Child of Legend - A Shadow and Bone Fanfic

Chapter 28

My surroundings were slightly blurry but enough for me to make out small details.

I was in a cave like room that burned with heat from an open fire in the middle, infront of the fire an old woman came into focus, her back to me, she was hunched over and poking the fire with a stick. Her black hair was being overtaken by grey and her bony fingers gripped a cane like it was the only thing tethering her to this life. She looked slightly familiar, but I couldn't quite place it.

Who was this woman? Why did she look so familiar? Why was I here? I had reached out for the darkness for someone like me, I thought it would bring me to the Darkling like before, but instead I was here.

Off to the side a small door snapped into focus as the woman looked over as it opened, a small boy walked in with food, the sunlight from outside hit me and my phantom like state dissolved until I was back in my room aboard the ship.

My eyes opened again as I felt the ship suddenly lurch forward, I fell off the bed and onto the floor in an uncomfortable tangle of limbs. It was just my luck that at that moment the Darkling came into my room, he didn't even knock!!

He started at the strange lump my body was currently in on the ground, "What are you doing?" He asked.

I groaned as I got up, hitting my head on the lip of the desk, "I fell," I stated as I brushed off the dust that had accumulate on my trousers.

He wasn't satisfied with my answer but didn't press further, instead he examined around the room, he looked at the bunk bed pushed up against the wall, the desk on the other side of the room, and the sorry excuse of a window.

"What do you want?" I finnaly asked, unable to ignore the loud silence in my ears, I wanted to try and get back to that old woman, I was too curious.

He narrowed his eyes, "You're keeping something from me. What where you doing before I came here?"

How did he always read me like an open book, I glanced out the slit of a window, the sun was just rising, I must have fallen asleep when I came back, "Sleeping," I stated.

"And last night?" He asked again, I looked at him questionly, "The guard reported that the room got unnaturally dark and bright at times."

"Then you know exactly what I was doing," I stated, "Theres nothing much else to do."

He looked like he was going to say something else but there was a knock at the door, "Enter," the Darkling said in a monotone voice.

It was Ivan, and like everyone else, he blatantly ignored me, pretending I didn't exist, "Sir there's a problem, with the tracker," he reported.

He gave a dismissing nod and Ivan left, "Looks like you'll have to train on your own this week," he told me, I crossed my arms, it wasn't like I could do anything else, "Try not to burn the ship down," he mocked as he left, I heard the click of the lock and I was alone again.

After someone brought me breakfast I tried to do whatever I had done the previous night, closing my eyes I let my power envelop me, giving the shadows a little edge this time, they engulfed me and I appeared in the cave like room again.

The woman was in the same position as before, hunched over by the fire, the boy was sitting near her, reading. I shuffled closer trying to get a better look around but she heard me, her head snapped slightly to the side and she waved the boy away.

This time when the door opened I was ready, I focused on strengthening my connection to the room, when it closed I let out a sigh of relief. The woman sat up a bit straighter, "You're not Aleksander," she stated.

I looked at the back of her head, could she see me? "Well come on, who are you, tell me," she scolded.

"I- uh, I'm Rena," I finnaly said, I was still a bit shocked that I had managed to appear here.

She turned around to face me and I put my hand to my mouth to stifle a gasp, in the place of where her eyes should be were swirling pools of darkness. I had thought I had recognised this woman, but I was sure I would have remembered someone like this.

"How are you here girl?" She asked, her voice harsh.

I was still asking myself that question too, so I said, "I- I don't know, ma'am."

She knit her eyebrows for a moment before saying, "Well if you have nothing important to say, leave me be." And with that I was drifting back to my body aboard the ship, left to wonder who this woman was and regretting not asking for her name.

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On the morning of the fourth day I tried the handle only to find it still locked, groaning I sat down on my bed and once again concentrated.

Instead of ending up at old woman's cave, this time I was in the hallway of the ship, the Darkling was leading Alina down it towards a door, her hands still bound.

I had come for my father so like with the woman, I guessed that only he could see me. I cleared my throat to get his attention but surprisingly Alina turned around too, "What was that?" She asked, the Darkling was stood infront of her, blocking her line of sight from seeing me, his eyes wide.

He called down the corridor to a heartrender that was passing and told them to take Alina to her room. I didn't think it was possible but his eyes grew even wider when the soldier stepped through me.

When they had rounded the corner he stepped closer to me, "What is this?" He asked suspiciously.

I looked up at him innocently, "It's day four," I stated, "I want to come out of my room."

He sighed heavily, "That's not what I asked, Rena."

I crossed my arms, "Well I guess you'll just have to come and ask me in person." I registered the slight tilt of his head and the raise of a brow as I forced myself back to my body in the small room.

No more than five minutes later I heard the click of a lock and he stepped into my room. I gave him a sweet, sarcastic smile and made for the door, but not before he grabbed my arm forcing me to sit back down on the bed, he locked the door once more and asked, his voice cool, "You're not leaving until you explain."