Child of Blackwen (An Artemis Ravenwing Novel Book 1) (22 page)

“Why bother hiding the carriage you’re keeping the captive in? I’m sure you’re aware our hearing is as great as yours, full-blood,” Serlene snapped.

“Simplicity bores me.” The leader yawned. “As do you.”

Shadow moved Azrael in front of Serlene’s mare as a reminder that he was the one in charge. He pitied the woman’s students, Artemis especially. It was no wonder she hadn’t learned a thing.

“Whom does Arlina send to entertain us?” Shadow asked, now playing the game.

The full-blood bowed mockingly and continued to smirk. “I am Latos, Shadow of Ellewynth.”

“Latos.” Shadow crossed his arms. “Arlina must not think very highly of you, full-blood. If she had, you’d have a title following your name. You can’t be more than a simple servant looking for a boot to lick.”

Latos frowned while the rest of the full-bloods laughed. Serlene was smug herself.

“I wouldn’t be so sharp with my words, elf,” Latos growled. “The forest may be your home, but it could easily turn on you as well. I could remind you why you should fear the dark.”

“Enough, Latos. Get this prisoner detail over with. We must return to the Mistress as quickly as possible,” one of the cloaked figures barked.

Shadow stared at the group behind Latos and felt an odd shiver run through his spine. Something about that statement made Shadow wonder about his earlier sense of a trap.

Latos snapped at the others, and they all disappeared into the shadows. Moments later, a small, barred carriage came into view. It stopped several feet in front of Shadow and Serlene, and Shadow barely contained his shock as he recognized the one trapped inside. Her shoulder-length red hair was tangled with dried, dark blood patches, her face was covered with dirt and more blood, and her dark brown eyes showed just how much pain she was in.

He gazed at Netira, the one who wanted to save her city from Arlina’s tyranny.

“Do with her what you will,” Latos said. “We have no use for traitorous bitches.”

“If you’re expecting praise from us, I’m afraid you won’t receive it. Return to your Dark Fortress and we needn’t have a reason to meet again,” Shadow said, while motioning for Serlene to take the carriage.

Serlene released the horses that pulled the carriage and attached the ropes to her mare. The scouts, save Latos, dashed into the darkness, and all heard the pained terror of the released horses.

Shadow and Latos watched one another, and the full-blood was the first to leave.

“We will meet again, famous Shadow,” Latos promised. “One does not insult a full-blood and live for long.”

Serlene snorted after Latos disappeared.

“He is rather pathetic, no?”

“Now is not the time for that.” Shadow replied.

“And her?” Serlene motioned to the carriage. “She looks as if she hasn’t fed during her trip. There’s no point in presenting her to the Elders if she is close to walking the pathways to Avilyne.”

Shadow watched Netira, and she stared at him in confusion. She couldn’t understand why he watched her with such recognition.

“She will make the rest of the trip.” Shadow looked away from the dhampir. “We’ll scrounge something up just to hold her over.”

Everyone knew of the prisoner that Shadow and Serlene brought in. The elves were in a jolly mood because of it. They felt safe again. Shadow’s mood, however, had worsened since his return. I tried to hide his weapons whenever he returned from the Hall of the Elders, but that method backfired each time; he’d either find them before our lesson could start, or he’d produce another weapon he owned that I had no knowledge of. After that, Shadow would curse Lord Destrius under his breath.

Hearing the insults and then being met with a feigned innocence afterward was actually quite amusing.

“Careful there, Shadow.” I laughed. “One of Lord Destrius’ little spies will catch wind of your negativity and squeal.”

Shadow didn’t join in the laughter. “I will never understand how the goddesses chose that man to be an Elder.”

“They’re not even questioning her?” I asked. “I hear Lord Destrius keeps pushing for her immediate execution.”

“No, they’re not questioning her.” Shadow tapped his bow and frowned. “The dhampir is innocent of the crime. My word alone, however, won’t help her.”

“Why not?”

“I kept her out of my report to the Elders, remember?”

I sighed.

Shadow had explained to me before how he left Netira out of his report, feeling it was unnecessary to explain there may have been a possible mutiny in the future of Blackwen City. Just the mention of the Dark Fortress promised nightmares.

When he came back from escorting the prisoner to the Elders, he told me of the whole ordeal. My dream had been a reality, and it frightened me. I wanted to see Netira. Shadow didn’t think it was a good idea, but he didn’t understand my need to see her. If it meant sneaking into the Hall of the Elders on my own, I’d do it.

I could see Jack’s proud and smug face at the thought of it.

Even with my often guilty conscience, I had to do it. Netira was a key to whatever event that was to come, and I wanted to find out why.

“Artemis?”

I felt a sharp jab in my side—Shadow’s bow.

“That hurt,” I grumbled.

“No daydreaming during archery lessons,” Shadow scolded. “Your enemies will take full advantage of your lackadaisical attitude.”

“I wasn’t daydreaming.”

“Yes, that could be true…” Shadow mused. “After all, you did have this scowl stuck on your face for some time. Not much of a fantasy in that daydream, hmm?”

“One day, Shadow.” I hit his shoulder and then took aim at the wooden target several feet away from us. “One day, your sharp comments are going to catch up to you, and I will be there to laugh at you.”

“Until then, my dear, you’ll have to learn the art of focusing. My so-called sharp comments will mean nothing to you once you do.”

I released the arrow, and it landed inches away from the center. Shadow nodded his approval and handed over another arrow to be notched and shot. I tried to conceal my groan.

I hated archery. Willow damn the soul who created it.

Netira preferred the barred carriage for a prison than the one the elves stuck her in. At least the carriage had a light source. Her current cell was dark, damp, and highly uncomfortable. The only source of light was the torches that lined the walls.

The Elders were under the impression that she was a full-blood, despite her proclamations of being a dhampir. She was too weak to show her true form, which condemned her further in their eyes. The only one who seemed to believe her tale was the male elf who had helped escort her to Ellewynth—the one they called Shadow.

Netira had heard tales of the famed Shadow of Ellewynth for as long as she could remember. He was what full-bloods considered a “worthy kill” due to his skill on the battlefield. Whoever could kill him would win eternal glory in Blackwen City. The matter was silenced, however, whenever Arlina was around. Netira believed Arlina had encountered the elf
in past excursions, hence the immense hatred for the man. It must have been embarrassing for the Mistress, to have slaughtered as many elves as she had, but not Shadow.

The sudden scent of blood invaded Netira’s nostrils, which led her astray from her train of thought. An armored elf entered her line of sight, carrying a large gourd. Netira smelled animal blood and sniffed harder to determine which kind. She smiled when she discovered it was the blood of a deer—a personal favorite of hers.

The elf kept his silence as he left the gourd in front of the bars. Once he exited the prison hall, Netira crawled to grasp the gourd and gulped its contents. Leaning against the cold stone wall, she wiped the excess blood from her lips and felt her wounds tingle.

The wounds from Arlina’s flintlock pistol were still in the process of healing—the duration of the healing was unusual, even for a dhampir. There was something odd about the ammunition Arlina used for the pistol, and Netira prayed to never to cross paths with the blasted weapon again. Feeling the wound re-knit itself a little bit more, she relaxed and let out a sigh.

Netira’s thoughts shifted to Artemis, the surviving kin of Arlina. She wondered if the girl would seek her out, seeing as the news of her imprisonment would be the latest gossip in the city. Netira wondered if Artemis even knew the truth of her bloodline.

Artemis Ravenwing, alive…there was hope for her city yet.

“She
must
know something…” Netira said aloud. “I doubt the elves would let her forget such a thing.”

Artemis knows nothing of her true heritage
, a soft voice spoke, startling Netira.

A woman came into view, and Netira felt her jaw drop.

The woman who stood before her had long brown hair that hung loosely past her shoulders, and she wore a sleeveless black dress that trailed along the narrow hallway of Netira’s prison. She was barefoot, and was also paler than any being Netira had encountered. Her violet eyes were cold—the same sort that Arlina’s gray eyes exuded.

You seem confused, child of Blackwen
, the woman said, gliding toward the bars.

“You just…” Netira sputtered. “It can’t be. You can’t be her.”

Whom do you speak of?

Netira failed to restrain a shudder. “You were murdered long ago…you once watched over me before I went into the service of Blackwen’s Mistress.”

Say it, Netira. I know you want to
.

“It all makes sense now,” Netira said as tears filled her eyes. “It makes sense why Arlina suddenly knows of Artemis and will stop at nothing until she is dead. You…you fed her paranoia!” The woman said nothing, and Netira forced herself to look into the chilly violet eyes of the specter before her. “You’re sacrificing your own daughter’s peace just to exact your revenge, Tamina?”

Tamina chuckled, but it wasn’t the soft laughter Netira remembered. She was far more like her sister now than Netira wanted to admit.

You’re not the first to accuse me of using Artemis
.

“It’s not an accusation, Tamina. It’s the
truth
.” Netira felt her heart drop further the longer she stared at her mentor. “A lingering specter for more than twenty years…you are not the Tamina I once knew. I would be foolish to believe otherwise.”

Tamina drifted through the bars and knelt beside Netira. She grinned, which chilled the dhampir.

My dear girl…you know
nothing.

“You speak as if I know nothing of heartbreak and betrayal, but I know plenty of it, Tamina!” Netira snapped. “I would
never
sacrifice the one I love for my own means of revenge.”

Tamina laughed at her as she drifted away from the cell. Tamina’s form was gone, but Netira knew her former mentor was still there. She could still feel the dark energy the specter exuded.

One day you’ll understand, Netira
, she heard Tamina say,
and you’ll find yourself doing the same. You won’t love that mage forever
.

Once nightfall came, I grabbed the darkest cloak I had and securely fastened it. It was time to see Netira. I knew Shadow was only trying to
protect me when he tried to dissuade me, but sometimes I wished he didn’t feel such a need to.