Emerald Mountains (The Dream Traveler Series Book 2)

by Nicole Knight

  I took a moment to spare a glance as I heard a single scream and a lot of crying. Before the next creature attacked me, I saw Kennan with his arm around a magic worker’s neck. Her back was to his stomach, and he had his other hand over her heart. A glittering gold smoke rose from her mouth and from her chest to his hand.

  A shiver ran up my spine; he was stealing her magic. He was going to do that to all of the people in the cages. We had the same goal, to gain more power to defeat the other, but a completely different way of achieving it.

  I needed to make quick work of these rock creatures so I could save the magic-workers.

  I looked back just as I was being attacked by two stone creatures. One was going for my leg, and the other was trying to attack my left side. I swung the sledgehammer around and took out the one that was now latching onto my upper left arm. The hammer made contact with the back half of the creature, which crumbled where it was hit. The front half was still intact, but it let go of my arm when it cried out in pain. It fell to the floor where I put it out of its misery with another blow. I turned my attention to the one hanging onto my leg.

  I used my momentum and lifted my leg into the air as I brought the hammer around and knocked it off my leg. It exploded to dust in the air.

  It would take forever to kill all of these, and Kennan would make quick work of the magic-workers by then. What can stop rock? Fire wouldn’t do it, neither would water. However, ice may do the trick to slow them down.

  I called to my magic again and created a wall of water that crashed down on the creatures. I then froze it, trapping the rock creatures in the ice. I could see them trying to force their way out, so they weren’t down and out forever, but it bought me enough time to take on Kennan.

  I turned to him as the magic-worker he had been stealing from dropped to the ground lifeless. I rushed at him with balls of fire in my hands, sending them his way. He easily deflected them, but I had his attention now. During the last trial, I learned that I can multitask with my magic, splitting my concentration between different actions.

  So while I focused mainly on Kennan, part of my attention was focused on the cages holding in the magic workers. I searched for a weakness or a way to open the cages. My magic swirled around the cage, searching, then it found what I was looking for.

  There was a lock that would open the enclosures. I caught sight of the key hanging around Kennan’s neck, and new that wasn’t an option unless I defeated him.

  I forced more magic into the lock, causing it to force the lock open. I heard it clanging around inside the lock, and within seconds I heard the spring in the lock release and the door to the cage open.

  The magic-workers ran from the cage and started helping the others, while I diverted my attention back to Kennan. He was circling me now, and I regretted paying so much attention to the magic-workers’ escape, as I had let Kennan have an advantage.

  I turned my attention back to him as he was charging me with both a sword and a ball of fire. I hit the ball of fire with a shot of ice, and the collision of the elements caused a sizzling sound. I ducked the swing of his sword as I called my own to my hand. As I straightened up from my backward leaning position, I brought my sword forward.

  So it appears that even though we both have magic, this will come down to the better swordsman, or woman. I peeked a glance as Kennan took a few steps in retreat and saw the rest of the magic workers were freed, and they ran off in different directions. I sent multiple balls of light to lead them out of the dark.

  Kennan was charging me full speed ahead, with his sword at the ready. I took a step forward to meet him and positioned myself on the balls of my toes. When his sword was close enough, I blocked it with my own and jumped up to place a kick on Kennan’s chest.

  He had his other non-sword hand out, and I didn’t see what he did in time.

  When I landed from my kick, there was a solid sheet of ice under me. Instead of landing on my feet in a fighting position like I had practiced so many times, my feet slid out from under me. My back and then my head hit the ice, and I saw stars.

  I was trying to recover, but Kennan got up first. He approached me with his sword in hand, and he looked awfully smug.

  “Well, well, it looks like you are a failure after all,” he told me with a sneer.

  “Is that so?” I asked him to keep him distracted.

  Kennan might be good at manipulating and terrorizing, but he is not intelligent, and I would play on that.

  Killing him wouldn’t do, though. It may let me pass, but that was like getting a C on a test. I needed to take from him what he stole and return it. My instincts told me that’s what I would need to pass this test with an A.

  I do not want to misuse the magic gifted to me, and if it’s not mine to keep after this is over, then so be it, I can accept that. Taking from Kennan and giving back to those deserving is what has to happen.

  So I purposefully put myself in a vulnerable position, praying that I haven’t underestimated him, and didn’t fail this test because I overshot it.

  Kennan stepped over me, and the ice didn’t faze him, even though I could still feel it cold against my back. Each of his feet helped trap me under his gaze from their placement next to my hips, but then he lowered himself, and he was on his knees bent over me. I could see the predatory look in his eyes. He wanted what I denied him in Arlington, and that would hopefully be his downfall.

  He leaned over me and continued to try to get the last word before he ended this.

  “You know, all you had to do was say yes, and none of this ever would have happened,” he told me.

  I could hear the violent and angry undertones in his voice, and I could see the hate gloss over his eyes. I don’t think he saw me as I lie here, but was watching himself either have his way with me or kill me. Both options were not ok with me.

  Suddenly the faraway look cleared from his eyes, and he was back, and he no longer has that controlled anger; it is just hate.

  He brought his sword down to my neck and rested it there, but he would not kill me, as that would not draw out the torture as he liked to do. I’ve known Kennan and observed him for years while I was invisible. Knowing he was my cousin was the part that unsettled me.

  We share blood, yet he pursues me to take what I have and humiliate me.

  He won’t kill me yet. He wants everything I have, including my magic. He is more likely to try to steal my magic than kill me outright, which brought me back to the present.

  “You’re right. I could have said yes, but don’t act like anything would have been different. You know I would never let you silently rule my Kingdom and use me like a puppet. You would still try to kill me to get out of the pretend marriage, and you would have no resistance.

  He smiled in acknowledgment, letting me know that I was right.

  Kennan had gotten closer to me while I talked; his knees had moved closer to my face. My hands were now blocked from his view by his body.

  I sent my magic to my hand, hoping that it would do precisely what I need. It was a stretch to expect this, but thinking outside of the box had helped me so far.

  Keenan leaned further forward, and his mouth was directly in my face. I turned my face to the side and felt his breath against my cheek.

  I pulled my arm closer to my chest, which was still out of his view because of his body. I then reached up and grabbed his chest with my hand, and my magic answered my call.

  Kennan was startled, and he suddenly sat up. His hand let go of the blade at my neck, and that was his dire mistake. The edge had turned and gave me a surface cut, but it would heal.

  The blade fell to the side and clanged to the ground. I latched onto Kennan’s chest with my hand as he tried to pull away. I grabbed his throat with my other hand, and he reached for mine. I threw myself at him and landed on top of him.

  I used my body weight to apply more pressure around his neck to cut off his air supply and further focused on my magic. My hand was shimmering.
r />   While Kennan was also cutting off my air supply, I was stealing his magic, like he did from the magic-worker who still lay on the ground motionless.

  While my vision turned dark because Kennan had a stronger hold on my throat, I could feel the magic leaving him and transferring to me. It fueled me and kept me going. I lifted his head off the ground with my other hand still on his neck and then slammed it back down, and he was knocked out cold. His hand dropped from my throat, and I took a deep breath.

  I could feel the blood running down from my neck and to my chest. But it was a reminder that I had won, and I would wear it proudly.

  When Kennan had no more magic, which I suspect he may have been born with, I walked over to the woman on the ground. I placed my hand on her chest and let her magic return to her. It gladly left my hand and traveled into her chest. After a moment, her color returned, and she began breathing again. I sat back on my butt in a sigh of relief. She looked at me in shock, unable to formulate words.

  Just then, a red smoke circled around me, getting thicker and thicker. When there was so much red smoke around me that I could not see, I felt a jolt and felt green grass beneath my hands. When the smoke cleared, I was back in the Emerald Mountain cave, looking at the face in the wall.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

  "I'm not quite sure how again, you proceed to pass with flying colors," the face said as a greeting.

  "I'm not sure," I answered with a smile. "Maybe, I am really focused on fulfilling my destiny."

  "Right," the wall answered skeptically.

  I always listened to my instinct and my moral compass. That's how I made it through these trials so far.

  "I feel we both know the answer. I hope that it serves you well in the next test," the emerald face said.

  "Me too," I responded.

  "Are you ready for your second gift?" the face asked.

  "I am. Thank you," I said as I switched to my knees. I looked down in a sign of respect.

  I suppose most Queens don't get on their knees for anyone, especially someone who isn't a living and breathing person. Yet here I am, trying to be humble and thankful for the Emerald Mountain's gifts. I would need these new abilities in my fight to come.

  I felt what I could only describe as a lightning bolt strike me. The current traveled from my head to my toes. I immediately leaned forward in pain, as the current continued to move through my body. This was way stronger than anything the magic-worker protecting Eduard had hit me with.

  After agonizing moments the pain receded, and I had to fight to breathe. The red smoke that surrounded me at the end of the second trial was now dispersing from around me again.

  I didn't feel much different as I took stock of my body. My neck had been healed, and my vision and hearing were much improved, but I did feel one more thing that didn't quite feel right.

  Along my spine, I felt this red hot tingling sensation. What it was, I wasn't sure, this gift I would have to check out at a later time.

  "This will be your final trial," the face told me.

  "Any words of wisdom?" I asked?

  "No," he grumpily told me as a yellow smoke filled my senses.

  When the yellow smoke left, I was in my third and last trial, and it was absolute chaos. It was something I wasn't ready for so soon. It took me a bit to recover from the previous time I saw this.

  It was the final battle. It is what Venia told me could happen, but I held power to change.

  I had an aerial view of the fighting below, as I descended into the madness. Tate had the wolves and dragons fighting on their side. The dragons were chaos all on their own as they incinerated any and everything they flew over. They flew low in formations, just burning buildings, trees, and war equipment. Of course, anyone in their path was met with instant firey death.

  My feet touched the ground, and I took off. I had to stop this from happening. This is another practice round, another gift. I have to nail this. If I can change the consequences here, I know I can do it in real life.

  So much hangs in the balance.

  I'm still unclear about what happens in the real world because of these trials. Will my family or the trapt magic workers have any recollection of what happened, or is this all just in my head? If I let them die here, would they be affected in real life? I wish I had thought to get clarification from the emerald face.

  He probably would have ignored the question with indifference. If I knew, would it affect how I performed in these trials?

  It could have.

  I ran to the front lines, jumping over dead bodies, falling trees, small fires, and other hazards. I was running as hard as I could and pumping my arms.

  I probably looked like I was competing for a gold medal in a track event at the Olympics.

  I made it to the front line as my loved ones fell around me, with the same wounds I saw in my vision from Venia.

  I felt the soul-crushing feeling in my gut telling me that Axel was gone. It didn't feel any better the second time. I had to hope this wouldn't affect him in the real world, and that this is all in my head.

  Please, Venia, let this all be in my head.

  I had to put that behind me. I couldn't let this be permanent.

  I again wondered how much Victoria had to sacrifice to fulfill her part of the prophecy. I had a feeling this wasn't supposed to be a competition, but I was the winner here, and I would have to give up more.

  I searched around for the source of the destruction. I saw him on the back of a dragon; he was higher up in the air, out of harm's way. I saw his form shaking in deep laughter.

  "Kennan, why don't you finish this where it started. You and me? I challenge you to a duel!" I screamed at him.

  My chest heaved with the effort. My vocal cords felt raw, but it was necessary to scream to make sure he heard me.

  His head shifted, and his eyes made contact with mine.

  "Or I could continue to burn what you love to the ground!" he called down to me.

  I'll take that as a no then—what a joke of a man.

  I needed to get up to him, and I was calling on my control of the air when I felt that burning sensation on my spine again.

  It was nudging me to use it, but what was it?

  I pushed my magic to that spot on my spine, and instantly fiery wings sprung from my back in a painful burst.

  Are you kidding me? This is the gift that the Emerald Mountains gave me? My goodness, this goes on the list as one of the best gifts ever!

  Now I needed to learn how to use these things and fast. I began to flap my wings, and they put on a fiery show of flames. Each time the wing moved, the fire moved, and it was mesmerizing.

  I jumped into the air and felt my wings pick up the slack. In large beautiful movements like an eagle, they flapped behind me, and I gained height. I quickly saw I still was not safe in the air.

  Knives, arrows, and different blasts of magic were moving through the air at deadly speeds, trying to hit their opponents on the ground.

  I dodged an arrow, but a ball of fire made contact with my back. Instead of feeling pain, my wings absorbed the hit. Fire loves fire.

  I pumped my wings and navigated as many flying hazards as I could. Kennan was oblivious to my ascent until I was only meters away from him, flying full force from his left side.

  I saw the shock and anger cross his face only seconds before I made contact with his body and launched us both over the dragon's side.

  We were freefalling like a meteor falling to earth.

  We were very high up, but it would take us only seconds to reach the ground. I wouldn't bring back my friends and family in this trial, but I could end this war here and now, even if I went down with the ship too.

  Would I get lucky, and re-spawn like after a death in a video game? How many chances and near-deaths do I get before Venia can't save me?

  As we sped toward the ground, I wrapped my fiery wings around us, and Kennan cried out as the flames touched his skin. He tried to break free from me,
but that wouldn't do him any good if he couldn't fly.

  The dragon he was on didn't change its path to follow us and likely didn't care Kennan was gone. They kept to themselves, and it was a wonder Kennan had convinced them to fight for him at all.

  We were close to the ground when I asked for my magic to come to my aide one last time. I forced it to bubble up in my chest, and it grew scalding hot. I felt like a sun formed inside of my chest. I made my peace with my decision the second that my magic burst from me in a red hot explosion, like a volcano or a supernova.