The Shadow's heir

murmuring a few words.

At the centre of the Temple, a hole had been left in the roof to let the moonlight in. It shone on the circular altar, where Saeddryn and the rest of the priesthood were gathered.

As Arenadd approached, Saeddryn came to meet him. She wore her ceremonial silver gown, and a deer mask covered her face.

She silently offered a cup to him.

Arenadd took it and walked toward the altar, while the priestesses formed into a circle around it. They were bare-chested, clad in nothing but simple fur loin-cloths, each one wearing the mask of a different tribe.

Arenadd lifted the cup to his mouth and drank the blood it contained before handing it back to Saeddryn. She gave him the copper-bladed ceremonial knife in return, and went to join her companions, leaving Arenadd to approach the altar alone.

He reached it and stood there, looking impassively at the victim already chained to it. Aled had been gagged, and he stared back mutely.

Arenadd looked upward, to where the moon shone through the roof. It was a perfect silver orb-a Wolf Moon.

I know you’re watching me, he thought. If I didn’t kill him-if I let you die-what would you do then, Master?

But he knew that, even now, he didn’t have the courage to do something like that.

Around him, the priests chanted, invoking the Night God, and the worshippers joined in softly. “Night God, bring darkness, Night God, bring death to our enemies. Night God, take the souls of our dead to the stars and let them shine there forever. Night God, guide us, guard us, oh beloved spirit of the moon and the dark and the shadows.”

Arenadd knew what he was watching for, and he kept his eyes on the moon. Waiting.

Sure enough, after a few moments, he saw it-saw the shadow begin to cover the moon. The Night God’s eye was closing, blinding her to the world and so cutting her off from the strength of her people. Arenadd kept quite still, holding the knife and watching the phases of the moon pass in a single night. The full moon followed by the half moon, the Deer Moon, followed by the crescent, the Bear Moon. After that would come the new moon, the Crow Moon.

As the shadow drifted across it, the moment came. The moon turned red from edge to edge. Inside the Temple, the priestesses moaned and cried out in horror.

Arenadd tore his gaze away from the bloodied moon, and saw the altar and the victim. Aled struggled feebly against his chains. He was actually crying in his terror.

Arenadd felt the same cold calmness he had become so used to over the years, mixed with a terrible excitement-an almost sexual, lustful feeling.

“Join me,” he whispered, and brought the knife down with all his strength.

The copper blade, etched with sacred runes, sank into Aled’s chest, through his ribs, and penetrated his heart. He jerked and screamed briefly, and then went limp as he died.

The instant that happened, Arenadd saw the world around him fade away.

Darkness came in its place.

He looked around, almost dreamily, and found himself surrounded by a ring of strange beast-headed women. Each one was an animal spirit in human form, and each one represented one of the ancient tribes of his people. He inclined his head toward the wolf-headed woman who represented his own tribe, and then looked upward, to where the mural of stars painted on the roof had become real stars, shining far more brightly than they usually did in a sky that had become the entire world.

Arenadd breathed deeply. “Come to me,” he said softly.

Silence answered him.

And then she was there.

Arenadd turned to face her and saw her, standing near him as if she had been there all along. She looked just as he remembered her-young but old, wearing nothing but a mantle of silver fur that left her breasts exposed. In one hand she held a silver sickle, in the other the full moon, somehow balanced on her palm.

Why have you summoned me, Arenadd Taranisaii?

Arenadd stepped toward her. “I gave you your blood, just as I did before, Master.”

The Night God sighed. Oh, my sweet Arenadd. How much you have suffered.

“You know the pact,” said Arenadd, stone-faced. “I gave you your blood. Now answer my question.”

She ignored him. Arenadd, you have not listened to me in such a long time. I am not pleased by this.

“I have a Kingdom to look after,” said Arenadd. “That’s enough to occupy me now.”

Yes. She lifted her hand and put the full moon into the hole where her eye should have been. You have done so well, Arenadd. My people prosper, and I am worshipped as I should be once again. You have done as I asked you, and I am grateful.

Arenadd’s expression did not change. “Good. Now you can tell me what I want to know.”

Ask, and I shall answer.

“Then tell me this,” said Arenadd. “Who am I?”

The Night God smiled. You are Arenadd Taranisaii. You are the Shadow That Walks. You are the King you deserve to be.

“I didn’t deserve to be a King,” Arenadd snapped. “And that isn’t what I mean, and you know it. I want to know who I was, Master. Who was I before you changed me? Before I was your creature?”

She reached out to caress his face. Why do you wish to know this, Arenadd? Why can you not let the past rest?

“I don’t know, Master, but I want to know.” Arenadd’s face creased in pain. “Who did you sacrifice to make me? I know. . I know I had a life before then. I know I was someone. But I don’t know who, or why I died. . I don’t know why I forgot.”

It does not matter, said the Night God. Truly. Listen, Arenadd. Our time is short, and I have new commands for you to carry out.

“Oh, do you?” Arenadd snarled. “What is it now, then? Who else do you want me to kill?”

You have reclaimed the North in my name, said the Night God, quite calmly. Now I would have you deliver Gryphus’ ultimate punishment. You must invade the South. Conquer its cities and its Eyries while they are still in disarray. There is confusion and poor leadership there now-take advantage of it. The griffiners’ power can be overthrown. If you act quickly, the whole of Cymria may be ours for the taking!

“So Saeddryn tells me,” Arenadd said sourly.

Then she is right. Destroy the South, Arenadd. I command it. It is in your power.

Arenadd hesitated. “I don’t want to.”

Do it, she hissed. I command you.

“What if I refuse?”

She enveloped him, smothering him in her cold, numbing power. You know what I can do to you if you do not do as I tell you, Arenadd.

He shuddered, trying not to show his fear. “I know, Master. I know. But the Southerners aren’t a threat any more, and surely. .”

The coldness around him increased, spreading pain into his limbs. Surely nothing! the Night God raged. I have commanded, and you must obey! The Day God will be an enemy to me until the ending of time itself, and he must be destroyed, or he will destroy me!

Arenadd cringed under her onslaught. “All right! All right! I’ll do it, Master. I’ll do it.”

She relaxed and took away the pain. Excellent. You will do as I have told you?

“Yes. But only if you tell me who I was.”

Why are you so anxious to know?

“I don’t know, but I am. Please, just tell me.”