Escaping El Dorado

by Helen Scott

  I went and sat, snuggling close to my Atlantean. I could feel the love, yes, love, radiating out of him toward me, and yet even that wasn't enough to dispel the confusion that clouded my brain. "Can someone explain, please?" I asked.

  "The Room of Prophecy is one of the bridges between the four worlds. It exists in and out of each world, so theoretically, you can enter it from any world and it would be the same," Niall added. I knew he was trying to clarify, but it just wasn't working.

  "The door in my private suite leads to the Room of Prophecy, as does at least one door in every world. That isn't what's important though. What's important is that my people, the Valkyries, gave the four worlds the murals to distract from other parts of the original prophecy that were coming to light."

  "What do you mean other parts?" I almost stuttered, trying to wrap my head around the fact that the murals I'd been pouring over for months whenever I had an opportunity were just a distraction.

  "Years after the initial prophecy was spoken we had a rash of powerful seers that became High Priestesses, just like I am, and they each had visions that added to the original prophecy."

  "What were they?" Dres asked from my other side having come and sat next to me.

  I reached my hand back to take his while I leaned against Finn, part of me wished Griff was within touching distance as well, and as though I had spoken the request aloud he moved from where he had been sitting to sit on the floor in front of me so his back was resting against my legs. With the three of them touching me I felt more anchored, safer.

  "The prophecy is as follows: Five hearts beating as one, four worlds slowly dying, when water changes color time will grow short, three secrets left untold, when the wind breathes fire the chosen one shall join the people, two souls in need of guidance, when the day is longest a forced marriage shall mark a strengthening of bonds, one Key to save them all, when one becomes many and many become one, a broken heart shall mark an age of tranquility, one Key that's marked by all, when the forest shrinks the chosen one shall bring forth the return of dragons, two bloodthirsty reigns ending, when fire burns blue the chosen one shall risk all, three strange voices drifting, when the blood moon rises the lost heir shall return, four memories altered or missing, five caretakers bless their savior."

  The whole room was silent as we each took in the new information. It was only when I took a shuddering breath that I even realized I hadn't been breathing the whole time Erissa had been talking. After I cleared my throat I asked, "So if the murals were just a distraction, did the comet that was depicted in one of them mean anything?"

  "It only means something in regard to the fact that one of my sisters saw it in her vision. That part of the prophecy wasn't verbalized, unlike the blue fire, blood moon, and water changing color," Erissa said.

  "Why haven't you shared these parts of the prophecy with everyone?" Dres asked.

  "Because we feel they would incite panic. Wind breathing fire, forced marriages, broken hearts, forests shrinking, blue fire, lost heirs... It's all a little much, don't you think? Can you imagine what Ailsa would have done with information like that?"

  I shuddered at the thought. "Nothing good, that's for sure."

  "You should return to the queen and the palace in the morning, show her that you succeeded, and move on. Agartha and El Dorado are as much in need of your help as we were," Erissa said as she stood to leave.

  "Thank you, High Priestess," Niall said. We all murmured some variant of the same sentiment as he got up and walked her to the door.

  Once she had left I took a deep, steadying breath, able to feel like I could think for the first time since I left the infirmary with Dres. Before anyone could say anything more about the prophecy Niall turned and faced us all, his gaze serious and his shoulders squared as though he was ready for battle.

  "I would like to come with you, to Agartha, El Dorado, wherever you go. I want to help, and I owe you more than I can ever repay you for leaving you with Ailsa like that," he said locking eyes with me.

  My immediate thought was yes, I wanted him to come with us, he was another spoke in the wheel and made me feel more stable. Plus, I knew he would never let anything hurt me again, not that the others would either, but Niall had something to prove. Instead of voicing my own opinion since I was just one out of five, I threw the question to the guys. "What does everyone think?"

  "He is my brother, so I don't see why not," Dres said.

  "You've only known him a few weeks," Kai growled. "For all we know he could have been sent by someone to infiltrate our group, or worse to find out what the prophecy actually states, which he just did. I don't understand how you can trust him so easily."

  "Because I've seen inside his head," Dres said, scooting forward from where he was sitting, which was behind me, so that he could make eye contact with Kai. "Niall gave me full access, I can show you if you want, but I know that he's not hiding anything malicious from us."

  "But he is hiding something?" Kai sneered.

  "We're all hiding something, Brother," Dres replied with a knowing look. It made me curious what he was talking about, but I wasn't about to derail the conversation. This was too important to sidetrack just for the sake of an impulse.

  "Finn, Griff, what about you?" Kai demanded as he crossed his arms over his chest.

  "I'm good with it." Griff shrugged.

  "Me too," added Finn.

  "Kai, if this really makes you uncomfortable then we won't do it, but I traveled with Niall for days. He's not a bad guy. What happened to me was a mistake," I said, trying to smooth the situation over.

  "Seems I'm outvoted, so it doesn't really matter, does it?"

  "It matters to me," I said quietly. I tapped Griff on the shoulder and he took the hint, moving so that I could get up and go to Kai. When I was in front of him I held my hand out and was honestly surprised when he took it. I led the two of us into the room I had woken up in and sat on the edge of the bed. "Want to talk about it?"

  "Not really," he grumbled.

  "Kai, what's wrong?" I asked, trying to keep my tone gentle and not sound frustrated with him.

  He remained quiet for a long moment and I started to think he might not answer, but just when I was about to give up he said, "He left you there, even after he knew you were in trouble. Look at what happened to you. You're practically skin and bones. How can I trust someone who would hurt you like that?"

  My heart squeezed in my chest at his words. Whether or not he meant them to sound affectionate I was just happy to hear that he didn't dislike me as much as he did before. "You care," I whispered, a small smile spreading over my face. I didn't want to freak him out by the declaration, but it meant so much to me that I couldn't help but smile.

  He looked up at me with guilty eyes. I expected him to say something, but he didn't. We stared at each other for a moment and I felt like he was trying to tell me something, but this new sensitivity didn't seem to work with him, which I thought was odd. A kind of tension seemed to come to life between us as I waited for him to say something, anything, that would confirm or deny my conclusion.

  Kai moved toward me faster than my eyes could track, his hand coming up and wrapping in my hair as his lips clashed with my own. There was a raw hunger hiding just under the surface, one that spoke of jealousy and the need for acceptance, one that told me what this devil of a man was really feeling. When I reached up and cupped his face it seemed to startle him out of the kiss before it even got chance to get going.

  "You think I care for Niall more than you?" I asked when he withdrew, looking shocked by his own actions.

  "You act like it," he replied, his tone sullen and his eyes downcast.

  "I don't. Yes, Niall and I grew close while we were traveling together, and while I would grieve for him if something happened or be upset if he was hurt it would be nothing compared to how broken I would feel if something happened to you."

  His deep brown eyes flicked up to mine, hesitation shining in their depths.r />
  "It's true. I know we haven't always gotten along, but you mean the world to me. Niall isn't going to change that or replace you. He is a warrior, just like the four of you, and he has a skill set that I think complements yours, and the others, but it complements it, it doesn't make your skill set unnecessary. I meant what I said though. If this is an issue with you, then he doesn't have to come with us. I mean, we don't even know if the queen will let him come with us at this point, and she will make the final call. I just want to know where you stand."

  "He can come if she lets him. I've been replaced too many times in my life, I couldn't take it if you replaced me as well," he said quietly without looking up at me again.

  "I'm never going to do that. No one could ever take your place." I reached out and brushed a hand through his hair. It had grown so much in the past few months that it was past his ears and almost to his shoulders. The silky stands slid against my fingers and I could swear for a moment he leaned into my touch. My heart melted again and I knew that no matter what happened we'd be okay.

  24

  Tessa

  The flight back from Valkyrie was just as exciting as the one there, maybe even more so since I knew that if I fell I at least had my own wings to catch me, not that I really understood how to make them work just yet. We had decided that I should fly with Gale since we didn't want everyone knowing about my new ability. Plus, I wasn't sure I’d be able to make the flight myself. It wasn't just that I had wings either, it was that they were completely black, which was apparently unheard of.

  When we landed the queen was waiting for us since we had sent Henrietta on ahead. I dropped into a quick curtsy before I stood and smiled as the queen gave me a hug. "You were successful?" she asked quietly.

  I nodded. "Is anyone else up here?"

  She shook her head and I rolled my shoulders. I felt my wings flow out of me into existence and saw the queen's eyes go wide. "Black wings..." she whispered.

  "I know. They aren’t usual are they? But I got the stone and everything seemed to go well." I rolled my shoulders once more, pulling my wings back into myself.

  "So is the world stabilized?" Ulrika asked.

  "I don't know, to be honest with you. I've done everything here that I did in Atlantis, but I don't necessarily feel anything change or whatnot. I'm hoping that it's something that will kind of click into place once I get all four stones." I knew I was being brutally candid but I would rather tell her the truth than lie to her. I couldn't do something like that after everything she'd done for me, everything she'd talked to me about to keep me going while we were in the dungeon.

  "Well, I suppose that’s--"

  "Your Majesty," a guard interrupted, seeming to appear out of nowhere. "Vayne Driscoll is here and demanding an audience. He says he refuses to believe you're alive without seeing it himself."

  "Invite family member Driscoll to dine with us. Inform him that I will be down shortly to luncheon and that I'll be bringing the Key with me." Once the guard disappeared she said, "This will shut him up."

  I grinned. I felt irritation flare behind me, but I paid it no mind. The guys didn't understand the relationship that had developed between the queen and me while we were in the dungeons together and I didn't expect them to, but I would always help her in any way I could. To me she was like a favorite aunt or something similar. There was nothing I wouldn't do, so long as it was within my power, to make her life easier, and if that meant having lunch with this Vayne person then so be it.

  When the elevator stopped it was the floor before the meeting rooms where the queen was taking us to lunch with Vayne since I apparently needed to change. The queen wanted me to look badass, not her word, but her general sentiment, when I met him. She pulled out a couple pieces and tossed them at me, before changing herself.

  Ulrika was ever regal, even when she'd been in nothing but a burlap sack. She carried herself with poise and grace. I, on the other hand, felt like an awkward baby flamingo or baby giraffe, where everything was clumsy and I would just about catch myself before I fell over. I pulled on the clothes that she'd passed to me, happy to find that I got pants this time instead of another dress.

  The pants weren't jeans or anything like that, oh no, they were black leggings, gloriously stretchy and comfortable. The side looked like a corset with laces going from my ankles to the waistband with some beautiful black damask material hiding underneath. The top was almost a peasant style at the bottom with some elastic that cinched it around my waist before the material covered my chest in black panels and some sheer black fabric covered my shoulders and upper arms, ending in black leather cuffs that just about hid the bands on my biceps. Once I pulled on the boots as well, I not only looked badass, I felt like it too.

  The guys had gone on ahead, since they didn't need to change as they were already basically in a uniform type of thing, which come to think of it I kind of matched now. As much as I wanted to let Niall be the one to ask the queen, I didn't want to miss an opportunity to speak with her in private.

  "Your Majesty," I started, pausing until she was paying attention. "I wanted to let you know that Niall wants to come with us when we leave for El Dorado. I'm sure he will find the right time to ask you, but I didn't want you to be caught off guard when he did."

  Her face was one of satisfaction, not surprise. "I was wondering when he would decide that. They have figured out that they are brothers, have they not?"

  I nodded, unsure where her thoughts were going.

  "Well, it's about time. They were my sisters’ sons, you see. She bore them due to a relationship my parents forbade, and so had to give them up or be disowned. Diana chose to be disowned and went to live in the country with her lover. She raised them as best as she could, but two twin boys were too much for a woman who came from a life of privilege and wasn't used to having to work, let alone raise children. One, Niall, was given up to another couple who couldn't have children of their own, while Diana kept the other, Dresden. She was particularly skilled at manipulating people's memories, so long as they weren't expecting it, which is why her tricks never worked on our parents. The boys on the other hand? It worked like a charm. Each forgot the other existed. I kept tabs on them as much as I could and was so proud when they joined the origin world Warriors and the Queen's Guard."

  My stomach sank and I felt nauseous. Her sister was dead, and I was ninety percent sure that she didn't know.

  "What's wrong?"

  "Dresden's parents were found dead when we arrived," I whispered.

  The queen stood stock still for a long moment before stumbling over to the desk at the side of the room. "Diana is dead?"

  I nodded and briefly related what had occurred when we first arrived, right up until I woke up in Niall's tent. Before I could say anything else the queen rushed from the room and I heard sounds of her being sick in the attached bathroom. I followed and scooped her hair back, holding it away from her face until she finished. Then the tears started.

  "I'm so sorry," I muttered over and over again as I rubbed her back until she regained her composure.

  "It had to be Ailsa's doing. No one else knew Diana existed, and she only knew because she found some letters the two of us had exchanged when she was first sent away. Please don't tell them, not unless you have to. I don't want them to blame me for the lives they led or their parents' death," Ulrika said with a shake of her head. As I watched, her face hardened and her personality receded. She went into full queen mode, separating her emotions from herself until she could deal with them later.

  As soon as she was recovered enough the two of us walked down to the meeting area. It was opposite the conservatory where I had first met Ailsa, which I thought was funny. Vayne was sitting at the end of the table, while the guys were sitting on each side. They shot me questioning looks, but I merely shook my head as discreetly as I could.

  "Vayne Driscoll. It is good to see a friendly face again after such a long time," Ulrika said as she walked forward, hands o
utstretched to greet the man who had demanded her presence. If I hadn't known, seen with my own eyes, that she'd been crying just a moment ago, then I would have had no idea other than the slight puffiness under her eyes, but no guy was going to notice that.

  "Y-Y-Your Majesty," Vayne stuttered as he stood up and folded into a deep bow. "Forgive me, I thought you were dead." The man was older than I had expected and was the definition of a silver fox if I'd ever seen one. His salt and pepper hair complemented the carefully groomed beard that he had going on, which barely hid the jawline that most men would kill for.

  "As you can see I am not, even though my daughter tried her best to make that statement true."

  "Ailsa was responsible?" he whispered in shock as he stood. If I wasn't mistaken tears shone in his eyes.

  "She was. However, she is being dealt with and her execution is scheduled."

  "But, she's your daughter," he gasped.

  "She is a traitor to the crown, and that is one thing I will not tolerate. I heard about what she did to the people of Hyperborea from Tessa here and a member of the Queen's Guard who risked everything to save me," she said as she gestured to me and then Niall, "sowing seeds of rebellion, trying to force the destruction of Hyperborea, executing people for merely thinking the wrong thing... Is that really the type of realm you wish to live in?"

  "No, of course not, now that you're on the throne once more I can send my troops home. You understand, of course, why I had to speak against your daughter," he said.

  "Of course, and I am so glad that someone was willing to stand up to her. But before I forget, I would like to introduce you formally to Tessa. She is the Key, and these are her warriors," the queen gestured first to me then to everyone at the table.

  "She is the Key?" Vayne asked as he looked me over.

  "If it's any consolation, I can hardly believe it either." I shrugged.