SHADOW

The Doubt

Ternus had never been so frustrated in his life as he was today. Today was the day of so many firsts. The first time in a hundred years he became so angry that he tore out a tree—technically not a tree, but a few shrubs.

It was the first time in his entire life that he attacked a woman. He could not wash this shame off himself. And more shockingly, he was so enraged that he absolutely could not control his dragon.

It was the first time in a very long time—perhaps since adolescence, when hormones ruled his head and he did many things he later regretted—that he had become a passive observer while his dragon acted on its own. It had ripped out shrubs and attacked a woman, fully convinced that this small, strange, and strangely cute woman was a black dragon.

Well, if not for her facial features resembling the portrait in the library, and the strong dark energy coming from her, he would not have been so certain. She was definitely a black dragon.

Or was she?

Could she be ignorant of what she was? It was not possible... was it? Didn't dragons awaken early? She was very young indeed, in her twenties probably. Even so, she should already have experienced her beast side. Was she suppressing it? Was it sealed?

Was she a bait?

And yet... what was the golden light coming from her?

It was abnormal. Black dragons did not emit golden light. Only the Golden Light Dragons had power over golden runes.

Was she an abnormality—like him?

No. He was not an abnormality. Nobody should know about it. He should not even think about it.

Panic rose in his throat at the memory of his mother.

He had been so small when his second power first manifested. She had dragged him away in terror and hidden him in her chambers for days, trying to suppress it.

"Oh, my precious child... you must stop it. Stop it, do you hear me? You must not even think of this power, or they will come after you."

"The hordes—your own knights and guards, your own army—they will hunt you down. The fanatics of your father's religion will hunt you down and place your father's concubine's child on the throne. They are only waiting for a reason."

"But I am not hurting anyone, Mother," he whispered.

"You are not my little boy," she said, trembling. "This Empire is built on fanaticism and the cult of Light. Remember my words: never, ever show your dark side, my little angel. Let this be your secret. Shhh..."

She pressed a finger to his lips and smiled.

Later that year, she disappeared.

He was too young to understand what had happened, and to this day he did not know why the Empress had suddenly vanished. Was it the curse... or the hand of his father's concubine?

The concubine and her son fled to the Laran Empire when he ascended the throne, and since then they had constantly plotted against him.

Ternus exhaled slowly.

What was he going to do now?

This small girl—Sha—was she a blessing?

Or a danger to his entire life and empire?