In a war-scarred realm where shadows whisper secrets and magic feeds on flesh, Riley-a legendary thief and shadowmaster-is captured after a failed heist inside the manor of Lord Calvin Hayes Alessio. Instead of death, Riley is offered a cruel bargai...
It took half of the next day for Riley to realize that the silence was supposed to be a bit weirder now. Percevin had been really, really quiet. The thief could feel the boy's eyes on him, his shadow always lurking near his own to keep the shadowmaster in check. Every time he jerked at a sound, stopped moving or dodged something on the road, the knight-to-be tensed up, hand flashing to his sword.
And Riley knew why. He hated himself for being so snappy and irritable, but he couldn't shake the feeling that they were closing in. He also noticed that he had been scratching his wrist like a madman. He couldn't wait to reach town later and have a warm meal -- maybe he'd feel a little better about it.
They were a few hours from town when the sun started setting in the West. That's when Riley spotted the first poster. He had hoped it was an old one, forgotten at this point, then they came across another one. He clicked his tongue and was about to tell Percevin that he'd probably have to handle things at the tavern, when there was an unmistakable crack in the nearby woods.
His shadow went to work immediately, but in the dusk, it was harder for the thief to distinguish curves and shapes. So close to a town, he didn't want to risk exposure. He had to act fast.
"Stay here," he snapped at the boy. "I'll be right back."
He didn't wait for a response. He slipped into the shadows, disappearing from sight, and followed that sound. He spread himself on a larger radius than usual, just to make sure. Nothing came up, but he kept searching. Had to make sure. Couldn't risk it.
Another snap. He jerked toward that direction, charging forward, determined to scare the shit out of whatever had startled him -- if it wasn't them. His shadow spotted it before his eyes did: the shape of a person, at the edge of his senses. He turned a bit more, rushing to it. It wasn't them.
He began reforming himself, his shadows coming back to his body in the terrifying fashion he always did -- one he had so often used to scare the living hell out of anything that meant him harm -- as he jumped toward the figure.
He had to come to a stop so fast that he couldn't do anything other than making himself trip, rolling to the side to avoid that foolish dumbass boy that had ignored a clear order. As the last of his shadows formed his body, he was on all fours, panting at the extra effort it took him not to hurt Percevin.
"What the hell?!" Riley shouted, scrambling upright and whirling toward the boy, rage boiling in his voice. "I told you to stay on the road, you fuckin' idiot!"
Didn't he already know? Hadn't anyone warned him about the dangers of a shadowmaster? Hadn't Riley been clear enough that there could be unforgivable consequences if he did not listen to him?
But Percevin didn't react to the shadowmaster's anger. He was as still as a statue, staring at the spot Riley had appeared from a second before, white as a sheet with terror.
Riley's stomach dropped as he felt the shivers of fear on his shadow, and right there, the thief realized something. Even though the boy had been a pain in his ass, had been wary and on guard around him, there had never been fear in his eyes when he looked at him. The sheer horror on his face was a first.
And Riley hated it.
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