by Barb Shuler
I had no idea why my father was just staring at me, but I wanted answers.
“Who are you?” My question came out in a half-snarl, half-hiss but it drew the man’s eyes to mine.
“You- I-”
“Well, that's helpful,” I muttered.
I lifted my hand to reach for him, but stopped when I noticed a blue glow coming from my fingers. It was just as it had been in my dreams. I looked at them and then to the man, but he hadn't caused this. He looked as shocked as I was.
Holy crap! I’m a freak.
“Talia, sweetheart, I need you to take a step back, and relax for me, okay?” My father's words were soft, but the tone of authority in it made me instantly step back. But I didn't go far.
“Your Highness,” Ramport said as he moved beside me, blocking me from the man on the ground, “what shall we do with him?”
“Rixon, what shall we do with him?” Father asked.
“Traitor,” the man on the ground hissed as Rixon stepped forward.
“I am no traitor. That is all you, cousin,” He all but spat the last word before continuing, “You were told to leave her be, yet here I find you, sniveling on the ground like the coward you are. Rise, you fool. On your feet,” he commanded.
The man jumped up and sneered at me. “You're as stupid as your mother! These animals are not worthy of you. You should come home to your family!” He bellowed in anger.
“This is my family.” The growl in my words made him tense. His mouth moved so slightly, I almost missed it. The blue streak happened so fast, I just reacted. I shoved the man, Rixon, out of the way and dived into the other man. Something inside of me snapped and I felt my body start to shake. People around us called to me, but their pleas fell on deaf ears.
This was his fault. He was trying to kill us, to kill my family. I hit and kicked out as he flung me off of him. We circled each other, and then I noticed my hands tingling. My fingertips were blue, pulsing with power. I looked back up at the man as I taunted him.
“You're not the only one with power around here.”
He charged. We tumbled to the ground. The voice I’d heard before flowed through me along with a small breeze across my skin. I knew what to do here. I could make this man do or say what I wanted him to.
“Dice veritatem!”
I commanded him to speak the truth but, to my surprise, he did not actually speak. I was suddenly in his mind, seeing his memories. It was like watching a movie. Some things went by so fast, I couldn't decipher them. But one image, an image I can never unsee again, made my hand leave his chest.
“Talia, sweetheart, you have to relax for me,” I heard Joshua pleading. I looked up to see them all just standing there. It was Rixon who stepped closer.
“Close your eyes, child and take in a few deep breaths. Until you calm, we can not get any closer. Your magic is not under control,” he said, calmly.
I focused on Joshua and his worried face. I took in a deep breath and stood from the ground. There was a blue haze around me. It was like what had been on my fingertips… except it was everywhere now.
I blinked back my surprise and let myself relax.
As the blue haze dissipated, Joshua moved closer to me and I curled into his chest. While the others dealt with the traitor that I spoke to Joshua.
“She's alive. M-my mother is alive.”
15
Talia
“What, my love? How can that be?” Joshua’s brows drew into a frown as he cupped my face gently. “She was killed the day of your birth.”
“No! She's alive. I saw her, I saw her in a room, pacing the floors. She-she’s alive Joshua! She. Is. Alive!”
My body shook as I spoke the last words. I had seen her and yes, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that was my mother.
It wasn't clear at first, but the more I replayed what I'd just seen, the more I knew it was true. This was not a trick of the mind. It was not someone else in my head, it was real. I turned and hurried to where Rixon stood and snatched him up by the shirt. My animal lent strength to me as I snarled out my next words. His face went lax.
“Where is my mother?!”
There was a commotion behind me and then dead silence. Rixon looked as perplexed as Joshua had.
He shook his head.
“She-” he took in a shaky breath, “My sister is dead.”
The heartbreak running through him slammed into me. His sister? He was… he was my uncle? Holy smokes! I saw his memories, then. He’d said his goodbyes to her. He had mourned her.
He was clueless that she lived.
I screamed in frustration as I turned, dropping him to his feet. I moved a few steps from where he stood. My entire body was shook with confusion and rage. More images slammed into me. The room she was in was like a cage. There was a large window above an enormous bed. It was lit, but still dark in some places. There was even a small window up high. Too high. They didn’t even have bars over it. There was a thread. I could feel her life force inside of me. She. Was. Alive. Dammit!
“Natalia, sweetheart, what is it? What are you feeling?” It was Sheri who came up and pressed her soft, warm hand to my cheek, wiping away the tears I hadn’t realized were rolling down my cheeks.
“I can see her. I can feel her. She- she's alive. My mother is alive.”
“Talia? What do you mean?” Ramport said from behind me. I met Sheri’s gaze before I spoke again.
“Just what I said. She is alive. She's locked in a large room. Bars on the window above an enormous bed. There’s a big oval. It's a-”
“An ornate rug, and wall tapestry. The symbol on the wall tapestry is a large sword across a saber and shield…”
I turned to look at my father. His entire body was shaking with anger and hurt. His eyes said more to me than his words would. I moved to him and wrapped my arms around him.
“How do you know this? How are you one hundred percent sure this is not a trick of theirs? Trenton, please. I think I'd know if my own blooded sister were alive,” Rixon said moving closer to us.
“Talia has never seen that room she just described. Even I, as the prince, have only set foot in it a mere handful of times. It's my father's hidden safe room. The tapestry and the floor covering are almost two centuries old. They are- were sacred to my father. They were blessed and a spell put on them to keep them from falling into pieces over the years.
“I would know!” Rixon shouted, his face turning beet red.
“NO- No you would not… something is blocking her…” I said. His gaze met mine. After a moment he scowled. I gripped my head as a pain shot through it. A searing, burning sensation that was trying to consume me. Someone was pushing against me. I shook my head. I growled and fell to my knees. They'd not win. I was not losing my connection with- with my mother.
“Talia, you have to break the connection,” I heard from behind me.
A moment later my father was cupping his hands over mine as the pain rocked through me.
“Please. I can’t lose you, too.” His pleading words sank into me and my connection to my mother was broken, but not before she uttered words so faint I almost missed them. I gasped as I gripped his arms in a bruising grip.
“They found us!”
The words had no sooner left my lips than we were surrounded by vampires. I got to my feet and turned to face the man before us in a red and black cloak. I don’t know how I knew it, but he was the one we needed to worry about.
“Rixon, I see you, too, are a traitor to your people.” Father grabbed Rixon by the shoulder when he snarled. Father’s grip kept him in place before stepping forward himself. The Prince hid behind no one, to many of the wolves dismay. They’d moved closer as well to shadow him.
“What do you plan to accomplish here?” Father gritted out.
“Now, Trenton, do not act as if you have no idea of why we are here.”
The man’s gaze moved across the small clearing where we stood, ready to fight for our freedom. When his gaze locked o
n me, my hackles rose, so to speak. A cold chill ran through me. My fangs pushed clear of my gums and I snarled at him. Two wolves moved before me. Joshua’s back was rod straight, his muscles coiled and ready for action.
“She has a temper like her mother,” the cloaked man said with a chuckle.
“What do you want, Randolph? Other than to annoy the hell out of me.”
“We have come for your daughter. The King has ordered it. Do not get in the way, or we shall kill you all and take her anyway.”
I felt a hand on mine and looked over to see my uncle, Rixon, staring at me. Something in his eyes made me move closer to him. It was then that I heard him.
“You have the power in you, little one. Can you help me push myself into his mind?”
I gave a small nod at his almost inaudible words. I wasn’t quite sure what he meant, but there was no fear in me now. A tingling sensation started in my hand, which quickly worked its way up my arm. Rixon and I both shivered as the power seemed to roll off of me.
I focused on the man facing down my father.
There was a stare down between Randolph and Father now. Ten minutes of propaganda and ridiculous threats and still, he thought he was going to be taking me to the King. I think not. If Father didn’t rip him in two, the wolves would.
Rixon and I stood, hands clasped. I focused on the vampires surrounding us. Everyone was poised and ready for an attack, but as I ran my power across theirs I could see each vampire stiffen. I pulled myself from Rixon’s grip and to his protest I moved between the wolves around me. My eyes followed the movements of each vampire on the outer ring of our group. I felt my mother's essence run across my mind and I knew what I had to do.
I slid my gaze from vampire to vampire and watched as they again stiffened. I heard Rixon chanting behind me, his presence in my mind brushing across where Mother’s had. With the chant, the power rolling through me, and the lended strength from my mother, I pushed the power through me and into the vampires. The tips of my fingers, my arms, my entire body was now glowing blue. With each vampire that fell to their knees, the Darkness was pushed out of them. If not, if they fought against me, all that was left of them was a smoldering piles of ash. The ones still on their knees were left panting, trying to get themselves under control.
This happened until only one remained on his feet. Randolph. I snarled the name in my head.
Randolph started to say something, but Rixon moved before me. His own hand came up, and like mine, was covered in a blue haze. As my father spoke I felt my mother brush against my mind again. I gripped Rixon by the shoulder and pushed against his power. I let him feel Mother's presence; let him hear her whispered words.
“Bring the three together. Only they can stop this all.”
“It’s time to end this, Your Highness,” Ramport said to Father before going down on one knee. “My family, my pack and I bow to thee. We shall live and die by your hands.”
This was a show of support and solidarity before the enemy. Randolph glared as the vampires that once stood by him followed after Ramport and his wolves. I could feel the darkness running through him as his anger spiked. I blinked and watched as the blackness seeped through him.
I moved to stand before my father, with Rixon following my lead. The words of his continued chant spilled from his voice in a low cadence. Randolph moved to step closer to my father, but I countered the action. The power building inside me had my entire body vibrating, but unlike before, it was effortless to keep a hold on it. I felt my mother’s presence wrap around me. My fangs pressed into my bottom lip as a hiss escaped me. Randolph’s eyes widened.
“Do not move any closer. I will not allow you to hurt my family. You tell that king of yours that he has lost. We are coming for him.”
The words spoken were not mine.
They were my mother’s.
At that, Randolph took a step backwards. Power surged through me as Rixon’s voice rose. Something happened, but I am unsure of what.
It wasn’t until I felt Joshua move closer to me that I was able to focus again. I was looking up at the stars. My back and side hurt. I coughed as I was helped to my feet. Rixon was sprawled out across a downed tree not ten feet from me. My father and Ramport moved to help him up. I sighed as I looked around. The clearing was covered in a blue haze.
I glanced at Randolph’s retreating form. My mother’s words still played on repeat in my head, only causing me more confusion.
“What happened?” I rasped out. I was so tired, now. I slumped against Joshua, his arms the only thing keeping me off the ground.
“Talia, sweetheart, are you okay?” Father asked as he came over and gently checked my head. “You’re bleeding.”
“Here, let me at her. Joshua, sit her on this tree. Rixon, sit. I need to look at you as well.” Sheri was spouting orders so fast they made my head spin.
With a heavy sigh I leaned into Joshua once again. There was a blue fog surrounding us. When did fog turn blue? My head was starting to pound so I closed my eyes, shutting out everything but sound.
“What in the name of Hades was that?” One of the vampires asked. My lids opened slowly. I met his gaze for a moment.
He bowed his head as he rubbed his neck.
With a grunt of pain, I pushed Sheri’s hand away and stood.
“Talia?” I heard Joshua call my name before I felt his hand take mine.
“What did I do?” The clearing around us was a helluva lot bigger now. There were downed trees. Vampires and wolves alike were trying to help a few of the downed men up.
I groaned!
The trees on the North side of the clearing looked the worst. When they started rustling, we all turned in that direction. A tall man with dark hair and a facial structure that reminded me of Father stopped mid-step and looked around.
“Seems I am too late.”
16
Trenton
I watched as the figure came through the trees. It was as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I moved to embrace Alexander.
“Brother.”
“I was on the way here to warn you of Randolph’s approach. You and the pack moved faster than I projected. Were you on the way to the homestead?” he asked.
“Yes. This-” I said waving a hand out, “was just a little set back.”
“Your Highness, Alexander,” Ramport said as he came to where we stood. He and Alexander exchanged a nod. “I think we should get moving, if you are ready. Talia needs to be someplace safe to rest.”
“Yes, of course. Alexander, how far to your homestead?” I asked looking back to where Talia stood with Joshua.
“Half a day’s walk. A few hours if we run. I have left Marissa with her Guardian. I hated to be apart from her, but I had to find you. I have found something of importance. I think you may want to see it.” His words had me looking back to where he stood.
I raised a brow.
“What is it?” I asked him.
“Brother, I’ve seen- Natalie- Trenton she is-”
“Alive. Yes, we are aware,” I spoke the words softly, cutting him off.
My heart was clenching at the thought of my love, my other half, being locked in that room in the castle. How was it possible? What had they done to her? Why was this only coming up now?
“Ah, I wasn’t aware you knew, my Brother.”
“Who are you?” Talia asked, pulling me from my own musings.
She moved to stand at my side. Her face was once again streaked with blood. I sighed and cursed myself. Joshua pressed a clean cloth to the spot in her hair line. It was a scratch, and would heal soon, but until then it was going to bleed.
Bloody head wounds.
Alexander turned slightly to give his full attention to Talia. “My sweet niece. What a pleasure.” He gave her a megawatt smile before turning back to me with that serious “Alexander” face. He continued speaking, “I guess my visions are a little behind. Something was blocking me earlier. Trenton, we really need to move.”
“You called me niece?” Talia’s voice was soft, sounding confused. I looked between her and Alexander, then cleared my throat.
“Natalia, this is my younger brother, Alexander. Your uncle.”
“Very nice to meet you, Natalia.” His head bowed slightly as he stood before her.
“Uncle?” she asked astonished. I nodded before moving to face her.
“Yes, my girl. This is your Uncle Alexander. He is my brother. We shall fill you in on everything once we get to the homestead. There is much you do not know yet but, as it stands right now, we are no longer safe here. We must be moving.”
I tried to reassure her. She looked between us both and then turned to lean back into Joshua.
I nodded to myself.
“We should hurry before Randolph returns with more of the King’s men.” Ramport stated. With that, we all started to gather our wits and started off towards the homestead. The pace was quick, but not too quick that the few injured among us, Natalia included, couldn’t keep up.
The conversation between Alexander and I stayed to the facts we had on hand.
“Has Gregor had her this entire time?” I wondered aloud.
Alexander shook his head before brushing his hand over his hair.
“From what I am able to gather, which keep in mind isn’t much, she’s not been there long. I can tell you that she is one pissed off kitty.” He chuckled as I did.
“She hears you calling her a kitty and she will skin your hide, Brother.”
“Yeah, but she’d expect nothing different from me. You know this.”
“This is true.”
Abruptly Alexander stopped in his tracks. I halted beside him, I knew that look on his face. He was seeing something. I heard a commotion from my side and turned to see Natalia running off to the east of us. With a growl Joshua and Ramport were after her. Once Alexander came back to himself he took off in that same direction.
