The Shadow Prince (2 page)

“We should get going,” Marcus blurted. “The Queen will be waiting.”

He stared into the distance, his fingers tapping the side of his leg. Wild energy was radiating off him in waves. Was he nervous about returning to Avalon? “Is there anything you want to tell me before we get to the castle? Did something happen?”

Gazing into the distance, he replied, “Nothing you need to worry about.”

I understood his hesitation. With the exception of Marcus, most hounds stayed with their own kind. Very few were privy to their secrets. But he was like my brother, I could tell when something was bothering him. “I’m not moving another inch until you tell me.”

After a long pause, Marcus pulled his sweater over his head. When he turned around, I gasped. Long, bloodied slices were cut into his back. As I moved closer, I noticed faded bruises and scars beneath the fresh marks. There was only one way to get those wounds. “Why were you whipped?”

“They said I needed to toughen up before I could become a guardian,” he replied, putting his shirt back on. “It was a regular part of my training.”

Rage surged through my body. No one deserved this kind of treatment—least of all, Marcus. “Who's responsible for this?”

“Isn't it obvious?”

Of course, my mother. Fire burned at the tips of my fingers, begging for release. I never agreed with the hounds’ position in our court, and soon, I'd have the power to put an end to it. “This is bullshit.”

“That is why I didn’t want to tell you.” He waved his hands in front of him. “You need to forget about it and go in there with a clear head.”

This was another example of her brutality. Throughout the years I'd heard of countless times she'd been responsible for much worse. I had hoped it wasn't true, that somehow, there might be some degree of decency left in her. It was time for me to accept there wasn't. “I refuse to let this continue!”

“This isn't your decision.” Marcus insisted.

“The hell it isn't.” I took a few steps toward the volcano, determined to have words with my mother.

Marcus stood in front of me, blocking my path. “Remember, she doesn't have to abdicate her throne. You could lose everything if you confront her.”

He was right. She could be Queen for as long as she wanted. If my mother continued to reign, many more would suffer. I was nauseous thinking of the torment our court had endured. “How can you expect me to accept this?”

“I expect you to do what's necessary to claim your throne.” Marcus must have sensed that I hadn't let it go because he let out a frustrated breath. “You can make all the changes you want once it's your court. But for now, you need to play along.”

I smirked. “Well, then I guess it's time I go play.”

Home sweet home.

Black obsidian glass covered every inch of the dark, twisted hallways. I ran my fingers down the smooth surface as we made our way toward the throne room. Gold sconces with endless fire lit our path. Although the volcano hadn't been active for centuries, it was always warm in the castle. It reminded me of the Caribbean, minus all the beautiful beaches. The interior walls echoed with an erratic thumping. I wasn’t sure where it was coming from, but I had a feeling I’d find out soon.

“Are you nervous?” Marcus asked.

“Nope.” I lied. I never knew what I was walking into when I visited my mother. Her moods were unpredictable. I fisted my hands at my sides. I couldn't shake the feeling that she had ulterior motives behind my planned coronation. I had to find out what they were.

Cheers rang out as we approached. Was it a good sign of things to come? Most of the court activity took place in the throne room, anything from greeting guests to punishing those who broke the decrees—universal laws that all four courts obeyed. Two bare-chested, burly knights moved out of the way as we came to stand in front of a golden entrance.

I pushed against the heavy metal door, stepping into the massive throne room. Inside, dozens of fire elementals stood in clusters. Elementals ranging from over-sized ogres to nasty little goblins. Then, somewhere in the middle, there were the more human-looking elementals like me. None of them turned when we entered; each focused on something in the center of the room.

Hovering above everyone else on a throne made of lava rocks sat my mother, Prisma. Even without her crown, she stood out. Her wavy brown hair hung low down her back. She wore a gown with a strapless red bodice, and a skirt made of black feathers. The feathers likely came from the wings of an unlucky elemental in our court. Noticeably absent were my adopted siblings who were typically at her side.

Mother's light green eyes were wide with excitement as she peered down at something I couldn’t see. We fought our way through the crowd only to be startled by what we saw.

Two Gabriel Hounds circled each other. Their sleek black fur covered in bloody gashes and cuts, as if they’d been fighting for a while. Except for their fiery red eyes, they resembled large panthers. The room shook when one of them growled, explaining the noise I’d heard earlier. A second later, the same hound lunged forward. His teeth bit into his challenger’s leg, collapsing him to the ground. The hound let out a wail of agony. Marcus hissed.

I glanced at him. “You okay, man?” I asked, noticing the concern all over his face.

He didn't answer.

The hound who delivered the blow strolled away, assuming the fight was over. Big mistake. While his attention was elsewhere, the wounded hound leaped to his feet. He dove on top of the hound, rolling him onto his back. His sharp teeth sunk into his throat, tearing into his skin. My stomach churned. As a puddle of blood grew around them, the crowd inhaled a collective breath. Once the Gabriel Hound shrunk back into his mortal form, it was clear he was dead. He couldn't have been more than a teenager. Rousing applause broke out in every corner.

The winning hound shifted back into a dark skinned, muscular mortal form. He was double the size of his competitor. When he turned in our direction, I realized it was Marcus’s father. Fire elementals rushed the stage, stepping over the fresh corpse.

Marcus ran his fingers through his brown curls. “My father has never been beaten.”

“I wouldn't want to take him on.” I said, trying to lighten the mood.

“Neither would I.”

“What is this I see?” My mother’s unmistakable voice silenced the room. “Has my son finally returned to me?”

After years of rejection, I’d accepted that my mother wasn’t capable of traditional love. She saw love as a weakness. Only the most feared could rule. “I was just enjoying the entertainment,” I said, pointing to the trampled corpse. I thought this was completely barbaric. Forcing the hounds to fight to the death was another way to keep them from being seen as equals in our court. “This is quite a welcoming party.”

She stood, eyes squinted. “Come closer so I can see you.”

Without a word, Marcus joined the group of hounds. His father noticed him, but didn’t acknowledge him. The rest of the crowd parted as I headed toward her.

Tension built in my chest as the potent scent of blood and burnt flesh filled the air. Elementals whispered as I passed, followed by winks and seductive smiles. News must have spread that I'd be on the throne soon. Now, they would covet for my attention.

When I reached the bottom of the throne steps, I bowed. “You summoned me, Your Majesty.” She insisted I address her formally.

Tapping her fingers against her arm rest, she asked, “Are you happy to be home amongst your kin?”

I didn’t see how anyone could truly be happy while living in fear. Once I ruled, I vowed to work toward restoring balance. “Yes, I am.”

She sat down, taking a quick glance at the hounds, then returned her attention to me. “I am pleased your new servant was able to return you to court so quickly. Tell me, are you pleased with my selection?”

Bile built in my throat. I had no doubt she was intentionally digging at me, hoping for a negative reaction which would provoke punishment. “I am very pleased. Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Oh, you're quite welcome,” she said smugly.

I bit my tongue, hoping it would prevent me from saying something I would regret. Instead of speaking, I smiled at her. The tension in the room was as thick as butter.

After a long uncomfortable moment she rolled her eyes, bored with the conversation I assumed. “There will be a ball at sundown in celebration of your upcoming coronation. You may return to your quarters until then.” She pointed to Marcus, a wicked smile across her face. “Your servant will escort you.”

Again, she attempted to upset me. No doubt, she’d meant to use this to teach me a lesson. To her, the hounds were little more than animals. Most of them were feral, but because I’d spent time with Marcus, I knew they were also intelligent. She watched me intently for any reaction. But rather than giving her what she wanted, I bowed. “Thank you, Your Majesty. I look forward to the celebration tonight.”

“Continue with the games,” she shouted to the hounds. The crowd roared with anticipation.

Two more hounds somberly transformed into their animal forms, preparing to fight to the death. My power surged in my fingertips, aching to stop what was happening. But I remembered what Marcus had said about control, and I did nothing. Instead, I tilted my chin toward Marcus. He nodded, quickly appearing at my side. I followed him toward the exit as I tried to block out their pained cries.

I wanted to talk to her about the coronation, but there was no point. There were too many elementals around, she was having too much fun enjoying the blood bath. It would be easier to speak to her at the party tonight. At some point, I was sure I'd have an opportunity to get her alone.

When the door closed behind us, Marcus let out a breath he was holding in. “You handled her better than I thought you would.”

Some of the tension released from my shoulders, but the image of the dead hound remained in the front of my mind. “There were a few moments where I almost lost it.”

“But you didn’t,” he said, genuinely pleased. “If you can manage to keep it up over the next week, you just might pull this off.”

Being around my mother put me on edge. I needed to change the subject. “Why don’t you tell me more about this celebration of hers? Who’s going to be there?”

We strolled down the hallway, continuing toward my bedroom. “All of the royal families are expected. The preparations have been going on for days. It’ll be a lavish event.”

No doubt. My mother would take any opportunity to show off her wealth and power. If all of the families were invited, it would seem she was planning quite a show. It would be nice to see the other court leaders. The royal families were especially reclusive, except for King Taron of the air elementals. I had met him on a few occasions during my childhood. He was friendly. My mother disliked him, but I don’t remember an elemental she ever truly cared for.

For now, I’d focus on showing up and continuing with my Oscar-worthy performance. I’d do whatever I had to-to survive this week. The future of my court depended on it. After a few twists and turns, we made our way to my bedroom. Marcus reached around, turning the gold handle on the door, pushing it open. I cringed. I knew he had to play the role of my guardian while we were here—anyone could be watching us at any time—but it still felt weird to have him opening doors for me.

The interior walls of my room shared the same obsidian glass as the rest of the castle with gold sconces hanging on every wall. There were no windows or any living plants. Several zebra skin rugs covered the floors leading to a massive fireplace in the middle of the room. I headed past the adjoining black marble bathroom toward the closet. When I slid the door open, I was surprised to find it was full of clothing.

I smirked at Marcus. “Oh, honey, you shouldn't have.”

“You're kidding, right? I'm the last person they'd send shopping.”

I chuckled, returning my attention back to the clothes. There were several traditional red robes for the important meetings, a three-piece black suit, dark jeans, shirts in a riot of colors, and an assortment of boots sitting on the floor. “Well, whoever it was did a good job. They are all my size.”

He shrugged. “Maybe it was the Queen?”

“Not a chance,” I said, shutting the door. My mother was centuries old. If she went beyond Avalon's mist, she would age rapidly until time caught up with her. I imagine she'd be dead in a matter of weeks. There's no way she would age herself for anyone, especially me. “She probably sent one of the younger elementals.”

A knock on the door piqued my interest.

The door opened. A young, skinny female hound stepped inside holding a tray of cheese, crackers, and wine. I could tell by the patched-over burn holes on the side of her gray dress that it was old. Her shoes weren't in much better shape. With everything available at her fingertips, I would have assumed my mother would provide better attire for the servants. The little hound kept her eyes toward the floor as she waited for instruction.

I took the tray from her, placing it on the black lacquer nightstand next to my bed. “I can take this. Thank you.”

Our eyes met and I smiled. As a hound working here in the castle, I doubted she got many kind words from the other high-ranking elementals. Her cheeks blushed. “Is there anything else you need, Your Majesty?”

“Nope. We're all good.”

She took a quick glance at Marcus. Her eyebrows furrowed as if she were confused, then she hurried back out the door.

I sat down on my platform king size bed. Leaning against the white leatherette headboard with my hands crossed behind my head, I asked, “Why did she look at you like that?”

“Because I wasn't staring at the ground waiting for a command from you.” Marcus crossed his arms. “If she reports me, I'll be punished.”

I shook my head. “I won't allow it.”

“Yes, you will. You have to keep up appearances.” He sat down on the edge of the bed. “Besides, I should have known better.”

“I don't want to hear you talk like that.” I sat up. “You'll never be a servant to me. Never.”