Shadows Of Desire

Caroline pulled the drapes closed, blocking out the light of the morning sun that would come pouring through the window when the night was done. Learning of Rowan’s escape from the dungeon had put a kink in Caroline’s plans but, she was not ready to give up just yet. The commotion outside and the sound of the alarm being rang told her all that she needed to know. The Lycans had broken through the gate and attacked the guards as planned. With no one free to protect him, Rowan would be killed. At least, that was what Caroline planned for when she asked for Agren’s assistance in dealing with the rogue Prince. If, by some chance, the Lycans failed to kill him, Caroline would gladly do the job herself. It was time to end this game of cat and mouse and regain control of her Kingdom.

Too many had already seen Rowan and worst yet, had helped him in his escape. Those who aided him would be dealt with as well. The one thing Caroline would not tolerate was disloyalty among her servants. Anyone who betrayed her would pay for that betrayal with their lives.

“I should have killed him when I had the chance.” Caroline clenched her fists as she walked across her chamber floor to the vanity where she sat, looking into the mirror. It was a grave woman who looked back at her. The stress of the day had taken it’s toll and Caroline looked haggard and pale. She picked up her brush and began to furiously comb her hair out of the pleats that, earlier, had been wound about her head like a crown.

She looked beautiful as she sat in the stands, waiting to watch her enemy burn. She looked regal, the very picture of charm and grace. She looked like a Queen. And, there was not one person who could deny that she was Queen. Once Rowan was dead, there would be no one left to challenge her for the throne. He was the one pebble in her shoe. The one thing standing in her way. She thought she’d gotten rid of him once before but he’d tricked her. She would not make the same mistake again. Once he was dead she planned to grind his bones into dust and then dump the ashes into the sea. No one, not even the so called child of the Tuatha could come back from that.

Caroline was enraged to discover that once again, Rowan had escaped her. It seemed as though everything she had worked so hard for was suddenly crashing down around her. Servants whispered in the halls that Caroline had murdered her own husband, and now there were suspicions that she had helped Killian to escape. Rowan had by now certainly accused her of trying to murder him. He had probably cried and moaned to all the member’s of the guard, telling them how cruel she was as he begged them to help him. What if they believed him? What if they took him before the council and he relayed his sob story to them? Everything was unraveling around her. She had to get Rowan back and she had to end him.

There was only one person that she could go to in her time of need. Only one person whom she could trust. Agren. When Caroline left the stands and returned to her chambers, she summoned the old witch to her. As expected the witch appeared in a cloud of fog and shadow. The air around her grew colder and the room stunk of rot and mildew. Caroline plead her case and begged the old hag to help her once more. “Please.” Caroline begged, holding out a bag of gold to the old woman. “I am in dire need of your assistance. If Rowan convinces the council of my guilt, I’ll be burned at the stake, or beheaded.” She touched her throat for emphasis as her eyes welled with tears. “You are my last hope.”

The crone sneered at the offered gold. “Your coin no longer interests us.” She grumbled. “And we grow weary of your whining. We warned you that this would happen, did we not?”

“The fault is not mine.” Caroline continued to plead with the crone. “Rowan tricked me. I thought he was dead but he was not. He was hiding in the Shee village but, now he is back and if he takes control of the throne he will have me executed!”

The old witch contemplated the Queen’s predicament. The woman could burn in hell for all she cared but her pleading did amuse the hag. It had been a long time since anyone had asked for her council so earnestly and, if truth be told, she liked seeing the Queen squirm. Turning back to the Queen, Agren smiled. Her blackened and jagged teeth made Caroline’s stomach twist but she managed to smile back, feigning respect. “Your plight distresses us and so we will aide you, one last time, but there is one thing that we want in return.”

“You can have all the gold you want.” Caroline practically laughed as she held the bag out to the witch once more. “How much do you want? I have jewels as well. Name it and it’s yours.”

Agren huffed as she waved her gnarled hand at the offering. “We’ve already told you. Your gold is not what we want.”

“Then what?” Caroline narrowed her eyes as she slowly withdrew the hand holding the bag of gold.

“Nothing you will ever miss.” The old women told her. “All we require for our services is a lock of your hair. Give us this and we shall grant your request.”

Caroline stared at the woman, confused. She couldn’t possibly understand why the witch would want a lock of her hair, it was worthless. She could not spend it, nor eat it. For what purpose could she want it for? “Why?” Caroline ventured to ask. “What use have you for my hair?”

The old woman gnashed her teeth together, growing ever more impatient with the Queen. “The hair of a vampire is required in youth spells. The more powerful the vampire, the more potent the spell.” She sneered at the Queen and held out her wrinkled and aged hand. Her yellow nails glowed under the light of the candle and Caroline nearly pulled away from the sight. It was bad enough that the crone smelled like old, rotting, death, but to have her so near made Caroline physically ill. She had never understood how humans could stand growing older. It was as though their bodies were decaying before they were even cold in the earth. Such a fate, to Caroline, was worse than death.

Caroline turned and, picking up a knife from her vanity, sliced off a lock of golden curls. With a smirk she handed the lock over to the old woman, musing at the thought of Agren casting a spell for youth on herself. Perhaps the woman was more vain that Caroline had originally thought. Not that she could blame her really. If Caroline had a face like hers, she would have clawed it off years ago. “There.” Caroline snapped, watching as Agren snatched up the hair. “I have paid your price. Now, how are you going to kill the Bastard Prince?”

A sly smile crept over the woman’s dry and cracked lips. Her skin pinched, stretching across bone as she grinned, causing her eyes to all but shrink in her head. She looked more like a lizard than a human and again, Caroline was repulsed by her appearance. “Tonight the moon is full.” Agren told her. “The man shall become beast and the beast will be eager to hunt. I’ll give them the taste for Shee blood.”

“Lycans?” Caroline asked, raising an eyebrow. “They never leave the forest. How can you ensure that Rowan will go to the forest?”

“The beasts will hunt him down.” Agren told her. “They will be compelled to find and slay him. Where ever he hides, they will sniff him out. He can not escape them. I’ll make sure of it.”

“But how?” Caroline wasn’t sure that the old hag could really do what she had promised. Lycans weren’t easy to control in human form let alone in beast form. It seemed impossible.

Agren frowned. “So many questions!” She growled. “I will do as I’ve promised. The Lycans will attack and by day break, your Prince will be no more.”

Agren didn’t wait for Caroline to respond. In a cloud of fog she was gone just as quick as she had appeared. Caroline turned back to her mirror and smiled to herself. “By day break, my dear Rowan, you will no longer be my problem.” She realized that when the Lycans attacked she would most likely lose many of her own men but it was a sacrifice that she was willing to make if it meant getting rid of Rowan. What were a few dead guards to her anyway? They could be replaced. They could all be replaced. Men were expendable. At least, in Caroline’s eyes.

***

By morning, Caroline was filled with excitement. She crossed the floor to her bed and lay down. She was too excited to sleep but she had to at least appear as though she were distraught with worry for her men. Shortly after the Lycans had attacked, Caroline was informed of the invasion. She did her best to hide the smile that immediately came to her blood red lips. She ordered all available soldiers to the wall to aide in the fight and protect the city. Her orders weren’t a complete ruse. She did want the city protected from the invading beasts but more than that, she wanted to seem as though she herself were appalled that the Lycans would dare attack Basmorte and, wanted them stopped immediately.

As the messenger left her chambers, Caroline laughed to herself, no longer needing to contain her excitement. It was all too wonderful. The old witch had come through despite Caroline’s misgivings. All she had to do now was wait. Once the battle was over, a messenger would come to report on the damage and, hopefully, to tell her that Rowan was dead. It wouldn’t be long now. The ruckus had begun to die down and then, rather abruptly, everything went deathly quiet. The howls and screams which had pervaded the air had stopped. An eerie calm had settled over the city. Though Caroline was safely inside her chambers, shielded from whatever was happening in the gate yard, she never the less felt a strange surge of energy rush over her. It was stifling and intrusive. She’d never felt such power before and it terrified her.

The power she’d felt was so oppressive that it weighed her down, making it impossible for her to move. Her eye lids became heavy and, despite her previous state of alertness, now found it too difficult to keep her eyes open. She could no longer fight the sudden fatigue that she felt and so allowed herself to drift off into deep slumber. The hours passed like minutes with Caroline having no concept of time. She hadn’t moved from the spot she lay in when she had fallen asleep. She never so much as even pulled her guilt up over her body. It was strange. The previous night seemed like a fever dream. Her encounter with the witch seemed less real now, as though she had imagined it all. The pounding on her chamber door was real enough though. It was this pounding that had roused her from her slumber.

“Come.” She barked in annoyance, her voice raspy with sleep. She had managed to push herself up and sit on the edge of her bed just as her chamber doors burst open. Evander rushed into the room, his expression stern as he approached Caroline with an air of urgency. The room was dimly lit with only a few candles left burning, though Evander’s sharp gaze easily found the Queen sitting on the edge of her ornate bed. She looked disheveled and worn. Evander’s one good eye met the Queen’s and he stiffened. His eye remained clouded with distrust and resentment as he recalled the assault by Caroline that had left him partcially blind.

His fists clenched at his sides and he did his best to keep his emotions in check. Calmly, he bowed before the Queen; his loyalty, albeit feigned, was apparent as he rose once more to meet her gaze.

“Your Majesty.” He said, keeping his tone soft and low while biting back the contempt he felt for the woman. “I have news of the attack by the Lycan horde.”

Caroline’s gaze sharpened, the fog of sleep dissipated as she focused on Evander’s report.

Unsure of how to explain to the Queen the events of the previous night, Evander blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “The battle is over.” He told her. “The Lycans vanished in a blinding light. Our troops were knocked out cold and when we awoke, the beasts were gone. We lost many good men but the commander has seen to the injured and dead already.”

Evander realized as he spoke that he should have perhaps rehearsed his speech first but there just wasn’t time. Caffrey and Liam were already on the way. Evander had been sent on ahead to make sure that the Queen was in her chambers and to see that she did not attempt to flee.

“What of the prisoner?” Caroline asked, careful not to use his name. She wasn’t aware of how much Evander knew about Rowan’s identity and she didn’t want to give anything away.

Evander’s jaw clenched and his brows furrowed. Again he told himself to remain calm. Though the audacity of this woman enraged him, it was obvious to Evander what the Queen was asking. She wanted to know if her plan worked. She wanted to know if Rowan was dead. She cared nothing for the young Prince nor for the countless lives that were lost in her bid to secure her throne. All she cared about was whether or not she had been successful in murdering her step-son.

“There is no sign of him.“Evander told her. He took some pleasure in seeing her expression change to shock and outrage. She had expected a body. Counted on it. Once again, she was disappointed.

Caroline raised an eyebrow as she stared intently at the man. “You’re sure? He was not among the dead?”

Evander’s expression shifted from mild amusement to anger as he regarded the Queen with nothing but contempt. “I am sure, your Majesty.” He grit his teeth as he forced the words from his mouth. “We would have noticed if Prince Rowan’s body were among the dead. I can assure you, where ever he is, he is alive.”

Caroline did her best to feign concern but at the mention of Rowan’s name her facade began to crumble. Attempting to mask her outrage with regal composure, Caroline brushed a strand of hair away from her face and straightened her shoulders.

“So, you are telling me that he’s escaped...again?” Caroline shook her head. “Why am I not surprised by this? Does the incompetence of the guard know no bounds? Are you all sitting on your thumbs or are you just that bloody stupid!”

“My deepest apologies, your Majesty.” Evander hissed, fighting back the urge to strike Caroline across the face. Just to see the look on her face would be well worth whatever punishment he’d receive but, no. He had his orders and he was not about to disobey. Not even for the thrill of knocking the bitch on her arse. “In the midst of the battle, we had lost sight of the Prince but, trust me. We are looking everywhere for him. Even now we have men out searching.”

“Search harder.” Caroline snapped. “I want him found!” Caroline was seething. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Rowan was supposed to be dead, not missing in action. The witch had promised her that he would be dead! “You’re dismissed.” She growled, waving her hand through the air as though swatting away flies.

“Actually, my Lady...” Evander grimaced having to call Caroline by such names of respect. She didn’t deserve a one of them. She was no lady, but he was sure that addressing her as pathetic cow would earn him a night in the stocks at least. “There is yet one last issue that needs addressing.”

Caroline sighed, rolling her eyes in annoyance. “And, what is that?” She asked, not bothering to hide her irritation. As soon as the words left her mouth, Evander moved to the side, out of view of the open doorway. Caffrey stepped to the threshold, with Liam standing beside him.

“Your Majesty.” There was an icy silence as Caffrey’s piercing gaze fell upon the Queen. His eyes bore into her, accusing and unforgiving. He and Liam crossed the threshold, without invitation, and crossed the room to stand directly in front of Caroline. Caffrey’s voice was cold and resolute as he addressed the Queen. “I have some distressing news for you. My scouts report that a large army of Elven soldiers marches toward the city, bolstered by Shee and Fae warriors.”

Caroline’s eyes widened in disbelief, her mind began racing at the implications of such a formidable force approaching. “We must intercept them.” Caroline rose to her feet, she gripped her skirts as her hands trembled with nervous agitation. She could not, however, hide the look of absolute horror on her face. The Elven army alone would be nearly impossible to defeat but with the Shee and Fae as well? Caroline didn’t stand a chance against them.

Her only hope at this point was for her own army, as small as it was, to engage the enemy long enough for Caroline to flee the city. Basmorte would be lost but she would live. That was all that really mattered to her now. “Mobilize our forces immediately. Hold them off as long as you can, long enough to evacuate the civilians.”

And myself. Caroline thought though she would never admit it to Caffrey. She really didn’t give a damn about the people of Basmorte. They were just a useful distraction in her plan to escape. Caffrey though would not sacrifice the people of Basmorte. He saw the Queen’s false concern and he understood her motives. Caffrey did not move from where he stood, now blocking the Queen’s path.

“I think not, your Majesty. I did not come here to get military advice from you. I am only telling you of the invading army as a courtesy.”

“Then why are you here?” Caroline eyed the man suspiciously. She tried to move away from him but there was no where to go. He had her pinned against the bed. Liam, who remained at Caffrey’s side, blocked her from going around the Commander. She was trapped between them. Even Evander had moved to the other side of the bed, cutting off her exit if she attempted to crawl across and to the other side of the room.

“I’ve been given orders to arrest you, your Majesty.” Caffrey’s gaze remained steely as he spoke, the weight of his words hung heavily in the air between himself and the Queen.

Caroline’s confusion was palpable as she looked from Caffrey to Evander, seeking understanding. “What do you mean? Whose orders? What is the meaning of this?” She demanded, growing more frantic with each passing second.

Caffrey narrowed his eyes and his expression darkened. “My Orders come from Prince Thaden of Rosegate.” He stated without hesitation.

“Rosegate?” Caroline belted out a nervous laugh. “So, you surrender to our enemies? What a coward you are. You’re a disgrace!”

“Not surrender.” Caffrey explained, his expression remaining emotionless and hard. “Thaden is Prince Rowan’s husband. Until we have safely recovered Prince Rowan, Thaden will take command as Rowan, not you, is the true heir to the throne of Basmorte.”

“Then your city has no King!” Caroline shouted suddenly, catching everyone off guard. “Rowan is dead! Killed by the Lycans. He is no more!”

“Arrest her.” Caffrey ordered. He sneered at the Queen. “You are wrong. Prince Rowan lives. Thaden can sense that he is alive. You’ve failed once again, my Lady, and you’ve run out of chances. I imagine it won’t be long before you find yourself on the executioners block. With all the charges against you, death is inevitable.

“What charges?” Caroline locked eyes with Caffrey, demanding an answer to her question.

Caffrey sighed. He had no time for this. “Murder. Conspiracy to commit murder. Aiding in the escape of a dangerous prisoner, one whom you allowed to murder your own daughter I might add, and lastly, using witchery to summon the Lycan horde who attacked and killed many of your own men.”

Again Caroline laughed. “You have no evidence that I am guilty of any of that.” She told him. “It’s all speculation.”

“We have witnesses to it all.” Caffrey informed her. “After the Lycans attacked, many of your own servants came forward with information. The Palace walls are not as thick as you thought, my Lady, and servants love to gossip. Even two of the guards overheard you plotting with your daughter, and more than once you’ve been spotted in the company of a witch. That’s enough proof to see you lose your head. There is no one to help you now, your Majesty, it’s over.”

Caroline’s heart sank at Caffrey’s words, realization dawning on her. She looked to Caffrey then, her eyes pleading with him. “You can’t do this!” She screeched, her voice a mixture of bewilderment and desperation. “Arrest Captain Greagor for aiding in Rowan’s escape. His is a an act of treason!”

Caffrey almost pitied the Queen...almost. She truly was delusional. Did she really think she could talk her way out of trouble this time? Did she think she still held sway over Caffrey, or the guards?

“I am under orders from Prince Thaden to arrest you.” Caffrey repeated, hoping that saying the words again, and more slowly, might help them to sink in. “He’s ordered you to be taken to the dungeon and held while you await trial. There is nothing that I can or would do for you now. Your time on the throne is done. You are no longer Queen.”

Shock and confusion clouded Caroline’s features as the gravity of the situation became painfully apparent to her. Her eyes widened as she searched for any semblance of understanding or reprieve in Caffrey’s unyielding stance. There was none.

“This is madness!” Caroline screamed. “I’ve done nothing wrong!”

The room fell into a tense silence, the weight of betrayal and accusation hung in the air. Caroline, for the first time in her life, now faced the stark reality of her crimes. The punishment for which threatened not only her reign as Queen, but her very life.

Caffrey nodded to Liam and something unspoken passed between them. Liam held out a pair of iron wrist cuffs. Caroline understood then what that look had meant. Caffrey had ordered Liam with a silent nod to restrain her. It became suddenly clear to Caroline that this had all been planned in advance. Suddenly enraged, Caroline’s eyes blazed with defiance as she side stepped Liam. Her mind raced to find a solution to her predicament. Desperate to escape, Caroline pushed past Liam and rushed toward her wardrobe where she flung the door open in a flurry of blinding movements.

Her gaze fell upon the back of the door where a symbol, crafted in her own blood, caught her attention--a runic symbol resembling an infinity sign, its swirling lines shimmered faintly in the candle light.

“You will not take me!” She declared. Before the others could reach her, Caroline stretched out her hand and pressed her palm against the symbol, activating a hidden warding spell. A sudden surge of power filled the chamber causing Caffrey, Liam, and Evander to freeze in their tracks, their movements halted by the mystical force of the spell.

A thick fog began to form all around them, rising up from the floor like a specter in the night, obscuring their vision. The Candles flicker and die, plunging the room into total darkness. In the chaos, Caroline ran to a concealed passage in the wall, hidden behind a tapestry. Without hesitation, she slipped into the narrow corridor, the darkness swallowed her figure as she disappeared from view.

The passageway wound its way beneath the castle, leading Caroline through a network of tunnels until she emerged at the mouth of a cave nestled deep within the dense forest. Being careful not to alert anyone who might be close by, Caroline peered outside. High above her, the sun lit the sky on fire, its rays illuminated the landscape with light that shimmered like gold. It was a beautiful sight to behold and the warmth of the sun cut through the chill in the late autumn air. But, for Caroline, as beautiful as the sun was, exposure to direct sunlight posed a danger she just wasn’t willing to risk. She would have to wait for the safety of nightfall before she could emerge.

Retreating back into the shadows of the cave, her thoughts began to race with the urgency of her situation. Concealed within the dark, the bats above as her only companions, Caroline leaned her back against the hard, cold, stone wall of the cave. There she wrapped her arms around her chest and held herself for comfort. Overcome with fear and uncertainty, Caroline shivered. She slid down the wall to the floor below and, drawing her knees to her chest, tried to make herself as small as possible.

I can’t wait here all day. She told herself, knowing that time was not on her side. It wouldn’t be long before the others realized that she had escaped. Her warding could only hold them a short time. They could every well already be free of it. Soon they would begin to search for her and how soon before that search spilled out into the woods? What if they stumbled upon her while searching for Rowan? Caroline narrowed her eyes and grit her teeth.

“Rowan.” She hissed his name, her fear giving way to anger. “This is your fault. Why couldn’t you just stay dead?”

The irony was not lost on her that Rowan probably never would have returned to Basmorte had he not been discovered in the Shee village. If Caroline knew then that the Shee child she was searching for was Rowan, she would have ordered him to be killed on sight. If only. If only she had the hindsight to know the truth at the time. Agren knew. She must have. It was she who had told Caroline of the Shee child destined to destroy her. So, why did Agren not identify him? Why allow Caroline to find out once it was too late? Thinking of Agren once more sparked the flame of anger inside her. Agren had failed to do as she had promised. Rowan was supposed to be dead by now. Knowing that he still lived and was out there, somewhere, waiting to murder her was more than she could take,

Caroline wondered if Agren had foreseen this turn of events as well. “Raven mocker!” Caroline called out in anguish and rage. “Make good on your word, Raven mocker. Prince Rowan of the Shee lives still!.” She was desperate. Even if the old hag had deceived her, there was no one else that could save her. So, once more, she called on the assistance of the witch that she was beginning to loath.

“Agren, please. Once again I need your help. I beseech you. Do not abandon me when I need you most. Help me now for I am in dire straights!”

Caroline waited, wondering if the witch would even answer her call. Several minutes passed. Caroline was about to give up all hope when the air around her seemed to suddenly stir with a chill as icy as the cold hand of death. A presence began to materialize before her--an apparition of twisted branches, cracking skin, and moldy rags.

“Caroline, the would be Queen.” Agren taunted her in a creaking, otherworldly voice. “You test our patience, child. But, we sense the desperation in your plea. What is it you ask of us this time?

Caroline’s voice trembled with desperation as she pleaded with the ancient woman. Her eyes searched Agren’s for any glimmer of hope. “Rowan still lives.” She told her. A slight hint of anger could be heard in her voice as she speaks. “Now the Eleven army marches to the city. Prince Thaden has ordered the guard to arrest me and so I fled the Palace. Everything that I’ve worked so hard to achieve is being torn down around me. I can not stay any longer in Basmorte. I need to escape the Kingdom, to live a life unnoticed and unharmed. I want to walk freely in the sun without pain or fear of death. If I stay here, waiting for nightfall, I’ll surly be caught. Please, I beg of you, can you help me?”

Agren listened to Caroline’s lament. Though weary, Agren remained perceptive of the Queen’s plight. She could hear the desperation in Caroline’s words and knew the inevitability of her fate. Rowan would destroy her. It was written so in the stars and there was nothing now that Caroline could do to change her fate. Perhaps, if she had listened to Agren in the beginning, heeded her warning, she might not be in this miserable position. But, that ship had sailed. Her blind ambition drove her to this point, greed causing her to make the wrong choices over and over again. All that Caroline desired was now gone. All that she loved, taken from her. All she had left was the life that she so desperately clung to. Perhaps Agren would give her a chance. One...last...chance.

After a long silence, Agren nods, conceding to Caroline’s request, but not without a grave warning. “Very well.” Agren told her with a long and drawn out sigh. “We will grant your request, but this shall be the final favor we give you. Beware the consequences of your desires.”

Agren knelt down and in the dirt and muck of the cave floor and began to draw intricate designs and strange words from a language Caroline did not recognize. The more she worked, the more detailed the design became. Caroline watched in awe as the witch worked her fingers in the dirt. When she was done, she used her talon like nails to dig out a small pit in the center of the design. She then reached inside her robes and pulled out the lock of hair that Caroline had given her earlier.

“What?”

Agren gave her a stern look and Caroline clamped her mouth closed at once. She watched as Agren held the lock in her aged and withered hand and then, to Caroline’s surprise and disgust, the witch spit on the lock of hair. The hair suddenly burst into flames and Agren dropped it into the center of the dirt drawing. The flame shot up, igniting the entire design. When the flames finally died down, the design beneath it glowed like an ember. Smoke rose up from the smoldering spell and the swirling rings surrounded Caroline, engulfing her within them.

She coughed and closed her eyes which burned from the smoke. Tears slipped down her cheeks and the burnt smell of ash invaded her nose. The magic in the spell wove its unseen threads throughout her body, working to fulfill her request. Agren’s magic worked beyond Caroline’s comprehension but she could feel it inside, changing her from within. When it was done, Caroline opened her eyes and exhaled a shaky breath. She could not see the effects of Agren’s magic but she could feel it. She felt different somehow, more alive. It was as if the vale of darkness had been lifted from her eyes and she saw the world in new, brighter, hues and it was...beautiful.

Standing up, Caroline ventured near the mouth of the cave. She stopped just short of going outside and looked out into the bright sunlit day. The sun truly did look brighter than she had ever seen it before and that frightened her a bit.

“Go.” Agren urged her. “The sun can’t harm you now. We’ve made you immune to it’s effects.”

Caroline smiled, her excitement growing by leaps and bounds. Slowly, and with great care, she stretched forth her hand until her pale-white flesh was completely bathed in the light. She expected it to burn or sting at least. She could feel the rays of the sun lick her palm and the tips of her fingers but there was no pain. She wiggled her fingers. They did not crack or bleed and her skin did not shrivel. Caroline laughed like a giddy school girl, full of joy and wonder as she watched her hand, perfectly fine and unmarred by the sun. It took her several more minutes before she had gathered enough courage to step out into the sun herself but when she did, she could hardly believe how wonderful it felt.

She pulled back her hood and turned her face to the sky. She closed her eyes and allowed the warmth of the sun to kiss her cold skin. Never had she stood in direct sunlight so exposed and unprotected. Never had she allowed the sun to touch her fair skin. It was amazing, so warm and comforting, not cool and dull as the night was. If a heaven existed, she was in it.

“Go towards the Matatowan mountains.” Agren said, pulling Caroline out of her thoughts. She was so focused on the warmth of the sun that she very nearly forgot that she was in hiding and fear for her life.

“Hide in the abandoned monastery. There, we will find you at nightfall and guide you to safety.”

“Why wait?” Caroline asked, marveling at the idea of roaming freely under the warmth of day. “We can go now.”

Agren narrowed her eyes and hissed. “With an entire army at your doorstep? With soldiers searching these very woods? Think, girl! You’re more likely to be seen during the day and they will be searching the Kingdom for you. They expect to you to be nearby, hidden within the shadows. They won’t expect to find you in the mountains. When night falls, you will take the ogre pass through the mountains and into Lynford. It’s the safest route and far from any Elven encampments.”

Caroline sighed. “Alright.” What the old woman said made sense and Caroline was inclined to listen to her for once. There was now a small glimmer of hope for Caroline in her otherwise bleak future. If she could make it safely out of Basmorte she could go anywhere.

As Agren instructed, Caroline left the confines of the cave and began the trek toward the mountains and the old monastery. The journey would take hours on foot, if one were human. A vampire could move twice as fast though and make the trip in half the time. As the hours passed however, Caroline began to feel a strange sensation overcome her. She began to grow weary and her legs were weak with fatigue. She struggled just to continue walking at a snails pace. Each step became harder than the last and she soon found herself stopping to rest.

She blamed the fatigue on her lack of sleep. Most Vampire’s rested during the day and the sun was known to be draining. The sharp stings of sunlight no longer effected her but her time in the sun had certainly tapped her energy. Or, maybe she was weak with hunger. She remembered that she had not fed since before going to the stands to witness Rowan’s execution. The execution that never took place. She had been so upset over the situation that she had simply forgotten to feed. That had to be it. She needed blood and sleep. Unfortunately, she was too weak and tired to hunt. That would have to wait until after she’d had a good sleep and replenished most of her strength.

She was close to the monastery anyway. She could rest there and at nightfall hunt. Maybe another hour and she would reach her destination. She just had to keep going. After allowing herself another ten minutes or so to rest, she pushed herself to her feet and began walking again. The farther she walked, the slower she moved. Her legs felt like jelly and her back ached terribly. Her feet pained her as well and soon she felt as though she were walking on hot coals. The monastery came into view right about the time that Caroline was going to give in and take a nap right on the forest floor.

She leaned against a tree, resting her head against the hard bark of the trunk. It was coarser than she’d remembered but she quickly forced the thought out of her mind. Seeing her destination before her now gave her renewed strength.

“Finally.” She panted, a weary smile settling on her parched lips. Taking in a deep breath, she mustered what strength she had left and pushed on, arriving at the monastery some fifteen minutes later. Heaving and panting, out of breath, she managed somehow to push the heavy oak door open just enough for her to squeeze through. As soon as she was inside, Caroline fell to her knees, weeping. She had made it! Somehow, she had made it, and she collapsed on the floor next to the door.

Back in the forest, Agren had watched as Caroline walked off in the direction of the mountains. She watched until Caroline was completely gone from sight. Above Agren, perched on the low hanging branch of a tree, a raven cawed. Agren looked up at the majestic bird and frowned.

“We’ve done as you’ve instructed, Mother. The Queen waits in the monastery. Rowan will find her there, as foretold. The would be Queen is now as vulnerable as any human.”

The raven cawed once more in acknowledgment. It’s wings stretched and fluttered and then it took flight, disappearing into the shadows of the trees above. Agren too melted into the shadows, her work done. Now, it was up to fate.