Free Shadow Touched (Shadow Roamer #1) by Lilou Roux Page A

making her feel like a bug caught in a jar. Lovely.
    Hair pulled back in a braid and tugged beneath her top, dressed in black pants , long-sleeved shirt and a leather corset that Nebbia had suggested for her to wear since it also served as a kind of armor, Stella stood light on her feet and waited. Her heart beat a gallop inside her chest, but she calmed it with her breathing and let her senses stretch.
    A door in the floor opened . She whirled to face the bloodsucker jumping out of it, and at the same time noticed another one dropping from the ceiling in her periphery. She had been good at using the shadows when in danger, and after four weeks of training it had become second nature to her. Not even much of a thought was needed and a blade made out of darkness was writhing in each of her hands. She went after the first demon of blood, and then ducked, sensing the other’s attack, sending him into his colleague. The time they needed to entangle each other was enough to cut first one head, then the other.
    Good. Now what?
    The thought had barely registered when three more doors opened up and spit more creatures into the arena. A reptile. Okay, she had to stay away from his poisonous fangs. And a wolf. She had never encountered one but the hybrid creature was easy to identify with his tall and broad stature, the wolverine, glinting yellow eyes and snout that would have made every little red riding hood given a run for her money. However, the last creature she had couldn’t place, which meant it was probably a demon of the mind. Smaller than any other demon she had come across so far, it reminded her of fairy tales and imps, with too long arms and all-black eyes. It laughed and disappeared right in front of her eyes, rendering itself invisible. Shit. Now she really wished there had been sand on the floor so it would have been easier to track the thing. But she had to take care of the demons of prey first. They attacked to kill, to eat. Ghosts liked to play since it produced the energy they fed of.
    With a hiss and growl the reptile and wolf ran at her and she ran straight at them. But the ghost went for her leg, cutting her thigh and made her stumble. She managed to use the movement, skidding along the floor and between the two demons and cut. Their legs buckled.
    Feeling the slightest hint of a breeze at her side, Stella quickly rolled away, but wasn’t fast enough. White-hot pain flared in her shoulder. Probably from a claw.
    Suddenly harsh UV light flooded the arena, destroying most of the shadows around her. Taking her weapons, making her eyes water and her skin crawl. Bet this one was Fosco’s idea, Stella thought as she grit her teeth and tried to come up with a plan. No matter what the Council said, she was a roamer. Her body had forsaken the light a long time ago, without her knowing, but now her mind and heart had followed into the soothing dark.
    Now, how to get out of this arena? She had a shadow , even if small and her enemy had one, even if hidden - it would have to be enough to work with. She had never used the moving shadow of a living being, only those of objects, the ordinary stationary ones in her surroundings. But this time she had no choice.
    Pulling at the shadows with all her might she made them gather in her hands, forming small blades. But at least they were blades, as long as the edge was sharp she could make do. Closing her eyes, since they weren’t of much use in the harsh light anyway, she concentrated on her other senses. Let the shadows in her hand scent the air. Tried to feel or hear the ghost before it got to her.
    Move ment in the air. She struck, the ghost squealed and then silence settled.
    Stella stood, awaiting more.
    But then d im, cool darkness flooded the arena once more and with a soft whisper the glass wall disappeared. She opened her eyes, calmed her thundering heart and faced the council.
    Once again it was Ash who rose. “That was quite impressive, Stella.”
    She noticed he had