that was almost magical and ran in the direction of the stable.
Shadaya found a spot on the roof of the dwelling house across the road which gave her a perfect view of the family’s dwelling. She sat down, pulled her hood over her head and tightened her coat around her against the chilly night air.
It felt like hours had passed before movement down below roused her. Instantly, she sat up and just as Stacia had said, the prince’s guards arrived at the thief’s front door. She climbed down the side of the building and eased closer. Under the cover of darkness, with the mastered art of stealthy movement, and Henry’s magic coursing through her, no one was aware of her presence.
“Seems like we brought our cage in vain,” one of the guards was saying as he finished counting the money.
“It’s all here. We should arrest you anyway, there’s no way you came up with this legally.”
“No sir,” Renil replied, clinging to his wife. A dirty cloth was tied around his eyes, his vision lost.
“With the help of friends, I managed to raise enough. I swear on Rad, I did nothing against the law.”
The soldier looked at his partners and snorted in disbelief, “yea sure. Anyways, we’ll leave you be, you get to keep your freedom.”
The soldiers started to walk away, “Wait!” Renil’s wife cried.
“The antidote?”
Just then a small dark-haired girl came and stood in the doorway, big frightful eyes watching the exchange. Shadaya grew uneasy seeing her show herself to these men.
The men turned around and started laughing, “what antidote? The prince didn’t think you would come up with the money anyway. But if you must know, there is none.”
That same soldier walked back to the dwelling now, his movements languidly confident. Shadaya immediately knew what had captured his attention.
“Tell you what, she seems like a nice catch.”
The girl drew back, and her mother instinctively stood before her.
“How much you want for her?”
“She is not for sale!” the blind man said firmly.
“Pity, you could have made back twice as much as you just gave away. But for the prince, I’ll just take her off your hands.”
The other soldier marched towards the house, even as the girl ran inside. Ignoring her parents’ pleas, the uniformed man pushed his way inside and reemerged with the little girl, kicking her bony legs and screaming.
“Stop yeh wiggling!” the soldier warned.
Shadaya’s blood boiled at what she was witnessing, they were going to leave the man to die and take his daughter. It was no surprise that Haddin didn’t keep his word and even less surprising was the fact that his men would take an innocent little girl away from her parents. With a determined set of her jaw, Shadaya slipped along the walls and into the alley way. She could still hear the agonized crying of Renil’s wife, and it spurred her on even more. Once she was in the alley, she kept her ears trained for the sound of the horse drawn cage moving off. Using the alley, she followed the men a good distance away from the house, she did not need too much of an audience for what she was about to do. Under the shadows of night, and the crowded filthy, alleyways of Arduway, Shadaya searched for a spot to attack.
Her best point would require her to get higher, she glanced around her feverishly, not wanting the soldiers to get ahead of her and lose her opportunity to rescue the little girl. Her eyes fell on the rubbish piled against the walls between the battered buildings and grimaced.
“Not a good idea,” she muttered, as she took a few steps back until the back of her boot touched the wall behind her.
She took a deep breath, shaking from her mind the fear of failing and earning broken bones while the soldiers escaped. Her father always said that fear was a warrior’s greatest enemy. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes tight and digging deep to the magic, she felt it surge to her limbs and a boldness fell over her. Now she was ready. She lurched forward, using the rubbish pile, Shadaya scaled the walls effortlessly, her training still at the tips of her toes. She stretched her hands out and pulled herself upward, throwing her legs over and landing awkwardly on the rooftop. A pleased smile emerged despite the less than graceful landing.
She now followed the men from above, leaping from roof top to roof top, relishing the thrill that such physical exertion had always given her. Her awakened muscles quickly warmed to the demands she placed on them, even as she did a perfectly timed leap from a rooftop onto the top of the cage. She landed in a crouched position, hooking her fingers through the grate, even as she looked down at the terrified girl and placed a finger against her lips.
“Yeh felt that?” one of the soldiers was saying as the rode up front.
The other soldier looked around just in time to catch a glimpse of Shadaya’s boots moving unhindered towards his face.
Shadaya kicked one soldier off his seat and onto the dirt road. The driver immediately reached for his sword.
Shadaya took her baton out, and knocked his knuckles, shoving his blade back into its scabbard, with the strength the magic gave her. The man roared angrily and tried to reach for her leg, Shadaya, dropped onto the recently vacated seat and launched her elbow at his face, knocking his helmet askew, a burst of pain ran up the length of her arm, but she did not flinch. The horses continued to gallop out of Arduway, gaining speed as the carriage seat bumped and dipped and leaned. Shadaya was aware of it all, her senses on hyper alert. Pulling her hood over her eyes some more, Shadaya used her feet to unseat the cruel soldier who thought taking a young girl from her home was okay. He fell hard towards the sides, still clinging to the horses’ reins. She used her baton to help him release his grip from the reins. Quickly relinquishing them from him and assuming command of the horses.
“Hold on!” she commanded harshly, hoping to somehow disguise her voice for the frightened young girl behind her.
She drew the reins, directing the horses to make a hard right, and drove them hard through a side street away from the men who were relentlessly pursuing on foot.
Once they were a safe distance away, she stopped the carriage and dismounted to release the little girl from her inhumane prison. With eyes bright with tears of relief, the little girl threw herself into Shadaya’s arms.
“Thank you, sir!” she cried.
Children were so trusting she thought, the child did not think twice that Shadaya might mean her harm, simply because she had rescued her. Shadaya nodded, afraid to speak now that the girl had mistaken her gender, she did not want her thinking otherwise.
She returned the girl to her parents’ house, hoping to get ahead of her captors, and gave her a message for her parents, warning them to leave their home tonight. Unsure as to how the family would take it, she stooped at the top of a building a little way off and watched the tearful reunification. The brave little girl told them what she had said, and the relieved mother spun around with the urgency Shadaya had hoped her message conveyed. Satisfied that the man’s family would be well, she wisely removed herself from the vicinity. It won’t be long before the soldiers gathered reinforcements and returned.
Shadaya: Out of Darkness (Gemstone Royals) Page 10
