From Anastasia (The Anastasia Series Book 3)

by Jordi Burton

  Not for the first time, she wished Valdon was there with her. He’d provided so much guidance during her premonitions. She wondered where he was, where he’d ended up in the Old World.

  “Is there a way to use a spell or something to find the other pendants?” Gerrard asked.

  Mohan frowned. “I’m not sure a location spell works on an object.”

  Vlad went rigid all over a moment before he bared his teeth in a feral snarl. “Werewolf.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  As footsteps sounded behind them, a voice Anastasia recognized said, “He’s probably talking about me.”

  They turned to see Ostana striding towards them. She looked rather worse for wear, dressed in a torn peplos gown. Her hair was matted and tangled, her skin smeared with dirt. She looked like she hadn’t slept in weeks. Gerrard’s sisters, gathered behind Ostana, looked much the same. As Gerrard spotted them, he raced forward and wrapped his arms around them.

  “I’m so glad you’re both alright!” he said.

  Alviva giggled. “You, too, brother!”

  “What are you lot doing here?” asked Durse.

  Isidora stepped around Ostana. “I think I can explain that.”

  She was pristine, shimmering with gold, including a bejeweled circlet that bound back her wild raven curls. She confidently put her hands on her hips, and Anastasia was surprised to see she wore the sigil of her family. Had she been with them the whole time, even though she’d been disowned months ago? Behind her, Prince Hughie of the ghosts hovered. He was spectral, like nothing more than a wisp. But Anastasia knew it was him, even though he had no face nor body, seeing as the Fairy Queen stood with him.

  “By the Gods and Angels,” Ericcen murmured.

  Anastasia glanced at all their faces. All the Ancients were together in one room, along with her family and friends. She couldn’t quite believe that after all this time, she’d found the Ancients, that they were finally just a few steps away from going home. It was so close she could taste it. Once they found their pendants, they could stop Joey once and for all.

  Dani cleared her throat. “Well, what do we do now?”

  Everyone turned to Anastasia. She balked. She didn’t have any clue about what to do next. How was she supposed to Awaken the Ancients? There was no spell, no incantation. She’d thought she’d feel something once they were all together, but she felt nothing. There was no spark, no sense of inspiration. It felt like any other day with any other people. Was it too much for the Gods and Angels to give her a clue, like they had back in their realm? But she knew, she couldn’t rely on the Gods and Angels for everything. She was an Ancient; she needed to figure this out for herself.

  “Why don’t we cast another circle?” she suggested.

  Balan nodded. “Right-o. I’ll get on it.”

  He and his sister hurried from the room, leaving them all to stare at each other again. Anastasia wished they’d find something to distract themselves. If she failed, she really didn’t want an audience.

  As it was, they all went outside together, save Vlad, who hid from the sun in the shelter of the library. Mohan joined Balan and Mira, helping them draw three identical circles. It looked like the circle Mohan had made back in Armol, though this time, there were items in each of the pentagrams—rocks for earth, broken glass for air, a chalice of water, and a candle for fire—instead of people. Empty pentagrams sat between each of the cardinal ones, outlined in salt.

  “Everyone must pick a spiritual partner,” Mohan explained. “To ground you to this reality.”

  Wordlessly, the Ancients paired off and stepped into their respective points in the pentagrams. Anastasia stood with William, Chris, and Lili in Mohan’s pentagram, while Dani, Hayde, Isidora, and Durse filled out Mira’s pentagram, and the Fairy Queen, Anarose, Hughie, and Alviva rounded out Balan’s.

  Everyone else stood by watching with wide eyes. Their expectant exuberance was cloying; it grated on Anastasia. What if it didn’t work?

  As one, Mohan, Balan, and Mira walked their circles three times. Returning to the center, they turned to each of the cardinal points and welcomed the elements. Each pentagram lit up, filling the circle with warmth. Feeling her father’s uncertainty, Anastasia glanced back and gave him a reassuring smile. Please let it work, she prayed.

  Turning his face to the sky, Mohan began to chant, “Alí, aleelah, l’ha’ir et haitzorim haetikim halah. Tabit otanu l’otzmah hagadolah shelanu.”

  The circles filled with light. Anastasia looked over at William, a grin tugging her lips. But then a sharp pain in her abdomen drove her to her knees. She cried out, her vision flickering as wind whipped around her.

  William made to move towards her, but Mohan held out his hand. “Don’t break the circle!”

  Anastasia’s eyes flew open and she arched her back in pain. Flashes of images flitted across her vision, reminding her of what it had felt like to stand under the Wishing Tree.

  As the pain peaked, the images solidified, exploding in her mind:

  I stand in a field as battle surges around me. A little ways off, I can see a Nadmilise royal. She’s dressed in bright white battle armor, with the harp sigil of the Vatis emblazoned on her chest. My moonstone pendant glitters at her throat. Even as people fight around her, she scrawls a letter.

  “Anastasia!”

  We both turn to see another Nadmilise running towards us. She wears identical armor, though hers is black, and emblazoned with the same chain-wrapped crown as Chris’ clothes had been in the realm of the Gods and Angels. Her skin is covered in black swirls, the same shade as her curtain of obsidian hair, and the wings stretching from her back. She wears a black moonstone.

  “We must go!”

  “Not yet, Evangeline!”

  Evangeline? As in the woman from the story my grandmother told me as a child? The one who lived in the First Realms and was able to withstand the power of the Shadows?

  “We must,” Evangeline calls. “The others are waiting.”

  “I need to warn Anastasia of what’s to come. If I don’t, she won’t understand!”

  “The girl may never come here. You’re risking us all on a whim.”

  I move forward and look at the letter she’s writing. Shock slams through me as I see it’s the one I received in the Royal Library, the one about the Ancients and the realms. Even as I watch, she signs it “From Anastasia”. I stagger back as realization dawns on me. This woman, this Ancient, is Anastasia Futurebringer, my namesake. She was a Vatis, too.

  As the battle nears Anastasia Futurebringer, Evangeline leaps into the fray, fighting them back. She wields a bo staff, just like Chris’. Vaguely, I wonder if she is an ancestor of Chris, just as Anastasia Futurebringer is mine.

  Rolling and sealing the letter, Anastasia Futurebringer plucks a pigeon from the cage behind her and ties the scroll to its foot. As it flies away, she turns back to the battle.

  “I’m ready!” she calls.

  Spinning, Evangeline takes Anastasia Futurebringer’s hand. Their free hands are held out, palms up. They begin to chant in a strange language. As their chant grows, I can see transparent images of the other Ancients—another Nadmilise, a ghost, a demigod, a sorcerer, and a Fairy, just like us, now.

  As they chant, the Ancients yank off their pendants, all except Anastasia Futurebringer, and place them on the ground. A moment later, the ground opens up and swallows the pendants.

  Evangeline and Anastasia Futurebringer drop each other’s hands, and the other Ancients fade.

  “Protect it, at all costs,” Evangeline says to Anastasia Futurebringer.

  Anastasia Futurebringer touches her pendant. “I will.”

  “You’re the only one that can see what’s coming, now.”

  “We’ll be victorious.”

  Anastasia jolted awake, sprawled inside the pentagram. Wind whipped around her, tearing at her cheeks. Balan and Mira chanted while Mohan thanked the elements and closed his circle. Moments later, the w
ind dissipated. The light from the pentagrams faded, and William rushed to Anastasia’s side.

  Images still flooded Anastasia’s mind; she struggled to make sense of them all. The pendant she wore was the only one the Ancients hadn’t buried. All the others were gone.

  “Are you alright?” William questioned.

  Dani looked at her hands. “Did it work?”

  “Well,” the Queen intoned, “the circles were a bust.”

  Slowly, Anastasia looked up at William. “I know where the pendants are.”

  One thing that stumped her was why Joey hadn’t taken her pendant when he had the chance. Surely, he’d had ample opportunity when she was his prisoner. And with his ability to see the past, it would be easy for him to unearth the knowledge of the pendants and their power. But she knew how erratic her premonitions had been, perhaps his were the same. That was something to hope for.

  Before she could say anything, someone stepped into the clearing. “Ana?”

  Turning, they all found Joey standing before them. She’d nearly forgotten about him, with everything that had happened. The fairies had kept him under guard while he’d been unconscious. But now that he was awake, it was safe to assume his evil counterpart was, as well. They needed to act quickly, to prevent Joey from getting the power he wanted. It was only a matter of time before he figured it out and came for her pendant.

  William, Chris, Durse, and Hayde drew their daggers. “Not a step closer,” Chris growled.

  Joey raised his hands in surrender. “I mean no one any harm!”

  Durse considered him a moment. “He’s telling the truth.”

  “Or he’s an exceptional liar,” Hayde muttered.

  Joey flicked his icy blue sorcerers’ eyes to Anastasia. “Ana?”

  “It’s fine,” she said. “He’s fine.”

  Slowly, the warriors lowered their weapons. Joey stepped into the clearing, taking in their pentagrams and scattered appearances. It was strange to see him as a sorcerer. He was shorter, more youthful-looking. And though he smiled like the Joey she remembered, there was something not quite right about it, not quite complete.

  “I know how this seems,” he finally said. “But I’m here to help. Honestly.”

  Mira narrowed her eyes. “If that’s the case, where is your other half going now?”

  “I don’t know, but you can bet it has to be for the pendants.”

  William frowned. “You think he’s figured it out?”

  Joey shrugged. “He was close before we… separated. I have no doubt he’s redoubling his efforts as we speak. He’s determined. He’ll get what he wants.”

  “Then we’ll just have to get there first,” said Mohan. “Anastasia, where are they?”

  “Buried, all over the kingdoms.”

  Durse swore. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

  Isidora went rigid all over. “Someone get me a map. I think something’s happening!”

  Hayde jogged back into the library and returned a moment later with a map of the kingdoms and a quill. Taking the quill, Isidora dropped down in the dirt and started to draw in a frenzied manner. When she stood again, she handed the map back to Hayde.

  Peering at it, Anastasia saw that she’d marked six places on the map. Something inside Anastasia told her they were the places the pendants were buried. Excitement shot through her.

  “What is this?” asked Hayde.

  “The pendants,” said Anastasia. “We’re to go collect them.”

  Mohan snorted. “We’re not going anywhere, love. You’re going to stay right here in the fairy kingdom where you’re safe and Joey can’t get to your pendant. The rest of us Ancients are going to get our pendants.”

  Ryke frowned. “Is that really the best idea?”

  “We’ll split up and cover more ground. As long as we have a warrior or two with us, we’ll be fine.”

  Dani nodded. “It’s not like Joey knows precisely where they are.”

  “And I have a feeling, we’re the only ones that can get them.”

  The Fairy Queen stepped forward. “Let us go quickly, before Joey has a chance to figure out where they’re located.” Turning to Anarose, she said, “You are in charge while I am gone.”

  Surprise flooded through Anarose. Anastasia grinned. It was an immense honor to be granted power by the Fairy Queen. No one was more deserving than her mother.

  The Queen snapped her fingers. “Sorcerer, with me!”

  Mira hurried forward. Anastasia watched as Mohan, Balan, and Mira all drew new circles into the dirt. The Queen sent servants off to gather the ingredients they would need to cast portal spells. While they worked, Anastasia returned to the library with her family and William. Gerrard and the Ros brothers offered to act as guards for the Ancients on their travels. Ostana, Lili, and Gerrard’s sisters went to clean up.

  When they reached the library, Vlad greeted them at the door. “Well?”

  Anastasia relayed what was happening. He took the news in stride, turning back to the doorway to watch.

  “Queen Anarose, King Elliot?” said William. “I was hoping I could speak with you privately.”

  Anarose inclined her head. “Of course.”

  As they went off, Anastasia tried to get a read on William’s emotions. However, she found that he was giving off a sense of indifference. It seemed he could exert the same control over his emotions as he did his facial expressions.

  While they were gone, Anastasia sat at the table with the rest of her family. She couldn’t quite believe the note she’d received in the Royal Library had come from Anastasia Futurebringer herself! She’d gotten a letter from an ancestor, a thousand years in the past. And, on top of all of that, her ancestor had had premonitions of her, of her coming to the Old World. It was surreal. Not to mention, all the Ancients in the Old World had known of her premonitions. Anastasia Futurebringer had been open about her abilities. It made her wonder if all the other Ancients had been, as well.

  Nightfall brought the departure of the Ancients and the warriors. Anastasia embraced all of them, wishing them luck on their journey. William spent some time with his sister, the two of them whispering animatedly. After a moment, she pulled a ring from her finger and gave it to him. He slid it onto his little finger and pressed a kiss to her cheek. As he stepped back, Balan, Mira, and Mohan started the incantations.

  William, Vlad, Anastasia, and her family watched until they all disappeared. As soon as the wind died down, Anastasia joined her family for dinner. It was quieter than the previous days, but all the sweeter for it. They were able to talk about intimacies, to catch each other up. To understand where they’d all been in the past few months.

  But then Anastasia remembered the fall equinox feast back in Bahail. She was sure it had happened already, and she sincerely hoped it was fun, a way to bring their community together. Surely, the people would be upset that she hadn’t attended, but they would understand once they all returned home.

  After dinner, Anastasia returned to her room to put Aagney down for the night. After gently rocking him, he was out like a light, nestled in his crib. She quietly snuck out of the room, so as not to wake him, and found William watching her from the hall. He grinned as she looked up at him, but there was something off about him. Nervousness fluttered through him. Immediately, she was alarmed. Had something happened?

  He took her hand; his was shaking. “I was hoping I could ask you something.”

  She answered immediately, “Anything.”

  Did she mean that? She still wasn’t sure about telling him of her premonitions. If he asked, would she tell him the truth? It felt like now, as deep as they were into their relationship, she’d need to.

  “You know, I was never really afraid of much until I met you.”

  She gave him a look. “Oh, wonderful.”

  “I meant that you showed me what I could lose, showed me what I was fighting for.” He took a deep breath. “That night we met, when you returned to Sehir, I vowed I would do ever
ything in my power to protect the woman that had the gall to elbow me in the ribs.”

  She laughed. “Seriously?”

  “I was impressed.”

  “Yes, well, I did end up stealing your dagger.”

  “And my heart.”

  Anastasia felt like she was going to melt. Even though she knew what he was saying was extremely sappy, she didn’t mind. It made her want to throw her arms around him and never let go.

  William led her through the trees. “You know the moment I knew I loved you?”

  “When?”

  “At Warrior Elken’s funeral. See, I realized I had feelings for you when you attended the costume ball in Viire. I saw you slap Aatu and run off, and then I saw you collapse in the hall—I was worried, more worried than I should’ve been. But then at the funeral, we shared a cup of cider, talked about your grandparents. I felt so close to you.”

  “Before I collapsed again, you mean.”

  He nodded. “I wanted to run after you, to make sure you were alright. But you were engaged to Aatu, and it wasn’t my place.”

  Anastasia looked away from him. Aatu. She hadn’t thought about him in so long. But she no longer felt so guilty for it. If Adrian hadn’t killed him, they would be happily married, building a life together. But that wasn’t the life they’d had. There was no use feeling uneasy over what wasn’t and could never be. There was no use in feeling guilty over her feelings for William. She wasn’t being unfaithful to Aatu or his memory; she was living her life.

  They reached the ground floor of the trees, strolling through the soft grasses. She could hear the fairies’ canines barking in the distance, likely chasing fireflies. It made her lighthearted. They were in such a beautiful place, and they had the time to share it, together.

  William cleared his throat. “What I’m trying to say is that I love you, Anastasia. In a way I’d never imagined.”

  She looked up at him. “I love you, too.”

  As they rounded the corner of the tree, Anastasia gasped. The meadow they’d landed in when they’d traveled from Armol was decorated with an elegant archway, wrapped with beautiful flowers.