Shade of Darkness Read online

  The lion didn’t move.

  “Are you sure, Alyna?” Orla asked again.

  “No, but I think it’s too late for me to change my mind. Let it go, Orla. I can’t have his death on my conscience if you kill him.”

  For a short moment, she actually felt her impending death. It surprised her that death could come so easily. There would be no second chance at life, yet she was amazed that she felt peace. Her body was numb. She felt no pain.

  Then she felt the teeth of the lion withdrawing from her flesh.

  She stood there numbly, looking at the lion’s face. A tear fell from his eye.

  Then her world went black.

  Chapter 6

  Azriel collapsed his wings as he descended to the ground. He stood in front of the temple where the Scorpio key was kept. At least that was the information he had. There were two things that could bring the key up—the energy from a true mage leader of Amaraq and the natural centenary cycle. He knew the cycle, and that was the reason he was here—waiting.

  But he’d received better news when he arrived on New Earth. Amaraq had just appointed a new and inexperienced leader—a girl. He smiled to himself. He could make good use of that opportunity.

  Ideally, he would want to avoid being surrounded by thousands of supernatural creatures when the key surfaced at its centenary event. So if he could force the key to come up early, that would be best. The new leader of Amaraq was inexperienced, and he could manipulate her into calling the key up early. Then all systems would work for him.

  He loved a good and fair fight. But on a mission of this scale, there was no room for ego. He had failed before, and he couldn’t afford to make the same mistake again. He needed the Scorpio key and had to avoid major combat, especially with anything coming from Bloodstone Mountain.

  Two men stepped out from around the corner and looked straight at him.

  “Who are you? And what are you doing here?” one of them asked.

  Azriel cocked an eyebrow. “I’m impressed that you can see me.”

  “We have eyes,” the other man said, “and we know you’re a supernatural creature, but you’re not a mage. Go away before we have to force you to leave,”

  “I don’t want any trouble. As you can see, I come from a magical land. I need to speak with your leader.”

  The first man who spoke chuckled. “Alyna wouldn’t have time—”

  The second man cut in, his eyes flashing with anger. “Our leader will not speak with random creatures. Go to headquarters and put in a request.”

  Azriel smiled and made a mental note of the name—Alyna. He cleared his throat. “I’m new here, and I’ve told you I’m from a magical land. I have an urgent matter to present to your leader, but I don’t know where to find her. If I don’t speak to her in time, the consequences will be disastrous. You don’t want that on your shoulders, do you?”

  “You’re bluffing,” the first man said and threw a light strike at Azriel.

  The light, meant to hit him, dissolved into thin air a few feet away from his body. Azriel smiled. “Child’s play. Any more tricks? Bring them all out. I’ll teach you to show respect for people from the magical land.”

  The man who had sent the previous strike raised his arms for a second attempt. Before he could do anything, Azriel flicked his wrist quickly and opened his left palm. A small ball of light flew through the air and smashed into the man’s forehead, shattering his head. His body stood upright as if it hadn’t processed the fact it had lost its head. Then it collapsed to the ground.

  Azriel looked at the second man. “He didn’t need his head because there wasn’t much going between his ears. But you seem to be a smart person, especially after having seen his example. I’m going to leave your head intact so that you can go back and tell Alyna that Azriel—the dark angel—needs to speak with her. I’ll meet with her in front of the temple tomorrow night.”

  The man nodded and scurried away. Azriel chuckled and watched as the shadow of the humiliated mage disappeared quickly into the early morning fog. Then he heard a faint noise behind him. He immediately dodged, but a blade cut into his shoulder.

  He turned and spun his arm. The force of air he created pushed the man backward. The mage had returned and now stood behind him with a red-hot dagger in his hand.

  “You’re no ordinary temple guard! You’re fast! And quite cheeky. Well, that makes my day a little more interesting.”

  “You’re wrong. I’m just an ordinary temple guard from Amaraq. And I wouldn’t want to fight anyone higher up in rank than me if I were you.” He brandished the dagger.

  “I have no intention of fighting anyone in Amaraq.” He looked at his shoulder and saw the flesh there sizzling. He smoothed the wound over with his palm, wincing slightly with pain. Then he displayed his wounded shoulder to the mage, showing that the cut had already healed. “You see, I’m immortal. There’s no point in you trying that again.”

  The mage threw the dagger at him. Azriel flicked his hand again, and the dagger returned to its sender, stabbing the man in the abdomen. The man’s knees buckled, and he slumped to the ground. Azriel approached but stopped as the mage pulled the dagger from his body and wielded it.

  “If this dagger pierces your heart, there won’t be enough time for you to heal yourself. It’s made of bloodstone—the kind that will kill any magical creature that comes near the key. All temple guards are equipped with a weapon like this, and they’re coming for you. You should be very afraid.”

  Azriel felt the ground trembling slightly with the force of several creatures coming. He raised his hands and squeezed his fists in the air. The mage grabbed his throat, gasping, trying to breathe, but he wouldn’t let go of the dagger.

  Azriel smiled. “You’re a loyal mage. I respect that, and I won’t kill you.”

  The man suddenly surged up from the ground and lunged at Azriel, dagger pointed threateningly. Azriel jumped aside. Instead of following him, the man ran toward the body of the dead mage. “You can’t use us, or any part of our remains, to lure Alyna out here. Go back to the hell from which you came, Dark Angel.” He plunged the dagger into the dead body of his friend, and they both exploded into nothingness.

  Azriel was blown several feet away and was dazed with the impact. He scrambled to his feet, profanity streaming from his lips. Bloodstone was more powerful than he’d thought. And if it was true that every Amaraq guard was equipped with a weapon of that caliber, then he would need to avoid a fight with them at the Summoning at all costs.

  Chapter 7

  Alyna woke and saw Caedmon’s cool eyes looking down at her. He smiled, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.

  “I know you don’t feel well,” he said, “but I’d guess that the pain from more than twenty puncture wounds would be a lot worse than the annoying lingering side effects of a strong dose of painkiller. I’ll get you some water.”

  He stood and went to a corner of the room. She realized now that she was in her own bed. Her small kitchen table had been moved into the bedroom and was now holding a jug of water and some medical equipment and medicine.

  “I’m sorry, Caedmon.”

  “For saving my life? I don’t think saying sorry is necessary.” He returned with a glass of water.

  “Can you forgive me?”

  He gently helped her sit up and gave her the water. “Alyna, you did what was necessary. What happened wasn’t your fault. Why do you need my forgiveness?”

  “Are Orla and Lorcan still here?”

  He nodded. “I’ll get them for you.”

  “Only Orla, please. Thank you.”

  His eyes paused on her face for a second, and then he nodded. When he exited the room, she quickly wiped away a tear that had escaped her eye.

  Orla came in, sat at her bedside, and smiled at her. “Caedmon said you’re up and recovering well. He’s happy with your medical report.”

  She frowned. “Who patched me up?”

  Orla smiled. “Caedmon. You don’t
have to worry. He’s absolutely professional. It runs in the family, you know. I’ve seen his father work on many people. I have firsthand experience.” She showed a small band she was wearing on her left wrist. “Ciaran saved my life and turned me into a Eudaizian. He has miraculous hands. I guess Caedmon got that from his father. And the LeBlancs are the best in the pharmaceutical business—in and out of the multiverse. When they take care of medical matters, you have nothing to worry about.”

  “I’m not worried. I know he’s not going to forgive me, though, and I know I made a mistake.”

  “But he also knows you saved his life.”

  “Lorcan was right. Being trapped in a body you can’t control when you’re fully aware of its actions is worse than death.”

  “So you did see him in the lion?”

  She shook her head. “No, I saw the terror he was suffering through. And that was just a fight with Lorcan. But what if the lion kills people or eats them alive? Caedmon will be forced to see all of that. I’m the one who put him in that situation. I’m so sorry for that…” More tears rolled down her face, and she wiped them away in a hurry.

  Orla held her hands. “You poor girl. If you want to cry, you can. I won’t tell anyone.”

  “I can’t. I shouldn’t. If I do, I might break. And I can’t afford that. I’m the leader of Amaraq. I have people to take care of.” She inhaled deeply to calm herself down. “What happened after I passed out?” she asked. “I guess Caedmon shifted back. But was he aware of the transition? I want to understand what makes him shift, and what makes him snap back.”

  “You want to help him gain control?”

  She nodded.

  “Lorcan told me that it’s like a switch for him, that he can turn it on and off. But we’ve told you that Lorcan is not a magical shapeshifter. I think Caedmon understands the changes, and he’s trying to figure things out himself, trying to gain control and all. He’s accepted that it has become his reality, and he’s dealing with it. I think you should, too. Stop worrying about whether he’ll forgive you or not.”

  She nodded.

  Orla smiled. “I don’t know what happened in his head, but he shifted back to his human form instantly after you passed out and was fully aware of what was going on. Even though he was as naked as a baby, he wrapped you up, patched up your wounds, and had me running around like a mad nurse. Then he used Lorcan’s communicator and pulled a few strings with the LeBlancs to get the meds for you. In the end, I had to say to him, ‘Caedmon, I hate to tell you to cover up your perfect body, but in the best interest of other female humans and creatures, I think you should put some clothes on!’”

  Alyna laughed. It felt good to laugh. She felt so relieved for no apparent reason. Maybe it was just Orla’s aura, something about her that made people bond easily. Or maybe Alyna had spent her entire life in Amaraq and had never had a real friend.

  Orla stood. “You should get some rest. I know you have challenging days ahead with the Summoning. Caedmon said the meds will help you get back to one hundred percent soon, but only if you cooperate.”

  “What was his late wife like?” She couldn’t believe she asked that question, but once the sentence had escaped her mouth, she had to deal with the consequences.

  Orla’s eyes twinkled, but she showed neither approval or disapproval. “I don’t know. Remember, we’re from the past. The time from which Caedmon contacted us was even further in the past, and in my version of reality, I never met the adult Caedmon. I’m trying hard not to get confused and violate the rules of time traveling and all. But like you, I’m deadly curious.” She returned to Alyna’s bedside and sat down.

  “You’re not falling for him, are you?”

  “No, oh no. I’m just trying to find ways to give him some comfort and communicate better with him. We have many days ahead where we’ll need to work together.”

  “You’re blushing!”

  “No, I’m not.” She pinched her cheeks.

  “No need to hide it. It’s written on your forehead. You like him.”

  “Of course I like him. I like you and Lorcan, too. And I don’t like people easily.”

  “I like you because you’re a good person. Not the cliché of a good person that you read about in books, but a truly good one. I judge people quickly by their actions, and you’re beyond any bullshit moral standards that led the world to the Great War. So let me tell you this—if you can help it, don’t fall for him. At least for now.”

  “I’m not falling for him. But out of curiosity, why do you say that?”

  “The LeBlanc boys I know are one-dimensional when it comes to their soulmates. They love one woman at a time—and I mean one and only one. The point is, the women who fall for them are all over the multiverse, across several generations. From a woman’s perspective, when the winner takes it all, the rest will be sore losers. Caedmon came here because of his late wife. He refused to accept she died. When he called us to speak his last words, he said he would die a happy man because he could be with her. To be honest, I can’t see how you’re going to beat that.”

  “I’m not falling for him, so there’s no need to beat anything.”

  “Especially with that attitude,” Orla muttered. “Any more questions?”

  She shook her head.

  “All right, I’m going to go have a snuggle with my husband. Don’t pinch your cheeks again. They’re red enough.”

  Chapter 8

  The beginning of time.

  She didn’t know how long she had been running, but her head was ringing with a pounding headache, and her knees wanted to buckle. Thunder headed up the hill again, and before she realized it, she stood in front of Bloodstone Mountain.

  For years, she had listened to the voice in her head, a voice that had provided her with the guidance to help Keymaster to find the stone and make the Scorpio key. She didn’t know who guided her. She suspected it was her mother. But she had never been able to interact with the person because the voice occurred only in her dreams, where she listened and observed. And now Teacher was saying she was digging her own grave by helping the making of the key come to fruition.

  She usually charged up the well-worn path right to the top of the mountain to play with the blood ice. She had always thought it was pretty. She hadn’t known it was really the Scorpion king’s flesh and blood. She’d always thought that was just a myth invented to explain why the ice was red and bled red liquid.

  But she didn’t want to run up the hill now.

  She couldn’t accept the solution Teacher had proposed. There had to be another way. She turned and ran back to the cottage where she stayed with Keymaster.She found him in his workshop, as usual, working intensely on the key.

  In front of her, on a raised platform, the Scorpio key was almost formed. It was a statue of a scorpion and almost twice her size. She knew Keymaster had never before made a key of this size. He was only three quarters through the process, but the statue already looked as if it had life inside.

  “Thunder, did you grow bored with your practice today?” He smiled at her. She had never told him how gentle his smile was. She was sure if her father was alive, he would smile at her in that same way.

  “How’s the key coming along, Keymaster?”

  “As you can see, it’s slow, but I’m making progress. I’ll finish it before the deadline.”

  “You’ve been working on this for years. You’re saying your client ordered this and gave you a deadline years in advance?”

  He chuckled. “No, child, they never gave me a deadline. But they got back to me in the last moon cycle and asked for me to complete it soon.”

  “And you didn’t think of telling me?”

  “Why? I’m making progress, and you’re busy with your practice.”

  “You don’t trust me!”

  He put his tools down. “Why do you say that? What happened? Did you meet someone who said something?”

  “I met someone who said this Scorpio key is meant to open the gat
e between heaven and hell. If that is so, do you still want to make it?”

  Keymaster frowned. She had never interfered with or questioned his work in this way. He contemplated then sat down on the stone bench nearby.

  “I suppose you’re old enough for me to tell you the truth. I have made several keys over the course of thousands of years, and all the keys I made have the power to do the unthinkable. Things just like you said, opening the gate connecting heaven and hell. But keymaking is the only reason for my existence. I was created by my master to make these keys. I would never question the intentions of my clients.”

  “Who was your master? I’ll bet he was a magical creature.”

  Keymaster nodded. “He created gateways between worlds.” Keymaster chuckled. “I guess someone else created the doors. And I was meant to make the keys to open those doors. I don’t know where and when this all came about. My master said it has been like this since the beginning of time.” He shook his head. “That’s all I know. Because I killed my master.”

  “You did what?”

  “You see, I am a predator. I killed my master when he was old and weak and got in my way. I am the Keymaster. I make keys, and I kill whoever gets in my way. It has been like this for a long time—until I did one thing out of the ordinary. I picked you up and raised you. I meant to eat you for breakfast!”

  She laughed. “You have a gentle soul, and you’re a vegetarian, Keymaster.”

  “That’s the person you know now. I changed after I decided not to kill you. The problem is that it was against my nature and my make. It’s going to come back and kill me. So, just so you know, if you run into someone or something that tells you I will die because of this keymaking business, don’t be surprised.”