Child of Blackwen (An Artemis Ravenwing Novel Book 1) Page 9

  Artemis? Jack asked himself. What happened to you? What are you doing?

  He saw her stop and reach into her boots for a weapon he did not recognize. They were thin blades the length of his forearm with curved prongs extending from the extensively onyx and garnet jeweled hilt; definitely something that Artemis would have.

  Another woman came into view, stalking Artemis from behind. She had short red hair and cold, gray eyes. The woman had black clothes that clung tightly to her body, a lengthy black coat, and boots that made Jack cringe, especially at the sight of the heels. She too carried weapons like Artemis’, only the jewels in the hilt were all onyx.

  Jack’s nerves worsened as he realized the woman looked as if she was related to Artemis.

  The woman lunged after Artemis and missed as Artemis sidestepped.

  “You’re still sloppy, Arlina,” Artemis said, her weapons raised.

  Jack frowned, noticing her eyes as well as the voice difference. The eyes were violet, not hazel. And the voice…the voice was much older and so soft. Artemis’ voice was soft only when she spoke to Shadow.

  You’re not Artemis, Jack realized. You’re the other side of the mirror—her mother.

  The woman named Arlina snarled as she pointed the sharp, thin blade in Artemis’ mother’s direction.

  “Your time is ending, Tamina!” Arlina spat. “You and your halfbreed brat are all that’s left in my way before I can claim my right as Mistress of Blackwen City.”

  “Killing off the Ravenwing clan doesn’t give you the right to be leader, Arlina,” Tamina said, disgusted. “It only makes you a common animal. Even pigs have more honor than you do.”

  “They have more honor than you, dear sister,” Arlina answered, equally disgusted. “You brought a diluted bitch into the world after mating with that human.” Arlina dramatically shuddered. “I wouldn’t enjoy the kill as much as I could if she were a full-blood.”

  “Watch your tongue,” Tamina threatened, her irises shifting to red. “You won’t find Artemis. Even when you think you have, just remember that not everything is as it seems.”

  She was Talisa’s friend all right, Jack smiled.

  “Spare me the drivel.” Arlina rolled her eyes as she ran after Tamina with raised weapons. Her gray eyes made the shift to red as well. “Tonight, you die.”

  Oh, that’s original, Jack mocked. The two began to fight, and another thought came to him. Wait a minute, the mirror is supposed to show me one of many possible futures. Artemis’ mother is dead. She is dead, right?

  Then he remembered the mirror’s words—you will see what no other has seen before. Jack felt his stomach churn.

  He knew what the mirror planned to show him.

  Jack watched as Tamina dodged Arlina’s strikes with a fluid grace, almost as if she were dancing. You could tell she spent time with the elves with the way she moved. The dance went on for some time before Tamina’s weapon hit her mark. Arlina backed away as she clutched her shoulder. Crimson blood dripped from her claw-like fingertips.

  “Do you yield?” Tamina asked while twirling the weapon to rid it of Arlina’s blood.

  Arlina glared at her sister, and she spat saliva, which landed on Tamina’s feet.

  Tamina sighed. “You are a fool, sister. I truly wish it didn’t have to come to this.”

  Despite the shoulder injury, Arlina dashed after Tamina and resumed her barrage of attacks. Tamina dodged them with more ease, and struck at Arlina’s other shoulder. The odd weapon went much farther in than the previous strike, and the blade now protruded from the other side of her sister’s body.

  Jack cringed, rubbing his own shoulder.

  Arlina retreated once more, and she fell to her knees while clutching the other shoulder and Tamina’s weapon. Tamina twirled her free weapon and walked toward her sister. Her face showed no signs of remorse; Jack wondered if Artemis would be the same if she were to fight.

  Returning his focus to the scene, Jack noticed Arlina’s hand slipping inside her jacket. Tamina continued to advance and did not seem to notice the gesture as he had.

  Tamina stood before Arlina and grabbed the hair from the back of her head, forcing her to look Tamina in the eyes.

  “You can answer for your crimes to Avilyne herself,” Tamina whispered. “Let the goddess of death cast her judgment once I send you to the pathways.”

  “Not before I send you there first,” Arlina declared with a smug expression.

  Before Tamina could deliver the killing blow, Jack was startled by a loud blast. He heard Talisa gasp beside him.

  Tamina’s face twisted in pained horror, and Arlina grinned. Tamina’s waist moistened with her blood, and Jack felt himself shake. He stared at the weapon in Arlina’s hand and recognized it to be a flintlock pistol.

  I thought only sailors and merchants used those, Jack thought. What is a vampire doing using one?

  “Didn’t think I’d confront you without a trick up my sleeve, did you, sister?” Arlina mocked.

  “I knew you were dishonorable,” Tamina started, as she coughed up blood and glared at Arlina, “but to rely on that…how far you’ve fallen, Arlina.”

  Arlina grabbed Tamina by the back of her head.

  “This,” Arlina said, while waving the flintlock pistol, “you should thank your human husband for.”

  Tears welled up in Tamina’s eyes. “Gavin?”

  Arlina noticed Tamina was growing weaker the longer the gunshot wound bled out. Arlina violently shook Tamina’s head to keep her awake.

  “Stay with me for just a little longer, you pitiful excuse of a Ravenwing woman,” Arlina whispered. “You should hear this before meeting the goddess of death.”

  Tamina shut her eyes. She cried out when Arlina shoved the flintlock pistol into her wound.

  “Before your lovely husband told me where you ran off to, we both agreed that I was the better choice to carry out your demise. He gave me this wonderful gift,”—Arlina dangled the pistol in Tamina’s face— “and in return I allowed him a…safe…return to the city of his birth. The catch, however,”—Arlina raised the flintlock pistol to Tamina’s forehead— “was that I had to shoot you once, just once, as if it came from him. Pretty diabolical for a human, wouldn’t you say? He would have made a hell of a vampire, you know, but I didn’t feel like soiling my lips with his filthy blood. After all, we both know where he’s been.”

  Tamina spat her blood in Arlina’s face and received a smack from the butt of the pistol in return. Arlina wiped the blood away, and Jack felt his hands curl into fists.

  “The first shot was from him, sister. This one,” Arlina began in glee, while pushing the pistol against Tamina’s forehead, “is from me.”

  Tamina didn’t dare look away from Arlina; her stare was defiant.

  “I’ll see you soon.” Tamina smiled while streaks of blood dripped from her lips.

  The vision ended at the sound of the blast.

  Jack fell on his back, horrified. He glanced at Talisa, who moved a great deal away from the well. Her face was streaked with tears.

  “My dear friend…” Talisa whispered. “Willow be damned. I’m so sorry.”

  “Why did the mirror show me that?” Jack snapped as he stood up. “Why did it show me the past?”

  Talisa could not look at him. “I do not know.”

  “You’re the guardian!” Jack yelled. “You should know!”

  Talisa slapped the back of his head, and Jack yelped. The slap was much harder than the ones before. He knew he was heading into dangerous territory, but he wasn’t going to back down.

  Not now.

  “Idiot, this never happened before!” Talisa cried as she wiped her tears away. The effort was futile, as she continued to sob. “Never in my time as guardian have I seen the mirror show the past to another before. It has to be because of what you are.”

  “What in Avilyne’s hell does that mean?” Jack demanded. “I’m just an elf!”

  He didn’t want to mention to Tali
sa that he had continually been called an elf mage—the being he feared most—throughout the test.

  “No. No, you’re not.” Talisa looked at the well. “You are an elf mage, particularly of the old mage bloodline of this realm. It is why you have darker features, why you can use magic with ease and oftentimes without control, and it is why you found the gate as quickly as you did. Shadow suspected it after seeing you as you are now as well as hearing Artemis’ stories about you. After this little event, I can very well say that I agree you are one.”

  Jack was furious. “That is why my aunt couldn’t stand the sight of me and why no one speaks of my parents? Because they all knew?” No wonder the old goat abused me whenever she could…she thought if she belittled me enough, I wouldn’t dare think myself powerful enough to end her.

  “Yes,” Talisa admitted. “The last known elf mage caused the first war between us and the dragons. He betrayed us and hoped Ellewynth would be destroyed. This particular mage bloodline is volatile…you need my help if you want to stay as your jester self. As you’ve learned in Artemis’ case, the elves do not forgive past indiscretions.”

  Jack wanted to find something and smash it. He wanted to wreak havoc. However, something inside him held him back.

  “Why did the mirror show me the death of Artemis’ mother?” Jack asked, softening his tone.

  “I don’t know.”

  Jack realized she truly didn’t. “Something is going to happen soon….isn’t it, Talisa?”

  “Yes,” Talisa replied. She looked at the well once more. “If it showed you that event, of all things, then the only explanation for what’s coming is a ripple effect.”

  Willow be damned.

  “Artemis doesn’t know the truth, does she?” Jack inquired.

  “No.”

  “Are you going to tell her?” He was infuriated when she shook her head. “What about Shadow? I’m sure he knows the truth as well.”

  “He won’t do it either.”

  “But he loves her!” Jack yelled. “That’s all the more reason why he should tell her!”

  “It would seem the task of telling this part of the tale has been appointed to you,” Talisa said.

  Jack froze. “But…”

  “Things happen for a reason,” Talisa said. “If my theory of the ripple effect is true, then Artemis will learn of it all soon enough. Arlina could very well realize her niece is still alive, and she could come after her.”

  “And what are we going to do should that happen?” Jack asked.

  Talisa stayed silent.

  Days had passed since the events at the Grove of Kiare’s Mirror. Jack had not slept well since seeing the vision from the mirror. He knew what would happen if Artemis learned the truth, and he wondered how Talisa would react when he joined Artemis in her eventual journey to Blackwen City, Arlina’s home. He’d lose his apprenticeship; there was no doubt about it. But if it meant losing it in favor of helping his best friend, then Jack would have no regrets doing so.

  Jack left the cottage once he saw the streaks of dawn flow into his room, and he tried to stay awake for his daily walk. He groaned whenever he had to, for it was mandatory to take the walk at such an ungodly hour. There were times where he tried to get out of the walks, and Talisa responded by throwing a bucket of ice water at him. As punishment for trying to barter for more time to rest, Jack had to travel in the soaked clothing.

  Talisa wanted a report of everything Jack noticed on his walk: how the trees looked and whether they spoke to him or not, if there were more veils in the forest and whether he attempted to disperse them, and so on. Jack did what was asked of him and silenced his grumblings because the walks also proved to be a means of searching for the elemental. He was careful to not ask Talisa any more questions about elementals, for she would surely disembowel him if she knew he was looking for her.

  He decided to follow a different path this time; if he had to suffer being awake at this hour of the morning, he might as well make the most of it and explore other paths from the cottage. Jack was grateful he wasn’t soaked this morning.

  Strolling as slowly as possible, Jack attempted to focus on the voices of the forest. He felt small tinges of energy here and there, and he couldn’t help but grin. Several days ago, it all would have frightened him. Now, he enjoyed feeling the life of the forest around him. It calmed Jack.

  I wonder if this is a way of turning me into a “proper” elf, considering I’m anything but one, Jack mused. Artemis can’t know about this. She’ll never let me hear the end of it.

  His pointed ear twitched as he heard a soft sound of spraying water. Jack could smell the moisture in the air, and he felt his lips curl into a smirk. There was no sign of a waterfall anywhere, and Jack knew he had stumbled on the location of another veil of the forest.

  Taking a different approach than the one he used to find the gate to the Grove of Kiare’s Mirror, Jack sat on the earth cross-legged and rested his hands on his lap. While shutting his eyes, Jack focused on the sounds and scent of the waterfall. He felt several bursts of energy respond to him and tried to concentrate on the location of their source. The energy bursts pulsed into his mind until one pulled him.

  Opening his eyes, Jack followed the pull of the energy and found himself in another grove of ash trees.

  “Seriously, what is this?” Jack laughed. “Sooner or later I’m going to suspect that all ash tree groves are hidden gates.”

  Moving his palm along the bark of the closest tree, he backed away as he felt a large burst of energy—more than the gate from the days before.

  Jack couldn’t hide his excitement.

  Either this is another area of sacred ground, Jack thought, or something very strong is hiding behind the veil. Even better if it’s both.

  Returning his palm to the bark, Jack listened for the tree to speak to him. To his dismay, the tree didn’t speak.

  “Did I offend you earlier?” Jack asked. “If I did, you have my…” He struggled for the proper words. “Sincerest? Yes! Sincerest! My sincerest apologies.”

  Still no word from the tree.

  Sighing, Jack moved on to check the other trees of the grove and was met with continued silence. “If I have to get on my knees to show you how sorry I am for offending you, I will do so…”

  After the silence and lack of energy, Jack rubbed the back of his neck and kneeled before the trees. He went as far as having his forehead reach the ground.

  “Please accept my apology, oh humble…tree,” Jack said while scowling for the lack of better terms. “I am wrong to judge where the forest hides its veils. Ash tree groves are wonderful places to have a secret retreat.”

  “The trees were more amused at your words than offended,” a voice said from behind Jack, startling him. There was gentle laughter when Jack stumbled as he tried to rise from the ground. “You’re rather unusual for an elf.”

  Once Jack rose, he found himself in the company of a young woman. She was a tad shorter than him, and she had short blond ringlets framing her small, fair-skinned face. The woman wore a flowing brown dress, and Jack saw she was barefoot.

  She smiled at him, but he was captivated by the calming light blue eyes that gazed at him. Jack felt as if he could stand there all day and be content just staring into her eyes. He also felt a strange sensation in his chest and rubbed it.

  He realized he was being rude. “I’m sorry, my lady. I was just startled because I didn’t expect to run into company at this hour.”

  “Well I’m not of noble blood, so there’s no need to address me as such,” she said, her voice sweet and pleasant. “And as for the part concerning company…well, I tend to take a stroll through these parts often, and much earlier than you.”

  “I have to applaud your eagerness for rising at a time that I never could, even if I wanted to.” Jack chuckled. “And it was proper to address you as such.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “You don’t strike me as the proper type.”

  “No, I’m
not normally.” Jack bowed his head and held out his hand. “I’m Jack.”

  “Callypso.” She took Jack’s hand and shook it lightly. Jack felt a soothing energy emanate from her hand, like a gentle breeze. “Why were you trying to get past the veil?”

  “Well…” Jack’s face flushed. “It’s part of my apprenticeship. Should I stumble upon such things, I’m to try and get past the, erm, locks.”

  “Ah. You’re Talisa’s new pet then,” Callypso said. “You’re not the first to have tried this particular gate.”

  “I wouldn’t call it that, no,” Jack snorted. “And I’m sorry?”

  “It’s quite all right. And nonetheless, you belong to Talisa until your apprenticeship is over,” Callypso insisted while walking past Jack. “You are gifted; there is no doubt about it. You still have quite a bit to learn though.”

  “What makes you say that?” Jack asked, watching the skirts of her dress sway with the wind.

  Where did all this wind come from? He couldn’t remember encountering any on his previous crack-of-dawn walks.

  Callypso stopped before the tree Jack was apologizing to and rested her hand on the bark of the trunk. He felt that same large burst of energy emanate from her. There was more to her than her pleasing appearance!

  “You have to learn when a veil is a gateway to sacred ground, to safe houses,” she explained, “and when a veil is a gateway to one’s home.”

  Jack felt his stomach drop; he had been trying to break into someone’s home. That was why the trees wouldn’t let him through. Only if he was invited by the one who created that particular veil would the trees let him through. That’s how it worked.

  “I’m so sorry…” Jack apologized. “I have much to learn still.”

  Callypso laughed, and Jack felt the wind from earlier pick up again. He liked her laugh.

  “It really is all right! And if it’s any consolation, I don’t think you’re like the elf mages of old,” Callypso replied. Jack stiffened at the mention of his bloodline. “You shouldn’t fear your heritage, Jack. There are great benefits to being an elf mage. One of which you’ll learn soon enough.”