Beyond The Shadows (Shadows Saga bk3) ON HOLD

Chapter 1- The Rebuilding

Remember, this is the third story in the Shadows Saga. If you haven't read Shadow's Edge or Between Shadows I would highly recommend you do. Thank you and I hope you enjoy!

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Mara and Natalie edged past the rusted, disintegrating gates, careful of the spear-like bars. They made their way down the deserted street. Passing the dilapidated houses and mounds of rubble, they stopped in the middle of what had once been an intersection. Mara took a seat on the dirt path, Natalie standing behind her. Straight ahead they could see the castle that had once held power over the land.  

The giant letters engraved in the stone for the whole kingdom to see, now weathered and barely distinguishable. The two words in Latin, a reminder for all the people who had once lived within the walls, fortitudo intrinsecus.

Strength from within.

Mara wanted to laugh at the irony; a motto for strength for the kingdom that fell. Yet she appreciated the words. She wished she had known them when she first learned of the world. It had been the strength within her and her friends that had helped them face down their fears and the dangers of the Magical Realm. It had helped them take down Zander. But they had taken their time to find it.

But this was her kingdom now, and she would not let it fall to past mistakes. The kingdom would find its strength from within. She would be that strength, and this time it would hold.  

Word had traveled far and wide of the battle between the High Council and the Nightshades. The witches who had stepped up, ready to fight for their world, to keep the Realm safe for their children had told their stories. They had spread word of the powerful Mara Crowland, a force to be reckoned with and the witch to save them all.

She had laughed at the stories she heard; she couldn’t believe the way they talked about her. Nonetheless word had spread not just amongst the witches, but all the races. There had been petitions to bring back the era of the witch, to rebuild the kingdom that hadn’t been even since before Urissa’s time. They wanted order again.

Mara hadn’t believed anything would come of these musings but it had been enough to warrant the attention of the High Council. They were excited about the talk. For generations they had wanted the witches to join again, to unite forces in the Realm once more.

Things didn’t need to become even more complicated, but the will of the Realm, as well as the High Council, had spoken. The witch kingdom would rebuild.

That left Mara sitting amongst broken homes and collapsed businesses, her aunt along for support. The Council had said a team would be placed to rebuild the kingdom, but Mara had declined the offer. If she were the chosen queen to her people, then she would rebuild the kingdom herself.

“Are you sure you want to do this? You don’t have to do it on your own.”

“Yes I do, Natalie. I have to prove that I deserve this, that I deserve to be their queen.”

“Mara, they already know.”

“Do they?” Mara asked remembering her tour of the schools. The room full of adults that had left, giving Mara little time to recruit any of them for the cause. To them she had been just a kid. She didn’t know anything about their world, and she definitely didn’t deserve the position on the High Council, let alone a position as their queen. She hoped to prove them wrong. She wanted to let them know that she was there and she wasn’t backing down.

Mara turned her attention to the bag still on her shoulder. She opened it up and rummaged inside, pulling out small pictures of buildings, small homes, and castles.