Child of Blackwen (An Artemis Ravenwing Novel Book 1) (52 page)

I restrained myself from calling her a liar on both counts. Talisa was far more subtle than I would have been.

“But…?” the witch asked.

“But we will not leave until Shadow complies with our orders,” Serlene said. She faced Shadow. “You are to return with us to the ruins of Ellewynth. You are not to be harmed, per Lord Celstian’s instructions. If you refuse, then we have no choice to but to take you by force. Either way, you will be forever marked as a deserter of the realm to us. Abandoning your status as a soldier to be at the side of of
vampyra
…”

“I’m aware of the declaration,” Shadow said as he ignored the
vampyra
comment. He moved his foot from the scout’s chest and stepped back to join the rest of us. “I refuse to return with you.”

“Shadow, don’t make this any harder on us.” Serlene’s hand was now on the hilt of her sword. “Don’t force us to hurt you.”

“I won’t repeat myself,” Shadow replied, now standing in front of me.

Serlene glared. “I never understood what you saw in that half-breed.”

“Her name is Artemis!” Jack snapped. “She is a living being, just like you.”

Serlene’s attention shifted to Jack. “And I never understood what my sister saw in you. You’re the spitting image of the last elf mage that threw us into chaos with the dragons!”

Jack couldn’t hide his pained expression, and that was the final straw for me. I couldn’t think as I felt myself move.

What happened after that became a blur.

ou…you punched me!” Serlene yelled. I suddenly saw her on the ground in front of me, clutching the right side of her now reddened face. “You
vampyra
bitch! You
punched
me!”

I was stunned when I felt the numbness of my hand, and I saw the other scouts draw their swords. Talisa and Shadow stood at each side of me, both ready to defend.

“First the
vampyra
burns down our city. Now she disrespects us further by laying her hands on one of our own,” one of the scouts hissed. I wish I could throw all of their hoods down to see who was insulting me. “We should drag her back and let the Elders deal with her.”

Now I
really
had it with them.

“I had nothing to do with the destruction of Ellewynth!” I yelled. “That was all Arlina’s doing! For once in your miserable lives, blame the
right
person for the crimes!”

“You stole Shadow from us. That is your crime,
vampyra
,” another one of the scouts added. “Shall we continue this pathetic dance?”

“He stayed and fought! Shadow still acted as a soldier. I had nothing to do with the attack!”

“You had
everything
to do with this, Artemis!” Serlene screamed. “I’m no imbecile! You and Arlina are both Ravenwing women! She came to do what the Elders should have done when Talisa brought you to us, which is to kill you. We were punished for letting you live among us…
as if we weren’t punished enough for your ungratefulness. I would love nothing more than to silence you myself this very moment, but I have a duty to carry out. It’s an idea you always failed to grasp, duty.”

I was about to rush at her, but Shadow held me back. “Don’t.”

“I’m sick of her and that lot,” I muttered. “I’m tired of their hatred. I won’t stand for it anymore.”

“I know.” Shadow murmured. “It’s about time you stopped feeling guilty about the attack on Ellewynth. It’s about time you stood up to them as well.”

“Then let me go. She has it coming.”

Shadow sighed as he looked at Talisa. “Promise me you’ll at least last a day in Westyron without causing any trouble,” he said in a low voice.

I froze at the statement. “Shadow, you can’t be serious.”

“I’m
very
serious.” Shadow frowned at Serlene, who was still rubbing her reddened face. “I’ll return with you under one condition, Serlene. You must leave Artemis and the others alone. There will not be anyone sent to tail them, and yes, I’m well aware that you will report Talisa to the Elders. Even so, you will leave them be. Is that understood?”

Serlene eventually nodded her head in agreement. Jack and Callypso joined us while Shadow handed over his sword to Talisa, instructing her to take care of it.

“Shadow, you can’t leave,” I said, loud enough for only him to hear.

“Do you have so little faith in me to think I would really let them capture me, Artemis?” he asked. “You and the others must find Netira and continue on to Westyron. I will be back by the time you all reach the city.”

“Shadow, you’re playing a dangerous game,” Talisa scolded. “I knew you would do it, but…Avilyne’s hell.”

“It’s a necessary move, as much as I dislike it,” Shadow insisted. “Something has to be done otherwise they’ll just tail us all the way to Blackwen City. We would never escape them, and we can’t afford their meddling. I also needed to make sure there were witnesses to Serlene’s agreement concerning you all. She is less likely to go back on her word in the sight of fellow soldiers.”

“What are you going to do to them, Shadow?” Jack asked. “You’re not going to kill them, are you?”

Shadow was hesitant to answer. “I’m just going to send Lord Celstian a message to leave me be, that’s all.”

“Be careful,” Callypso urged.

“All of you, stop looking so glum,” Shadow ordered. “I won’t be gone for long, I promise.”

“Shadow, stop prolonging this!” Serlene snapped, drawing our attention again.

“I’m coming, woman,” Shadow replied, walking away from us.

“Be safe,” I whispered.

Shadow turned around to acknowledge that he heard me, and flinched when Serlene slapped iron cuffs on him. “Really, Serlene?”

“I know you, Shadow,” Serlene reminded him. “I’m not taking any chances here.”

“I’m sure Lord Celstian suggested the restraints,” Shadow grinned. “You were never smart enough to make that decision on your own.”

Serlene kicked at Shadow’s heels, which forced him to the ground. The rest of us were ready to attack, but Shadow waved us back.

“I’ll keep my word as long as the rest of you do not follow us,” Serlene threatened. “Don’t be surprised if you see us again, Talisa. The Elders will be disappointed in you as well.”

“Good luck trying to find me, Serlene,” Talisa challenged. “You never had great skill as a tracker.”

Serlene glared at the witch while she forced Shadow to walk. He looked back at us, and I felt broken inside. The elves disappeared, and my hands clenched into fists.

How was Shadow going to get himself out of this one?

“Callypso, are they all gone?” Talisa asked, after a brief moment of silence.

Callypso nodded. “It seems they’ve kept their word.”

“We have to go after them,” I said.

Talisa shook her head. “I want to as well, Artemis, but we must continue to Westyron. We need to locate Netira first.”

“You really think Shadow can escape them and find us?” Jack inquired.

“There is much that Shadow is capable of,” Talisa said. “I knew he would do this the moment he began to fight Aellyas and I understand why he did it. If Shadow hadn’t gone with them, those scouts would have meddled in our affairs and cost us the element of surprise with Arlina. They would have gotten in the way if he didn’t surrender. We can’t afford that.”

“Talisa, he’s done this before, hasn’t he?” Callypso asked.

Talisa nodded.

“What did he do to his captors before?” Jack gulped.

Talisa sighed. “I’d rather not say.”

“Elves consider it taboo to kill one of their own,” I reminded them. “At least…at least the honorable ones do.”

“The honorable ones are far and few in Arrygn.” Talisa patted my back. “Shadow has his. To this day, he has not killed an elf. Now…now he will do whatever it takes to ensure our safety. Yours especially, Artemis.”

Before I could speak, Talisa left to go to the tent with Shadow’s sword. I felt someone grasp my hand; Callypso was inspecting it.

“Your hands seem to be better, and quite flexible despite the bandaging after your earlier sparring,” Callypso assessed, while picking at the white strips that wrapped around my palms. “That was quite a punch, Artemis.”

“It was a long time coming,” Jack added with a grin. “And you stood up for yourself, finally! Kiare be praised, there’s some hope for you yet.”

“It was a blur.” I shuddered. “I don’t even remember punching Serlene.”

Jack and Callypso looked at one another and blinked.

“What do you mean you don’t remember doing it?” Jack asked. “You only have blackouts in your dhampir form. Avilyne’s hell…what
do
you remember?”

“I was angry. I couldn’t think,” I answered. “Next thing I knew, Serlene was on the ground.”

Callypso immediately took a step back from me. Jack did the same, with a sharp intake of breath. Before I could ask what was wrong, Jack
gingerly took a sai from my boot and tapped a finger on the jewels; they were more luminescent than I remembered.

“How…how did that happen?”

“Your anger, Artemis,” Jack deduced. “I warned you about it before we left the cottage.”

“How in Avilyne’s hell does my anger connect with the sai?” I snapped. “I didn’t even use them!”

Callypso and Jack watched one another once more and sighed.

“It’s worse than I thought,” Callypso whispered.

“You’re not answering me,” I said.

“Artemis, the sai seem to draw power specifically from anger,” Jack explained. “The dragon jewels brightened a bit when I had my moment of anger while I was trying to purify them.”

“Cally, you said the sai are somehow still linked to my mother,” I began. “What will they do to her when the jewels reach full luminosity? What will happen to me?”

“I pray that’s something we never have to find out, Artemis,” Callypso said, staring into the fire.

amina walked the streets of Westyron, looking for the one place she knew there: the White Viper. When she found it, she couldn’t help but smile.

This was where she met
him
. This was where everything in her life had changed.

Drifting through the door, Tamina took a few moments to take in the sight of the empty bar. The memories of the past resurfaced, and she put a pale hand to her chest, as if to steady a heartbeat. When she found the staircase leading to the rooms above, she felt some excitement grow.