"What is that?" Caliban traced lazy patterns across my back form where he was laying on the bed. I was sitting up and had the story book in my hands."A book I found while snooping through the cabin. It's a collection of Thanaten stories," I sighed and leaned back onto the bed into his arms."Let me see it." He held out his hand and I have the book over. After flipping through the legible pages, the king gave me the book back. "It's a children's book. Common to find in every household. I'm not surprised they have one here.""The beasts in these stories, are they all real?" My heart dropped into my stomach thinking about the monsters in this book."In some form or other they are. Gwathendor is a much deadlier place than Laernear, little flower." Caliban's free hand played with a stray curl of my hair."So, if I were to run away in the night?""One of the beasts in this book might find you before I do." His tone was emotionless, but I knew it was a warning more than a threat.."Would yo

The shadow king left me alone in the cabin so long that I had collapsed on the bed after hours of crying my heart out. My tears fell for my family and the life behind me. I didn't think I would ever see them again and now I was worrying over my future and my actions with the Thanaten king. Sleep took me away and by the time the sun was shining over me through the window Caliban was back. At first, I'd tensed in the bed seeing him sitting at the table watching the dying embers in the fireplace. He must have heard what I thought was a silent gasp because he spoke seconds later. "Get ready to leave." And then he was up and out the door again. This time I could hear him outside at the shed where he'd left Abaddon the other night when the snowstorm had begun. Swallowing hard and rubbing the sleep from my eyes I shakily got up from the bed. Despite sleeping through the night, the crying had left me so drained I wondered if I could've slept for days. After a meager breakfast of leftover d

The third day would undoubtably be the worst. Conversation was relaxed but minimal. My thighs and bottom hurt from days of riding in the saddle and Caliban's rough treatment at night.My saving grace was the great quantity of sunlight I was exposed to as the forest thinned out and the thick copse of trees became increasingly sparse the further north we traveled. Although the sun's rays only went so far to fight off the frigid cold."What do you know of the Thanaten capital?" Caliban questioned."Nothing, really." I shrugged and jut my lower lip in a pout I knew he couldn't see."We'll be there around sundown." An uneasy chill crept over me at the thought. Some old instinct in my bones wanted me to be afraid of whatever I was going to see when we arrived. Or maybe I was scared of my future still.Following the last argument, I had done my best to push those fears to the back of my mind and not even consider bringing it up again.After rutting with the king in the woods last night as th

The shadow horse nickered impatiently as the soldiers worked to swing open the gate doors. The heavy iron creaked and groaned as one side was pushed open to make way for Caliban and his warhorse of living shadow. Meanwhile I kept my head down and covered but feeling the increasing stares of Thanatens the entire time weighing me down.Unease slithered into the pit of my belly and pressed into me like a beast as we crossed over the bridge and the gate behind us was slammed shut and locked once more. I could feel the claws of anxiety sinking into me and attempting to drag me down as that dark castle got closer.The king wasn't talking to me, instead we rode in silence towards his home. I didn't want to be afraid, but there was no promise of what was awaiting me once me arrived at his home. It didn't feel real in a way, where I was. This was all beginning to feel like some nightmare and that feeling wouldn't stop plaguing me.A paved stone pathway led us from the bridge to the gatehouse o

A few items had been left behind in the white oak dresser and I picked at what was available. All the clothing colors were dark and most of the materials were thick and soft for wearing outside in the cold. I pulled out a black silk dress that was small and lightweight enough to wear to sleep and slipped it on. Having nothing better to do I sat at the vanity and brushed through my hair while avoiding looking at my reflection.When the sun had been gone for hours, I turned off the gas lamp on the desk and crawled into the bed on the dais. In the pitch black of the room my mind wanted to run over me with dangerous thoughts. It didn't feel good to admit that the darkness around me was sinking into my mind and becoming its own creature.The second day was much the same as the first. I tried harder to stop and question the servants when they brought my meals but the guard with them was always there to warn me away with a stern glance and flash of weapon. Those meals were left mostly untouc