Fear of Fire and Shadow (The Fade #1) - Samantha Young Page 0,5

to hand her over.

“That’s enough,” Stovia grunted. He pushed Sandstone out of the way and gripped a hold of Valena, bruising her small arms as he ripped her from me. I cried out as he drew back his arm and slapped her into silence. I rushed at him in a rage, beating and pushing at him. I was pulled off by the soldier. Stovia, to spite me, hit Valena one more time. Sobbing, furious, I fought against the soldier, only to be beaten by the pummeling fists of the captain of the Guard. The next thing I knew, Kir joined the fray, hitting and punching those who tried to hurt us. I no longer felt pain. I was too angry, too immersed in my fury to feel anything else.

Eventually I was pinned to the ground by the captain and as he stared down at me, I noticed his eyes for the first time. They were blank. Empty.

“Captain … after we leave the village, I want you to take two of your men and burn the apothecary to the ground. With the Rosonias inside,” Stovia demanded from somewhere to my left.

The captain nodded robotically, and it was then I knew. With the evocation of the Dyzvati weakened by Princezna Haydyn’s grief and age, Stovia’s magic was able to penetrate it. He was compelling the soldiers to do his awful deeds.

As the captain hauled me to my feet, I was weighed down by my despairing heart.

Stovia appeared before me, holding Valena close, her little cheeks red from his slaps. “You attempt to disobey me, Rogan, and I will make you pay. For this disobedience, the Rosonias will pay. You now must live with the fact you killed Valena’s family.”

Stovia laughed gleefully at my horrified expression.

“Don’t listen to him, Rogan.” Kir struggled against a soldier, his face mottled with anger. “He was going to kill them anyway. Don’t let him make you think you did it.”

Stovia curled his lip in disgust. “I’ve had enough of you. Sandstone!”

The whip appeared in the soldier’s hand and Kir was thrust into the dirt.

“NO!” I screamed, my heart lodged somewhere in my throat.

“NO!”

“NO!” I bolted upright in bed. The sheets twisted around my body, my skin clammy, my hair stuck to my neck. Almost immediately, I sensed I wasn’t alone. Glancing left, I saw her sitting in an armchair by my bed.

“You were having a nightmare again.” Her soft, gentle eyes were sad. “More memories?”

I nodded, my throat constricted with the nightmare that still held me in its talons. “More memories.”

Haydyn sighed and slowly drew to her feet. I watched her float across my large bedroom suite and pull the heavy brocade curtains back from my windows. I winced as the sunlight streamed in, too bright, too adamant, willing my bad memories away whilst I steadfastly anchored myself to them.

“I told you I’d speak to Raj to see if he had a tonic to help you sleep without the dreams.”

Raj was the Royal Healer; Valena was his apprentice. I shook my head. “I told you no.”

“You’re the only one who ever says no to me.” Haydyn sauntered back to sit on my bed. Her pale hair gleamed almost silver in the sunlight, her countenance serene except for the teasing in her lovely eyes. “I wonder why I let you.”

“Because you love me,” I stated matter-of-factly as I pushed back the covers. I needed to ready myself for the day.

“Yes, I do.”

The statement was so melancholy, I spun to face her. It was then I saw it. The gloom in the back of her eyes, in the dark purpling beneath them. Those exhaustion bruises had been appearing more and more over the last few weeks, and I didn’t like it. “Something’s the matter.”

Haydyn shook her head. “Just tired is all.”

“Perhaps we should speak to Raj about a tonic for you.”

She wasn’t amenable but as always, to appease me, she nodded. “Perhaps.”

I grimaced when I realized she was fully dressed. Most times when Haydyn came into my suite, it was still so early she was in her nightclothes. “I overslept?”

Haydyn grinned. “Haven forbid, but you did.”

I rolled my eyes at her teasing. “You know I hate oversleeping. It muddles up my entire day.”

“I know. That’s why I let you sleep.” She grinned unrepentantly. Sometimes she really was like an annoying younger sister. “You need to loosen the reins on your life now and then, Rogan.”

Making a face at her suggestion, I pulled on the servants’ bell to let them