“Obey!” I yelled to my shadows.
To anyone else, they would believe I was screaming at the man, but I knew better.
The man’s breathing slowed. He raised his head, his entire body trembling. “You can defeat him. I believe in you. More will fight.”
I snarled and my shadows flared as if in agreement with the traitor in front of me. I stabbed my sword through the man’s stomach. The blunt way my shadows molded couldn’t withstand the force I threw behind my weight. Blood gurgled in his mouth, dripping from the edges of his lips. “We would’ve fought by your side.”
I raised my arm, refusing to answer his words, and waved my shadows away, drawing my steel blade instead. With one slice, I gutted the man, as he finally gave in to the pain and screamed my name. His chest opened, body sagging, his intestines falling out as the blood pooled beneath him.
To make it memorable, to make absolutely certain no one else disobeyed our king, I swung at his head, letting it fall, rolling across the stones before it hit my boot.
Grabbing the dead man’s head by his hair, I walked the souvenir up to Thames, holding it proudly above my head for everyone to see.
“Well done,” Thames praised before he bellowed to the crowd once more. “With blood may you reign.”
“With blood may you reign,” they echoed back in unison.
Thames waved his hand in the air, signaling to the crowd that the events for the day had ceased. Upon his dismissal, they dispersed.
Blood ran down my arm, soaking every inch of my body. Before I could take a step to the side to dispose of the head, Thames grabbed me by my arm.
“Do you think I don’t notice your hesitation at my commands?” he hissed.
I frowned. “I don’t hesitate, my king.”
“You do.” He gripped harder and his touch burned. “You will be fully mine soon enough. Your shadows may fight me now, but they won’t be able to for much longer. It won’t be long before the darkness completely takes over.” He chuckled as he released me from his grasp, wiping the blood on his hand across my face. “It’s just a matter of time.”
Chapter 4
Ian
The crisp breeze of the morning air glided between my speckled feathers as I soared above the rolling hills of Brookmere’s lush landscape.
Flying had always been an escape. Not being bound by the confines of one’s own two feet allowed me to observe our world in a way so few ever would.
But as I made my fifth pass over where the border between Brookmere and Mysthaven used to be, the hope I’d been clinging to find Lana dwindled. It suffocated the sense of freedom flying usually provided.
Fates, I’d even be happy to see Kade at this point, but I couldn’t give up hope. It’d only been two days since she left.
She had to come. Had to be safe.
Soaring over the land, the illusion of the sea had disappeared, instead revealing the cracked earth. This new kingdom appeared so different than our own. A clear divide of death and decay between the verdant fields of Brookmere versus the reddish dirt of Mysthaven.
My feathers shook as a shiver tore down my spine. A dark energy simmered in my veins, biding its time, just waiting to be unleashed. It took all my energy to ignore its call.
Slowly, I descended closer to the ground as an ache burned in my chest. It writhed, pulsating slightly each time I drew close to the void to search for Lana and the others.
I must get toher.
I squawked,signaling to my friends on the ground. I’d take one more pass.
Riding the warmer winds of the updraft, I flew until the trees became specks and the moisture trapped in the clouds formed droplets on my feathers as I passed through.
Speed was one of my biggest strengths as a hawk. I could travel hundreds of miles in a single day if I really pushed myself. Fortunately, today I only needed to patrol a ten-mile stretch of this newfound border.
I dug deeper this time, searching not just the miles of land but inside my head as well. I’d spent my time between panicking for Lana’s safety and frantically trying to reach Raya.
Raya, of all people.
