"Victoria, Victoria..." a voice called in the back of my mind. My vision blurred in and out. It was hard to focus. Images conjured in my mind of a dagger and a man making a cut in the palm of his hand. "You are not going to escape from me. You cannot run from me. Your blood calls to mine, even if you don't realise it." I could sense the smirk on his lips.
"Who are you?" I questioned impatiently. I knew exactly who he was, he was the boy with the tattoo. I could recognise that voice anywhere.
"All in good time." The voice paused. "We shall see each other soon. I will make sure of it."
"How can you get access to my thoughts?" Only one other person had done such a thing to me and he was dead. "Why do you want to find me?"
I felt myself begin to be pulled into a third world. I tried so hard to resist being pulled away but a force so powerful and strange had totally overpowered me. I was no longer in the forest but neither was I in the dark castle of the tattooed boy. It was somewhere else and it took me a second to realise where he had teleported us too.
My eyes drifted from the wooden beams to the crackling fire. I could almost taste the crisp fresh air. Through the large glass windows the scenery, beautiful and serene, quiet, and cool. I look around the cabin that held some of my best childhood memories.
As my eyes fell on the handsome boy that had haunted me for so long, I forgot to breathe. "How...how did you summon me? I could not. I just couldn't resist the call." He ignored my question.
"My, my you have been getting into a lot of trouble haven't you." A menacing voice brought me back to reality. He sat with his feet on the table. His arms folded over his chest and his smile mocking. "I really don't approve of your reckless behaviour."
"Excuse me?" I glared at him. As the seconds pass the fire grows quieter and quieter.
"Don't you wish to be near your saviour?" he questioned gesturing to the seat beside him.
"My- what?" I choked on the words. I save myself, always. I do not need saving and especially from a man.
I watched as the agitation spark in him. "You honestly don't think you survived all those reckless adventures by chance do you?" There had been once or twice an interference from someone. Yes, I had suspected it to be him but I never actually believed it.
"What do you want?" I asked. I do not know what I had expected him to say but his answer left me in absolute horror.
"YOU." I hitched a breath. What did he mean by that? "The chase shall soon be over, when my men find you..."
"They won't," I hissed.
"Oh really?" He found my defiance annoying but at the same time amusing.
"I don't know who you are but I have no intention of giving you whatever you want," I argued. I could feel the waves of anger and power radiate off him. He was too powerful.
"You don't understand," he muttered, irritated. "There is so much you don't understand, yet." He stood up and walked slowly over towards me. I suddenly wanted to put a large amount of space between us. "You spent some time here didn't you?" He stared around the cabin which had been my orphanage with a tinge of admiration.
I took five steps backwards but hit the wall. He smirked at me with those deep eyes of his. He was unmistakably handsome. He caged me in with both hands on the wall. "You were taken away from me when you were a baby. They have hidden you from me all these years." His hateful glare was a horrid sight. "I will kill them all."
Who was he talking about? What he was talking about? I had been so distracted by those eyes and I wanted to attack him but I knew it would only make things far worse. I was terrified, not that I would ever admit it. "Are you sizing me up? I am not very good when I am in battle mode. Believe me. Besides, we both know that you are still learning how to use your powers since you were denied your birthright by those leeches."
"Who are you even talking about?" I investigated. I could feel his hot breath brush my exposed skin. I could not push my way past this muscle-wall, neither could I cast a charm that would overpower him. He was a powerhouse. A gorgeous powerhouse.
"All in good time, I look forward to seeing you again. I will do so soon and in person this time. I am coming."
I opened my eyes as if I had been in some dream. I was back in the forest. My eyes were blurry at first but they soon adjusted to the light. "Who are you talking to?" Bayard stared at me.
The darkest and most powerful warlock I had ever encountered in my life.
"Bayard, we need to get out of here and now. Before it is too late."
Chapter Twenty-six- The jewel of Destruction
I shook my head to clear the grogginess. I had never in my entire existence felt such a power. I had not even felt that overwhelming dangerous feeling around the Fae Queen, Eris, or the serpent. There was not even a comparison.
He was handsome with golden locks and bright captivating eyes. He looked like summer, with a face like spring, a wicked smile like autumn and a heart like winter. There was a dark energy surrounding him from every angle. His eyes seemed to flash and glitter simultaneously changing with his thoughts or emotions. There was some sort of bloodlust in those eyes, seething and burning like fire.
I never knew darkness could be so beautiful.
I went charging down the hill. Breathless, I carry on. My mind wanders from the stranger to the danger. I find them towards the edge of the long grass. To my surprise Leonardo was not there. Nor was Theo.
"Gold can't buy you happiness." I heard Cam arguing with Josephine in the distance.
"Whoever says 'gold can't buy happiness', didn't know what to buy." Josephine replied with a smirk. I slowly pushed my way past Theo's men, getting closer to Cam and Josephine.
"Well, maybe someday you could teach me. Afterall, the first rule about gold is that you never use your own." Cam suggested playfully.
"Cam!" I blurt out breathlessly. "Where is Leonardo?"
"Oh right, the Leonardo who has been ignoring you all day, Leonardo who has risked his life repeatedly to save you. The prince who would basically do anything for you..." Cam paused. I could not help but notice Josephine's glare and her nails digging into her dress. "That prince?"
"Cam, I don't have time for this." I told him impatiently. "Where is he?"
"He and Theo went to take a look at the tree." He sighed defeatedly. I turned on my heel and began striding to where Cam had gestured to. On and on, I continue trudging.
I followed the footprints of both Theo and Leonardo to the edge of the humongous tree. I pulled on the branch once I noticed the peculiar engraving hidden between the blossom. Suddenly there was a crack and a side door opened. I looked down the dark passage and not a flicker of light flooded from the tunnel but I decided to make my way into it anyway. "Stay close Bayard." I whispered as he perched on my shoulder. His talons dug into my collarbone.
Fear truly has no age, no gender, and no form. It takes over everyone and everything...
Just like darkness.
The old cobblestones reminded me of home. Of course I was not home, not even a place like it. I walked into the tunnel and after only a few steps I heard a voice.
"LEILA! What is this place?" Cam raced towards me with none other than Josephine closely behind.
"I am not sure. It is a passage of some sort."
"Are you sure this place is uncontaminated? It looks questionable to me." Josephine whined and I ignored her comment. Is she seriously concerned about the hygiene of a tunnel we are trapped in right now? That is what she is concerned about?!
"Leonardo and Theo passed through here." I turned to face them.
"Well, I am sure they are fine. Let us get out of here." Josephine visibly shivered and trembled at the darkness ahead. She stumbled backwards and there was a click as a switch was triggered.
"NO!" Cam called but it was too late. The exit closed and light fire torches led the way.
We were trapped in a maze like rats, the only difference was the "cheese" was our lives.
"We won't be getting out that way." I muttered.
&nbs
p; "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Josephine shouted at me in a panic ridden voice. She carried on accusing me and I could just overhead Cam defending me but their voices eventually blurred out completely.
The boy with the dragon tattoo, he was coming and we needed to move or we would all meet our ends.
I moved forward, taking long strides. Step after step. Drifting further and further from where we came. The sound of running water and my footsteps blurred into one.
I reached a door. The door was made of solid wood and engraved with a swirling symbol.
I recognised the symbol. I recognised it but from where. How? I felt like I knew it but I didn't. It was like having a piece of a puzzle but not the rest. I could not quite explain it. But nowadays, everything seems to mix. It is like I have lost memories. It was like someone had been tampering with my mind.
"Leila, can you slow down." Cam sighed.
"Someone wants to die quickly..." Josephine muttered under her breath.
"We aren't going to die!" Cam argued for the hundredth time.
"We are a maid, noble and a...a," Josephine paused in thought. "What are you anyway?" She said with a tinge of disgust and confusion.
I place my hand on the symbol and run my fingers along the smooth engraving of the wood. The wood began to flash a glamorous gold and followed the route of my finger. I traced along the sharp and then curved edges until the entire symbol was set as a light.
I stood in awe until the door opened. I gulped and pushed it open, slowly. A circular room built clearly from the inside of the hollow ancient trunk. The room was dim but there was a grey light coming from the darkness. Magic.
Bayard swooped across the room and landed on the edge of the staircase rail.
I stepped inside marveling at the wide, open empty space in the centre of the room. Whereas around the edges was lavish furnishings. Silk, hand carved sofas, paintings on the walls, candelabras, grandfather clocks, instruments; not to mention a long, grand mahogany table. It was a glorious hotchpotch of cultures. Mountains upon mountains of artifacts, there was everything from ancient fae crystals to mystical mermaids tridents. There were warlock wands and goblins gold, all of them covered in a fine layer of dust. Every object was clearly cherished, kept safely intact and in all its glory. It was a dangerous pool of swirling midnight blue, flashing gold and moonlight silver. Sometimes the colours balanced, other zones drowned you in darkness or blinded you with its breathtaking beauty. The walls were a mixture of solid gold and dark ash-black wood.
Josephine shoved past me making her way to a rose-red sofa."FINALLY!" She flung both of her ballerinas off and threw herself down onto the soft sofa as if she had not sat in centuries. I watched as the plush, lush cushions moulded into her body. "Who lives here?"
"I don't know and I don't want to hang around to find out." I sighed.
"What about the jewel?" Cam asked.
"There has been a change of plans, we need to find Leonardo and Theo as soon as possible. Then we need to get out of here." I ordered. Thinking back to the dark, handsome powerhouse that had cornered me.
"Leila," Cam whispered. "I realise this may not be the right time but we really need to talk about your emotional constipation." Was Cam a therapist all the sudden?
"My what?" I stared at him in disbelief.
"Look, do not do that thing where you roll your eyes and pretend to not know what I am talking about." he sighed agitatedly -before I even realized what I was doing- I rolled my eyes.
"I don't know what you are talking about." I sighed, hoping he had not seen my last movement.
"Leonardo and you are both hopeless." He crossed his arms. "You can't deny your feelings forever." He said in a hushed voice, clearly hoping that the noisy drama queen did not overhear.
"Cam, this is neither the time or place." I growled. A noticeable blush blurred into my cheeks.
"It is never the time or the place but you do realise every second we are out here, we are risking our lives...you might not get another chance." He countered.
"Another chance at what? Me and Leonardo are simply allies. That is what we are and what we will always be." I said defensively.
"Leila, denial is like trying to stop an arrow. You can only avoid so many times and eventually it hits its target. The longer the wait the more suffering. Don't put it off."
I could not listen to another word. Cam was being ridiculous. I was a servant. I was of inferior birth and society knew it too. Society was nothing but the lost ashes of the grand fire, whereas Leonardo was the mightest and brightest flame.
"We need to look for them. Can you take that left wing and see if you can find Theo or Leonardo." I paused. "You just sit pretty and stay there." I ordered Josephine.
"I am not a dog. You can't just tell me to sit and stay!" She complained.
"Would you prefer to investigate dark rooms alone?" I investigated. She immediately cowered in fear.
I did not think so.
I strode away triumphant towards one of the doors on the other side of the room. I jolted it open and that is when I saw the dark silhouette standing there.
I hated seeing him like this. His deep blue eyes hardly had a spark in them. He did not need to acknowledge me approaching him or even standing next to him. He just kept his stare into the distance. "Leonardo," I began. "Where were you?"
"When you vanished...with the bird. We went to look for you. Theo and I stumbled across this place..." He said quietly. I could sense the thoughts, his thoughts going around and around.
"Josephine and Cam are in the main room... come and..."
"Close the door." He ordered.
"What?" I asked. We did not have time for this.
"Close the door."
"Leonardo, we need to move..."
"Close the goddamn door!" His voice raised this time. There was a demanding authority behind it and I had no choice but to obey.
I closed the door, leaving only me and him, alone. One of my personal nightmares and hells. Not because of him, but because I feared what he would say or confess. "Leila, tell me the truth. Tell me..."
"Tell you what?" I stared at him confused.
"Tell me everything."
"I don't have to tell you anything." I barked.
"I demand to know." he repeated, turning to look at me this time.
"You demand?" I open my mouth in disgust. "You think i am going to tell you anything you want because you demand?!" I pause in shock. "Of course, I am forgetting you are a prince. For you, all floors are marble, what else would they be? All stair rails are ornate mahogany, carved and polished so it shines. Furniture is handmade by expert craftsmen. Family portraits are oil and hung in solid gold frames. I bet you have never seen dust in your nineteen years." I paused furious. "I bet you have never even seen a kitchen, why bother when you have servants who serve the most mouth-watering delicacies right on time? Why bother when everyone takes orders or does exactly what you ask of them?" I take a deep breath of air. "Well if you think that is what I am going to do..."
"You are going to tell me." He cut me off.
"Wow, that crown definitely got to your head. I will certainly not." I spat. "You think that because you are a prince, you can order me around!"
"No. I am ordering you to tell me because I care about you deeply." I could feel the weight of his words hover in the air.
What did he just say?
I was a servant. He cannot care about me. My life was worth next to nothing.
A thought floated in my mind, 'in what way did he care?'
Stop it, Leila. Do not think like that.
"Leila," He whispers under his heavy breaths.
"Leonardo, I-I." I said stepping back. My feet scrambling to put as much distance between us as possible.
"No, I need to get this out." He interrupted me. It feels like years since his last words but it has been less than a second.
"Leila, you are the most reckless person I have ever met. You are stubborn and frustrating. You have no
regard for the rules or the laws. You do not ever acknowledge our rank or difference. You say what you think when you think about it. You do what you please and you do not care what the consequences are. You have insulted me, put me in danger and put yourself in danger." he paused. "Only the angel knows how many times I have tried to avoid you. But every time I try you end up in danger. Then I have to go save you again...and-"
"Sorry that my life being in the balance is such an inconvenience." I snapped.
The Golden Year and the Sorceress Page 23
