by Dawn Brower
Elodie picked up one of the berries and rolled it in the palm of her hand. It was a dark blue and shaped like a rounded triangle. Tiny seeds dotted its outer edge and a small leaf nestled the curved top. It was not any bigger than her fingertip. She brought it up to her nose and drew in its scent. A vibrant aroma tickled her nostrils and tempted her to sink her teeth into it. It was similar to one of her favorite berries that grew along the edge of the forest. It was red in her realm and succulent on a hot summer day. After careful consideration, she decided to try it. If Lulu wanted to harm her, she’d had ample opportunity. She would not likely poison her at this late date.
The berry’s flavor exploded over her tongue. Its juices coated her mouth and filled her with pleasure only the most succulent of foods could arouse. She moaned and popped another one between her teeth and savored it with delight. Cale and Daire stared at her with odd expressions on their faces. She tilted her head and said with a raised brow, “What?”
Daire shook his head and snatched one of the berries. “Give ‘em over. No hogging the climax-inducing berries.” He tossed one in his mouth and closed his eyes. “These are good.”
Cale frowned. “You two are either brave or complete idiots.” He shook his head. “Somehow, I think it might be a combination of both.”
“Shut up,” Elodie said and shoved some berries at him. “Eat or you’ll pass out at some point. Then what good will you be to me?”
He glared at her but started eating the berries. Lulu flew over to his side and sat on his lap. The Athair sat on his perch, and in a strange way seemed to be watching them enjoy the berries. His blindness was a part of him that seemed almost normal. He functioned with an ease Elodie admired. She was barely capable of putting one foot in front of each other some days.
“Athair,” she said. “Will you tell us about Malediction now?”
He smiled serenely. “Of course, child.”
The old man tilted his head toward the sky. The sun’s rays shone over him like a spotlight illuminating his presence. Elodie sat up straighter and prepared to listen. Kalypso continued to sleep peacefully at the Athair’s feet. Cale and Daire munched on berries and appeared content to let her lead the conversation. Lulu did what she did best—annoying Cale. Her infatuation with the knight was amusing, but his reactions to her were the real entertainment. One day he might explode and really use his broadsword on the bird.
Elodie returned her attention to the old man. Sereneness filled him as he sat on top of the rock. After several moments, he started to speak, “Many years ago, more than I can recall—a wizard decided that a place must be created for all the darkness in the world.” He paused and opened his eyes. “In his infinite wisdom, he believed it was a way to bring balance to all realms. Nevertheless, he failed to realize that without evil, good would not be able to thrive. True balance has to have an opposite, and without it the scale tips unfairly in favor of one over the other.”
Was this the long version? There had to be a simple way for him to tell her about the way Malediction came into existence. “What does that have to do with this realm?” she asked.
“Patience, child,” he said. “It’s a long story, and each detail is important.”
Elodie closed her mouth and made herself sit still to listen to the old man’s story. If he believed each element was significant, she had to take note of it all and file it away for a later date.
“My apologies,” she said demurely. “I’m ready to hear the rest.”
He nodded and continued. “In retrospect, everything is much clearer. If we all could see what our actions would bring about beforehand, perhaps we would make different choices, but in this, I digress. You want to understand Malediction. For that, you have to understand its foundation.”
Sadness etched through his voice and his subsequent silence was even more profound. After several moments, he cleared his throat and continued, “A curse is only as powerful as you allow it to be. Unfortunately, Malediction was created to destroy a curse that the wizard believed would bring about the biggest evil in the world. In its creation, it formed into something even more prevailing than he could have imagined. It became the evil he had been hoping to avoid, and through his magic, he breathed life into it.”
“What happened to him?” Elodie asked.
“Someone has to police the realm and continue to keep order in place,” the old man said. “It was his mistake and his burden to bear. Regrettably, it took him away from those he loved, and in time, he became numb to the loss.”
That was the saddest thing Elodie had ever heard in her life. She was sequestered at the castle, and the only friendship she had was with her maid. Cale had become an important part in her life, but even he planned to leave her. The wizard must have been incredibly lonely living in Malediction without someone he loved to keep him company.
“Did he die?” Elodie asked.
She did not have a clue how long a wizard could live in the realm or any world for that matter. However, the old man had said it was so many years ago, he had lost count. Elodie tilted her head and studied him. Perhaps the answer wasn’t so far for her to find…
“The wizard died many years ago, child,” he said with much sadness. “The man he was ceased to be after ruling over Malediction for so long. Some things can’t be recovered from.”
Cale wiped his hands on his pants and asked, “Is there a way out of this realm?”
That was the question she should have been asking, but she’d been caught up in the wizard’s tale. It was so lonely, and it spoke to her on so many levels. She felt as if she was a part of it somehow.
“There are many ways to leave,” the old man said. “It’s finding them that is difficult.”
“If you had to pick one,” Daire jumped in. “Which would you choose.”
“I can give you some clues that will aid you in your search,” the old man said. “If you can figure them out, you will be on the path you need to escape.”
Elodie sat up higher. She hated clues. Sure, they would ultimately lead her the way she had to go to leave, but it would be so much easier if someone would tell her, “Go over that yonder hill, beyond the forest, and there you will find the portal home.” Why couldn’t it be a straight shot and a clear goal?
“In losing something, dear, and finding it when you least expect it, will you find the correct path home.” The Athair clasped his hand together “Crossing a heated ring might bring salvation or it could alter your soul.”
He stopped talking after that. Elodie wanted to scream in frustration. None of that helped, and she was even more lost than she was before. How was she going to make it home with so little to go on? Fiona was probably already declaring her dead and taking over Zelnon.
“That is two clues,” Cale said. “What are the other ones?”
“Right you are, child,” he said. He lifted a brow. “Or are you?”
“I’m positive,” Cale replied. “What game are you playing?”
“Helplessness is an affliction you don’t abide well,” The Athair stated. “When you accept that you need someone to survive, your heart will be open to happiness, and then you will realize a life is worth living.”
Cale snorted. “Is that another clue?”
“If you like,” the old man said. “You’re a rare case, Sir Griffin. There is so much uncertainty in your heart. You have a need to save the world but don’t believe you have what it takes to do it. Stop fighting yourself and maybe you will stand a chance of surviving the battle ahead.”
Elodie was awestruck. The more the Athair talked, it became abundantly clear to her who he was. The wizard was not as dead as the story foretold. He was sitting in front of her and dishing out advice like a bad fortuneteller. She had one problem though. The message’s obscurity made it too difficult to decipher. If she had the capability of decoding it, the damn thing might prove useful.
Daire stood and started to pace. “If we count your advice to good ole Cale, that makes three clues.�
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“If you like,” the old man said. “I offer you one last piece of information. Deception happens as often as breathing. Sleight of hand is commonplace. Trust, while earned, is in itself a lie. Nothing is what it seems, yet it is precisely what it presents itself to be.”
Kalypso’s eyes fluttered open and she stretched her claws out. She roared as she yawned and smacked her mouth together in slow degrees. “What did I miss?” she asked.
“Not much,” Lulu said. “Only everything important.”
“One day I’ll rip your beak off,” Kalypso promised.
The last thing they needed was for the two of them to start bickering. They had a lot on their plate already. The old man’s clues were a launching off point. Elodie needed the two animals at their best if they were to move forward and find a way to escape Malediction.
“Oh, do be quiet,” Elodie snapped and turned her attention to the old man. “Can you tell us where to go from here?”
He smiled. “Fate must decide for you. But if you find the fire and slip through the ring, you might yet make it home this day.”
That was something to go on at least. She turned toward Cale and Daire. They each nodded their head in silent understanding. The time for resting had ended and they had something to go on. What had Lulu said before? They had to cross the valley of the dead, and they needed Kalypso to help them with it.
“Lulu,” Elodie said. “Do you still remember where we are going?”
She nodded. “Of course. Do you wish me to lead the way now?”
“Yes,” Elodie replied.
“Be careful,” the old man said. “Remember what I’ve said and heed with caution.”
Elodie did not want to hurt his feelings and tell him she had no idea what any of his clues meant. She hoped that, in time, they would become evident and that, when they did, she would not be too late in understanding them. Prophesies were difficult at best and downright annoying the rest of the time. She hated them with a passion that could not be defined. It would make her life a hell of a lot easier if someone just said “Do this and avoid that.” Could that possibly happen? No, of course not. They gave her a riddle to solve, and she was starting to believe she didn’t have the mental capacity to unravel it.
They started down the path again with Kalypso and Lulu leading the way. The old man had given them valuable insight, and at the same time nothing at all. It was starting to get rather frustrating. Home seemed so far away and impossible to find.
“Do you trust him?” Daire asked.
“He said deception was commonplace,” Cale replied. “It would be foolish to take even him at his word.”
Elodie chewed on her bottom lip. She forgot to ask him about her affliction. Something was so off about her, and she was almost afraid to find out what it was. That was part of the problem. If she put a voice to it, then everyone would realize she was not the same person. What if both Cale and Daire looked at her differently? Did she care if they did? She must, if she had kept it to herself and had trouble admitting.
“Cale is right,” Elodie admitted. “I think that was part of his warning. Even he is corrupt, and we have to weed through his words to find the truth.”
She took a little comfort in saying that. If she had asked him what was brewing inside of her, it might not have been the truth he gave her. In time, she would figure it out, and then she’d deal with it.
“You seemed to take in every word he uttered,” Daire stared at her as he said, “What do you think of it all?”
Everything he had said was clouded with mystery. “He has been in this world since its existence. I think he might believe what he told us. It might even be true, but we do not have anything to gauge it by. We have to explore it, and through that will we come to realize what is truth and what isn’t.”
Cale nodded. “I agree. Where do you suggest we start?”
Elodie remained quiet for several heartbeats. It was nice that they were asking for her input for once. She was sick and tired of their arbitrary handling of her and what they believed was best. Maybe there was hope for them after all. Cale was acting more like the knight she had come to care about. Daire was being charming and helpful. For the first time in a long time, she didn’t feel completely alone.
“With the valley of the dead,” Elodie said. “Then maybe we can find this fire-filled ring. For some reason, I think they are connected.”
They walked in silence for several moments. The heat of their bodies enveloped hers. The sky started to darken once more. A whole day was wasted with her sickness and then listening to the old man’s tale. It hadn’t seemed that long, but now it was clear hours had passed them by without notice. They would have to take a break again and hope nothing else befell them in the meantime.
“I hate this place so much,” Cale muttered under his breath. “I swear the days are shorter and shorter.”
“Perhaps they are,” Daire said. “What do we really know about how time passes while we are here? It could even pass differently in comparison to home. What if every day here is a month at home?”
Elodie hadn’t even considered that possibility. There was no way of telling if seconds, minutes, hours, or even days passed at the same rate. What if, when they returned, no one remembered who they were? Why hadn’t they thought of that prospect sooner? The urge to run was filling every muscle of her body. Cale must have anticipated her doing that because he clasped his hand around her arm. She turned to meet his gaze, and he said one word, “Don’t.”
Elodie gulped down a lump in her throat. For the thousandth time, she thought about the events that led up to her imprisonment in Malediction, and she wished she had made a different choice. Paige had warned her if she made the wrong ones, the result would be her trapped in an endless nightmare.
“I have to go home,” she ground out.
“We all do,” Daire said. “This isn’t just about you and your kingdom.”
Her selfishness had reached a new height. He had family and lands to return to as well. For all she knew, he did not want to marry her any more than she desired the match. Not once had she given him the opportunity to tell her what he wanted. It was time to stop thinking of herself and listen to everyone around her.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “It seems so hopeless.”
“It’s in those times that you must fight the hardest,” Cale said. “Because if you give into your greatest weakness or moment of doubt, they win. Never let them beat you.”
Elodie took a deep breath and nodded. She had a head full of worries and a heart full of grief, but Cale was right. Running home without a plan in place would leave her at a disadvantage. Besides, she couldn’t very well do that without finding the correct road to lead her there. They had to do this the hard way or not at all. Malediction would not have it any other way.
“Sometimes I let my feet lead me where my head or heart dares not tread,” Elodie said. “In those moments, you’re my voice of reason. I may not say this often, but thank you for all you’ve done for me over the last year.” She glanced up at him and smiled. “And for following me in a nightmare that we might never escape from. You being here makes this easier to bear.”
Cale looked away from her and kept silent. Elodie wanted to lash out and hurt him for not acknowledging her apology and heartfelt gratitude, but held it inside. The more time she spent by his side in Malediction, the more she started to understand him. He was quietest when he was the most moved and uncertain what to do. Her knight was a male of few words, and his actions told her all she needed to know.
Between Cale and Daire, she had two people she could lean on if she had to. They were as different as two people could be, but proved to be the fiercest of allies. Between the three of them, they would find a way out of Malediction. What more could a princess ask for?
On the Ropes
No one wanted to settle in for the night. Realistically, Elodie realized that they had to rest or they’d never make it through the trials ahead,
but after the debacle with the river the dark sky brought a new set of fears. Cale went in search of wood for a fire and Daire kept an arrow nocked and ready to launch if anything bothered to intrude.
Lulu did what she did best and flitted around them, bringing cheer or what she believed to be merriment and fun. The bird was a whirl of activity that was hard to stomach. No one was that congenial all the time. Lulu had moments of bitchiness, but for the most part, she was upbeat and hyperactive. Moonlight illuminated her stark white body and the silver tipped wings glistened brightly. At least she would be easy to spot…
Kalypso prowled along the edge of the valley, roaring at some invisible force. They had traveled until they reached the veil of the dead. Elodie still did not fully understand what that meant, but expected she would receive a crash course when they crossed over. The tiger dug her claws into the dirt and snarled loudly. The fur on her back stood up high and her gaze was glued to some unfathomable object. Elodie shivered as she watched her.
Where the heck was Cale? She could use a good fire to keep her warm as they waited out the night. Sleep might prove impossible, but she had to attempt it. Daire glanced in her direction and nodded. His hand clenched tightly along the edge of his bowstring. Being so close to the edge of death had them all about to jump out of their skin.
A loud crack echoed through the area, catching all of their attention. Elodie turned, trying to figure out what had made the noise. Daire was by her side in an instant, his bow poised and ready to launch.
“What is it?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I can’t tell.”
Cale stepped out of the trees and held up his hands, dropping a stack of wood to the ground. “You may not like me much, but please refrain from shooting me.”
