Have you read Shadow Sorcerers Part Four - Hunt?
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There was a surge of light and a scream split the air.
The snow leopard froze mid step. His yellow eyes were trained on the tower window which had lit up with white light. Fat snowflakes drifted down from the dark clouds scudding across the sky, tickling the leopard’s back. The new moon was barely visible, and the smatter of stars provided hardly any light to see much more than the shadow of a stout castle rising out of the frozen hill beyond the forest.
There was another flash of light and the shatter of glass. Dark curtains billowed out the window. In quick succession two figures slipped over the windowsill, lost in the shadow of the castle wall. They were followed by a bulkier figure, awkward and rolling as if it was being passed out the window. It too disappeared into the shadow of the wall. The tiniest prick of pink light appeared at the window. It disappeared just as quickly, and one last figure slid out into the shadows.
Muscles bunching, the leopard sprang into action. His soft paws were silent on the bed of pine needles, the scent following as he ran. He came around the castle to the steepest side. Slowing, his tail flicked in irritation. The four shadows had slipped in here, he could only assume they’d come back the same way.
Shouts rent the air. White light flared against the castle wall. The silhouettes of two slim and one large shadow stood stark against the light atop the outer castle wall. The leopard shot off. Soft, fresh snow squeaked under his large paws. Picking up speed he let a low growl rumble in his chest.
As he neared the wall the three shadows came into view, pitch black against the darkness. They were sprawled like spiders, moving slowly down the wall. Too slowly. The bulky shadow was holding them up. Shouts filled the air again, along with the pounding of boots. Silhouetted soldiers spilled from the towers, thundering toward the shadows at the centre.
The scent of lavender and blood filled his nostrils. Icy fear pierced through him. She was hurt. The leopard willed himself to move faster. Huge paws thundered silently across the snow straight for the wall. The scrape of wood on wood slid into the leopard’s ears. Archers were aiming at the shadows. Thundering heart matched thundering paws as fear churned in the leopard’s stomach.
The arrows let loose. White light flashed at the centre of the wall. Several archers crumpled silently. It didn’t matter though, there were dozens more. Calculating his distance to the wall, the leopard thundered for three more steps before launching himself up the side of the outer wall.
Claws crushed stone as the leopard let out a thunderous raw, nose scrunched, teeth bared, steam curling out of his jaws. The startled expressions of the castle guards rushed toward the leopard. He bound over the shadows, the scent of lavender and blood overwhelming. Fire flared through the leopard’s veins. Anger and fear and fire. As the leopard roared into the startled faces of the guards the fire in his veins shot to his chest. He felt the familiar warmth of it roll up his throat. A blast of yellow flame bloomed in front of him.
Shouts ripped through the night air, but these were different. Desperate. Ripping any last warmth from the frozen air. The leopard was almost at the top of the wall when he pushed off. Screams followed him as he soared through the air. With a tremendous thud the leopard hit the ground running, circling around to meet the shadows at the bottom of the wall. He went straight to the source of the lavender and blood. A weak hand gripped the fur of his neck. A familiar hand. Hope sparked amongst the icy fear.
“Take her,” a voice hissed through the shadows as the weight of someone was draped over his back.
Another weak hand grabbed the other side of his neck. Lavender and blood overwhelmed him. With a rumble in his chest, the leopard turned on the three shadows. He hurried back to the forest. He slowed as the grip on his neck loosened. Shouts continued to fill the air behind them. The leopard went as quickly and smoothly as he could, painfully aware of the fine line he walked along. The scrape of wood on wood filled the air behind him. The leopard held his breath as the edge of the forest slowly drew nearer.
White light flared from the opposite side of the clearing below the castle wall. The leopard closed its eyes, pink flashing through his closed lids. Wood clattered on stone as shouts were whipped away on the wind. With a thundering heart the leopard slunk into the shadows of the forest.
He picked a complicated path through the thickly packed pine trees, trying to ignore the increasing smell of blood with every back track, river crossing, and redirection he took. The weight was still and silent on his back, but it maintained a weak grip on his neck. Focusing on the delicate fingers twisted in his fur was the only thing stopping him from panicking.
Finally, he came to another clearing in the forest. Snowy hills rolled out before him. Slices of pale-yellow dawn sunlight splintered from the horizon. A thin slither of orange ran along the top of the most distant hills, but the sky quickly faded up to a blue so pale it was almost white. Slim grey grids of stone walls and wide dark ribbons of rivers weaved over the hills. Nestled in the frozen landscape sprawled a golden palace, glittering warmly in the cold dawn. Wind rustled his fur. The grip on his neck tightened slightly. Hope fluttered in the leopard’s stomach as he started down the hill.
***
The palace doors flew open. Frigid wind cut through the room carrying the soft scents of pine and lavender, and the sharp tang of blood. Her eyes flicked up from the vile in her long fingers to the silhouette of a man carrying a body across the threshold.
“Lina, warm water and towels in Elsa’s room. Now.” The terse voice shot from the silhouette, echoing off the gold-veined marble walls.
Her stomach dropped. She resisted the urge to hurry over to them. She needed the report first. A flurry of activity clattered through the room as servants appeared. The dark figure strode toward the ornately carved doors to the right, disappearing without another word. Her golden eyebrows drew together, yellow eyes burning into the door they’d disappeared through.
As the clatter of the servants faded, she returned her attention to the vile, tapping the glass with her white nails. Her bare feet swung over the rolling cushioned arm of the white throne, her back leant against the other. She contemplated the glittering white liquid inside the vile which stood out against the silky gold of her dress.
Out of the corner of her eye three more shadows appeared in the open doorway. She waited, tipping the vile in her hand, watching the sparkling liquid move sluggishly. The three shadows crossed the threshold. They made their way up the plush white runner rug laid over the yellow stone floor. They halted at the base of the steps to the dais.
“So?” she asked, not taking her eyes from the vile.
“We got neither,” came a gruff growl from one of the shadows.
Fire flared in her veins. Her eyes flicked up to the three assembled before her. At the centre was a dark man clad in a black hoody and pants, the hood partway pulled back atop his tight curls. His dark brown eyes met hers without fear.
“You have failed me. Again,” she said icily. “I expected better.”
His full lips pressing into a firm line. “My apologies Your Grace.”
Frozen air rushed through her nostrils, banking the fire rising in her. “Apologies don’t fix your fuck ups Varjo,” she growled.
His jaw clenched, but he said nothing.
She held his gaze a beat longer. “Go to her,” she said finally, waving her hand in the direction the other two had disappeared.
Without hesitation he bowed and hurried through the doors. She watched him go.
When he’d disappeared, she flicked her eyes to the two remaining shadows. They were identical twins, clad in all white, skin as pale as the snow outside. Blue tattoos swirled out the neck of their skin-tight suits and over their fierce angular faces, the same colour as their piercing blue eyes. Their white balaclavas were bunched on their short white hair. As her eyes roved over them, she noticed they weren’t entirely identical. Where one was broad chested and chiselled in a white top and pants, the other was compact and curvy in a skin-tight suit.
Interesting. She turned her attention to the male twin, burning him with her stare. “Ah, the infamous Shadows, how kind of you to finally grace me with your presence. I take it your contract with Bol has ended.”
For the briefest second his eyes flared in surprise, but he held her gaze. A muscle in his jaw ticked as his eyes darted to his sister.
Her eyes followed.
The female twin contemplated her cooly. “We’re taking you up on your offer.”
“That was five years ago. The offer has expired.”
“An offer for our skills never expires.”
Fire crackled in her chest as her warm laugh echoed around the cold room. This one played her kind of game.
The female twin smiled, cold and sharp. “And we’ll need rooms in your palace. I’m sure you’ll have a few to spare.”
The fire brightened and her smile widened, her elongated canines pressing softly into her lower lip. “Lina, show Skadi here to the River Suite. Uller can have the Dawn Suite,” she said, not breaking eye contact with Skadi. “Please, make yourself at home,” she said warmly.
Skadi nodded, a small smile pulling at her lips. The Shadows headed for the doors where a servant had appeared. She listened to their footsteps recede in the echoing room as she stared unfocused at the spot where they’d stood. The snowy hills through the open front door sparkled in the dawn sunlight.
Another shadow appeared in the doorway. It silently slid up the length of the room, came round the throne, and dipped it’s face to her ear. A rush of breath whispered over her cheek. Her lips pulled down, fire flaring in her veins as she listened. When the report was finished the shadow slid away, disappearing silently behind a tapestry.
The fire in her veins built, burning and spreading as she tried to squash it. Her noes crinkled, teeth bared, a growl rumbling in her chest. The fire continued to build despite the icy air rushing through the front door. Shoving the vile into the pocket of her dress, she pushed herself up. Her bare feet didn’t feel the cold as she stormed through the palace.
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Read Snow Shifters Part Two - The Palace out 15 June!