Calico (The Covenant of Shadows Book 2) Read online

  The Covenant of Shadows

  CALICO

  Book One

  Kade Cook

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. All statements, descriptions, information and material of any other kind that may be contained within this novel is solely for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered as accurate. Other names, places and events are products of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in whole or in part in any form.

  Copyright © 2017 Kade Cook

  Logo design by Jenna McLean/Adam Barry

  Cover by Jenna McLean

  Edit by Kayla Krantz and Proofread by Michelle King

  E-book ISBN: 978-0-9948678-3-4

  Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9948678-2-7

  First Edition November 2017

  Theo & Quinn Creative Works

  Shediac River, New Brunswick, E4R 6A7, Canada

  www.kadecookbooks.wordpress.com

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Acknowledgements

  FELLOWSHIP HIERARCHY

  Prologue

  1 | EARLY MORNING BLISS

  2 | A RAY OF HOPE

  3 | BITTEN TONGUES

  4 | IMAGINARY FRIENDS

  5 | ALL THINGS CONSIDERED

  6 | DON’T HOLD YOUR BREATH

  7 | LOST IN THOUGHT

  8 | THEO’S WARNING

  9 | INVISIBLE CAULDRON

  10 | WE ALL HAVE SECRETS

  11 | THE WHITE SHED

  12 | DOWN, DOWN WE GO

  13 | MADORRAH’S BOX

  14 | THE MAGIC WITHIN

  15 | VISITING DISASTER

  16 | THREE FOR TEA

  17 | BATMAN RETURNS

  18 | WHO’S TO BLAME

  19 | TEMPTING DAYDREAMS

  20 | HELLO

  21 | AWKWARD ENCOUNTER

  22 | CHILLING EXPERIENCE

  23 | EXPLODING HEADS

  24 | ROAD TRIP

  25 | OFF TO THE GREAT WHITE NORTH

  26 | ICE QUEEN

  27 | A SIMPLE TASK

  28 | ABOUT THAT BEER

  29 | EASTCOAST HOSPITALITY

  30 | UNCOMFORTABLE EXCHANGE

  31 | ICE, ICE BABY

  32 | THE MAGIC WITHIN

  33 | AN ARTIST AND SORROW

  34 | DEADLY DREAMS

  35 | LETTING GO

  36 | FLYING UNDER THE RADAR

  37 | PRE-TRIAL CONFESSION

  38 | WHISPERS WITHIN THE DARKNESS

  39 | A SLIGHT CHANCE

  40 | A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

  41 | NOT WHAT WAS EXPECTED

  42 | NECESSARY MEASURES

  43 | UNNATURAL SHOW OF KINDNESS

  44 | BITTERSWEET COMPANY

  45 | LETTING GO

  46 | STRANGE EXCHANGE

  47 | ABOMINATION FACTOR

  48 | BEAUTIFUL CHAOS

  49 | FROM THE MIDST OF ASHES

  50 | RECOVERY

  51 | EVENTFUL REITERATION

  52 | RUN TO THE HILLS

  53 | HEART TO HEART

  54 | RESPECT

  55 | CALL THE GUARDS

  56 | HYPOCRITICAL MIND

  57 | NEVER TOO LATE

  58 | NEW YORK, NY

  59 | LATTE AND SOAP

  60 | EVALUATED LEVERAGE

  61 | SPILLED COFFEE

  62 | UP TO HER OLD TRICKS

  63 | BLACK MAGIC

  64 | WELCOME TO EREBUS

  65 | A FRIEND, A FOE, OR SOMETHING IN BETWEEN

  66 | BITTERSWEET ENDINGS

  About the Author

  Acknowledgements

  First and foremost to you, the courageous readers that took the chance to pick up CALICO.

  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

  To my incredibly talented graphic artist, Jenna McLean, my wonderful editor, Kayla Krantz, and my very special proof reader, Michelle King, my biggest hugs and thanks for all their hard work.

  And last but not least, to all the amazing minds that beta read CALICO. Our many talks about imaginary people and your belief in me are what keeps me inspired.

  Big hugs to Carrie T., Jenna M., Denise C., Brenda C., Doris M., Michelle K.

  And lastly, I want to give one more big hug out to Jo-Ann,

  for her undying support and belief in my journey.

  For Jenna, James, Kaidyn, Liam,

  my little Channy man and sweet baby Kain.

  May they know

  That I love them dearly.

  In this world

  And

  In all those that follow.

  FELLOWSHIP HIERARCHY

  ZEPHYR – AIR: ELDER VAEDA KARRIN

  EGNI – FIRE: ELDER ARRAMUS URIE

  HYDOR – WATER: ELDER CASPYOUS WILEY

  EORDEN – EARTH: ELDER KALEB DIMIRI

  ISA – ICE: ELDER ASHEN GRACIE

  DERKAZ – DARK MAGIK: ELDER CIMMERIAN COLE

  BORAGEN – BORROWERS: ELDER ETHAN BORNE

  SCHAEDUWE – SHADOW WALKERS: ELDER ORRORYN REDMOND

  VINDERE – REINCARNATE/MEDIUMS: ELDER ARIAH FELLOWS

  ARGUROS AUCYEN – SILVER MAGE: ELDER CERA ARGRYIS

  All souls

  Harbour the colour of darkness within them.

  What they allow to surface

  Is but a mere glimpse of what lies beneath.

  Prologue

  THE TROUBLE WITH TROUBLE

  “WILL SOMEBODY EXPLAIN to me what in the Realm happened last night?”

  The hum of murmurs around the High Table quiets, replaced with deafening silence. Orroryn, Ethan, and Cimmerian glance over at Caspyous’ flushed face then twist their heads forward, eyeing each other with senses quite aware and in tune with the comprehension of his irritated demand.

  “And why a psychopathic lunatic—who was supposed to be sealed in Erebus, mind you—was running around loose causing all kinds of havoc and went completely undetected.”

  The low hum around the table resumes as the Elders whisper comments of the previous night’s occurrences.

  “Why weren’t the Covenant Elders alerted?”

  “Now, Caspyous, I am sure that Ethan, Cimmerian, and Orroryn have a perfectly good explanation...”

  “Enough of your niceties, Vaeda, how can you sit there so calmly? Being co-holder of the House, you should be irate that you were not better informed.”

  Vaeda shifts in her seat at his deliberate attack but lifts her chin, refusing to let his vicious attempt make her falter. “Caspyous, really, must you act this way?” she says more rigidly, face flushing.

  “Tell me that you are not the least bit upset that you had to learn this second-hand from the Vindere no less?”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Ariah shoots Caspyous a poisonous look, aura flaring wildly about her body.

  The room becomes an explosion of tempers and fears mixed into a toxic cocktail of unanswerable questions.

  Orroryn sits quietly for a while, watching the confusion. When he’s had enough, he rises from his seat and stands squarely in front of all the commotion. He lifts his hand and slaps it down upon the cold smooth surface of the marble table before him, releasing a thunderous clap to echo throughout the Covenant, silencing everyone.

  Every eye is now on him. Orroryn regains his composure and begins to speak. “There wasn’t enough time. And as for having information,” he continues, sea-green eyes as dark and haunting as a forest, staring a warning at h
is demanding peer, “I have explained to Vaeda just moments ago, it was a necessary and immediate act. The girl’s life depended on it.”

  “The girl, the girl...enough about the girl. What I want to know is how did the monster get out?” Caspyous demands, clenching his fist until the skin around his knuckles pales.

  The room searches the table for a contribution to the question. Cimmerian lifts his stare from his folded hands and panics at all the eyes boring holes into him with the hope that Ethan refrains from probing his thoughts. “He must have found a loophole in the spell Cera cast upon him,” he offers in a low mournful song. “He is no longer bound to the darkness, at least not in essence anyway.” Cimmerian tries to swallow down the lump in his throat and coughs, choking on his words. The room begins to buzz from the loud chattering but he takes little notice as he clears his throat again. “It is my belief that he may be using his essence to appear, like the creatures of the night that enter and exit our world when the cover of darkness cloaks us, thinning the doors between the two dimensions.”

  He looks around cautiously to read the expressions on the faces of his peers. He hesitates to look at Ethan but instinct makes his eyes betray him and he glances over with fear. Ethan greets him with a comforting smile and a nod of confidence that makes Cimmerian’s hands sweat, then turns, whispering something to Orroryn about the matter.

  “So, is he gone?” Arramus inquires, leaning into the table, and folds his hands on top of the flat surface, jarring Cimmerian from his guarded thoughts.

  The room loses its voice once more. This is a question the entire table wants the answer to.

  Cimmerian scratches the side of his chin and tries to swallow but his mouth has grown dry. His words come out sanded and rough. “For now...I have managed to push him, and the fester of Gargons he had drawn around him, back into the darkness, but if he has found a way out once it is quite probable that he will do it again.”

  The voices thunder through his ears in a frenzy.

  “Since it is your domain this monster is dwelling in, can we assume you are going to take it upon yourself to monitor any and all unusual occurrences henceforth?” Vaeda asks him with a soft but commanding voice.

  “Of course, Lady of Zephyr.”

  “And am I to assume that any and all courses of action will be reported and will comply with the order of the Realm?”

  “Yes, of course,” Cimmerian snaps, feeling a twinge of guilt, but it’s shadowed by the irritation of the attention he’s receiving.

  “As for the matter of the girl, please have the guard give extra detail to her and her whereabouts from now on.” She refocuses her attention to Orroryn and Ethan. “I am certain that this won’t be an issue especially where the Schaeduwe are concerned. Orroryn?”

  “No, my lady. None whatsoever.”

  “I say we bring the girl in immediately and question her about why she was cavorting with this known monster in the first place.”

  “Caspyous, please...she was nearly killed. We can at least give her a few days to recover from the horrific ordeal before sending her into a lengthy inquisition.”

  “Humph...” Caspyous slumps back into his seat, folding his arms tightly across his chest as he shoots Vaeda a dirty look. But the glare only lasts a brief moment—not long enough to be caught by the entire group.

  Vaeda returns her attentions to the Covenant Elders.

  “As for the rest of us, be prepared to lend your assistance at a moment’s notice. There is no need for this to become an orchestrated fiasco.” Vaeda makes eye contact with every Elder at the table to ensure her message is getting through to them. “As a precaution, I would like to send out an advisory to ask all Realm-folk, and humans alike, to be leery of anything unusual and report it immediately.”

  “You think a Realm-wide advisory is not going to cause people to panic?”

  Vaeda takes a deep breath and sighs. “You know what he is, Ashen. Is there really any other choice?”

  1

  EARLY MORNING BLISS

  THE DREAMS HAVE FOUND me again. But, I am not sure that I would actually call them dreams. Distorted faces and incoherent screams filled with pain are what they consist of most, so I guess nightmare is a more fitting term for what I have. It is part of the reason I am awake at five o’clock in the morning—that and the fact I know the Covenant of Shadows is eager to meet with me and drag me over the coals for my latest indiscretion.

  Ethan continues to ask me how I am doing and I keep lying to him, telling him that I am fine, but I think he knows the truth. He just doesn’t push the matter of the dark circles under my eyes or the fact that my gifts haven’t fully returned yet. I am still able to feed, thankfully, but my ability to lend is inoperable, which if anyone knew would cause a few issues within the Realm...not mention the Covenant of Shadows.

  A Borrower that can only take is not a Borrower at all in the eyes of the Covenant. It is something altogether different—something to fear. So, mentioning anything about the fact that I am struggling to contain my cravings for the white and pure life essences would pretty much seal my fate within the eyes of the Covenant and undoubtedly, my death sentence.

  The smell of earth and summer catches Gabrian’s attention before his thoughts do. Putting her pencil down for the moment, a grin tugs at the corner of her mouth as she turns to greet her company. The thumping beneath her chest accelerates at the sight of the silhouetted figure standing in the archway of her bedroom door. Even if she couldn’t see him, she would still know who it was just from his summery scent and the way her body reacts to the rhythm of his soul radiating with hers.

  Though she cannot sense his energy, she can still feel him. It is a bonding the two of them now share; one that was created when Shane’s heart chose her, defying his own will. All through the Realm’s history, Shadow Walkers and Borrowers have been adversaries. This pairing of Fellowships goes against all odds, but as life would have it, fate finally got its way.

  “You’re up early, couldn’t sleep again?”

  Gabrian would love to slip back beneath the warm covers of her bed and close her eyes to sleep but she’s afraid of what awaits her if she does. “Yeah, something like that.”

  “Do you want some coffee?”

  Gabrian raises her brow and twists her lips into a sassy smirk. Shane rolls his eyes at her and shakes his head in defeat, curls scattering recklessly.

  “Yeah, I know...stupid question. I forgot who I was talking to for a moment.” Shane grabs at the imaginary pot of coffee on the shelf beside him and wraps his muscular hands around it, tipping his head back to finish off its invisible remains.

  Gabrian grabs the pillow from the day chair beside her desk and throws it at him.

  Catching it in mid-flight, Shane snubs his nose at her efforts. “You need to be faster than that,” he boasts and turns to put on the kettle. Gabrian picks up a second pillow and whips it across the room with force. It lands hard on the back of his head. His hand shoots up to the point of impact then twists to catch it before it falls and glares at her with a wink, patting down his tousled locks. “Hey now, watch the hair.”

  Gabrian’s heart warms in his attempt at humour—cheesy as it is—and watches him disappear into the hallway. Her chest raises as she draws in her breath then sighs heavily, shifting in her chair to return to her journal entry.

  I don’t want to tell Shane about the dreams or the cravings either. It will just add to the worry of the already growing concern he carries about me. It’s not fair that my life and dramas have consumed any chance that he has at following his aspirations in life. I am grateful for his presence but the guilt of his weighted oath is sometimes suffocating.

  The succulent smell of coffee wafts up the stairs, capturing her attention, and pulls her out of her temporary funk. She closes her eyes and forces her lips to turn upward into what might pass for a smile. Gabrian pretends for a moment that the coffee she is about to consume is a magical elixir—one that will make all her worries f
ade into the abyss.

  Sometimes it even does.

  2

  A RAY OF HOPE

  GABRIAN’S TASTE BUDS yearn for the elixir Shane has so graciously left waiting for her on top of the kitchen counter. The last few steps from the stairwell to the coffee cup seem like far too many, but having reached her final destination, she stands quiet, embracing the oversized cup in her hands.

  After swallowing down her first warm sip, she breaks from her internal trance and looks for Shane to thank him properly. Catching a slight movement on the other side of her patio doors, Gabrian sees a glimpse of him standing on the deck, overlooking the water with nothing more than pants and a T-shirt for warmth.

  Grabbing a throw from the bench beside the fireplace, she releases the patio doors and Shane turns his head to greet her with a smile. He stretches out a bared arm, beckoning for her to join him. Glad to take cover from the chill under his wing, she slips across the deck and cloaks herself within his warmth as they stand in the darkness, sipping their coffee in silence.

  Gabrian looks up at his silhouetted face, strong and noble yet etched with delicate precision, and ponders the idea of Shane’s existence, that he and the Schaeduwe must have been fashioned in the purest essences of the Gods. His caramel skin lay smooth and undisturbed against the perfected angles of his cheek and brow. His sea green eyes are calm, not a trace of worry to be found, which makes her believe that contentment and tranquility seem to be his natural state.

  “How do you do it?”

  Shane’s peaceful look is replaced with confusion as shadows fall upon the space between his brows. “How do I do what, Gabrian?”

  She slides her body around to better see the entirety of his face and he pulls her in close.

  “After all the wars you have seen, with the amount of loss and suffering you have endured, how is it that you can look so peaceful and content all the time?” she asks with the hope that somewhere within his words she might find a secret to help her understand.