Page 11 of Realms of Shadow and Sun (A World of Sun and Shadow #3)

The crisp air carried the scent of pine and decaying leaves as Selenia threw her leg over her mount, her ruby cape trailing behind her like a banner of defiance. The fabric caught the fading sunlight, seeming to glow with an inner fire that matched the determination in her eyes.

"I'm coming with you,"

she declared.

Grayden's jaw clenched, a muscle ticking in his cheek as he struggled to maintain his composure. "Absolutely not. I forbid it,"

he said, his tone sharp as he pulled on his leather riding gloves. The supple material creaked as he grabbed the reins tightly in his hands.

Selenia, true to her nature, ignored him completely. She clicked her tongue, the sound sharp in the quiet forest, forcing her mare, Honor, into a steady gait. The horse's hooves kicked up small puffs of dust as they moved forward, leaving Grayden behind.

Frustration mounting, Grayden turned to his last hope for support. "Phillippe, back me up here!"

he yelled over his shoulder, spurring Damion into a quicker pace to catch up with his headstrong sister. The powerful stallion responded instantly, muscles bunching as he surged forward.

Phillippe's laughter rang out behind them, a rare sound of mirth in these tense times. "She's not going to stay put, Brother,"

he called, urging his own horse ahead as well. "You might as well resign yourself to the fact that your rescue mission includes one more."

Grayden frowned as he watched Selenia glance back at him, a smirk of triumph proudly crossing her face. The expression was so familiar, so reminiscent of the sister he knew before tragedy struck, that it made his heart ache. He struggled internally about including her. Although his quest to retrieve Renya would no doubt be dangerous, it was the first time he saw a spark in Selenia's eyes since the passing of Jurel.

The memory of Jurel's death hung over them like a shroud, a constant reminder of what they had lost and what was at stake. Grayden studied his sister's profile, noting the way the grief had etched fine lines around her eyes, aging her beyond her years. And yet, there was something there now—a flicker of the old Selenia, the one who faced challenges head-on with a fierce grin.

Finally, he gave a curt nod, and Selenia responded with a half grin. His heart leapt at the look. Although a month had passed since Jurel's death, Selenia still took to wandering the halls of the castle, absentmindedly stroking the walls and looking off into space. It deeply concerned Grayden, but he didn't know how to offer her comfort when he himself could barely keep it together. The weight of Renya's absence pressed down on him constantly, a physical ache that never truly subsided.

"You are to follow my orders, exactly as I give them,"

he warned, as Selenia slowed down her pace to ride alongside him. The words came out harsher than he intended, born of fear for her safety rather than true anger.

In response, Selenia stuck her tongue out at him, the childish gesture so unexpected that Grayden almost laughed. Then her expression sobered as she looked ahead into the dark forest that loomed before them.

Grayden followed her gaze, apprehension settling in his gut like a cold, heavy stone. He could see nothing but the shadows of trees ahead, their branches reaching out like gnarled fingers in the fading light. It would be a long ride to the Sun Realm, but he was determined to get there as quickly as he could. There must be some clue, some instruction on how to break the blood promise that Renya made to Cressida. Julietta's words gave him hope that such a thing was possible. If he could rescue Renya and break the blood promise, they could potentially have a fighting chance of beating Cressida for good.

As they rode, Grayden's mind raced with possibilities. Surely Renya might have picked up some secret knowledge about her, some way to defeat Cressida? If not, perhaps Sion had. The thought of Sion, still trapped in Cressida's clutches, sent a pang of guilt through him. He pushed the feeling aside, focusing instead on the task at hand.

Selenia slowed further, and Grayden finally caught up with her. "Which way, Brother?"

she asked, as Honor stomped at the ground impatiently, sensing her rider's nervous energy.

Grayden eyed the forest, uncertainty creeping in. It had been many years since he rode this far west, through the thick, dimly lit woods on the outskirts of the Twilight Kingdom. The landscape had changed, trees growing taller and denser, the paths less defined. Luckily, Phillippe had been through here last year. Grayden looked back at him, seeking guidance, and Phillippe nodded in understanding.

"A little lost, there? I thought you were our fearless leader?"

Phillippe chuckled as he edged past Grayden, his tone light but his eyes serious.

Grayden didn't laugh, but gave Phillippe a warning glance. He knew his brother meant well, but the stakes were too high for jests.

Phillippe sobered immediately, recognizing the tension in Grayden's posture. "Okay, okay. Sorry. I'll take the lead."

With Phillippe at the helm, they set off along a small trail towards the right side of the forest. Grayden and Selenia followed, riding single file as the trees became denser and overgrown. Branches reached out to snag their clothing, and roots threatened to trip their horses at every step.

"Are you sure this is right?"

Grayden watched as the path closed in even more, doubt gnawing at him. The forest seemed to press in around them, watchful and ominous.

Phillippe gave a snort, glancing back over his shoulder. "Do you want to lead? By all means, go ahead."

Grayden shut his mouth and ground his teeth together. He knew he was being overbearing and controlling, but he couldn't stop worrying every minute that Renya was out of his reach. The bond between them, once so strong and vibrant, now felt like a frayed thread, growing weaker with each passing day.

Sensing his brother's distress, Phillippe's tone softened. "The trail is overgrown. No one has ventured into the Sun Realm for quite some time. I only know the way because Father took me on the eastern route to the Spring Lands, and we passed it along the mountain ridge. It's beautiful, but...creepy, in a way. Everything is opulent and gorgeous, but there's a quiet surrounding the entire desert. I'm not exactly looking forward to venturing inside the city walls..."

The description sent a shiver down Grayden's spine. What secrets lay hidden in that silent, golden realm? And would they hold the key to saving Renya?

"I appreciate you coming with me,"

Grayden said after a moment, his voice rough with emotion. "I couldn't take our army, but you're the next best thing."

Phillippe's response was immediate and heartfelt. "She's your mate, Grayden. She's part of our family. Of course I'll do whatever I can to get her back to us."

"Me too, Grayden,"

Selenia added, her voice small but determined.

Emotion welled up in Grayden's throat at his siblings' words. The bond between them, forged in childhood and tempered by hardship, had never felt stronger. Whatever lay ahead, they would face it together.

The trio rode farther into the forest, silent except for the occasional broken branch or bird taking flight. The trees grew closer together, their canopy blocking out what little light remained. When it started to get so dark that Grayden couldn't see his horse's head in front of him, he called for a halt.

"Let's rest here until daybreak,"

he said, his voice barely above a whisper. The forest seemed to demand silence, as if speaking too loudly might awaken something best left sleeping.

Phillippe dismounted with practiced ease and moved to help Selenia down. She accepted his assistance gracefully, then smoothed her skirt and began unpacking the sleeping roll on Honor's back.

Grayden watched her fiddle with the ties and then move over to aid Phillippe in removing the tent. She helped him pull it off and began assisting him with setting it up, her movements efficient and purposeful. She'd changed in the last month since they left the lodge. It saddened Grayden a bit, knowing Jurel's death was most likely the culprit. He hated to see his sister lose the exuberance for life she possessed, but there was a new strength in her now, a quiet determination that both worried and impressed him.

While his siblings worked on setting up camp, Grayden took it upon himself to prepare for the night ahead. He dragged over some fallen logs and made a pit for the fire, arranging the wood carefully to ensure it would burn efficiently. Then he set off to hunt for firewood, moving farther into the thickening edge of the forest to find some drier wood. He didn't want the fire to smoke and give their location away. That was all he needed, an ambush of Cressida's soldiers before they even left the Twilight Kingdom territory.

As he moved deeper into the forest, the shadows seemed to darken, taking on a life of their own. The air grew colder, and an unnatural silence fell over the woods. Even the nocturnal creatures that should have been stirring seemed to be holding their breath.

A sharp snap of a twig abruptly ended his thoughts. The sound was like a thunderclap in the eerie silence. Grayden's instincts, honed by years of training and recent battles, took over. He pulled his knife from his boot quickly and crouched down low, his eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of movement.

For a moment, all was still. Then, a deep, screeching laugh came from behind a tall, moss-covered tree. The sound sent chills down Grayden's spine, raising the hair on the back of his neck. It was unlike anything he had ever heard before—not quite animal, not quite fae, but something...else.

"Hiding won't prevent me from knowing you, Grayden Snowden."

The voice that followed the laugh was just as unsettling, a raspy whisper that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.

Grayden's grip tightened on his knife, his palms sweaty despite the chill in the air. "Show yourself!"

he demanded, proud that his voice didn't waver despite the fear coursing through him. "Who are you and how do you know my name?"

A figure slowly emerged from behind the tree, the darkness partially obscuring its features. As it moved into a patch of moonlight that filtered through the canopy, Grayden felt his breath catch in his throat. The mysterious apparition was definitely not fae, and resembled no creature Grayden had seen before.

It was shrouded in a green mist, its form shifting and undulating as if it couldn't quite decide on a solid shape. As it solidified, Grayden could see that the creature's skin was a mottled gray, reminiscent of the underbelly of a pale fish left too long in the sun. It opened its mouth wide in what might have been a smile, revealing rows of sharp, pointed teeth that gleamed wetly in the moonlight.

"I know many things, Grayden Snowden. And how I know things is not for you to know."

It gave another cruel smile and Grayden pulled his sword off of his back, the familiar weight of the weapon providing little comfort in the face of this otherworldly threat. Before he could unsheath it, he found himself frozen in place, held by an invisible force that seemed to press in on him from all sides.

"My magic may be weaker than in the past, but it's still a great deal stronger than yours,"

the figure taunted, creeping towards Grayden. He couldn't see where the creature's feet hit the ground, and he had a sickening suspicion that it was floating through the air, defying the laws of nature just as it defied description.

Grayden heard rustling behind him, and his heart sank. He knew Phillippe was approaching, no doubt coming to check on him after his prolonged absence. He tried to shout a warning, but his paralyzation was full-body. He couldn't even move his lips to form words, couldn't so much as blink as the creature drew ever closer.

He felt Phillippe brush against him, sword drawn, before he too was frozen. A few seconds later, Selenia emerged and was caught in the creature's hold as well. Grayden's fear doubled, no longer just for himself but for his siblings who had walked unknowingly into this trap.

"Ah, it's all three Snowden siblings. I was hoping I'd get the chance to meet you. Your father was an interesting character, so I've been longing to meet his offspring."

Grayden was shocked to his core. This creature met his father? His father obviously lived past the encounter, so Grayden was instantly confused as to the beast's intentions. Was this some kind of test? A rite of passage? Or something far more sinister?

He watched Selenia struggle against her invisible bonds, and he was shocked when he saw her move her fingers and open her mouth. How was she able to resist the creature's magic when he and Phillippe were completely immobilized?

"A powerful one, we have here. Yet you don't use your magic, princess. You could control it, you know. I could tell you how."

Selenia managed to free herself completely, shaking off the last vestiges of the creature's hold. Her eyes blazed with a mixture of fear and determination as she faced the strange being. "I don't know who or what you are, but I don't need any help from you."

"You might change your mind, one day. You're young, after all...and I know everything that lies ahead of you."

The creature's words sent a chill through Grayden. The idea that this being could see their futures, could know what lay in store for them, was both terrifying and tempting. What if it knew about Renya? About how to save her?

Selenia looked at Grayden and Phillippe, her concern for her brothers overriding her fear of the creature. "Let my brothers go!"

"I will...for a trade. A small trade, and you shall all go on your way."

Grayden was released from his bonds instantly, stumbling slightly as control of his body was suddenly returned to him. He heard a soft thump as Phillippe fell on his knees next to him, as he had been frozen in mid-leap.

"Don't make any kind of trade, Selenia!"

Phillippe scrambled to his feet and put himself in front of his sister and the taunting figure. His voice was urgent, tinged with a fear Grayden had rarely heard from his usually composed brother. "She's a Murcurial!"

Grayden and Selenia looked puzzled, the term unfamiliar to them. The Murcurial laughed, the sound like nails on slate. The rags it wore shifted as her diaphragm moved up and down with her movements, revealing glimpses of gray, mottled flesh beneath.

"Phillippe Snowden knows of me, he does? If I could blush, I would."

Phillippe didn't respond to the Murcurial, but looked at his siblings carefully, his eyes conveying a warning more potent than words. "They are tricksters who try to change your destiny!"

"Only partially right, Phillippe Snowden. Know your future, I do. It's you who decides whether or not to try and change it."

The Murcurial moved slightly towards Selenia, and Grayden instantly shielded his sister. The Murcurial laughed again, the sound rattling Grayden's nerves. "Missing your mate, Grayden Snowden? Would you like to know if you're reunited? If the pretty Sun Princess will ever be your bride?"

Grayden's eyes widened. The offer was incredibly tempting; his desperation for Renya clouded all aspects of his judgment. The thought of knowing, of having some certainty in this sea of doubt, was almost overwhelming. But Phillippe's warning rang in his ears, holding him back from accepting the Murcurial's offer.

"Grayden, don't listen to her,"

Phillippe urged, his voice tight with tension. "Their riddles will drive you mad, trying to find meaning in the ramblings."

Once again, he attempted to position himself between the Murcurial and his siblings, his protective instincts in full force.

The Murcurial's gaze shifted to Phillippe, its black, lash-less eyes unblinking and unsettling. "You will enjoy the feeling of power, Phillippe Snowden. But you'll have to choose. Would you rather love, or magic? For you shall not have both."

Phillippe's face paled at the prophecy, a flicker of fear crossing his features before he steadied himself. "Stop it! I'll not hear my fortune!"

he cried, lunging at the Murcurial with a desperation born of fear and anger.

But the moment he made contact with the spot where she was hovering, the Murcurial vanished like mist in sunlight. The sudden disappearance threw Phillippe off balance, and he stumbled, barely catching himself before he fell.

A chill ran down Grayden's spine as he realized the creature could appear and disappear at will. How could they fight something they couldn't even touch?

Before he could voice his concerns, the Murcurial's raspy voice came from behind them. "Selenia Snowden...you grieve for the wrong man. The one you are meant for is in pain, yet instead of caring for him, your heart is torn for another. Silly girl. You know nothing of true pain and true love."

Selenia whirled around, her face a mask of shock and indignation. But before she could retort, the Murcurial reappeared behind her, snatching at her cloak with boney, decaying fingers. Selenia screeched and tried to push her off, the sound of tearing fabric filling the air.

"I just want your pretty mantle. Then leave you alone I will,"

the Murcurial crooned, its voice a mockery of gentleness.

Grayden's protective instincts flared. "Why should we believe you?"

he demanded, his sword drawn and pointed straight at the Murcurial. The blade gleamed in the moonlight, steady despite the fear coursing through him.

The Murcurial stared down the sword, her eyes black and unblinking. There was no fear in its gaze, only a sort of amused curiosity, as if Grayden's threat was nothing more than a child's game.

"Your mate carries a secret. One she has not told you, one she might not even know herself. Would you like to know if she'll live to reveal it?"

The words hit Grayden like a physical blow. A secret? What could Renya be hiding from him? And the implication that she might not live...He felt his resolve wavering, the temptation to know almost overwhelming.

But before he could respond, Selenia acted. With a swift motion, she unclasped the arctic fox pin holding her cloak together and threw it at the Murcurial's feet. The silver pin glinted as it fell, landing with a soft thud on the forest floor.

"Here, begone!"

Selenia cried, her voice ringing with authority. "Leave us be and speak no more!"

The Murcurial glanced at the offering, then bent to retrieve the cloak. Her boney fingers extended from the rags she wore, and Grayden felt slightly sick as he looked at flesh rotting off the bone. The sight was grotesque, a reminder of the unnatural nature of the being they were dealing with.

"Many thanks, Selenia Snowden,"

the Murcurial said, its voice taking on an almost sing-song quality. "We'll meet again, you know. Next time, it will be you who seeks me out. Bring me a handsome payment and I'll serve you well."

"Never,"

Selenia spat out through clenched teeth. She moved farther back into the canopy of trees, as far away from the creature as she could get. Grayden could see her trembling, though whether from fear or anger, he couldn't tell.

With another maniacal laugh, the Murcurial slunk back into the forest, a cloud of mist surrounding her. After a few seconds, she had completely disappeared, leaving behind only the lingering scent of decay and the echo of her laughter.

Grayden let out a shaky breath, his mind reeling from the encounter. What did the Murcurial mean? A secret Renya was keeping from him? The thought tore at him, planting seeds of doubt that he tried desperately to push away.

Phillippe approached Grayden and rested his hand lightly on his shoulder. The touch was grounding, pulling Grayden back from the brink of his spiraling thoughts. "Don't worry about it, Grayden,"

Phillippe said softly, his voice steady despite the lingering tension in his posture. "Murcurials love to entertain and frighten us with their fanciful talks of the future. Father said they downright lie just for the fun of it."

Grayden nodded, grateful for his brother's reassurance, but he still couldn't push the worry from his mind. The Murcurial's words had struck too close to home, playing on his deepest fears and insecurities.

Selenia came to his other side, visibly shaken from the encounter. She was shivering, partly in fear, and partly from her missing cloak. Without hesitation, Grayden pulled off his fur and wrapped it around her slender shoulders. She gave him a grateful look, pulling the warm fur closer around her.

"Do you think there's any truth in her words?"

Selenia asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do they ever tell the truth?"

Phillippe scratched his jaw, his fingers running through the full beard that covered his face. The gesture was familiar, a habit he'd picked up from their father. "It's hard to say,"

he admitted after a moment of contemplation. "But you mustn't dwell on what she said. That way lies madness. Fae have gone crazy trying to discern meanings in their protestations. Just forget what you heard."

Selenia nodded, but Grayden could tell she was focusing on the Murcurial's words as much as he was. The creature's prophecies had struck chords in all of them, touching on their deepest fears and desires.

"Why did she want Selenia's cloak?"

Grayden asked, trying to make sense of the strange encounter.

Phillippe shrugged, his face concentrated in thought. "I have no idea. I don't think they weave spells or any dark magic. Perhaps she just liked it?"

The explanation seemed too simple, too mundane for such an otherworldly being. But Grayden had no better theories to offer.

Selenia shuddered, pulling Grayden's fur tighter around her shoulders. "Let's get out of here,"

she said, her voice tinged with urgency. "I can still sense her presence. It feels like...rot and decay. I can almost smell it."

Grayden nodded, suddenly aware of the oppressive atmosphere that lingered in the wake of the Murcurial's departure. He picked up the pile of wood he had started to gather, then put his other arm around Selenia and guided her back to the camp. Phillippe followed behind in silence, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, eyes scanning the shadows as if expecting the Murcurial to reappear at any moment.

None of the siblings spoke as they made their way back, each deep in thought, contemplating the confessions of the Murcurial. The creature's words hung over them like a cloud, casting a shadow over their mission.

As they reached the clearing where they had set up camp, Grayden couldn't shake the feeling that something had fundamentally changed. The encounter with the Murcurial had shaken them all, bringing to the surface fears and doubts they had tried to keep buried.

But as he looked at his siblings, saw the determination in their eyes despite their fear, he felt a surge of resolve. Whatever lay ahead, whatever secrets or challenges they might face, they would face them together. And somehow, someway, they would find Renya and bring her home.