Shadow Queen (Gods & Dark Creatures Book 2)

Chapter 6

Morning came and with it, the snowstorm stopped. The sun came out from behind the veil of clouds. The snow glistened beautifully in its light.

Ciaran woke up before Amaya. She was still curled up in his arms. Their fingers were still intertwined. At least when she slept she was calm and didn't seem sad. He gently brushed unruly strands of hair from her face. She opened her eyes briefly. The corner of her mouth lifted into a soft smile, almost imperceptible. But Ciaran saw it.

"It's terribly cold," she said sleepily.

The fire went out during the night. The frost crept into the bowels of the cave. Winter stole every bit of warmth for itself.

"We have to go," Ciaran told her.

"Just a little while longer," Amaya argued, pulling her fur coat closer to her body. She squirmed in Ciaran's embrace. She closed her eyes again.

"You need to wake up, little goddess," Ciaran said, rousing her from her sweet dreams.

"You're right," Amaya acknowledged, standing up sharply.

This surprised Ciaran. That rush of energy woke up in her out of nowhere. She was so close to him when she slept and he felt her drift away from him again. Cold as winter air. Her cold stare gave him goosebumps.

"Are you going or do you want to stay here?" she said to Ciaran, who was still lying on the hard ground and looking at her in shock.

He snapped out of his shock. He nodded wordlessly and stood to leave. He was helping Amaya pack things.

⸸

They walked further deeper into the mountains. Their steps dug into the snow. They did not find solid ground. It seemed as if the snow was trying to swallow them. It was tiring.

"At this rat,e it will be a very long time before we get to Amorite," Ciaran noted.

"I hate to admit it, but I miss Deira," said Amaya.

Ciaran looked at her in surprise. He couldn't believe her words.

"Don't look at me like that," she told him.

"Do you realize you just said you miss Deira?" Ciaran told her.

"I realize what I said, Ciaran," Amaya replied. "But you miss Deira too."

"Hiraeth was my home. I grew up in Deira. I have many reasons why I miss it there, but what about you?" said Ciaran.

"Because I found a new home in Deira," she said.

Ciaran looked at her inquisitively. "Then why did you keep trying to run away?" he asked her.

"Because I was a prisoner there," she replied. "And you yourself know very well that I never wanted to return to Amorite."

"At Amorite, you can have everything you dream of," said Ciaran. "You can be free there. People look up to you."

"Your people looked up to you too, and they turned against you anyway when it suited them," she reminded him. "The only thing my position brought me was the fact that people mistakenly believed that I was blessed by the gods. It won't be long before they learn the truth and turn against me as well. At least in Deira, I didn't have to pretend to be someone I'm not."

"I thought you wanted to be queen."

"Yes, but only so that I no longer have to be anyone's puppet. After all, I'm just a monster that everyone can use to their advantage.''

⸸

A massive shadow loomed over them. It shrouded the land in gloom. The horses were restless. They thrashed and tore. Amaya and Ciaran turned their eyes to the origin of the terrible shadow. What their eyes saw was a fear-mongering monster from the worst nightmares. They found exactly what Amaya hoped they would never come across.