Shadows of Ash and Gold

Chapter twenty

I needed a plan. I couldn't stay here. I wouldn't. Especially because of what the king wanted me for. He wanted me to use the Vad against the Devara, something I would never do. Never. I was not Greer even if it was in my genetics. I was not one of them at heart. my heart was Devara.

Since I was locked in this room with nothing to do I'd been thinking about Elyndaeda and how she got herself tangled up with a Greer.
She left the light realm hundreds of years ago and went to the human realm. If she'd spent all her time in the human realm she would've died a hundred years ago. Because time works differently in the realms. It wouldn't have been possible for her to have me seventeen years ago. She should've been dead. That was the thing we couldn't figure out. But maybe she wasn't in the human realm at all? maybe she was in the shadow realm this whole time? That's how she managed to have me. It all made sense. But how did I end up in the human realm? How did Elyndaeda die? Who was my father?

Nisha came for me the next morning to show me around the castle. Even though I didn't want to see it, it was better than staying locked in this room all day. I did not wear a dress. I wore a white blouse and white pants. The clothes were handmade and actually very comfortable. I was surprised at how much I actually liked them.

Nisha wore a black blouse and a black skirt. When she lifted up her hands to do my hair, even though I consistently told her I didn't want her to, I saw a silver dagger tucked into the waist of her skirt. I pretended I didn't see it and I didn't ask her about it. I knew what it was for, if my king was as cruel as hers I would carry protection too.

She took me to a room full of paintings, a gallery within the castle. It was a small room for such a big castle but I didn't mind it, I actually quite liked it. The paintings were ... breathtaking. I'd never been someone with eyes for art but these paintings spoke volumes. It was like you could feel the artist's pain through every stroke, every design.
Nisha grinned at my face. "This is my favorite room in the castle."

"Who painted these?"

Nisha's face grew distant and cautious. She looked away from eyes. "I'm not sure."

Though it was a lie I chose to ignore it. She then showed me a library which was grand, it was almost as beautiful as the Crestwood library. At the thought of Crestwood my mood dropped. I longed to be there. I wondered how they were doing. If Everson was okay, if they were worried about me.

I wish there was a way I could tell them I was okay. I wish I could tell them that I was going to find a way out of this place, even if it kills me.

"What's that room?" I asked in the corridor, It was two big doors but there were strange sounds coming from beyond it.

Nisha looked at it and stuttered. "I- I'm not permitted to go in there."

It couldn't have been anybody's chambers, the doors were too big, it had to be a big room but what was it for? Curiosity is my weakness. I strode forward toward the doors.

"What are you doing? You can't go in there-"

It was too late and I already opened the doors. What I saw was not what I expected. It was some sort of training room and there were shirtless men. Everywhere. Not that i was complaining.

The ceiling was tall, the walls were white with weapons hanging around them. Raiden was among the shirtless men, he was fighting with another. His two swords were in his hands as he defended himself against the other man. My breath caught. The way he moved was deadly. It was smooth, it was like watching a ninja. He deflected every blow, every jab and landed his own effortlessly.

I walked around, nobody seemed to notice me. I ran my hands carefully along the rack of weapons.

"What are you doing?" a voice to my right asked. I turned to find one of the guards I had seen briefly yesterday. He had short cropped black hair, his eyes were as brown as soft chocolates.