AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Thunder rumbles through the roof of the cave and bits of earth fall onto my face as the light of day filters in through the door. But it can’t be a storm. I can see sunlight. So, what is it?
The chaos of the moment finally comes through. I look around us and see about a dozen warriors asleep all over the floor. As thunder roars above us, and the light of day grows duller.Clouds? A storm? How strange.The next time the thunder comes, it shakes the entire cave. The shadow beasts inside the cave awaken in a rush. Metal clanks. Armor buckles. Knives are unsheathed in preparation for a battle, and the men beside me tense, awake, aware of something I’m not.
My stomach churns. I don’t have to know exactly what is happening to know it’s bad.
“What’s happening?” I ask, grasping Dusk’s shirt.
He freezes. “A storm.”
I frown. “Why does that require all of this…?” I ask, pointing to all the warriors rushing to prepare.
His eyes narrow. “Because a storm creates an unnatural night, which allows the creatures from the shadow realm to come. And because we’ve only experienced a storm like this once before, and that was a magical storm, and a planned attack.”
Oh, shit. This isn’t good! Ithought at least we were safe during the day. I guess I was wrong.
Phantom is on his feet while everyone is still preparing. “It’s a fucking army. Get her out of here!”
Dusk hauls me to my feet and takes me by the arm, pulling me along to the back of the cave.
I frown, but he rolls a boulder in the corner away and shows me a dark tunnel underneath it. A creepy, dark tunnel that I absolutely don’t want to climb down into.
Dusk stops and looks down at me, worry etching lines in his face. “Here.” He hands me a compass. It’s old and heavy, plated with gold, the needle pointing northeast. “Take the tunnel. It will lead to the main cave, and then beyond. Stay to the north until you get to the river. Then follow it west. Use the trees for cover and hurry. You have to get to safety until we handle this.” There’s a note of desperation as he takes my hands in his and squeezes.
“I want to stay and fight with you.” My skill could be of use. And right now, by the weight of the footfalls, it sounds like there is an army of a thousand men coming for the forty or so shadow beasts getting ready to fight.
To survive, the shadow beasts will need every available hand, every available weapon. I’m both.
“No!” His voice is sharp and loud. “If the king finds you, hewilltake you, and we might not get you back this time. Listen to me. Say what I say. North to the river.”
I can’t fight him. He’s right. I’ll be a better weapon when we have a plan for how to best make use of my talents. “North to the river.”
“West to the two towers.”
“West to the two towers.” I repeat his words like a good little parrot. “Stay in the trees.”
“Yes. Once you’re at the two towers, wait for us. We’ll come for you.”
I nod because even though I would rather die than leave them, they won’t be safe if I’m there. And they won’t concentrate on their fight because they will be worried about me. It would put them in more danger.
He pulls me close for a quick hug and places a peck against the top of my head, then pushes me forward. “Go.”
“I… be careful,” I say to them, because all three of my shadow beasts are staring at me.
They nod at me, and my heart aches. I want to say more, but I can’t seem to form the words.
Dusk hands me a piece of wood from the fire. It’s burning on the top, but not on the bottom, like a torch. He helps lower me down into the tunnel, gives me one last intense look, then rolls the boulder back over the opening, sealing me inside.
I’ve only walked for a minute or two when I hear the fighting. It’s loud, and the stomps of the men above the tunnel force more dirt to rain down on me, but I keep going. My entire body shakes as I try not to think about the danger my men are facing.
For some reason, I find myself crying. Phantom, Dusk, and Onyx had kidnapped me. They had been bossy and over protective at times. And…and I think I’ve fallen in love with them.
Love.
The notion makes me stop. I brush more tears away. But the deep sense that I love them remains. I don’t know when it happened. Visions of their grumpy faces and harsh words come to me, but they seem fuzzy, not at all clear like the memory of their smiles, their laughs, and their soft touches.
They’re mine. I don’t just love them; I like them too.
I almost turn around, then force myself to stop. They would struggle to concentrate on keeping themselves safe if I went back to the battle. I’d already seen that they’d give their lives for me. It would be selfish to go back and make things harder for them just because I want to keep them safe.
