Court of Aether and Shadows (Crowned Monster Trilogy #1)

17. Trials Of Threatened Uncertainty

Trials Of Threatened Uncertainty

~ A ETHEREON~

It’s coming…

As the door closed behind Moira and the others, the atmosphere in the small cottage shifted perceptibly.

The shadows deepened, responding to my loosening grip on my power now that there were no weaker beings present to be affected by it.

Like a predator finally able to stretch after being confined, my magic expanded through the space, turning the corners of the room into pools of liquid darkness.

Kaelon moved from his position by the door, his own aura expanding slightly in the more accommodating space.

The midnight blue of his power intertwined with my shadows, creating patterns that spoke of our centuries of working together, of trust built through countless battles and political maneuvers.

"We need to discuss contingencies, my Lord," he said, voice low despite our solitude.

His eyes flickered to Sparrow's sleeping form, where the shadowsilk garments rippled with contained power.

"The binding spells may not be viable, but there might be another way to protect her while she comes into her power."

I turned from my vigil over Sparrow, intrigued by the tone in his voice. Kaelon rarely spoke with such careful measure unless he had spent considerable time developing a strategy.

"You have something specific in mind?"

"What if," he began, his form shifting slightly as he tested the weight of his words, "we created a neutral ground? Or rather, intentionally spin the wheels of fate so that we take advantage of neutral territory?” he offers with promise. ”A place where she could learn to control her powers without immediately drawing attention to her true nature?"

"Explain," I commanded, though I was already beginning to see the shape of his plan.

The shadows around us stilled as if they too were listening.

"An academic institution," he said, beginning to pace in the small space. His movements left trails in the ambient magic, like ripples on a dark pond. "One sanctioned by all four courts. A place where those with magical potential can learn to control their abilities under the guise of proper education and training."

Interesting…

"We take advantage of the obvious implications happening in the mundane world. Our own will attempt to find women showing potential in being the ‘chosen’ Queen from the prophecy. We’ll have many fighting to prove their picked Maiden is the one who will carry the crown of all the courts,” he reminds. “Our worlds don’t have any academic institutions that focus on female growth and invite opportunity. What better way but to create the space where they will be given the same privilege as the men, who we know will be desperate to have a potential chance with the bestowed princess.”

That made me smirk at the mere idea of anyone trying to partner themselves with Sparrow. I wasn’t worried about the idea. More so, I’d allow her to be with whom she showed interest if that was what left her content and pleased in all departments.

Though if privileged, I’d happily keep her appetite full in the department of sexual desire. With permission, no doubt.

Regardless, the idea had merit.

I felt my own strategic mind engaging with the possibilities, centuries of political maneuvering coming bring on this new challenge.

"The other courts would need to be convinced of its value beyond just training their young. The Aether Court especially would be suspicious of any initiative we propose."

"Precisely why we shouldn't be the ones to propose it," Kaelon countered, a slight smile playing on his lips. "What if the suggestion came from the Elemental Court? They've always positioned themselves as mediators between Shadow and Aether. And they have the most to gain from preventing magical accidents among the untrained."

I nodded slowly, seeing the layers of his strategy unfold.

"The Elemental Court has been pushing for more cooperative ventures between the realms. This would align with their stated goals while giving them significant influence in shaping the next generation of power users."

"And in such an environment," Kaelon continued, his excitement barely contained, "Sparrow's presence would seem..."

"Unmarkable," I finished, appreciating the elegance of the plan as all the pieces fell into place. "Just another student learning to control their gifts. The binding spells wouldn't be necessary if her power appears to be developing naturally."

"We could even use her current state to our advantage," Kaelon added, warming to his theme. "The trauma of her crossing, the apparent confusion about her abilities — it would make perfect sense for her to seek formal training. Who would suspect the prophesied queen would willingly put herself in such a vulnerable position?"

I moved to the window, looking out at the rift still shimmering in the air.

"The Void Court might suspect. They've always been more perceptive than the others give them credit for."

"Which is why we need to make the institution truly neutral ground," Kaelon pressed. "Sacred contracts, ancient bindings, oaths that even the Void Court would hesitate to break. We make it a sanctuary in the truest sense. A place where violence against students or teachers is forbidden. With catastrophic consequences to professors who volunteer to provide the knowledge and wisdom they’ve acquired for centuries."

"Such protections would require immense power," I mused, running calculations in my mind. "And the cooperation of all four courts to establish them. As for students protection, that would be based on outside circumstances not involving situations where their skills must be tested."

That would make more sense since these students would have to be tested to dangerous limits to prove their potential. Sometimes, those challenges can lead them to the brink of death. The neutral ground would have to bestow a sense of immunity that would protect them from death to an extent.

Experience the strings of death but for it to be a temporary instance. Not a permanent one.

It would be something Twilight and Void would agree upon.

Aether would be against the idea, and Elemental would lean towards whatever was more entertaining to them.

The idea would pass.

"Yes, but think of the precedent it would set," Kaelon argued. "The first truly cooperative venture between the courts since the great schism. The political capital alone would be worth the investment for each faction. The Ather Court could present it as a triumph of illumination over ignorance. The Void Court would see opportunities for subtle influence. The Elementals would gain prestige as mediators. And we..."

"We would have a perfect cover for protecting and training our queen," I finished, beginning to see how all the pieces could fit together. "But we would need to move quickly. The other courts will have felt her arrival by now. They'll be making their own plans."

Kaelon nodded gravely.

"Which is why we should approach the Elementals immediately, plant the seed of the idea before anyone else can propose alternatives. Their Council of Seasons meets in three days' time. If we can get word to our allies there..."

His words cut off abruptly as we both felt a surge of power from outside. The shadows in the room writhed in response, and I felt Sparrow's energy pulse beneath the shadowsilk garments, responding to the disturbance.

"My Lord," Kaelon said unnecessarily, already moving into a defensive position. "Something approaches through the rift."

The air grew thick with tension as we prepared to face whatever force had found its way to our sanctuary.

But even as we readied ourselves for confrontation, my mind continued to race with the possibilities Kaelon had presented.

An academic institution.

A neutral ground where Sparrow could grow into her power while we gathered allies and identified enemies.

It was elegant, multi-layered, exactly the kind of strategy that had kept the Shadow Court in power through centuries of political upheaval.

Now we just had to survive the next few minutes to set it in motion.

The surge of power came without warning — a tidal wave of ancient magic that made the very air crackle with tension.

My shadows danced erratically along the walls, responding to an energy signature that felt both foreign and disturbingly familiar. The very foundations of the cottage seemed to tremble, wood groaning and stone shifting as reality bent around us.

"Vash'nor thy'leth," I commanded, the old tongue falling from my lips as naturally as breathing.

The shadows solidified around us, creating a barrier of pure darkness that turned the corners of the room into an absolute void. Power thrummed through the space, making the simple furniture vibrate with barely contained energy.

"Shield your charge, Kaelon," I ordered, my voice carrying the weight of centuries of command. "Whatever comes through that rift must not reach her."

My second in command was already moving, his hands weaving complex patterns in the air as he spoke his own incantation.

"Shal'ven mor'eth, shield of ancient night, protect that which is precious!"

A dome of midnight blue energy began to form around Sparrow's sleeping form, layers of protective magic settling like silk veils.

Each layer pulsed with its own rhythm, creating a symphony of power that would have overwhelmed lesser beings.

The pressure in the room built to unbearable levels.

The window panels began to vibrate, resonating with the approaching force. Small objects — books, vials, the delicate instruments the Elder had left behind — started to rise into the air, caught in the maelstrom of competing energies.

I could have opened the windows with a gesture and could have provided a clean entrance for whatever force approached. But something in me — some primal instinct that had kept me alive through centuries of warfare and politics — knew that would be a mistake.

When it came, it came with explosive force.

The windows shattered inward, the sound like a thousand crystal goblets breaking at once.

Shards of glass hung suspended for one crystalline moment, catching the light like deadly stars, before my shadows whipped out, catching them before they could harm anyone.

But through the broken frame came something out of legend — a wolf of shadow and starlight, its form so massive it seemed impossible it could fit through the opening.

Yet it did, reality-bending around it as it materialized fully in the room. Standing at its full height, its head nearly brushed the cottage's ceiling.

Its fur was deepest black but shot through with streaks of silver that moved and shifted like flowing mercury.

Each strand seemed to contain its own universe of shadows, creating patterns that hurt the eyes to look at directly. Its muscles rippled beneath this ethereal coat, each movement speaking of power that could tear the cottage apart with minimal effort.

The wolf's eyes were its most striking feature — orbs of molten gold that held an intelligence far beyond that of any mortal beast.

They fixed on me with an ancient knowledge, a familiarity that sent a chill down my spine despite my own considerable power.

"Impressive," I dare to admit, maintaining eye contact with the massive creature. The air between us crackled with competing energies. "Few beings can cross through a rift with such... precision."

The wolf's lips pulled back in what might have been a snarl or a smile, revealing teeth that seemed forged from shadows themselves.

Each fang was longer than a mortal man's hand, sharp enough to tear through the barriers between worlds. Power rolled off it in waves, ancient and primal.

This was no ordinary shifter, no simple creature of magic. This was something older, something that remembered the time before the courts were divided.

Behind me, I heard Kaelon reinforcing his protective spells, his voice taking on the resonant quality of deep magic.

"Vash'nor sul'van, shields of twilight rise," he chanted, each word adding another layer to the dome protecting Sparrow. "Let no force of shadow or light penetrate these walls."

The protective dome grew more complex with each passing second, layers of magic interweaving like the finest lace. But maintaining such powerful shields was draining — I could feel Kaelon's energy wavering slightly under the strain.

If this confrontation turned violent, the shields might not hold against the collateral damage of two ancient powers clashing.

The wolf's gaze shifted to the shielded bed, and I felt its power surge. The very air seemed to thicken, reality straining under the pressure of its focused attention.

My own shadows responded instantly, wrapping around the creature like chains of pure darkness.

Each tendril of shadow burned with the cold fire of my power, a reminder that even in this diminished age, I was still Lord of the Twilight Court.

"You forget yourself," I growled, allowing some of my true power to surface. The room grew darker, reality itself seeming to bend around us. The simple cottage walls groaned under the pressure of contained power, timbers creaking in protest. "This is my court, my domain. Whatever your purpose here, you will show proper respect."

A rumbling sound filled the room — not quite a growl, not quite a laugh. The sound made the remaining windows rattle in their frames, dust falling from the ceiling beams.

The wolf turned its massive head back to me, and I felt the weight of centuries in its gaze. It made no move to break free of my shadow bonds, but the casual way it stood within their grasp spoke volumes.

This creature, whatever it truly was, could match me in raw power if it chose.

At least, at this stage between us.

The cottage creaked ominously around us, the simple structure was never meant to contain such concentrated power. Cracks began to appear in the walls, darkness seeping through like black blood.

The very air felt thick, charged with the potential for violence.

"My Lord," Kaelon's strained voice came from behind me, "the shields... the competing energies are destabilizing them."

I could see what he meant.

The protective dome around Sparrow was flickering, the layers of magic warping under the pressure of our contained power. If this confrontation continued to escalate, the entire cottage might collapse around us — with my sleeping queen at the center of the destruction.

The wolf seemed to sense this too.

Its ears flicked forward, its massive head tilting slightly as it assessed the situation. Something flickered in those golden eyes — concern?

That was unexpected.

"Shal'ven mor'eth kas'ul," I spoke, modulating my power slightly. "Let us not destroy what we both seek to protect."

The shadows binding the wolf loosened fractionally, a gesture of temporary truce.

The massive creature's response was subtle but clear — a slight relaxation of its battle-ready stance, though its power remained coiled and ready.

We had reached an impasse, two ancient forces maintaining a precarious balance.

The standoff might have continued indefinitely, each of us waiting for the other to make a move, but fate, as always, had other plans.

From within Kaelon's protective dome came a soft sound — a murmur, barely audible but carrying the weight of worlds.

"Liam..."

Everything stopped.

The wolf's eyes widened, its entire massive form going still as stone.

My shadows faltered for just a moment in surprise, causing hairline cracks to appear in the floorboards beneath our feet.

Even Kaelon's steady stream of protective magic stuttered.

On the bed, Sparrow stirred.

Her eyes fluttered, fighting against the pull of unconsciousness.

The shadowsilk garments rippled in response to her movement, and I could feel her power beginning to pulse more strongly. Each wave of energy made the cottage's structure groan in protest.

"...Liam?" she murmured again, the name carrying echoes of power that made the very air vibrate.

The wolf's ears pricked forward, its entire being focused on her voice with an intensity that spoke of more than mere interest.

The massive creature took a step toward the bed, all aggression gone from its posture.

The floorboards creaked dangerously under its weight, but it moved with surprising grace for something of its size.

My shadows still wrapped around it, but I could feel its attention focused solely on the awakening woman. There was something in its golden eyes now — something that looked remarkably like devotion.

Or love.

The realization hit me like a physical blow.

The wolf's familiar yet foreign energy, its ability to track Sparrow across realms, its reaction to that name...everything clicked into place with the force of prophecy fulfilled.

"Fenris," I said softly, using the wolf's true name. "So you've finally shown your true form."

The wolf's — Fenris — eyes met mine again, and in them, I saw confirmation of what I had begun to suspect.

This wasn't just any guardian or creature of power.

This was the other piece of the prophecy, one of the protectors who had been watching over my queen from the shadows of the mundane realm.

Before either of us could move or speak, Sparrow stirred again.

Her power pulsed stronger, making the protective dome shimmer like aurora borealis. The shadowsilk garments could barely contain the energy radiating from her now.

The cottage's structure groaned again, caught between too many powerful forces.

"Something's coming," she mumbled, her face contorting in distress. "Have to... have to stop them..."

The wolf whined — a surprisingly gentle sound from such a massive creature — and took another step forward. The floorboards cracked beneath its paw, but it paid no attention to anything except Sparrow's increasingly restless form.

We were running out of time.

The cottage wouldn't survive much longer under these conditions, and Sparrow's awakening power was only adding to the instability.

A decision had to be made, and quickly.

I met the wolf's golden gaze once more, centuries of political maneuvering and strategic thinking condensing into a single moment of clarity.

Sometimes, the best move in a game was the one your opponent least expected.

"Shal'ven thy'nor," I spoke, dissolving my shadow bonds completely. "Let us deal with this situation before we destroy this sanctuary entirely."

The wolf's surprise was evident, but so was its immediate understanding of the situation's gravity.

Together, we turned our attention to the more pressing matter at hand — protecting Sparrow.

It was time to face the new enemy heading our way while keeping safe the woman who held all our fates in her awakening hands.