Shadow's Advent

Chapter One

For the umpteenth time, she withdrew the tattered paper from her pocket only to find the ink rendered illegible. 

"Damn it!" Caraka crumpled the paper and tossed it at the ground. She knew she should have protected herself better from the rain. Now how was she going to find the broker? 

Then again, if she didn't stupidly lose her papers back in the forests, she wouldn't be in this town looking for an illegal broker. 

Caraka crossed her arms. She watched the people-men in their frock coats and top hats with women in uncomfortably tight corsets and bulbous skirts-walk by. No one took notice of the derelict who stood in front of large windows of the hatter's shoppe. Not that a human ever would. 

She looked up and down the narrow cobble stone streets. Gas lamps lined the end of the sidewalks and the beginnings of the streets. Horse-drawn carriages-and even a few new fangled steam-powered carriages-cruised down the streets. A giggling and screeching woman fluttered her fan when a steam carriage past her by, pulling her female companion away from the street. 

"Wimp." Caraka spat in the street and pushed herself away, careful not to touch the reflective glass with her bare hands. She felt the magic crawl up her spine like long bony fingers. She grimaced and shook the sensation away. 

Linking her fingers behind her head, she started down the street. Several people shot her dark looks as she passed them, but she ignored them. 514 Alegra street? No. Alegra Street is in Tarhten... 

I'm not remembering the address for you. Moron. 

Caraka shook her head and scratched at her temple. Her elbow knocked into a man, who quickly grabbed her arm. "What do you think you're doing, half breed?" 

Caraka looked up at him. "I'm sorry, sir. I wasn't paying attention..." 

He pulled back his coat to reveal the pistol at his hip. "Watch where you are going. You are lucky I don't feel like wasting a bullet on the likes of you." 

She gulped. "Of course, sir. I shall sir." 

He pushed her away and continued walking. She snarled once he turned around. She looked up at the gas lamp above him and snapped her fingers. 

The glass exploded, raining shards down on the stranger. A woman shrieked. He ducked and covered his head before looking around. 

Harmless. Caraka disappeared into the crowd. Teach you to dance with a half breed with magic. 

She continued to walk, racking her brain for the address. Why didn't she try to memorize it? Then again, the man was supposedly a lawyer and how hard was it to find a lawyer? Though, if there were two lawyers, she would be in a lot of trouble- 

Someone grabbed hold of her arm, dragging her into a dark alley between two storefronts. The alley reeked of stale booze and vomit. 

Caraka tried to snatch her arm away from the stranger, but he tightened his grip as he dragged her into a dark alleyway. "Get off of me!" 

"Look, sir. Seems like we got a good one here," the man cried. He twisted her arm against her back, making her shriek. She dug her feet into the ground, her claws leaving deep scratches into the stones. 

Strands of her silver and red hair fell across her eyes and she shook her head. "Let me go! Who are you?" 

Another man walked up, wearing a long trench coat and a large, wide hat, and knelt down next to her. "We are slave hunters, dragon. Where are your papers?" 

Caraka stopped struggling and looked up. "Slave hunters?" She kicked out her feet. "Please! Let me up. Let's talk about this like civilized people?"