Slowly, he slid over the plate of delicious smelling fresh baked pastries. "I have a feeling you'll forgive me." When I reached for one, he stopped me purring low, "Be patient my love, our daughter has not returned."
Sighing harshly, I drank my hot chocolate instead, glaring at him over the rim.
Smirking, his golden eyes twinkled in the cosmic light. "Waiting makes everything that much sweeter, little umbra. Remember that, when I worship you again under the stars and you lose your voice screaming my name."
Chapter 15
MyswordflashedinSheol’s cosmic light and swept outwards the moment I stepped outside our tower. The sound of steel ringing against shadow traveled down the hallowed paths of Voltum as I turned to see my brother's power crossing my blade.
Kade grinned, leaning casually against the tower wall, his eyes trailing behind me with expectation. "Trying to start the day off with a kill I see. Where are your little sidekicks today?"
I snorted and sheathed my blade while my brother dropped the shadows. "Emon and Riella are eating pastries on the balcony watching the herd of camphor you showed her yesterday. What are you doing here Kade?"
He looked slightly deflated, like he was looking forward to seeing his niece, his new little shadow. Curly blue hair fell across his face when his eyes darkened. "You are leaving. I thought it would be a good idea to visit my sister before I don't see her for another century or two."
"Kade—"
He shook his head, pushing off the building with his foot. "I didn't come here to rehash this. I actually came here to see if you wanted to play shadow league before you go. For old time’s sake."
I frowned, "Shadow league…I haven't played that since—"
His brow arched mischievously and his emerald eyes so much like mine twinkled. "Since we destroyed the throne room of the City of Light after too much ambrosia wine?"
I bit my lip smiling back at him. "I seem to remember you just could not accept the fact that my shadow warrior was far superior than yours. I was going to win and you purposefully set fire to the frozen stone trolls on display there."
Kade snickered, "It was worth it seeing the queen of Faerie's look of disgust when they woke from their slumber farting."
I laughed and pointed at him, "Half the court was left unconscious for days by that stench. It took me weeks to get the smell from my nose!"
He grinned, "Those pompous court fae needed a little bit of stench for their upturned noses, Rem Rem."
Shaking my head I answered him truthfully, "Perhaps." Then my smirk grew wider seeing that knowing sparkle in his eyes. "You're hoping that we do the same todear old dad’srealm aren't you?"
My little, not so little brother crossed his lithe muscular arms over his chest. "Such an accusation, sister!" Tapping his fingers, his teeth flashed in the twilight. "But now that you mention it…"
"As much as I'd love to play shadow league with you Kadey Kins, my power has not been reacting obediently to me lately. I have no control over the shadows." It goddess damn hurt to admit that. The ache of that knowledge vast inside my chest.
Kade chuckled darkly, "Oh I know it and it's perfect, who knows what kind of wondrous things would happen with rogue shadows. Besides, I spotted some nuckelavee not too far from here. They are hunting the camphor this morning. So what do you say Rem Rem? Afraid you'll finally lose to your baby brother?"
I tilted my head, studying him. For a better part of a century Kade had been trapped here, the people he once loved and cared about were in a soulless sleep, leaving him alone in a world of death while our parents rekindled their former love.
And here I was—less than a day since I had arrived and was already planning onleaving…
I smiled wide at him and cracked my neck side to side. "Alright. You're on but tagging instead.” I wasn’t even sure I could handle that. “Hand to hand combat or weapons…"
Kade grinned, his eyes gleaming with renewed light. "I was thinking given the unknown way your powers are manifesting…explosives."
"Explosive tag sounds…dangerous." I reached out for the smallest of shadows. I could feel its initial resistance, but then it finally conformed to my will morphing into a sparking ball of shadow. It would have to do. I looked up at him and nodded, "You're on." Tossing the shadow bomb at his feet, I ran before it exploded in the white sand. "Best me if you can, little brother!"
Stepping off the silvered path, I ran lightly upon the white sand out away from the city. Kade was right, there was no telling what I would do with rogue shadows that I could not control. I scowled when I attempted to pull ones that were trailing across my path following a soaring fiery comet, but its shadow barely budged.
"Shit," I hissed, feeling rather than seeing Kade's darkness descending.
Skidding to a halt, I raised my brows at a dozen shadow gnomes waddling towards me, complete with their long beards dragging across the sand and biting needled teeth.
"Tick, tick, tick," Kade called behind me, his voice slightly unhinged.
"Oh come on, that is so fucked up!" I cried out, diving down into the white sands just before they exploded one by one.
