Free Shadows of Time: Shadow Maiden by B.R. Nicholson Page B

sharp.
    With her free hand, she rolled onto her
belly. She crawled, inch by inch, toward the open window. Maybe,
just maybe, someone would see her or, and if she summoned enough
strength, hear her pleas for help.
    Luthen’s laughter had ceased. She could hear
him tsk as he strode up behind her.
    “Dear little queen. Do you want to go to the
window? Here, let me assist you. It’s such a pretty night.” Luthen
scooped her frail body into his arms. Evanna’s mouth fluttered
silently in protest, too weak to do anything but sway with each of
his footsteps.
    Evanna was propped up onto her feet on the
window’s ledge. Luthen held her close around her waist, swaying to
an invisible melody. She pawed at the window frame, fearful of what
would come next.
    “ MAMA!”
    Evanna’s heart sunk in her chest. Her eyes
darted to the door, begging her child to come no closer. Astrid
stopped, their eyes linked together in a fiery lock. GO! She
begged with her eyes. Go, before it’s too late.
    The queen felt herself slip from the window.
She drifted for a few moments like a feather caught on the wind
before her body realized its true weight. Plummeting, she was
submerged in mist and the sweet taste of wet grass. Her mind
lingered on memories long past—the first time she had kissed
Lestel, the first time she had held her daughters in her arms.
Darkness overcame her long before her broken body crashed into the
ground, exploding into a cloud of dust.

Chapter Seven
    Merrick skidded across the stone floor, his
fingers inches from the screaming girl. She had stopped,
transfixed, as he and Amaeya came crashing in behind her. The color
had faded from the girl’s face and her mouth hung open in
horror.
    Merrick reached out to grab her but froze
when his eyes caught a familiar green gaze.
    The queen !
    Instead of the beauty he beheld in his
vision, he was met with a withered husk of a woman. He opened his
mouth to speak, but the words were cut short—the queen slipped from
the window as if she had been nothing but an illusion. Merrick
shook his head, trying to make sense of what he had seen.
    The girl suddenly cried out, bringing Merrick
back to the present. He grabbed her by the arm before she could do
anything foolish.
    “We must go!” He words sounded harsh in his
ears.
    “Yes, you really should be going.” A shadow
pushed past the motionless curtains and stepped out before them. A
pale angular face sneered out from beneath a heavy hooded cloak.
“Perhaps you would like to come see where your mother’s gone
to?”
    Merrick could taste the foul magic in the
air. The being standing before him was composed of nothing but
evil.
    His eyes darted around the chamber. It was
dimly lit with the exception of two small torches, one of which
innocently hung near Amaeya.
    He looked over at her. Amaeya’s face was calm
though her eyes were in deepening turmoil. She finally glanced over
at him. His face stern, he said, “ torch!”
    Without wasting the time to respond, she tore
the delicate torch from the wall and tossed it to Merrick. He
snatched the paling fire from the air and pulled a silvery branch
from his belt.
    “Oh, how quaint. Are you going to do a magic
trick?” The sinister being laughed as his eyes darkened to a deep
inky black. The shadows around him stirred, becoming denser.
    “Take the girl and go!” Merrick shoved the
child toward Amaeya. She dragged the girl toward the door and out
into the hall. Merrick felt relieved knowing if his plan failed,
they wouldn’t have to suffer for it.
    The deepening shadow made it hard to breath.
He felt as if he were slipping underwater, weighed down by chains
and stones. If he didn’t act soon, he knew it would smother
him.
    “Well, magician, are you going to amaze me or
not?” The being asked, creeping closer. He now towered over Merrick
and seemed to be growing larger with each passing moment.
    Merrick took advantage of its slow attack.
His patience had been misread as fear. Now, as the