Prince Of Blood And Shadow

Chapter 1

           No level of training would have been enough to prepare him for this. They had been leading refugees from the human realm, a family of persecuted witches. For years, the Nightfangs, the most powerful shadow Fae clan in the Vale, have been secretly transporting refugees through Willowberry Creek, Massachusetts. Harrowsvale, a place beyond the human realm, offered a sanctuary for those with magical abilities.

The trip had taken them from Willowberry wood down alongside the border near the outskirts of Harrows Forest, close to goblin territory. Redcaps stayed close to the borders, hoping to catch travelers. Notorious for drenching their little hats in the blood of their victims, they were revolting pests. There were limitations to what even the Nightfang clan was prepared to tolerate, despite Inias' familiarity with gore.

As they were about to pass over the firefly bridge into Nightfang Hallow, a troop of redcaps struck their party. The redcaps launched their ambush before the party could cross, cutting off their escape on both sides. One on one, even an average person might fight them off. Striking in large numbers, they would take advantage of the terrain to benefit themselves. In the forest, they would conceal themselves and use arrows to immobilize their prey before dispatching ground troops.

The witches had created a shield of wind to aid in their crossing as the other members of the group engaged the attacking goblins. The devilish little goblins appeared to hide well, despite the decaying foliage around them. Still, there might not have been a significant amount among the trees. Inias believed that if they could surprise the attackers with a counterassault, it would change everything.

His father stayed close to him while he barked orders to the soldiers scurrying nearby. "Hold the bridge!" Cyran Nightfang shouted as a barrier of darkness enclosed them. It protected them from most arrows, but a few appeared to break through. Those with purple points were spell busting arrows. The crystal tip was able to dissolve any spell or shield like acid.

Little holes peeked through their barrier as more purple arrows came through. They could not remain concealed within a shadow wall indefinitely. They had to act. His father's caution had the potential to result in the loss of everything. "While you hold the bridge, I'll assault them! Who's with me?!" Naturally, he had the power to overcome the ambush. He was Inias Nightfang, the next in line to rule over Nightfang Hallow. He would show his dad what a hero he was and earn the recognition he'd deserved.

"No! We stay until they cross and follow! We'll outrun them once we're through." Three other soldiers shook their heads and stood by the young prince, instead. Sir Tremaine, along with Lady Ashryn and Sir Vestin. "I'm ordering you all to stay here! The forest will be crawling with them."

"We're arrow fodder in this bubble, old man!" Inias ran headlong into the forest with the trio of knights following behind hoping to route the redcap troops as his dad screamed, "Idiot!"

The hailstorm of darts and arrows from all quarters kept him pinned behind a tree. As they struggled to shield against the tiny goblins, his senses were filled with blood and iron. They kept the party pinned down as the foot soldiers moved in to claim their victims. The first scream sounded as Tremaine had his gut torn open by one of them.

Inias threw one of his knives at an oncoming redcap hitting it through the blood-soaked hat the creature wore. He attempted throwing another to the one slicing through his friend, but an arrow to the arm prevented it. The knife dropped to the ground as Inias swiftly removed the arrow with a cry. The iron points were always barbed and uneven, ripping through his flesh as he ripped it out.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered to his friend as he was dragged off by three of them. The other two who had joined him had not fared any better. Lady Redwood was surrounded, and Sir Vestin, with an arrow in his chest, weakly fired his own back at the enemy. He heard a loud screech and caught the flash of metal through the corner of his eye.