The Sun's Shadow

Chapter Nine

The languid, piercing sound of metal scraping metal alerted her that he either didn't understand or didn't see. Both the slow way he retrieved his sword, as if tempting her to try to plea again, and the way he stalked forward, told her that he would swing to kill.

No, no, no, no...

She overwhelmingly trembled to appeal to his instincts to strike down a secret enemy. Try all she may- He still came forward and now he raised the arm bearing his sword to ready the strike. Whoever he was, he clearly had the physique of a warrior. In a last effort to save her life, she raised her hands forward and clasped them, praying.

He didn't know what the girl was doing and could hardly make out a faint outline of her. Lifting his sword to strike down the unmoving figure that did little to express her purpose for being here, sneaking up on his study while the rest of the castle slept, he held back little when he swung down the blade.

Ele lurched out of the way and used the moment to scramble down the hallway, legs failing her repeatedly. Groveling for her life went against everything she was taught from a young age. Faenixes were meant to stand their ground, speak their title of ancient nobility, and face their opponents without fear.

Abandoning all principles- She ran. Her size gave her the privilege of sprinting faster than the beast following in her footsteps. It began to feel like she could run forever and never see an escape or the end of this unruly maze.

Sharply pivoting turn after turn, likely making her way in vast circles around the castle, might be her only hope of tiring the man and losing him. Her heart sunk when she realized she had, indeed, reached one end of the never-ending castle. Oh, how fate played with her. When she turned to retrace her steps before he could catch up, there he stood, blocking her only escape.

At each side of her were two doors. She lunged at one and twisted on the handles, banging on the wood so whoever was on the other side may let her in. Then she pitifully threw herself to the adjacent one and repeated her efforts to gain sanctuary. 

The looming shadow only crept closer and backed her far against the dead end. A tall window, nearly touching both the ceiling and floor, allowed the light of the moon to expose her while she backed up, now on her knees, feeling helpless and victim to the shadow's disposition.

He dragged the sharpened point of his sword while walking toward the body it would soon carve into.

She held out her hands in silent prayer, bowing deep to the ground where her chest rubbed against the cool marble.

"You're the girl who saved my son, aren't you?" He asked suddenly.

With heavy breaths wracking through her body, she could hardly give a nod.

"All of my children, actually." He tacked on with a scrutinizing gaze. How had this little thing managed such a feat? "Stand up."

Now facing the man that people here were sanctioned under but loathed, it was hard to disobey him.

She stood, wobbling.

He reached for her and was pleased when she didn't shrink back in fear. She accepted him as the all-powerful one. A superior amongst her- Someone that knew what would be best for her.

The King, it dawned on her, was the one she ran from.

Now he had her hand in his much larger one and placed another hand behind her head to guide her forward. They leisurely traveled back the way they came, all the way back to his private office. She had more time to observe the things that decorated the walls in disordered chaos. He kept his eyes trained on her every twitch and noted that she had an appreciation for the museum he created over the centuries.

His hands only removed from her to open the doors to his study wide, motioning for her to enter before him like some kind of proper gentleman.

A large round table sat nearly center in the room, a cluster of different chairs pulled together to surround it. Some resembled thrones, others were mere dining chairs. Beneath it rested an ornate rug that expanded to the edges of the room, leaving a few feet to show the dark hardwood under it.

Ele absorbed the meeting space mixed with a personal touch that deemed the room to be a private office. She determined this when looking at the rug, which held no drag lines from the chairs being constantly pulled back. They were for decor to symbolize he met with many advisors when, in reality, he only looked inwards to make royal decrees.

The man held little patience for the opinion of others.

"Sit." More demands that she would be inane not to follow. He went to stand behind his expansive desk that looked more like a dining table if not for the built-in drawers on the side which she could not see but knew were there.

She grew curious if the drawers contained any filings at all- Or were just for show.

Seconds stretched into minutes after she sat down at the round table, waiting for him to ask things she couldn't even answer with spoken words. He lingered behind the desk, hands on the upholstered throne behind it, swaying slightly while he displayed a loss of poise. What was he waiting for?

Or who? Ele piqued.

A question with a short life- Answered by the slam of the door opening by a frenzied boy. Kaanan surveyed her where she sat, now glad to see a familiar face. Her jaw hung slack and worked to form a subtle smile.

He ignored her and turned on his father. "What have you done to her?"

"Me?" King Jyosith feigned his hurt by holding a hand to his chest and gripping his black shirt. "She's the one who had me running all over the damn palace to collect her for you."

Ah, so he would try and twist the story... Ele half-expected this scenario.

Kaanan's lip twisted into a snarl, "I highly doubt that." Then he glanced at her for the first time since entering and allowed her to speak her side of things, which she did and quickly so that the King couldn't interrupt. His voice darkened, "She was just trying to get water."

The King ignored the detest pouring off his son in waves.

"Eledorah, am I mistaken? There must be a family name that follows an eloquent name?"

Ele shook her head in refusal. The least she could do now for her mother was not bring further shame upon her. Jyosith, known for his methods of interrogation, would find a way to use her family against her or vice versa. If only he knew how easily they'd throw her to the wolves for less than nothing.

Acting on her thoughts of him, he picked up an uncrumpled parchment from his desk upon a sea of raveled scrolls, and brought it forth to set in front of her. The thing gleamed with fresh ink and messy handwriting, no doubt written hurriedly.

Her scrunched eyes asked all the questions for her- What the hell is this?

"That, dear Eledorah, is a bargain you won't want to refuse. It will give you everything you wish for and more. I will recruit a team to find your wings-"

"Mother already promised her that!" Kaanan shouted, nearing Ele from behind with an eagerness to shred the contract.

The King raised a finger, and his son stopped just short of the table. That one finger rendered him immobile. If he had been displeased by the outburst, the Prince wouldn't know until much later.

"Your wings will be retrieved," He continued with grace. "And I may be able to find a mage to grant you a voice. You would like that... No?" When the girl didn't pique interest at that, he continued, "Many have retold the story of how you ended up here and the nature of your blood. I will find you a suitable mate and you will both remain under the protection of royal purebloods for eternity."

She attempted to read the scrawl on the page, catching up to the conditions set before he could list them. She skipped the pleasantries and stared directly at her fate- Indentured devotion and relinquishing all she knew herself to be. The scroll listed off everything she had to give up: fealty to the gods, the names of her family members, how the faenixes lived, the weaknesses and strengths and secrets of her people... Everything.