Chosen Darkness (Chosen Series)

by Fawn Atondo

  “Listen. What I could or could not do to your father is a moot point right now. Lark, will you help me or not?” Falyn asked.

  “Of course, Princess. After all, you outrank Father, even if he does not wish to acknowledge this,” Lark informed her.

  “I have to ask. How did you know I would be coming?” Falyn inquired.

  “Everyone here is waiting on some magical savior they call The One. Well, I just happened to get to you first. It’s a gift of mine – knowing things. My father would love to get his hands on The One and that would not go well for you!” Lark’s words grew softer.

  “Why do you wish to help me?” Falyn was trying to read his face.

  “I can sense you will need my aid, and as your blood outranks mine I shall offer my help willingly,” Lark told her with a shrug.

  “Thank you!” Falyn said.

  She wasn’t sure what he meant by that outranking business, but she was truly thankful he was willing to assist her.

  “Come, we will use the exit in my chambers. It will lead us far outside the castle walls.”

  “You have a secret exit in your bedroom?” Falyn asked, thinking it a bit odd.

  “As you know, this place gives you what your heart most desires, and for me it happens to be easy escape from Father when I wish!” Lark grinned.

  Falyn smiled back. It was odd all right, but she was glad his wish came down to wanting to escape because, at the moment, she wanted the exact same thing!

  His room was dark, everything either black or silver, but it had charm in a manly kind of way. Lark pressed his hand to a stone on the wall and it pushed back to reveal a gloomy passageway.

  “All right, you need to hold my hand and keep up. It’s dark and slippery,” Lark warned her.

  Falyn held on to Lark’s hand as tightly as she could as they ran down the steps. It grew colder the farther they went. Just when she was sure they would freeze to death, the steps headed back up and so did the temperature. They emerged on a small ledge overlooking a large clearing.

  “Thank you. I can’t tell you how much this means to me, Lark!” Falyn smiled with relief.

  “It is the least I could do for you. I mean, I’m the one who took you to the castle. I know Father is up to something but I never understand his games. He keeps most of his doings to himself and you are not the sort of person he should be wronging. Sometimes he is very foolish.”

  Falyn was taken aback because for once Lark was not joking. It was the most serious thing she’d heard him say since meeting him. It gave her a spark of hope she was in good hands if they ran into trouble.

  “Yes, well, I have no time for his games either. I came here to learn how to free a curse and find someone… Someone I love.” Falyn was not going to say more on the topic right now.

  “Well, we need to get you to someone who will know what you seek. Any ideas?” Lark asked.

  Falyn didn’t know but it occurred to her that it might be a fellow Druid that she wanted.

  “Do you know of any other Druids in this world?” Falyn wanted to know.

  Lark shook his head at first, but then a spark came into his eyes a moment later, giving Falyn some hope he might.

  “No Druids – they were wiped out long ago – but I recall my father talking of the Wiccans, a clan just as old as the Druids. The Wiccans and Druids used to worship together in their ceremonies. Perhaps they would have the information you’re after,” Lark said.

  “That sounds like something we should look into,” Falyn smiled.

  She was sure this was the right route to what she needed. After all, who would be better at breaking a curse then a witch?

  “All right, give me a moment.”

  Lark let out a long, low whistle. Before Falyn could ask what he was doing, a huge black stallion came prancing up to Lark and then nuzzled his master’s hand.

  “Wow, he is some horse!” Falyn exclaimed.

  She had never seen a horse so big in all her life! What was even more amazing was he was wearing a bridle and saddle, and there were also two packed saddle bags.

  “He is that,” Lark agreed.

  Lark mounted the stallion and pulled Falyn up behind him. She was sure to wrap her arms tightly around his waist as he urged the horse into a full gallop. They flew through the clearing and before too long were in the thick of the trees. Once they made it to the forest, Lark slowed the pace.

  They rode another few hours before Lark stopped by a river. He told her they would have to make camp here and head out again in the morning. Falyn was not really keen on stopping. She wanted to find the Wiccans and learn what they knew of the Druids and if they could help her unlock her magic and break the curse.

  Lark sensed her reluctance.

  “I’m sorry, Falyn, but the Wiccans are always on the move from one place to another and we might have to ride a day or more before we find them. We need to sleep,” Lark said.

  “Okay, I guess one night won’t hurt,” Falyn grumbled.

  “It may take a few nights, but if we’re lucky, we’ll find them sooner rather than later.”

  Falyn sighed. But if that was what it took to learn what she came here for, she would count herself very fortunate!

  The sun set quickly and if Lark had not started a fire, Falyn would not have been able to see a hand in front of her face, let alone anything else. She wished she could switch on her wolf sight, but she was not really ready to share with Lark this part of her just yet.

  Amazingly Lark pulled two sleeping mats from the saddlebags on the stallion. They beat sleeping on the leafy floor but they were not as comfy as sleeping bags. Above the trees, the stars shone bright and the moon was huge. It was larger than any moon she had ever seen back home.

  “Is this world much like yours?” Lark’s words floated to her in the dark.

  “Yes and no. It looks much the same, but it’s different too,” Falyn said, aware this probably sounded slightly lame.

  “The world for humans has Immortals?” Lark asked her.

  “Yes, there are lots of non-human races. Does this world have any humans?” she asked. If they were any here, she couldn’t help wondering what kind of life they would have.

  “There might be a few humans hidden about but I have never seen one myself.”

  “How can two worlds even be possible? How can one hold mostly humans and the other an endless amount of Immortals?” she wondered out loud.

  “Our history tells us that the Immortals of this world and the gods of yours each had a hand in making different races. Some say Zeus’ unclaimed daughter was a moon goddess and she is the one who made the night children – the werewolves and vampires. Others say it was the god of the underworld,” Lark explained.

  “Each world making its own blood ties and setting up fates for unsuspecting suckers. How noble!” Falyn muttered, more to herself than anything.

  “Is that an insight into how you feel?” Lark inquired with a laugh.

  “Sometimes,” Falyn shrugged. She would not be surprised to learn her fate was already decided.

  In some ways, the fact she knew she was a werewolf helped her accept the rest of what came her way. It was not hard to picture other Immortal races, such as mermaids and vampires and even elves living in her world. Even being here – in another world, the world of the Immortals – seemed entirely credible.

  What was out of her grasp of understanding was why her father wanted her to unlock the power from her Druid bloodline? It was his fault she was stuck in her current state, both unable to change into her wolf or stay human! If she had not learned about dipping an object in the tide pool, she would be stuck like this still. She looked down at the beat up silver cuff on her hand and sighed.

  True, she had agreed to the curse at the time to save herself from her father, but had she truly understood what that would mean? No, Falyn thought, clearly not! And to top it off she was still kind of pissed at Alex. Even knowing he’d left to he
lp her, it still hurt.

  Falyn pushed the old feelings down. She swore repeatedly not to go over this again, yet time and again she did. Even with a cute elven man tempting her with his charm she could not forsake Alex.

  While this mental turmoil was going on, Lark had not said a word. Maybe he was sleeping or perhaps he was dealing with his own inner conflict at helping her evade his own father. Either way, he was as still as the night around them. Falyn wanted only to sleep so she closed her eyes and let her mind drift off to its own darkness.

  Chapter Twelve: Bonded

  Alex felt as if his mind was full of mush after poring over the endless amount of books Luria had hidden in the dark dusty chamber. He learned many things he had not known before, but not the one thing he needed: who The One was. If he could find her, he could possibly restore the Immortal Guard to their rightful place and find a cure for Falyn – and a way home.

  Even with Luria’s help, he could not uncover a single clue as to who this Druid Princess would come back as – neither what race, nor which world, nor even a time-frame for when she might appear.

  “Maybe we need to be seeking a living source who knows of The One. Perhaps they might know something not recorded in any books,” Luria suggested.

  “Could there be such a race or person?” Alex wanted to know.

  Luria walked to the row of books behind him and pulled loose a large, burgundy red book. She placed it on the table and flipped through.

  “Here.” She pointed at a name at the top of a page: Wiccans. It was the history of a nomadic race.

  “Are these people still around?” Alex asked her.

  “Yes. The Wiccans live deep in the forest. Mostly they stay around the Elven Kingdom in the Green Forest.”

  “Then I think we should go and seek them out.”

  “Yes, I think that would prove the wisest choice for us,” Luria agreed.

  Alex gave her a hard look. Something about the way she had said “us” aroused a hint of suspicion but he did not say anything. Perhaps he was reading her words all wrong, because not once had she touched him in a way that would make him think she wanted him. However, it was still hard to shake the feeling from his gut.

  “I can bring us as close as the Dark Woods,” Luria said.

  Alex nodded, his senses grasping at something hanging around. It was a faint scent of urgency, but it lasted only a moment.

  Luria came and stood beside him. She put her hand on his arm and the room faded into nothingness. The next thing Alex knew they were standing in a meadow which stretched around them for miles. At the far side of this meadow was a breath-taking castle, no doubt belonging to the Elves.

  “Come this way.” Luria led him in the opposite direction, into the Dark Woods.

  The forest seemed unnaturally dark, which was presumably why it got its name. It was if it was night in here. Alex could not hear a single animal or bird and there was not even one green tree. They were all dark and dead.

  He could hear whispers and he knew they were not from the living. It was the dead making these sounds and not the kind of dead that would ever move on to the light. He blocked it out the best he could by listening to the only living thing he could hear: Luria’s heartbeat. It was faster than a human’s and sounded much like the Falyn’s.

  Luria seemed not to hear the dead, or if she did she hid it well. She hurried through the dark with sure-footedness it was as reassuring as it was humbling to Alex. After all, he was a creature of the darkness so he should be able to handle this uneasy place with just as much grace.

  The blinding light of sun hit them, making Alex blind for a moment. Vampires were not huge fans of the sun, but they could go out into it. It simply made their eyes water and sting if they did not shade them. And since he had not brought his sunglasses, he blinked away the spots in his eyes, looking about at the smaller meadow they now stood in.

  “We made it!” Luria said with a smile.

  “Not a moment too soon!”

  Alex did not have to look far to find he Green Forest. It was right in front of them and it looked much more peaceful than the vile one they had just exited. He could already hear the life in it and tjos made him feel much better about going into it.

  “Let us get on with it then, Binder,” Alex said as he struck out for the tree line.

  “Why call me ‘Binder’?” Luria asked him.

  He picked up on the sound of hurt in her voice and wondered why she felt this way.

  “You are a Binder, Luria, so I called you by your name, just as you may call me Vampire without insulting me,” Alex explained gently.

  “Oh,” Luria mumbled.

  Alex got that funny feeling again, like he was not seeing the whole picture here, but he could not address it without solid proof.

  “Come then, let’s find the Witches, Vampire,” Luria teased.

  Alex let out a laugh and followed her into the enchanted Green Forest where everything was green. Even the small streams running through it where emerald green.

  “Green Forest,” Alex smiled as he looked around him. “A good name for it!”

  Luria began to climb the bank in front of them.

  “Do you know where the Wiccans are?” Alex asked.

  “Luckily I do. Tonight is the night they worship the Moon Goddess and so they will be in the clearing at the heart of the forest.”

  “Perfect,” Alex said, beginning to feel hopeful.

  He was glad for a bit of luck because he felt like he was running out of time, and he was not sure why.

  They walked for what seemed like hours. He listened intently all the time, trying to catch voices. After a full day’s walking, he was eventually rewarded. Exactly as Luria had said, in the middle of the Green Forest was a large clearing with four huge white granite stones on a rise in the center. There was a large crowd of people there, wearing white and talking and drinking happily. They all turned to look at Alex and Luria as they walked into the clearing, but they did not seem to be worried about them being there.

  “Welcome,” said an elderly man who wore a large silver headdress with dark blue feathers hanging down.

  “Hello, Elder,” Luria greeted him politely.

  “Ah, a Binder! How wonderful! I bid you welcome, my child,” he said with a smile, waving them forward into their group.

  “I thank you, Elder. I bring a friend in search of answers we think you might have,” Luria said.

  The man turned to look at Alex, his dark eyes dancing with mirth as he studied him from head to toe.

  “Ah, I see. A vampire. How odd to find one in this part of the land,” he remarked.

  “I am not from this land,” Alex told him.

  “I know. You come from the other world and you seek answers about the undoing of the mighty ones and helping a beautiful woman,” the Elder smiled.

  “Then you know I am seeking The One?” Alex asked.

  “I do, and if you wait until sundown you shall be able to meet this One yourself. I already know you will be very shocked at who she is!” The Elder let out a shaky laugh before banging loudly on a hide drum. “My children!” he called. “Please gather round. We shall tell what we know of the things passing through our land! Our Immortal Watchers have been lost to us a long time now… No one knows for sure when this happened, only that it was many moons ago. None of us have laid eyes on a true Guard in many lifetimes, yet most people have no idea they have gone.”

  He banged his drum again.

  “Many have heard the old rumors about The One, the last of the True Light, who will come to right all the wrongs done by the Dark Druids. Tonight we shall see her and we will help her become one with the Moon Goddess, and through her we shall have hope, my children.”

  The elder spoke in a voice so clear it seemed emotionless.

  In this moment, an odd feeling washed over Alex yet again. He felt once more something was off, but without a real reason for it he could only
listen and wait.

  “Then, you don’t actually know how or why the Dark Druids took over this world?” Alex asked.

  “In truth, no. I’m not sure anyone besides the Evil Ones themselves can say what happened all those years ago, but, unlike most, at least we know they rule here, not the Guard.”

  As he looked into the man’s pale grey eyes, a shiver ran up Alex’s spine. However, as closely as he observed the Wiccans, he could not pinpoint any reason he should be uneasy. The Binder seemed to trust these people and, as the monk had told him, she could not lie. So he wasn’t picking up his uneasiness from her since she clearly felt none.

  Luria and Alex ate with the Wiccans and listened to their stories of the Druids and their own history. Alex was amazed to learn that the Wiccans had been moving from land to land for the last thousand years.

  “Can it be the only Immortal Guards left are those at the Gateway?” Luria asked the Elder.

  “Sadly that’s true. The others are lost forever in this world, and the other. They have gone to be with their kings beyond the stars.”

  “Why haven’t you told the residents of this world their leaders are not who they say they are?” Alex asked in a harsh voice.

  “We would risk our lives if we started spreading the truth ourselves. We have to wait for The One.” The Elder spoke in the same flat, emotionless way as before.

  “Everything the people in my world know is a lie!” Alex said angrily.

  “And only The One can change this, Alex. She will need you to help her,” the Elder answered.

  “I shall help her. If she can save those who would otherwise become victims, then I will aid her all I can!” Alex declared with passion.

  “And so you shall, though you will not take it well at first… But you will come to be at peace with your choice.”

  “I don’t understand,”

  “You will, my son, you will,” the Elder cooed in a sweet voice.

  Once more Alex felt the cold of the words, despite the smile on the Elder’s face. Be ready, his instinct was warning him. Why was everyone so convinced the Immortal Guard really was lost? To kill a Gargoyle was nearly impossible!