Curse of the Shadowborn

Carli

I hadn’t taken the time to understand my decision.

I never did.

There wasn’t a single time in all the decades I’ve been alive I stopped to consider consequences before acting.

Now? I’m sitting on a train headed to a kingdom rumored to run off of fear and pain.

Leaving Sylvathis had to happen because consequences aren’t something I ever think about. But going to Umbrenox? That was the extreme.

The way to run away from my marriage bond and across a border he’s terrified of.

Corbett had always told me I wouldn’t amount to much. That I would only ever be what he let me.

But at the end of the day, that wasn’t the truth. I was the only one responsible for my actions. Even if those were regrettable on the best day.

The man sitting across from me cleared his throat. I could have used another hour or two without reality being well… real.

“Are you ill?”

“No ma’am. I just– We’re arriving.”

The cabin jerked as the breaks started to catch.

A new way to travel, and it was by far the least reliable. Our train system worked through metal and vine.

The weavers had somehow managed to make it work. Just not well.

As the door slid open, a woman entered. Hair pulled tightly back and uniform pressed. Just the way mother ordered.

“Your highness.” She bowed her head as I stood.

“Celeste, don’t call me that. We’ve been friends since birth. Just Carli.”

“Yes ma’am. However–”

“Your highness.” A man stood outside of the cabin. Dark hair cut short.The insignia of Umbrenox stitched onto the shoulder of his coat.

Formalities because they’re required. Gods above, why am I doing this?

“It’s not too late.” A voice muttered from beside me. “We can just go home.”

Celeste really wasn’t OK with this. She didn’t want me going where she couldn’t protect me.

The duty she claimed years ago. Before we knew about the ancient bonds. Before either of us had entered into one.

Ours had broken the day I accepted my new damnation.

“It is though. I’ve accepted the position. The Umbrenoxi Earth Weaver. How many have died before me?”

“Fourteen.”

“How many were murdered?” My eyes darted to her face.

Celeste was caught off guard as intended. I just didn’t expect the reaction I got. She grimaced. No one knew how they had died. The official story was a lie.

They had lied to me. A princess of Sylvathis was offered a position in another court without being given all of the information I needed. Had any of them been murdered?

Were they all Sylvathin? Had any of them been from other kingdoms?

“None, your highness.” I had forgotten he was there. Bowing and waiting for me to step out of the cabin. “I didn’t mean to startle you. My apologies.”

“You’ll find I’m easily startled when speaking to other people. I wasn’t paying attention to you and then you spoke. It’s almost like it’s a normal reaction.” I rolled my eyes, stepping out of the cabin and onto the frozen earth.

“Except when you’ve already noticed the person exists. That’s a completely different worry altogether.” He turned to face the road that stretched out for miles.

A road I would be on for the next four days.

I hadn’t taken the time to look at the plan for this journey. Would we stop? Would I just sleep in the carriage? Would I be alone?

They lacked transportation like Sylvathis. Reverting to their older means of travel. The added time would allow me to adjust well enough.

Or at least I hoped I would be able to adjust.

“This way.” He gestured to the border. A faint shimmer in the air. Earth and Shadow magic working in tandem to secure their own spaces. Neither allowing the other to bleed through.

“I’d never seen it. Not in person. Paintings of it sure, but never like this.” I studied it as we got closer. Every step bringing new details into focus.

“It’s quite the achievement. When magic works against each other, it can do beautiful things.” He stopped at the border, looking up at it. “It’s why our kingdoms work so well split up like they are. Why the divide is required.”

“That’s an interesting take for someone who has nothing to do with the running of the kingdoms.” Crossing the border was like being thrown into ice water. The chill settled in my bones almost instantly.

I had thought the ground was frozen before. But now? Now I knew I took the color for granted. The grass and flowers. Even the trees. Because there was nothing here. A dead forest and a long stretch of road.

“My involvement will become obvious over the next few days.” He stalked off toward the carriage.

Two other men leaned against the side. One eating something that resembled fruit as he laughed at something the other said.

“Vae is back.”

“Don’t call me that Cairk.” The man who walked me across the border bit out.

“I take it she isn’t your kind of company Vaelor?” Cairk smirked at the man snacking beside him.

“Not in any way.” Vaelot climbed onto the front of the carriage as the other two turned toward me.

“Princess Carli, welcome to the outskirts of Umbrenox.” Carik stepped toward me, bowing as he did. “This is Slate. Slate Vortalis.”

“It’s an honor, Carli.” Slate stepped away from the carriage just far enough to open the door. “You must be freezing. We’re a much colder nation than Sylvathis.”

I bowed my head slightly as I pulled my cloak tighter.

The temperature was a drastic change. The layers were smothering before I crossed over. Now they weren’t enough. Mother had warned me of this, and until right this second I was wondering if she lost her mind.

This was the kind of warning I wouldn’t ignore again.

“Your things are loaded Carli.” Celeste stepped beside me before I had even realized she was there causing me to jump slightly. “It’s OK. You’re OK.” She placed a hand on my arm.

She was the only one that knew. The only living soul that had any idea.

“Thank you.” I croaked out as I willed my heart to slow. I wrapped my arms around her. One last hug. One last embrace before I may never see her again.

She had been ordered to stay behind. I wasn’t bringing anyone with me. My life was entirely in the hands of people I had met less than a dozen times. Several of them were brand new faces.

“Let’s get you tucked away.” She placed a hand on my back and guided me forward.

The carriage creaked as I stepped up and again when Celeste did.

“You’re to return across–”

“I’m aware. I’m not staying. I’m taking care of my best friend and my princess one last time. Do you have a problem with this?” She bit out as Slate attempted to correct her.

She never spoke out of turn. But her eyes gave her away. She was on the verge of crying. Tears that she couldn’t fight much longer.

“I’ll be OK. And if I’m not, I’ll make sure they go with me.” I tried to cheer her up as she tucked blankets in around me.

“Leave enough for me to destroy if they touch a strand. Understood?”

“Absolutely.” I grinned at her as she backed up a step.

“You look to be taken care of now. Are you OK? Do you need anything?”

“Stop worrying and go before we find out how the prince of shadows earned his name.”

“As soon as you arrive, you’ll write to us.” A demand and not a question. The intention behind it was a scary thought.

“Absolutely. I have our sheets. Now go.”

And she did. The next face was Slate. Settling in across from me. He studied my face for a long moment before knocking on the wall behind him.

And like that, the carriage rocked and the forest moved outside of the window.

I watched as the light faded more and more. Until I couldn’t see past the glass. It was like the shadow had swallowed the world whole. It had even stolen the scent of grass and trees. Everything had faded into nothing.

“How has the journey been so far?” Slate broke the silence as he lit a candle and sat it on the table fixed to the wall beside him.

“Underwhelming at best.”

He pursed his lips for the briefest moment before returning to a flat expression. Instead of responding he pulled open the drawer below his seat and retrieved a book.

“Your side is one solid bench as I am sure you’ve noticed. Instead of a drawer on your side, you’ll find it pulls out to extend the bench to a bed. You’re welcome to sleep.” Those were the last words spoken for hours.

I think I fell asleep. It was hard to tell. Other than how far Slate was in his book. Either he was skipping around or I had slept. He was already almost a quarter of the way through his book.

“Tell me princess. What do you know of this role?”

“I’m going to tend to a memory tree. One that is tied to a dead royal.”

“My mothers tree specifically. Our last weaver, she’s no longer with us.” He closed his book as his eyes met mine.

“What happened?”

“That is for her family to disclose. I am not a member.” He shifted slightly as he spoke. “But what I want you to know, is that the tree you are assisting with, is the biggest assignment you will ever receive. You will need to do as much as possible.”

“I don’t need your encouragement. I know what to do. I know how to do it. I’ve been one of the Sylvathin weavers for almost a century.”

He cocked his head to the side. His attention to me now felt invasive. Like he was reading more than just my face.

“Interesting. Very interesting.”

“Maybe we just stop talking now.”

Instead of paying attention to the odd prince, I turned my attention to figuring out the bed. He said it pulled out, but now. There wasn’t a handle or strap. Running my fingers along the seam, I couldn’t even find where the other piece would come from.

“The button is on the arm rest. Just here.” He reached over and ran his hand against the rest. Seconds later a low pop echoed and something bumped against the back of my legs.

I quickly pulled my knees to my chest, bringing all of the blankets with me. The more material I moved, the further the new bed spread out. It covered half of the carriage now. Enough for two to lay down comfortably.

Gods below if he tries to lay down I’ll be hanged for killing the prince.

“You’re free to sleep. I’ll continue reading and make sure no one invades your space.” He had opened the book again at some point.

By the time I rolled back over to look at him, he had just pages left. It was still pitch black outside, so either the shadow magic was preventing the light or he was a fast reader.

“You’ve slept for about two hours. We will make it to our first town shortly. I’ll be leaving at that time. You will be alone for the duration of the journey. It’s expected to take three full days. Do you have questions?” He finished the page and tucked the book back away in the drawer.

“You say I’ll be alone. Is that an assumption?”

“An order from the king. The only ones permitted in the carriage are royals. As I am leaving and neither of my brothers are replacing me. You will be alone.”

An order from King Cathair himself.

He was the same one who ordered that my guard not accompany me.

“Why are you leaving already?”

“I’ve learned everything I need to know about you. Most of it will be kept from my father. Little will be kept from Coahl.”

“Coahl? Wait, what do you mean you’ve learned everything? We’ve not talked about anything at all.”

“And yet I know all I need to. Funny how that works isn’t it?” He smiled at me as the carriage rocked lightly.

As we came to a stop he studied my face again.

The door popped open and Cairk’s face appeared. “Ready?”

Slate slid through the door without making so much as a sound. He turned back to me, with a smile painted on his face.

“We will meet again in three days. You’re going to be spending a lot of time with me in the near future. So enjoy the silence while you get it.” He took a step back and nodded at Cairk.

It took almost a full 10 seconds for my brain to process what I had just witnessed. As Slate stepped back, Cairk grabbed his arm and they disappeared.

Completely.

They were gone.

If they could do that… Why was I wasting time riding in a carriage?