8. Evil Shadows
We ride for hours until the forest disappears behind us. Until the mountains blend into the horizon.
They ignore me when I ask if we can take a break. They do not react, and the only reminder I have that I am not alone is James’s warm body pressed up against mine. The jostle of the horse forces us into such proximity that I can hear his breath in my ear. It brushes against my skin, making me shudder.
He tightens his hold on my waist when I slip from the fatigue. I cannot feel my legs and my head spins from thirst and the pain of crying.
Mother and father are gone.
And it is all my fault.
James calls me Raven, just as Avila did, and yet I do not know what it means. Guilt threads itself into the core of my being. My life did not satisfy me, but If I would have accepted it, then none of this would have happened. I went out of my way to look for trouble. Out of my way to look for something to change my life.
I got exactly what I wished for.
The dark soil turns into golden sand. Hot dunes surround us and I squint my eyes to look out into the horizon. My eyes burn and my head throbs painfully. My vision seems to blur and as I look out, I see the shape of a dark stone jutting from the sea of sand.
Like an oasis, I see a pocket of color in the middle of golden emptiness and I swallow the dryness in my throat. My heart beats harshly in my chest and I tense.
James shifts behind me. “That is Javal.”
My mind swims, but I find no memory of having ever heard of such a place. “Javal?”
“The Jewel of the Desert.”
I inhale. “The King is here?”
“He is.”
He increases the pace of the horse and as we near the grand fortress, nerves light up my skin. If this is the King that my mother told me about, then all my answers were a hand’s reach away.
As we near, I make out the soldiers that keep watch on tall, magnificent black stone towers. Archers stand at the ready and a large wooden door, fortified with steel beams and hardware, looms before us.
Zumir waves at the guards in the tower and they yell back, some waving, some smiling. The doors creak open, their largeness sending ripples of anxiety down to the pit of my stomach.
We enter through the gate, and as soon as we do; I feel their gazes. Guards stand on the other side with swords and spears in their hands, yet their eyes are wide with curiosity as they whisper to each other in hushed tones.
My breath turns shallow.
Their curiosity is soon reflected in the civilians that go about their day. Some walking in the streets, others working with their tents in the market, others gossiping in the dark alleys. All at once it feels like they focus their attention on me and all I can see are their rigid, cold fingers pointing at me.
“Why are they staring?” I whisper.
“They know the rumors.”
“What rumors?”
His hand on my waist stiffens. “You really know nothing, don’t you?”
Frustration unfurls in my chest. “You are the second person to call me Raven in as many days. I’ve been told that I am not of this world, and you have ripped everything I have ever known from me. Why is everyone reminding me I do not know everything without actually offering me any information at all?”
“You will know in time.” He tightens his hand on my waist.
I shake my head, tightening my hands, but that seems to be the only way I can express my anger.
We pass through the crowded streets and they dwindle down to beautifully carved, paved roads that are less crowded. More guards walk around us and most ignore us once they acknowledge Zumir’s presence.
We reach the stables and Zumir clicks his tongue, dismounting his horse and passing the reins to a boy that stands and waits. James shifts behind me and I hear his boots as they hit the ground.
He wraps his hands around my waist and I lean into his arms, letting myself slip from the saddle. My head spins and my body aches in ways I did not know were possible. Tears prick the back of my eyes and I strain my hands against the rope that burns through my skin.
My knees buckle and I jerk back into James just as his arm snakes around my waist. The pain in my head radiates from the base of my skull and I hiss as I close my eyes tight.
“You okay?” James whispers into my ear, rubbing his thumb on my waist
I flinch, taking a step to get away from him.
He lets me, though he keeps the end of the rope in his hands. Zumir frowns at him, narrowing his eyes before giving the stableboy instructions.
“Dastan has left the palace,” Zumir shakes his head.
James lifts an eyebrow. “Why?”
Zumir tilts his head and begins walking, forcing James and I to follow.
We turn a corner and I stop dead in my tracks when I have to lift my head to look at the structure before us. Black walls covered in intricate carvings send shivers down my spine. Stained glass windows paint ethereal images that reflect the sun in a kaleidoscope of colors. The walls are tall, as if they are attempting to reach the skies and it stands just as wide as the city we walked through.
James pulls on the rope. “Breathtaking, isn’t it?”
I lower my gaze to him and nod.
“Come on.”
The guards at the door open it without hesitation and we walk in, the cool air inside hitting us like an unexpected breeze. Just like that, the pain in my head disappears and I can breathe with much more ease.
I sigh, inhaling and exhaling, letting my shoulders rise and fall as my lungs expand with every satisfying draw of oxygen.
James frowns as he watches me, his eyes thoughtful and observant as he repeats the words I spoke to him before. “The sun makes you sick.”
I swallow, looking away from him.
The floor is a dark concrete, gray with veins of black that reach throughout the room. Columns of marbled stone reach up to the high ceilings, which exhibit paintings of ravens flying across the sky.
Ravens.
When I look at James, he is still watching me, but his eyes have turned soft, as if he pities me.
Zumir shifts to stand between the both of us and nods at James. “Go home. Rest. You’ll report back to your post tomorrow morning.”
James looks at me. “Zumir, I was hoping to-”
“Zumir, you’re back.”
Sharp steps echo as they slap against the stone. They are uneven though, and when I look, I see a man limping his way across the space. He nods his head vigorously and smiles wide with yellow stained teeth.
I step closer to James when he catches my gaze, and his eyes widen.
“Remi,” Zumir nods to acknowledge him, though the man does not return he gesture.
He stops before us, and fidgets his hands while his eyes flitter down and up my body. “Who is she?”
He reaches for me, but I dodge him, pressing myself into James, who stands beside me. Zumir quickly reaches for his arm and pulls him back.
“Remi, I need you to listen to me.”
“Yeah,” He nods vigorously again, still not ripping his eyes from me.
“Remi.”
He finally tears his eyes from me and looks at Zumir expectantly.
“She is very important.”
He looks me to and nods, a laugh escaping his lips. “Yes, very important.”
Zumir shakes his head. “No, Remi. Not to you. She is important to the King.”
His face contorts into a desperate frown, his lips lifting in a scowl. “But I want to play with her.”
James steps forward, pushing me behind his back and shooting Zumir a glare. “Stop egging him on.”
Zumir rolls his eyes at James before returning his attentions to Remi. “You cannot play with her Remi. She is important to the King.”
Remi shoots James a threatening glare before his eyes soften as he looks at me.
“Remi, do you understand?”
He nods.
Zumir shakes his shoulder, adjusting his coat and looks at James. “I’ve given you your orders, James.”
“I can guard her.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
James inhales, as if holding back his words and gives me an apologetic look as he hands Zumir the rope. He lets go of my waist and nods to Zumir before leaving the room.
Remi tilts his head, his eyes following the curves of my body. “What color is her hair?”
Zumir smirks, and as Remi reaches for my hood, I realize Zumir does not intend to stop him. Fear flutters through me. James is the only one protecting me and though I would much rather stab them all, I realize now that he is the lesser of two evils.