The Shadow Of What Was Lost

Chapter 48

Asha walked through the silent city streets as dawn broke, a smile plastered across her face despite the task that lay before her.

Davian was alive. She’d known it, but it still hadn’t truly felt real until she’d seen him, felt his arms around her. It had been hard to leave him again so soon, but she knew she couldn’t afford to delay in trying to contact the Shadraehin. The Blind were on the march, and could be at the city within a couple of days - maybe earlier. There would be time for a proper reunion once all of this was over.

Her smile faded. There would be time, if they survived.

The empty streets and hurriedly boarded-up stores around her were a stark reminder of what was coming. Last night’s news had travelled fast; nearly everything was closed, silent, and the few civilians walking the streets looked nervous and spoke to each other only in hushed tones. Even to Asha, who had only been out in the city a few times, the scene was surreal. There was a heaviness, a deep sense of impending doom hanging over everything like a thundercloud.

She headed towards the Silver Talon, one of the smaller taverns in the Middle District, and the only name she remembered from the note she’d burned a month or so ago. It was hardly a foolproof plan, but she didn’t know her way to the Sanctuary. This was the only place she could think of to contact the Shadraehin.

She soon arrived outside the tavern, a two-story brick building that, like everything else in the street, was closed and empty. After a minute of peering vainly through windows into the murky interior, Asha gave up and settled down on the doorstep.

It was a half-hour later when crunching footsteps indicated someone’s approach.

She looked up to see a thin, distinguished-looking man striding towards her, the black lines on his face stark against his pale skin.

"Ashalia Chaedris?"

She nodded.

"Come with me."

Asha scrambled to her feet, giving a silent sigh of relief. She followed the man through a series of desolate back streets, the echo of their footsteps often the only sound. Her guide ignored her for the most part, swivelling his head occasionally to make sure she was keeping up, but otherwise keeping his eyes fixed on the way ahead.

They made their way into the residential section of the Middle District, and before long the Shadow came to a halt outside one of the smaller houses. He opened the door, gesturing for Asha to enter.

Inside was dim, the curtains drawn, but Asha could see Scyner reclining in a chair near the window. He was flanked by two huge Shadows, who both gave her suspicious stares. Scyner gestured cheerfully for her to sit.

"Ashalia!" he exclaimed. "Very clever, asking half the Shadows in the palace directions to the Silver Talon. I had three separate reports saying you were on your way there."

"I assumed you probably had someone following me anyway, but I wanted to be sure," said Asha, trying to keep the bitterness from her tone.

"Indeed," said Scyner. He leaned forward. "I want to begin by saying that I had no knowledge of Teran’s and Pyl’s actions until after the event. It was… unfortunate."

"I think they would agree," said Asha quietly, forcing down the twist of fear in her stomach.

Scyner stared at her for a moment, then chuckled. "I suppose they would." He straightened. "So. It seems like an odd time to be delivering information, but I take it you have news?"

"No. Not about the Northwarden, anyway."

Scyner watched her for a few seconds, silent. "Teran insisted that you never meant to tell us anything," he said eventually. "He was telling the truth, wasn’t he."

"Yes," said Asha. "Once I found out the truth about you."

Scyner’s eyebrows raised a fraction. "Honesty. Surprising, but I can respect that." He scratched his head. "However it leaves me in something of a quandary. We made a deal, Ashalia. You have broken it, and you know what happens to those who break deals with me. Why not just lie?"

"Because I don’t have time for lies," said Asha grimly. "And I have something you’re going to want more."

Scyner sighed, shaking his head. "Maybe so, but I think I’d prefer to keep you restrained for now. At least until I hear what it is you have to say." He nodded to the two men standing either side of him, who started forward.

Asha stretched out her hand.

There was the briefest moment of Scyner staring at her in puzzlement. Then his two bodyguards, already halfway across the room, flew backwards and slammed into the wall, one shattering the window as his flailing arm hit it.

Both men collapsed to the floor, unconscious, as Scyner scrambled up from where his chair had been overturned by the powerful gust, his eyes wide.

"Now," said Asha, trying to keep her voice from shaking, " I would like to talk to the real Shadraehin, please. There’s something I need to discuss with her."

Only a few minutes had passed when the door opened again.

The woman who entered was a Shadow, and yet somehow she was also startlingly beautiful, even the black lines on her face seeming to accentuate rather than mar her soft features. She was young - older than Asha, but only by a few years. Even so, she moved with confidence and grace as she swept inside, taking in the crumpled forms of Scyner’s bodyguards with an amused glance before turning to face Asha.

"Ashalia Chaedris," she said, a slight, lilting accent evident even in Asha’s name. "It seems you are full of surprises today."

Asha stared at her. "You’re the Shadraehin?"

"I am. Do not bother asking for proof. You will not get it."

Asha inclined her head; though the woman was certainly young, something about her bearing had convinced Asha the moment she had entered the room. She took a deep breath. "I’ve come to ask the Shadows to join the fight against the Blind."

The Shadraehin raised an eyebrow in amusement. "It would be safer by far to flee," she observed, her odd inflection making the cadence of the words sound almost musical. Whatever the accent was, Asha didn’t recognise it. "I take it from what Scyner just told me, you do not wish for us to simply take up swords?" Her eyes flicked to the ring on Asha’s finger, then back again.

Asha bit her lip. "Shadows can use Vessels," she explained, feeling a sense of dread as she said the words. It was out, now, and no turning back. "I have access to Administration’s stockpile. For each Shadow you can gather, I can have a powerful weapon in their hands by nightfall."

The Shadraehin studied her for a long moment, and Asha flushed under her cool gaze.

"I am interested," said the other woman eventually. "Once you give us these weapons, though, what is to keep us from simply leaving?"

"Nothing, I suppose," said Asha. "Except that the Sanctuary is here, and as little as you may like the way things are run above ground, this is your home." She took a deep breath. "And you don’t strike me as the type to run. Or to break deals, for that matter."

The Shadraehin gave a slow nod. "True enough." She tapped at her teeth, looking thoughtful. "And after the battle is over? Assuming we hold the city?"

Asha grimaced. "To an extent, that is going to be up to you. Administration are going to want you to return the Vessels, of course. If you don’t… I have no idea what their reaction will be."

"But regardless, they are going to see Shadows as a real danger - all Shadows, not just my people. And we will be defenceless if we return the Vessels," noted the other woman.

Asha nodded. "I know," she said softly. "And I will not blame you if the Vessels are not returned. I want your word on one thing, though. You’ll only ever use the Vessels for self-defence. No going after Administrators, no killing. There’s no point having you defend the city if you’re just going to tear it apart afterward."

The Shadraehin was silent for a long moment. "You would take my word?"

"Do I have reason not to?"

The other woman gave her the slightest of smiles. "No. And you have it. I cannot make promises for every Shadow who has a Vessel, of course, but for my part, I will insist that their use is for self-defence only." She touched two fingers to her heart, then the same two fingers to Asha’s forehead. "Let it be so known. We have a covenant," she said formally.

Asha inclined her head, letting out a breath she hadn’t realised she was holding. She wasn’t sure how far the Shadraehin’s word could really be trusted, but it was the best she could have hoped for.

"Where should I deliver the Vessels?" she asked.

"I’ll have people gather at the Silver Talon at dusk. From what I’ve been hearing, there will be no Administrators left in this part of the city to notice. Or anyone else, for that matter," said the Shadraehin.

Asha nodded. "How many?" There were hundreds of catalogued weapons in the storeroom, so she wasn’t worried about there not being enough.

"A hundred should suffice."

Asha’s eyes narrowed. "I’ll provide one Vessel per Shadow you can get to that inn. No more."

The Shadraehin nodded. "And I expect there to be about a hundred present."

Asha frowned, taken aback. It was good news of course; the more Shadows there were, the better defended the city would be. But she’d expected twenty, maybe thirty at best. People had been abandoning the city even prior to last night’s news, and the Shadows - even the Shadraehin’s people - hadn’t had any good reason to stay. In fact, they’d had less reason to remain than most.

Unless the Shadraehin had asked them to stay, of course.

Asha was silent for several seconds as she studied the other woman.

"You knew," she said.

The Shadraehin kept her face smooth, but Asha saw the tiniest flicker of surprise in her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"You knew Shadows could use Vessels. You knew I’d bring you this deal." Asha thought back to what Teran had said, about his having to spy on her even if the Blind were at the gates. His instructions not to touch her, even if she didn’t deliver on her agreement. She looked the Shadraehin in the eye. "It doesn’t change anything, you have my word - but tell me the truth. Did you know this would happen when you sent the Northwarden to me?"

The Shadraehin just stared at her for a few moments. Then she gave a small laugh.

"Too many," she sighed, shaking her head. "I did not think you would notice."

"Then you did know?"

"Not as such. I knew we would be fighting the Blind with Vessels, and I knew that Administration were the only ones with a significant number of them. Putting you close to the Northwarden was one of several ways I thought it might happen."

Asha paused. It galled her to think that the Shadraehin had planned to get hold of the Vessels, but ultimately it mattered little. "So are you…."

"An Augur? No." The Shadraehin sounded amused. "I’ll tell you how I knew, if you’re willing to tell me how you knew Scyner was not in charge. Or how you found out that I am a woman."

"I’m afraid I can’t do that."

"I suspected as much." The Shadraehin gave a regretful sigh. "A mystery for another time, then." She stood, indicating the meeting was over. "Oh, and Ashalia. Neither Scyner nor myself will be at the Silver Talon, so I will be letting my people know that they are to follow your lead. They will do whatever you need them to, and go wherever you ask."

Asha felt her eyebrows raise, but she quickly nodded. It was a lot of responsibility, but it still made her feel more comfortable than if the Shadraehin had been giving the orders.

"One last thing," said Asha as she stood too. "I have a message for you, though I don’t really understand it. A gift from someone called Davian."

The Shadraehin smiled. "A gift from someone I do not know?"

Asha ignored the other woman’s amusement. "The message is that Tal’kamar is going to take Licanius to the Wells."

The Shadraehin froze. For a fraction of a second she looked both excited and terrified, though the expression was quickly smoothed over, replaced by one of intense curiosity. She stared into Asha’s eyes for a long moment, eyes focused.

"You are certain that was the message?"

Asha nodded, shivering a little under her gaze.

"And that was all?"

"Yes."

The Shadraehin didn’t move for a few seconds, rubbing her thumb and forefinger together absently. "Davian," she murmured. "Excellent. Please tell him that I am in his debt." She gave Asha a considering look, then the slightest nod of respect. "Now, however, you and I are both needed elsewhere, so you will need to see yourself out. It was a pleasure to meet you, Ashalia. I feel certain our paths will cross again."

She gave Asha a final smile, then crossed to the door and left.

As quickly as that, it was done.

Asha did as the Shadraehin had suggested and found her own way out, not for the first time wondering exactly what Davian’s message had meant. It didn’t play on her mind for long this time, though; once back on the street she took a deep, steadying breath, then started back towards the palace. She already had the key to the storeroom, and a Veil would allow her to go to and from it several times without being detected.

She watched a patrol sweep through the street ahead of her, the soldiers' every motion taut with nervousness. She understood exactly how they felt.

Things were coming to a head, and she had no idea how they were going to turn out.

It was almost time.