by Olivia Ash
Ozul and Mica exchanged confused glances before shaking their heads.
Ozul said, “That’s been there for as long as I can remember. In fact, longer.”
Sophia’s shoulders slumped. Now what?
“If you can figure out a way to open it,” Mica said, “then you can have whatever is in it.”
“Good luck, though,” Ozul said. “There have been quite a few that have tried. No one’s been able to figure it out.”
The difference between her and everyone else was that she had Ezekiel. And together they could open it. She knew it in her gut. If they couldn’t get the chest opened, then there wouldn’t be a force in the world that could.
She smiled. “I’ll take you up on that. Thank you.”
Both of the wraith brothers nodded and watched as she bounded off toward Ezekiel. He was still sitting with Andreas and Edric, laughing it up and having a good time. She slowed her pace, just to watch them. It filled her heart with joy to see them getting along still, acting like brothers.
Family.
That’s what they all were. And she didn’t want to rush in and take Ezekiel away, ending their fun moment. She stood next to him and waited for the story to be over. When all three of her men turned their attention to her, she smiled. “What’s the joke?”
Andreas chuckled. “Just going over some of the stuff that happened in our past. Reliving the good stuff.”
Sophia nodded. “Zeke, can I borrow you?”
“Sure.” He climbed to his feet and dusted the back of his clothing off before facing her with a smile. “What are we doing?”
She smiled back. “You’ll see.”
He followed her back to the hut and when he stepped through, she pointed to the chest. “Think we can open it?”
His eyes widened and a spark of curiosity lit them, making the green glow brighter. “Damn right we can.”
Sophia laughed. “Okay, let’s get to it.”
Ezekiel lowered himself in front of the chest and cupped his chin with his finger and thumb. His eyes narrowed on the numerous locks. He hummed to himself and hovered a hand over the chest. “Enchantments, traps. Yup. This one will be interesting.”
“Interesting?” Sophia asked. “I’ve never heard of opening a chest being referred to as interesting.”
He chuckled. “Be prepared for anything.”
Taking out a piece of chalk, he started to write numerous symbols in an arc over the first lock and repeated the pattern for the remaining ones. After drawing a half circle over each and another symbol over the top, he laid his hand over them. The symbols started to glow and burn away as though they were never drawn to begin with. Clicks and grinding sounds came from the chest and a whooshing sound from the seal. A strange purple cloud seeped from within the chest and onto the ground. Ezekiel backed up and held an arm out in front of Sophia.
She peeked around his arm to watch a tiny, chubby creature with a long, pointed hat solidify in front of the chest. It hopped up to the top and pulled out a tiny sword and squeaked at them in an angry tone. The creature was unlike any Sophia had seen before. Still, Ezekiel didn’t move. He seemed… cautious of the creature.
“Gnomes,” he said. “Tricky little creatures.”
“How harmful can they really be?” Sophia asked as she wanted to get closer. “As bad as the fairies?”
“Sometimes worse,” Ezekiel said. “They are used to protecting things, like this chest. And they do so with their life. They have razor-sharp teeth and are vicious and quick.”
“Great. So how do we open the chest then?” Sophia asked as the creature started to jump up and down, squeaking like mad and pointing its tiny sword at them. She stepped out from behind Ezekiel and faced the gnome. It took one look at her, made an ‘ehr’ noise, and lowered its sword.
“It’s cute.”
“It is a he, actually,” Ezekiel said.
Sophia mused. “How can you tell?”
“The eyes.” He shifted and she looked at him from over her shoulder. He seemed uncomfortable. She returned her gaze to the gnome. He sheathed his sword and took a seat on the chest. Sophia leaned closer and saw that the creature had eyes the color of amethysts.
“Hello,” she said. “I like your eyes.”
He returned soft squeaks and blushed.
Good. He could understand her. “I need to see what is in this chest. Would you let me do that, please?”
He squeaked and shook his head.
“I promise to return anything we don’t need. I’m looking for the heirs to Nighthelm, and if there is something in this chest that can help,” she pointed to it, “I will forever be grateful.”
He seemed to think about it for a moment then shifted his gaze from Sophia to Ezekiel. He pointed and squeaked in quick succession, gesturing with his hands. She took it that he wouldn’t let her in the chest until he left the room. She smiled and looked over her shoulder. “Would you mind leaving the hut for just a few minutes?”
His eyes grew wide and he gaped at her. “Fine. Just be careful.”
She nodded and once he left, she faced the gnome again. “How about it, good sir? Can I see now?”
He hopped off the chest and sat next to Sophia. He yawned and closed his eyes. She smiled and opened the lid of the chest. Inside there were a number of trinkets and cloths. Under those were a map, scroll, and a diary. Sophia looked inside and couldn’t make heads or tails of what the words said. It must have been in a different language.
She smiled. Good thing she had a sorcerer bookworm on her side. Closing the chest, she stood and quietly walked out of the hut.
SOPHIA
Ezekiel was over the moon about the diary and map. He, Sophia, Edric, and Andreas spread the map on the floor of their hut and after studying it thoroughly, Edric and Ezekiel pointed out a location that was previously hidden and thought lost since the gods went to sleep.
Haris stomped around outside the hut. Sophia had released him to let him roam and get some exercise and to be in the woods he loved so much.
“Legend has it, nymph deities reside there,” Ezekiel said, pointing to the location on the map.
“Nymphs?” Sophia asked.
He nodded. “They are demi-gods of the woods, and though lesser than the oracles, they are magical and timeless. Aware of so much more than man.”
To hear him speak of them, it was like a precious gift and a dream come true for him. He ate this stuff up. Sophia thought she may never get over the childlike wonder he had with learning new things and jotting his observations down in his book.
“So, with the possibility of them still being there, I may be able to get some answers from them on the heirs,” Sophia said.
“The question is would they share their knowledge? Not much is known about them beyond small paragraphs here and there. It was assumed they left the world or went into some sort of deep sleep along with the gods.”
She hoped they would, and if they didn’t, she would have to persuade them. Afterall, she was running out of options, and anything that could possibly lead her to the heirs was a clue worth following. “Any idea how to get there?”
Edric said, “It looks like the road there has been long overgrown. It would be a difficult trek, but we could probably make it there within a day.”
“Hold on,” Ezekiel said. He pointed to a part in the book. “According to this, the nymphs can be very distrusting of strangers, and secretive. Locating them may take some work. We may have to prove ourselves before they grant us permission to their secrets.”
Andreas said, “Which probably means information on the heirs. And let’s not forget that grimms live in those woods and are still very determined to kill her.”
“We’ll just have to take that risk,” Sophia said. “I can’t risk not following a potential clue to the heirs.”
“And I can do some research and see how we can mask her scent to keep the grimms off us for as long as possible,” Ezekiel said.
“Then it’s settled
,” Edric said, wrapping up the map and handing it over to Ezekiel. “The only thing left to do is decide when to leave.”
Ezekiel said, “I’ll need two days to find materials and ingredients and prepare for masking our scent.”
Sophia nodded. “Two days it is. Edric and Andreas, please set up the watch and inform those who need to know of the plan so that they are prepared to protect the village while we are gone. I’m going to go talk with Haris and spend some time with him. He’s not going to be happy about our decision.”
“He’s probably just getting weary of the constant danger,” Andreas said. “I’m sure he would love some time with you. May help ease his mind.”
She nodded. “He’ll do anything to keep me safe. I think that’s what worries him the most. My safety.”
The men agreed, and she stood and went to find Haris while Ezekiel went to work on deciphering more of the map and getting prepared for keeping the grimms off their backs as much as possible.
Chapter Three
Ezekiel
Ezekiel sat near the fire, scribbling down his findings regarding the map in his book. He heard a melodic laugh, and his attention was drawn to Sophia at the edge of the village, behind the huts, petting Haris as his head raised up and down repeatedly. He must have been excited about something she had told him, and his reaction caused her to laugh.
He sighed. That woman.
She filled a hole inside him, and he could never repay her for that with ten lifetimes.
Shaking his head, he returned to the map. It was enchanted previously. That much was for certain. He could still feel remnants of the magic that covered the paper, long faded, but still just enough for someone like him to detect it. However, it was a protection spell. Somehow, it must’ve been unlocked when Sophia touched it. He closed his eyes and focused his energy on the paper. Every sorcerer had a “signature” with their spells. Though this one was at least ten years old, he could maybe pull enough of the energy to decipher who placed the spell to begin with. Maybe that would help Sophia with finding the heirs?
A pinch formed in his brow. There was enough of a trace to pick up the signature, just not from who. Releasing his focus, he opened his eyes. He couldn’t figure out who cast the spell, and there was still a question of why. Why was there an enchantment in the first place? Not to mention being locked in an equally enchanted chest?
The far-right corner of the map was ripped where a remnant of an emblem of some sort or crest seemed to have been taken. Only the outer edges remained intact. Pulling out his notebook, he flipped to a clean page and jotted down the part of the emblem that was still visible. It wasn’t much. Just the outline with a few interruptions. Still, it was a clue, and it was still a find. He would take notes more on the appearance of the crest, including who he felt it belonged to. Any clue was worth following, especially with a chest that was locked away, enchanted, and left in a wraith village.
Whoever hid the chest had done so to protect themselves and hide their identity. A crest wasn’t just a mere artistic symbol, it represented a family and even one’s ancestry and position in society. If someone purposefully obscured the crest, it was meant to conceal who they belonged to and where they came from. There had to be more to the findings within the chest, the map, and the diary. He knew there was more to this than what he could see at the moment, he just couldn’t decide how.
He rolled up the map, tucking it away into his belongings, deciding to let that one be for a moment and took up the scroll in its place. This one was a detailed spell. One he hadn’t seen before. His eyebrows drew together, and a pinch formed at the center of his forehead. The runes seemed rushed. Ink splattered the page, making some of the words nearly indecipherable, but not so much that Ezekiel couldn’t figure them out.
There were a few words he could clearly pick out. Ones that belong to the goddesses. More referring to a phoenix, and some mentioning waking from a long sleep. He couldn’t make the connection between the words he could easily decipher, but there was a tug in his gut that told him this scroll was somehow connected to the heirs. He couldn’t tell how just yet. And his gut was rarely wrong.
Chapter Four
Andreas
Andreas approached Edric and Ezekiel. Ezekiel’s fingers scribbled away at the notes he was taking by the light of the fire, and he mumbled to himself. Andreas shook his head. “You know that book isn’t going to talk back, right?”
Ezekiel looked up from his notes. His puzzled expression faded away to one of light-heartedness and fun. “Of course not. I’m not insane.”
“Yet,” Andreas said and laughed as he ducked out of the way of the book that Ezekiel threw at him.
“That’s enough,” Edric said. His voice was commanding and pulled Andreas’s attention to him at once, but upon seeing the smile on the commander’s face, Andreas relaxed the tension in his shoulders and smiled back. “We all know Ezekiel is sensitive about his books.”
“What!” Ezekiel stood up and charged after Edric, colliding with his body at the waist. “I’ll show you sensitive!”
Edric laughed while maintaining his foothold but took a few steps back. The laugh echoed through the village, causing a few concerned wraiths to step out and watch the fun. Andreas shook his head.
My brothers.
And they were. Because of Sophia. Though he could do with just a little less fighting in his life, he wouldn’t change a thing about it. Sophia had brought them together and they had a family. Andreas didn’t feel like he had to hide who he was with them. He felt at home. And that was one of the best feelings in the world.
Ezekiel pulled away and straightened his shirt. The biggest smile Andreas had ever seen on him stretched his lips.
Andreas held up his hands. “I only wanted to check in before I started my watch. Anything I need to know?”
Both Edric and Ezekiel shook their heads. Edric said, “It’s been quiet.”
“Yeah,” Ezekiel said. “Almost too quiet.”
“Let’s not borrow trouble, shall we?” Andreas made his way toward the main entrance of the village. Half-way there, he turned and said, “You two don’t have too much fun without me.”
They waved him off and he chuckled as he took his post. He turned serious, watching every movement in the shadows. Darting from one to the next, he searched for any hint of someone waiting for the opportune moment to attack. The shadows were thick, and the woods were quiet. A few shifting bushes happened ever so often, but those were likely from any number of small game that lived in the Witch Woods. He shifted into his wraith form and rose up higher into the air to get a better look, just to make sure. A couple of jack rabbits rushed from one bush and into a burrow in the ground at the base of an old tree. He lowered himself to the ground and shifted back.
Nothing was there. Nothing threatening anyway.
As his eyes moved over the shadows, his mind recalled recent events. The attack from earlier was too close for comfort. Sophia only barely missed that arrow. He shook his head and let out a heavy breath. Damn it if he had to face a day with another possibility of her getting hurt. He couldn’t stand to think of a hair on her head being harmed much less any bodily injuries. Murderous rage wouldn’t come close to what he would fall into. Possibly destroy everything in his path.
She was capable, for sure. Held her own quite well. Always had. But there was always that one possibility. He couldn’t let that come to pass.
She had completed him in more ways than one. Ever since she came into his life, she was his main focus. Despite having to share her, Sophia was his woman. If he was truthful with himself, he didn’t even mind sharing her. He couldn’t see any other men more suited for her than the two men he now considered brothers and shared Sophia’s heart. He would likely raze the world for them as well. Not only would it hurt Sophia if something happened to them, it would hurt him too. He wouldn’t give his family up for the world.
Family.
All because of Sophia and his newfound brother
s, Edric and Ezekiel.
She was the glue that kept them together. He wished they could find the heirs soon, so they could live out their lives in relative peace, if that were a possibility for them. Though he felt like they were one step closer to finding the heirs, he doubted they would make it without more loss.
He just hoped that loss wouldn’t be Edric, Ezekiel, or Sophia.
Chapter Five
Sophia
Sophia, Ezekiel, and Edric sat around a fire, enjoying their stew and each other’s company. Ezekiel kept them entertained and laughing with interesting tales from his time training in the academy.
"I sat there thinking, what was the worst thing that could happen?” Ezekiel said as he described a spell that was supposed to change his appearance. “I set everything up, did the spell with a few substituted ingredients that were supposed to work in similar ways, and… POOF!”
He spread his fingers out wide and his eyes were animated. He took a deep breath and shrugged.
“I quickly found a mirror, and to my horror, I was green. A sickly, dingy, ugly green. My hair had fallen out in spots, and my nose was missing.”
As her men laughed, Sophia joined in. The feeling was phenomenal. She hadn’t laughed like this for as long as she could remember. Before her time with the men, Haris had seemed the only one that brought her joy. Now, she loved to laugh. She knew these moments were short lived, so taking in the chance to raucously laugh was too good to pass up. It also helped her to feel even closer to her men.
Mica and Ozul approached and inclined their heads to each of them in greeting. Ozul asked, “Want to see something really fun?”
Sophia exchanged glances with Edric and Ezekiel. They nodded. “What did you have in mind?” Sophia asked.
