Shattered Silence

Rune wasn't pleased that Ash and I had followed her when she left the keep, but now she's probably feeling grateful that she won't be facing the scouting party on her own. We keep to the shadows of the trees, watching the scouts make camp. They are not soldiers as we first suspected, but more like poachers of magical beings. They capture who they can and turn them over in hopes of a reward. These sorts of thugs don't operate under anyone's rules, or with any sense of honor or code; they're lawless brutes.

And currently their victims are three young witches.

The oldest appears to be no older than fifteen, and she hugs her sisters as close to her as she can despite the iron shackles around her wrists and ankles. My heart twists. She reminds me very much of Rowena and her sister when I first found them wandering alone in the woods.

"You should have captured one of them sorcerer types instead of just stabbing 'em all," one man complains to another. "They're worth more alive than dead, and those other two got away."

"So a few less freaks in the world," another man says dismissively, sharpening his knife on a thick piece of leather. "Most of 'em were human anyway."

The first man pauses as he goes to take a drink from his canteen. "They was? Why'd we kill 'em then?"

"Because they were with the monsters," the second man replies, not even looking up from his task. "That means they're not fit to breathe the same air as the rest of us."

I tense, fighting back a rogue tickle of elemental magic before it sets the forest ablaze or brings down a blizzard. Elemental magic is unpredictable and tricky; if I don't keep my emotions under control there's no telling what could happen. Beside me I can see a look of disgust on Rune's face. Even Ordinary soldiers have no love for these self-appointed bounty hunters. The man sharpening his knife finally stops, inspecting the blade carefully before getting to his feet and approaching the three girls. The eldest girl stares up at him defiantly even though I can tell she's terrified.

"Creatures like you don't deserve to set foot on this earth," he tells her.

"You butcher parents, steal their children away to be tortured just because they're different from you and you dare accuse me of being a creature not fit to live?" she says, and I smile because her voice doesn't tremble. "You and your kind are the only monsters in this world."

The man backhands her across the face, jerking her head to the side. The slap echoes through the stillness and then the man drags her up by her hair. Her sisters cry out and the girl hisses in pain.

"Looks like this one needs to be taught some manners," the man snarls, throwing her to the ground. She tries to squirm away but with the shackles she's not fast enough. The man pushes her flat on her stomach with his boot then kneels so that his knees straddle her sides. I move without thinking. I'm on my feet, arrow primed to shoot. I stand at the edge of the trees as the girl struggles beneath the man's weight.

"Let her go!" I shout. The man all pause to look around.

"Who's there?" the assailant calls out.

I glance at Rune. "What's your choice, Rune?" I whisper. She looks from the man with the girl pinned beneath him and back to me, her jaw set and eyes flashing. "My choice is to end these monsters," she spits. She melds partially with the shadows, looking distinctly inhuman. I step out of the trees to face the men.

"I am the last thing you're ever going to see," I declare. Rune and Ash step out of the trees behind me, Rune with her smoky swords drawn and Ash with her dragon eyes blazing with silver fire. I move swiftly, kicking the man off of the young witch, who scrambles back to her sisters. I whirl, sending an arrow into the man's chest before he can so much as blink. The others stare, dumbfounded. It is their undoing as Rune and Ash descend on them. Screams fill the night for a moment, then abruptly cease and the world falls quiet again.



Ash and I exert a lot of strength carrying the three girls back to the keep. The bounty hunters were not as close as we had originally assumed, which Ash had pointed out in her usual haughty way, making Rune scowl so hard I thought her face would stay like that forever. Ash had carried me easily, about fifty miles from the keep while Rune ghosted along below us as a shadow. Returning with three traumatized witches was a much harder feat. We finally reach the entrance and shepherd the girls inside.

"You'll be safe here," I tell them. The eldest, Geneva, throws her arms around me, and then Rune, who looks startled.

"Thank you," Geneva says, eyes watery. "Thank you so much."

"Ah you see, they've arrived just in time." Jarra, one of the witches who accompanied me when I found Tristan, stands before us beaming. "I had a vision that you'd be bringing someone new to us," she says. "Come children, let's get you patched up." I give them a smile and a nod when they look to me for affirmation. Jarra ushers them off, cooing to the youngest one, who can't be more than three years old. I turn to Rune with a smirk.

"What?" she asks defensively.

"Well, miss Other hater, look at you," I say teasingly. "Using your daemon powers to save some witches."

Rune flushes and waves me off. "Shut up, Kalix," she grumbles.

"So how does it feel to be a rebel?" I arch an eyebrow, still grinning at her. She frowns, then looks dazed, and then she lets out a startled bark of laughter. "I guess, actually, that it feels pretty good."

We stare at each other and she reluctantly returns my smile.

"Well wonderful." Ash snorts delicately. "Does that mean you can please ask your shadow pony to come out of hiding? Capall Scáth are not so stealthy as they think they are, not to dragon eyes, and all his lurking is making me most uncomfortable."

I hear an indignant noise and then the shadows near Rune swirl and create a shape. Soon an armor-clad, horse-like being is standing before me, glaring at Ash. She seems unperturbed.

"This is Deimos," Rune says. "He's my Familiar."

"A shadow horse." I lean down to look closer. "How fascinating. They're very rarely seen, you know. Even by Others who work with shadows and darkness. Of course not all of them are horses, that's just what this one happens to be. They often don't come into being unless they're destined to be someone's familiar. Some call them Living Shadows or Shadows Made Flesh, but others simply call them by whatever form they happen to take."

"Quite a history lesson there," Rune says dryly.

"Hey when you've been around for a hundred and thirteen years you get to know a thing or two."

"Damn. Well you look pretty good for an old lady."

I straighten and glare at her. "Tristan is older than me," I shoot back. There's a heartbeat of silence and then we both burst out laughing while Deimos and Ash stare at us like we're insane.

"What's all this laughing for? Is this about me?" Tristan walks towards us, smiling cheerfully, and we laugh harder.

"It is about me!"

"Yeah we were talking about what an old man you are," I gasp and Rune laughs so hard she snorts. Tristan reaches out and pinches my nose the way he used to when we were children. It's just as annoying. I punch him in the arm. "Quit that!"

He grins cheekily. "Come on you two, it's almost breakfast time and Jeremiah said he had an announcement."

Rune and I get ourselves under control and follow him to the dining hall. "You cut your hair," I say, noticing that his pointed ears are visible now. He looks healthier and more at ease, too. We enter the dining hall and take a seat at one of the tables, everyone leaning in to ask excitedly about our daring rescue.

"They weren't soldiers," I say. "It was a band of bounty hunters. And it was Rune's idea to track them," I add, nodding in her direction. Everyone turns to her, their expressions a wide range of emotions. Tuulikki gives her a hard stare, and then says grudgingly, "nice work, half shadow."

"I think that's the nicest thing she's ever said to anyone," Tristan whispers to Rune and she bites back a giggle. Jeremiah enters the room then and calls for everyone's attention.

"First I would like to say thank you to our newcomers; Kalix, Tristan, and Rune, for all they have done for us since they arrived." He shoots a wink in our direction and even though she tries to hide it, I can see Rune smile. "I realize that we have all been working tirelessly for a long time," Jeremiah continues, "and we have not had the opportunity to properly remember those we have lost, or welcome those who have joined us. And we should celebrate the achievements we've made this far. Our resident alchemists and sorcerers, with the help of Thira and Ash, have almost perfected the devices to remove the Cuffs with as little harm as possible to the wearer." The room erupts in applause and I see Ardor and the other sorcerers grinning like fools as people clap them on the back and call out praise. "And in light of all these things, I think it is only fitting that we host a feast, in honor of all those who have fought for our cause. We've all gone too long without music and merriment, and I believe quite strongly that you deserve it."

More thunderous applause and Jeremiah smiles. I share an excited look with Tristan. Elves are especially fond of music and dancing; we had enough celebrations and festivals to prove it.

"Tomorrow night!" Jeremiah shouts over the din. "Then it's back to business as usual!" Everyone starts talking animatedly and making plans. I volunteer to help Sanura prepare the food and Tristan says he'll help fashion instruments for those who lost theirs when they came here. He drags Rune off with him. There is little sleep as everyone works well into the wee morning hours making preparations. I'm in the kitchen chopping more vegetables when I feel a presence behind me. I spin around, knife in hand. Lathan laughs at me and catches my wrist before I can throw it.

"Easy, Kalix, it's just me."

"You shouldn't sneak up on people," I snap as he pulls the knife away and tosses it onto the counter behind me.

"And you should learn to relax once in a while," he retorts.

"Being a little on edge is in my nature," I mutter. He takes a step forward, closing the distance between us until there's only an inch or two. As I tilt my head back to glare at him I realize just how much taller than me he is.

"In your nature, is it?" he asks. "What else is in your nature, Princess?"

"You better stay out of my head, daemon boy," I say, pressing my back against the counter and gripping the edge of it with my hands. "My memories are off limits."

"Don't worry Kalix, I think solving your mysteries the old-fashioned way would be much more fun." He smiles down at me.

"What mysteries?" I demand.

"Well for one, why you're trying to burn the kitchen down," Lathan says, reaching out and pulling my hands away from the table. I realize my palms were scorching the wood and flames still lick from my skin. Lathan holds my hands up and blows on them, extinguishing them. I tense and try to pull my gaze away from his but his green eyes pin me in place.

"Do I make you nervous, Kalix?" His eyes twinkle mischievously. I grit my teeth. "No," I lie. He laughs, finally releasing my wrists and stepping back. "See you at the party, Your Highness." He bows, then disappears with a quiet rustle of his wings. I release a breath I wasn't aware I was holding, and when I return to chopping vegetables, I find that my hands are trembling.



I sleep late into the afternoon, exhausted after our late night rescue mission and then staying up all night helping put together Jeremiah's feast. I finally rouse myself when someone pounds on my door.

"Kalix!" Tristan shouts. "Come on, everyone's already in the dining hall!"

"I'm coming," I say groggily, pulling myself out of bed and tying my hair back in a braid. I open the door and then something is thrown at my face.

"Here," Tristan says. "That girl, Geneva, made it for you. Apparently she has a talent for sewing. She made a dress for Rune too." I pull the fabric off my face and stare at the dress, which is made of a beautiful silver-white silk and has long, billowing sleeves. Smiling, I shut the door in Tristan's face and change.

"That was rude," he says when I emerge. I shrug innocently. "You look beautiful, amarae," he adds, eyes crinkling as he smiles. I shush him and we walk to the dining hall together. I catch sight of Rune, wearing a black dress similar to my own, except her sleeves are made of lace and grow tighter at the wrist instead of flowing out. She waves, and Tristan asks her to dance when we reach her. The tables line the walls, leaving the center of the floor open. Anyone and everyone who can play an instrument is doing so, and the whole room seems alive with music. Nymphs and dryads twirl in graceful circles, flowers blooming in their wake even through the stone so it soon looks like we're sitting in a garden instead of a cave. Part of the room was turned to water, so even the merpeople are taking part in the celebration, singing from where they sit perched on rocks.

Tristan pulls me to my feet, and we try to teach everyone the Elves' favorite dance; which consists of intricate, fast-paced steps and graceful twirling. I laugh as I see Ardor trying to dance with Thira, and she pokes him in the eye with her antennae as he steps on her foot. Suddenly I feel warmth against my back and spin around to find Lathan.

"May I?" he asks, already taking my hand. Too startled to protest, I let him lead me around the dance floor, skillfully executing the moves of the Elvish dance. "Dream daemons are pretty light on their feet," he informs me.

"Is that so?" I reply coolly. He spins me faster and the room becomes a colorful blur. I feel light, like my feet aren't even touching the ground. Then I look down and find that my feet aren't on the ground. Lathan has me suspended high above the dance floor, continuing to dance. The others watch us with interest. I gasp faintly and Lathan laughs, pulling me closer. "Don't worry, Princess, I won't let you fall."

I feel a flush creep up my neck but then I relax, his arm securely around my waist. I find myself enjoying the aerial dance.

"You don't seem so on edge now," Lathan points out and I look down to see Tristan dancing with Rune and Jeremiah laughing at something Ardor says, and then I look into Lathan's amused eyes.

"I'm full of surprises," I tell him. In the lightness and ease of the moment, I feel a glimmer of hope in my chest. Maybe being happy again is in my nature, too. Tonight I'm beginning to think anything is possible.