Shadow Queen (Gods & Dark Creatures Book 2)

Chapter 2

In the morning there sounded a loud knock on the door of their room. Amaya and Ciaran were still asleep. It woke them up.

"Open the door immediately!" boomed a male voice from behind the door.

It jolted them out of their sleep. Panic crept into their minds. They had to get out of there quickly, but how? Ciaran stared out the window. Soldiers were standing everywhere. They were surrounded.

"We're trapped," Ciaran said.

"I told you that we should have killed the innkeeper." Amaya reproached him.

"You can't kill everyone, Amaya," Ciaran chided her.

"It certainly prevents a lot of problems, Ciaran," Amaya said.

"We know you're there." sounded again after a loud pounding on the door. "Open!"

"I'll handle it," Amaya said.

Ciaran rolled his eyes. He knew exactly what her solution meant.

Amaya didn't bother to get dressed. She was wearing a thin undergown. She approached the door. She opened them. Behind them stood a soldier with his hand raised, ready to slam the door again. He was accompanied by five other soldiers in shining armor. They looked at Amaya in surprise, leaning her shoulder against the door frame.

"Gentlemen." she gave them a mischievous smile.

"Where's Prince Ciaran?" the soldier in front of her asked her a question.

"He's not available at the moment," she replied.

"We know he's here, so don't lie." said the soldier irritated. "Either you'll come with us willingly or we'll bring you in front of the king in chains."

"I'm afraid that if you're going to take me away, you're going to have to do it the bad way," Amaya smirked.

"As you wish," said the soldier.

Amaya slammed the door on him. The soldier kicked them out and burst in. However, as he crossed the threshold of the room, a terrifying shadow bit his head. Amaya was splashed with his blood. The lifeless body of the soldier fell to the ground. An ever-growing pool of blood covered the floor.

The soldiers in the corridor were frightened by the sight but did not retreat. They drew their swords and began to fight. Amaya released her shadows. Thick darkness filled the room. Amaya sat in a chair by the fireplace and watched the carnage.

Ciaran watched the whole thing in horror from the back. He knew what she was. He knew what she could do. And despite this awareness, it was strange to watch that cruelty with his own eyes. How could he not realize all this time that she was capable of such a thing? Suddenly, as if he didn't recognize her when he saw her watching her shadows kill in cold blood with a smile on her lips.

As she kills.

He didn't want her to be so foreign to him.

And yet it happened.

After all, Amaya was just a wolf in the sheep skin. Her kind was hunted and killed in Amorite. She didn't want to be the animal on the run. Looking like a good innocent girl was her protection. Now there was no need to hide her true self. Both King Damon and King Enzo wanted her dead. And Arawn was hunting her down to get her back in his hands. She had to be savage. Heartless.

The soldiers had no chance against the shadows. They fought bravely, but it was a futile fight. They cut their swords in the air, tripping shadows, but as if they were cutting through the fog. The edge of their swords passed through and did not hurt them at all. But every stroke of the shadow was more than real. Their sharp claws cut through military armor as if it were made of paper. They cut deep into the flesh. Blood flowed everywhere. There was so much blood. On the ground and on the walls. Its smell filled the whole room. A scream carried through the air.