Shadow Queen (4 page)

Astrid retracted her blades and dropped to
the ground before the troll could catch sight of her. She lunged
though the troll’s vein-etched legs and crouched in the blind spot
beneath its enormous sunken chest.
Thank the gods
, thought
Astrid as she danced back and forth to keep the troll’s vision
obscured by its hulking girth,
that this creature can’t see its
feet
.

Her eyes searched the arena for the fallen
girl. She stood near the armored dwarve, her face hidden in her
hands. Astrid, glad to see the girl uninjured, glanced over to the
contending warriors to see if she were to gain any assistance in
her fight. Each cowered in his own corner, yelping with each swing
of the troll’s fists. She shook her head. These two, so used to
dealing with foes their own size, could never survive a night alone
in the desert. She smirked at their fear and thrust her daggers
into the back of the troll’s right ankle, digging them across his
protruding tendon and shredding it in two.
Trolls
, she
thought, dodging the beast’s writhing body as it crashed into the
dust,
couldn’t they have gotten something a little more
challenging?
She had once snuck out to watch Warrior Vintas’s
class hunt trolls. Though, the usual ways to fell the beasts were
to set traps, however in a pinch slicing through the thin skin on
their ankles always works best.

The dust plumed up over her head. She could
hear the troll rasping and whimpering. In a way, she pitied it. She
only hoped its master was merciful enough to put it out of its
misery instead of releasing it back into the wilds of the desert
where it would discover a much more cruel way of dying.

Astrid felt her way around the troll’s
quivering mass toward the girl. From what she had seen, the child
looked almost too young for words. Finding her mother in the crowd
would be a near impossible task. That is if she had a mother.
Astrid reached her hand out and brushed the child’s tear soaked
face with her fingertips. The sound of the child’s breath caught in
her throat at Astrid’s touch.

“It’s going to be alright. You’re safe now,”
said Astrid, taking advantage of the child’s stillness to scoop her
up in her arms. The girl didn’t protest and only buried her dirtied
face into Astrid’s shoulder, hiding from the fierce world around
her.

When the dust had cleared, Astrid stood with
the girl in her arms on the stage behind Fryx’s satin throne. The
myriad of guards that surrounded them jumped to their feet, all but
a few well-trained ones still struggling to pull their swords from
their sheaths.

She kneeled beside the startled dwarve, her
face hard and eyes menacing.

“This child was spared today. The next may
not.”

Astrid kneeled down and sat the child on her
feet. She looked up at her, rubbing the grime from her eyes, and
smiled.

“I have an offer for you,” said Fryx,
stroking the yellow braids in his beard.

“Meet me at my villa in an hour. I assure you
it will be well worth your time.”

Astrid scoffed and looked up the crowd. The
audience was hushed with an uneasy silence. Dark eyes glared down
at her while they hissed their disdain in each other’s ears.
“She interrupted a trial, all for a child! And she didn’t even
kill the beast, what kind of warrior is she! She has no respect for
our ways, none at all.”

She turned away from the spiteful crowd back
toward Fryx.

“I’ll be there.”

Fryx’s villa was carved into a cliff just
outside the city’s walls. The rumbling sea foamed up around its
base and trickled down alongside a winding set of steps. The walls
of the villa were smooth and windowless. Astrid stood staring up at
the large gaping door before her, a twisting wordless mouth that
beckoned her inside.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Ethen
tugged at her sleeve. He eyed the ocean water with an anxious gaze.
The thought of being out at sea terrified him.

“Do you want me to be honest?” She looked him
in the eye, a faint smile tugging at her mouth. The stillness of
his face alerted her of his seriousness. “Then no, I’m not. But
when am I ever sure about anything?”

Astrid turned and sprinted her way up the
rocky steps. She could hear Ethen sigh and scrape his boots against
the weathered stairs trying to catch up. She knew he would follow
her to the ends of the earth.

The door was made of driftwood and bound
together with tendrils of thick shining silver. There was no handle
or knob. Astrid ran her hands over the smooth bleached surface. Up
close, the door looked as if it were made from twisting bone. She
heaved against the door, first with her shoulder, then with her
back. The wood barely creaked against her weight and refused to
budge at all.

“Look at this!” Astrid’s head popped up from
where it rested against the cool wooden surface to see what Ethen
had found. In his hand he held a heavily braided tassel, entwined
with glimmering red and gold silk rope.

“Well, don’t just show it off, pull it,” said
Astrid, annoyed that she didn’t find it herself.

Ethen tugged the tassel down to his waist.
The rope shot up out of his hand and retreated into a hole in the
alcove above the head of the door. A deep clanging bellowed from
inside the villa. The door shuddered and seemed to crack and
splinter in its center. Suddenly, the middle gave way and came
apart like the interlocked fingers of two hands.

“Welcome guests, to my humble abode.” Fryx’s
voice echoed out from the massive hall Astrid could only catch
glimpses of from where she stood. “Please, do come in.”

She glanced at Ethen. He was waiting for her
lead, his eyes wide and nervous. Astrid nodded at him and strode
inside. She sheathed her knives before anyone could see they had
been drawn just a few moments before.

Astrid’s eyes traced the arabesque designs of
silver that crept along the door and up the wall and winding
together in a knot as if it were an unkempt vine. The plaster that
covered the remainder of the ceiling was a vast mural of the sea,
complete with mermaids with gold leafed hair and sea monsters with
glittering ruby eyes.

Ethen stepped onto an iron grate, the sudden
distance below his feet causing him to tense, ready for a fall.
Astrid laughed at his uneasiness and peered through the iron bars.
Deep inside the pit sat a shadowy creature with two long glinting
horns. It huffed, sniffing the air with its snout.

“
Haaaaa
,” it said, rattling the chain
around its neck, “
I smell you, girl. A Phooka never forgets a
smell like that
.” It huffed at the air again, laughing at
Astrid’s silence.

Ethen nudged her arm, mouthing the words
let’s go!
She nodded, following him through the remainder of
the great hall and into a smaller chamber. The hollow laughter of
the strange creature floated behind her, nipping at her heels.

The room was furnished with a flourish of
silk pillows, most of which were large enough to use as a bed.
Astrid kicked her way through the piles of cushions, searching for
the most practical of the bunch.

Ethen had wandered over to a laden tea table
and began scavenging and stuffing his mouth and pockets.

Astrid finally chose a plain rotund pillow
the color of tree bark. She flopped down onto it and immediately
sank deep into its fluff.

“Oh Gods, there isn’t a decent seat in this
whole damn place!” Astrid rolled out of the pillow and sprang onto
her feet, giving the portly nightmare a hefty kick. Ethen mumbled
something through a mouthful of fruit, juice trickling down his
chin and splattering onto the floor.

She began to pace, her mind uneasy with
thoughts of that beast, the Phooka—
why does it seem so familiar?
And why does he find me familiar?

A gangly goblin stumbled in through the
doorway, a squealing horn bleating at his lips.

Astrid winced at its sickening sound while
Ethen spat mushed food from his mouth in surprise.

Fryx burst in soon after the goblin, now
flaunting a deep red cloak with heavy gold fringe. Astrid had never
seen so many clothes in one day.

“Greetings again. Good to see that you’re
making yourselves at home—” Fryx’s beady eyes hardened at the
crumbs and saliva congealing on Ethen’s face. He promptly pulled a
black silk handkerchief from his billowing sleeve and shoved it
into his guest’s hands.

“—sir, about your proposition,” Astrid paused
while Fryx composed himself.

“Oh yes,” said Fryx, “but one more thing
before we begin.” He turned to face the knock-kneed goblin.
“Quibell, fetch the map.” The goblin dipped in a small bow and
scurried out the door.

Quibell was only out for a moment before he
came hobbling back in with a giant roll of wooden slats tied with a
golden rope. He heaved it down onto the floral carpeted floor and
unrolled it with a shove of his boot.

“There, just to the north of your tribe’s
village, is a canyon hidden among the jagged cliffs,” said Fryx,
pointing with a many ringed finger. “That is where you will find
the creature I seek.”

Astrid studied the map, her face stern with
thought. “What exactly is this creature you want us to capture?”
Her life in the desert had taught her that some beasts were better
left alone, no matter how much they were worth.

Fryx strained a smile, rubbing his plump
hands together. “This is a creature unlike any that has ever been
seen. He is half man, half phoenix. And utterly priceless.”

Astrid shot Ethen a concerned look. His face
had blanched. They both knew hunting down such a thing would mean
exile from their tribe.

“We cannot do it,” said Astrid, shaking her
head. “Let’s go, Ethen. We’re wasting our time here.”

Fryx yelped and dashed in front of their
path. “Wait! I need this creature!”

“Why? So you can put it on display? We have
better things to do,” said Astrid, pushing the sea dwarve
aside.

“Please!” Fryx trailed behind them, his voice
desperate. “If I don’t find a phoenix, he’ll die!” He stopped,
clasping his hand over his mouth.

Astrid halted and peered down at the broken
dwarve. He knelt, crumpled on the floor, fighting back sobs. “Who
will die?”

Fryx sighed and rose to his shaky feet. He
beckoned for them to follow. They wound down a narrow corridor to a
small, dimly lit chamber. Though incense hung heavy in the air, the
foul smell of decay forced Astrid to wince. Fryx lit a candle and
brought it to the chamber’s bed. In it lay a creature with pale
green skin and dull green eyes. Astrid guessed it to be a tree
sprite, though she had only heard stories about the quiet forest
folk. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he thrashed at Fryx’s candle
light. His arms were black and mottled with rot. Astrid could see
the rot continued down his torso.

“What’s wrong with him?” Ethen stood behind
Astrid, his voice hushed as not to disturb the pained creature from
his delirium.

“He has been poisoned,” said Fryx, “with sea
viper venom.” He snuffed out his candle to ease the tree sprite’s
suffering. Fryx dabbed at the sweat on his pale green skin, his
face strained to keep the tears at bay. “The poison was meant for
me.”

Fryx guided them back to the main hall
without a word.

Astrid stood before the humbled sea dwarve,
weighing her words carefully. “There was no need to lie to us,” she
said, her voice calm.

Fryx nodded. “I see that now. You must
understand that Alistair is my weakness. I have many enemies that
would kill for a chance to cripple my grip on this city. If they
were to find out, if they succeed in his death when they thirst for
mine…” He closed his eyes, his mouth a small furrow in his yellow
beard. “If he dies because of me, I fear I may follow him to the
grave.”

Astrid glanced at Ethen. Ethen nodded, pity
weighing heavy on his brow.

“We will do it,” she said, her hand
outstretched. Fryx latched onto it, shaking it ferociously.

“Thank you, thank you! Praise to your names!
I will give you anything for my Alistair to be well again. Gold,
jewels—name your price and it will be yours.”

“Gold would be much appreciated,” said Ethen,
rubbing his prickly chin.

Astrid nodded. Gold would do much to help
their family. But it didn’t seem enough.

“Gold would suffice. However, I have one more
request,” said Astrid.

“Anything! What do you desire?” Fryx’s eyes
were desperate as he waited for her reply.

“The beast I saw as we walked through your
great hall, I wish to know more about it,” she said, her arms
folded against her chest.

“Ah,” said Fryx, “you wish to know about the
Phooka. I will tell you all you wish to know when you return.”

Astrid opened her mouth to protest but
thought better than to argue with a merchant. “We have ourselves a
deal,” she said, bowing her head. Fryx snatched her hand and gave
it a hearty shake.

“Yes, indeed we do! Thank you, yet
again!”

***

“Do we really have to go inside there?” Ethen
kicked at his glider, folding the sail down with a sharp
snap
.

“Yes, we really do. Are you frightened? It’s
just a canyon. What’s the worst that could happen?” Astrid hefted
her glider underneath the cover of the gnarled underbrush. Cutting
a strand from a streak of her clay-reddened hair, she tied it to a
thorny branch. The hair flickered in the desert wind like a small
flame.

Ethen grunted, sliding his glider next to
Astrid’s. “Of course I’m frightened! You know as well as I do the
kinds of things that live out in places like that.
There’s
nowhere safer than open sand,
that’s what Ilsie always says,”
he said, rubbing his hands together.