Page 4 of Unbound By Shadows
Chapter 2
Malkina Lands
The Aurelia Plane
Sam inhaled sharply as the tug of unfulfilled vengeance burned in his chest. He studied the queen as she walked down the main hall of the castle, barely able to keep his demonic instincts in check. She was clad in one of her finest gowns—a voluminous swirl of gold and black lace that sparkled against her ever-present metal breastplate. Her cat-like tail flicked out from the folds of her dress, the hem of which trailed on the stone floor. But although her feet were hidden, Sam could see something was wrong.
A small limp punctuated Queen Thema’s normally graceful glide, and it made Sam’s vision blur with fury. He clenched his fists and ground his teeth together. Someone had injured the queen. He needed to make them pay.
Curved black claws shot out from under his fingernails, yet he retracted them quickly. Queen Thema did not need him charging through the castle in a frenzy, especially not today. She was expecting her sister and her royal court to arrive soon, and Sam knewshe wished to make a good impression. Pressing his back against the cool stone wall, he took three deep breaths to calm himself.
Several courtiers rushed past him, and Sam hoped they hadn’t seen how his big hands trembled. They were dressed in colors that complemented Queen Thema’s gown, just as she had requested for all the recent meetings with the other queens of Aurelia. There were seven of them altogether, all sisters, each ruling over a specific territory and race in the Aurelian dimension. They were ordained to protect the crossroads between worlds, and over the past few weeks Queen Thema had requested a visit from each of them. One by one, they had come—with the exception of the Goblyn queen, who had gone missing decades ago.
Today’s visit from Queen Cebna of the amphibious Nereid court marked the final meeting of the queens. Sam didn’t know the nature of these events, nor did he care. He merely wished they would end soon so he could get back to the stack of unread books waiting for him in the library.
As Queen Thema came closer, her sharp golden eyes spotted him, though Sam had commanded the shadows to surround him in darkness. She placed her hands on her hips and called out, “Samael, step out of the shadows and come at once. I need all my guards at the ready and looking fearsomely brutish.”
Sam frowned as his plan to stay hidden evaporated. Although Queen Thema’s people, the Malkina, had grown used to having a demon living among them, his presence always unnerved visitors. He dreaded hearing the horrified gasps once the royal court of the Nereid saw him, but he wasn’t going to go against the queen’s wishes.
He took up pace behind her. “You’re limping. Who has harmed you?”
She looked up with surprise, the top of her head only reaching Sam's elbow. He noted that the black kohl she used to rim her eyes made their wide shape even more striking. Her broad cheekbones were dusted with sparkling powder, intensifying the glow of herlined skin. She patted the tower of black braids twirled into a bun on top of her head. “No one, dear boy. I merely stepped in the wrong place.”
“Were you attacked?” he growled, his internal drive for vengeance provoked. Although he had escaped the blood wagons years ago, the volatility of his moods remained.
“Oh no, I was foolish and careless on one of my recent patrols,” she said, fluttering her hand. She lifted her skirt to stick out her lightly-furred leg, displaying a jagged cut across the top of her left hind paw. “It’s healing nicely.”
“This happened on Gaia? At the hand of a human?” Sam didn’t know much about living humans, but his experience with their undead had shown them to be a cruel and brutal race.
“It was merely an accident that occurred near one of my portals. There is no one to punish, rest assured.” A wry smile curved across her face as she reached up to pat his muscled arm. It was a motherly gesture that spoke of their shared history.
The heaviness of Sam’s rage lightened. The throbbing pressure in his horns receded, and his shoulders relaxed. No one had harmed the queen, so there was no need to seek vengeance. He closed his eyes briefly, grateful to feel more in control of himself and his emotions.
“You must be more cautious during your visits,” he said.
“I am quite capable of taking care of myself, Samael,” the queen snapped. Then, turning her attention away from Sam, she bellowed to the servants and courtiers within earshot. “Everyone in their places! The Nereid court does not trade their fins for legs every day, you know. My sister is a notorious gossip, and I will not have her telling tales that the Malkina’s reputation for elegance and beauty is unfounded.”
The sound of pounding footsteps echoed through the hall as black-and silver-clad courtiers rushed past them to line up along each side of the hall. Even the roaming band of cats—sacred animal of the Malkina—congregated in one spot at the command of their queen.
“Now Samael, for the welcome ball tonight, you may take the night off if you wish,” Queen Thema said. The small orange cat that was her constant companion rubbed against her skirts.
“For what reason?”
“I thought you might enjoy some time to get to know the Nereid people,” the queen replied innocently, her tail flicking.
Sam shook his head. “You know how unruly some of your guests can get as the wine flows.”
“Yes, yes, but there are no threats. Just a bit of stumbling about and light depravity.”
“And why should I not stand guard for that?”
“Many of the females are very beautiful. I thought you might wish to… get to know some of them better.”
Realization of the queen’s true intentions for him settled like a boulder in his gut. He dropped his chin as a familiar burn of shame rose. Yet again, Queen Thema was trying to play matchmaker and pair him off. But when every female he encountered looked at him with fear or revulsion, the queen’s attempts were as futile as they were humiliating.
“That’s not going to happen,” he said tightly.
“Nonsense,” Queen Thema said, then studied his face. “I do not forget the debt I owe you, Vengeance demon, and I wish to see you happy. Why can’t you—”
