Page 4 of Realms of Shadow and Sun (A World of Sun and Shadow #3)

Renya stared blankly out the window, her mind a whirlwind of despair and desperation as she sought a way out of her predicament. Since Cressida's guards had unceremoniously shoved her into this room, she'd done nothing but sob, her body aching from the constant trembling. Every fiber of her being longed to collapse onto the ornate bed behind her and sleep away her troubles, but rest eluded her.

The most terrifying aspect of her captivity was the absence of Grayden's presence in her mind. She could no longer sense him through their bond, and the tension and worry this caused made her head pound relentlessly. Was it merely the distance between them, or was he unconscious...or worse? The image of him bleeding profusely on that hill, surrounded by destruction and carnage, was seared into her memory.

And then there was Cressida's earth-shattering revelation. Her mother? The very notion chilled Renya to her core. How could that cruel, sadistic witch possibly be her mother? It had to be a lie, some kind of ploy for power. There was no way she could be the product of such evil. And yet...the Shadow Queen had recognized Aunt Agatha immediately at the Sunset Land. She had even seemed to fear her. Could it possibly be true?

Renya felt broken, her entire life revealed as a lie. First, the truth about her heritage and lineage, and now this latest bombshell? She wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball and disappear from this nightmare.

Another tear leaked from her eye, and Renya didn't even bother to wipe it away. She watched it drip onto the marble vanity in front of her, the droplet pooling against the cold surface. The separation from Grayden was unbearable. She now understood his frantic behavior to get to her after their bond had developed. It felt as though a piece of her soul had been torn away, locked in an impenetrable vault beyond her reach.

A soft knock on the door momentarily drew her out of her misery. Rising unsteadily, she moved to the corner of the room, torn between horror at the thought of facing the Shadow Queen and a desperate desire to confront her about her outlandish claim.

Instead of Cressida, an older woman entered the room, her demeanor almost bashful. Her auburn hair was streaked with silver, and she had a kind face with soft eyes and a mouth pulled into a tentative smile. Renya could scarcely believe that someone so gentle-looking could exist in this palace of horrors.

The woman approached Renya slowly, balancing a polished wooden tray in her hands. She placed it atop the vanity where Renya had been sitting, then wiped her hands on her crisp cream-colored apron. As she turned to leave, Renya found herself calling out.

"Wait!"

The woman turned, her expression a mixture of surprise and curiosity. Renya hesitated, unsure of what she actually wanted from this stranger. She studied the woman, weighing her options. While the servant looked friendly, it could be a trap. Yet there was something in her eyes that made Renya think she might be sympathetic to her plight.

"What's your name?"

Renya asked, her voice hoarse from crying.

The woman smoothed her hair back from her forehead, meeting Renya's gaze briefly before lowering her eyes respectfully. "Margot, your highness."

"Please,"

Renya said, surprising herself with the strength in her voice, "just call me Renya."

Margot glanced up quickly, a flicker of something—understanding, perhaps?—in her eyes before she looked down again. "As you wish, Renya."

Before Renya could formulate another question, Margot slipped out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Sighing heavily, Renya approached the vanity. A pink teapot steamed gently, accompanied by a teacup with a lemon slice floating in it. A few slices of cheese rested nearby, along with some bread and sausage. She eyed the food warily, wondering if there was any chance it might be poisoned. It seemed unlikely; if Cressida had wanted her dead, she could have killed her back at the Twilight Kingdom. No, the Shadow Queen had some purpose for her, of that Renya was certain.

Settling back at the vanity, Renya poured herself a cup of tea. Though neither thirsty nor hungry, she knew she needed to keep up her strength if she hoped to find a way back to Grayden. As she nibbled on a piece of bread, she glanced around the room, searching for any potential means of escape.

The mahogany bed dominated the room, its tall posters draped with red gauzy curtains. A vase of blood-red roses sat on the nightstand, their sweet fragrance at odds with the oppressive atmosphere. A small fire crackled in the hearth on the opposite side of the room, offering more light than warmth. Just off to one corner, Renya spied a tiny bathroom with a small copper tub.

The sight of the tub sent a pang through her heart as she remembered Grayden's playful teasing about the size of their bathtub at the lodge. It felt like a lifetime ago that she had sat in his lap while he tenderly washed her hair. Another sob threatened to overtake her, but she swallowed it back with effort. If she wanted to survive—to escape—she needed to be stoic and strategic. No matter how much she longed to dissolve into tears, it wouldn't get her anywhere. She had to focus all her energy on finding a way back to Grayden.

But how could she break the blood promise? There had to be a way. She reached for her magic, feeling it hum beneath her skin, but as soon as she tried to draw it forth, she instinctively pulled back. She still had no real idea how to use it, let alone how to break a spell. And was it truly her magic? Or was it Cressida's, as the Shadow Queen claimed?

Her temple throbbed as a migraine began to form. Though she had done little but cry and stare out the window since being forced into this room, Renya felt utterly exhausted. Finally giving in to her body's demands, she crawled into the bed fully clothed and waited for sleep to claim her.

When Renya next opened her eyes, pale morning light was filtering through the windows. The shadows persisted, as they seemed to do throughout the day in this realm, but the chorus of chirping birds told her she had slept through the night. Taking a deep breath, she immediately reached out for Grayden through their bond. After several failed attempts, she gave up, fighting back tears. She told herself it was only the distance preventing her from feeling him, but the doubt gnawed at her relentlessly.

Before she could drag herself out of bed, a quiet knock sounded at the door. Margot entered, carrying another tray and a gown draped over her arm.

Determined to make a connection, Renya tried once more to engage the servant in conversation as Margot arranged her breakfast tray on the vanity. "Tell me about yourself, Margot."

Margot kept her eyes lowered and remained silent. Renya sighed, moving to examine the tray. Unlike yesterday's meal, it held only a teapot and teacup.

As Margot began making the bed, smoothing the sheets and fluffing the pillows, she suddenly straightened, her demeanor shifting. "I have a son,"

she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "He is a soldier for this realm. He was there that night."

Renya looked at her, perplexed. "What night?"

Margot's eyes met Renya's, a mixture of sympathy and fear in their depths. "When you were taken to the Sunset Lands by Brandle. He saw how much Prince Snowden loves you, how hard he fought for you."

She paused, glancing nervously at the door before continuing. "He wishes he served another kingdom. But as long as I'm in this palace, he has to be loyal."

Moved by this unexpected show of empathy, Renya crossed the room to Margot. She clasped the woman's hands in her own, offering a tentative smile. Perhaps she had found an ally in this den of shadows after all.

Renya entered the dining room, her stomach a tight knot of anxiety, her appetite completely nonexistent. Like most of the palace, it was an open-air room, the perpetual gloom of the Shadow Realm seeping in from all sides. Despite its ominous surroundings, the oval-shaped chamber was adorned with ivory pillars and delicate hanging lights, creating an unexpected oasis of beauty amidst Cressida's dark domain. The contrast was jarring, leaving Renya unsettled and wary.

The ivory table at the center of the room gleamed softly, its pale surface a stark contrast to the shadows that seemed to cling to every corner. Delicate white iron chairs surrounded it, their intricate woven patterns reminiscent of frost on a window pane. Margot, a fleeting presence of warmth in this cold place, motioned Renya to a seat at the head of the table before quietly slipping away. Renya felt a pang of loss as she watched her go, suddenly feeling very small and alone in the cavernous space.

Minutes ticked by, each one stretching into an eternity as Renya sat in tense silence. Just as she was gathering the courage to leave and attempt to find her way back to her room, the air in the chamber began to swirl and darken. A funnel cloud of inky blackness materialized, dispersing as quickly as it had formed to reveal Cressida in all her terrifying glory.

The Shadow Queen was garbed in a gown of deep indigo that seemed to absorb what little light there was in the room. Tiny amethysts sparkled along the neckline and waist, catching the dim light and throwing off purple reflections. In place of a crown, she wore a silver band across her forehead, a massive gemstone dangling between her eyebrows like a third eye. As she took her seat opposite Renya, she made a grand show of adjusting her voluminous skirts before fixing her violet gaze on her captive.

Renya met Cressida's glare with one of her own, seething with a potent mixture of fear and fury. The longer she went without sensing Grayden through their bond, the more her anger threatened to consume her. She clenched her fists under the table, nails digging into her palms as she struggled to maintain her composure.

Cressida finally broke the oppressive silence, her voice dripping with disdain. "Since you've stolen my magic, and I'm no longer able to get it back, I'm going to train you to be my weapon."

"It's my magic,"

Renya spat back, her voice trembling with barely contained rage. "It's always been mine."

She twisted her engagement ring nervously as she spoke, before quickly hiding her hands beneath the table to conceal the precious token.

Cressida's eyes narrowed, her gaze raking over Renya's features as if seeing her for the first time. Renya found herself doing the same, desperately searching for any hint of a familial connection, any trait that might lend credence to Cressida's outrageous claim. But try as she might, she could detect no similarities. Where the Shadow Queen was all darkness and malevolence, Renya was light and determination. They were as different as night and day, oil and water—destined never to mix.

"I'm a descendant of the Shadow Realm,"

Cressida continued, her voice taking on a lecturing tone that made Renya's skin crawl, "but I was also born with the powers of the sun. Light and dark, I controlled them both. But with your birth, I lost the powers of the sun, and they passed to you."

Renya felt as if the floor had dropped out from beneath her. Her powers were indeed golden and warm, reminiscent of the sun itself. She remembered the first time she had reached out to Grayden with her magic, the way heat had flushed his handsome face. But surely that was just a coincidence? She was born of the Sun Realm, after all...wasn't she?

Shaking her head to clear the doubts threatening to take root, Renya declared, "You aren't my mother."

The words came out more uncertain than she had intended, and she silently cursed herself for the weakness in her voice.

Cressida let out a derisive snort, her lips curling into a cruel smirk. "I wish it wasn't true either. I wanted a strong, competent heir. Not some weak girl fawning over a hunk of meat like a vapid idiot."

The insult struck Renya like a physical blow, her face burning with a mixture of shame and rage. "You're just jealous,"

she retorted, her voice rising, "that Grayden wanted me, not some old hag."

In an instant, Cressida was on her feet, moving with inhuman speed to Renya's side. Before Renya could react, the Shadow Queen's hand shot out, fingers like iron as they clamped around Renya's wrist. With a vicious twist, Cressida wrenched the snowflake ring from Renya's finger.

"No!"

Renya cried, her heart plummeting as she realized what was happening.

But it was too late. Cressida's eyes glowed with malicious triumph as she held the ring aloft, allowing the precious stones to catch the light one last time. Then, with a casual flick of her wrist, she tossed it over the edge of the cliff and into the dark forest far below.

A strangled sob escaped Renya's throat as she bolted to the side of the room. She leaned precariously over the edge, her eyes frantically scanning the endless canopy of trees below, desperately searching for any glint of silver among the sea of dark leaves. But it was futile. The ring—her last tangible connection to Grayden—was gone, swallowed by the shadows.

As the full weight of her loss crashed down upon her, Renya sank to the cold stone floor, her body wracked with heaving sobs. She curled in on herself, arms wrapped tightly around her knees as if she could somehow hold herself together through sheer force of will.

"See?"

Cressida's voice cut through Renya's grief like a knife. "Weak and pathetic."

Something inside Renya snapped at those words. In an instant, her anguish transmuted into white-hot rage. She surged to her feet, her entire body trembling with fury as she reached deep within herself, calling forth her magic. Golden beams of light burst from her outstretched hands, lancing towards Cressida with lethal intent.

But instead of striking their target, the beams of light simply parted around the Shadow Queen, dissipating into nothingness as if they had never existed. Cressida stood unmoved, a look of smug satisfaction on her face as she watched Renya's attack fail.

"Stupid girl,"

she sneered, taking a menacing step towards Renya. "You made a blood promise to me. Did you honestly think you could harm me?"

Her voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "You'll do everything I say, and if you attempt to resist, I'll find your pathetic mate and end him."

Renya felt the blood drain from her face, her legs threatening to give out beneath her. The thought of Grayden in Cressida's clutches, suffering because of her defiance, was almost more than she could bear.

Cressida's eyes glittered with an evil glee as she watched the fight drain out of Renya. "That was a warning,"

she continued, her voice silky smooth yet laced with venom. "Insult me or disobey me again, and there will be consequences. Dire consequences."

With those final, chilling words hanging in the air, Cressida summoned her dark mist once more. In the blink of an eye, she was gone, leaving Renya alone with her fear and despair.

Renya stumbled back to the edge of the room, her legs finally giving out as she collapsed against one of the ivory pillars. She stared out at the horizon, the shadowy landscape before her a mirror of the desolation in her heart. The loss of her ring, coupled with Cressida's threats, left her feeling more alone and hopeless than ever before.

As she sat there, the wind whispering mournfully around her, Renya found herself wondering if she would ever find a way back to Grayden. The path ahead seemed impossibly dark and treacherous, with dangers lurking at every turn. But as she watched the faint glimmer of sunlight struggling to break through the perpetual gloom, a tiny spark of determination flickered to life within her.

She may have lost her ring, but she still had her memories, her love, and somewhere deep inside, her own innate strength. Cressida could threaten and intimidate all she wanted, but Renya vowed then and there that she would find a way to break free, to master her powers, and to reunite with Grayden—no matter the cost.