In Ice and Blood E-Book

Wanja Westerback

• Herausgeber: Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Serie: A Severed Kingdom
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 598

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

Aquila's life belongs to her King. As his assassin she does her duty without question. When a threat to King Myles rises, she's sent out to quench it. As efficiently and ruthlessly as always. Betrayed, Aquila is left to suffer under a cruel curse. One that steals everything from her, leaving only agonizing guilt. Her failure to kill severed the world. Determined to set things right, Aquila sets off on a journey through a tangle of missing memories and a world that no longer works as she remembers. At least she's not alone, her savior stays by her side.

Leseprobe

To my family,

thank you for your endless support.

This book contains violence and attempted sexual assault and harassment. As well as homophobia.

Contents

Prologue

Part One

Chapter one

Chapter two

Chapter three

Chapter four

Chapter five

Chapter six

Chapter seven

Chapter eight

Chapter nine

Chapter ten

Chapter eleven

Chapter twelve

Chapter thirteen

Chapter fourteen

Chapter fifteen

Part Two

Chapter sixteen

Chapter seventeen

Chapter eighteen

Chapter nineteen

Chapter twenty

Chapter twenty-one

Chapter twenty-two

Chapter twenty-three

Chapter twenty-four

Chapter twenty-five

Chapter twenty-six

Chapter twenty-seven

Chapter twenty-eight

Chapter twenty-nine

Chapter thirty

Chapter thirty-one

Epilogue

Prologue

Aquila’s kingdom was at war, but not as she’d expected. Not the bloody war on one massive battlefield, fighting for territories with other kingdoms. But with itself, tearing in half and stranding people on either side. Aquila was the one expected to end the useless infighting. The plans were done, all that was left was to actually do it.

Aquila was in her room, trying to center herself. She needed to be at her best to succeed with the mission the King had ordered her on.

Aquila’s head snapped up as the door to her room clicked open. Her hand tightened on the hilt of her sword as the sharpening rock fell to the ground. It hit the soft, coral colored carpet with a thunk. The door creaked, Aquila was on her feet with the cool rush of a possible fight in her veins. And then, Seren was there. Aquila relaxed as Seren leaned against the doorframe. Aquila smiled and as it usually did, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of her.

“Hi,” Aquila said as she sheathed the sword. She closed the distance between them with long strides and kissed her softly. Seren barely reacted, she just looked at her with sad eyes. The deep purple irises had white flecks in them and the colors swirled like galaxies.

Aquila couldn’t blame her for shutting down though. The chances of her returning at all were very slim. She was one misstep away from certain death. The rebel King would not let her live if she was caught and if she returned unsuccessful, Aquila almost didn’t dare think about what her own King would do to her. She swallowed against the sudden lump forming in her throat.

“Hey,” Seren said finally, her voice small. Her delicate nose scrunched up, like it always did when she disliked something.

“Are you okay?” Aquila caught her face in her hands so she wouldn’t be able to look away. Her skin was pale against Aquila’s own light bronze colored skin.

“Why would I be? You’re leaving. Again.” She raked her hand through her dark brown hair. It hung loosely around her, reaching her waist.

The heavy rain pattered against the window, giving the whole room a dark melancholy feeling. Outside, the dark clouds rolled over the sky in soft peaks and curves. Inside, only the flickering fire in the hearth and the sconces gave them light, it bathed the white walls in a warm orange glow. Around them, shadows danced.

“You know I don’t have a choice. He’s a horrible monster and he threatens everything Aitheren stands for. He deserves to die.”

“Why do you get to choose who deserves to die and who doesn’t?” Seren narrowed her eyes.

“I don’t,” Aquila sounded confused to her own ears. “It is King Myles’ choice. I just happen to be his blade.”

“You still choose to do it when the time comes. Are the King’s orders really so important to you?” Aquila let her hands fall, taking a shocked step back. But why was she still so surprised by her behavior and blatant disrespect to their King? It wasn’t anything new.

Seren cocked her head and looked at her, with a hand on her waist. The purple silk robes she wore, the exact same as the rest of the castle’s mages wore, gleamed orange in places where the firelight touched it.

“Yes, because it is either them or me. King Myles will have my head if I disobey him,” Aquila said a little harshly. Seren just stared at her, her eyes flickering with something Aquila couldn’t place. Aquila took a breath and then another. Letting the air fill her lungs and the even movements calm her.

“Look Ser, I don’t want to fight about this, not now. I just want to spend these last moments with you. And I’d rather see you smile than question the King’s authority. You’re already toeing the line of treason.”

“Okay,” Seren nodded before embracing her. Aquila inhaled her scent. Burning wood and the forest after it rains. The essence of her magic.

“I hate leaving you,” Aquila murmured in her ear.

“I know,” was all Seren said in return.

The gates closest to the castle opened with a loud click that echoed in the open space. Aquila turned from her horse to see her friends walking through.

“You made it!” Aquila exclaimed, a grin spread on her lips.

“I said we would, didn’t I?” Avani’s hazel eyes sparkled in the rays of the sun as it peaked through the clouds.

“Of course,” Aquila said and pulled her into a hug.

“You better hurry back.”

“Trust me I will be back in time for all that wedding planning.” She turned to hug Zemira. She both heard, and felt, Seren enter the courtyard. Her magic crackled gently against Aquila’s own. She pulled back and caught Seren by the hands. “And then we’ll dance all night.” Aquila swung Seren around the courtyard. To her surprise, Seren actually laughed. A light, beautiful sound that made it all worth it.

“I’ll hold you to that.”

“Of course.” Aquila kissed her cheek gently. “Gods, I’ll miss you all.”

“We’ll miss you too. Now go, save us all.”

“I will.”

Before she knew it, Aquila was astride her brown mare riding away from the first castle gate. They sparkled in silver as the sun reflected off them. The grey cover of clouds were slowly splitting apart. Everything became brighter by the second as more sun was let through. Soft beams of sunlight fell over Silverfalls.

Aquila waved stiffly to her friends and girlfriend she had to leave behind again. She smiled sadly as the gates silently slid shut behind her.

How had she become so lucky, going from having no one to three people eagerly waiting for her return?

She passed the second gate and was out on to the crowded red cobbled streets of Silverfalls with its beige houses and grey rooftops. She turned down a new street and headed for Dragon keep, hidden inside a mountain on the other end of the city.

Close to four days later the dragon set down outside the city of Kilwind, the rebel strong hold. They had flown at an almost excruciatingly hard pace, but neither dragon, nor rider complained. Aquila hadn’t either. She was ready to end this war. She needed to end this war, this needless waste. She could only hope killing him would actually help.

She patted the dragon’s long snout, the black glistening scales were warm under her ungloved hand. He closed his electric blue eyes and a rumble sounded from deep within him.

“You did good,” she whispered. Aquila couldn’t help but smile as he huffed a warm wind over her, shielding her from the frigid winter air, if only for a moment. With a nod of thanks to the rider he took off and Aquila gloved her hands. The black leather wrapping tightly around them, like a second skin.

The wind of the beating wings hit into her, she steadied herself as she watched after them, until they disappeared behind dark grey clouds. The magic shielding them from view left her, like a cloth being dragged off her body and she couldn’t stop the shivers that snaked their way down her back. She shot a quick glance around her, checking to see if anyone would notice her pop into existence, but the fields surrounding the city was empty. No one was out strolling in the dark.

It had been a while since she had been this far north, and she had forgotten how cold it got. Her breath clouded in front of her, and she took a moment to look around, to really take in her surroundings. The trees didn’t rise far over ground and they were bare of leaves. The night sky was so dark it felt like it was pressing down on her. Aquila had never seen anything like it before. Was this how it always looked? Maybe it was her eyes. They were so incredibly dry, from the whipping wind that accompanied travel on dragon back, it stung every time she blinked. She had a hard time to focusing her sight as well. She blinked rapidly, hoping it would help. The stinging eased and her vision cleared, but to her dismay the darkness remained.

She picked her rucksack up and headed for the entrance she’d scouted on maps beforehand. From what she’d heard it was mostly unguarded and would be the easiest way to sneak in undetected.

The rider would pick her up in a week in a neighboring town two days travel from Kilwind. She had five days to finish this mission. Failure wasn’t an option.

A cold breeze caused her hood to slip off. She shivered and pulled it back up, covering her face as best she could, just a traveler shielding her face from the cold. The mask would come later when she made her way inside the rebel stronghold.

She would have shifted if it wasn’t for her bag, the black fur would have kept her warmer than the sleek black leather armor did. Her suit was made of a material containing magic, and would remain on her even in the shift, the bag wouldn’t. She hadn’t had the time to get one made. Her armor, newly made, was designed for easy movement, comfort and to keep her safe. Warmth hadn’t been in the forefront of her mind when she’d had it made, which it should have been. She would have to get it fixed when she got back. Besides, sneaking around a hostile town in wolf form probably wasn’t the best idea.

She took a breath and slipped unseen into the city, following the deep black streets she blended easily in with the crowds.

After a couple of days walking around the city, getting to know it and its people, Aquila was ready to take on her mission. She snuck through the dark alleyways. Her mask, in the shape of a wolf’s head, and hood in place. Her black hair was secured tightly on her head so it wouldn’t get in the way.

A faint sour smell wafted through the city and Aquila scrunched her nose. Her sharp sense of smell enhanced it, and she could taste it in her mouth. It draped her tongue in an instant, tasting of curdled milk. She immediately regretted not bringing her water skin with her, but it would have been extra weight. The sloshing sound it made as she walked would likely have exposed her cover. She tried to swallow the taste in her mouth anyway with no luck.

She had made it to the castle wall, the rebel leader Kael had stormed one of King Myles’ castles early on in the war and had driven his rebellion from there since then.

She climbed the grey stonewall with ease, the uneven stones making for good hand and foot holds and slipped down into the barely lit courtyard. The faint glow of the three moons shining behind the grey clouds, and the torches lining the walls was all the light she had to see by. The clouds almost reminded her of stirring white paint in dark water as the light, and the pressing darkness filtered through.

She kept to the shadows, slipping between them as if she was a part of them. The vast courtyard had few good hiding places, and she would have to be mindful of which once she chose. The square shape of it meant guards would be walking at all sides. And the pillars that held up the small roof, that extended into the courtyard, where few and far between.

Above her, the metal spires gleamed ominously in the moonlight. Somewhere up in those towers was her victim, the most important kill of her life.

Footsteps, Aquila perked her ears. No one should be walking past here yet. She had spent the last few days learning their watch schedules and this wasn’t as she had expected it to be. At least it was only one pair for now, good.

It was of course possible they had changed the watch schedule. She hadn’t been given enough time to figure out if they had a rotating schedule or moved the guards at random.

She kept moving, and then more feet. 12, she counted. She let her eyes fall shut for a second, air filled her lungs. Cold shot through her, she would have to fight her way out of this. She found the sword at her belt, and she had a throwing knife in her right hand. Aquila peered around the corner of a wide wooden beam and her eyes fell immediately on a young boy, he couldn’t have been older than she was. A crest of a crown resting on top of two swords glowed like molten gold against his black armor in the torchlight. They knew she was here, dread coiled in her gut as she took in how methodically they searched.

His eyes fell on her then, and he started forward. For some reason not alerting the rest. His golden red hair shone in the torchlight and a taunting grin spread on his lips. He probably wanted the glory for himself. Aquila shook her head, and the knife flew from her hand. He crumpled. She cringed at the sound he made as he fell, praying no one else had heard.

She swallowed, this wasn’t the plan. She silently cursed King Myles’ choice of having her sneak in, instead of infiltrating the rebellion. Like she had preferred, but the King always got what he wanted. She sighed, she should have been a servant of some sort, working herself upwards in Kael’s household. Slowly building up his trust before she struck. That way she could get close to him, but there hadn’t been time. King Myles hadn’t given her the time.

She was already moving again, her feet touching the ground soundlessly. She came up behind the next rebel, an older man. Her hidden blade shot out and imbedded in his side, right by his heart. The new blade slipped back into the hidden compartment on her arm as she carefully laid him down, so he wouldn’t make a sound and alert the others. She shifted and her eyes flashed golden and emerald against her black fur. Another soldier saw her, and came rushing forward his blade out, and a war cry echoed in the courtyard. She let a growl slip out, the sharp wolves teeth glinting in the fire before shifting back. She surprised the rebel by blocking his blow, and her hidden blade slipped out again. Easily splitting his thin armor. They, for some reason, didn’t have access to better material even after being in control of Kilwind, and almost half the country for so long. Or perhaps it was her blades, the King could have had anything done to them. She hadn’t asked, just gratefully accepted his gift.

An arrow streaked past her. Stupid, so stupid. The rebel had one chance to take her out before she noticed him, and he failed. She ducked behind a pillar, letting a knife fly at the same time. She didn’t stop to see if the knife had found its mark. She knew it had.

A familiar crackle brushed against her, and purple light flashed at the other end of the courtyard. Aquila was moving before she had time to think, exposing herself. She saw her then, and her stomach dropped to her feet like a sinking stone. Seren wasn’t hiding, she was walking next to the remaining rebels. Her posture straight and comfortable, an easy going smile on her lips. Their shadows stretched long over the trampled earth.

“What are you doing here?” The question ripped from her throat, her heart already shattering.

“I just came to see you,” Seren purred as she prowled forward. Aquila flung another knife, it struck true and the soldier on Seren’s left fell. Water pooled at her fingertips. She started forward but Seren only lifted her hand lazily, stopping her dead in her tracks. Aquila didn’t fight it, the strength Seren possessed was no match for her. Aquila’s own magic was rendered completely useless by this one spell Seren had spent years perfecting. Aquila had never asked why. Had never dared ask her why she had need of something like this. The smallest struggle would hurt with such intensity you would think you were dying, so Aquila stayed still.

“Please Ser, just tell me. You know I don’t like these games.” She hated the begging in her voice, the way it trembled, but she couldn’t hide it. They were face to face now, and she stared desperately into the eyes of the girl she loved. She wasn’t there, not really.

“I was in desperate need to make a deal,” she paused, and grabbed hold of Aquila’s chin, underneath the mask. Her fingers were soft and warm against Aquila’s cold skin. She wouldn’t have pulled away even if she could. “So I did.”

“What deal?”

Footsteps sounded behind her, crunching against the earth. Seren didn’t answer her.

“As promised, my King,” Seren said instead with a bow, and a vicious smirk. Aquila’s stomach plunged to her feet. Dread coiled deep in her belly, and her throat burned with a violent intensity. Unshed tears prickled the backs of her eyes.

“Good job,” his deep voice rippled in the air. “Hand me the mask and bracers, and she is yours to do with as you please. As long as it doesn’t set her free.”

Aquila could taste the slimy tentacles of his magic in the air, the foulness of it.

Seren nodded and ripped the mask off Aquila’s face and the bracers from her wrists not caring if it hurt. Seren must have told him about the hidden blades. She and King Myles were the only people who knew about them, how well they blended into the suit on her forearms. If you didn’t know they were there, you couldn’t tell.

Aquila tried to swallow, but her mouth had gone dry. As if it was filled with sand. Her breathing grew heavy with panic.

“Seren, he is the enemy. This isn’t right,” she pleaded, not looking away from her, even as she felt Seren’s hold on her slacken a little. Not looking at Kael though she could feel his presence fading as he walked away. She let her chance slip away, it was too small anyway.

“I don’t care. He was the only one who could promise me you. Forever,” she said coldly and Aquila’s whole body went numb. Seren blinked, once. Twice. Her movements slow, calculating. What the hell was she thinking? Because it was clear she was, even through the veil that shrouded her eyes. Her gut clenched, and she knew before she asked that Seren’s choice would not be in Aquila’s favor.

“What are you going to do with me?” Tears were threatening to fall down her face and she bit the inside of her cheek. The only move she could make and the only release she could get.

Something cracked violently in Seren’s magic, and she brushed her thumb over Aquila’s lips. Her scent of wood smoke and damp forest reached her nose, and Aquila almost recoiled at the newfound wildness in it.

“Curse you, I think. If I can’t have you, no one can.” She shrugged, and her eyes sparkled wickedly. Her mouth curled into a vicious smirk.

“But you have me, and I love you,” Aquila pleaded hoping it could save them both. Seren just stared at her.

“I know, but you won’t. Not forever, and that is what I want.” Aquila didn’t have time to say anything else. Or Seren didn’t let her. She leaned in and kissed her, hard enough to bruise. Her lips were rough against Aquila’s own. She leaned back and purple light crackled like lighting at Seren’s fingertips. Flames danced in her eyes.

“Until the day somebody feels your magic, and reaches out to you, you will be frozen. A living statue of stone and pain. Always aware of what you have lost. If they reach out to you before your memories fade, you will awaken and so will they.” Her laughter rang in Aquila’s head as her senses slowly slipped into nothing. Her gaze grew foggy, and she refused to break Seren’s stare. Her purple eyes sparkled like the stars above. The white flecks in them catching the light. Aquila didn’t want to give her the satisfaction of seeing how much it hurt. It was too late anyway. Seren had made up her mind and the curse was well on the way.

Aquila’s heart shattered as it slowed, and then stopped. Her soul shredded into something that felt unrepairable. If it weren’t for the dulling senses, she was sure she would have been dying. The stabbing pain too much to bare.

Aquila imagined what it would feel like to scream. She could almost feel it rip out of her throat. She stayed unmoving, silent. Only a lone tear fell down Aquila’s cheek, the cold lingered until she could no longer feel her body.

Part One

Kalthirin

Chapter one

Aquila hadn’t had any sensation in her body since that day and no clue for how long she’d been frozen. She could barely remember the words of things and feelings, but what it had once felt like was gone completely. Only emptiness, loss and agony remained and the few memories she desperately clung to. The taste of Seren’s lips on her own was one of them. One she wished she could forget.

There was this nagging awareness in her as well, she’d messed up, and lost everything for it. She couldn’t even remember if all of this was worth it. She doubted it had been.

Aquila let her mind wander as much as she could. Mostly her daydreams went to that special person mentioned in her curse. That memory was the only thing Aquila remembered from start to finish. The rest were mostly just fragments. Someone’s smile here and there, waves crashing over a golden beach and Seren of course. She was always on her mind. Though they were fading as well. The curse, Seren’s words and the way she’d looked stayed untouched. If only, Aquila stopped mid thought. A weight had laid itself on her hand, and she got the immediate urge to pull it back, but that part of her soul refused to move. Something churned violently inside her. Was someone holding her hand? She relaxed slightly. After so long without human contact all she wanted was to hold on to whoever. Or whatever. Aquila desperately tried to move her fingers around the hand, but nothing happened.

The hand slipped out of hers, and a cool wind brushed against it. A flutter spread through her, and with a jolt she could place what she was feeling. Fear and excitement. The curse was about to be broken, and she was waking up in a changed world she didn’t know anything about.

The feeling spread slowly up her arm, and through her body, though it was still dulled by the stone casing around her. The sun warmed her skin and memories of training in the heat of mid-summer returned to her. Pearls of sweat dripping down her body. She cherished the memory of burning muscles as she pressed herself to the limit.

As a gentle rain splashed against her body a dull ache spread in her chest. She remembered a walk with her lover, their fingers tangling together as the rain poured down, drenching them. Aquila had been cold then, but it hadn’t mattered because she had been with her. The memories of her had always been clearer than the rest. As always, when Aquila turned to look at her, she was thrown out of her memory. Her eyes had been kind then, she knew they had been, but now they were replaced by an empty, soulless stare. The way Seren had looked at her that last time had erased all others.

During a very cold day somebody grabbed her hand again, and Aquila would have sighed with relief if she could. She had no idea how long it had been since that first time, but she’d missed it. Every waking moment she’d missed the feel of a stranger’s hand against her own.

She wasn’t alone, at least not for the moment. The person pressed themselves against her and their hot breath touched her ear and cheek as they whispered something to her. She imagined the faint wind rustling in her hair. Aquila couldn’t hear anything until they said her name.

“Aquila,” their voice was husky and hushed in a whisper. A woman’s voice. It was so simple, yet it was the most beautiful sound. Low, and a little raspy in a way that scratched an itch Aquila hadn’t known about. Though it was a little strange, the feel of sound in her ears and it was slightly muffled in her true form which was still under a layer of stone.

Slowly the other girl’s hand slid from Aquila's again. She hesitated for a moment before it slipped away completely. Leaving Aquila’s body exposed to the cold air and rain. It was lucky she still didn’t freeze in the way she remembered, or she would be frozen to death before she was free. That day couldn’t come soon enough, even if she had no idea where she would go after. Or what awaited her at all. It was likely the world was in complete and utter ruin.

Aquila’s soul moved restlessly inside her prison. Frustration made its way through her form, but it was closely followed by the lightness of happiness, the two feelings intermingling with each other. She wanted to know the rest of what the girl had told her, but for now she was happy with how her name had sounded on the strangers lips. Like she cared about her even if they had never met.

Days went on and Aquila listened to the birds singing and children laughing, every sound sending flickers of memories through her. Street musicians played songs she’d never heard, there was something unsettling in them. Aquila couldn’t place it, but it felt wrong. Like the notes where just off key enough to be noticed.

She listened to stories of old times being told from grandparents to their grandchildren. During the days it seemed peaceful, but the screams and howls in the night told a different story. It would haunt her forever, just staying still, listening, and not being able to help. A sense of hopelessness had stirred in her, it was taking too long. She wanted out of this prison. Every time she tried to move that feeling made itself known again. That stupid hopelessness reminding her that moving shouldn’t be this hard, like it was her fault she still wasn’t able to move. Hell, her sight hadn’t even returned yet. Anger surged and quickly took its place.

One day she heard the shuffling feet of people assembling, children laughing and crying, people gossiping about their neighbors and who had done the most dreadful thing. Then an older man cleared his throat loudly and started telling a story to the group that had gathered in front of him. And in front of her. A cautionary tale and a reminder to honor their King.

“There once was a girl who worked for King Myles. She was an assassin, a killer for hire.” His voice trembled with age and anger. “She was only 21 yet the best in generations. The girl was sent to kill our beloved King but failed. King Kael was only a rebel leader then, fighting for a better future for our kingdom. He wanted the throne he deserved and went to war with King Myles. For 10 years they fought before King Myles tried the coward’s way to dispose of his enemy. But with the disappearance of the Dark Wolf, King Myles was willing to come up with a more peaceful solution.” Aquila would have flinched at her alias if it had been possible for her to move, the name exploded in her mind, and a rush of memories followed. She tried to ignore them for now. She needed to hear the rest of his tale. “They split the Kingdom in two with a border that is almost impossible to pass. As you know the honored King Kael still rules the North, but King Myles and his Queen died shortly after, leaving his daughter on the throne. She now leads with another woman at her side,” he spat. Aquila had to imagine herself reaching out and snapping his neck in an attempt to control the raging in her body, though remembering why his words angered her so was impossible. It didn’t matter how hard she tried.

“King Kael rose this statue as a reminder of what happens if you oppose him and the failure of the Dark Wolf. The wretched creatures and magic wielders get what they deserve because of her.” He barely breathed as he spoke, and Aquila could almost feel his anger radiating of him as he finished his story. Gasps sounded from the audience and then applause.

Aquila felt sick, because of the reactions of these people. Sick because she had failed. Shame shot like lightning through her, and her stomach roiled, or she guessed it was her stomach. It was difficult sometimes to know what part of her was where.

She needed to fix her mistake. Her soul thrashed against the stone casing, but it didn’t budge. It was all her fault, she had failed.

“Failure is not a word for you, you do not fail,” a harsh and cold female voice echoed in her mind. Aquila shrunk in on herself, the anger ebbing away as fast as it had come. That loathsome hopelessness took over again. She had done the one thing she couldn’t do.

One morning she woke up to a weird light at the horizon, her mind still reeling from the story a few days before. It was a sign of her sight returning, but she didn’t think anything of it, because she was so focused on how to fix things. She didn’t know how to repair her mistake. She didn’t know how long she’d been frozen in this damned statue, and she didn’t know the world she would be returning to.

As the day went on her sight grew clearer, and she started to see her surroundings. Only the dark outlines of shapes and some colors through the blur at first but as days went by her sight became clearer and at last she could see everything happening in front of her. Her eyes were still frozen in place. Unmovable no matter how hard she tried to see what was happening beside her.

She was standing in the middle of a park, benches stood haphazardly all through out the area and the trees, despite it still being summer, were dying. The branches twisted and turned in every direction imaginable. The wood had darkened to a brown that was oddly close to black, like they had been burned sometime ago. The grass was yellowing, and the walkways were made of cobblestone so ominously black it looked like you would fall through the ground if you took one wrong step. The sky always burned orange. Even the darkest storms were tinted in flaming orange’s and red’s. This looked nothing like the world she remembered though she had to be honest with herself, she didn’t remember much at all.

On a starry night when she couldn’t sleep Aquila tried to move her fingers again, like she had done every day since that first touch. When they actually did her soul pulled back into her stone prison in surprise. She slowly stretched herself back out fully filling the stone casing and her fingers bent again. Slowly, her joints stiff and aching. She scanned the park carefully, checking for any late-night walkers. It was empty as usual. Except, she had to strain her eyes to see through the thick darkness, for a cloaked figure walking towards her. The way she moved was far too graceful to be human, there was a lightness to her step and it was almost as if she was hovering over the ground. She seemed to be completely aware of her surroundings, her head was in constant motion. She felt familiar to Aquila, as if she already knew her somehow.

The woman came to a stop right in front of her.

“Hello Aquila,” she said. There was amusement in her voice and even without seeing her face, Aquila was sure she was smiling. Her face was hidden behind a black hood with slithering ornate patterns in an even darker black.

Aquila would have known that voice anywhere. This was the person who had broken the curse. There was a weird thump and movement in her chest, and it took her a minute to realize that her heart was beating again. She tried to pull back, but her soul was stuck in the full figure of her body. She didn’t mind. It was time. It almost felt like her breath hitched in her throat.

The girl standing before her took her hood off, and Aquila's heart beat faster and harder in her chest. Like a banging drum. She was so lovely, Aquila was transfixed on her face for a long moment. Her hair was so light blonde it might as well have been white, and through it peaked pointed ears. Her lips were softly pink and slightly parted, as if she wasn’t entirely sure what to do.

“I can hear your heart beating,” she said and grabbed Aquila's hand and the other touched her chest. Her voice was like the beautiful music of string instruments over that incessantly beating drum. Aquila inhaled then, shocking them both and the girl started to pull away from her.

Aquila almost gagged at the sudden sour reek that filled her nose, but she collected herself quickly. She didn’t want her to let go, so she carefully tried to bend her fingers around the stranger’s hand, sending a silent prayer to any God or Goddess that might be listening that it would work.

The woman stopped moving when Aquila’s finger’s twitched slightly. Her lips parted with a soft sigh of disbelief.

When she finally managed to bend her fingers around her hand, her heart skipped a beat. Slowly Aquila started to raise her other hand towards her. Her arm was stiff, and pain shot through her with every tiny movement. It took time, but eventually she managed to turn the woman’s face towards her, and push her ice-blonde hair out of her face. She looked up at Aquila, her blue eyes lit by the fire from the streetlights. They were so impossibly blue, even in the small amount of light they had. How had she trapped the sky in her irises?

She pressed her face against Aquila's hand. Aquila cocked her head as she took her in, her small mouth and lips on the thinner side. Her chiseled cheek bones and slightly rounded eyes. She looked to be around Aquila’s age, though Aquila really wasn’t sure how old she was anymore. Or if all years lost counted. She blinked up at Aquila, and Aquila’s breath caught in her throat.

“I wasn’t sure I helped you,” she said. Her voice trembled slightly.

The woman walked around the area keeping watch, she hadn’t said it was what she was doing, but Aquila recognized it by the way she moved. Her head was on a swivel as she stared into the darkness. At the slightest sound she whirled in its direction, her hands already moving towards the blades she carried on her back. Aquila felt so ridiculously hopeless as she was unable to help at the moment. She stretched her limbs, trying to get her blood flowing again.

When Aquila’s whole body finally worked with her, instead of against her, she stepped out of the statue. Her skin returned to its naturally tanned color, if slightly paler. Her long fingers were thin and bony, other than that they looked pretty similar to how they had looked right before her curse. No wrinkles, just a little skinnier. How much time had gone by?

She stared blankly at her scarred hands and wrists, before realizing what she was missing, her hidden blades. They had been a gift from King Myles and shame burned in her at the loss of them. The memory crammed into her mind, like a puzzle piece that didn’t quite fit there but someone decided to force it in place anyway. Panicked she checked her belt and when she found the sword she was looking for she exhaled though she did not know why the sword mattered.

She blinked, her eyelids falling shut of their own volition. She’d been staring since she got out of the statue and her eyes stung from being kept open so long. Her mouth somewhat left ajar in confusion.

Aquila took a deep breath, the cool air chilled her body from the inside. The rush of air in her lungs almost made her dizzy, and the sour smell didn’t help. She steadied her step as she started towards the woman, who stood with her back against Aquila, and laid a hand on her shoulder. She turned around raising her arm towards the blades at her back but stopped dead when Aquila came into her line of sight. One of her hands had already wrapped around one of the elven blades. Gods she was quick, Aquila took a step back and raised her hands to show her she wasn’t a threat. Still keeping one hand in range of her sword. They stared at each other for an excruciatingly long moment. Aquila feared it would never end. Then she spoke, and Aquila let her breath go.

“Aquila?” she asked looking back at the pedestal where the statue still stood, slightly warped where she had exited. The girl was slightly taller now when Aquila didn’t have the pedestal under her feet.

She reached her hand out to touch Aquila, but quickly drew it back as a howl sounded through the night. She tensed and peered into the darkness. Fear and a calculating fierceness etched on her fine features. Her breath quickened just enough to let Aquila know that something was very wrong.

“Come on we need to go. Pull your hood up and keep your eyes down. I’m Skyler by the way,” she said in a hurry, almost stumbling over the words.

She fixed her hood in place and Aquila caught her hiding the slightly pointed ears by messing up her short hair. Aquila nodded, and did as she said. Skyler grabbed her hand to drag her in the right direction. Heat spread between them, like fire licking Aquila’s veins in a weirdly comfortable way. There wasn’t time to think about that.

They walked down the streets of the city, avoiding the streetlights. The darkness was so thick Aquila would have sworn on her life that it reached out for her and caressed her skin as she walked through it. The stifling late summer night heat wasn’t helping the effect either. Humid air drifted around them lazily. It had been an unusually warm day for the North, even at the end of summer, because that was one of the few things Aquila knew. She was in the northern part Aitheren, though she doubted it went under that name anymore.

Seren would likely have kept her close to her and if she still worked for Kael, Aquila doubted she had left Kilwind at all.

Skyler was walking fast, and after standing still for all those years Aquila's body had a hard time keeping up. Skyler had let go of her hand and Aquila was falling behind. Still, she followed because there was no better option. She had nowhere to go except to where Skyler was leading her.

“Skyler, we need to slow down,” she said between breaths, her tongue heavy in her mouth and her voice rough from disuse. The first words she’d said in she didn’t even know how long.

Skyler turned around, an alarmed look in her eyes.

“You need to be quiet,” she hissed, but she slowed her step. Aquila, taken aback by her intensity, stumbled on some loose rocks. Skyler was quick to put her arm around her to keep her from falling. She steadied her and they kept walking in silence.

Suddenly Skyler dragged Aquila around a corner and pushed her up against the white wall.

“What are y…” She didn’t have time to finish the question before Skyler’s hand was over her mouth, her face was very close to her own. Aquila felt her breath stir the loose hairs on Aquila’s head, tickling her forehead. Skyler’s whole body pressed tightly against her. Aquila swallowed, as she tried to ignore how she close she was. Nerves shot through her body like lightning. How could she make her feel this way?

Aquila’s hand found deep groves in the otherwise smooth wall, claw marks, her stomach dropped. Then she heard the growling. How had she missed it before? The low guttural sound filled the air, and the ground shook under her feet. Disgust slithered its way down her back. What could even make a noise like that? It certainly wasn’t human, but it wasn’t animal either. There was something off in the sound of it.

Skyler had one of her swords out in an instant, and ready to fight if she needed to. The movement sent a waft of sweet, flowery citrus soap of off her, a welcome break from the stench that, at least so far, surrounded the entire city. Even in a place that smelled so thickly of something rotten, it didn’t cling to the woman in front of her. It was almost as if the city wasn’t able to touch her with its slimy tentacles. Somehow, she was free of it’s reek.

Skyler was skilled, it was clear in the confidence in which she held herself, and her blade, but there was something worrying in the look etched on her face. Aquila tried to get her hand on the sword that hung by her side. She almost growled out of frustration, Skyler’s hand was still over her mouth, her body still pressed her against the wall, making it close to impossible to get it. Did she not trust her to keep quiet on her own?

The sword was the only weapon she had left, aside from a couple of throwing knives. She wriggled under the pressure Skyler put on her body and she finally managed to get the sword out of its sheath. The sword was familiar in her hand despite the weakness in her arm. Memories returned in flashes as soon as her hand wrapped comfortably around the hilt. Training with it, and the searing agony of being struck by her own blade as it was used against her. She blinked against the memories, waking herself up. The sword was heavier in her hand now than it had been in her mind. She shuddered, but Skyler didn’t notice, or pretended not to at least. She just eased the pressure on her slightly and took her hand off her mouth. Aquila missed the closeness the second it ended. She cursed silently. What was going on with her? Just seconds ago it had frustrated her to no end.

“We might have to fight our way out of this, but we should try to avoid that. We need to get up on the roof,” Skyler said.

The growling was more distant again, only echoing hauntingly between the buildings. Skyler let go of Aquila completely and pointed to a small balcony. The railing was made of a splintering, dark wood and looked almost as if it would fall apart. Perhaps with the next breeze. Skyler’s next words made Aquila’s stomach churn.

“If we can get on the balcony we can go from there to the roof. I’ll help you up first, and then you can help me from there, okay?” She was talking in a low whisper. Her words were hurried and there was a slight accent in the way she spoke, but it was still understandable. Her words were more drawn out, and slower, as if there was intention put in behind every word. Her r’s hard and rolling, were Aquila’s own were softer. She really needed to ask how much time had passed, but her mouth refused to move. Besides now was probably not the best time and she wasn’t sure she would be able to handle the answer without breaking down. So Aquila nodded instead and walked towards the balcony. Skyler followed her, got down on one knee and put her hands forward, her fingers intertwined.

Aquila stepped on her hands and Skyler pushed her up. She grabbed the balcony floor and tried to pull herself up. Shame spread through Aquila's body and her cheeks burned. She had been doing this sort of thing since she was a child, but her body didn’t have the strength it had once had. After a lot of struggle, she managed to get over the railing. It creaked violently, but it held. Without even splintering her fingers.

She collapsed against the wall, her breath ragged. She was silently praying she hadn’t woken up the residents. In this city, it probably wouldn’t end well. Skyler jumped up and grabbed the balcony and pulled herself up with little struggle. Aquila put her face in her hands, hiding the embarrassment and anger she knew would be visible on her face. Even to a stranger. She was too exhausted to hide it, to press it down to nothing like she was used to.

Skyler pulled her to her feet without a word. Aquila didn’t meet her gaze, but her eyes was on her. She felt them, tracing fire on her skin everywhere they traveled.

“We need to get to the roof, can you get up there?” There was worry in her voice. Aquila blinked in surprise, though the worry didn’t have to be for her at all. Skyler was probably just protecting herself.

The growling was getting closer again and as cold flooded her, some of her strength returned. She stepped up on the balcony railing and jumped up to grab the edge of the roof. She pulled herself up with a little help from Skyler, who pushed at her feet. Skyler joined her soon after.

“Why did we need to get up on the roof?” Aquila asked between ragged breaths, her lungs burning. The city sprawled out before her, slightly shrouded by the black spots that swam before her vision. It stretched downhill, then it was swallowed by night. The red roofs only visible where patches of light cleaved the darkness. Probably by the same light posts Aquila had seen in the park, the tall, black rods with a diamond shaped glass casing around the flames.

“The ashlings aren’t climbers unless they absolutely have to. My theory is that they, for some reason, are too heavy. I’ve never heard of one flying either. So if we stay quiet and move slowly towards the Deep-tide Lair, they might leave us alone.” She was still whispering, her eyes nervously scanning everything around them. Her lips were pressed in a thin line.

“Ashlings?” Aquila asked. Skyler took a shuddering breath and Aquila almost reached out for her but stopped herself. She didn’t know this girl at all.

“No one really knows what they are, but they are believed to be some kind of demon bred to find anyone who isn’t human or has magic.”

“Okay,” Aquila’s body shuddered. Her magic sending some flicker in answer to her worry. “Have you ever seen one?”

“Just a reflection, it looked absolutely horrifying,” she said. “It is said that no one has killed one, ever.”

The girls were quiet for a while after that. Aquila's body ached and she just wanted to sleep. She was leaning heavily against a chimney, trying to process all the new information swirling in her mind.

The growling was growing more distant as time went on, but Skyler was still nervously walking around the roof checking the streets below.

“Come on, we need to keep going,” she said walking towards Aquila.

Aquila tried to get up, but her legs folded under her. She tried a couple of more times, growing more frustrated when she wasn’t able to rise to her feet.

“Let me help you,” Skyler offered. Her smile was nothing but kind, but it still annoyed her.

“No! I can do it on my own,” Aquila said with a low growl. Fangs snapping out. The metallic tang of blood exploded over her tongue.

Skyler put her hands up and took a step back, placing her feet perfectly on the red slated roof.

“Sorry, but what’s up with the fangs? Those were not there a second ago,” a small, amused smile played on her lips again. Aquila could see slightly pointed canines and a crooked front tooth under the shadow of her hood. Something fluttered deep down in Aquila’s belly. Skyler didn’t sound afraid, just curious.

Aquila's anger faded away almost as fast as it had arrived. She lifted her hand to her face and touched one of the teeth. With a sigh of relief, she let her hand fall back down.

“I thought she took this away from me,” she said with a laugh full of disbelief.

“Took what away from you and who?” The curiosity in her voice mixed with anger.

“My ex-girlfriend,” Aquila said. Skye's eyebrows shot up slightly, but her face was neutral when Aquila continued. “She’s the one who cursed me, she never liked my shapeshifting ability even if it was limited to one animal. A big black wolf.” She paused, trying to composed herself. She licked her teeth before she continued, “I guess I thought that she would remove that power from me, but she probably didn’t expect the curse to be broken anyway.”

Aquila put her head in her hands again and when she looked back up her eyes were wet with tears.

“Are you sad or happy?” Skyler asked concern covered face. Her blue eyes shining even in the dimness, as if they were lit from within

“I’m not sure,” she said with a sad smile. “I didn’t remember what I just told you until I said it out loud.” Her voice shook slightly.

The growling was closer again and Skyler tensed. Claws scraped against the ground, the sound sending chills shooting through her body. It was a high pitched shriek or wail, mixing with stones being pulverized. Aquila swallowed. The marks claws like that would make against stone, Aquila shuddered as she remembered the way the gashes in the wall had been jagged and sharp against her palms.

“They can sense magic somehow, so they definitely felt whatever you just did. We need to go, now. Can I help you up?” Skyler asked. She tried and failed to hide the urgency in her voice. Aquila had no choice but to swallow her pride, or they would both die.

“Sure, I guess I could use the help,” Aquila said a little bitterly and reached her hand out.

Skyler clasped it, pulled her to her feet and put Aquila's arm around her shoulder. They walked along the roofs together, jumping the short distances between them. They didn’t talk much for a while. It was a relatively comfortable silence, but Aquila sensed Skyler had questions. She seemed to be waiting for the right moment though, or maybe just giving her some space. It was nice, having a stranger care for her like that. Not pressuring her for answers she didn’t have.

It was a tough walk for Aquila, but she didn’t want to show any weakness in front of what was basically a stranger, so she gritted her teeth, and worked her body to the last. Her lungs burned and her muscles ached, and when they finally arrived at the Deep-tide Lair the sun was beginning to rise on the horizon. The sky was bleeding red and orange into the night, the rays perforating the darkness in what could only be described as spears of light.

Luckily there was a ladder at the end of the last roof, so they didn’t have to jump, or climb down a bare wall. Aquila thanked the Gods silently for that.

“What is this place?” Aquila asked slightly panicked she had followed a stranger somewhere without knowing where they were going. The energy to ask hadn’t existed until just now, standing in front of the house. With the same white walls and red rooftops as the rest. The door in the same gleaming dark wood the balcony had been.

“It’s a safe space, a rebellion. You’ll be safe here.”

Aquila had no choice but to trust her, she wouldn’t stand a chance in a fight when her legs threatened to buckle under her while she stood still. Even if she managed to escape, she would have nowhere to go. This, whatever it was, was probably her best chance of survival. And Skyler had been the one to brake her curse, and had saved her from eternal misery.

Aquila’s first impression of the lair was that it was empty, but then a man walked around the corner, dressed in an olive-green tunic and matching pants. He was a big guy with a bushy black beard and curly hair that fell just past his shoulder, he held a chipped mug in his hand. A spear rested against the wall, just in reach.

“Good morning Skyler,” the man said when they stepped inside. “You brought a new friend?” His voice was low and burly, but he smiled at them both. He was a good choice for a guard, he had looked terrifying right before the smile broke over his face. Now it lit up his face, his small eyes crinkling into thin lines. He was doing completely normal things for an early morning. Feeding the illusion of this being the normal house it had looked like on the outside. The wallpaper was ripped in places and the color had been leeched from it. It had likely been yellow earlier, now it looked mostly white. A dirty white.

“Good morning Zaejin, this is Aquila,” she said with a dazzling smile that almost knocked the breath out of her.

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you,” Aquila said reaching her hand forward. Zaejin shook it.

“It’s nice to meet you too.” His handshake was firm, his hand uncomfortably dry. She smiled a little, fighting her slowly drooping eyelids. She was losing more and more control over her body with every second that passed.

“I need to get Aquila to a room so she can get some sleep, have a nice day Zaejin,” Skyler said. Apparently, Skyler had noticed, Aquila fought the urge to curse. Besides, she wasn’t sure her mouth would obey her, so she stayed quiet. He nodded to the two girls and they walked further in to the building.

If Aquila hadn’t been so damn tired, she would have been surprised by the normalcy of this place. Skyler headed for a door that was hidden beneath the stairs. It swung open for her touch and revealed a long staircase leading down to a tunnel-system. Aquila’s body buzzed in response, but she barely noticed. She just blinked in surprise.

“It only opens for a select few of the residents from the outside, anyone can leave, but you can’t get back inside if it closes,” Skyler said with a small smile. “Anyone who isn’t allowed to open it will find a closet.” Aquila stared around herself in awe as they made their way down the stairs. This was more what Aquila had had in mind when Skyler had said rebellion. Hidden beneath what was normal.

At first the walls were bare, except for the occasional torch that lighted their path in a warm flickering glow, but as they walked on, doors appeared on both sides in the grey stone wall. It had a comfy feeling to it and Aquila felt safe even if she didn’t know where she was or what types of people lived behind those doors.

Skyler dropped her off at a room, in the far end of one of the corridors

“Here’s your room,” Skyler said when they got there. “Sleep for as long as you need, I’ll come and check on you regularly.”

“Okay, thank you,” Aquila said weakly, and walked inside. Her whole body ached, and she went straight to bed. Her muscles trembled with every step she took, and she didn’t take in the room she’d been given at all. Skyler closed the door behind her, leaving her alone. Aquila let herself fall face first on to the bed, and she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Chapter two

Skyler sat alone in the hidden outside area behind the lair. It was located outside the city through a series of small tunnels only the permanent residents of Deep-tide knew about. Not many people used it though, and most of the time it was a perfect place to be alone.

The grass, despite it still being on the verge of dying, was a little softer under her legs than it would have been anywhere else in Kilwind. The prickle was still there though, poking her slightly through the olivegreen material of her pants.

She usually came here to meditate, she liked the calmness that spread through her when she was outside, and the reek of the city wasn’t as thick in her little haven as it was elsewhere. The corruption that spread through the country from the center of Kilwind had not touched this specific spot as much. Perhaps because of the magic that protected Deep-tide.

Trees encircled it, shielding her from outside view, and above her she could see the sky. It’s soft orange light filtered down over her. Some warmth remained in the air, though it would soon get steadily colder.

She sighed, and slowly closed her eyes against the orange daylight. It often got loud and crowded inside, so when she had the opportunity to sneak away for a while this was where she went. She enjoyed time alone, she always had though she didn’t mind people. She actually enjoyed talking to and getting to know new people. Sometimes crowds became too loud though, and her sensitive senses had her overstimulated.