Page 18 of Claimed By Shadow and Blood
Laro and Melnani did the same.
With a grim nod, I drew in a deep breath. “You have my gratitude and respect. I will go with you.”
Vyraetos turned his palm upward once more, and gray and black wisps swept out of his hand and around us. My head spun, and my stomach lurched as the shadows spun around me. The cold, comforting tendrils pressed against my body, joining my own magic and tightening to the point that I couldn’t tell where they ended and I began. My strength surged as the magic pulsed through my veins.
The sharp tang of magic burned my nostrils, and my stomach lurched. Without a second thought, I brought Briar’s face into my mind to keep me grounded. I pictured her running, her vivid green eyes sparkling with life and mischief, her wild light-copper hair flying in all directions, and her perfect body soft and curved just right for holding.
My heart shattered, hating that she was in danger and not beside me now.Damn you, Fate, you won’t keep her from me!
Soon, the realm steadied, and a cavern with chiseled black stone walls that was unmistakably beneath the palace came intoview. The colder air bit my skin, and the faintest drip of crimson mineral-laden water echoed around a single ring of dark-gray hooded figures who stood shoulder to shoulder around the perimeter of a pool. Their faces were hidden, their hands folded and hidden within their sleeves. There were about twenty in total, a little more than three-quarters of the full Shadow Council.
In the center of the cavern sat a pedestal of raw obsidian. It jutted up from the floor as if it had grown there. Perched atop it was a polished black orb larger than my own skull. Dark purple light pulsed within it amid churning swirls of shadow, dull and flat.
Vyraetos, Laro, and Melnani materialized near me, their robes fluttering with residual magic. Laro and Melnani at once fell back, and the ring of council members shifted to accommodate them. Vyraetos remained motionless, drawing the swirling darkness back into himself.
The walls glistened with veins of liquid silver, as if the rock itself were bleeding. A memory of my last moment with Father sprang forward. He’d been trembling, and he’d looked so weak. Not like the man I’d always known. Pain gouged my insides, but I forced my breathing to steady.
It was deathly silent, and my skin prickled with caution. I forced emotions away. Projecting my strength and focus was vital.
As my heartbeat steadied, I picked up on more sounds: low breaths, and the faint rustling of fabric. Thick, cold magic pressed upon me, stealing my breath. I’d never been this weak. The air seemed unable to reach my lungs.
I looked upward at a high, vaulted ceiling and a cloud of darkness that spun in lazy vortices, tendrils occasionally sloughing off to drift down and vanish before reaching the floor.
My shadows stretched into the darkness and circled the pedestal, licking up to the sphere and tasting the raw power of its fluctuations. It was like trying to put my hand into an uneven waterfall. My spine stiffened instinctively. After my father’s passing, I had known that the magic would not be so potent and would seem unsteady compared to its usual flow, but actually tasting that weakness had bile creeping up the back of my throat. The power made every nerve in my body thrum. It was a disconcerting sensation that worsened my fatigue and nausea.
Vyraetos moved to the other side of the pedestal and hovered his weathered hands over the sphere. The dull purple light flickered beneath his fingertips, signaling that it, too, had been weakened by my father's death. The other council members stepped forward and formed a tighter circle around us, their breathing synchronizing into an eerie rhythm that made the hair on my neck rise and was more sensation than sound.
Raising his hands, Vyraetos said, “In light of the treacherous betrayal that has led to King Merrick’s untimely demise, it is incumbent upon us to ensure the protection of our realm’s magic. All present are in agreement about our course.”
“Vest the power in King Merrick’s heir. Vest the power in Prince Vad.” The assembled members spoke as one, their voices hazy amidst the power of the chamber.
The tang in the air intensified, becoming more like the scent of lightning and storms surging among fires.
Vyraetos turned his gaze upon me, his voice a low rumble. “When I indicate it, place your hands on the orb, then endure.”
My fingers twitched as I inclined my head. The weight and burn of the magic already had my knees wanting to buckle. Trials and tests of endurance were among my least favorite in this kingdom, but this would prove whether I was still fit to lead. My stomach twisted in anticipation, and my nerves sang as Ibraced for the pain. I closed my eyes, pulling Briar into my mind once again. Just the thought of her helped me stand stronger.
Vyraetos hummed a low note. The other members joined in, and the air vibrated with their voices. “The eternal night embraces us. Ancient Fate is summoned. Behold this, the son of a king who was wrongly slain. Shadows bear witness to this, son of our magic, protector of our kingdom, chosen by Fate.”
My skin prickled, and my muscles tightened. The tension in the chamber rose with each breath. Then Vyraetos gestured toward me.
Stomach heaving, I placed my hands on the dark orb, fingers splayed across the surface. The stone was almost feverishly hot, and power thrummed through it like a massive heartbeat while the shadows churned above.
Vyraetos spread his arms wide as the council members continued to hum. “Vest in him the fullness of power. Vest in him the fullness of the shadows.”
The orb heated more, seeming to burn my flesh, but I kept my hands steady and set my jaw. My blood pumped faster as the shadows above began to twist like a cyclone. The dull purple light flickered more as if the magic itself taunted me.
Briar.
I have to remember Briar.
The council members chanted, “Vest in him, vest in him,” as Vyraetos continued, “Prince of Shadows, Prince of Night, receive the weight, measure, strength, and depth of our hallowed powers.”
The weak light in the orb pulsed, and the shadows above me descended in thick, writhing streams.
Then the first shadow struck and pierced my chest like a chilled onyx spear, severing bone and sinew as it cut into my heart. My shadows flared protectively, trying to force the first shadow tendril away. I gritted my teeth and locked my stance tokeep from bowing forward as the shadow yanked me downward and a heavy buzzing filled my ears.
The second shadow struck, this one driving into my left shoulder and slicing all the way to my wing. My breaths shallowed, and my jaw clenched until my teeth ached. Intense heat and vicious cold seared through me. I’d never experienced pain like this.
