A Walk Amongst Shadows (Book 2)

XXXVIII

I had lost track of how long they had been gone. Greta had managed to get a small fire going which was proving helpful as the daylight began to wane. We had spoken little to each other, and I imagine they were glad for it. I had tried to go after Aris twice, only to be met with resistance.

“He told us to keep you here,” Lex had insisted, standing in my way each time.

I was getting more and more uneasy with each passing moment. I couldn’t sense him anywhere, but then again, I wouldn’t be able to unless he was using magic. I had resigned myself to waiting. Greta and Lex had been conversing quietly. I had been trying to follow along but quickly lost interest when I realized they weren’t talking about anything of substance. What got my attention was their sudden silence. I looked up at the two of them, frozen in place with a faraway look in their eyes.

“You two alright?” I asked, seemingly snapping them back to reality.

They looked at me as though they were seeing me for the first time before glancing anxiously at each other once more.

“What’s the matter?” I asked.

Lex said something in the ancient tongue to Greta, who merely nodded.

“What!?” I demanded.

“Go find Aris, immediately,” Lex ordered.

His voice was full of such urgency that it chilled me to the bone. Without hesitation I turned and ran off into the woods into the same direction Aris had gone. Something is wrong, something is very wrong. I needed to find Aris, if not for his sake, then for my own. I did not know where I was going, but I hardly cared. I heard the snapping of twigs to my right and turned to see the all too familiar gleam of black eyes staring at me. Only they did not belong to Aris, but a shadow walker I had not met. A twisted grin spread across his face, he hissed at me,

“He’s waiting for ya, Rose.” I felt my stomach turn. The man remained where he stood, but his eyes remained on me as I continued

“Heya, Rosie,” I heard the sickening sweet voice of Eloise from my left as she flounced her way across my path. “Send our boy my regards.” She winked at me and chuckled deviously as she skipped past me. I hastened my pace even more. Where are you? It must have been adrenaline that carried me through the woods that night. I don’t know how else my feet managed to carry me as fast and as far as they did. Finally, I sensed him. I felt a wave of relief. He wasn’t far. I would be safe in his arms soon. The closer I got to him, the more shadow walkers appeared. Panic was setting in. Whatever was happening that would attract the interest of this many shadow walkers was certainly nothing I wanted to see. I found myself calling out to him as I closed what little distance was left between us.

“Aris!” I couldn’t see him yet, but I was desperate. My lungs were burning from all the running, and I could feel the eyes of every shadow walker I had passed still upon me. I just wanted to be safe.

“I’m here,” I heard him answer, his voice, like music to my ears.

I came around a tree and saw him standing just feet from me. The sight of him completely disarmed me, and I melted into his embrace. Tears streaked my face. I wanted to say so many things, ask so many questions, but the words didn’t come. Instead, all I could manage was to feebly choke.

“I’m scared Aris.” My words sounded like a frightened child’s.

He held me firmly against his body and buried his face in my shoulder.

“I know,” he answered solemnly.

“What’s happening? Are you alright?” I exhaled as I tried to catch my breath.

I made a motion to back away from him, but he clung tightly to me, holding me to the spot. It was then that I noticed the rigidity in his body, the unevenness in his own breath, the rapid beating of his heart. Something’s wrong. With his face buried in the nape of my neck he spoke,

“I promised… I promised I’d keep you safe.”

He finally gave me room to move away, and I was able to look him properly in the eyes. They were red as if he had been crying and full of fear. He still held me tightly around my waist.

“You’re scaring me,” I heard my voice quaver.

“I lied to you, Rose,” he confessed as he wiped a tear from my cheek, “I’m so sorry.” His eyes bore pleadingly into mine.

“What has he asked you to do?” I asked, though, I already knew the answer. My heart sank and my stomach filled with dread as he answered me plainly.

“Father has ordered me to,” he inhaled rashly, “deliver you to him… He- he means for me to kill you.”

I felt myself instinctively pulling further from him, but he held fast, and I stood rooted to the spot.

“I tried, I tried to stand against him, I- he- I couldn’t.” He hung his head, “I failed you.”

It took everything in me to steady my breathing. “No,” I muttered, “No! There has to be another way!” I pushed against him. Still, he held on.

“There isn’t,” I heard his voice catch.

I started fighting harder, pushing with all of my might.

“Let me go! Please don’t do this!” I begged. I dropped to the ground in an attempt to break free. The sudden shift in weight loosened his grip just enough for me to stumble back from him. I had barely scrambled to my feet before he caught me. With his forearm across my shoulders, he pinned me to a tree. I began to panic. Instantly, I was back in the village staring at my own pyre. This is it. I saw the flash of a small blade and closed my eyes tightly. I screamed in anticipation of the pain and recoiled against the rough bark of the tree. Only, nothing happened. I chanced to open my eyes to look at the man I love. The blade in his hand was inches away from me. His hand was shaking violently.

“Now, brother!” I heard someone yell.

He looked at me. His eyes were wild and desperate. His breathing was rapid and uneven, just as mine was. He closed his eyes and clenched his fist tightly around the knife he wielded. With a loud yell he raised the blade towards me. I closed my eyes once more and braced for impact. I winced at the sound of dull thud made by the knife as it pierced the tree just beside my ear. I screamed despite myself.

“I can’t do it,” he panted.

I opened my eyes and saw tears running down his face.

“I can’t-″ but his words were cut off.

I heard a rough choking sound from the back of his throat. He shouted as the trembling in his body worsened. I saw his eyes roll back and heard abnormal cracking sounds as his neck twisted unnaturally. He fell to the ground on all fours and screamed out in agony. I stood frozen to the spot, the knife still wedged into the tree beside me.

“Such weakness,” a voice growled deeply.

Aris snapped his head up and stared at me. Only the eyes I was looking into were not Aris’, and the words coming out of his mouth were not his. I saw a few of the nearby shadow walkers lower to their knees. He stood up, not taking his eyes off of me.

“Relax, my dear,” he spoke sinisterly as he traced a finger down the side of my face.

My body trembled violently at his touch.

“It’ll all be over soon.” Quick as lightning he grabbed the knife out of the tree and plunged it into my chest.