The Clash Of Drakkon: Book Four Of The Drakkon Series

Chapter Twelve

Alessandra Drakkon

Queen of the Drakkon Empire

"Shadows your majesty? I am confused, I know that you can see me when I blend in with the shadows, but you do not have this ability, at least not that I know of." His confusion was understandable, after all a few weeks ago and I didn't have it, but now that I did, I needed to know how to use it. Even if it was different from Talon's ability, he was the best person I knew who could help teach me.

"You are right in the aspect that I did not have this ability until recently, do you remember when I was bleeding black vapor? When my mother told you that you were to blame for my pain? That wasn't the case, as I've already told you, I asked Numa whether on consciously or not, for the gift of shadows, I thought it would be a useful thing to have, and he agreed, but my test, my pain, was the price he demanded in return, I had to live through it, live through every mental or physical test he put me through, and I did. So now I do indeed have the gift of shadows, though I've been told it is much more than what you have control of. You are merely the best teacher right now to help me try to learn." He looks at me uneasily, probably not quite understanding how he is supposed to teach me this.

"Um, alright. I will try to show you, but I am afraid I might not be of much help, my gift is more instinctual than anything, though are you sure you'd like to do it here?" I glance around Kalo's office and frown, knowing that if something went wrong, I did not want to damage any of the important documents that may be in here.

"No, you're right. This place isn't suitable, we'll go to the guest rooms I've been given during my stay here. At least anything there I damaged is replaceable." I begin to step out of the room, and Nova immediately notices and unwinds from her coil in the corner of the room to trail behind us, I have a feeling she would not be comfortable letting me out of her sight for a while.

It doesn't take us long to arrive at my guest quarters, they are quite large and lavish, though I expected nothing less from the second most powerful High House. I look around, wondering if maybe I should move the couches closer to the walls. "Leave everything where it is, there is more shadows this way, easier to practice then. So, what have you done so far, if anything at all?" Talon goes in full teacher mode as the others settle against a wall to watch, Nova curling up in another corner of the room, her eyes ever watchful on me.

"I summoned whisps of shadows." Talon tilts his head looking intrigued by my reluctant face when I say what little I've done with the shadows I've been gifted.

"Really? Can you show me?" I nod and focus, placing my fingers to the palm of other hand again, I slowly drag them apart like before, focusing hard on try to summon shadows, just like before, the moment my fingers stop touching whisps of smoke or rather shadows appear in between them, but this time I take it a step further.

Dragging my hands apart even farther, they suddenly get pushed to their limits as a faint tendril of shadows is summoned between my two hands. "Okay, so your gift is more physical than mine, you can manipulate the shadows more than I can. Try to concentrate it, it's weak right now, I can see vapors trailing off, you're losing it." I let out a slow breath as I rotate my arms, in a circular pattern, one going up the other going down, shortening the distance between them, with each rotation of my arms. Until finally I have them only a few inches apart, a whirling ball of shadows in between them, no longer was it see through, but black, so dark one couldn't see through it. I smile as I feel the shadows thrum against my grasp, pulse with energy, the power running through me, the feeling made my heart race. "That's it, hold it, hold it." I laugh as I move my hands this way and that, manipulating the ball of shadows.

"Okay, I think I've got it, what next?" I was feeling on top of the world, like I could do everything and anything.

"Now disperse it." I frown, not knowing how to, panic runs through me and the shadows seem to grow darker, larger, I can feel the tendrils that I wound into the ball pushing against my control, wanting to lash out.