Chapter 21
Eliane
‘When darkness falls, sharpen your aim,
follow the call that echoes your name.
Your heart will burn, unless you let it in,
don’t go in denial, not again.
You are the curse, but so the kingdom’s last hope,
let your light guide you where shadows elope.
Keep your calm during the fourth, or past will return,
trust the voice where the answers burn.
On the shelf lies the key to it all,
listen to the calling, or the kingdom will fall.’
I repeat the saying this old lady told me after she dragged me into the strange looking cabin in the back, trying to memorize it word for word.
There were potions across every table filled with things I don’t want to think about.
Some of them were green, others dark brown and some as red as blood.
But those weren’t the strangest things. There were marks written in blood on the wall in a writing I have never seen before.
I am not sure it was blood, but by how it looked and the smell of iron that still clings in my nose, I assume it was.
Braxton and I stroll through the dark towards Gwen’s house.
He hasn’t asked me what she told me, and I don’t think he will, but something tells me he is dying to know.
My brain hurts as I try to wrap my head around it.
My heart will burn? Unless I let it in? Does she want me to fall in love?
I don’t get it. And what does she mean with the fourth?
Does she mean the fourth trial? She doesn’t need me to stay calm, Braxton is the one with anger problems. Braxton speaks up and wakes me from my thoughts.
“I think we’re there.” My eyes look up from the ground and try to take in this huge building in front of me.
As we walked, the houses got bigger and I understood we approached the richer part of Ilanos.
Except this building is almost half the size of the palace.
It has this rich white kind of color. I know that is strange for white because it is the palest color there is, but this white is rich in color.
The entrance has a big stair and a huge garden that surrounds the house.
That isn’t the problem, though. We stand in front of an enormous fence that has points that look as sharp as the daggers stuck in my belt.
My gaze finds Braxton. He rubs his chin, and my eyes trace the tattoo on his neck that disappears under the hem of his shirt.
Before I can open my mouth, he speaks up.
“Step back,” he commands. I do as he says but can’t stop myself from reacting to his commanding sound.
“Alright, mister bossy, or should I say self-centered prick.” The corner of my mouth turns up and he looks at me with his lips straight but this sparkle in his eyes as they light up.
A gigantic stone flies through the air as Braxton twists his hand.
With a fast speed it hits the lock of the gate.
It flies open and I look at him shocked.
“Well, that is one way,” I tease. “But wait, what if they hear us?” Worry settles on my shoulders. He doesn’t look at me as he answers, trying to keep his emotions in check.
“They won’t, I promise.” Not sure if a promise like that really means anything.
I shrug my shoulders. “If I promise something I mean it,” he groans.
“Oh and by the way, your walls are down, you should keep them up,” he instructs me.
I feel him in my mind as tension rises in my chest. How have they gotten down?
I steady myself and build my mental wall up brick by brick, following him as he pushes the entrance door open and strolls into the dark.
Luckily for us, that was unlocked. I use my signet to hold a small light above my hand that leads us the way.
“Where do you think they keep it?” I whisper as I close the door with a soft thud behind me.
“Probably the office, that is where the king keeps it.”
“So a book?”
He nods his head and I take that as a yes. Little does he know I sometimes have some kind of strange ability or attractions with books. I can feel the tingle rush through me as we walk under the staircase and open the first door.
“I think I can find it,” I whisper shy, nervous about sharing my strange ability. We open another door.
A bathroom.
My heart pounds fast and I look around, scanning the room.
I tiptoe into another direction and my heartbeat fills my ears.
As a direction my heartbeat leads me into another room.
I open the door with my free hand. Before I can see what room I am standing in, the light above my hand spreads into little lights that fly fast into the room.
The office.
I step inside and my heart beats so loud that I can’t hear anything else. Without looking where Braxton is, I follow my lights.
The lights float towards a light oak bookcase, behind a desk. They gather around a book hidden behind another tray of books. It shines so bright I almost can’t look at it. I take the black book out of the case and flip through the pages.
There it is, on the first page.
Gwen, her parents’ will and inheritance.
Well thank you, dear power and signet inside off me for making this easy for me.
My eyes wide as I read the inheritance they will leave Gwen behind with.
“Braxton, I found it,” I squeak out. I can feel him coming closer. Every hair on my body standing up straight as I feel his energy reach me.
“Why don’t you sound glad?” he huffs out. His footsteps fill my ears, and his warmth strokes my thighs. I turn around facing him.
“Gwen isn’t their real daughter.” I swallow, and I turn around, looking into his eyes who are more busy with following the sparkles that come out of the book than looking at my face.
“They decided to not leave her anything.”
We walk outside, my throat still thick and dry as we pace over the cobblestone pathways through the village again. I carry the papers out of the book in my backpack, not sure what he is going to do with it. My eyes scan the time on a big clock on the square.
2 a.m.
How is that possible? We must have been at least busy for four hours. We could not have walked this far and that much in only two hours. I look at Braxton. His eyes are bloodshot, and I watch him as he tries to hide a yawn. Maybe throwing that rock cost more energy than I thought it would?
“Why did the book light up, Eliane? Why did you sense it? I saw in your eyes that you felt an attraction to it.”
This time I freeze my shoulders.
“I don’t know,” I answer truthfully. “I think it is a side effect of my magic. My magic always leads me the way.”
He nods his head, while he puts his hand on my shoulder. I look at his hand as I relax under his touch. The warmth of his fingers fighting the shiver that is about to run over me.
He doesn’t ask further, but keeps his hands on my shoulders for a bit longer.
I don’t correct him.
We stroll toward a horse and carriage. The man standing next to the horse extends his hand. I assume he wants money.
“Oh sorry, sir, we don’t have anything on us,” I apologize, smiling politely.
He turns around and steps towards other people.
How come it is this busy out here this late?
Everybody must be night owls. Just like Braxton.
I stroll towards the brown horse, petting it on its soft nose, before making amends to walk away.
But Braxton stops the man and pushes something in his hand.
I watch the old man, his eyes lighting up, signaling to us to get in.
“To the coast off Koteld at the end of Ilanos, where we can get transport to Taploz.” My eyes wide as I look at Braxton. He opens the carriage, but I just stand there—frozen as I watch him do these things so smoothly.
“Well.” He gestures to me to get in. “Ladies first,” he groans. I shake my head and a chuckle escapes my throat.
“Well thank you, gentleman.” I plop down on the red couch in the carriage, and Braxton doesn’t even get the chance to sit down, because the horse already starts to trot away.
“Don’t get the wrong impression of me, Honey. I am not a gentleman or the type of man a girl like you wants,” he groans as he sits down.
“Who said I want you? I hate you, remember?” I tease, pushing my shoulder teasingly against his. A shiver runs over me as our bodies touch. The left corner of his mouth lifts up and a warm feeling fills my chest. He doesn’t move away from my touch.
We don’t talk for the rest of the ride, nor do any of us move away from our shoulder brushing against each other.
A beautiful harbor comes into view, and I push my hands on the glass off the carriage like a little child.
It must have been an hour ride, but because of me staring outside at all the different landscapes it felt like a minute.
People walk around as loads get loaded off ships and strong men carry wooden boxes around.
There are people walking here and there and I can’t even imagine what this place would look like during the daytime.
My eyes wide and I can’t help the smile appearing on my face.
The carriage stops and the man opens the door.
I jump out and look everywhere. I spin around widening my arms as I scan the place amazed.
Cobble stones cover the streets and houses in a funny pattern and aside the streets are wooden lanterns into a pad towards the harbor.
My feet drag me towards the water. There must be at least eight moorings and three ships at this moment.
“Do you like it?”
Braxton appears next to me. I watch him with a smile from ear to ear. He puts his hands in his pockets as he frowns.
“Are you crazy!” I cheer. “This is better than I could have imagined. I love it.” Something is stuck in my throat, as I realize I have been kept away from all of this for eighteen years. Braxton’s face softens as he reaches for my hand.
“You should feel the water. It is great, different, maybe some would even call it magical.” He shrugs, fidgeting his hands, the slightest blush appearing on his cheeks.
Is he nervous? I nod enthusiastically, following him towards the water.
He unties his shoes as he steps into the soft sand of the beach next to a mooring.
I kick off my shoes. My feet feel the warm sand between my toes.
I look down at my wiggling feet. I have never been to a beach, felt sand like this.
I throw my arms in the air and run towards the sea.
“Woohoo!” I cheer sprinting forwards. As I run, I throw my clothes off and before I know it my feet enter the cold water.
I hesitate for a minute, standing in only my undergarment.
As the sea splashes over my feet I run in, splashing the sea up with my hands.
I sit down and use my signet, letting the water around my hands light up, making it able for me to see under water and heat the water up.
My hair is drenched as it lays on my shoulder. I turn around to see Braxton standing there with only his feet in the water. He smiles, but I catch him clenching his jaw.
His white teeth blink in the moonlight as he watches me carefully.
He smiles and his dimples look down at me.
His shirt is off, but he doesn’t get in.
If it weren’t for the tension in his shoulders I would say he couldn’t be more handsome.
I can feel him in my mind, and he can probably hear me think but I don’t care.
His blue eyes shine brighter with the white moonlight on it and for a second, I am sad that I control the sun instead of the moon.
A shiver rolls over me and the blush has already reached my cheeks.
I’m glad that it is dark so he can’t see it.
I watch him as he moves towards me. He doesn’t get in.
His shoulders are stiff, but I don’t push.
At once, I feel really naked compared to him. He is standing there, half clothed while I lay in the water almost naked. Goosebumps appear on my skin. He rubs his finger on his forehead as he holds our eye contact.
“Do you want me to turn around?” he coughs out, and I would swear he sounds nervous. He must see me swallow and bite my tongue to hold the answer in because he turns around and flies the clothing towards me as I step out.
“Thank you, Brax,” I murmur softly. I thought he didn’t hear it, but I was wrong.
“You’re the one I should thank,” he whispers. I turn to him, but he is already walking towards the mooring again. How are we going to go to Taploz anyway? I almost forgot about the trials. I pull my shirt over my head and attach my fighting leathers, bolting after him.
“Wait for me!”
I tap my foot and bite my fingernails as Braxton paces in circles. My breath is stuck in my throat as panic rises. No, not now. How are we going to get to the other side? The boat will take too long.
“I am going to teleport us,” Braxton hisses. My jaw drops and my eyes wide. What?
“How are you going to do that?” I ask surprised. He gives me a cocky grin, raises his hand and lifts me off the ground. “Put me down,” I yell in a command. “How do you do that?”
“I am a tele,” he answers, looking at the ground, like that should explain it.
“I know you are a tele, but I didn’t know you were that kind of a tele?” I snap. He gives me this cocky grin again, but looks frustrated.
“That is because I don’t want anybody to know,” he hisses.
Before I can think of a way to respond to that, he grasps my hand from behind my back.
Power tingles through my body and I press my eyes close hard.
Everything goes white. Light flashes from everywhere.
And don’t forget I am the light wielder, but it isn’t me who does this.
Time and space collapse and everything comes together.
When I open my eyes, I am on the island.
Braxton has teleported us all the way to Taploz.