Chapter 19

19

REYA

I stretch out and yawn, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. My eyes flare when I remember the events of last night and I sit upright, wide awake, ready to order him to remove his shadows from me. When I look at the other side of my bed, he isn't there.

Good.

It's not like I wanted him to be here when I woke.

Scowling like my life depends on it, I climb out of bed and walk over to the curtains, pulling them wide open. Dazzling sunlight rushes into the room and I tilt my head towards its warm rays, closing my eyes and soaking it in. Looking out over the valley, I can't help but admire its beauty. As the buildings glisten against the sun, they scatter a spectrum of colours across the main square. How can a place that forces women to marry their men look so beautiful but be so cruel?

I wonder how Arkynn is settling in at the barracks. He is a born soldier, so I'm sure he will be fine. Arkynn wields a sword as if he were born to use it. I shouldn't care how he is doing, but I do. Not in a pining, romantic way, but in an ‘I miss my friend' way. He is my one constant from home and the only link I have to my life before the Lord Commander and his damned shadows barged into it.

I take a long shower and when I return to my bedroom, Orna is here, bustling around, picking up my discarded clothing and humming a cheerful tune to herself. I lean against the bathroom door frame for a second and watch her.

"How can you be so cheery when their kind makes you wait on someone like me?"

"Holy Mother of Crystals!" Orna says, clutching at her chest. "You scared me to death." She turns to me, holding my clothes in her arms. "I am happy in my work, miss. Serving you is an honour, and I'm indebted to the Shadow Realm. I'm grateful for my position here."

I crinkle my brow as I straighten and walk over to my dressing table. "Why are you indebted to them?"

Orna signals for me to sit on the stool, leaving my laundry by the door. Waiting for her response, I take a seat, and she begins running the comb through my unruly locks.

"My father died when my brother and I were only eight and ten. We had no other family and no one to care for us. We thought we would starve but then one day, a man wearing the shadow military uniform arrived at our village. He announced he was here to take us to our new home." She frowns in concentration when the comb reaches a knotty piece of my hair. "He assured us we would be safe, cared for, and guaranteed employment and housing once we reach adulthood."

"Why?" I ask her, confused. "Why would they do that? Were they responsible for your father's death?"

Orna blinks. "Of course not. He died of natural causes, but he had sewn and mended their army uniforms for years and they recognised his service to them."

I shake my head, confused. "Where did he take you?"

Orna places the comb down and begins styling my hair. "We went to live at Kyrrha orphanage. Named after the shadow queen. We lived alongside around forty other children of varying ages. All Asen."

I grimace. An orphanage. "Was it terrible?"

She chuckles and looks surprised at my question. "Not at all. Why would you think that? It was wonderful." She sighs and for a second I can tell her mind is somewhere else altogether. "I mean, it wasn't our childhood home, but we had warm beds, food in our bellies, clean clothes. We had schooling each day, and they encouraged us, as we got older, to select a trade. We grew up safe and cared for."

My frown deepens as I take in her words. "So, they didn't beat you or mistreat you?"

Orna laughs again, as if my question is ludicrous. "No, of course not. The ladies at the orphanage were kind and caring. I've never witnessed the mistreatment of a child. It's not something the queen would have tolerated.

"She visited?" I ask, now even more intrigued.

"Oh yes. At least twice a year. She'd spend a few days with us and read to us at bedtime and help with our schooling." Orna smiles fondly. "She had such a kind soul. You just felt safe and warm in her presence. The ladies who cared for us said she visited more often in the past, and often would bring her two sons with her."

My attention piques. "The royal princes?"

She nods as she walks into my dressing room, before returning with a pale cream dress with small white flowers sewn into the skirt. I frown at the dress in her hand and point at the pair of riding trousers and tunic top. "Oh yes, it was before my time. They would visit with her often. Apparently, they were very handsome." She shakes her head. "All that changed when the eldest son died."

"He died?" I repeat, shocked.

Orna nods. "I don't know what happened. All our carers told us was that he had died of a sudden illness. They said the queen didn't visit after that for at least a year. I think she found it too hard to be around children whilst grieving for one of her own." Orna wipes a solitary tear from her eye. "Anyway, enough talking! I need to get on with my chores and you need to get down for breakfast before the mistress comes to find you!"

I nod my head, pulling myself from my confused thoughts. Everything Mother had told me of their kind was to do with how evil they were, and how they would take Asen children as slaves to serve them. My mother's eyes would fill with fear whenever I even mentioned any of the stories about the Shadow Borne and she would tell me to stop asking questions about them and change the subject.

I rush downstairs, aware that I am late for breakfast. I pause outside the door to the dining room when I hear his dark and powerful voice. He's here for breakfast. Annoyance and a hint of excitement knot in my stomach. It's bad enough that I have to suffer his presence at night, but in the mornings as well! I'm not a morning person. Morning Eretreya is grumpy and doesn't like to engage in conversation. I take a steadying breath and reach out to open the door. I yelp in surprise when it flings open and dark, willowy shadows creep from around the door.

"Are you planning to remain there all day, young lady?" Moryen barks from her seat at the head of the table without glancing my way. I roll my eyes and catch Raegal watching me with his head tilted and a curious smirk on his face.

"Good morning, Miss Lockwood," he greets. The way he says my name has my toes curling.

"Is it?" I grumble as I stride into the room and take the seat beside Saveya. I sense Moryen's critical eye on me. No doubt she's internally criticising my posture and unladylike demeanour.

"Did you sleep well?" Saveya asks me, and I don't miss how the commander waits with interest for my answer.

I force a smile at my friend. It is impossible to be mean to Saveya. She is just too sweet. "How did I sleep?" I repeat her question. "I had a fitful night's sleep. I kept imagining there was an evil and uninvited presence in my room watching me sleep."

Saveya's smile drops and she shivers, wrapping her arms around herself. "That doesn't sound pleasant. Perhaps you've been reading too many of those monster romances you like."

I almost choke on my juice, some of it spurting out onto the table cover. Moryen glares at me. She looks like she's envisaging throttling me.

"Mother Goddess, help me! Your table manners leave a lot to be desired, young lady!"

"Monster romances?" Raegal asks, his tone dripping with amusement. "Tell me more. I am intrigued."

"Oh, you know," Saveya says. "Monstrous beings that rescue the damsel in distress. Only the damsel falls for them, seeing their true character rather than being afraid of them. I prefer my heroes with less horns and claws, but Reya here devours those books like sweets. Ow!" Saveya shouts out when I kick her under the table.

"You find monsters attractive, Eretreya?"

Why does my name on his lips sound like a soft caress? I shake my head, snapping myself right away from that thought. Nope! I am not attracted to him. Not one ounce.

Frowning, I glance across the table and meet his eyes and sure enough, that amused smirk is gracing his handsome face. I mean his plain and uninteresting face! He is not attractive. Not at all.

I shrug my shoulders. "Depends on the monster. In the books, the monsters have suffered through no fault of their own, and have known prejudice because of how they were born, but they have redeemable qualities. The monsters I don't find appealing are those that take and steal from others because they feel they have some God-given right to do so."

Moryen grimaces. "I think I need to have a word with our librarian about the book choices in our library."

I bite off a piece of toast as I continue to glare at the commander, who continues to smirk at me like he is enjoying every word of this topic of conversation.

A loud rap on the dining room doors pulls everyone's attention. Moryen tells the visitor to enter, and a flustered shadow soldier enters the dining room.

"Lord Commander. I have an important message to deliver." He glances towards where Saveya and I sit. "I would suggest this is not a conversation for delicate ears."

I cannot hold in my snort of disagreement. Delicate ears!

Raegal gets to his feet, wiping his mouth with his napkin. The soldier glances toward Moryen. "The mistress may want to hear this as well, Commander."

Raegal nods his head and pulls out Moryen's chair for her to stand, then the two of them follow the anxious soldier from the room, firmly closing the doors behind them.

Saveya pulls her eyes from the closed doors and leans into me. "What do you suppose that's all about?"

"Let's find out," I reply, jumping out of my seat to creep towards the closed doors. I hear Saveya whisper-hiss behind me not to pry, but seconds later she's at my back, leaning in at the door to listen with me.

"I apologise for interrupting your breakfast, Commander, but captain Loring said I was to deliver the message at once," the young soldier tells him.

We wait in anticipation.

"Blasted rebels!" Raegal curses. "They attacked the convoy of onyx last night. They destroyed all of it except for one carriage load."

I take a sharp breath as I recall last night's dream. If you could call it a dream when there are mutts involved.

"Was anyone hurt?" Moryen asks.

"No, a few injured mares, but none of our men," Raegal replies. He seems distracted, and I lean closer to peek through the small gap between the two doors to see him reading the note in his hand.

"And the rebels have claimed responsibility for this attack?" Moryen queries.

Raegal's jaw ticks. "That's the strange thing. The soldiers report that this attack was by night mutts alongside a single hooded figure who wielded strange magic."

"Night mutts?!" Saveya whisper shouts. I freeze when two eyes look right at mine through the gap in the double doors. Before I can retreat, the doors fly open and Saveya and I tumble into the hallway, landing on top of each other in a heap on the floor.

"Ow! Damn, Saveya, get your elbows out of my ear!" I exclaim as we try to climb off each other. With an amused look on his face, Raegal's shadows lift me up off the floor. Before he turns his attention to helping Saveya up.

Moryen glares at me, her dark shadows leaking from her person. "Is there no level beneath you, Miss Lockwood?"

My cheeks redden and I drop my gaze.

"I despair! I cannot let this go unpunished. You can spend the afternoon learning to crochet with Mistress Leysa. Go now! You can find her over in the east wing, in room four."

Saveya grabs hold of my hand and tugs me toward the east wing as fast as her little legs can move. She mutters under her breath about being mortified at being chastised by Moryen. Meanwhile, I am still reeling from the news. How is it possible that I dreamed about something at the same time it was taking place? Was that hooded figure me? Did I somehow travel out of my body and control those mutts? I shake my head. The idea is ludicrous. Maybe I'm developing seer magic?