Neither did Kaya’s shadows.
The veil she created became so thick and impenetrable that it was as if the three of them had entered into another domain—another realm entirely. Onethat was completely under her control. The fear on her face was replaced with something far more sinister than Ilias had ever seen, but he was not afraid. He felt the cold, gentle caress of her shadows against his cheek, soothing him and assuring him that he would not be harmed.
“You will leave now.” Kaya spoke, the veins on her hands turning just as dark as the shadows that spilled from her. “You will leavenow. You will return to your stolen kingdom, wear your blood-soaked crown, and sit upon the dais that was built upon the bones of the innocent. No matter how far you move your stronghold from the kingdom you destroyed, we will haunt you. We will follow you. And even your children’s children will feel the retribution we seek. For what you did tous. For what you made of Driikona.”
Thepyra’s already pale skin took on a sickly pallor, his body trembling as those shadowy vines encircled his head. The thorns dug into his forehead, taking shape and forming a crown that made blood spill down his ashen face. He trembled in their grip, teeth chattering against the deathly chill. “Wh-who are you?” Thepyra stammered.
Kaya smiled, but the smile was not her own. No—this smile belonged to the shadows, to the warriors that died fighting, to innocent lives that were taken upon Caddagh’s invasion.Thissmile belonged to the fae.
“We are justice.”
The veil peeled away from the only exit of the room and Ilias removed his blade, watching as the king turned and prepared to run, only to stumble upon his robes. He crawled the rest of the way, his golden hair matted to the blood that stained his face. When the Credulan male had vanished with his entourage through silver doors, Ilias looked at her again.
Kaya stared only at the doors, her shadows still a thick wall separating them from her father and the rest of the guards. “Princess.” He spoke, his voice a low rumble in comparison to the high-pitched squealing that followed each violent thrash of shadow. He stepped forward, his hand coming up to cup the cheek that was now crawling with black veins. “Kaya, look at me.”
Her eyes flickered in his direction almost instantly, the shadows vanishing as his thumb rubbed over her cheek. Alder stumbled forward once the darkness vanished, his face ghostly white as he tugged his daughter intoan embrace, stumbling over tear-soaked apologies.
?????????
“Are you sure?” Moryna asked.
Kaya nodded, closing her eyes as she handed her friend the book. “I’m sure.” She said, the trembling in her voice contradicting her words. But it had to be done, lest the Credulans learn of what they could do—how they could take her power and use it in the most savage way possible.
It’d beenherplan for years—to rid herself of her horrid shadows and transfer them to another vessel, the only other vessels that could contain such powers.
But now, there was no time and there was no guarantee that her father, nor anyone in his guard or army would agree to the plan she concocted: to traipse through the jagged and lifeless terrain of the Wastelands of Bal’g, retrieve a dragon, and convince it to become a vessel for her shadows was almost as much a suicide mission as it was for her to agree to go to Credula and train with their guard.
Which she, surprisingly, agreed to do. She agreed to go with them and to become the weapon for them that they so desperately sought. It was more of an attempt for Kaya to make up for the scene she’d caused. There was no telling what lengths the Credulans would go to in order to seek revenge. And she’d definitely given them reason to attack Holiadon, if only for her actions towards Tymon Thepyra.
So she made the decision for them all to go to Credula—much to Ilias and her father’s chagrin. Ilias spent majority of the day trying to convince her to refuse them, to remember how Thepyra had so greedily wrapped his hands around her throat, ready to snuff the life from her.
“He’s seen what I am capable of,” She’d said.“I highly doubt that he will be trying anything to betray my trust any time soon.”
Moryna let out a sigh, tucking the book to her side. “Kaya, you have told me that you don’t believe in burning books. I don’t think going against your own moral code is such a good idea when you are upset.”
“I’mnotupset.” Kaya snapped, eyes narrowed.
The red-haired female carded her fingers through her curls, shaking her head. “Right. And you’re alsonota very transparent person.” She rose to her feet, moving around the side of the bed and crouching so that she could peer into the downcast eyes of her friend. “Can you tell me what’sreallygoing on?”
If she were being completely honest with herself, Kaya didn’t even know where to begin, but she started from the moment they arrived in the charred remains of Drikiera—when Ilias called her spoiled and entitled. She continued on to tell her about her training, how she obeyed and perfected her combat skills and how she always fell short when it came to honing her powers. She told her of the moorbounders and the Credulan elf that crossed their path.
“And then I watched him torture Prim.” Kaya breathed. “I watched him carve out Prim’s tongue with a rusty, serrated knife. And as sick and twisted as it may sound, Ryna, I think that I fell in love with him then. Because he went against everything that is in Lowen law to do that for me—so that I might be able to trust him.” Tears prickled the back of her eyes, the lump in her throat growing rapidly. “You know…The Credence?”
Moryna went still, the small smile she wore falling into a straight line. “Yes. Why?”
The princess let out a huff, rubbing at her wet eyes with the palm of her hand. “He’s mine, Ryna. We have a Credence. He’smy mate.”
“How do you know that?”
She licked her lips. “There was this female at the Drikieran camps in the Borderlands. She told me that it’s not my job to save Galore, that it will be the task of the generations after me. She said that I would birth the generation that would change the world—children I would have with mymachna ii’loam.”
Moryna sucked in a breath, blinking rapidly as the words struck her. “And your mother—”
Kaya nodded. “I guess it was in one of my mother’s visions, too.”
“But if he is your mate, then why do your shadows react to him? Don’t they only come out when you feel afraid?”
“Yes.” She confirmed. “And what is it that I am most afraid of?”
