.The Shadow Knight.

-7-

"Hey kid, how's it going?" I asked.

"Well there is only one other mage as I was told but didn't find them."

"I think it is Highness Rain, she tried to impale me with icicles to test me."

"Oh crap."

"Don't cuss."

"Right sorry... Lets just go find the empress and queens... Do I say that?"

"I call them Highness so I suppose do that or do as you think, I think they'd correct you if there was problems with how you addressed them."

-----------------------------------------------------

Supper was special, the table was big and filled with food but there were only six of us actually eating, guards near the door and other servants moved around, filling the glasses and serving the food.

"So is the castle to your liking?" I looked up from my food as Elise spoke, hands crossed and her chin resting on them.

"Different from what we're used to but it is beautiful, don't you have a natural part? Grass, trees and all."

"Of course we do, you'll be shown to it tomorrow."

"Thank you."

I smacked my arm down on Sel's arm, making her slam her drink down on the table.

"Do you not want us here?" I asked the empress who almost said something about my behavior but saw the look I had on my uncovered face.

"Why would I not want you here?" My back muscles tensed a little at her tone.

I grabbed the glass, fingers around the rim and stood up, walking over and setting it down before her.

"The smell empress." I said, she looked it then me before grabbing it and smelling it.

"What is this? This is not what I ordered to be brought out."

"Poison, more specifically one from the south of Solor made from Wither Away flowers, it has a strong smell so it is distilled several times to try to make it inodorous, mixed in wine to try to mask what odor it still got, is siphons away all magic and as we know even those that cannot cast spells need wild magic like water, it slowly suffocates you from lack of magic until you die from it empress.... Mage Sel's and my drinks have been laced with it." I was lucky to have smelled the mix or I would have took a sip along with Sel but avoided all that fiasco.

"THIS IS INADMISSIBLE!!!" The outburst surprised me but I didn't show it. She looked really angry.

"Elise please remain calm." Kia said, laying a hand on her shoulder before nodding at Rain who flicked her wrist, I heard locks clicking.

"Who tried to murder our guests?" Melore asked with a glare. "All the food and drinks were brought in at the same time for the culprit is in the room."

I watched each of their faces, I was good at reading people.

I stepped away and around Melore, opening my pouch and pulling a glass vial out and made a show about dropping it, the liquid inside going up in thick grey smoke as it shattered.

"You better tell whose the attempted murderer." I said as the smoke cleared up but no one spoke, I pulled out other vials and gave on to the queens and Sel before drinking mine, they played along and did too, probably wanting me to prove myself as I stepped up to deal with it since I starter this whole show. "Because I just let free a highly lethal and fast acting toxin, without the antidote we just took your body will rapidly deteriorate, not long from now your strength will leave you, your mouth and orifices with start bleeding, your lungs will fail and lastly you'll drown in your own blood.... I'd advise you to denounce yourself before you start panicking, it just makes death come faster."

"Bluff!" A butler yelled. "You are bluffing!... Right?"

"I am a shadow, I strike in the dark, be it illegal or not, do not underestimate me sire as blood stains my skin red."

 Watched them, slowly panic was creeping up on the crowd, they started yelling at each other and some sobbing.

"Please, I admit! Just save me!" A man fell to his knees and hugged my leg, face covered in tears and eyes begging for forgiveness.

"First tell me why or I will smash this on the ground and give everyone but you the antidote." Vermin, willing to kill but not die.

"I-I was paid great money by someone not wanting empress Elise to gain your help!"

"Who?"

"I don't know, I never saw their face I only know it was a deep voice, please do not let me die!!"

"No one will die." I chuckled. "The vial was a smoke bomb, completely harmless outside of the smoke irritating your eyes and nose a little, what we drank was simple water as I hadn't had time to prepare more smoke bombs."

He gaped at me in shock as two guards grabbed him and pulled him away as the locks opened.

"Impressive." A shiver ran down my back as I turned to the empress. "Deceit and malice... Impressive."

"I am here to serve you empress." I bowed. "In all ways I can."

"I knew I made the right choice." She grinned, behind the soft smile hide something sinister that sent a pang of fear through my heart, this woman is something.