Free Child of Blackwen (An Artemis Ravenwing Novel Book 1) by Melanie Rodriguez

couldn’t do that then. You also know why we will not do so now,” Lord Celstian reminded him. “We all well know how Arlina Ravenwing is. She hasn’t ventured within the realm for nearly twenty-one years. We remember what happened then, yes? There can only be one reason why she’s returned here now.”
    “Yes, Celstian, she could have learned that we have the dhampir brat living in our city,” Lord Destrius answered. “I told you both whenTalisa first brought Tamina’s hellspawn here that the
vampyra
would be the death of us.”
    “And
I
also reminded you that while we do have warring relations with the vampiric races, Artemis’ mother helped our people countless times. Tamina did so to create an alliance between us and the Dark Fortress. She would have been the Mistress had she still lived today,” Lady Clarayne reminded him, failing to hold back her anger. “To have ordered Talisa to abandon Artemis would have been equivalent to spitting on Tamina’s grave and forgetting all that she had done for us.”
    “Where is Shadow now, Clarayne?” Lord Celstian asked.
    Lady Clarayne was thankful for Lord Celstian’s interjection. “He’s either at home or out for a ride. Our meeting did not end on a happy note.”
    “I wouldn’t have expected it to, seeing how he cares for the dhampir,” Lord Celstian said. “I propose we bring him here tomorrow to restate his report to myself and Destrius. Afterward, we can decide how to proceed.”
    “I’d rather hand over the brat to Arlina while we still can. Then the bitch will stay away from our realm for another twenty years or so,” Destrius grumbled.
    Lady Clarayne glared at Lord Destrius as she reached for a blank sheet of parchment. “I’ll have a message sent to Shadow, and he’ll repeat to you what he has already said to me. I agree with Celstian on the matter of listening to the report and then deciding once you two fully understand what lies before us.”
    “You’re too damn soft, Clarayne,” Lord Destrius berated her. “Perhaps it’s time you stepped down.”
    “Not all consider it a weakness, Destrius,” Lady Clarayne snapped. “And the ones who will decide whether or not I continue as Elder of this realm are the goddesses themselves.”

    Once I reached Shadow’s house, I heard the sounds of arrows striking wood. Whenever I heard that, it usually meant one thing.
    He was angry.
Very
angry.
    Walking over, I found him—Shadow’s hair was bound with a brown ribbon that matched his tunic. His black breeches had patches of dirt along the sides; he must have practiced his swordsmanship earlier.
    This didn’t bode well at all.
    “Shadow?” I called out, wincing as the last arrow he released sank deep into the wooden target.
    He didn’t respond. Shadow reached for another arrow, notched it along the bow, and released it within seconds. The arrow landed inches away from the previous one, also deep.
    Despite the tension I felt, I walked over and grabbed his shoulder as gently as I could. He jumped and twisted my wrist as he grabbed it. I tried not to snap at him as he turned around and realized it was me. He quickly released it, and I rubbed my wrist while ignoring the red finger marks that then formed.
    “Artemis, I’m so sorry!” Shadow took my wrist and inspected it. “I…I wasn’t myself.”
    “So I’ve noticed,” I teased.
    Shadow shook his head and threw down his bow.
    “What happened to you? The last time you were this upset, it was before you told me you were leaving for the war in Fieros Mountains.”
    “It’s worse than that,” Shadow explained, while still keeping an eye on my wrist. “Much worse.”
    “My wrist is fine, you just took me by surprise.” I hid it behind my back. I sat on the grass, far from the arrows and the target. “Are you leaving again?”
    Shadow sat beside me, looking to the sky. “No, I’m not leaving.”
    “Then what’s going on?”
    Shadow rubbed the back of his neck while thinking hard. He