Kelley Armstrong - Sea of Shadows

“I have my cloak,” she said, pulling it tighter.

“It’s too dark.”

She lifted her lantern in answer.

“It’s too dangerous.”

That one wasn’t even worthy of reply.

“Quit your caterwauling, Levi!” yelled a voice behind her.

The newcomer was almost invisible under cover of night, dressed in a dark tunic, breeches, and boots, his skin no lighter. The only color came from his bare forearms, the ink-black tattoos spotted with green, like emerald-studded sleeves.

“No, Gavril,” she said. “I am not trying to sneak into the forest after my sister.”

“You’d better not, Keeper. I meant what I said.”

Daigo growled as anger warmed Moria’s wind-chilled face. “You told me once. That’s enough.”

Two days before the Seeking, Gavril had caught her on the other side of the first tower investigating a possible blind spot that would let her slip past the canyon wall. Gavril hadn’t simply warned her against going into the forest. He’d reminded her about the last party of the damned to enter the forest. How a young man carried her sacred blade. A non-warrior. An exile.

Gavril had been guarding the exiles that night, and he’d seen her give her dagger to the boy. Then he’d held on to that knowledge… to use against her.

She’d asked him to let her go into the forest. No, not asked. Shame heated her cheeks as she remembered. She’d begged him. Moria would only follow the party—she wouldn’t interfere. She would let Ashyn know she was there, so Ashyn could relax and do her job. That was all.

He’d refused. If she went, he’d tell the governor about the dagger, and her father would be punished. That’s how it worked—they couldn’t punish the Keeper, so her father took it in her stead. For such a crime, he might even be exiled.

How could Gavril make such a threat when his own father had been sent into the forest?

“You’d best hope your sister finds that boy’s corpse,” he said. “And that she has the sense to hide your blade.”

She looked at him, stone-faced. “You can leave now, Kitsune. You’ve done your duty, checking on me.”

“I’m here to make sure you stay within the walls and don’t go flitting after butterflies.”

She fought the urge to shoot her fist at him. She’d used that excuse once, when he caught her up to trouble. I was only chasing butterflies . Now he kept bringing it up, and she wasn’t sure if he knew she’d been lying or if that was truly how he saw her—a child chasing butterflies. “The flare isn’t coming. I’m going to speak to the commander.”

Moria hadn’t been the only one watching the sky. When they reached the barracks, her father was coming out, the commander at his side. They were assembling a search party.

By the time the party was ready, there was little doubt that something had gone wrong with the Seeking. The moon was halfway from zenith to the treetops now.

“I’ll need a blade. I couldn’t find mine this morning,” Moria lied as she adjusted her boots. “If there isn’t an extra dagger, I’ll take a sword.”

The commander shook his head. “The Keeper is not permitted a sword until she passes her eighteenth—”

“Then a dagger will do.” She walked to Gavril. “I’ll borrow yours. The spirits demand it.”

He looked at her, as if surprised that she’d dare single him out when he knew she’d not misplaced her blade that morning. What she truly meant, though, was: If you’re going to tell them what happened to mine, then do it.

“I can’t give you my dagger, Keeper, because I’m going into the forest.” Gavril turned to one of the sleep-woken guards. “I’ll take your place.”

“Then I’ll take your blade,” Moria said to the same guard.

The sleepy guard handed it over. Moria looked at her father and held her breath until he gave a slow nod. She hugged him and whispered, “I’ll bring her back.” Then she hurried after the others.

Moria strode through the dark forest, holding a frayed length of red ribbon.

“The rest has to be here.” She turned to see Levi, Oswald, and the other guard—Jonas—clustered around, watching her. “You have lanterns. Look for it.”

“We have.” Levi’s voice took on a whine. “The ribbon is gone. We need to head back.”

“The village is that way.” Moria pointed into the darkness. “Anyone else who thinks saving the Seeker and the governor is too much work can go with him.”

Gavril had not stopped searching for the ribbon. After a moment’s pause, the other three joined him, while following the trail of cut and broken branches.

It should have been dawn by now. The others were probably telling themselves that the rays of weak light were the rising sun, but Moria knew it was the moon. Night was her time. The Keeper. Bond-mate of the cat. Protector of the night. Daughter of the moon.

Moria had been in the forest before. Not far. It was the Seeker who ventured in while the Keeper guarded the mouth. But those short trips to the second guard tower had told her what to expect. The cold, hollow weight of death.

They kept walking until Levi said, “Does anyone else hear that?”

Before Moria could reply, something darted through the trees. She glanced at Gavril. His grip tightened on his sword. Daigo’s growl rose until it vibrated through the air.

A shadow bolted past, so close that Daigo spat, fur rising. Two of the lanterns flickered. The third sputtered out.

“Everyone back!” Moria said. “We just passed a clearing. Retreat to that. We can fight there.”

Fight shadows? With what? Swords?

When Gavril opened his mouth, she tensed for argument, but he barked, “Get back! Move!”

Moria and Gavril herded the others to the clearing. There they clustered in a ring, backs together, blades out. Shadows wove and dodged through the forest around them.

Moria channeled her energy and commanded the spirits to be gone. The men shifted and muttered under their breath. When one of the shadows passed close, Levi lunged at it.

“No!” Moria shouted. “Stay in formation!”

Oswald yanked Levi back. Then, from deep inside the forest, came a voice.

“Moria!”

“Ashyn,” she breathed. She started to take a step in that direction, then stopped herself and looked back at the others.

“You think it’s a trick?” Levi whispered when she hesitated.

No, but I think if I leave this clearing, you’ll all be dead.

She could hear someone crashing through the bushes. She looked down to see Daigo leaning toward the noise, ears up, tail swishing, poised to run.

“Go,” she whispered.

The wildcat shot off noiselessly through the woods. Moria waited, her heart thumping. Please, please, please .

“Daigo!” Ashyn called.

The sound of running footsteps resumed, and Moria had to fight to stay where she was. When she saw her sister’s pale hair, she relaxed. Then she saw her sister’s eyes, wide with terror as she ran. There was a shape right behind her. A dark shadow—

No, not a shadow. A flesh-and-blood being with a blade in his hand. Chasing Ashyn.

The moment Daigo and Ashyn stepped into the clearing, Moria hit her sister’s pursuer square-on, knocking him to the ground, pinning his arms as a blade flashed.

Her gaze flew to that blade first. It was her dagger.

“This feels familiar,” said a voice below her.

She looked down to see the young exile she’d given her blade.

“Moria,” he said, grinning, as if she’d knocked him down in a game of catch-me.

She wrested her dagger from his fingers. “Is this how you repay me, boy?” When he tried to get up, she pressed the tip to his throat. “You used my blade to attack my sister?”