by R Cavanaugh
© 2021 by Rebecca Cavanaugh
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
ISBN: 978-1-7369732-1-9 (ebook)
Dedicated To:
My Parents, Brother, Friends, Family and Mentors.
Thank you for believing in Me.
In Memory Of:
Richard Cavanaugh
Contents
Chapter 1: Revelation
Chapter 2: The Planet of Aquamarine
Chapter 3: The Truth about the Truth
Chapter 4: A Tiara of Emerald Thorns
Chapter 5: Exotius’s Discovery
Chapter 6: Similar Circumstances
Chapter 7: The Secret Passage
Chapter 8: Jonathan Stipes
Chapter 9: The Passage behind the Bed Frame
Chapter 10: The House Made of Trees
Chapter 11: Jasmine Traymeda’s Indifference
Chapter 12: The Traitor among Them
Chapter 13: The Organization RTET
Chapter 14: Defining Constance
Chapter 15: The Dead End
Chapter 16: The Task at Hand
Chapter 17: Training to Be Rose of RTET
Chapter 18: Normal Hopes for Turbulent Times
Chapter 19: The Decision
Chapter 20: Wasted and Well-Mapped Time
Chapter 21: Heartington Castle
Chapter 22: The Island of Destinies
Chapter 23: Nightsky
Chapter 24: The Horrifying Discovery
Chapter 25: A Punishable Offense
Chapter 26: The Battle Plan
Chapter 27: The Discoveries
Chapter 28: Hail Rose
Chapter 29: Following the Leader…Wherever She May Go
Chapter 30: Across the Way
Chapter 31: The Woes of James
Chapter 32: The Door
Chapter 33: Exotius Obscurum
Chapter 34: The Garden
Chapter 35: The King
Chapter 36: Life and Death
Chapter 37: The New Beginning
Index
Creatures
Word Meanings
Aquamarine Words/Names
Dear Reader,
The planet of Aquamarine is a mostly uninhabited planet. This is due to the many mountains and forested areas leaving very few places for major settlements to be established. The story that is about to transpire only takes place in the most populated parts of the planet. Here there was an immense valley, only disrupted by small hills and a river, that would allow for groups of Aquamarinian people to settle and for a major city to grow.
This relatively small planet does have towns and villages by the names of Touringrin, Mourif, Coarif, and Ferrenlin. These are the largest of the smaller settlements that are not mentioned in the story; others are less known, and their names seem to change every time one asks about them. These places are settled near lakes and mountain rivers that are scattered around Aquamarine. The laws of Aquamarine do apply to all Aquamarinian subjects, but these places are mostly left alone.
It should be noted that the Forests of Magus and Promise merge at some point beyond the Mountains of Treachery to become the Forest of Veteris Ferigan Magus. This knowledge escapes the current ruler of the planet, but the fact remains that this forest covers most of the planet. The rest of the areas that have gone unmentioned include small rivers and ponds that are known by name only to those who live there.
While these people and places usually go unaffected by events of their planet’s political center, they are just as important. For their lives, too, hang in the balance of what is about to take place…
Chapter 1
Revelation
“It sure is a long way down,” Rose said as she looked at the ground from the plane that she was about to jump out of. Rose Heartington was a good-looking young woman with long, straight black hair, pale skin, and electric-green eyes. She was wearing her favorite pair of high-heel boots and was seriously considering hitting her boyfriend, James Tungston, as hard as she could for convincing her to do this.
“Rose, really, it isn’t that hard, and trust me, you’re going to love it,” he said with that beautiful smile that got her every time. He had soft, brown, wavy hair, a perfect smile, and incredibly beautiful brown eyes. “You look like you’re about to beat me up.”
“That’s because I am, and believe me when I say that I am never going to let you convince me to do something like this again!” Then, thinking about how great he looked when the sun hit him like that, she followed the instructor that she had for what felt like only a few days, knowing that it had been weeks, out of the plane. The feeling was like nothing she had ever experienced, and it was even more incredible to watch James.
“That was absolutely amazing! I can’t believe that I just did that. Words can’t even begin to describe what I am feeling right now.” And she still couldn’t believe how lucky she was to have met him…
Three years later…
Rose is running the little florist shop left to her by her late father and has long forgotten that summer when she was eighteen. Her life is normal, and she feels perfectly content with that fact. With her favorite pair of boots clipping on the shop’s stone floor, she goes to the counter to answer the telephone that is ringing.
“Rose’s Rosary, this is Rose speaking. How may I help you?”
“Hey, Rose, it’s James,” said the voice that she knew only too well. “Are you in a place where you can talk freely?” Why does he sound so nervous? And what does he mean by can you speak freely?
“James, what is it? And why do you sound out of breath?” she asked as she took the phone into the back room. There was a moment’s hesitation and a little more heavy breathing. “James, I am waiting for your answer, and I really don’t have all day. I have three huge orders, and they are needed in four hours.” Still silence, minus the heavy breathing.
“Rose,” he paused, “they’re coming to get you. You have to meet me at the end of the street, and there is no time to explain.” Rose was so confused and annoyed that she wanted to hit him. He was being so secretive, and she was tired of it. She had left him when she had found out that he was different from most people, which she still didn’t entirely believe, and she was in no mood to deal with his lies.
“James, if you can remember anything, you’ll remember that the reason we haven’t spoken is because you pushed me away with that ridiculous story you invented. Furthermore, you seem to think that there is another thing out to get me, which is just your way of getting back with me, I imagine.” She said the last bit slowly, for it sounded as if someone had entered her shop. And what was even stranger, they seemed to have locked the door behind them. “James, I’ll have to call you back. There’s someone here.”
“Rose, wait, don’t—” she hung up, cutting him off midsentence. There were hushed voices in the background; the people were moving around.
One of the voices, a man’s, spoke. “She has to be in here somewhere. The sign on the door said ‘Open.’” His voice was followed by a female’s, and while Rose noticed his was slightly gruff, hers was almost musical.
“Liam, you know darn well that it was James Tungsten that overheard us, and he probably rushed to tell her someone was after her.” The young woman had called the man “Liam,” and for some r
eason that name seemed familiar to her.
The man started to speak again. “Aphra Draughtningr, whatever James told her she is unlikely to believe, and you forget—if he hadn’t found her for us, we wouldn’t be here. So let’s get her and get out of here before she tries to run.” After he spoke the talking ceased.
Rose’s heart was ramming against her ribcage, and as she slowly backed away, she felt herself panic and turn quickly around. She almost swore as she tripped over a decorative pot. It was decorated with a pattern resembling emerald-tinted thorns that she, up until that point at least, had always loved. The people in the other room burst through the door, and before Rose climbed out of the window that led to the alley, she saw two people who were almost godlike in their looks. Letting out a high-pitched scream, she began running for her life.
Somewhere behind her she heard the man yell, “Stop that woman!”
Soon Rose had to stop because of a stitch in her chest, and while breathing very quickly, she suddenly noticed that her feet had carried her within only fifty feet of the corner that James had said he would meet her at. Thinking that perhaps he was her only hope, she ran toward it. Avoiding vehicles and not even bothering with the crosswalk, Rose finally reached the corner only to find it completely James-less. Then, when she thought with horror, that things couldn’t possibly get any worse, she heard a voice calling her name.
“Rose!” I know that voice, she thought, her heart taking a leap. “Rose, over here!” Rose turned and saw James. He was on the opposite corner of the street that she was on.
“James, why are there people chasing me!” He looked at her with sad eyes, and then they filled with fear.
“Rose, hurry over here! They’re coming—you have to get to me before they get you!” His voice was so panic stricken that it seemed to belong to someone else. That’s when Rose noticed someone move very suddenly behind him.
“James, behind you!” she screamed, and as he turned around, another pale-faced individual began to wrestle him to the ground. Each blow seemed to root Rose to the spot, and before she had a second’s warning, two strong arms grabbed her around the waist.
“Let me go!” she screamed, hitting the individual lugging her into an alley and off of the sidewalk. “I said, release me! What part of put me down don’t you understand!”
“Ooo, she is feisty,” said the silky, musical voice that she remembered from her shop. “You know, I think our father was right about her, don’t you, Liam?”
There was a short, kind of determined laugh coming from the man lugging her. Rose tried to struggle free, but when she began to think she had made some progress, she felt the arms grow tighter around her. Suddenly she saw something rather strange: there was a secret door in the wall, and as they approached it, it slowly came into focus, like a camera lens. Just as the door came into focus, Rose was placed down. Rose kicked the man.
“Ow! Aphra, get her before she gets away!” yelled Liam.
“No problem,” and with an incredible burst of speed, she stood in front of Rose.
Too filled with shock, Rose only had enough time to slow down before ramming into Aphra. “Let me go! You know that what you are doing is considered kidnap here, and I would appreciate you letting me go!” It wasn’t until now, however, that Rose got a good look at her captors. Liam was tall and broad, pale, with electric-blue eyes and wavy golden hair. The young woman, Aphra, was thin with the same electric-blue eyes with long, white-blond hair. She was also as pale as Liam, and they were both extremely beautiful.
“Please let me go. I have nothing to offer you. I don’t even know you, so please, please just let me go.” It was as she said this last sentence that Liam came slowly toward her, with Aphra right behind him.
“Number one, Rose, you do have something to offer us; you just don’t know what it is. Number two, while you may not know us, we, along with our race, know you and have known you since you were a small child. Number three, we are not going to let you go after everything we had to go through to get you. Lastly, your friend James tried to stop our world from being put right by hiding you, after it was his job three years ago to bring you back to your people.”
Suddenly Rose realized how close Liam was to her, and as she was about to move away, a smell, so sweet it made her dizzy, reached her nose. She felt woozy and faint, and she caught a glimpse of an uncorked bottle that Aphra was holding. As if he knew what was about to happen, Liam caught her just as she passed out.
Chapter 2
The Planet of Aquamarine
“Where am I?” groaned Rose as she took in her surroundings. The wildlife around her was like nothing that she had ever seen. Each plant looked as if it were alive, with colors so vibrant that it almost hurt to look at them. Along with the spectacular display of scenery was the room she was in. It was huge, and the paintings that covered the walls seemed to display the same object, except in different variations. It was what seemed to be an emerald tiara that was in the shape of rose thorns. While it was clear what it was, every painting, sketch, and drawing was a different theory, as if it had never been seen before.
“I must be dreaming, because the flowers here resemble the colors of jewels, and the room I am in is trimmed with gold.” As she slowly got off of the bed she had been placed on, she began to admire the only piece of artwork that was not of the thorny tiara. It was the length of the room and seemed to be telling a story. Rose approached what seemed to be the beginning.
At the beginning, the land and people seemed happy and joyous, but as the painting got toward the middle of the room, things began to change. A great battle took place, and the leader of what was being portrayed as the invading side was shown killing what seemed to be the king. The next scene was showing the new regime, with the murderous leader in command with a very sinister-looking man standing just to his right. Just before the painting ended, it showed the secret celebration of the birth of a new baby girl and showed her being hidden on…
Rose stopped, not believing what was being displayed before her. The child that made so many people rejoice was placed on another planet. Not just any planet either: Earth. Then she found herself before what seemed to be the oldest of the thorny tiara paintings.
“And here I was thinking that people portrayed strange stories where I came from.” But was it a story? she wondered. Was this a people’s past, and what did the thorny tiara and that little girl have in common?
“Are you OK?” said the voice which she had wished never to hear again. “I hope that you will be willing to hear my side of the story, Rose.”
“James?!” With thoughts streaming through her mind, some that were not exactly the nicest she could be thinking, she looked around to see where he was. Finally she spotted him in a shaded corner near an emerald-green rose bush.
“You sound and look as though you are about to hit me,” he said with a little bit of humor that seemed to be deeply hidden in his voice and his past. “I must say that the years seem to have been good to you.”
“Thanks,” she replied, “and if the truth be told, for conversation’s sake, you haven’t changed much either.” Then she turned back to the painting, giving him the cold shoulder.
“It’s a sad story, isn’t it?” he said to her, just barely catching her eye. “I used to think that this painting was just a story told to make people like me behave, but there came a point that led me to realize that there was way too much truth in it to just be a story.”
“Come on, James, you expect me to believe that this painting represents an actual event!” Rose said sarcastically and in an unconvinced manner, “that I am on a completely different planet! You forget that I am no longer enamored with you.” Even if you are still just as gorgeous as you were three years ago, she thought.
“The only thing I forgot was how quickly you could talk back,” he remarked with a small smile, “and yes, I have noticed a change in you, which d
oesn’t include, by the way, your favorite boots.” Looking at her shocked and disgusted face made him laugh. “In all seriousness though, Rose, this story has everything to do with you and is the very reason that Liam and Aphra brought you to my house on our planet of Aquamarine.”
“James, this is exactly why I left you in the first place. Do you really think that I believe tha—” James cut her off.
“Rose, then can you explain the strange wildlife!” he hollered at her. “Do you honestly think that you are still on the planet that you consider your home?”
“And what do you mean by ‘consider’!” Rose retaliated, “Earth is my home. I have lived there my entire life! As for this plant life, I’ll admit that it is a bit unusual!”
“Rose, you may have lived on Earth, but you weren’t born there,” he screamed back, his face getting blotchy, “you were born here, and that’s why our people have been looking for you!” James stopped to catch his breath and what Rose assumed to be his temper. “Rose, I am sorry if you don’t believe me, but this is where you are from.” He seemed to desperately want her to believe him.
“James, you forget that you made up a huge story about who you were, where you came from, and what life was like there.” Rose, while trying to keep her calm, continued, “You told me that where you were from, a creature was matched to your personality and that it chose you. That swords had names, and jewels came from rare plants. It broke my heart to hear what you told me because I felt that you were pushing me away.” James hadn’t interrupted her, and that was a sign that the truth meant something to him.
“Rose, I wasn’t pushing you away,” he explained, “I wanted nothing more than to be with you, and I couldn’t with a lie hanging over my head, which is why I told you the truth.” He waited for her to interrupt, and when she didn’t he continued, “The whole truth is that I was sent to find you and bring you back, but I fell in love with you, and I couldn’t justify lying to you anymore. Then when I told you the truth, you got all angry with me. I tried to find you, and when I failed, I came back here and said that I had never found you.”
