I pushed myself up, grasping what remained of the cobbler’s sign to pull myself to my feet. The clanking of the metal on stone, although faint, forced me to push myself flush inside the door frame. I held my breath as the sound got louder and closer. I called for the shadows of the night sky and felt them wrap me in a pitch-black cloak that not even the brightest of faerie light could see through. 

​

Even knowing that I was safe from the eyes that sought me out when the Queen's guard made an abrupt halt in front of the cobbler’s store, I instantly took a step back, and a loose piece of gravel crunched under my boots. I dug my fingernails into my palms as the captain of the guard slowly turned his head in my direction.

​

I reached into my cloak pocket and pulled out the remaining vial of Death Draft I had concocted that morning. Stupidly, I ended up using more of them on my journey than I had originally thought I was going to need to. But here I was, hoping that one vial was going to provide me the out I needed to get through the army, and to the castle dungeons to where he was. That is if he was still alive.

​

The captain took a step in my direction, and I raised my hand containing the vial, while I reached for the dagger with my other. The captain started to pull his sword from its sheath at his hip when a brilliant ball of blue light hurled itself toward his head and knocked him off his feet. The entirety of the remaining guards spun toward where the sprite had come from, only to find 20 more heading their way. I smiled. One or two sprites on their own would be no match for the powers that the guards held, but a couple dozen and they were not simply annoying, they turned into a devastating handful on a mission.

​

While the guards’ attention was distracted, I slowly crept from the doorway, keeping my shadows secured, and made a mad dash down the cobblestone pathway that led to the drawbridge, which, to my luck, was down and unguarded. After looking around for unknown enemies, I bounded across the bridge and climbed down the stone masonry of the castle to the barred windows of the dungeons. I peered into the darkness of the first tiny window, my night vision allowing me to see more clearly than if the newly extinguished torches had been lit. The cell was empty. So was the next. By the time I scanned the third, I was starting to think that I had translated the message from the sprites wrong. Maybe she was holding him somewhere else. Then I heard it. It wasn't very loud, but it was the sound of my name from his lips on the breeze. The sound repeated itself, or I would have thought I was imagining it.

​

“Elmyra.” 

​

The sound was choked, but it was Kharis’ voice. As quickly as I could without slipping from the castle wall to my death, I crawled over to the last of the dungeon’s windows. Again, there wasn't any light, not even from the torch at his cell door, but I didn't need it. Hell, right now, I didn't even need my night vision to know he was there. Through the dark, musty smell that soaked the cell was a faint scent of cedar and honey. 

And there he was, shackled to the wall with his wrist at head height and his ankles bound together. He raised his head and those piercing blue eyes stared straight into my soul. My heart stopped. Partially from the weathered and beaten appearance of the man I had only known as being indestructible, but also by the fact that even though I knew he couldn't see me through the black veil of night, he was still looking right at me.

​

And I could swim in those ocean eyes for the rest of my life, which was just what I had planned on doing. It was what we had planned on doing just two nights ago when he asked for my hand. I could feel the new weight of his ring on my finger as I grasped the bars that separated us. I hadn't even gotten to officially tell him “Yes” when the Queen's guard had taken him, and the Queen herself had informed me that after she destroyed him slowly, she was coming after me, and before I could fight to get us both out, my world had gone black. When I had woken, I heard the cries of terror first. Then I saw the flames and smoke and I knew then she would destroy everything I loved, from the home I'd grown up in, to the man I loved, all because the truth behind the story of my birthright had been revealed. I was the bastard daughter of the King, who had mysteriously died a few weeks ago, and the queen was barren. I was the only threat to her rule and her devious and deadly plans.

​

“Kharis,” I whispered his name. “I'm right here. I'll get you out.” 

​

I could see him visibly relax against the stone wall at his back and I tugged at the bars. These bars would have been short work for him had he not had his power drained from torture. For me, they were not giving in in the slightest. I groaned in frustration as I tugged pointlessly at the bars.

​

“Elmyra,” his voice was sounding stronger as if my near presence was fueling him. “Just breathe, slowly focus on what you want, and it will fall into existence.”

I started to protest. We only learned about my birthright, which came with unparalleled powers, days ago. Sure, I was a decent shadow wielder and potion master, but I had no idea what I could do now, or what, if any, my limits were.

“Shh,” he whispered. “Focus.”

​

Closing my eyes, I took several deep breaths, blocking everything around me out. In my mind's eye, I could see the bars vanishing to allow me to step inside. Suddenly, the cold metal that had been wrapped in my hands was gone. My eyes sprung open. I wasn't imagining it. The bars were gone. I didn't hesitate. Before they could decide to come back, I threw myself into this cell and ran over to him.

​

He gave me a weak smile. “See? I knew you could do it.” 

​

I kissed him softly on the lips and I could taste dried blood. His lips were chapped, and felt like he had taken quite a few punches to the face.

​

“Kharis. Ohh, gods. I'm so sorry this is all my fault.” I wiped angrily at a tear that escaped my eye at the thought of the Queen's minions laying their filthy hands on him.

​

“This is not your fault, Elmyra,” he said with more strength than it seemed possible in his current state.

​

Rationally, I knew that. I had known I was adopted my entire life, raised by my aunt and uncle. My aunt had told me stories about my mom, and her sister, but she had always told me that she never knew who my father was. Considering it turned out to be the King, I’d thought that was an awfully big secret for a sister to keep from her sister, but the more I thought about it, which hadn't been all that long, maybe my mother had done it to keep us safe. It would make sense, considering the situation I was currently in. I shook my head to clear my thoughts so I could focus on attempting another magic I had never had access to before.

​

“Hold still,” I whispered to him. “I'm going to try something.”

​

He nodded slightly and I could see how much pain that caused him, and my blood boiled. I placed a hand on either side of the shackle around his right wrist and I focused on ice. Cold. Frozen. Brittle. The musty air surrounding us dropped slightly at first, but within seconds, the cell was frigid, and the shackle was caked in ice. I used the hilt of my dagger and smashed the lock, releasing his arm and making quick work of the remaining shackles.

​

The moment he was free and standing, he pulled me into a hug so tight that I knew it must be hurting him, but if he didn't care, then I would let him hold me till our days ran out of time. I took in a deep breath, inhaling his scent, and almost got lost in it, but a clatter from outside the cell door made me jump back, dagger poised at the ready. The sound was coming from the right, which held the staircase that led to our way out. Without even hesitating to think, I pulled at my shadows and engulfed us both in them. I blasted the cell lock with ice and shattered the entire door. Cautiously, we stepped through the new open gate, and with our backs against the wall, we inched our way to the stairs. Goblins scurried by us, rushing toward something deep inside the dungeons. I could only assume that I had managed to trip some sort of alarm system while busting into his cell, and they had been sent to investigate.

​

 Cautiously, we sneaked through the closing doors that led into the dungeons and into yet another dark stairwell. He took my hand as I guided us up the stairs, although for him, it probably would have been much easier if he could simply snap his fingers and hold an orb of light in front of us. Light and Shadow. We were quite a couple before all the powers of royalty and then some awakened in my body with the King's death.

​

We stepped into a large, open hall, not as grandiose as the throne room, but maybe a less formal gathering area. I glanced around the room finding what appeared to be an exit into some vacant hall that hopefully we could find an escape from. The moment I took a step forward was the moment I heard it. A cackling from a corner behind us and I swore under my breath, pulling Kharis behind me as we spun to face the Queen.

She started to slow clap and I could feel the pull at the edge of my mind as my shadows dropped. She wrenched them from me like taking a blanket from a sleeping toddler.

​

“Nicely done, Elmyra. It’s not an easy task breaking out of the dungeons, let alone breaking into them.” 

​

The way she was mocking me made my blood boil so intensely that my vision blurred in and out as she took several more steps toward us and then stopped. She waved her hand at Kharis and he fell to his knees. I jumped toward him but instantly hit some invisible force field.

​

“I don't know what makes this one so special to you,” she tsked at him. “There are so many more out there, more powerful too.” 

​

“I dare to assume love isn't something you've actually experienced then,” I said with more control than I felt, surprising myself slightly.

​

“No,” she said, turning her attention to me. “But why bother with the limitations that come with love when there is power to be had?” 

​

“Power isn't everything. Didn't your mother teach you that?” I asked snidely.

“Didn't your mother teach you tactic?” she paused. “Wait. Your mother couldn't possibly have taught you anything other than how to whore yourself out, that is, if she hadn't died.” 

​

I screamed and out of pure rage, I flung my dagger at her. She sidestepped, but even throwing blindly, I managed to slash her on the side of her arm. She cackled again as blood trickled from the wound. 

​

“We could do this all night, but since it appears that I grow weaker and you grow more powerful the longer I let you live, I'm going to have to end our fun now.” 

​

So that's why she wouldn't let us run away and vanish. My royal blood was quite literally sucking her dry. She raised her hands in front of her, outstretched toward me and I could feel whatever curse she was murmuring under her breath from across the hall prick at my senses, then my skin. I knew it would only be a matter of seconds before she was crunching my bones from the inside out.

​

I glanced around rapidly, looking at the stone structure of the castle walls for a weakness I could exploit. I just needed the smallest crack … There! Up high in the rafters above the Queen was a beam with a tiny fracture. I zeroed my focus in on that beam and lifted my hands above my head. Focus. See what I want to happen. Feel the royal power course through my veins. And pull.

​

I thrashed my arms down to the stone at my feet, dropping to my knees, but keeping my eyes upward. The crack was piercing and echoed through the hall for a split second. The Queen only had enough time to glance up before the entirety of the ceiling space above her crashed down on top of her, effectively crushing her to death and entombing her at the same time. 

​

I exhaled and then gasped gulps of air like I had been deprived of oxygen for days. Khari stirred on the ground beside me and before I could blink, he was at my side, taking my face into his hands. We locked eyes and I felt myself get lost in his ocean eyes. He kissed me softly as if questioning, and when I grabbed a handful of his long onyx hair, he deepened the kiss. It was all heat, desire, and desperate with need. I don't know how long we were lost in each other, but however long it was, it wasn't long enough, when I heard the guard rush into the hall.

​

We stood quickly, although I didn't bother reaching for my other dagger or throwing any magic their way. We watched as they took in the destruction of the room and the dead Queen's crown lying amongst the rubble. It took only a few seconds and then the entirety of the guard dropped to a knee. The captain stood a moment later and took two steps towards us and bowed his head at me.

​

“My queen. Our Rightful Queen. What should you have us do now?” 

​

I could only assume he was referring to the fighting that was continuing in the streets below. I took a deep breath and addressed them as if I had been raised royal.

“Cease the fighting and inform my people that their Rightful Queen has taken her Shadow Throne and will address them shortly.” He bowed his head at me again before sharply turning and marching out of the hall with the rest of the soldiers. 

​

Kharis put his hands on my shoulders and squeezed, whispering in my ear, “I knew you had it in you.” 

​

I smiled and turned into his arms. “That makes one of us.” I placed a quick kiss on his lips. “Now, what do we do?”

​

“Well,” he said, “You make a speech and then you rule and go into the history books as the best monarch of all time.”

​

I frowned. Not at all that I had thought my life would turn into. I knew absolutely nothing about leading a country, and what about him? Kharis tilted my head up so I was looking him in the eyes.

​

“But first,” he sai,d taking my hand that bore the ring he had proposed with, “I think you have a question to answer.” 

​

I smiled and felt my whole body heat with desire, just knowing that he was looking at me just as ravenously as I was looking at him. I wanted this man. I had never wanted anything more in my life. 

​

For a moment, I forgot about my newly discovered birthright, the destruction of the last two days, and my impending reign.

​

I simply kissed him lightly and answered “Yes” against his lips, before devouring every ounce of love he had to give.