The Shadow Queen

man.”

“And when Hetar stands strong again?” Cam asked her.

“You disappear even as you appeared,” Lara told him. “You will, of course, return to the New Outlands to pick up your old life.”

“Anoush will awaken, and you will give us your blessing and permit us to marry?” he asked.

Lara nodded.

“My wife has a house, and she has land and cattle. I must have a house in Rivalen, land and cattle, too,” Cam said. “I have my pride, Aunt, and will not be just Anoush’s husband. I would be my own man.”

“Of course,” Lara said. “It should be no other way.”

“I must think on it,” Cam said. “I must weigh and balance what is being offered to me by both you and by the Darkling.”

“The Darkling cannot win, nor can she offer you Anoush,” Lara told him. “If you love her what is to think about, Nephew?”

“I must determine if I love her enough,” he said, slowly, “to give up all this glory that the Darkling offers me. I think I do, but I would be certain. I should not like to have any regrets in the years to come, nor should I wish to harm Anoush in any way.”

Lara felt her anger swelling. “If you must consider it, Cam, then you cannot love my daughter enough. That is unfortunate for you, and for Hetar. Farewell, Nephew! You have sealed your own fate, and chosen poorly!” And Lara disappeared in a cloud of dark green mist followed by a clap of thunder.

A minute later Ciarda entered the chamber in a cloud of red smoke. She sniffed, and sniffed again. “Who has been here?” she demanded of him.

Cam laughed. “My aunt,” he said.

“What did she want?” Ciarda demanded.

“Perhaps I shall tell you, and perhaps I shall not,” Cam said. “Now come to me, my Darkling. My lover’s rod needs to sheath itself in your heat.” He quickly pushed her against a wall of the chamber, and before she might refuse or protest, Cam had his way with her, driving deep and making her cry out with surprise as he took her pleasures from her. And all the while he used her Cam kept thinking, She is not Anoush. She is not Anoush. But he would eventually have Anoush. The Darkling would give her to him because she needed him, and Anoush would make him happy. If his aunt’s magic was as strong as all said it was she surely would not have come to him for help. No, the Darkling had the power, and he had the Darkling.

15

ALFRIGG, CHANCELLOR OF THE Dark Lands, was beside himself with frustration. He could get nothing accomplished, for his young masters quarreled constantly over everything. Women in particular. This was what the powers of light had wanted, of course, and they had certainly succeeded in causing confusion and disorder in the kingdom. If Kolgrim said aye, Kolbein said nay. The chancellor despaired, and when their half sister appeared to stir the pot, he found himself for the first time in his very long life close to committing violence. He always knew when she was about to appear, for the heavy scent of night-blooming lilies filled the air just prior to the cloud of scarlet mist in which Ciarda transported herself into his privy chamber.

“Alfrigg, dearest friend and Chancellor of the Dark Lands,” she greeted him, smiling her beautiful, wicked smile. “Where are my brothers? I have need of them.”

The old dwarf drew himself up, ignoring the pain in his back and shoulders. The heavy black and gold brocade robe he wore chafed at his bare legs above his old leather boots. His seal of office with its weighty chain felt heavy upon his chest. He glared at the Darkling as if she had interrupted something momentous. “Is it so important that I must disturb the Twilight Lords?” he asked her haughtily.

Ciarda shuddered. “How can you bear the plural on your tongue, my Chancellor?”

“I bear it because it is the reality,” he replied irritably.

“If there were but one,” she murmured. “Kolbein, perhaps?”

“If there were but one I would hope for Kolgrim,” he told her bluntly. “Your lover is too hot-tempered and ignorant, Darkling. Think not that I do not know what you are about, for I do. Remember, it is forbidden by the Book of Rule that any citizen of this kingdom raise their hand in violence against a member of the royal family. Do you suggest disposing of one of your half brothers, Ciarda? And to what purpose? So you might rule through the other? Foolish female! Put such nonsense from your head.”

“I can succeed where my father failed,” Ciarda said heatedly.

Alfrigg laughed scornfully. “Lord Kol was the greatest of the Twilight Lords, and you are a mere Darkling girl. Do not dare to be so presumptuous in your boasting.”

“You will see what I can do, old one. It is why I allow you to live, so that one day you will kneel at my feet to praise my accomplishments and beg my forgiveness,” Ciarda said half-angrily. “If the tone of your apology is sincere I may permit you to live an even longer life than you already have. If it is not I will kill you myself. Now send for my half brothers, and have them meet me in the throne room.” Whirling about, she stalked from his privy chamber.

If only she had been a male, the old chancellor thought to himself. She had strength and determination, and though she was only female, she was intelligent, he was forced to admit. If he could convince her to mate with Kolgrim, who was equally strong and intelligent, they would produce a son unlike any born into the lineage of the Twilight Lords. There had been matings between half siblings in the family before. But if Kolbein gave her a son it could be disastrous. The chancellor called a servant to him, and said, “Go and find both of the Twilight Lords. Tell them I request they join their half sister in the throne room where she awaits them.”

The servant bowed and hurried off. Chancellor Alfrigg pressed a panel in the wall of his privy chamber. Stepping into the narrow corridor he made his way to the throne room, where he exited directly behind the throne. Ciarda was only now entering the chamber. He watched her as she paced back and forth waiting for her siblings. When they entered, Kolbein attempting to push ahead of Kolgrim, and failing, she went forward to greet them.

“Brothers!” She smiled at them.

“What do you need him for?” Kolbein demanded, glaring at Kolgrim.

“Half sister, you are as lovely as ever,” Kolgrim greet Ciarda. “Forgive my brother’s wretched manners. He had the misfortune to be raised by Wolfyn.”

“You think your traitorous giants better?” Kolbein demanded. “Given the opportunity they bolted for Terah.”

“But not until after they had done their duty by our father,” Kolgrim said.

“Brothers,” the Darkling said, “I need your help.”

“I can do whatever you want done,” Kolbein insisted. “Send him away!”

“How may we be of service to you, half sister?” Kolgrim asked.

“I need a place to hide the faerie woman’s daughter. This castle is perfect, for it is unlikely she will consider the girl is here,” Ciarda said.

“I thought that Lara’s daughter was put into a deep sleep, and surrounded by a protection spell fashioned by the Twilight Lord. There is no way we could overcome that,” Kolgrim said sensibly.

“The protection spell is no longer there,” Ciarda said excitedly.

“How would you know that?” Kolgrim asked. He was fascinated by her.

“I have gone each night to stand by the girl’s bedside. To see what I could do to unravel Prince Kaliq’s spell. But I could not decipher it. I do not like to admit defeat and so I kept returning to that little chamber where the girl lay sleeping. And then today I went, and the spell was gone! It had vanished. I reached out to touch the girl, and my hand met with the fabric of her garment.”

“If the spell is gone then why do you need us?” Kolgrim asked Ciarda.

“I would take this girl, and hide her here. She is the leverage I need against the Hierarch. If he knows I have her he will obey me again without question. But I need the power of our blood, and the power of three to make a spell strong enough to transport this girl from her chamber in that Fiacre village.”