A Song of Shadow

Chapter 1

See.

      The voice echoed around Elide as she changed into the clothes the inn-keeper had practically begged her to try on.

      "See what?" she asked aloud to the disembodied voice.  Almost as if in response, a shiver forced its way down Elide's spine.

See.

      Elide quickly finished dressing before stepping out into the dimly lit hall.  She suddenly became aware of every detail around her.  The patrons of the inn's bar --- once rowdy and joyful ---had become solemn and now actively avoided her gaze.  Something was very wrong.  And Lorcan had abandoned her in favour of sulking over their earlier fight.

      She had to find Lorcan, and then they had to get the hell out of here.  Elide took her steps quickly as she made her way to the entrance.  Eyes.  She could feel eyes on her back.  She couldn't get out of here soon enough.

      A swift push through the door ahead revealed a starry night sky, the wind chilling Elide through her newfound clothes.

      "Elide.  What an adventure you've been on."  Her heart stopped dead.  See.  See.  Her eyes met a foul grin bearing ill-will.  Vernon.  Several ilken seemed to wear grins just as evil as they made a move to surround her.  Eyes darting, she desperately searched for an escape.  But how could she?  Lorcan was nowhere to be found, and no doubt the inn-keeper or some other dark-hearted soul in this town had sold them out.

      Claws dark as the night dug into her shoulders, shredding her clothing.  "Please," she breathed.  A meager plea for her life to a man who held no regard for it.  A sharp push from the ilken at her back had her stumbling toward a box she had failed to notice.  A  rectangular box just big enough to hold her.  A cage of iron.  Just in case that witch blood in her veins decided to become a problem for him.  If only it would.

      Elide's heels dug into the ground, but her wrecked ankle was no match for the ilken.  She fell to her knees, her hands bracing her from a full impact.  Her uncle knelt beside her, using her hair to pull her face up to his own.

      "What a prize for the dark King."  His mouth twisted into a sick grin and then he shoved her head away from him.  She would not be taken back to that prison.  Could not be.  Elide had not failed to notice the knife at Vernon's side.  Using the technique she had learned from watching Lorcan, she twisted to grab the knife from its sheath, but her uncle seemed to know what she was planning and merely sidestepped her grasp.  Her one shot had vanished before her eyes.

      She thrashed as the ilken picked her up and shoved her forward toward the box.  Where was Lorcan?  He had to know that something was very wrong.  Had to know that she was about to be locked in a box and shipped off to Morath.  But he was not coming.

      She did not stop fighting.  Not even as those creatures successfully trapped her in that box and her uncle locked it.  She was still fighting as the ilken's wings boomed and carried her cage into the sky.  Lorcan had not come for her.  He had promised to protect her.  She should have known better than to believe a male only interested in his own gain.

      The box faltered in the grip of the ilken as a scream pierced the air.  Through the small window in the box, Elide watched as black blood streamed from where one of the ilken's wings had once been.  Her eyes darted to the ground which was now so far below.  Lorcan stood there poised to throw a sword for the ilken once more.  Before he could, he was surrounded by the creatures her uncle had no doubt left behind in case Lorcan had decided to show up and ruin his hunt.

      "Lorcan!" Elide screamed.  She screamed his name until her throat was raw and his towering figure faded into the distance.  Screamed for him even as the towering peaks at Morath came into view.