Page 12 of Crowned by the Shadow (Bound by the Veil #5)

Chapter

Nine

Thorn

The Veilshard Pendant pulsed against Senara’s chest, its light a steady guide through the darkened woods.

Every step we took brought us closer to the Obsidian Keep, the place where Eldric held Wyn.

The tension in Senara’s frame mirrored my own; every muscle was taut, ready for battle.

But as we neared our destination, a strange sensation gnawed at my senses.

Something called to me from the south, a whisper on the wind that tugged at my very soul.

“Senara,” I said, halting in my tracks.

My bonded turned to me, frustration flashing in her eyes. “What is it?”

I couldn’t quite put it into words. It felt like an instinct, something primal and urgent. “I need to go south.”

“South?” She glanced in the direction the pendant pointed. “Wyn is that way.”

“I know,” I replied, gripping her arm gently. “But there’s something I need to check out first. It’s important.”

Her eyes narrowed. “More important than rescuing Wyn?”

“It’s a feeling I can’t ignore.” I met her gaze, willing her to understand. “Please trust me.”

She hesitated, clearly torn between the urgency of rescuing Wyn and the bond we shared. Finally, she sighed and nodded. “Alright. But let’s make it quick.”

We veered southward, using some of the pendant’s magic to quicken our pace. The landscape shifted as we traveled, the dense forest giving way to rolling hills and then to a small village nestled in a valley, the Sun Court’s outpost where Ronan had grown up.

As we approached, a chilling sight met our eyes: the village was overrun with feral fae.

“By the gods,” Senara whispered.

The creatures moved with jerky, unnatural motions, their eyes glowing with a sickly light. They swarmed over the village like locusts, tearing through homes and gardens with savage abandon.

“We have to help them,” I said, already moving forward.

Senara nodded grimly. “Let’s clear them out quickly. We can’t risk attracting the Empress’ attention.”

We split up, each using our magic to combat the horde. My Sun Kissed mark flared as I called upon the power of sunlight, sending searing beams of energy toward the feral fae. They shrieked and recoiled under the onslaught, their forms disintegrating into ash.

Senara moved with lethal grace beside me, her Moon Mark glowing with ethereal beauty. She summoned blades of moonlight that cut through the creatures like paper, her every strike precise and deadly.

A feral fae lunged at me from behind; I spun and incinerated it with a blast of solar fire. “Senara! Over here!”

She joined me in an instant, her presence bolstering my resolve. Together we pushed through the village, our combined magic cutting a swath through the chaos.

“Ronan!” I shouted as we fought our way toward his family home.

There was no answer, but more shrieks from feral fae as they fell under our assault.

We reached Ronan’s home, a sturdy stone building now besieged by half a dozen feral fae trying to claw their way inside.

Senara dispatched two with a slice of her sword while I incinerated another three in quick succession. The last one fell beneath my sword just as we reached the door.

“Ronan!” I pounded on it urgently.

The door creaked open cautiously before revealing Ronan’s imposing form on the other side, his hair disheveled but eyes sharp as ever despite signs of battle weariness etched into his features.

“Thorn? Senara?” His voice carried both relief and surprise before turning more serious immediately after taking in our expressions; he opened fully, allowing us inside where others cowered behind makeshift barricades within what remained secure amidst their otherwise besieged sanctuary.

“Ronan,” I said breathlessly, once safely inside again, catching sight around him confirming he’d been protecting many others beyond himself alone here.

The moment I stepped inside Ronan’s home, the weight of despair hit me. A group of terrified villagers huddled together in a corner, their eyes wide with fear. My heart clenched. This was not just about rescuing Wyn anymore; it was about saving everyone caught in the chaos of corruption.

“Get everyone out,” I urged Ronan, my voice low but firm. “We need to find a safe path through the woods.”

He nodded, his hair catching the faint light as he moved to rally the villagers. “Listen up! We’re going to escape through the back. Thorn and Senara will cover us.”

Senara stood at my side, her expression fierce despite the turmoil swirling within her. I could see her struggling against the grief over her father’s sacrifice while keeping her focus on what lay ahead. It reminded me why we had to act quickly; every second wasted risked another life.

I looked back at Ronan as he ushered people out the back door. He glanced at me over his shoulder, worry etched on his face. “Are you sure you can handle this?”

“Just go!” I snapped, irritation flaring for a moment before I caught myself.

Ronan led the way outside, pushing past the threshold with purpose. I turned my attention back to Senara, who gripped the pendant tightly as it pulsed softly against her skin.

“What if Eldric’s forces come for us here?” she asked, her voice began in a clear, battle ready tone, but as she continued talking, fear began lacing her words. “He might know that we’ve deviated from the path he laid out for us. What if he hurts Wyn in retaliation?”

“We won’t let them.” I took a breath and softened my tone.

“We’ll hold them off until everyone is safe.

Eldric doesn’t want to hurt Wyn. If he did, then he would have already.

She’s his bait. He wanted her, whether it was just as bait or something to do with her power as well, I’m not sure, but he won’t risk her life. ”

The sound of shattering glass from nearby pulled my attention back outside where feral fae were already closing in on us from all directions, their twisted forms moving like shadows in the fading light.

I summoned my magic once more, feeling warmth surge through me as sunlight ignited around my sword’s edge. “Get ready!”

Senara mirrored my stance beside me; together we formed a barrier between our friends and impending doom. The first wave of feral fae lunged toward us, claws extended and mouths snarling with hunger.

I unleashed a beam of light that cut through their ranks like a hot knife through butter, scattering ash into the air.

“Thorn!” Senara called urgently as another wave approached.

I shot another blast toward them just in time, but felt exhaustion creeping in, a familiar sensation during intense fights that threatened to weaken my resolve.

“Keep moving!” I shouted. My words were directed at Ronan and the villagers as they made their escape into the safety of the trees beyond our battle zone, but also served as a lure for the feral fae, distracting them from the helpless villagers and making them focus on us instead.

Finally, the last of the feral fae fell beneath our combined might, disintegrating into shadows and ash. I took a moment to catch my breath, my heart still racing from the battle. The woods behind us were eerily quiet now, the tension replaced by an unsettling stillness.

“Let’s move,” Senara urged, her voice a mixture of urgency and determination.

We pressed deeper into the Whispering Woods, following the fading trail left by Ronan and the villagers. I could feel the weight of Senara’s anxiety as we navigated through tangled branches and low-hanging vines.

When we finally spotted Ronan standing at the edge of a clearing, relief washed over me. He was panting, but he held his ground as we approached.

“Are they safe?” I asked.

He nodded, though his eyes flickered with concern. “For now. But we can’t linger. We need to keep moving.”

Senara wasted no time in getting to the point. “We can’t stay long. We need to rescue Wyn.”

Ronan’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”

I stepped forward, bracing myself for Ronan’s reaction, as I knew he had a soft spot for the little mage. “Wyn has been taken. She’s being used as bait for Senara.”

Shock registered on Ronan’s face, his mouth falling open slightly before he could compose himself. A murmur rippled through the villagers who had gathered around us, their expressions a mix of disbelief and fear.

“Bait?” Ronan echoed, his voice strained as he processed the information. “Why? Who would do that?”

“It’s a long story. A lot has happened since you have been away, brother,” I replied, trying to keep my tone steady despite how much it hurt to see this unfold before us. “Certain parties want Senara to come to the Obsidian Keep.”

“What?!” Ronan snapped, frustration creeping into his tone. His shout turned into a hissed whisper. “You’re telling me that the dragons are still around? I thought they were extinct!”

“I know it sounds insane,” I said quickly, desperate to maintain control over our situation. “But we have no time to get into the details or for hesitation. Somehow I felt the urgency of your need and we came to help since it wasn’t far, but?—”

Senara shifted beside me; her hand brushed against my arm in a gesture meant to steady us both. Her gaze met mine, determined yet filled with something else that made my chest tighten.

“I can’t wait any longer,” she declared suddenly, pulling away from me with purpose in her voice that sent a jolt through my heart. “If you’d rather stay here with Ronan while I go after Wyn, I can make that work…”

“No.” My voice came out sharper than intended; hurt laced through my words as they echoed in the clearing between us.

Ronan looked between us uneasily but didn’t interject; instead, he turned away for a moment to gather himself.

I hated hearing those words from her lips. The thought of losing her haunted me more than any battle ever could, but fatigue blurred reason and made it hard to argue effectively.

“Thorn,” she continued softly when Ronan had stepped aside briefly, “I have to do this.”