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49 CAIDEN

They entered a darkened chamber where, yet another pedestal stood bathed in light while darkness flooded the rest of the room. Fog billowed around their feet. Engraved on the wall overhead was a depiction of Illya slitting her wrists to give the sylph the gift of the blood.

Caiden took a deep breath. This would be his challenge. Tension pulled taut in the air as he stepped forward while the others stayed behind.

Pricking his finger, he laid a drop of blood on the golden page.

Hello, Lord of Lightning.

His stomach hardened. What did the Trinity have in store for him? Sylph were warriors. He’d definitely have to fight something or someone. But who would the Trinity keep trapped down here for an eternity?

“Uh, hello,” Caiden whispered.

Are you ready for your trial?

No, but he didn’t really have a choice. An electricity ran through his body, making the hairs on the back of his arms stand on end.

“Yes.”

Very well. The sylph were created to protect the land from those who seek to destroy it. No other creature is more fierce or brutal. Therefore, only those who can defeat themselves may pass into the Divine Well.

“What?” Caiden said. A chill ran down his spine.

Good luck. The words disappeared in an instant.

The world around him went silent. He could feel a presence next to him and when he looked up, a copy of him stared back at him. Only this Caiden was more of a shadow than a full flesh and blood man.

Caiden cocked his head, and Shadow Caiden did the same.

Fear coiled in his gut. He would have to fight himself.

He looked to where his friends were but only darkness met his gaze. Could they see him? Did they know what was happening?

Shadow Caiden lashed out with his fist sending him flying across the room.

Shaking the stars from his vision he called his lightning to his hand, but so did his shadow. He gritted his jaw and struck out with a bolt, only for it to be met with a shadow bolt. Electricity crackled in the air. Whatever force Caiden put behind his lightning, Shadow Caiden met it with an equal force of his own.

He cut his lightning and got to his feet. Both he and the shadow stared at each other. Equally matched in every way. Caiden’s chest heaved with ragged breaths. He would have to do this without magic. Gripping his sword, he pulled the weapon from its sheath. He’d forgotten how he’d missed the feeling of the steel in his hand and the Court of Honey had given him a fine light blade, perfect for quick moves.

The shadow pulled a sword of his own. Long and lean, just like the one Caiden held.

They danced around one another, taking cautious steps. Their boots clacked against the stone floor.

Caiden would have to plan his move perfectly. The shadow would copy him, and he needed to make sure he could land the blow swiftly.

He ducked right. The shadow did the same. Then left, then right again. The shadow followed his movements. They came within an inch of each other and Caiden’s blade sliced into the shadow figure’s side, but as his sword found a home, so too, did the shadow’s. A searing pain ripped across his abdomen, and he stumbled.

The shadow caught him where his armor was weak, just as he had caught the shadow. Was this how it would have to be? A cut for a cut until one of them died.

He let out a sigh of relief as Illya’s healing magic sealed up the cut. Would it do the same for the shadow?

He tried to see if the shadow was healed, but darkness clouded his vision.

Gripping his sword tight, he waited for the shadow to attack. His heartbeat echoed in his ears. The Trinity had designed this trial to bring him to within an inch of his life. Only the strongest and most worthy would survive.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see something move. The hair on his arms stood on end. Instinctively he raised his sword just as the shadow’s fell upon him. The weapons clanged against one another. Caiden grit his teeth, pushing with all his might against the shadow, only to be met with equal force.

Their faces nearly touched as their swords braced one another.

Caiden stared into the shadow’s eyes… his eyes, before tearing his sword away. The shadow did the same.

Chests heaving, they circled each other again.

Caiden ran through his old training in his mind, trying to remember the moves he’d learned half a century ago. But how could he outsmart this creature?

The shadow lunged, and he quickly sidestepped the attack. There had to be a pattern. For the most part, the shadow mimicked his attack, while other times it attacked on its own. What was the cadence of these attacks? Was it when he was distracted?

He decided to test his hypothesis.

The shadow looked at him, blinking every time he did.

He took a deep breath and turned his head toward where he thought he’d entered. Sure enough, the shadow lashed out with his sword, but Caiden jumped back, running his own weapon through its shoulder, bringing him to his knees.

“Got you,” he said, just as the shadow ran a dagger through his side. A hot pain radiated through him. He stepped backward, pulling his sword from the shadow.

An evil smile cut the creature’s face in two, but where Caiden had square teeth, this creature had a mouth of sharp fangs.

He got to his feet.

Blood poured from Caiden’s side. Why wasn’t Illya’s gift clotting the blood? He desperately tried to cover the wound. His heart pounded in his chest.

“What magic is this?” he wondered out loud.

The shadow did not answer. He only moved closer. Caiden stumbled back. He had to end this, now.

The shadow raised his sword to strike again, and Caiden blocked it. The sound of steel on steel echoed through the chamber. His body screamed in agony, but he couldn’t let the shadow win. Too much depended on this.

He sucked in a breath, before kicking the shadow in the gut, sending him flying across the room.

Caiden mustered every ounce of power in his veins and lashed out at the shadow before he had time to think, sending two massive bolts of lightning hurtling into the shadow. The creature’s body convulsed as energy radiated through it. Caiden could feel his magic dwindling but still he summoned more, pouring every ounce of frustration, of hate and anger into the being that was a shadow of himself. He couldn’t save his wife. He’d lost Aelia. He would not let this specter best him. The creature shook uncontrollably, until finally Caiden stopped his lightning.

The smell of chard flesh filled the air. A macabre feeling washed over him. He’d killed himself. And part of him was glad. Perhaps this was the part that loved Aelia. Perhaps this was the part of him that had caused her so much pain. He could move on now and be a better person. Be the person she hoped he was.

Smoke smoldered from the charred body of his shadow self. He stared at it, taking in this version of himself—charred and crisp. A pit opened in his stomach, and he hurled its contents onto the floor.

“Caiden!” The sound of Aelia’s voice echoed through the chamber. “Caiden, are you alright?”

She came running at him—a look of concern etched across her beautiful face. His chest lightened. She still cared for him.

“You’re hurt,” she said upon seeing his blood-stained hands.

Caiden’s eyes flitted to Tharan, who stood stoically behind her, arms crossed over his chest. He did not want to get between the Alder King and his love, but he couldn’t help but be pleased she’d been worried about him.

“It’s just a scratch.”

“Bullshit,” Amolie chimed in. “Let me see.”

Caiden moved his hand to let Amolie have a look at the wound.

“Take off your armor. I’ll have to sew it up,” she said, already reaching for a needle and thread in one of her dress’s many pockets.

“Here?”

“Do you have a better option?”

He muttered a curse under his breath before removing his armor.

“Lucky, I have this.” Amolie quickly threaded a needle and began to weave it through his skin.

Caiden set his jaw, trying to distract himself from the pain.

Aelia squeezed his hand.

“Amolie will have you fixed up in a moment.”

Caiden savored the feeling of her hand in his, but didn’t dare show it on his face. Tharan’s jaw tightened at the sight of Aelia comforting Caiden, but he did not say anything. Instead, he moved to the book.

“What does it say?” he asked through gritted teeth.

“It says: Well done, Lord of Lightning, you may pass.”

The room rumbled and a stone wall opened before them, revealing a darkened passage.

Amolie tied her thread in a knot, closing Caiden’s gash.

“It will hold until I figure out what magic is blocking your healing. But don’t do anything too crazy.”

Caiden gave her a knowing look.

“Tharan, can you help him up?” Amolie asked.

Looping his arms underneath Caiden’s, Tharan pulled him to his feet. Caiden winced in pain.

“Let’s go, Lord of Lightning,” he said.

Aelia gave him a small smile.

“I’m glad you’re okay.”

He smiled back.

“Me too.”

Together, they walked into the next chamber.