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"What do you know about trust young wolf? You can only trust your soul for she can never betray you."
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[Shade Shadows]

"How did it go? W-What did he say? Don't tell me he-"

"Shhhh, " I hushed softly into the lingering darkness, stopping Vales' ramble.

My eyes fluttered open, staring at the roof of the stoned castle in the Slave's Quarters. I turned from my back to my side, my eyes meeting that of Vale a few bodies away.

Only a single streak of moonlight illuminated our bodies through the open window allowing us to see each other.

A hand rested over my heart as I stared at her blankly, ignoring the anxious look in her eyes.

I was way too gone in my thoughts. Moments I had lived throughout the day kept replaying on repeat.

"He-" I began, a breath escaping at the word.

I thought back to what had occurred between the master and me.  "He went along with it."

Her eyes widened, blinking rapidly.

"He said yes?" She huffed in disbelief.

I hummed a quiet yes.

I was just as baffled as she was but I had no desire to wake up the other sleeping slaves. It was at least an hour past midnight and everyone else had gone to sleep but Vale and me.

"He was genuine then? True to his word?" She called over in a whisper.

I flipped over to my back, taking the study of the roof again.

My thoughts slipped back to what had occurred whilst my fingers traced the inside of my palm remembering how he shook my hand.

He had agreed to become a friend despite all conceivable logic. Even going as far as to seal our trust with a secret. He had no obligation to do that either and yet he did.

I was still confused about what had occurred. How easy it had been to talk to him after that shake of a hand. It was like a promise that I was safe. That I was free to speak.

Logically, it was foolish to feel that way by a mere handshake and a few words spoken which I had no idea if they were true or a mere well thought out lie.

He could have just conjured a secret to tell me and yet, despite knowing the possibility something about the blatant honesty in his eyes reassured me all he said was true. Either that or he was the master of deceit.

Everything had seemed to be working according to plan and then...

Then he walked away abruptly. My eyebrows arched in the dark.

"Shade?"

"It's the first day Vale, I can't be sure." I replied with a soft sigh.

I twisted my head slightly in her direction though my eyes kept to the ceiling, "You should rest now. Dawns almost here."

I knew she was about to say something more but this was neither the time or the place, and I wanted to be in my thoughts for a while.

"But-"

"Sleep well, Vale."

She paused at this, letting out a frustrated huff and then muttered something incoherent beneath her breath. I heard a light shuffling which indicated she had turned over.

I waited for her movements to stop before I let my mind wander.

I still couldn't believe that I could be this lucky. That the plan I had never thought would work played out so smoothly.

He was quite...intriguing that I must admit. Certainly, different from any master I had seen.

A master who wasn't afraid to lose his title to a keffer no less.

I shut my eyes trying to retrieve logic. I had to play it safe. I had no idea if he was truly honest despite our seal of friendship.

He said he was committed to the study, nothing else.

I would never know how true his friendship was until he revealed his deepest secret whatever that may be. Something about the peculiarity of his eyes led me to believe he had one. One that was great too.

I let out a loose breath, blinking rapidly in the darkness as if that would calm my pounding heart.

Despite it all, I had made progress and that should be considered.

Whether this friendship was a sham or not was yet to be seen, however, I would not let such an opportunity flee me. I would get all the information from him as I could so Vale and I could escape.

Yes. That was all that mattered.

I needed to know about the maze. The shadows that lurked in them, and about the Night Wolf.

And the Night Wolf's most trusted master, and now my 'friend' was the only way I could get all three.

I turned over to my side staring at the darkness of the cold wall.  A cold wind breezed past the open window and I shivered. I missed AMA in this instant.

On chilly nights like these, there would be tea heating on the fire. She would be detangling the hornet's nest I called hair whilst telling us stories of Beta Samuel. Something told me he had been just as kind as her when he had been alive.

I made a silent prayer in her honor. I hoped she was coping well with us gone.

With a lofty sigh, I shut my eyes.

Tomorrow begins the first step in my plan for freedom.

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I brushed the dusty shelves with caution noting that this section held some of the most ancient books in the library, books I was assured the other masters would rather I handle with care.

Speaking of masters, I glanced around the illuminated library.

No, I was still alone.

I found it strange I had only met one master. Even though the library was undeniably large, I had thought I would have spotted quite a few by now.

I let out a loose sigh, my gaze shifting to the open window that streamed the sunlight. I would have to get up there again. I had spotted some ink and paper and I'm sure it would be easy to draw the maze.

But not now, I couldn't risk being caught by any of the masters. Not that I had seen any except my 'friend'.

I pursed my lips at the title.

"Friend," I stated, tasting the word. It was still weird to me that I, a keffer slave had a master for a slave.

I clenched my jaw at the thought, hand tightening around my cleaning cloth.

No.

I deserved to say that word without feeling like an imposter. I had risked my very life for it. I would not back down from this. I cracked my neck, letting out a deep breath.

"Friend," I repeated, this time with more urgency and authority.

"Is that what I shall be called now? Is it a title?"

I spun around almost immediately my hand holding onto the shelf for balance, the other flying to my heart that pounded harshly when I met his stale bluish-green peculiar orbs.

He stood posed, wearing all black as usual, his ash hair sleekly pulled back, the red streak gleaming lightly in the firelight, as he tilted his head slightly.

"Have I startled you? It seems that will be a usual occurrence."

"Huh?" I huffed, still rattled at the abrupt intrusion. I tried to calm my nerves but that seemed to be very difficult. I didn't know why my body was acting this way.

"You called for a Friend. I was under the impression I had been seen but this is the fourth time I seemed to have caught you unaware."

"The fourth time?" I chuckled nervously, whilst for some reason, I wiped my dusty hand behind the back of my skirt hoping he wouldn't notice the action.

"Yesterday, the first time we met, and.." he paused for a moment, before clearing his throat, taking his eyes off me for a second.

"It seems it's only three."

I awkwardly grinned at this, not really listening to him. It was like my body was a million more times aware of every little thing. Truth is, I did not know how to act in the presence of a master turned friend.

I still had that instinct to kneel, but I was fighting against my body. Reassuring myself I would not get punished for speaking.

"I am told I am easy to scare," I replied with another nervous chuckle.

"Because you have no wolf."

My gaze flashed to him at this, throat running dry at the blatant remark.

"Yes," I replied softly. "I am a Keffer."

Silence consumed us for a bit, my eyes falling downcast whilst he seemed to study me. I awkwardly moved back to my dusting, trying to push back the hurt feelings forming within me.

"You cannot sense a lot of things as a keffer," he continued, and I shut my eyes momentarily. They flashed open as he continued to speak and I kept them glued to the book case I was cleaning.

"Without a wolf, you cannot sense danger. You cannot heal from minor wounds as quickly as Omegas do. Endurance I would think is questionable. Tell me, how have you survived for so long?"

My fingers were shaking slightly at his words, but I let out a posed breath slightly turning and glancing at him momentarily,

"Whew, that is quite the question," I replied with a faltering grin

He did not reply, though I could feel his eyes burn the side of my head awaiting my answer.

"I uh..." I trailed off trying to bury the panic, "As I said I was saved by AMA."

"AMA?" he echoed.

"A-A pack warrior." I rephrased with a slight stutter, "She took me in and kept me safe."

"You said she found you in a forest, what were you doing there?"

"I have no memories of that day or the days before," I rambled quickly, my fingers zooming in on a speck of dust that seemed difficult to clean as my heart raced faster with every question.

"Nothing? Not even glimpses in your dreams?"

Flashbacks of the voice in the forest, of fires burning and ash falling all around me, filled my head. I bit my lips, scrubbing harder, my fingers quaking slightly.

"None."

"And you've never searched for your beginnings?" he prodded on. I heard him take a step closer, "Have you no interest in your history?"

I blinked rapidly at the speck of dust.

"Have you never desired to know why you are so peculiar? Why your skin is so dark and why do you have no wolf."

"I'm a keffer, master, there is no other explanation," I replied dryly, my jaw ticking.

"You were found alone in a forest covered in a pile of ash."

"As peculiar as it may sound, abandonment is not that strange for a keffer." I gritted out. Grinding my teeth together.

"And yet a warrior took you in?"

"I was lucky."

"Luck?" He echoed, a slight scoff in his tone, "Indeed, you are quite lucky for a keffer." He mocked.

"Is this an interrogation?" I suddenly snapped, turning around fully, anger laced in my tone. My eyes met his squarely, a fire weaving in them. My fists clenched tightly around the cloth.

He raised an eyebrow at what I assumed was the defiance in my eyes. A hint of surprise mirrored in them. The longer we stared at each other the quicker common sense returned to me and my gaze quickly dropped from his to the floor, bewildered at what I had done.

"I uh..." my fingers shook slightly, as I placed my now unclenched fists behind my back, "Forgive me master, I- your questions are quite direct." I began slowly raising my eyes back to him gauging his reaction.

I had to rectify this.

"I understand you only agreed to this... friendship for your study but if I am to truly be free and willing.... I'm afraid I will need some room to trust."

When he remained quiet his eyes still holding mine, I continued.

"I-I say this because I understand the importance of accuracy in your study. I do not feel free in my responses. As your friend, I..I owe you the truth."

I waited for his reply anxiously but he only seemed to further study me for a lingering moment. One that made me more nervous and made my heart pound. Perhaps I had made a mistake. Perhaps this friendship could not be compared to the one Vale and I had.

He was a master-

"What do you wish to speak about?" He suddenly asked.

My gaze raised back to meet his.

"What will make you free?"

I was paralyzed for a moment, swallowing softly, "I-It could be anything really. Perhaps casual conversation?" I offered.

His eyebrows arched at this as if the term was foreign to him.

"And what is that?"

I faltered an amused chuckle for a minute, "You know," I pressed, "meaningless rambles like, how's the weather?" I prodded on, "it cools the mood."

He seemed to remain confused, "it's a cloudless day."

I studied his face for a moment, reading the honesty in his eyes.  He was being sincere when he said he didn't have any friends it seemed.

Neither had he had one before.

I turned slightly to the window where the rays of sun gleamed only lighting up the highest part of the library.

"Indeed, it is." I continued, turning to him as I studied him once again, "perhaps we should begin with, how your day was?"

"Why would you want to know that?"

"I would like to know how you spent your day. What made you happy, what intrigued you, what made you sad..." I trailed off.

His eyes narrowed on me, "And why would you wish to know that? How is that of any use to you?"

I let out a loose breath.

He was new at this whole friendship thing it seemed, right to the very beginning.

"It's what friends do. You said you always wanted a friend, right? Is it not because you wanted to share even the little moments with someone else?" I asked.

He paused at this, his eyes slowly trailing up to the window, then he spoke rather uniformly,

"The day has barely begun; I have not done many things but attend to matters of the Court as I have been doing since yesterday."

"And what happened in the Court?" I prodded with a grin, returning to dust the shelves for a bit.

He remained silent for a moment and when I glanced at him, he was staring at me intently. My whole body became aware.

Perhaps I had overstepped.

"Y-You don't have to say anything if I should not hear. I know there are matters of the court that I should not listen to neither would I understand-"

"Matters from the port," he cut, his stale gaze stuck in mine, his eyes narrowing for a moment, "Boring issues about trade."

My body froze for a moment at the mention of it.

The Harbor.

"Y-you mean the trade done with Men?" I asked a slight shake in my tone despite trying very hard to control it.

"Yes," he sighed, moving the length of the shelves standing a few feet away from me, as he stared upwards at a line of books-

"They have advanced medicines, fabrics, and gold they trade with us. In return, we offer herbs from our ancient forests, horses, and silk. Many we do not need but trade must go on to broker peace."

"I have only heard of the port; I've never seen the sea. Not that I remember," I replied, softly.

"The sea wasn't meant for wolves. Waves are tedious and unforgiving. That is why many escape rogues and slaves die in its torment." He grunted not seeming to particularly care.

"Good thing I'm not a wolf then."

His eyes snapped to me, holding my gaze.

"Because I would love to see the sea one day. They say it's as blue as the sky. I fear as long as I am here in this court, my days of seeing the sky are numbered," I quickly replied.

His eyes remained glued to me, only narrowing slightly, "is that because you are keffer in the Night Court, or because you are in the home of the Night Wolf and you fear the tales of the Ever Night?"

"B-both," I shrugged after a thought. "Is there much of a difference? They all lead to death."

He hummed at this, "Death comes to all but there are certainly better ways to die."

"And which death would you propose I choose?" I chuckled rather darkly, glancing at him for a moment.

"Death by the hands of the night wolf or any guard under his order will be quick and painless if he chooses to be merciful, at least then you'll have hope," he replied, "The Ever Night on the other hand is an endless Night of his cruelest parts. There is no mercy in those days."

He seemed lost for a moment at this. He then turned away a tick in his clenched jaw.

I pursed my lips, eyebrows arching for a moment as a thought crossed my mind,

"Tell me of Criston the Cruel."

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Merry Christmas!
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Chapter [15.1] Criston the Cruel and Chapter [16.1] The Diamond Raven are now available on Patreon!

A sneak peek of Chapter [15.1] Criston the Cruel is down below.
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