The Blood in Our Veins

Chapter Eight - The Shadow Warrior

- LORD MASON'S POV -

"We can't find her." the guard said simply. King Gallahein banged his fist down on the table and I flinched.

"You idiot! I can't waste her blood when I have a team of perfectly good assassins!" he shouted. In a huff, he dissmissed the man. He mumbled something about doing everything himself as he made his way to the north wall of his new study. Pulling out his drawer, he muttered a few words in a different language. A shallow basin with little water in it floated out. Out of his crimson robe he so liked to wear, he removed an object I hadn't seen in a long time. Since that terrible night in the basement.

He unstopped the crystal vial. Tilting it slightly over the basin, a single drop of blood fell in the water and dissolved. The still water rippled slightly, and an image of Sindri appeared. She seemed to be holding a bundle of some sort. Two small children sat at her feet playing with clay marbles. She smiled at the pair and absentmindedly played with a portion of her hair.

Her amber colored eyes sparkled in the last rays of the evening light. She looked down to her lap and her features softened. She lifted the bundle to her chest and cradled it there. A tiny hand reached up and grabbed the hair. Another soon followed. My eyes widened. King Gallahein laughed.

"Perfect!" he cried. "Our plan worked!" Turning to me, he grinned. His eyes twinkled evilly. "Congratulations, Mason. You seem to be a Father." 

- SINDRI'S POV -

 It had been a week since Dimitri had seen the necklace. Two days afterwards, I had given birth to a healthy baby girl. No matter who her Father was, I would always love her. Lani, as Grace and I had named her, reached up and tugged on a bit of my hair. I smiled down at her. She was so small. Then I frowned. Looking up, I scanned the world around me. The distint feeling of someone watching me. Seeing no one, I turned back to the infant. Her giggle rang out in the garden like the tinkling of mimiature bells. It made Tara and Bryn break into a fit of giggles also. They stood from their game and began playing with Lani.

The setting sun reflected off my snow-white hair, making it seem as if it glowed. I carefully stood and made my way into the house. I handed the child to Grace and walked slowly to the fire. Ladling myself a wooden bowl of porridge, I continued to ponder the idea of someone watching me. No one had found me. Not yet at least. Or did they? It was impossible to tell. I began to fear for Lani. For her future. For her life.

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"May! Can you head to the market please?" Grace called from outside. "I need some more aerobane! And not the cheap kind!" With that, I pulled the hood of my cloak over my head and walked out the door. I was still pretty shaken up about the feeling I had last night. I had left Lani in the more than capable hands of Dimitri. She would be safe there. Heading down the road, I made my way to the sguare.

The streets were lined with tents. The air was laid thick with the scent of meats and spices. The sound of shopkeepers announcing their wares assaulted my ears. I shoved my way through the crowd toward the back. There was a single modest stall in the east corner, behind the traders from the south. As I silently moved to the stall, people parted before me. For what reason, I never understood. All I knew was that ever since I easily defeated a local gangleader in comat, I had been known as the Shadow Warrior.

There were many rumors about me, some of which included tales of a great soldier, a hero. One that had ruturned to his homeland after a terrible battle, in which he was seriously injured. This was the townspeople's explanation for my slight limp. To my advantage, no stories included me being a female. Finally coming to the counter, I tapped on the wood to get the man's attention. At first he seemed genuinely bored. Then, noticing who his customer was, he perked up immediately.