The Shepherd King, #1
One Dark Window
by Rachel Gillig
Contents
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Overview
Elspeth and Ravyn’s intimacy briefly brings levity to Castle Yew, but Emory’s bloody cough and return to Stone restore the urgency of his worsening condition. In the garden, Elspeth risks using Emory’s mind-reading magic to investigate the Nightmare, confirming that the creature is fused to her, close to taking control, and tied to the old rhyme of the girl, the Shepherd King, and the monster they became.
Summary
At dawn, Elspeth slips out of Ravyn’s bed, trying not to wake him or draw attention. Jespyr catches Elspeth in the hallway in only a chemise and teasingly implies she knows what happened. At breakfast, Ravyn arrives in an unusually good mood, and Jespyr and Elm quickly understand the reason, turning the meal briefly playful.
The warmth ends when Emory coughs blood into a cloth, reminding everyone that Emory must return to Stone that day. Before leaving, Emory asks to walk in the garden and see the trees. Ravyn and Elspeth follow him and Elm through the mist, and Ravyn tells Elspeth he is glad she can see Emory as Emory truly is because Emory has few clear days left.
The Nightmare speaks in Elspeth’s mind again, breaking the fragile peace. Ravyn pulls Elspeth beneath the willow and kisses her, but Emory finds them and jokes that Elspeth should have come to kiss him like a fairy-tale maiden curing a sick boy. Elm undercuts the joke by saying this fairy tale’s maiden has blood on her hands.
Elm’s remark pushes Elspeth to act. Elspeth privately asks Emory to use his magic on her again, as Emory once did at Equinox, because she needs to know what the Nightmare truly is. The Nightmare protests in Elspeth’s mind, accusing Elspeth of trying to steal his secrets, but Elspeth continues and gives Emory her hand.
Emory sees a woman with long black hair and charcoal eyes, a hateful yellow gaze, shadow, blood on Elspeth’s fingers, and a creature curled around Elspeth’s spine as if woven into Elspeth. Emory says the creature is close to taking Elspeth over. Emory then sees the creature in the room built for the Spirit of the Wood, perched on a tall dark stone, and recites the familiar rhyme about the girl and the Shepherd King, confirming Elspeth’s fear that the girl, the King, and the monster became one.
When Emory opens his eyes, Emory sees that Elspeth’s eyes have turned yellow and is terrified by what he witnessed. Elspeth feels guilty for burdening Emory and asks Emory not to tell anyone. Emory assures Elspeth that his degeneration will make him forget by morning, then warns Elspeth to be wary, clever, and good before they part.
Who Appears
- Elspeth SpindleSeeks answers about the Nightmare, risks Emory’s magic, and learns she is nearly overtaken.
- Emory YewFrail, degenerating boy who reads Elspeth’s mind and reveals the Nightmare’s closeness.
- Ravyn YewElspeth’s lover; shares tenderness with her before preparing for Emory’s return to Stone.
- The NightmareEntity inside Elspeth; protests Emory’s reading and is revealed as fused to her.
- Elm RowanRavyn’s cousin; watches Emory closely and bitterly notes Elspeth has blood on her hands.
- Jespyr YewTeases Elspeth and Ravyn after noticing signs of their night together.
- Morette YewHelps care for Emory at breakfast before his return to Stone.
- Fenir YewSits with Emory at breakfast, quietly supporting his weakening son.