Page 2
Story: Shadow and Smite
I grunted my agreement. Everyone in the human kingdom of Valterra felt the impact of Shade attacks. When fae goods crossed the Rift, their spells stayed intact, and it made them invaluable on the human continent. Fae goods improved everything, from light and medicine to livestock and luxury.
Even before the Collapse, they were expensive. Since Gloom had descended and the risk of travel had increased, they were valued even higher.
I was nine when I first heard of Shades, creatures straight from my childhood nightmares swarming upon the Nearbright Sea.
Back then, my mother explained to my younger sisters and me, “See our fae lights? How clean, safe, and stable they are, especially compared to flickering flame? This is a luxury good—one that Valterra now depends on.”
Exactly how the Shades struck was unknown—few survived their raids, and their stories were wild.
“The Shades wouldn’t attackmyboat,” the fae with the horns boasted, butting into our conversation.
Startled, I swallowed too much whiskey and coughed. I looked at him and stared. Nobody made claims like that.
Except…
Well, he clearly wasn’t a normal male. Not even a normal fae, not with horns like that.
Aside from the fact that he was drunk—wobbly posture, crooked grin—he looked to be fine in a fight. Muscular but trim. A well-maintained sword hung on his belt. I couldn’t even appraise his magical skills.
Even if magic or weapons weren’t enough, maybe he could frighten the Shades with his handsome dark looks. His black hair was long, sweeping over his broad shoulders. His eyes were nearly the same shade, beckoning me to look deeper, to look longer, and learn his secrets.
Even on this side of the Rift, he reeked of fae power.
I fought the impulse to lick my lips, and instead, took a timid sip of my drink. I let it burn.
After such a bold claim, everyone was staring at us. I hunched my shoulders and tilted my face downward, letting the scarf shadow my face. Hopefully, they would focus on him.
The male smiled at the attention. Like this was exactly what he wanted.
Who could he be? I began reviewing the Isles in my mind, wondering which was his.The Starlit Isle, the Skylands, Dawn Court…
I’d just made it to Merwhen he winked at me.
Winked.As if he knew I was repressing my urge to flirt. Or maybe he saw how badly I wanted to stay hidden.
It was time to go. I swallowed the last of my drink—
“A favor! For the pretty lady!” the horned male shouted. He crammed his hand into his cloak and found a handkerchief. Fumbling, he waved it, letting the fabric flutter. “May my sigil protect you on your first crossing!”
I had no choice but to play along.
The handkerchief was a fae good. Dark, ruddy red with a black sigil stitched into it.Dusk Court? Scholar’s Island?I couldn’t quite remember, but the stitching flashed a clear message for those who knew.
To anybody else in the tavern, it would have been a wonder to behold. A small fortune.
It was a gift I’d be a fool to reject, and I masked myself, preparing to accept the gift with enacted awe.
“For you,” he insisted. “May it keep you safe.”
Pretending my hesitation rose from intimidation, I extended my palm, offering a shy smile. “You honor me.”
He pressed the cloth into my hand, his fingers brushing the inside of my wrist as he pulled away.
I shivered at his touch. There was something…gravitationalabout him. Like threads, more than cloth, connected our hands—
He was a distraction.
I yanked my hand away, acting as an embarrassed flirt who had overplayed. I ran my fingers against the fabric like I had never touched a fae good before. The cloth moved like water, softer than my sisters’ scarves.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2 (Reading here)
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102