

Copyright © 2013 by Tricia Zoeller

Smashwords Edition 2013
Shadow Blues, The Darkling Chronicles #1

Copyright © 2013 by Tricia Zoeller

Smashwords Edition 2013

Published by Blue Portal Press, LLC

<http://www.triciazoeller.com/>

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, institutions, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination, or, if real, used fictitiously. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations in critical articles and reviews.

Book Formatting by Angela McLaurin, Fictional Formats

<https://www.facebook.com/FictionalFormats>

Editing by Nancy S. Thompson

<https://www.facebook.com/NancySThompsonAuthor>

Cover Art by Robin Harper, Wicked By Design

<https://www.facebook.com/WickedByDesignRobinHarper>

Map by Jared Blando, TheRedEpic.com

<http://www.theredepic.com/>

#

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

MAP OF MONTENAI

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

GLOSSARY OF MONTENAI TERMS & CHARACTERS

CONTINUE READING...

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
For Mom & Dad,

thanks for always encouraging me to play in my own world, and only calling me back to this plane for ice cream and important stuff.

#

A heartfelt thank you to these amazing people: editor, Nancy S. Thompson; cover artist, Robin Harper of Wicked by Design; cartographer, Jared Blando of TheRedEpic.com; and formatter, Angela McLaurin with Fictional Formats. Thank you for your patience and dedication.

My deepest gratitude to my superheroes (beta readers): Martina, Annalee, Crystal, Karen, Cheryl, and Stacy.

Thanks for the support and inspiration: Michele May, Barbara LaRochelle Cutrera, and Alison G. Bailey.

Finally, to the readers--thanks for taking a chance and stepping through the portal!

#

"Did you hear me, Anka?" Pops asked.

"Yep." I looked at Pops's fuzzy eyebrows. They made me laugh.

A big darkling came into the room. "Anka Rehmling and Bianca Rehmling?" he asked. One yellow eye. Funny skin. Scales?

I looked down at the floor. My finger followed the squiggles.

"Stop, child," Pops said. "Get up and pay attention."

"I'm Lord Akton, and these are my brothers, Lord Leasith and Lord Bulosk."

One lord smiled and talked to Bianca. She was quiet. The tree was scary inside. I closed my eyes. Squeezed Pops's finger.

"Say hello to the Lords," Pops said. He sounded mad.

I waved. My sister bowed. I bowed, too. Lord Bulosk laughed.

"They are four and six, right?" asked Yellow Eye.

"Yes, Sir."

"Very well."

Yellow Eye kneeled in front of me. He smelled like smoke and apple juice. "Anka Rehmling, you are assigned Patrick Benjamin Solomon."

"Eye?"

Pops pinched my arm. "Don't point. It's rude."

"Pay attention," Lord Akton said. His one eye moved round and round. My tummy hurt. I saw a boy in my head. He had yellow hair and green eyes.

Next, Yellow Eye walked to Bianca and told her the boy's name, too.

"We're done, sweetie," Pops said. He held Bianca's hand. I walked behind them. They went out.

Someone sang. He had a rumbly voice like Pops. The room was empty, but I liked the song so I stayed. My shoes clapped loud on the floor. I put my ear on the wall. It was so hot. Singing. Talking, too.

Yellow Eye ran at me. "Get away from there!"

He picked me up. I couldn't breathe. I touched his face.

"Don't do that," he growled.

Pops came back with Bianca. Yellow eye put me down, and I ran to Pops. Bianca started to cry.

"She cast a dark shadow at me. Who taught her how to do that?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, Lord Akton." Pops's eyebrows went up. "She's just a fledgling. She doesn't understand."

Yellow Eye frowned.

"Anka, we don't cast dark shadows," Pops said.

Bianca hugged me, and I cried. "I want a lollipop."

"Quiet." Pops's face was red.

I pointed to the wall. "Somebody talkin'."

"I'm sorry, Lord Akton. She's usually such a good fledgling." Pops grabbed my hand, and I fell. "Stand up, child."

"I wanna go home."

"We are going home. Hush now."

Yellow Eye stared at me. I hid my face in Pops's legs and squeezed his hand so hard it hurt.

#

My hand shook as I reached out and pushed the hair off Ben's sweaty forehead. When he sat up suddenly, I took a step back. Could he see me? He looked around the room with cloudy eyes that passed right over me.

When he turned on the lamp, I flicked my fingers, casting a shadow on the wall of a bird flying. He gasped before looking around once more. Now, he knew something was here. After peeking in the corner, the closet, and under the armchair for where the shapes came from, he shrugged his shoulders. He used his hands to create a barking dog. I used my magic to create a meowing and hissing cat with fur standing on end. I barely stopped myself from snorting out loud from his goofy face as he scanned the room. He looked scared but excited.

Anka Rehmling, you are in big trouble. I'd just broken three shadowcaster rules. I tried not to think about it. Instead, I focused on my superhero, ninja, and dinosaur forms, complete with sound effects. Ben looked so happy, I told myself it would be okay just this once. He had been sick all day.

Each pull of my magic started in the pit of my stomach. The energy swirled out to my arms before releasing from my fingertips like thread. That's how Dad explained it. Then, it snapped as it broke free and became the shadow on the wall or floor. It wasn't a bad feeling, but felt normal, right.

When Ben grew tired, I watched him lie back in bed and drift off to sleep, a smile on his face. He had light hair with white skin that burned and freckled in the sun. My skin and hair were darker, like the shadows I cast.

In human years, we were both eight. However, shadowcasters, by nature, acted more mature than humans. Our world expected us to be responsible from a young age. The Shadowland Council had assigned Patrick Benjamin Solomon under my charge at the age of four. I cast shadows in his world and would for my lifetime, as long as my strength held. "That's a lot of responsibility riding on your shoulders"--direct quote from Dad. I removed my hand from Ben's arm as I thought about what I'd done.

Dad.

Shadowcaster rules flooded my head.

Cast true to form. Don't talk. Don't touch the human.

My heart pounded in my ears. I hadn't cast true. My palms grew sticky. I'd created my own make-believe shadows. Technically, I hadn't talked, just made sound effects. However, I'd touched him. This realization caused fear to spark in me like fire; then it burned out, and I was so tired. I couldn't wait to go home.

My family shadowcasted for the Solomons. The Council assigned my dad to shadow Ben's dad. My mom followed his mom. Bianca and I took shifts with Ben. I covered him by day; she watched him at night. Other shadowcasters rotated in if we needed a break.

As a shadowcaster, I didn't go to school but trained with my dad. My grandparents, Nana and Pops, ran the household since Mom and Dad worked so much.

Ben's sigh brought my attention back to him. He looked peaceful. Maybe his fever had broken. When Mrs. Solomon slipped into the room to check on him, my mother followed, casting her shadows. My mother was really tall--five-foot-ten. She wore a flowing dress of purple, the family color. Jeweled combs sparkled in a ring on her head, which was the darkling custom.

As I watched Mrs. Solomon worrying over Ben, I felt jealous. He had a normal life. Not every darkling had the ability to cast shadows, and so it was a privilege and honor to serve the Council. However, the other young darklings went to school and played during the day. Most of them would never journey to the human world, but they benefited from the power shadowcasters brought back to Shadowland.

My mother's brown eyes found mine. I met them briefly before looking away. Had she heard my sound effects? I forced myself to glance back up. She gave me a smile before leaving the room with Mrs. Solomon. I sighed with relief.

"You need to rest."

I jumped. "Geez, Bianca. When did you get here?"

Bianca crossed her arms and squinted the evil-all-knowing-older-sister glare. "Anka, why are you so jumpy?"

"Long day," I said with a shrug.

Bianca's brows lifted. Her eyes were so much like Mom's, sometimes, it was plain spooky.

As I stood up, an awful taste filled my mouth. Guilt tasted like brussels sprouts. I stumbled to Ben's bedside and touched the center of his palm, which acted as my portal back to Montenai.

Immediately, I fell through to a tunnel of air. It felt like I was riding a speedboat with winds coming at me from every direction. Then, I dropped so fast I didn't see anything but crazy colors. My stomach tickled as the ride came to a sudden stop and I stood in the middle of a hollowed-out sequoia tree. Looking forward, I saw the small fir tree that marked the portal entrance. When I tilted my head back, I looked up inside the tree into a blackness that went on and on. I couldn't believe I had just dropped through that place. The lords set up the portal so only one darkling could go at a time. This way we didn't crash into each other.

It always took me a second to catch my breath before leaving the tree. Tonight, I came out to a fresh pine scent and colored stars in the sky. Once I walked around the small fir tree, I raced down the path of pine needles, headed to the river. I didn't feel excited like I usually did in the forest. Instead, that taste filled my mouth again--guilt. Would Ben give me away? I should have thought about how he would react to the strange shadows I had cast.

The yellow moon beamed down, and I ran faster until my ribs hurt. Reflections bounced across the ripples on the Montenai River. They came from the glass domes that made up the west side of the river, Kirka Village. The nymphs cast reflections in the human world. A kirka named Korena made reflections for Ben. Most darklings had dark hair and skin, but the kirka had light hair and skin. Their beauty mesmerized everyone. Sometimes, you forgot what you were saying when you talked to one of them. We had our own history with their kind, but now we lived together without fighting.

I had slowed to a walk, but started to jog again when I heard the soft hum of a cart driving my way. I knew from the jazz music playing and the purplish light it was Pops coming to meet me. Darklings drove in carts almost like human golf carts. While I was slightly more mature than Ben, I was still a fledgling, a darkling child, so Pops watched out for me.

"There's my pretty, green-eyed genius," he said as he braked to a stop next to me. His bushy, black eyebrows framed bright, brown eyes. Pops usually wore crazy colorful shirts with baggy jeans. Tonight was no exception. This one looked like purple asteroids had collided with neon green space creatures and left their guts splashed across his shirt. When I climbed in, I smelled Pops--cinnamon, sugar, and chocolate.

In his retirement from shadowcasting, Pops had become a candymaker--a decision that made my sister and I really happy. Shadowcasters' powers get weaker as we age. Young darklings have a strong essence, which is why shadowcasters start training and working at such a young age.

I felt older tonight as we whizzed down the path by the river, glimpsing the kirkas' homes. I knew it had to do with how tired I was from pulling a double shift to watch over Ben. I had wanted to stay, so Bianca had held my hand the night before when his fever was at its highest.

The nymph light across the river caught my attention. Light bounced off their homes bringing to life their wide field of enchanted yellow grasses and wildflowers. Because they loved sunlight, the nymphs built their houses out of a material like glass but much sturdier. No one could see inside their two-story domes because the nymphs cast reflections of their surroundings on the surface. Most kirka stuck to the guidelines of reflecting nature.

I giggled, and Pops shook his head as we took a curve and one nymph's house came into view. She had cast her own reflection upon the glass surface so it looked like a billboard of a curvy supermodel.

"Could she be anymore full of herself?" Pops asked. "Her neighbors can't be pleased."

I just shook my head. The kirka had a matriarchal society. That was the big word Pops had taught me. It only took me about ten tries to pronounce it. I gathered the females ruled the village--the whole idea that girls rule, boys drool. No males lived within their boundaries anymore. However, the kirka did hang out with the satyrs who lived down the river in a fishing town called Port by the Sea. My mom and dad sometimes whispered about the nymphs and satyrs, which caused Bianca and me to listen even harder.

While the kirka basked in the sunshine, most darklings loved the shade of the thick forest on our side of the river. Shadowcasters absorbed excess solar energy to protect humans. Although the sun strengthened us, by the end of a shadowcasting shift, we liked to feel the cool breeze off the river. It helped us relax. The smells of fresh moss, pine needles, and hickory nuts helped calm me. Home was a comfy cottage built at the base of a grove of enormous sequoia trees in North Village. We used the goosepen or large hollow in the trunk's base as a storage shed or garage.

Tonight, even though I wanted my bed, I craved chocolate even more. Pops must have read my mind. He headed for the main square located along the riverbank. We traveled to the boardwalk, which had the community center and many stores such as the shoemaker, the baker, and the candymaker. Darklings loved sweets. Pops stopped at his all-night chocolate shop, Chocolate Syncope, to grab some chocolate-covered strawberries. My Uncle Vincent usually worked the counter at night.

Pops let me eat the treat in the cart. I was careful to hold my hand under my chin to catch the juices so Nana wouldn't bust us later.

After a short ride through the woods, we pulled up to our two-story cottage built in front of an enormous tree. The hole at the trunk's bottom provided Pops room to park two carts. He kept his fishing boat docked by the bridge in South Village, though.

I rushed to join Nana in the kitchen. The smell of her cheesy-bacon potato soup caused me to drool. After I stuffed myself, I stumbled upstairs to the room I shared with Bianca.

In the top loft, I burrowed under my light purple blanket. On the wall, my mother had painted the darkling Wishing Tree with a tremendous shadow. Human artists didn't do much with shadow. My mother painted it with as much detail as the tree itself. The tree represented the essence of every darkling's existence. It was the center of Shadowland, but it could be frightening. It grew in South Village where the expensive shops and five-star restaurants were. It was also the home of the Shadowland Council.

Paper leaves decorated the tree branches. Each week, we wrote a wish on the back of a leaf cut from construction paper and placed it on the tree. We changed the leaf colors with the seasons. In the winter, we added snowflakes. Each month, we took down the wishes so we could start over. Looking at it under my nymph lights, I considered adding a wish, but knew Mom counted them.

I finally fell off to sleep after reading half a book of our folk tales--a very different storyline from human stories.

The next day, as Ben stretched in his room and removed his pajamas, I cast the appropriate shadows for his movements. When he turned around in his underwear, he shrieked. Quite frankly, like a girl.

"What, who, what's going on?"

I froze. I knew the rules, but I just couldn't think. He could see me.

"Hi," I said. "I'm Anka."

Just then, Dad walked in the room with Mr. Solomon. I backed up until my legs hit the chair behind me, and I fell into it. Ben followed my movements. "Are you okay?" His blond hair stuck straight up in back.

"Ben?" His father looked at him. "Who are you talking to?"

"The girl," he said, pointing at me. My father's eyes grew wide. I gave him a nervous smile. I'd just been upgraded to Imaginary Friend. "Anka," Ben said.

Uh oh. My father glared at me. The only way Ben would know my name was if I'd talked to him. I shook my head and mouthed to him that it was an accident. I'd broken two rules. I'd talked and I'd given him my name!

"What the devil..." Mr. Solomon grabbed Ben and put the back of a big hand to his forehead. "You don't feel like you still have a fever."

"Whataya mean, Dad?"

"Benjamin, there is no one in here."

Ben stood, hands on his hips, looking from his dad to the chair where I sat, wide-eyed, shaking my head. He took the clue and brushed it off as a joke. "I'm just kidding. I don't even know a girl by that name."

His father clapped him on the back and steered him out the door toward the bathroom. He turned his head around like an owl so he could watch me as he left the room.

My father paused briefly and mouthed, "We need to talk."

I nodded and followed him. There was no such thing as modesty in our world. I provided shadows wherever my assignment, Ben, went. Female shadowcasters didn't only cast for female humans and male shadowcasters for male humans, because we worked in family units. Also, there were more female than male shadowcasters.

I always shadowcasted from a distance when a human used the bathroom. It was just common decency. But now, I'd need to make sure to shadowcast from outside the door when he dressed, because humans were particular about their privacy, and he could see me.

I stopped abruptly at the bathroom door. My father indicated with a nod that I should shadow Mr. Solomon. I guess he didn't want to upset Ben any more.

My breath caught. I'd always shadowed Ben. What if I didn't do things right? Before I had time to think, Mr. Solomon darted down the stairs, and my dad shooed me. I shot after him, excitement rippling through me as I matched his pace. I cast a bunch of complicated shadows at Mr. Solomon's incredible speed. Then he sat down. All day, he worked at the computer doing accounting. I did my best to cast shadows from his pen, his calculator, and his tapping foot while not falling asleep on my feet.

I thought Dad would come to exchange with me, but he didn't. When Ben came into Mr. Solomon's office at lunchtime, my Dad flew in ahead of him, motioning for me to hide. I slunk behind the floor-length silk drapes and perched on the sill to keep my feet off the floor.

Before my shift was up, Pops tapped me on the shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

Pops's cheek twitched. "You need to go see them."

My stomach dropped to my feet. Them?

"I'll shadowcast just for today, but you and Bianca must go to the Wishing Tree."

My feet felt glued to the front hall floor. As I looked at the neon green swirls on Pops's shirt, I felt like they were spinning.

"Go on, little fledgling. Nana and Bianca are waiting for you."

When I got to the stairs, I took the steps two at a time just as I'd seen my Dad do. My legs had just gotten long enough to do it. In the hallway, I almost bumped into my father.

"Dad?"

He hugged me. I smelled the cherry tobacco from his pipe. "It was an honest mistake." His green eyes were so serious. With his long fingers, he brushed my bangs out of my eyes. "Just listen and apologize. Okay?"

My feet began to move, but they felt cold and numb. I entered Ben's room where he sat on the floor playing a video game. Since he was my portal, I had no choice but to approach him once more.

When he noticed me, his character died in the video game. He didn't seem to mind. "Ben, I am not supposed to give my name." Or talk! I clamped my hands over my mouth.

He waited. I found him to be more patient than other boys.

Well, the damage was already done. "You should give me a name if I'm to be your Imaginary Friend. Don't use my real name again or I'll be in big trouble." I was already in trouble.

He tilted his head as he considered this. I sat down in the overstuffed chair I had fallen into earlier.

"You made the shadows for me."

I placed my finger to my lips.

His eyes grew big. "Okay. I get it. Top secret stuff," he said, giggling.

I nodded.

"Are you from outer space?"

"Really? Do I look like an alien?"

"No. You look like a...a princess." His cheeks turned red, and I assumed mine did too.

"I can be your friend for a while, but you can't act like you know about the shadowcasting or make a big deal about me in front of your parents. Dad says it will just lead to a lot of unnecessary doctor appointments."

He chewed his lip. "Well, a princess name has to be pretty different like Eugenie or Hosanna or Eureka--"

I put my hand up and wrinkled my nose. I guess he'd accepted my terms. "Ben, Eureka is a vacuum."

This didn't discourage him. "Fiona, Persmellope, Atawatha..." He stopped when he saw my face. "Maybe, I'll think on this a bit. Although, I'm thinking Persmellope."

"I have to go now," I huffed.

"Why?" he cried.

"I just do. When I return, I can't talk to you." As I walked toward him, his eyes grew wider, like he considered I might steal his body and take over his mind. "Relax." I touched his hand and returned to my village.

#

Nana met me in the full sunlight right where I came out. Her cheeks looked red. A chill ran up my spine, and I dove into her arms. Her yellow hair was like the nymphs. It flowed halfway down her back. She had a darkling father and a nymph mother. She'd spent her childhood in Shadowland because the darklings had accepted her just as she was. The nymphs, not so much.

As she hugged me, I smelled her--lavender.

"Deep breaths, Anka, dear." Her purple dress felt soft and cool on my warm face. I tried not to get tears on it.

When I found my sister in the back of the cart, her brown eyes looked at me. Yeah, the older sister thing, like, what did you do? Once in the cart, Nana drove it like she stole it. Pops always teased her about her driving. I couldn't reach the top bar, so I grabbed the side of my seat as she took each turn back to the house. Our cart had seatbelts, but today, they didn't seem like enough. I didn't often see Shadowland during the day. I couldn't enjoy it because Nana's driving was making me cartsick, and I kept thinking about dragon lord claws.

Once inside the garage, Nana jumped out and pushed us into the house. "Go downstairs and wait for me," she instructed.

Bianca and I went to Pops's basement den. He kept all kinds of old stuff down there. Nana said he tinkered with it when he needed to think or not think. I touched the horn of an antique gramophone before sitting on the flowered couch. With my hands, I tried to smooth the wrinkles on my shiny, purple dress. I kicked my black boots up on the stool like I always did then decided I better not.

"Anka, they're rumbling," Bianca said from next to me.

My mouth went dry as the room moved. Definitely might throw up, even though I'd never done that before. I squeezed my eyes shut, which only made me dizzy, and I saw the Council in my head. Opening my eyes didn't make it better. They weren't like other darklings. Three old dragon lords were on the Council. But they didn't look old. They looked a bit like darklings but had dragon parts. Pops said, without them, there would be no Shadowland.

"Are we in trouble?" I squeaked.

"They're gonna talk to us."

I didn't want to go to the Wishing Tree. "Will they hurt us?"

"No, silly. We're just fledglings." She sat back farther on the couch and played with the pretty flower buttons on her dress. She stared at the floor.

Nana rushed into the room carrying our dressy shoes, gemstone combs, and a brush. She had smoothed her hair, applied lip gloss, and pulled her hair back like Mom's.

She sat on the footstool in front of me first. "Anka, the human world cannot know about us. It would jeopardize our existence and theirs. Your charge has seen you. This is very serious. You must not encourage him." Her earrings quivered as she shook her head at me.

I nodded as I took a deep breath. My chest hurt when I thought about being a shadowcaster.

"Always follow the rules. They're there for a reason," she said in the sternest voice she'd ever used.

I nodded again as my bottom lip trembled. She brushed my hair none too gently. I felt her hands shaking as she drove the combs into place.

She looked at me and wiped my tears away with her thumbs. After she kissed my forehead, she tried to wipe her mark off with some spit. She switched out Bianca's shoes and brushed her curly hair, placing the combs around the crown in the darkling way.

With shaky hands, I grabbed the railing and leaned on it as I walked to the top of the stairs. I knew our history. The dragon lords helped restore darklings' vitality. We owed them our lives. It didn't mean we liked them, but we respected them...and feared them. Pops said vitality meant our life energy. I kind of understood.

The ride to South Village went by in a blur. My palms felt sweaty, and I struggled not to cry. I barely noticed the fledglings playing on the playground at the school or on the slide at Lady Pia's Park. My brain felt cloudy.

Nana stopped the cart by the side of the Wishing Tree. A nonshadowcaster stood as a door attendant in front of the double doors. He wore a uniform of dark pants, boots, and a red jacket with the dragon lords' symbol on the pocket.

The same symbol hung above the two doors. The gold shield showed a dragon looking down at his shadow. Pops said it reminded us that we were a team, dragon lords and shadowcasters. We'd been a team for a hundred years.

The attendant opened the doors to the Wishing Tree, and Bianca gasped as a black cloud of bats launched into the air from the upper branches, making a chorus of chirpy squeaks. She leaned against the darkling, as if she wanted him to save her. He held Bianca's shoulder to steady her.

His face changed then. "This one is strong."

Nana nodded to him before shooing us through the doorway.

Bianca slipped her sweaty hand into mine and squeezed. Nana walked behind us, a hand at each of our backs.

My shoes pinched my toes. A smell I remembered from when I was four hit me suddenly. The dragon lords smelled like...cedar, pine, cinnamon, burnt apple cider, and smoke.

It was hard to see, at first. Fancy lights hung on the walls, but still it was so much darker than the bright, sunny day outside.

We heard deep voices coming closer. From the dark tunnel below, eyes glowed gold, blue, and green. Nana clutched the back of our dresses. I didn't dare tell her she'd pinched some of my skin.

Lord Akton appeared before us. "I told you. Not in the Rotunda. We'll talk to them in the Council Room."

Bianca and I stood with our heads tilted back and our mouths wide open. I felt like screaming.

"Coooool," Bianca said. Then, "Yipe." I was pretty sure Nana had pinched her.

One golden eye stared at us. Where there should have been another eye, Lord Akton instead had several wrinkled lines through darkling skin mixed with red scales.

My heart beat so fast, I thought I might just die.

"Hello, Rehmlings. Thank you for bringing them here, Violet."

"Of course, Lord Akton."

Inside the Council Room, they told us to sit at a large marble table. I remembered tracing the squiggles in the marble of the Rotunda floor when I was four. Now, I did not want to touch the marble. I wanted to disappear from the room, play invisible fledgling.

Nana sat next to the youngest dragon lord across from Bianca and me. We faced the doorway where Lord Akton stood on one side and Leasith on the other. Were they guarding the door?

Bianca kept staring at the red-scaled lord across the room. Nana kept whispering for her to stop. I couldn't take my eyes off Lord Bulosk. His blue scales were the prettiest color I'd ever seen. I'd never seen that kind of blue in my life.

"Hello, little shadowcasters. I'm Bulosk. I'll be your tour guide for today."

Bianca giggled. Nana hushed her.

"What? He's funny," Bianca said.

Lord Akton growled. It vibrated my chair and tickled my whole body. Lord Bulosk rolled his green eyes up into his head, like, "don't mind my grumpy brother."

My breathing got faster, and, suddenly, I hiccupped loudly. Nana's lips mashed together, and she gave me her mean look.

"Sorry," I whispered.

The lord opened a leather case and pulled out some paper. He set a piece in front of Nana, Bianca, and me. "You are all aware of shadowcaster rules. I'm placing them in front of you in a contractual form. This is standard procedure when a human discovers you as an Imaginary Friend. Please review."

I followed along as he read aloud. I understood most of the words:

Shadowcasting Rules

1. Always cast true to form.

2. Never talk to the human.

3. Never give the human your name.

4. Never touch the human other than to use him/her as a portal.

Exceptions and Addendums as it pertains to Imaginary Friendships

1. If a human child shall see you as an imaginary friend, you may play with him/her, but never converse. Please do not encourage the child. Touching is allowed as it pertains to playing games but keep affection to a minimum.

2. Imaginary friendship shall be terminated by the age of thirteen. This is the maximum age and is extended as a courtesy to shadowcasters who may have charges who have special needs or are terminally ill. There are no exceptions to this age limit.

When he finished, he tapped a claw on the paper. He hadn't had a claw out before. "Now, we just need your blood bond there on the "X" then my handsome brother will give you a short history lesson, and you can be on your way."

I watched Nana's mouth fall into a frown, and her eyebrows drew together. She pushed back from the table and turned on the biggest lord. "Standard procedure, you say? I've never heard of this."

Lord Akton left the wall. "I assure you it's required of certain shadowcasters, if they've broken rules."

"She is just a baby."

"Well, if you don't have them sign the decree, we can think of other ways for them to make amends for little Anka's mistakes."

Nana gasped. "Don't work your hocus-pocus on me." She spun around and sat back down at the table. She sat with her body so rigid, I thought she'd get a spasm. Her blond hair flowed in the air a bit. It only did that when she was angry.

"It will be okay." Lord Bulosk smiled at Nana then us. He stood up and went to Bianca's side. Suddenly, I saw a flash of all the claws on his right hand.

I screamed. He glared at me and rubbed his forehead. "Ow, that really stings, little one. No dark shadows."

I froze. I'd done it again. "I'm sorry," I squeaked. Tears filled my eyes and made my cheeks sting. I hiccupped again. "Don't hurt Bianca because I was bad."

"It will only be a finger prick." He pointed to the paper. "For the contract."

If Bianca's eyes got any bigger, they'd pop out of her head.

"No worries. Just a tiny spot," he said to her with a wink.

Bianca bit her bottom lip then sat up straighter and gave him her hand. He pricked the finger and smeared the dot of blood on the paper. When done, he blew on her finger, and the bleeding stopped.

She giggled. "That tickles."

Not to be outdone, I offered my finger and let him poke it then heal it.

Once the blood dried, he put everything back in the pouch and stepped back from the table. Lord Akton came over. He didn't sit but leaned forward on the table, his big hands spread wide.

"We are why you live. It is our power that sustains you."

I gulped.

"Before the Blessed Incursion, darklings lived with the kirka and satyrs on the west side of the river under the House of Hanleith.

"Hanleith was an evil nymph queen. She punished darklings and treated them like dogs. Your kind only had the ability to bend light. Compared to the powers of the nymphs, who can control plants, light, and heal, your measly abilities to cast a shadow just did not compare."

He stood up and held his arms behind his back. "Under her reign, darklings got sick. Shadow Fever killed many. Hanleith soon banished the rebellious and the weak. Darklings banded together on the east side of the river, and Shadowland became a place for the forsaken and the dying.

"Then, my father came into this world. Drakos slayed Hanleith and caused the change needed in Montenai for the rise of my brothers and me. It's why you live the happy lives you do in Shadowland."

Nana had told me it was also why some nymphs avoided darklings. They still thought we weren't good enough, and they resented the death of their queen.

"So. Anka Rehmling. What happened today at the Solomon house?" The lord came and squatted next to me. It felt like he took away all the air.

Nana nodded to me. Something in her look told me to be careful. "Ben saw me."

"And?" The golden eye glowed in front of me.

I looked away. "Well, Dad came over. And then, I shadowed Mr. Solomon. I think Dad wanted the boy to calm down."

"Do you know why you are here?"

"To go over the rules about being an Imaginary Friend?"

"Yes. But how do we know about Ben seeing you?"

I wiggled in my chair. "Because you have magic?"

"Look at me."

I flinched, but I looked.

"We hear you in the human world. When you talk to a shadowcaster, it flows right over us. But when you talk to humans and they talk to you, it tingles inside our heads. We hear you and we know."

So many things went through my mind. Had they heard everything I said? Everything Ben said?

"This part is very important. Don't break the rules again." He stood up and walked to stand next to my sister. "Bianca, will you tell me what the penalty is for breaking the rules."

In a clear voice she said, "Harsh punishment, banishment, or death."

"Do you have any questions, Anka?"

"No." I shook my head so much, I made myself dizzy.

"Good, because I wouldn't want anything to happen to your family. And I wouldn't want you to lose your privileges as a shadowcaster."

Nana looked like she might explode. Her hair was definitely moving on its own the way nymphs' hair did when they were pissed.

"You may go now," he said.

She stood up and rushed to pull our chairs out for us. All color had drained from her face. Lord Akton and Bulosk left first. That left the quiet one.

Lord Leasith didn't dress fancy like his brothers. He wore jeans and boots with a short-sleeve shirt. He had a lot of muscles. His face had the most scales.

"Ma'am." He nodded to Nana and took us to the double doors. Once we stepped outside, Bianca and I blinked in the bright light.

"Get in the cart," Nana said. Bianca waited by her side. "Go, loves."

I let Bianca get up front. I sat in the back with my stomach feeling like it was doing flips.

Nana actually touched Lord Leasith's arm. Even though she spoke quietly, we heard her.

"They are just fledglings. Threatening them with death is completely inappropriate."

"Their actions endanger us all."

"I understand that. But I don't like grown darklings, part dragon or not, threatening my grandchildren."

Lord Leasith nodded once. "Noted." Then he turned and went back inside, and the door attendant closed the doors.

Nana took her hands off her hips and turned to us, her cheeks red.

She blew out a long breath and scooted into the cart. "Breathe in and out several times, fledglings. Their magic gets inside you." She began muttering as she drove crazy again. "Calling me ma'am. He's older than me."

Bianca and I puffed in and out for the whole ride back to our house.

Nana's mood didn't change when she made us lunch. I tried to eat a turkey sandwich but had trouble swallowing. After lunch, I walked into the forest. Feeling confused and scared, I looked up into the tree branches. I promised to follow the rules because I didn't want anything to happen to my family and I didn't want to be taken from Ben.

Pops woke me up the next morning. He brought me outside to the picnic table. I smiled when I looked down. He had made my favorite chocolate chip smiley-face pancakes.

"Nana said the lords were pretty scary."

I stopped chewing and nodded.

"Here's what I know. This is the only time I'll talk about it."

I put my fork down.

"They hear it when a human says your real name. That's why your dad told you to never give them your name."

Oops.

"They know when you talk out loud to a human. They don't know when the human talks back, unless your name is used."

Pops came to my side of the table and sat on the bench. Today, he wore his fishing shirt, which had neon orange goldfish on a black background. His eyebrows went up. "They don't know if you hug your buddy. They don't know if you give him a high-five when he makes a basket." He winked. "So zip your lip."

#

When I traveled through the portal to Ben's room, he was already dressed. I thought maybe he had slept in his clothes so I wouldn't see his underwear. He rushed up to me and blurted, "I'll call you Jade because your eyes are like my mom's necklace." I smiled. I put my finger to my lips to remind him about the no-talking rule.

"Let's go play by the creek," he said. I nodded and ran down the stairs after him. I felt pretty excited to get to play with him and not just watch him do things. When we got to the stream, we found sticks and floated them in the water, having races with them. I laughed quietly, trying not to make a peep.

Ben slipped in the mud and got it all over his shorts, legs, and hands. He started chasing after me, saying he was a swamp thing. I wound up covered in mud, too. I didn't usually feel things on earth, but now, I could.

Ben lived in Georgia. It was a hot place. It had never bothered me until now. Thankfully, the water was cold when we splashed our feet in it. My nose itched suddenly, and I knew that Korena, the nymph, was nearby. She didn't always show herself to me, but today she did. I flashed her a quick smile before Ben noticed.

I think she was my age. Her dark blue eyes were the color of Lake Hanleith at its deepest part. Her long, blond hair seemed to do its own thing. The frilly pink dress she wore reminded me of something Nana would pick out. She wore a flower bracelet. I knew it was how she moved about.

"Well, look who has a new friend." She walked through the water without disturbing it. She got right in Ben's face. "I wonder why he can't see me." Puckering her lips, she managed a fish face.

I kept quiet even though I wanted to tell her the phantoms might freeze her face that way.

"Yeah, so, Dad says I can't have a dog because Mom's allergic," Ben continued.

I made a sad face to him.

"I wish you could talk."

I shrugged.

Ben leaned forward and looked into the water. I did the same. He crossed his eyes and stuck his tongue out in a funny face. I made a silly face in the water, too. Korena cast reflections for us.

I wondered why she wouldn't leave. The nymphs didn't have to stay with their charges. They had a powerful magic and could cast long-acting spells once a day that would follow the human. After setting things up, they could return to Kirka Village then just come back to check their spell the next morning.

Today, she watched as we played. Ben spit into the water, which brought the fish to the surface.

Out of the blue, he sat back on his butt and said, "You're the prettiest girl I ever met. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna marry you when I'm big."

Even if I could talk, I wouldn't have been able to. I felt my cheeks get hot.

He looked at our reflection again in the water. I scrunched my nose up then put my finger to it, pretending to pick it.

Ben looked at the reflection and laughed. "You're funny, too." He stopped suddenly. Confused, he looked at the reflection, then me.

When I looked down at the water, I saw a girl with frizzy hair, buck teeth, and a huge nose with a black wart on it.

Ewwwwww. When I looked to Korena, she was laughing so hard, she had to sit down on a rock.

I didn't want Ben to hear me, so I didn't yell at her, but I gave her my "die" look. I could have cast a dark shadow, but I didn't.

She disappeared, and I breathed easier. Ben looked at me a few times, and I let him feel my nose and face to see for himself I didn't look like a little witch.

From that day on, we spent all of our time playing together. My sister called me a tomboy. I had no problem with that. Ben and I raced each other. I was faster but sometimes let him win. I rode on the back of his skateboard and bike. Certain games remained off limits, such as catch. A ball stopping in midair would attract attention. I kept Ben company during homework, ballgames, even punishments. When you're friends, you take the good and the bad.

As Ben grew older, he gained more friends and had less time to spend alone with me. I accepted the fact that some days, I would only be able to "shadow" him and not "hang" with him.

It didn't bother me that much because I got to experience new places and things alongside him. The first chance he'd get alone with me, we'd talk about everything that happened that day. See, I had a secret. I could communicate in Ben's head. I didn't know of any other darklings who could do that. If they had discovered this, none of them had told anyone. The lords could communicate in this manner. I tried not to think of them, though.

When Ben was eleven, his class took a trip to Six Flags Over Georgia. I spent the noisy bus ride squished in the space at Ben's feet. Others couldn't feel me, but that didn't mean I wanted his larger friend, Will, sitting on top of me the entire trip. For one, he farted all the time.

The bus came to a rocking halt. Kids bumped and jostled each other to get off the bus, everyone except a girl named Sarah. She looked like she'd rather be at the dentist than at an amusement park.

When I followed Ben off the bus, I looked over my shoulder to see her two friends swarming her, planning which rides they wanted to go on first.

"I want to do Goliath, the SkyScreamer, and Acrophobia," said one friend.

Sarah stayed quiet.

Her friend noticed and hooked her arm through Sarah's. "Don't worry, we'll teach ya how to do all the rides. You'll love it."

"Not everyone likes rides. She got carsick on the bus."

Ben did a mini nod--one he did to acknowledge a comment of mine in public. His eyes scanned the crowd and watched the three girls make their way to the SkyScreamer. I looked up and watched the spinning swings that were twenty-four stories off the ground. In Montenai, we didn't have skyscrapers. Most of our buildings nestled low to the ground, blending in and respecting the environment around it. I wondered how Sarah would handle being that high off the ground.

Ben headed toward the SkyScreamer, and Will followed. He made his way up to the girls. He looked genuinely concerned for his classmate. Her face had turned white.

"I might wait for you guys here," she said.

Her friends teased her and told her she'd be fine. She bit her bottom lip until it bled.

When Ben drew closer to the girls, the tallest girl with a dark pony tail, Amber, turned to Ben. "You want to ride next to me?"

I noticed Will poke Ben's side. Amber was the prettiest girl in the class.

"I think I'm going to ride with Will."

Will shook his head like, you dummy. I don't need you next to me.

As they got closer to the ride's entrance, I watched Sarah's face. I guessed she didn't like heights or spinning.

Somehow, Ben managed to work his way to stand next to her. "Hey, Sarah. You ever been on a ride like this?"

"No," she gasped. Her brown eyes were huge.

Unlike everyone else, he didn't try to convince her it would all be okay. "Do you like to swing?"

"No."

"How are you with spinning?"

"I get dizzy if I spin around when dancing."

"And heights?" Ben asked.

"I can't look over the side of escalators."

Ben furrowed his brow. "You don't have to ride this. You may want to start with something like the log ride first."

"Geez, Ben. You're a lot of fun," Amber said. "She'll get used to it. After her first ride, she'll be fine."

But she wasn't. In fact, she screamed in terror the whole ride and was so dizzy when she got off, she couldn't walk steady. She also threw up in the garbage can. Her friends laughed and teased her before leaving her behind to get in the next line for the Goliath rollercoaster.

Ben and Will helped her to a picnic table. Will ran to get her a cup of water while Ben waited.

"You don't have to stay here with me, Ben."

"It's no big deal."

"You're going to miss all the rides."

Ben shrugged. "So? It's not like I can't come back here with my family or friends."

She rested her chin on the table. "I'm so embarrassed."

Will returned at that moment with some waters. "Don't be," Will said. "My mother hates rides. So, my dad always brings us. We don't force her to do something that makes her miserable."

Sarah gave him a weak smile.

Ben chimed in. "Yeah, my dad doesn't do spinning. He's very picky about what rides he'll go on. He'd never go on the SkyScreamer. See, you did and you lived to tell about it."

The boys took turns going on rides alone or finding a random classmate while the other waited with Sarah or took her inside the fun shops. She went on the Log Jamboree with them and did okay on the one big hill because she clutched Ben's back and tucked her head into his shoulder blade.

By the end of the day, she was glad to be going home. Her friends stopped teasing her because they saw it bothered Ben. As one of the popular kids at school, what he thought actually mattered to people.

In the dark, as the bus rolled along and my sister came to take my shift, I wanted to hug Ben for being the sweetest boy I knew. I'd never seen him be cruel or mean. Tired from the trip, I returned to Montenai. I felt a bit jealous of Sarah. She got to cling to Ben on the log ride and talk to him openly all day.

Overall, I couldn't complain. I was just happy to be around him.

#

On a beautiful summer day, I dressed as fast as I could. Ben had gotten a new mountain bike for his birthday, and we planned to test it in the woods by his house. We decided to do it first thing so no one else would be around, and I could take turns riding it. I wore purple shorts and a white tank top. The Georgia heat always felt stifling in the summer time, especially in comparison to Montenai's fresh, cool breezes.

When I emerged in his room, he met me with a huge grin. He was in the middle of a major growth spurt, and I now came to his chin. I nodded once to my sister as she stepped toward him to go back to Montenai. Ben's eyes traveled from my light brown legs to my hair. Something had changed in the way he looked at me lately. It caused Bianca to roll her eyes whenever I stepped through the portal for my shift. It caused goosebumps to pop out all over my body, accompanied by a rather pleasant tingling sensation.

I laughed without making a noise. He took my hand and led me down the stairs to the garage. His family had spared no expense. The red bike had a light aluminum frame with heavy-duty shocks and suspension system.

"Get on."

"This is awesome!" I said in his head

"I know. I'm so excited." His blond hair had grown longer over the summer and curled at the nape of his neck. Indoors, his green eyes looked darker. Outside, I could see little golden flecks in the outer edges.

He got on first to steady the bike, and then I climbed onto the seat. He pedaled standing up while I held on to the tail of his t-shirt. At the end of his neighborhood, we entered a small stretch of woods with pine trees and large oaks. No one was here this early in the morning. In July, the sun struggled to break through the thick morning haze. He waited until we were out of the public eye to talk to me. We both got off the bike to look down the path. Situated between two thick trees, the first jump hit thirty yards down. A thin layer of mulch coated the path and was uneven from use and run-off from rains.

"So, don't aim for the trees," he laughed.

"Ha, ha."

A light dusting of freckles covered the bridge of his nose. "You want to go first?"

"No. You're the birthday boy."

"You go first," he offered.

I smiled up at him in challenge. "You need someone to show you how it's done, don't you?"

He folded his arms across his chest, and his mouth dropped open. "You really do talk a lot of smack."

I smiled.

He poked my side as I stepped in front of him and raised my leg to straddle the bike.

"Wait. You are absolutely not riding this unless you wear the helmet."

I scrunched my nose up at him. His freckled hands undid the straps. With one hand, he brushed my long hair off my shoulders then tucked it behind my ears. I reminded myself to breathe. Once the helmet was on, I pushed his chest to make him back up. "All right already!"

Exhilarated, I took off into the haze, reveling in the speed as I took the first jump.

When I went to land, I noticed some downed branches and tried to twist the handlebars to avoid them. The bike turned sideways, and I crashed on my side with my leg stuck under the bike. I hit my head on a larger branch. Darklings don't get hurt easily. However, sprawled out with my limbs contorted, I felt stunned.

"Jade!" Ben stared down at me. "You okay?" He grabbed the bike off me and held my leg before I had time to prop myself up on my elbows. Struggling so fast to regain my composure and cool, I bumped his forehead with mine.

"Ow," he said.

I was still wearing the helmet. Flustered, I pushed his hand aside. My skin had already started to knit closed on my knee and the side of my leg. The wound would heal in the next few hours and leave behind just a purplish mark. In a few days, it would fade to nothing.

My cheeks flamed hot with embarrassment. I got to my feet and brushed mud and pine needles off my butt.

He reached over and helped me get the helmet off. "How's your head?"

"Fine."

Ben hugged me tight. "Are you okay?" He pulled away and looked at me.

I flashed him a dazed smile.

He just kept looking me over, not paying any attention to the bike. "That was a terrible crash!"

"Yeah, but how'd I take the jump?"

"Like a boss."

We both laughed hysterically. I leaned in to put my head on his shoulder, but he caught my chin in his hand and pulled it up. He kissed me square on the lips.

Something pulled at my stomach where my shadow magic rested, and I felt weightless. The world hushed. All color faded from my surroundings. When I caught my breath, I stood at a distance at least ten feet from him.

"Jade?" He looked right through me. "Where'd you go? Jade?" His voice sounded strangled as he blinked repeatedly, like things were too bright.

Without realizing it, my legs took me backward, away from the bike...from him. As he scanned the path, my stomach seemed to jump into my throat. I wanted to run to him. Instead, I continued my slow progress backward, driven by the droning that filled my ears. It was a dreaded sound for a shadowcaster. It meant the dragon lords' magic hung in the air. Lord Bulosk's voice rang in my head from when I was eight: Imaginary friendship shall be terminated by the age of thirteen. This is the maximum age and is extended as a courtesy to shadowcasters who may have charges with special needs or terminal illnesses. There are no exceptions to this age limit.

My body ran cold, and my eyes blurred from my tears. Why hadn't I remembered this? I could have warned him. I could have...why didn't someone in my family remind me? Of course, none of them knew I communicated with him.

"I can't see you. I know you're here," he called. "I'm so sorry. I won't do that again. Come back. Please."

My sister appeared next to him, her eyes huge. She waved her hand, indicating I should go away. She must have heard the discord of the lords, as well. Fear held her body rigid and hardened the warning look she shot me.

Her brown eyes conveyed sympathy but also a severity that brought back visions of the Council. I cupped my hands over my ears like when I was a little. I couldn't stand it, not another second. If I heard him pleading, I would give in.

My father met me in the open doorway of the Solomon's white colonial home. He held part of the newspaper. His wavy hair seemed more unruly than usual.

I'd interrupted his morning ritual, which entailed sitting with Mr. Solomon and reading the newspaper with classic rock playing from the stereo. They always looked like two friends studying together. I wondered what my father would do with his life if he didn't have Mr. Solomon to look after.

One look at my face and my father stepped off the stoop and gathered me into his chest. I muffled my cries in his shirt as he stroked my back. My mother peeked through the doorway, her lips pressed together.

She kissed my cheek and whispered to me. "You know it's for the best, Anka. It's time he ventured more into this world without you, and you paid more attention to your own kind."

I knew she meant well, but it felt like she'd slugged me in the stomach. While my father held my arms tightly, I turned to watch as Ben walked his new bike toward the house. He didn't look like he ever wanted to ride it again. Bianca walked by his side. He whispered my name as he approached the house. His eyes continued to search behind the blooming hibiscus plants then to our favorite tree where he swung as a kid.

Ben put his bike back in the garage and climbed the stairs to his bedroom. From the doorway, I watched him stare out the window as if he were searching for something, someone. Bianca's eyes were red from crying. As much as my sister could be bossy, she really did care. She hugged me tightly.

The droning continued in my ears.

"They want to talk to you," Bianca said.

My mouth went dry.

"I'm sorry, Anka. They sent a messenger to the house."

I stepped away from her and toward Ben. I heard Bianca scream my name as I touched Ben's palm.

Pops met me on the path. "What happened?" he asked. His shirt today was banana yellow.

"He's thirteen!" I shrieked. "He turned thirteen!"

Instead of hugging me and comforting me, Pops grabbed me by the shoulders. "You need to stop and listen to me."

I tried but choked on my sobs. My best friend had just been torn from me, and I couldn't get a hold of myself.

"Anka."

"What, Pops?"

"They didn't just work a spell; they are summoning you. Do you hear a noise?"

"Like bees," I gasped.

"That's not good."

With my heart doing a crazy dance in my chest, I climbed into the cart. No matter how many times I took gulps of air, I still felt light-headed. Darklings didn't usually throw up or get sick like humans. But at this moment, I felt like I might.

I don't remember the ride to the Wishing Tree in the South Village. Pops kept talking, but his words just ricocheted off me. He patted my thigh several times.

Finally, he pinched me.

"Ow," I said.

We were almost past Drakos, the restaurant named for the first dragon lord. The smell of gourmet food caused my head to swim.

"I'm going in with you," Pops insisted. He grabbed my hand so hard, I winced.

"Pops."

"I got you."

"Pops?"

I could feel him shaking. I didn't know if it was from fear or anger. Goosebumps broke out all over my body. The Wishing Tree loomed overhead. Darklings had cleared from the grassy area by the water in Lady Pia's Park.

Just as we stepped up to the doors, they crashed open. Hundreds of bats erupted from the treetop. A force yanked me forward. Pops yelled and tried to hold on. As I sailed away from him, his nails scratched my arm. The doors slammed shut at my back, and I crashed to the cobblestone path inside the tree. On my hands and knees, I gasped for breath. I stayed in that position until I saw a shiny dress shoe.

"Get up."

I did what Lord Bulosk told me. Today, he had no winks, no reassurances.

"Follow me." His footsteps echoed as he took me into the Council Room.

It looked the same, except for the mess. Flowers were scattered across the table and spilled onto the white marble floor. Water ran in a tiny river and dripped off the table's edge. Broken shards of glass sparkled under the blown glass fixtures floating in the space above. Something had destroyed what once had been an extravagant flower arrangement.

The heavy wooden door slammed closed behind me. I startled, hunching my shoulders up to my ears.

He dried a corner of the table with the cuff of his shirt sleeve. "Sit."

I balanced on the edge of the seat and tried not to inhale the smell of the dragon lords. I remembered Nana telling us to puff out air the last time we'd escaped this place.

"Patrick Benjamin Solomon is thirteen today. He is neither sick, nor has special needs of any kind. And yet, somehow, he has continued to see you."

Beads of water quivered on the table as his low bellow shook it. The air seemed to press on me. I caught myself blinking and breathing through my mouth.

"You're lucky I convinced Lord Akton to let me handle things." His green eyes met mine. "In my hand is a decree of suspension," he rasped. "Take it, read it, study it. Follow the instructions and don't ever get summoned here again."

When I grasped the rolled parchment, it quivered in my hand, as if there were magic trapped inside it.

As Lord Bulosk escorted me out, my knees and hands stung from when I'd fallen in the Wishing Tree's hallway, but I was too upset to care. I wanted to burn the decree or toss it in the Montenai River; just get it away from me.

When the doors swung open, and I saw Pops standing just past Lord Leasith, I swallowed my anger. Pops supported his right hand like it hurt. They hurt him?

"Just let me see it a minute," Lord Leasith commanded.

"No. Don't touch me," Pops said.

"What's the matter?" Lord Bulosk asked.

"He won't let me heal him."

"Ernest, just hold it out a moment," Lord Bulosk said.

"I mean it. Don't you touch me." Pops looked like he might explode. I'd never seen him like this. "Get in the cart, honey."

Without looking at the lords, I rushed to the cart. Pops got in, cradling his injured hand in his lap. He drove along the river, and I didn't dare talk. Every hair on my body stood on end. When we were halfway home, I remembered to take deep breaths and breathe out the magic of the Council.

I held on to the top bar. No tears came.

Pops parked the cart inside the sequoia. Neither of us made a move for the house but just stared at the bark in front of us. Finally, I found my voice.

"Are you okay?"

"Are you?" he asked.

"They didn't hurt me." My bottom lip trembled, and I tried to hold back the tears. "What happened to your hand?"

"I'm not proud of myself, but I thought they were going to harm you." Pops grimaced.

"Pops?"

"I punched Lord Leasith in the face. Mother of Montenai, I saw stars. It was like hitting granite." Pops's eyebrows shot up. "I don't think his head even moved an inch."

With my mouth hanging open, I thought about what my grandfather had just done. I didn't know what to say.

#

I read the decree that night in the glow of the nymph lamps in my room. After a weeklong suspension, I would return to the Solomon house. I would cast shadows for one Patrick Benjamin Solomon. And I would watch my conduct. This was their second warning.

When Pops worried, a muscle in his cheek twitched from clenching his jaw. For several days, I watched that muscle jump. It became more pronounced with my endless crying. When the tears finally dried up, I wandered to the river's edge and considered the nymphs across the way.

Before the Blessed Incursion, we had lived as subjects to the nymph queen, Hanleith. It must have been miserable over there if darklings accepted the ruling of the dragon lords. Something dark reared in me, but I pushed it down. I needed to abide by the rules of Shadowland or my family would suffer. Pops's hand had healed within a few days, but his eyes had lost some of their sparkle.

After I cried my heart out, I started to think of my family. I couldn't look at Pops without feeling guilty for causing trouble. I hadn't meant to...it just...Ben was my best friend. I treasured every day I had with him, and I hadn't ever wanted it to end.

My family moved around me, talking to me as if nothing had happened, except for Bianca. She took time to talk to me when our parents weren't in the room. She listened to me whine, complain, and feel sorry for myself.

For weeks, my stomach felt tied in a huge knot. Seeing Ben, yet him not seeing me, hurt physically.

Even though I accepted the terms of my position, the knot stayed. Ben never gave up, though. He'd whisper when no one was around. I never flinched or made a move to show I was there. Fear caused me to swallow my sorrow. It nestled in the pit of my stomach with my shadow magic. It leaked out of me with each pull from my energy as I cast shadows for him.

Ben's loyalty persisted even until he was fourteen and he named a star after me. At fifteen, he grew at least a foot. He loved baseball and he excelled at it. Girls started to call. At sixteen, the calls increased. I knew I shouldn't interfere. However, every once in a while, a phone cord magically disconnected from the wall or a call terminated on his cell phone.

At first, I would stew in the corner during these calls while he flirted. I understood we lived in different worlds, but I still yearned to talk with him like the other girls did. I realized he would date humans, eventually. It was only natural, but it didn't stop the pangs of jealousy when he did interact with sweet girls like Sarah. Luckily, my sister covered Ben in the evenings so I didn't witness the few dates he had.

Some of my fellow shadowcasters tried to encourage me. Others distanced themselves. They had no idea what I had done. They just knew the dragon lords had reprimanded me twice. Shrouded in mystery, I attracted some of the rebel shadowcasters in the crowd. I went on a some dates, even kissed a few darklings, but I didn't fool myself or anyone else. My mind was never in Montenai. Instead, it stayed on Ben and our kiss in the woods on his thirteenth birthday.

During this time, I became more aware of Korena's presence. As was the way of the nymphs, Korena never showed herself to Ben. She emerged every morning to re-spin the web of her reflections spell. She'd grown tall and breathtaking. At sixteen, her body reminded me of a human supermodel's. Sometimes, we talked. I got the feeling quite often that she thought she was better than me.

"Don't you wish you weren't stuck to humans like leeches?" she asked one morning.

Ben was in the shower, getting ready for school, so I sat in the hallway waiting for him to finish.

"I like my job," I said.

She wrinkled her nose. "I can't imagine following a human around like a kicked puppy."

I knew she was baiting me. "Well, Korena, we can't all be perfect, can we?"

"Darklings have always been so weak."

Before I could respond, she disappeared. I shrugged it off.

Since Korena usually appeared early in the day, I took advantage of the evening time, just before Bianca came, as mine and Ben's quality time. Ben must have sensed it, as well. He talked to me in the dark, whispering so his parents wouldn't hear. He covered everything from sports to the injustices in the world. At times, I wanted to whisper back about darklings, nymphs, and our struggles with dragon lords. What must he think about my life as a mute? How did he remain faithful to the idea of me when he received nothing in return?

I considered this one night as I looked at his seventeen-year-old frame stretched long atop a new bed that fit his legs. The room had changed, as well. Sports team paraphernalia covered much of the walls, along with anything to do with astronomy and the stars. I wondered if he still thought of me as an alien.

Tonight, he wore a white t-shirt and boxers. With his arms behind his head, he sighed. "I know when you're here."

Breath held, I drew closer. I will always be here.

No matter what happened in Montenai, things didn't seem so scary when I was with Ben. He didn't have a pretty face, but a handsome masculine one with a slightly crooked nose--compliments of a wrestling match. He'd won despite the broken nose. One look at his face and I felt trust and loyalty, two things I hadn't found much of in my life.

"I know when it's someone else."

I watched his muscular chest rise and fall. It took every bit of willpower not to attempt talking in his head. Fear lodged in my throat, and I had to remind myself to breathe.

"You smell sweet, like sugar. See, Persmellope was fitting."

I smiled. I smelled like Pops's chocolate shop.

"I wish I could still see you."

Trembling, I bent over him. The rules swirled in my head. For some reason, I couldn't get past how he looked, how much I missed him. I knew I shouldn't, but it hurt not to. My body moved on its own. When I kissed his lips, he wrapped his arms around my lower back, pulling me on top of him. My breath whooshed out of me as we made full contact.

He deepened the kiss. As I rested my palms on his chest for balance, he ran his fingers through my hair. He smelled of musk and tasted minty like toothpaste. I felt the muscles of his chest through his thin shirt. He rolled me onto my side with extreme care.

The movement broke our kiss. With his hand, he felt his way up my arm, leaving a path of goosebumps. His fingertips caressed my neck, swept across my collarbone, found my jawline, and then my lips. Once he'd located my mouth again, he leaned in. I met him halfway. Both of his strong hands cupped my face as his kisses became more urgent. Warmth traveled from my chest down to my stomach, creating a fluttering sensation in the core that housed my shadow magic.

His one hand held my chin, the other found my hip and squeezed. Everything inside me melted. I kissed back, exploring his mouth with my tongue. My heart hammered in my chest.

"Jade," Ben whispered in my ear in a husky voice. The emotion in his voice brought tears to my eyes.

I touched the center of his palm.

Back in Montenai, I stood at the edge of the portal by the small fir tree. My eyes scanned the forest as I listened. After a minute, I took a few cleansing breaths. My lips tingled. I smelled him, still. Felt dizzy from his touch. A giggle burst forth before I could stop it.

"Holy hotness!"

He shouldn't have been able to feel my touch, but he had.

Within seconds, the epic dose of euphoria I'd swallowed felt like a stubborn pill of worry lodged in my throat. Ben wouldn't give me away to Bianca. And no one had witnessed the encounter.

But the lords...

I walked down the path. My pace increased the more anxious I became. He'd touched me. At some point, would he be able to see me, too? Soon, I was running to see Pops who had to work at the shop tonight.

Sultry blue jazz notes hit me at the entryway. Pops had opened the rolling windows to the summer air, and the luscious smell of desserts lured me into the space. Pops had an immense glass counter he'd purchased from the nymphs.

Nymph lights floated like tiny orbs throughout the space, changing colors with the mood of the music. The light, ethereal touch of the nymphs contrasted perfectly with the dark space within the tremendous sequoia that was Pops's shop.

I perched on a leather stool at the counter, attempting not to appear as breathless as I felt. I checked my reflection in a metal napkin dispenser and hastily fixed my lip gloss with my finger.

Pops placed a decaf coffee and two chocolate-covered strawberries in front of me. "Hello, my green-eyed genius."

"Hi." My fingers traced the purple musical notes painted on the plate.

"You look thoughtful," he said.

Not the word I would have used to describe my current condition.

"What's going on in that dark darkling head?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Nothing, Pops. I just want to relax and listen to the music." My voice sounded strange to me.

He nodded, but I caught the muscles twitch in his cheek. "Well, you've come to the right place."

I rested my chin in my hands and darkling-watched as I pretended to enjoy the treat. It felt bittersweet watching the other couples who laughed and held hands as they swayed to the music.

I'd crossed a line tonight. What was I thinking? I sat up straighter. Nana's stern reprimand from when I was eight played in my head. If I couldn't control my impulses, I would endanger my family. I just won't talk to him or touch him again. I recalled the taste of him, his smell, the feel of his body pressed against mine. Life is so unfair. It couldn't be helped. I needed to maintain my distance.

It seemed like a good plan, but when I returned to Ben's room the next morning, Korena stared back at me from the bureau mirror. Ben stood transfixed by the nymph's reflection. With my hands balled into fists, I watched him touch the mirror.

"Who are you?" he asked.

Korena gave him her name. My jaw dropped. What did she think she was doing? I lurched across the room to stand behind Ben. When I scowled at Korena, she winked at me from the glass. Ben whipped around. "Jade?"

I stepped back out of his grasp. He still couldn't see me. This would not bode well. Korena knew. She didn't answer to the Council. She was toying with us. It dawned on me that she had always known.

Ben searched his room, but I stayed out of reach. Frustrated, he headed to the shower. I flicked my fingers, sending shadows into the bathroom after him. My power didn't match the nymph's, though. Korena appeared in the mirror before me, waving her hand haphazardly in Ben's direction so he'd see his reflection when he got to the bathroom.

"Well, haven't you been naughty," Korena challenged.

"I don't know what you mean," I hissed.

"You know exactly what I mean." Korena fluffed her golden curls. "He's a handsome devil, isn't he? I just thought I'd give him options."

"This is a dangerous game, Korena."

"Maybe for you, but not for me. I don't have any overgrown lizards to hide from." Her enormous blue eyes stayed on me. Darklings had a sturdy build. The nymphs were waif-like and graceful. I felt the sudden urge to cast a dark shadow at her scrawny figure. It would sting, give her a migraine, and make her queasy.

I gave her a scathing look. "Don't hurt him." With my hands still curled in fists, I turned and walked away from her.

The day lasted forever. I tried to ignore Korena and not make eye contact. My brain whirred like Pops's old computer. If I mentioned Korena's appearance to any of the darklings, Korena would tell the others I'd kissed Ben. Somehow, she knew. I'd been so wrapped up in things, I hadn't felt her presence.

That night, as Ben lay in his bed, he tried to communicate with me again. "Who is the woman in the mirror?"

I bit my lip.

"Jade? Why did she appear to me? Is she a bad person?"

Yes. I never trusted nymphs. Not after the history we had. Not after how they treated Nana. Although we now traded with them for goods and worked together on the human plane, we always kept up a protective wall when it came to them. I didn't know what to do. After stroking his arm, I touched his hand and fell through the portal.

I spent the night brooding in my room. I'd redecorated the space in soothing tones from nature after Bianca had moved out two months ago. She lived in an apartment in North Village, just off the boardwalk. Pops had contributed to the space by tossing in some nymph lights. They changed with my mood. Tonight, they shone a dull gray. I fought the urge to hurl them out the window since they reminded me of Korena.

Restless, I scanned my room for some distraction. My eyes landed on my CSP, Compact Satyr Player. It looked much like a human's digital music player, but its inner workings were some satyr creation I couldn't begin to explain. The satyrs created the external brass shell to be the size of a cell phone. They often engraved tiny symbols from nature on them. Mine had a tremendous wave on the front, reminding me of the Aglatian Sea. The cradle for the player was the shape of a satyr hoof. My device rested in the space or cleft in the middle of the hoof.

After selecting a darkling jazz band called the Shadow Blues from my playlist, I paced the floor. The darkling Wishing Tree loomed in front of me. Mom had painted a more realistic image with pine needles when we outgrew the wishing game. Now, it more closely resembled the sequoia that housed the Council. I knew it was my mother's subtle way of reminding me to behave. I felt a burning need to get away from the tree, as if it were monitoring my movements.

"Wow, Anka. You are really losing it." I considered my music selection might be contributing to my somber thoughts. Eventually, I climbed into bed and drifted to sleep, not feeling any better about life.

#

The next afternoon, Ben dressed in his baseball uniform. His blond hair curled out from the edges of his cap. He looked stoked for the upcoming championship game. The Solomon house was astir because college scouts planned to attend to see Ben play. He played right field, but his strength was the bat. He had a batting average of .330. When he grabbed his glove and pounded down the stairs, I followed. I smiled at my parents in the living room as he discussed plans with his parents. Ben would leave early to warm up with the team. The Solomons would come later.

Ben drove an old, red Dodge Demon his father had helped him restore. I slid through the crack of the door and into the passenger seat--a wicked cool trick Dad had taught me on my sixteenth birthday. Not many shadowcasters could do it. Korena sat in the back, wearing a cheerleading outfit. Not cool.

I scowled at her. She winked at me then waved at Ben as he adjusted the rearview mirror.

"What the--" He swung his head around between the seats. "I'm sorry, but you need to get out." He licked his lips and fidgeted with his cap. As he turned back toward the front windshield, he gasped, "Can anyone see you besides me?"

"Sometimes," Korena chirped.

"Why are you here?"

"I've always been here, Ben. I know you have a birthmark on your left hip."

"Creepy," he whispered. He smoothed his hands on his thighs. "What do you want?"

"Just a ride to the game, silly."

We drove in utter silence as I glared back at Korena. I didn't like her attitude. Nymphs could be such slinky creatures.

At the ball field, Ben fielded grounders and long balls and talked with his teammates as fans filled the stands. Korena took her place among the other team's cheerleaders. I scanned the crowd to assess if they could all see her. I found Dad sitting calmly behind Mr. Solomon in the stands. I pointed to Korena. His jaw dropped.

The game started, and I did my best to cast the most accurate shadows, but none so dark Ben couldn't see the ball. As the game progressed, I noted many of the humans appeared mesmerized by the new cheerleader. Darn nymphs and their wily ways. Ben kept his head in the game.

His team, the Cardinals, led the game, but the Seminoles were last at bat. Ben's team needed one more out. As the sun moved across the sky, I watched as strange glares bounced off the metal chain-link fence behind home plate. What was she up to? I positioned myself as far away from Ben as possible while still able to cast shadows. As the opposing team got a hit, the nymph sent a glare up in the fielder's eyes, causing an error. Now, they had a man on first base.

I couldn't scream at her. Instead, I moved even closer as the nimble nymph kicked her boot up to her shoulder and shook her pom poms. The next batter hit a pop fly, which should have been caught, but again, Korena interfered.

"Stop it!" I mouthed at her.

My parents sat in the stands doing nothing. They never interfered in the human world, even with a wayward nymph causing mayhem. Korena continued to jeopardize the next play. Now the bases were loaded. Sweat drenched Ben's jersey, and he glared at Korena. Did he know she was responsible?

The Seminoles' batter looked like he should be in the big leagues. A full-grown man, he swung for the fences. The ball sailed toward right field. I watched as Korena cast an unusual reflection in Ben's eyes. He struggled to get under the ball.

Fuming, I ran past Ben and screamed, "Another foot to the left," before diving and tackling the cheerleader. The crowd roared. I couldn't discern the game's outcome since I was busy rolling Korena and pinning her beneath me.

"Why?" I screamed at her.

My parents' disapproving stares didn't hinder my interrogation. Instead, a sound like the swarming of bees filled my ears. It prompted me to stand. I fixed my skirt in the process. The Shadowland Council had summoned me. When I looked to Mom and Dad, I saw fear had frozen their mouths and eyes wide open.

I sprinted toward Ben who was sprawled at the bottom of a crazy heap of celebrating teammates. With a touch of his hand, I slipped through the portal to the Sequoia Forest.

On my plane, they no longer sounded like bees, but rather what they truly were--enraged dragon lords. Darklings ran from the boardwalk. Shop owners closed their doors and drew their shutters. I kept running, because I feared, if I didn't, they'd summon my family. I headed for South Village.

Darklings scrambled out of my way as I raced toward the end of the boardwalk where the tallest tree stood. When I was almost there, an incredible force whooshed past me. With a sonic boom, the bridge to Kirka Village exploded, sending splinters of wood into the air. I dove to the ground and covered my head with my arms. I couldn't be sure the bridge had been their target.

After the storm of debris settled, I raised my head. Their strike had taken out half the boats at the dock. On trembling legs, I completed my journey to the tree. No door attendant met me at the entrance. In fact, all employees had evacuated the area. Since they were predisposed toward Shadow Fever, many nonshadowcasters believed close proximity to the lords' power would keep them healthy. Perhaps, after this incident, they'd rethink their employment and living arrangements.

I didn't want to be close to the lords. In fact, I was sure overexposure to the Council would be hazardous to my health. Breathe Anka. My heart felt like it would launch from my chest.

The gnarled wooden double doors stood before me like the mouth of some menacing monster ready to ingest me. Each creature of Montenai stood in relief upon the doors' surface. Just above the door, hung the golden shield of the dragon and his shadow. It represented the communion between the dragon lords and the shadowcasters. It all started when a red dragon dropped through the sky from another world and changed our lives forever--the Blessed Incursion. Right now, I felt more doomed than blessed by it.

Behind me, the sun set over the glass domes of the nymphs. It struck the shield above the door, causing it to shimmer. The early evening breeze stirred, surrounding me in the thick, undeniable scent of dragon lords and their magic. I smoothed my hair and straightened my black skirt before reaching with trembling fingers to ring the bell. It felt like such a human thing to do. The bell echoed throughout the old tree, sending bats scattering from the tree's crown. I'm not a fan of bats. I prefer winged creatures to have feathers.

The doors creaked inward, revealing the cobblestone tunnel leading down to the Rotunda where the dragon lords wielded their power. Empty. Each room I peeked into looked abandoned. A messy countertop with spilled milk indicated the hasty departure of the darkling kitchen staff.

Enchanted mosaic sconces lit my descent. My thigh muscles spasmed as I walked like I'd just run across all of Montenai. I didn't have time to think. Lord Akton waited just outside the vestibule. His seven-foot frame dwarfed my five-foot-seven. His red facial scaling could be mesmerizing under certain light. He turned abruptly, and I followed him into the inner chamber before I could fully study the mottled flesh and scarring on the right side of his face.

When he turned, his one golden eye focused on me, driving me to my knees. I gritted my teeth as my kneecaps cracked on the marble floor. The pain brought with it a reality check. Don't think about what they did to the bridge.

I noted the other dragon lords had halted their activity of cigar smoking and brandy drinking. Today, they all wore fine silk shirts and tailored pants. Leasith stood, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt to reveal the bronze scales of his arm and the claws of his hand. Bulosk stepped up next to him with his enchanting blue scales. He didn't unsheathe his claws.

To distract myself from my impending doom, I scanned the surroundings. If you're going to go, go out in style. Apparently, one can amass quite a bit of wealth living for over a century. Exquisite paintings covered the walls, but I didn't dare peek at them too long. The last time I had been in this room, I was four years old. The room itself felt alive. That hadn't changed.

My labored breathing was a pitiful sound. Bowing my head, I focused on steadying it. Being so close to all three of them at once caused my head to throb. I didn't understand their magic, but I knew it was strong. It bound every fiber of my body and caused the shadow magic in the core of my belly to flip-flop like a dying fish.

When I saw a pair of enormous loafers in front of me, my head flew back and fixed in position. Akton locked his eye on me. He used no words to communicate. Instead, he raged, igniting a fire that simmered over the surface of my body. His images attacked me in a relentless storm.

A red dragon burst from Montenai's layered sky; an astrei rode upon his back. The dragon's fierce bellow shook the world as scarlet blood poured from the astrei's wings. She clutched a dragon's egg, which glowed and shimmered with power.

My body quaked as I fought Akton's hold, but his golden eye sucked me back into his world.

The egg came into the care of a brave darkling named Toren who was heavy with child. Childbirth was long and harrowing for her, but she produced the first dragon lord--a stunning creature with golden scales. Drakos was magnificent but menacing--a mutation caused by proximity to the glowing egg. He had three sons. Akton was the oldest. They named him for the grand dragon who fell from Montenai's sky.

Tears streamed down my face as I felt Akton's fear under his father's dominion.

In a dark room, young Akton reached for the glowing egg, which soothed with a lulling tone. Out of nowhere, golden claws lashed at his face.

My eye! My eye!

The images jittered, stuttered, and skipped as agony suffused my every fiber, and I screamed. On the marble floor, I struggled to separate myself from the red-scaled dragon lord and the trauma of his father's brutal punishment. That's how Lord Akton had lost his eye.

My fingers fluttered in front of my eye. Not your memories, Anka. Nonetheless, I wailed until I lost my voice, curling in on myself as if to disappear.

I knew then there would be no jury, no side to my story.

Akton pulled me to sit as he rumbled from above. "In the name of Toren, our grandmother, we revoke your powers, shadowcaster."

White noise filled my ears. I would never see Ben again. I would never use my talent again. I saw all of their fancy shoes before three searing lashes filleted my back. I tried to escape into the floor's cool marble as my back sparked with intense fire. Looking up, I saw Bulosk's green eyes as he looked down on me, and if I didn't know better, I'd say with concern.

#

I lay on my stomach in my bedroom while Bianca sang a childhood darkling song. She wrung cool water over my wounds and tried to use her energy to heal me. The sensation offered some reprieve from the pain for a minute, but then the searing feeling started anew. Dad squeezed my hand, attempting to soothe, joining Bianca's song in his baritone voice. Mom wept in the corner chair. Even in my daze, I understood they couldn't take me to the hospital. The lords managed almost everything in Shadowland. They had named Toren Hospital for their grandmother, the first keeper of the egg, the Torensphere.

I don't know how much time passed. At some point, I realized my wounds didn't heal but continued to fester. How long was the Council's sentence?

Through the bedroom window, I watched night come. My eyes remained bleary, my brain in a fog. In the middle of the night, Pops stood over me.

"Princess. Hang tight. I got you."

I tried to nod but couldn't. At some point, I'd rolled onto my side, which was a miserable position. I was aware I may be naked, which would be embarrassing, but I didn't linger too long on the possibility. Pops pulled the sheet from the bed and wrapped it around me.

"Shh," he warned.

He pulled me up to cradle one arm under my knees and the other at my raw back. I choked back a sob.

"Anka, my child, you're on fire. But not for long."

Despite being in his sixties, Pops was still strong as a bear. I smelled Nana in the hallway. The entire house remained quiet as he walked down the stairs and through the kitchen. Nana opened the back door for him and followed us to the cart. He propped me up in the passenger seat with an apology. The red star, the Father of Montenai, shined brightly down on me, as if mocking. It was said to be the red dragon's soul. He'd fled to the sky in grief over the dead astrei.

After Pops and Nana worked together to strap me in with the seatbelt, I leaned forward in my toga, bracing my arms on the dashboard. Nana kissed my forehead.

"Hang on, honey. Pops will take care of you."

Pops didn't turn on lights or music as he took a back route away from the main boardwalk and the half-destroyed pier in South Village. Pops's boat had been a casualty to their anger. He almost drove the cart right into the river. My head whipped forward before the seatbelt yanked it back. I mewled like a cat when someone has stepped on its tail.

Pops jumped out and freed me from the seatbelt. I moaned despite my best intentions to stay strong. He plunged into the Montenai River with me and fought the current to the middle. The shock of the cold river water on my burning skin sucked the breath from me. Did Pops plan to drown me? Put me out of my misery?

When I caught my breath and gazed up, I saw a dark figure standing on a rock.

A satyr greeted Pops. "No worries, my friend. I'll take extra care." He tilted his hat to me. "I'm so sorry to find you in this condition, Dark Beauty. Cornelius Jeremiah of the Fardoragh herd at your service."

I managed a weak smile for Cornelius, the head buck of the satyrs. His lot was an interesting bunch with their ability to beguile females, despite their lower limbs being that of a goat. They tended to have ripped torsos and incredibly muscular posteriors. Musicians and artisans at heart, they could make anything with their hands and created instruments, home goods, even tremendous sea vessels. In addition to their handiwork, they possessed an uncanny ability of shifting the winds to their favor when fishing.

I'd met Cornelius before, but only briefly. Everyone knew who he was. He helped Pops position me astride him. I leaned against his massive back, my arms and legs wrapped around him as he stretched his own arms backward to hold me secure. The satyrs dwarfed darklings. Most were at least seven feet tall.

"I hope they aren't coming after us," Pops said, his voice tight.

"Something powerful is shielding her. I can feel it," Cornelius said.

"What is it?" Pops asked.

"Why question. Just accept it for now," he answered.

I didn't hear Pops's response. My eyelids drooped as I struggled to stay alert. With my cheek against the satyr's back, we launched onto the rock.

"I'll meet you there," Cornelius said to Pops. He rock-hopped across the river while Pops struggled through the current behind us. At the moment, I knew Pops wished he still had his boat.

Cornelius increased his speed. He was so graceful, he barely jostled me. Before I knew it, nymphs surrounded me inside one of their domed dwellings.

"No," I gasped. I attempted to push them away.

"It's okay, love." Korena's mother looked down at me with her exquisite blue eyes.

Pops burst into the room, still huffing. "Magda. Thank you," he said.

"Don't thank me yet," she replied.

An awful keening came from the corner of the room. When I searched the area, I found Korena hunched over on herself with swollen eyes from crying. "I'm sorry, Anka," she said.

"Take her out of here," Magda commanded.

Pops held my hand as the nymphs cut the sticking sheet from my back. They sang to me as they applied a cool, gelatinous treatment to the wounds. I didn't drift off to sleep, rather it rose up and pulled me down. When I awoke, my back still hurt, but the fire had gone.

Pops stood over me, a steaming mug in hand. "You need to drink this."

On my side, I attempted to push up with my right arm. So many hands rushed in to support me. Slowly, I drank all of the tea.

Birds sang sweetly nearby, and the room glowed. How did they sleep in this glass bubble of light? I looked down at the white nightgown I guessed was Korena's.

"There's our girl," Dad said.

Mom, Dad, Nana, and Bianca stood behind Pops. The nymphs scurried out of the room.

"I'm sorry," I said meekly. It wouldn't suffice. Had I ruined everything for the entire family?

Dad knelt by the bed, brushing my hair off my forehead. "We're just glad you're okay."

"But what will happen to all of us?"

Mom looked down at her hands. "It's done, Anka."

"Those slimy lizards will leave us be as long as we accept their terms," Pops said.

Confused, I looked at my sister.

"I'll watch over him," Bianca said. My sister's hair looked tousled, her eyes red.

I nodded as my eyes brimmed with tears. Everything I'd done my whole life had been so I could stay with Ben, and here, I'd thrown it all away over the outcome of a baseball game. Inside, I knew it stemmed from something more. Love will make you lose your mind.

My family stood silent as Pops explained my banishment from Shadowland. My eyes locked on a tiny prism of color cast upon the wall from the sun coming through the nymph's special glass.

They would go on with their lives. Relief and resentment swirled as a nasty potion in my stomach. How could they go back to work under the Shadowland Council after what they'd done to me?

#

My sentence was the ultimate rejection. Before the Blessed Incursion, nymphs had treated darklings as a lesser caste under the House of Hanleith. They'd mistreated and banished my kind. Shadowland had been our new home, a place of peace, health, and prosperity under the dragon lords. But now the lords had removed me from my safe haven to live with the creatures who had first rejected my kind.

Thankfully, when Magda accepted me into her home, I learned that beliefs and attitudes had changed on this side of the river.

The darkling law disallowed me from crossing the water to Shadowland. However, my family visited often. Pops made the trek every day, bringing an array of chocolates with him. The satyrs acted as his ferry. Pops planned to wait for the lords to simmer down before ordering a new fishing boat from the satyrs.

Korena had run off with a satyr and now lived in Port by the Sea. I swallowed a dose of bitterness each time I thought about her antics. She still cast reflections in the human world for the Solomon family. It didn't seem fair. I missed Ben every single minute of every single day. I did my best to stay busy and keep my brain occupied. When I wasn't helping Magda around the house, I spent time painting. I'd inherited my mother's artistic talent.

My sorrow hijacked my mind when I was left alone. I snapped out of my latest haze to find my paintbrush paused mid-air. Magda's voice sounded in my ear.

"Well, that's an interesting interpretation of our sunset," she said.

Behind her glass home, several terraces spilled down the hill to Lake Hanleith. It was the perfect setting for an outdoor studio.

"So dark," she said, as she surveyed my latest creation. Her puzzled eyes left my canvas and traveled to the scene in front of us. "Look at all the colors exploding across the lake with the changing leaves and the sun setting."

I didn't take her criticism too much to heart. As a nymph, she wanted everything to be bright.

"Magda, just accept that I'm going through my Blue Period."

She chuckled as her strong hand squeezed my shoulder and a bouquet of frankincense, peppermint, and lavender filled my nose. It was Magda's scent--a collection of her favorite herbs used in healing.

"Come in when you're ready. I've made your favorite lamb stew."

"Thank you," I said, despite not having any appetite.

After she left, I took a moment to analyze my work. I'd painted the lake, but it didn't dazzle. Instead, it held layers of shadows from an encroaching dark forest.

"It's the happiest painting I've created in a while," I said aloud to no one.

I had to admit it was dark. But it wasn't as haunting as Bianca's favorite series of mine, which showed the human world as it would be if we didn't cast shadows. When we absorbed the sun's radiation, it disturbed the molecules around us. If we didn't cast for them, all humans would have eerie shadows that warped and melted into their surroundings like a Salvador Dali painting.

Several of my paintings featured Ben, but I could never finish them. It was just too painful. Almost daily, I wondered what he thought. Did he think I'd abandoned him? Would I be more at peace if I could just say goodbye?

At first, my sister had shared tidbits of his life. Over time, Bianca became more tight-lipped. I guessed Dad had instructed everyone not to speak of Ben, so I would forget him and move on. It didn't work. Time felt different now that I was trapped on earth's plane. The days stretched long and unforgiving.

I cleaned up my painting supplies and went inside so I could help Magda. I know I wasn't much company at dinner because I was too anxious and distracted in anticipation of my sister's visit.

When Bianca finally came, I found myself full of nervous energy. During the past two visits, I had sensed she was burning to tell me something.

"What?" I finally asked her.

We stood outside in the tall grasses under the moonlight. The enchanted nymph grass bent to the side to allow a path for us. Two years older than me, Bianca was shorter but so lovely. Her hair grew in ringlets down her back, and her dark eyes held the same kind of shine as Pops's.

Bianca squeezed my hand. "He's in the army."

"The army?"

She nodded. "He didn't want to go straight to college."

Closer to her now, I saw worry had creased her forehead and fatigue had turned the skin under her eyes ashen.

"Are you shadowcasting in a war zone?"

"Yes," she said, bringing her hand to her mouth. A flowered nymph bracelet sparkled around her wrist. "I gotta go." She disappeared using the nymph bracelet to travel through their portal.

Numb, I let her leave. Ben was in a war zone? I felt sick to my stomach. Bianca must be miserable witnessing so much pain and violence. I couldn't imagine Ben in that environment. And yet, I could. He stood proud and protective. He would no doubt consider it his duty to serve, feel obligated to be a catalyst in ridding the world of so many injustices.

I didn't sleep at all that night. The next day, I helped Magda with her charms. She showed me how to combine frankincense, myrrh, and some unknown element to develop love doodads. I doubted the nymphs needed them because the satyrs were enthralled with the golden-haired maidens. Magda lassoed a purple doodad around my neck.

"Thanks. Just what I need. If a goat creature comes to steal me away, I'm blaming you."

She laughed huskily, her eyes shining. It was hard to imagine her kind had wronged mine a century before. I felt her desperation to make up for it and the ill will her daughter had rained upon me with her meddling ways.

After I completed my tasks, I strolled to the river's edge and plunked down on a log. I did this too often--stared across the river at my former home.

A flurry of leaves flew into my face. Bianca appeared, her hair everywhere and her eyes wild.

I bolted to my feet to go help her. "Are you hurt?"

She smacked my hands away. "No. No. He's hurt," she said.

A slithery energy uncoiled in my stomach. "Go help him," I insisted as I nudged her.

"I can't. He can't see me. He can't feel me. I'm useless."

"Do something!" I shrieked. "I can't go to him. They took my magic." I pushed her this time. I had no patience. I wouldn't accept her declaration of defeat.

Bianca grabbed my arm to still me. I suppose I was a bit hysterical. "I have an idea." In a storm of leaves, she vanished.

I looked across the river and up and down the bank. "What idea?" I asked the wind.

Desperate, I paced. I looked to the residual footing that was left of the bridge. The lords had never approved reconstruction--I guess to discourage any nymph/darkling coalition. My thoughts only grew more frantic as I looked at the broken structure.

A gentle breeze came up from the river. The unnatural current brought with it Korena. I took a step back when she approached. She wore a golden gown. I would have called it exquisite except it hung in tatters, covered in blood and grime. Had she managed to take corporeal form on earth's plane? How? Her face held my attention. It looked haggard and ravaged, which is almost impossible for a nymph.

"Come now," Korena said, hooking her arm in mine. I wanted to pull back, but she didn't allow any resistance as she touched a flowered bracelet on her wrist. She gathered me into a nauseating flight to a place of screams, smoke, and sand. It clung to my clothes and formed grit in my eyes.

Noxious fumes choked me as Korena led me down an abandoned but not tranquil road. Burned-out vehicles littered the street. I flinched when I glimpsed charred remains inside.

Mortar shells exploded nearby, shaking the ground and causing me to lose my balance. Korena hauled me up and kept moving as if accustomed to this. She appeared immune to the surroundings. I attempted to block out the scene that contained mountains of garbage, piles of rubble, and streets riddled with potholes from artillery shells.

My head swam as we traversed one particularly morose alley. A battle had just been fought here. It didn't look like any side had won. We clambered around huge slabs of concrete to approach a building that stood in ruins. Shattered glass, twisted metal, and gouged concrete with gaping holes comprised what used to be apartments. I doubted the structure was safe.

Just as I thought this, Korena pulled me inside. The gloom blinded and disoriented me. After stumbling, I put my hand out to feel along the gritty wall next to me. We stopped for a moment; I assumed to let our eyes adjust. Light filtered through a window up ahead. Looking down, I could start to make out the paper-littered ground. Part of a child's drawing rested at my right foot.

"Over here," Korena insisted. It was the first time she'd spoken to me since traveling through the portal.

I saw something on the floor in the corner. As we drew closer, I discerned a soldier sprawled on the rubble. Where was the rest of his squad?

So much blood. He lay on his side, wheezing and mumbling prayers to himself. When I knelt beside him, he turned his green eyes to me. Ben.

"Where's my sister?" I asked the nymph.

"I told her to leave," Korena said.

It was all too much for my brain to process. Ben's eyes grew wide.

"Jade."

He could see me? My attention snapped to Korena. I wanted her help, but I knew she couldn't administer to him. I didn't have the power to touch him, either.

"You need to make a decision," Korena said.

I wanted to cradle his head and soothe him or find something to staunch the bleeding. So much blood.

"Help him!" I pleaded.

She frowned. "I can't transport you both."

"Then take him," I demanded.

She gave a curt nod, which set my body to trembling. What was I asking her to do?

My nerves all but consumed me as I reached for his hand. A jolt hit me--it was the familiar pull of the portal, my portal.

"My magic," I exclaimed.

Her eyebrows shot up as we both realized, some power still resided inside me.

"If he goes home, he'll die," Korena warned.

I didn't know how it worked or where this portal would take us. If it yanked us back to Ben's home, then at least his loved ones could be around him.

I thought of Magda and the love charm she teasingly had placed around my neck earlier. I leaned over Ben and locked my one arm around him in a hug. Then, I reached down and touched his palm with my free hand. In a flash, we disappeared.

So many arms rushed in to support us. Magda looked at me, her face white.

"A human made it through the portal!"

Three other nymphs helped her maneuver him inside their glass dome.

"Anka, this may not work."

I couldn't find my voice.

"But I'll try." She rolled up the sleeves of her pink dress, now stained red with blood. While chanting, the nymphs administered their salves and teas. Magda's hair stood straight out from her head, and her eyes became brighter as she attended to Ben.

On a stool in the corner, I rocked back and forth, unable to think, to wipe my tears or runny nose. Mute, I remained in the background, allowing the nymphs to work on him.

I thought back to when we were eight, and I had cast funny shadows on his wall to cheer him during his illness. When I looked up, Magda was beckoning me to the bed.

"Come now. Hold his hand. Sing to him. Let him know you are here."

Grasping his hand, I pulled it to my cheek. It felt so familiar, like home.

Hours went by, and I swayed on my feet, but I didn't leave his bedside. At some point, Magda drew a chair up and I sat in it, resting my head next to his.

The next morning, bird song woke me. The empty room felt ominous--no nymphs, just us. He looked so still. I slid my head across his chest to listen.

When I turned, his eyes stared into mine. "Persmellope."

I smiled.

He winked. Then his face grew serious. "You came for me, Anka."

"Always," I promised.

#

**Adah** \- Mother of Montenai. Considered a deity in the world of Montenai based on her importance during the turning event called "The Blessed Incursion" in which she rode through a portal on the red dragon, Akton. She brought the power of the Torensphere to the darkling population. Adah is an astrei--a creature with three sets of wings. Little is known about the astrei from the world of Fallon other than they tended/controlled dragons in that world. Adah is now a blue star in the sky. Dying Montenaians are said to see her when crossing over to Laith (the place after death).

**Akton** \- red dragon who crashed through a portal into Montenai while fleeing a war in the world of Fallon. Considered the Father of Montenai due to his importance in bringing the Torensphere to the darkling population. Now just a red star in the sky.

**Anka Rehmling** \- darkling and shadowcaster. Casts shadows for human, Patrick Benjamin Solomon (Ben).

**Astrei** \- creature of Fallon with three sets of wings. Adah, the Mother of Montenai, was an astrei.

**Ballatian Woods** \- the forest between the Shadowland South Village and the Faunlier Mountains. Known to be haunted by phantoms. It is comprised of variegated flora: oak trees, pine trees, and mountain laurel.

**Bianca Rehmling** \- darkling and shadowcaster. Casts shadows in the evenings for human Ben Solomon. Older sister to Anka.

**Blessed Incursion** \- Montenaians' term for the event when the red dragon, Akton, came through the portal to Montenai. He carried with him the astrei (Adah) and the Torensphere (mystical egg possessing magic). This incident changed the lives and beliefs of all Montenaians.

**Chocolate Syncope** \- Pops's chocolate shop housed in a sequoia tree. It's located along the Boardwalk in North Village.

**Cornelius Jeremiah** \- head buck of the Fardoragh herd of satyrs.

**Darklings** \- live in Shadowland. They love the shade of the sequoias on their side of the Montenai River. There are three types of darklings: shadowcasters, nonshadowcasters, and dragon lords.

**Drakos** \- first dragon lord born to Toren, the darkling who attended to Adah's wounds and oversaw the care of the mystical orb/egg. He had golden scales and a mercurial temper. Married to darkling, Pia. Together they had three sons: Lord Akton, Lord Leasith, and Lord Bulosk.

**Fallon** \- the land from which Akton and Adah came. Known to have astrei, dragons, and sorcerers.

**Faunlier Mountains** \- mountain range on the east side of the Montenai River. It is south of the Ballatian Woods. The Mountains give way to sea cliffs and the Aglatian Sea.

**Fledgling/hatchling** \- the darkling term for child.

**Hanleith** \- nymph ruler of Montenai prior to the Blessed Incursion. After her fall came the rise of the three dragon lords and development of the separate communities: Shadowland, Kirka Village, and Port by the Sea.

**Kirka/Nymphs** \- creatures of Kirka Village. They are usually fair of skin and hair. They control plants and light. They cast reflections in the human world and gain vitality and sustained youth this way. After the Blessed Incursion, they formed their own matriarchal village separate from the satyrs and darklings. The male equivalent to the female nymph is the satyr.

**Kirka Circle** \- main circle of domes in the Kirka grasslands. Reflections Celebration Hall stands at the center of ten smaller domes consisting of boutiques, eateries, and homes.

**Kirka Village** \- a town of only nymphs (females) on the west side of the Montenai River. The town consists of glass dome homes, a main circle, and farms.

**Korena** - beautiful, young nymph assigned to cast reflections for human, Ben Solomon. Daughter of Magda.

**Laith** \- where Montenaians go after death.

**Lord Akton** \- oldest dragon lord named for the dragon, Akton. He is mostly darkling with some dragon characteristics and the ability to manipulate magic. He has one golden eye and red scaling with strawberry-blond hair. Has the ability to make darklings "see." Head of the Shadowland Council.

**Lord Bulosk** \- youngest dragon lord with blue scales, green eyes, and dark hair. Part of the Shadowland Council. He is mostly darkling with some dragon characteristics and the ability to manipulate magic. Looks more like darklings than his brothers.

**Lord Leasith** \- middle dragon lord with copper scales, light blue eyes, and brown hair. Part of the Shadowland Council. He is mostly darkling with some dragon characteristics and the ability to manipulate magic.

**Magdalena (Magda)** \- leader of the nymphs. Mother of Korena. Magda is the main healer of Kirka Village.

**Montenai** \- the world on a parallel plane to earth. The main creatures include: darklings (dragon lords, shadowcasters, and nonshadowcasters), nymphs, satyrs, sprites, and phantoms.

**Nana/Violet Rehmling** \- the grandmother and caregiver to the Rehmling sisters. Married to Pops. She is the daughter of a nymph and a darkling.

**Nonshadowcaster** \- darkling who lives in Shadowland but doesn't have the ability to cast shadows. Often lives in the South Village close to the Wishing Tree, the home of the dragon lords and power hub of Shadowland.

**Patrick Benjamin Solomon (Ben)** \- young human charge of Anka and Bianca Rehmling.

**Pia** - **** mother of Lords Akton, Leasith, and Bulosk.

**Pops/Ernest Rehmling** \- grandfather to Anka and Bianca Rehmling. Owner of the candy shop, Chocolate Syncope.

**Port by the Sea** \- fishing town of satyrs (some nymphs stay here as well). It is a large area, which encompasses marshlands, cypress forests, hinterlands, wine country, and the harbor where the Montenai River gives way to the Aglatian Sea. As the name indicates, the village holds an open invitation for Montenaians to come sip satyr Port wine by the Aglatian Sea.

**Reflections Celebration Hall** \- large dome structure located in Kirka Circle. This is the nymph gathering place for meetings, ceremonies, and celebrations.

**Satyr** \- creature of Montenai with the upper body of a regular male but lower body of a goat. Control wind. Fantastic artisans, anglers, and vintners (makers of wine). While they cherish the nymphs, they prefer to live independent of them in their fishing village of Port by the Sea.

**Serena** \- phantom who haunts the Ballatian Woods. Has the ability to deplete Montenaians' essence.

**Shadowcaster** \- a darkling with the ability to travel via portal to the human world. He or she is assigned a human charge at a very young age (age four to eight) for whom to cast shadows. The shadowcasters work in families. They don't attend school but spend time in the human world protecting humans from excess UV radiation and harnessing the sun's energy on that plane to bring back for the vitality of all darklings. Some can cast dark shadows on other creatures in defense--stings, causes nausea and migraines.

**Shadowland** \- home to the dragon lords and darklings. It's nestled under sequoia trees and skirts the east side of the Montenai River. Most shadowcasters live in North Village to be closest to the portal to earth. South Village is home of the Wishing Tree, nonshadowcasters, and the dragon lords.

**Shadow Fever** \- nonshadowcasters may become ill and potentially die from this disease. It is characterized by a web-like rash on the face called the Silton rash.

**Silton rash** \- rash associated with Shadow Fever. Web-like rash that appears on the face.

**Sprites** \- considered pests in Montenai. These tiny, winged creatures have needle-like teeth, jewel-like eyes, and silver skin. The males have barbed tails. They are known to steal shiny items and slew insults at any creature around them. They are terrified of bats.

**Toren** \- darkling. Mother of Drakos, grandmother of Akton, Leasith and Bulosk.

**Toren Hospital** \- Shadowland's hospital named for Toren, grandmother of the dragon lords. The architecture is similar to a French Chalet. It is situated in the middle of Shadowland, between North and South Village.

**Torensphere** \- the mystical orb/unhatched egg brought through the portal by Adah, the mother of Montenai. The dragon lords watch over it and harness its power to keep Shadowland strong.

**Uncle Vincent/Vincent Rehmling** \- helps run Chocolate Syncope with Pops. Anka and Bianca Rehmling's uncle. Father of Liza.

**Wishing Tree** \- enormous sequoia tree in which live the three dragon lords, Akton, Leasith, and Bulosk.

#

Courage

As a darkling shadowcaster, Bianca Rehmling works under the three dragon lords of the Shadowland Council, casting shadows for her human charge on the earth's plane and harnessing energy to bring back for the balance and wellbeing of her kind. She's always been a law-abiding darkling, unlike her younger sister, Anka. When Anka broke shadowcasting rules, she suffered the wrath of the Council, something Bianca never wants to witness again.

To protect her sister, Bianca harbors some dark secrets, ones that could cause the decline of Shadowland. When a deadly illness called Shadow Fever strikes the village, Bianca fears her own rule-breaking has caused a fatal imbalance in the world of Montenai. She hasn't been doing her job, her duty, and the dragon lords suspect.

Family or duty? With loved ones suffering, and the dragon lords breathing down her neck, Bianca keeps her nymph friends close and her enemies closer. When an unlikely ally offers to help, Bianca must decide if she should trust him, or brave the heat alone.

_Shadow Blues_

_Shadow Fire_

_Shadow Thief_

_Shadow Ice_

_Shadow King_

**Paperback Collection**

_The Darkling Chronicles, Shadows 1_

_The Darkling Chronicles, Shadows 2_

#

Tricia lives in Marietta, Georgia with her husband, Lou, her little yappy dog, Lola Belle, and her big orange mutant cat, George. Her two stepsons, Joseph and Robert, make stopovers as well, making sure to keep life an adventure. Writing has always been a part of her life--like breathing and chocolate.

**For more information about author Tricia Zoeller and her books visit:**

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<http://www.triciazoeller.com/>

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