Chasing Shadows - Part Two

Information
Author	Devon Giehl
Illustrator	Caleb Thomas & Emily Marzonie
Published on	19th July 2023
Publisher	The Dragon Prince Official Website (Chasing Shadows - Part Two)

Chasing Shadows - Part Two (Hidden Daggers) is a side story published through the official website of The Dragon Prince. It revolves around Rayla and Stella during their search for Viren. It is part of a short story series called "Reflections".

Summary

Rayla accepts Redfeather's favor of participating in Scumport's fighting pit inside the Leviathan's Bones. They and the rest of the crowd witness a Sunfire Elf named Darys slowly defeating his Skywing Elf opponent named Feathers. As Darys boasts his victory, he challenges a certain individual from the balconies to become his next opponent. Redfeather scoffs and calls Darys an idiot since the latter is actually challenging Finnegrin, the Tidebound Elf ruler of Scumport who watches the entire town from his tower.

Finnegrin decides to have his champion, Elmer, fight Darys on his behalf. Rayla learns that Elmer is not an elf due to his hulking figure and his body seemingly grown entirely of gnarled wood. Despite Darys's best efforts, Elmer quickly finishes the fight with a few strikes. Rayla calls Finnegrin a coward for not fighting his own battles with Redfeather stating that he does not have to with the kind of power he has over nearly everyone in Scumport. Rayla then remembers what Runaan taught her about defenseless enemies keeping hidden daggers. A few onlookers then haul the beaten Darys from the pit and cover the blood on the floor with dirt before the conch-horn signals the next fight. Rayla knows that her turn is next and that she needs to win three rounds to win Redfeather a prize so that the latter can give her the information she needs about Viren.

Rayla remembers the sparring matches she had with the other Moonshadow Elves in the Silvergrove, particularly with Ram, Skor, Callisto, and Andromeda, and how they were more secluded and honorable than Scumport. Her first opponent is a Banther-sized Earthblood Elf whom she defeated by using his size against him. Her second opponent is a Tidebound Elf whom she defeated by taking advantage of her pride. Rayla's winning streak has earned her the moniker "New Moon" from the crowd.

Rayla's third and final opponent is a human who wears a weather-beaten silver-gray armor with a red collar. Rayla realizes that he is an exile from Katolis who fled deeper into Xadia after the battle at the Storm Spire. The human makes Rayla wonder about Callum before she focuses back on the fight. Despite his armor, the human moves fast and has strength similar to that of Soren. Rayla soon finds herself cornered at the fighting pit's edge, which allows the human to kick dirt to her face. She struggles to maintain her bearings as the sight of a red scarf makes her think about Callum again. Caught in her daze, the human seizes the opportunity to beat Rayla up until she surrenders. Rayla is then given a little wooden token someone had shoved into her hands as a consolation prize for her victories.

Redfeather takes Rayla back to her home and is angry that the young Moonshadow Elf did not win her third round. Rayla confesses that she got distracted and Redfeather retorts that assassins are taught to avoid such things. When Rayla offers her token to Redfeather, the buccaneer explains that the token is Finnegrin's Favor, which marks its owner as a friendly to Scumport and that it can be traded for passage in and out of Scumport with the Ferryman on the western coast. Just as Redfeather is about to take the token, Rayla chooses to use it as a bargaining chip so that the older Moonshadow Elf can reveal Viren's whereabouts. Redfeather is impressed by Rayla's skills and decides to offer her another favor that involves her in retrieving valuable dark magic ingredients. Rayla grimaces as she remembers the sights of Viren's chambers, but she agrees to accept the favor.

Trivia

• The story plays after the events of "Through the Moon".