Child of Blackwen (An Artemis Ravenwing Novel Book 1) Read online

  “She did for a time. Even as a child, she feared her heritage. Talisa and I tried to lead her to a safer path for a blood-drinker.” Shadow shook his head at their failure. “You can lead a horse to water, bur you cannot make the horse drink. I fear it’ll take something drastic to make her realize she must embrace what she is.”

  “I’m worried about her. I saw blood on her hands earlier today.”

  “As far as I know, she’s only killed foxes.” Shadow recalled one of the recent letters stating that she had better control of her blackouts. It appeared she lied. “How bad has it been, Jack?”

  “Bad enough that she’s stopped being open about it with me,” Jack answered.

  Shadow shut his eyes. He should have been back sooner.

  “I’ll speak with her.”

  “Thank you.”

  Jack continued to follow him, and Shadow realized there was more he wanted to speak of.

  “What else do you need?” Shadow inquired.

  “Well…I was wondering about…” Jack began, while wringing his hands. “Artemis is the only true friend I have, and I’ve tried to understand the feminine point of view on the issue, which is frustrating by the way, but—”

  Shadow stopped walking. “Don’t tell me you’re in love with Artemis.”

  “Goddesses, no!” Jack choked. “I know better!” He stopped to catch his breath, and mumbled, “And she’s in denial of her own love…”

  “What was that, Jack?” Shadow asked, now frozen and questioning whether he correctly heard that last bit or not.

  “Nothing!” Jack replied with haste. “So…?”

  “You’re asking my advice about the matters of the heart?” Shadow frowned. “Don’t you know I’ve never been involved with a woman before?”

  “I refuse to believe you’ve never been infatuated before,” Jack said. “I know of our curse…the one where when we find our mate, they are so for eternity.”

  It’s not necessarily a curse, Shadow thought. “You’re wondering if you have found your life-mate?”

  “Yes. How in Avilyne’s hell do you know?”

  “They say you know once you see them,” Shadow explained. “When they’re all you think about and you feel that twinge within your heart…it’s more commonly known as the elven string. Life-mates tend to say they can feel a string-like sensation binding them to one another.”

  Jack gulped. “Aerios blow me. I’m damned then.”

  “Oh?” Shadow raised an eyebrow. “Who is it?”

  “Lily.”

  “Lily? As in Serlene’s younger sister?” When Jack didn’t answer, Shadow patted his shoulder. “May the goddesses help you, you poor bastard. That is no easy task.”

  “I’m very much aware of that. Serlene is a scary bitch.” Shadow started walking again, and he stopped once he realized Jack didn’t follow. Jack folded his arms when Shadow flashed him a puzzled look. “You really mean to tell me you’ve never felt an infatuation, let alone the string?”

  Shadow took a long time before answering. “All right. It’s…complicated.”

  “How so?”

  “It can never happen. Ever.” Shadow turned from Jack. “I accepted that a long time ago.”

  “You mean you won’t ever let it happen,” Jack corrected as he stepped in front of Shadow.

  When Shadow didn’t answer, Jack’s eyes widened with realization. “It’s Artemis. Avilyne’s hell…you never lost her ring, did you? You couldn’t bring yourself to return it to her because it’s a memento of a dream you won’t allow to become reality. That’s not acceptance, Shadow. That’s just foolishness.”

  More silence.

  Shadow moved past Jack and kept walking.

  “I’ll let you know of Talisa’s decision when I can.” Shadow spoke aloud, and he did not wait for a response.

  hadow felt agitated as he stepped into his home. He tried to put the last part of his conversation with Jack behind him, but did not have much luck. He had enough on his mind already; there were more important things to pay attention to than what had just transpired.

  The first was that of Jack’s magical nature. The last time he saw an elf looking like Jack who carried the same curiosity of magic…

  Oh, the dark memories that brought back.

  The scent of peppermint tea wafted throughout his home; it was much too recent. Grabbing a dagger from behind a bookcase in the main room, Shadow moved quietly as he followed the scent to his library.

  Dim candlelight lit the room, and a dark figure was seated by the hardwood desk. Shadow gripped the dagger hilt and took a few more steps. A familiar soft laugh stopped his advance; Shadow grumbled as he recognized it.

  “You know,” the voice started, “if you were an enemy of mine, you’d already be dead.”

  The chair moved and revealed a tall woman with waist-length black hair streaked with white. She wore dark blue robes common among those who served the water goddess, Kiare. Her pointed, wide-brimmed hat was resting atop several aged tomes. She appeared to be a maiden, but her gray eyes told a different tale; they were eyes that watched many centuries pass by. “Of course, I should be the one giving an apology. I let myself in and stole a bit of your tea, after all.”

  Shadow flipped the dagger, caught it by the blade, and left it atop a book within the shelf. He took one of the empty chairs closest to him and moved it toward the desk, seating himself.

  “Fancy seeing you so soon, Talisa. I thought your plans were to lock yourself in that cottage for several moonturns,” Shadow teased. “I certainly didn’t expect to see you again today.”

  “I hadn’t either,” Talisa said, now rubbing her temples. “And my plan was to lock myself away after fighting for the realm as long as we did. Goddesses know I need my alone time.”

  “So explain to me why you’re sitting here in my library rather than your own.”

  Talisa deeply sighed. “I was visited by a messenger from the Elders.”

  Shadow was confused. “And what did this messenger want?”

  “To bring more hell upon me!” Talisa snapped as she snatched her hat and crushed the point in her fist. “They mean for me to scout for a disturbance near my cottage.”

  “This is why you broke into my home?” Shadow rubbed his brow. “You realize it could be far worse, Talisa.”

  “Oh, but it does get worse. The Elders suspect vampires, Shadow,” Talisa explained. Shadow froze, and she handed over a piece of folded parchment for him to read. “Yes, the full-bloods in particular. Apparently, they’ve become braver by crossing through the Woodland Realm borders. If they are the cause behind a few, erm, mysterious deaths that have been occurring in our absence…well, I don’t have to spell the rest out for you.”

  “It’ll mean you and I will be sent to investigate the matter further.” Shadow shut his eyes, irritated. “Not even a full day’s return and we face the chance of another war brewing. Another damned fight, so soon!”

  “We’ve always fought full-bloods, Shadow, as you well remember. That won’t change for centuries to come.” Talisa took a sip from her tea and fixed her hat. Satisfied at its less rumpled appearance, she placed it in the spot it had rested before. “But on to happier things. How fares Artemis?”

  How predictable of you to bring her up, Talisa. “She’s well,” Shadow answered aloud. He noticed an odd smile that formed on Talisa’s face. “What mischief are you thinking of now?”

  “Nothing,” Talisa said, quickly getting rid of the smile. “I plan to visit her tomorrow afternoon. I imagine she’s fully grown into her mother’s image.”

  “Indeed she has.” Shadow frowned for a moment. “Though her eyes are more like her father’s than I remembered…”

  Talisa chuckled. “I don’t believe it bothers you as much as you make it seem.”

  Shadow raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

  “Oh, come now! You’ve visited the girl and didn’t return that ring to her. Don’t even bother denying it to me, elf.” Talisa crossed a
leg atop the other, and mischeviously smiled. “If you were in my shoes, what would you think?”

  “You speak nonsense, Talisa.” Shadow stood up and was ready to leave the room, until Talisa called him back.

  “Come back, you ridiculous elf!” Talisa scolded. “It is my duty as your friend to jest. Relax, will you?”

  Shadow returned to his seat and remembered Jack. “When I visited her, I saw Jack as well.”

  “Jack?” Talisa blinked. “The dark-haired elf?” Shadow nodded, and she shifted in her seat. “What of him? Is he causing trouble again? Did he insult Serlene? If he did, I’d like to congratulate him personally. I can never get a rise out of that woman…”

  “How do you feel about another attempt at receiving an apprentice?” he asked, ignoring the banter.

  He watched Talisa stiffen in her chair. Before Shadow could say another word, she jumped from her seat. The blood rushed to her face, revealing a rare level of fury.

  “Are you out of your mind?” she snapped. “Even the goddesses know of my oath to never take an apprentice again! There is no one, alive or undead, that is capable of learning all that I know! None have ever finished their tutelage with me!”

  “That’s because you threaten them away with death by the time they can,” Shadow reminded her. “You’re no easy master, Talisa. Even I would run.”

  “Then why in Avilyne’s hell would you even try to throw another imbecile at me?” she fumed.

  “Because,”—Shadow took one of the books lying on his desk and flipped through the pages— “I have suspicions that Jack is of the old elven mage bloodline. I forgot about them until I saw him again today. I refer to the most volatile bloodline, mind you. He can be dangerous, if he continues to figure out his gift without the proper guidance.”

  “It cannot be.” Talisa gaped at him. “My first apprentice had some decent control over magic, but she was no elf mage. What proof do you have that Jack is?”

  “His appearance, for starters.” Shadow motioned for Talisa to sit. “Don’t you dare dismiss that bloodline as a myth, for you and I both remember that one elf mage who shall not be named. He was of the Woodland Realm, and had similar features to Jack—the dark hair and eyes, the lack of interest of weapons training, and a strong need to know all sorts of magic. Artemis told me how gifted he is with it, and how even she can fight with more skill than him when it concerns weaponry. As of right now, he is harmless. How long it will last, I do not know.”

  “He must be an outcast like she is.” Talisa sighed. Shadow nodded. “You understand the elves shun him because that said elf mage caused the first war with the dragons over a century ago…the one you yourself fought in. The younglings mimic the hatred simply because they don’t know any better.”

  “Yes, I’m aware.” More so than he cared to admit.

  “Then reconsider what you ask of me, Shadow. I won’t be the one responsible for him should he repeat the history of his bloodline. I cannot be.”

  “I won’t reconsider.” Shadow ignored Talisa’s frown. “You are the only one who can help him. You once told me about how you have no memory of your life before coming and serving the Woodland Realm. You could have become a dangerous adversary to Arrygn, if it weren’t for Kiare making you a longtime vassal instead…you said so yourself. Jack could use your intervention, and I believe he is capable of being the apprentice you once dreamed of long ago. He could very much use your…harsh discipline, Talisa. His only known vice, drinking, has gotten out of control. Even Artemis cannot continue to be patient with him.”

  “Oh, wonderful! A drunkard as well!” Talisa said sarcastically. She pursed her lips. “If I do this, you’ll owe me many favors.”

  Shadow smiled. “I assumed so.”

  “I’ll collect, Shadow,” Talisa warned, while wagging a finger. “Very soon.”

  “Yes, yes, I understand.” Shadow teasingly waved his hand. “I take it the first of the favors would be to scout the disturbance for you.”

  “For starters, yes.” Talisa stood up and snatched her hat, adjusting it so that the wide brim cast a dark shadow over her face. “I will return tomorrow and properly converse with Jack. He has to understand that his life will belong to me until I see fit to free him from my apprenticeship. If what you suspect is true, I will have to exert the harshest discipline in my arsenal. For safety’s sake.”

  “Naturally. And just out of curiosity, how long has an apprentice lasted under your tutelage?” Shadow asked, also standing. “I could have sworn one survived at least a decade.”

  “Please.” Talisa snorted. “The last one you remember only lasted four years. Four! If any one of those bastards had lasted a decade, I wouldn’t so abhor the idea of an apprentice. You’d better pray this one lasts long enough. I’d rather not catch grief from Artemis.”

  “Neither would I.” Shadow led Talisa to the front door and flashed a grin. “I thought you’d like to know that Artemis suggested you to Jack first. If she hadn’t, I would have either way.”

  Talisa tipped the brim of her hat at him out of mockery. “The list of favors continues to grow, elf. I better not hear a single complaint once I begin to collect.”

  “You may as well call them demands, Talisa.” Shadow waved as he watched her disappear from Ellewynth’s borders.

  “Favors just sound nicer,” he heard her say, a whisper along the wind.

  He sighed at the thought of Talisa’s “favors”; he knew what a few of them would be.

  Reaching inside his tunic, he felt thin steel brush along his fingertips. Bringing the chain out into the open, he stared at the ring of carved birds clutching a garnet within the center of the silver band. Rubbing the stone as if it were a ritual, he let it drop against his chest and sighed.

  “You are a hopeless fool, Shadow,” he said to himself, “a hopeless fool.”

  The night came quickly that day as I sat in my study, reading through a few books about dragons and other wars of the past. I became interested in the dragon hierarchy after hearing Shadow speak of it earlier. I made a mental note to ask more about it during our dinner.

  Feeling my hunger, I went to my room to tidy up before heading to Shadow’s house. I found the bundle of bloodied clothes and huffed. I’d forgotten to burn them. I remembered how Jack stared at me when he found the fox blood on my hand, and I frowned; he better not have said anything to Shadow.

  You should tell Shadow, I thought.

  I shook the thought from my mind. I lied to him in the last set of letters about the blackouts. Shadow already had too much going on with the war. I didn’t need him to be concerned about me on top of everything else.

  I decided not to change out of my dress and instead fixed my braid and ribbon. I found my black cloak, wrapped it around my shoulders, and fastened it with a silver vine brooch.

  Stepping out into the night, I moved the hood atop my head so that it cast a shadow over part of my face. I didn’t have it in me to deal with hateful comments tonight. It was bad enough that my dhampir senses heightened after the sun set; I needed to keep control of the leash now more than ever.

  Taking a more discreet way to Shadow’s house, I looked to the sky to admire the stars. I always enjoyed piecing them together to create symbols and faces. Talisa used to join me when I still lived in her cottage. We’d spend countless hours making our own little puzzle in the sky. Sometimes she’d tell me stories about the stars and how the goddesses lived among them. The realm of Eolande, she called it. The ones that shone brighter than the rest, she’d say, represented the sacred sisters themselves—they thought we should see their happiness from the ground and follow their example with our own lives.

  I smiled at the memories. I missed those days.

  Shadow’s house was within sight, and I sped up. He lived far from the main square of Ellewynth. He preferred being close to the city borders so that he might retreat to the more open areas of the forest whenever he wished. I wanted a home near the boundaries for the same reason, but Ta
lisa and Shadow wouldn’t hear of it; they wanted me to integrate more with the people of the realm.

  A lot of good that did.

  I reached the door and knocked. I heard footsteps quicken on the other side, and I smiled when Shadow opened the door. He’d tidied up a bit himself; his hair was fully pulled back into a long tail with a ribbon, and he had changed into a darker tunic.

  “You’re a bit early, my dear,” Shadow greeted me.

  “I was getting stir-crazy.” I winked.

  He moved aside for me to enter and held out an arm for my cloak. I scowled at him for being too proper, but I surrendered and handed him my cloak after I was met with a sarcastic stare.

  “Am I interrupting one of your errands?” I asked.

  “No, I’m done with those for the day.” Shadow led me into the main room, and I sat on one of the cloth chairs. “Talisa sends her love, by the way. She promised to see you sometime tomorrow.”

  “Always a tease, she is.” I laughed. “Wait, does that mean you already spoke to her about Jack?”

  “Yes.” Shadow handed over a glass of wine and sat across from me. “Despite the cost it took on my end, she has agreed to an apprenticeship. She wants to meet with him tomorrow to discuss it.”

  “Wonderful! And yet, there goes another friend.” I sighed. “It’ll be good for him though. Maybe it’ll help him ease up on the drinking.”

  “How did it get so out of hand?” he asked, taking his own glass of wine.

  “His aunt is dreadful,” I started. “It wouldn’t surprise me if she herself had first supplied the alcohol to him. Jack has his moments where he drives me to the edge, but I know he can’t help his jester nature. It’s his manner of defense…to keep sane. He’s only seen as a monster by his aunt, so he runs away to the taverns with her coin and drinks to forget the harsh memories she continues to add to. I force him to use the spare room to sleep in because I know he’s at least safe with me rather than lying face down on the dirt for others to step on.”

  “You’re a good friend, Artemis.”