Born In Flames

by Candace Knoebel

  “When did you settle in?” I asked, guarded.

  She didn’t miss a beat. “Yesterday,” she said in a tone that implied it should be obvious. “I saw this place and I just knew it was perfect. It’s almost like fate wanted me here.” Her gaze pierced right through me, like there was a deeper meaning hidden behind those words.

  “Oh,” I said solemnly.

  She forced a smile. “I am Lady Eve, the person you have called upon for help.”

  Lady Eve had short black hair that angled around her face. Emerald-covered hairpins—the same color as my eyes—held back her hair on the left side. Her eyes held lines of knowledge in each corner and were the color of trees–a deep brown with green freckles like falling leaves. She had thin lips that had probably whispered many a fate. I felt intimidated by all of her.

  Naturally, she reached for my hands, holding them weakly with the tips of her fingers. When we locked eyes a funny feeling lingered in my stomach, kind of like déjà vu, then she said, “I’ve been waiting to meet you for a long time, Aurora.” Something about her was oddly familiar, her voice, her look. It was like we had met before.

  She let my fingers go and continued, “Let’s get started. Follow me and I will help with the questions you have come here seeking answers for.” Fenn once again placed his hand on the small of my back, ensuring my comfort.

  We headed towards a sheer purple curtain that hung in the doorway. Pulling it aside, she waited as we walked through and then followed behind.

  “Please, have a seat,” she instructed as she pulled her chair up to the round wooden table dominating the center of the quaint room. The single light that hovered over the table wasn’t enough to illuminate the entire space. Shadows lurked, obscuring the corners from sight. To be honest, it unsettled the thinly-veiled courage I had summoned just to come here.

  On the center of the table was a crystal ball. But of course, standard protocol, I thought with a sneer. I slid my hand into Fenn’s.

  “Aurora,” she charged, extending her graceful hand across the table. “Don't be afraid as your fate shall be revealed.” Again the connection of our hands meeting sent chills down my spine. I shifted in my seat.

  “Of dragon born a conqueror prevails, the words of a prophecy set in motion before your time,” she chanted as her eyes began to cloud over. Mr. Creepy’s eyes came to mind.

  Okay, this was definitely beginning to spook me. How did she know that? I looked over at Fenn who was just as intrigued as I was.

  “You have a big decision to make and choices that will affect the fate of many. You must use the map—it will lead you to the keys needed for your return. Let me see the ring,” she requested, opening her refined hand.

  I paused a moment, trying to gather my rapid thoughts. I felt panicked. How did she know all this stuff? I mean, sure, she’s a so-called psychic so she’s supposed to know, right?

  I looked to Fenn, asking with my eyes what I should do. He lifted his eyebrows upward and towards her so I quickly slid the ring off and placed it in her expectant hands. The light above us flickered as a small gust of wind blew past my face. I turned to Fenn, whose hair had been disheveled.

  “There is a lot of magic in this ring, ancient magic. See the symbols around the stone? They are symbols of a higher power. Symbols that you will find on the keys.” She brought it closer to her eyes, twirling it and then studying the inside. “Third of three, protection to the progeny. You’ll need this in the near future, but this ring is not meant for you,” she revealed, her eyes meeting mine.

  I was hoping to get the name of who she thought it belonged to, but nothing came. Her mahogany eyes pierced through my soul, like she was reading my very essence. “To know who the bearer of this ring is, could set you down the wrong path. You must discover this on your own. It will lead you to a key and return you both home.” She slid the ring back to me.

  “And how exactly do we use this?” I asked, feeling like I was on the verge of finally finding out something substantial.

  “You will know when the time comes,” she answered casually.

  “What?” I said outraged. “What is that? My time is up within the next week. Why can’t you just tell me?”

  “Exactly. Your limited time will be up soon so let’s not waste it with silly questions. Your journey is not one that can be tampered with as it is tied in with another’s,” she scolded.

  I felt dumb for throwing a mini fit.

  “And who would that be?” I asked, skeptical.

  “Unfortunately, you will soon see,” she replied as secretively as before. “The powers you have been experiencing, do you want to talk about them?” she lured, the flecks of green in her eyes momentarily shimmering. I stumbled for a moment, my mind reeling with what I wanted to say.

  “Well, there are moments where I can control the flame. And there are times where I get this rush of energy pulsing through me and I’m able to use it forcefully. I’m also immune to heat. I’ve never been burned in my life.”

  “Is that all?” she asked inquisitively.

  “Yes?”

  She looked at Fenn, waited a moment, and then continued on. “Let me see both of your hands, side by side, please.” Was she talking about him?

  Fenn didn’t hesitate to lay his left hand down, palm side up. I cringed knowing that we had to stop holding hands. That was my security blanket. I laid my own next to his, palm up, and waited. She traced the lines on Fenn’s hand.

  “Uh-huh,” she muttered. She moved her finger over to my palm and traced a line that wrapped around my thumb.

  “You can tell just about anything by studying the lines in someone’s hands. For instance,” she said, talking to me, “you are very insecure about relationships. Yet your humor and knack for understanding reality is enough to save you from yourself. You also have a very short life line.” She never even blinked while airing my dirty laundry.

  “A death will come to He that breaks the barrier” is what Mr. Creepy had said that night at the diner. This can’t be coincidence, I thought as the blood drained from my face. I suddenly felt cold and clammy.

  She looked at Fenn and said, “You however are strong and noble.” He shifted a little uncomfortably in his chair, but I could see that charming smile taking over his face. “You are experiencing powers as well?” she asked.

  He coughed a little as he nodded.

  “But your powers differ from hers,” she pointed out. He continued to nod, a smile steadily growing. “Your fate is soon coming,” she bluntly rushed. “Now, if you could please leave the room so Aurora and I can be alone.”

  Fenn’s undaunted smile vanished.

  “No, I’m not leaving her.” His eyes blazed as the tone of protectiveness made my butterflies stir. I laid my hand on his forearm and shook my head that it was okay. My skepticism had slowly depleted.

  Angst showered his face as he leaned in and grimly kissed my forehead. “I’ll be just outside,” he mumbled as he turned for the doorway.

  “He doesn’t like to leave you alone,” she stated, her puzzled gaze following his steps as he disappeared behind the curtain.

  Well, that was obvious, I thought snidely.

  “Your souls are connected to one another. Bound by The Fates,” she grandly announced, eyes studying my face.

  “What do you mean?” I asked quietly.

  “Exactly what I said. When two souls that were meant to be together find each other, they weave together and bind an unbreakable union.”

  Well, I didn’t know what to say or think about that besides, “Why’s that?” It was a silly question and I immediately regretted it as soon as it spilled out.

  “I don’t have all the answers as to why The Fates do the things they do,” she replied sharply, her tone questioning my commonsense. “Let me see your palm again.” I leaned in and gave her my hand, waiting to hear another negative comment about my character.

  A breeze seemed to move in a circle around us, and a feeling of falling asleep cr
ept up on me. This can’t be happening, I thought in a daze. Her hands stayed locked to mine and her eyes bore deep into my own.

  “Seek and thy shall see,” she willed majestically as my eyes rolled back uncontrollably. A feeling of being pulled overcame me. Maybe I shouldn’t have let Fenn leave.

  Chapter 11

  Hello, Arch Enemy

  “HOW ARE YOU IN MY dream? And where are we?” I demanded as I spun in circles inside a crystallized cave. The rushing, quaking sound of the waterfall concealing the entrance, echoed off the walls, crushing out the sound of my voice.

  Light shined through the cascading ripples of water and reflected off the giant crystals, casting tiny rainbows through the fine mist.

  I thought I was sleeping, but I didn’t know why Lady Eve was standing next to me. “Is this going to cost extra?” I asked thinly, realizing that my voice adjusted to the volume of the waterfall. It was my dream, after all, so why not make it convenient?

  “No, this won’t cost you anything,” she said un-entertained. “And you aren’t dreaming, Aurora. This is where you must go in order to return home. It is a placed memory that you weren’t meant to have until now. In order for us both to see it, you need to let go of what you think is real.”

  “What—are we in the Matrix? Are you going to ask me now if I want to take the red pill or the blue one?”

  She stalked over to me and forcefully grabbed both of my hands. I stepped back in defense, but she held me firmly in place.

  “There is a lot you don’t know about yourself. A lot that has been kept hidden in order to protect you.” Her lips pressed into a thin line.

  “Uh…yeah,” I remarked under my breath.

  “Beginning with the day you were dropped off at your foster mother’s house. I assume you have questioned why you have no memories before that day.” She let the assumption sink in as her brows lifted in expectation.

  Okay, now I was convinced. I hadn’t told anyone that besides Fenn.

  “Well yeah,” I stammered awkwardly, “but what does that have to do with us being here?” I felt my muscles tensing, my brain suddenly aching.

  “Everything. The choice you have been given cannot be taken lightly. You must know everything before you can make a fair decision. You must be prepared for the future you have been fated.” She put her finger to my forehead and tapped it lightly. I felt my body go numb and fall into her arms as the ache in my head disappeared.

  “Look inside your mind, Aurora.” Her voice was distant, like she was standing on the other side of a door. I could see inside my head. How is this possible? It looked like the hallway back at Mily’s.

  “Go to the door that you know is right and open it.”

  “I don’t know what you are talking about nor do I know how to open the doors inside my head.” This was so ridiculous. I walked over to the nearest door and reached for the handle, but the knob didn’t feel right, the handle dissolving in my hand. I huffed and then walked over to the door next to it and tried the handle. It was locked.

  “This is not going to work. The door is locked. This is crazy.” I didn’t bother trying to shield my frustration as I grimaced. I wanted to be back with Fenn. I wanted to know that I wasn’t losing my mind, and quite frankly, the situation I was in wasn’t ensuring a positive outcome. They were probably hauling me off to the loony bin while I was stuck inside my head.

  “You’re not trying hard enough,” she called impatiently, annoyance lacing her words. “Forget what you think you know. Believe that the door will open and it will.”

  I took a deep breath and tried to listen to what she was saying. I tested the doorknob again, imagining the feel of it turning, jumping in excitement when it worked. I stepped through the open door, only to find myself right back in the cave next to Eve.

  “Good, see, you’ve done it. You’ve unlocked the magical barrier that shielded this memory.”

  I still didn’t understand what she was talking about.

  “I’m in the same place I was in before. This is a bunch of bologna.”

  She spoke without acknowledging my tantrum. “Before The Fates show us what you need to see, you need to understand a couple of things. This may be hard to digest, but there is another realm of time coinciding with your own, under The Fates control.” She paused, giving me a moment to consider her words.

  “What do you mean coinciding?”

  “Imagine two circles next to each other, meeting at a center point. The center point would be this cave-the doorway between both realms. Each circle is its own, different realm, but where they touch is the bridge between both worlds.”

  “That makes sense, but two realms?” I asked suspiciously.

  She nodded soberly.

  I shook my head. “And The Fates are the Gods who rule both worlds? This is preposterous.” I rolled my eyes and sighed.

  She looked at me with disapproval. “As preposterous,” she spat, “as this sounds, you know what I say is true, don’t you? You’ve known all along that you were meant for something else. That you didn’t belong in the world you call home.” Her eyebrow rose, questioning me.

  She was right, exactly right. It made sense, even the situation I was in. No one that I knew of could do what I could with fire. And Fenn’s powers only added to the confusing circumstances. We really weren’t normal.

  My face fell as I caved in. “So what I can do…that’s normal where I come from?”

  She looked pleased. “For some, yes, but you’re special, Aurora. You’re one of a kind. Your parents went through great lengths to have you. They-” Before she could finish, a beam of light clapped around her, Houdini-ing her out of my line of sight.

  My heart quickened. Now I was alone inside the damp cavern. I felt heat surrounding me and saw the same beam of light appear. I felt myself dissolve inside it and then piece by piece, my body put itself back together.

  My first breath as my whole self was a gasp as I clawed at my throat. Eve stood next to me, patting me on the back. I looked up and could have sworn I saw an impish grin before her eyes connected with mine.

  “The first time one is summoned by The Fates is harder than the first time one ports. Just try taking deep breaths and think of calming thoughts,” she coached as her hand stiffly rubbed my back.

  “Right, calming thoughts. Umm…I’m in a crazy place with an even crazier lady. Fenn has no idea the nightmare I’m living inside my head,” I mumbled. I felt a wave of nausea come over me.

  “Calming…remember. Get it together or you will miss what is being shown to you.”

  I scowled at her. God, would it kill her to have a little sympathy?

  Then she sighed heavily, pulling me up to stand next to her. Her index fingers touched my temples and instantly the nausea disappeared.

  “We are in the Lyceum, the Great Hall of the Pyre Magium,” she said. Her tone sounded as if this were the last place she wanted to be.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, trying to rub the glaze that seemed to saturate my sight. She moved closer to me and once again ignored my question. Her body seemed almost as if it were shielding me, though from what, I had no clue.

  She ignored my question. “This is one of the four Rebell Islands, home to all Mages. Each is ruled by an Arch Mage. The Arch who rules here is Liege Zordon.” The disgust rolled off her tongue as her lips quivered. “An Arch Mage is the highest rank of all Mages. And this one in particular will stop at nothing to get what he wants-the Stone of Immortality.”

  I could feel the shock on my face as my mouth hung open. It took me a moment to gather my thoughts. “Can we back up a sec? I’m a little stuck at Mage. What exactly is a Mage?” I continued to rub at my eyes. Wherever we were, it was very large and extremely bright, as bright as the sun.

  “Part of your heritage, Aurora. I apologize, my patience is thin. Please try to keep up and accept what is happening. Your time is limited.” She took a deep breath. “A Mage is one of the most powerful magic wielding races inside this rea
lm, besides the Draconta.”

  I gasped which sounded more like I was choking. “Draconta?” I barely stammered out, the word once again hitting home. “You’re kidding, right?” I looked up at her, my sight finally clearing.

  Her lips were pressed into a hard line, her expression barren and humorless.

  “Right, you’re not kidding.”

  “The Draconta is the faction of humans and dragons that live inside the Obsidian Chasm.”

  “Okay…so dragons and Mages…crazy ladies, oh my.” I rolled my eyes. But somewhere deep inside, the pieces were slowly forming into a distorted picture. A picture that resembled me, only I wasn’t human…I was something else, something serpent-like with angry-red eyes.

  “Look for yourself,” she said flatly, stepping aside.

  The overwhelming brilliance of the Lyceum subsided as my eyes finally adjusted to the purewhite marble that seemed never-ending, covering the floors all the way up to the ceiling. There was a massive fireplace that took up most of a wall located at the back of the room, its flames burning a greenish-blue. The mantle was made of a gold so bright it could have been carved from the sun itself.

  A breath-taking mural of constellations adorned the top of the dome-shaped ceiling. I squinted–the constellations seemed so real, as if the Mages had summoned a clear midnight night sky to shine inside their home. The stars twinkled amongst the velvet black background, almost as if moving in a magical flow.

  Everything seemed suspended, somehow floating on thin air. Shelves ran up the walls, filled with trinkets and books and globes that floated effortlessly. The tables that were scattered around the room had no legs. There were people, or at least beings, moving around us and through us. We must have been invisible. It seemed busy but silent at the same time. Like magic.