by Kailin Gow
“Yes,” I murmured, barely aware we still stood in my living room. I was really there, in this mystical palace with him.
“If I came here, if I risked coming to your home, it’s because I had to see you, Kama. Not only to warn you of the danger Dr. Sanz posed, but to touch you, kiss you and show you the life that awaits you.”
“This palace, is this…”
“My home. Our home. For far too long this palace has been empty, void of love, void of the laughter of joyful children.”
I opened my eyes and faced the love he had for me.
“You're that joy and love. You're what the palace has ached for all these years; what I’ve ached for.” He smiled. “I thought I was strong enough, thought I could fight the emotions I feel, but I can’t. I’ve been a warrior for longer than I can remember, and have fought enemies twice your size. But you’ve captured me, slayed me with your eyes and your soul. I cannot deny it any longer. My heart belongs to you, wants you. I love you, Kama.”
I wanted to jump for joy, to thank the heavens for opening his heart to me, but I also feared what his love could do to us. If my destiny was with Liam…
“Yes, you're right.”
Tears came to my eyes and my heart lapsed into a free-fall of confusion all over again. “You said you weren’t supposed to fall in love with me.”
“No,” he said, unshed tears making his eyes shine like never before. “Nor did I ever think I would be telling the woman I love to go to another.”
A stabbing pain ripped at my heart and I felt every fiber of my being crumble in his hands.
“I love you, Kama. I love you more than I ever thought possible. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone, but you're in danger, grave danger and I won’t allow any harm to come to you because of the selfish emotions I feel for you.”
“But my Life’s Plan is going to be set right. My destiny will be cleared. Shouldn’t I find security in that?”
“Don’t be fooled by the frailty Dr. Sanz displays. He’s far from feeble and weak. He has a high ranking position under Governor Seer and he likes it that way. If he should sense that you intend to rock the boat in any way, he’ll eliminate you.”
“Then why risk my intentions at all? He knows that I know. He could have easily hurt me last night.”
“Not with Pim and Liam around. Despite all of Dr. Sanz’s powers, Pim still holds the reins and he wants to maintain peace. He cares for your mother and for his son, therefore he cares for you. However, you don’t want to rely on that alone. When push comes to shove, he will do whatever he can to stop you from ruining the good thing he has as Governor of Arcadia, regardless of his feelings for your mother or his son.”
“No, Pim would never do anything to hurt his son.”
“Kama, you have to trust me. We have to leave.”
“Leave? Torrid, my Life’s Plan, my destiny… you yourself said it was…”
“I’ve changed my mind.” He took a firm hold of me and pulled me towards the door. “I can’t bear the thought of any harm coming to you.”
“But I can’t just leave, not now. Torrid, I want to do all I can to change the world, to save the Magical Ones. This is my destiny and…”
“I’ve asked your father to change his plans.”
I dug my heels in and glared at him. “You what?”
“Don’t look at me like that, Kama. It’s for your own good. His plan was outrageous and unimaginably dangerous.”
“What plan?”
“It doesn’t matter now.” He tugged on me, urging me to leave.
“Torrid, what plan?” I tried to dig into his mind, to find what he was holding back, but he was too good at blocking me. “Please. You can’t expect me to leave everything behind without even telling me what I’m running away from.”
He looked away and clenched his jaw while his hand clenched around my arm. I could sense his anger and his fear. His eyes narrowed as he debated how much he should tell me.
“I want to know it all, Torrid. Everything and anything that concerns me, I want to know.”
After a long intake of air, he let his breath seep out, his gaze resigned as he sat on the sofa and invited me to sit beside him.
“From as far back as we know, you were meant to marry Liam.”
His voice cracked on Liam’s name and I realized just how difficult this was for him.
“My sudden presence in your life alerted someone on the Committee. It may be Dr. Sanz, but it could be anyone.”
“And how was my marriage to Liam supposed to free the Magical Ones.”
“As his loving wife, trusted partner and beloved first lady, no one would ever suspect you of assassinating Pim.”
I shot to my feet, the sudden urge to retch sending me running to the bathroom. Murder. Was he crazy? I shut the bathroom door behind me and stared into the mirror. My reflection mocked me; the angelic golden hair, the clear and innocent hazel eyes, the pretty lips that were now set in a grim line of disbelief.
My blouse was crisp and freshly pressed and smelled of lavender. I was just a young woman, just 18, just starting my life. I watched the tears well in my eyes, watched the redness mar the pretty eyes with pain and watched my innocence fade away. I couldn’t believe my father would ask me to assassinate someone.
“Kama?” Torrid’s voice was soft and cautious behind the door.
Numb, I turned the doorknob and silently let him in.
“I’m sorry. I know this is a shock.”
“I’ve gone from being a starry-eyed girl, wanting only to love and be loved by a good man, and now you're telling me I’m destined to be a murderess?” My eyes remained on my reflection, willing the young and naïve girl I’d been just months earlier to return.
“Marrying Liam gives you complete access to the Governor’s mansion,” he went on, his tone grim. “You are to make it look like an accident, something that should be quite easy once you move in. However, the aftermath could be your death. As accidental as it may seem, few are going to accept the Governor’s death as such. They’ll pry and investigate. As a beloved and favored young woman of the mansion, suspicion may not fall on you for a while, but as no suspects are found, all eyes will turn to you, the new daughter-in-law. And when they learn of your heritage, learn who your father is… punishment will be swift and merciless.”
“And my father knows this?” I said.
Torrid nodded. “It pains him to make such a sacrifice.” His voice cracked under the strain of his emotions. “But he knows it’s the only way of saving everyone.”
“I’m to die so that others may live?”
“It basically comes down to that, yes.”
I gripped the edge of the sink as another wave of nausea crawled up my stomach.
“But you don’t have to do this, Kama. That’s why I’m here; to take you away, to save you from your own destiny.”
My head fell forward and I stared into the drain. Weren’t we all destined to die, regardless of the life we led?
“No,” I finally said. I turned to face him. “If this is my destiny, then so be it. I will not turn away from the task my father has given me.”
Through the pain, I saw a glint of pride shine in Torrid’s eyes. “You're even stronger than I gave you credit for; braver than most warriors I know.”
Though determined to go through with the fate that lay before me, I still couldn’t wrap my head around the notion of killing Pim. Murder was not in my blood.
Torrid set his hand on my shoulder. “I admire you, Kama Johnson. I hate that you're willing to go through with this, but I admire you. My heart wants to beg you to run away with me, to live out your life with me, but…” His voice cracked and choked. “I’ll stand by you, help you in any way I can.”
“Even stand by as I marry Liam?”
He turned away, a forced grin on his face. “In the end, this destiny of yours may kill me before it kills you. Knowing you are in the arms of another will be daily torture.”
Somehow I found solace in the fact that we’d both be struggling together. I wouldn’t live through the pain of my fate alone.
“Perhaps it’s Adon’s way of punishing me for falling in love with you when I shouldn’t have.”
“I love you, Torrid. Regardless of Adon’s orders to you or his requirements of me, I love you. Knowing you love me will no doubt help me get through this. I’m so grateful you're here, so grateful for having you in my life. I need your help. I need your shoulder to lean on, when I get scared or when I feel I can’t go on anymore. I need you there.”
“And I’ll be there.” His grin widened and his eyes shined with new hope.
He set his hands over my eyes. “Come with me,” he whispered. “Fly away with me just for a moment. Come home with me.”
We flew through a velvet sky and arrived at a crystal palace. Set high in the mountains, the world was once again at our feet as we stood on a turret. Birds painted the sky with a myriad of colors, their song sweet and pure.
“I’m the third son of the King and Queen of the Nethers, the largest kingdom of the Djinn. My whole life I’ve followed the teachings and battles of your father, General Adon. My admiration for him was boundless and my desire to one day lead his army motivated me to learn, to work hard and to train ceaselessly in order to have the strength and knowledge required.”
I sighed as I looked around me, marveling at the beauty of it all. Torrid floated us down to the drawbridge that crossed the moat. Crystal blue water flowed by as swans and geese bobbed on the gentle waves.
We entered the palace, and I was dazzled by the simplicity and elegance of a home that was suited to the lifestyle of a prince, all while conjuring up a sense of comfort and charm.
Flowers warmed every corner, while chandeliers sparkled with rainbows. Children ran about, barefoot and smudged with finger paint, their faces lined in red, blue and green.
Their tiny footprints led to their bedrooms upstairs, accompanied by a scattering of colorful handprints on the walls.
In any other life, in any other world this would have been deemed outrageous, but in his home, in the home we could have shared together, proof of our children’s love and joy was welcomed and embraced.
We chased them up the stairs, encouraging their shrieks of laughter.
Love reverberated from every wall, bounced off the ceilings and touched our hearts with every step.
“This is what I promise you,” Torrid whispered. “I’ll help you free every last Magical One then bring you home, your true home.
“It all seems so real.” I reached out to touch a crystalline wall, but my hand pierced through it, as if I’d run my fingers through water.
“One day it will be. For now it is just my mind opening up to yours. I wanted to show you where we will one day live, if you so desire.”
I pulled his hands away from my eyes and gazed up at him. “I do, Torrid. More than anything I desire this life with you.”
He kissed me, light and sweet.
Chapter 20
“Do I look okay, Mom?” I stood before the mirror on the bathroom door, looking at myself from every angle. My black slacks were freshly pressed and creased and the violet shirt practically stood on its own it was so crisp.
“You look fine, dear,” she called from the kitchen.
“You don’t even see me,” I complained. I’d pulled my hair back, hoping it’d make me look more serious and mature.
“I saw you two minutes ago and you looked great, honey. Now come on out or you're going to miss this meeting altogether.”
I gave my hair a last tap into place and rushed out.
“Oh, Mom,” I said as we hurried to the car. “I forgot…”
She eyed me impatiently as I rushed back inside. I ran back out, the lavender letter in my hand. “I can't show up without the letter.”
The drive down to the capitol building was tense and silent. I opened the lavender letter, reading it again for the hundredth time. Instead of the Life’s Plan I’d anticipated, the letter simply told me to meet with the Committee at eleven o’clock sharp.
The moment Mom pulled into the parking lot, I spotted Liam. Dressed in a dark suit, he was tall and handsome, looking every bit the future governor of Arcadia. He paced the front entrance of the majestic capitol, his figure intermittently disappearing behind the huge Corinthian columns, only to reappear again. No doubt he was just as anxious as I was to finally settle my Life’s Plan.
“The day has finally arrived,” he said when I approached him. He gathered my hands in his and we were silent together a moment. “Your mother coming in?” he said at length.
“She’s parking the car.” The tension was palpable as we looked at each other, our future waiting for us inside the massive doors of the capitol.
“Nervous?” he asked.
“Kind of.” I turned to the front lawn of the capitol, my gaze latching onto the beautiful magnolias in full bloom. They held such promise, such hope. I smiled, remembering the beauty of the home Torrid had shown me. Arcadia held its own tainted beauty. Would I really turn my back on it?
“Sarah is already inside with her parents. She really wanted to be here for you, to offer support.”
I nodded my understanding.
Mom hurried up the steps, her concern for me creasing her brow. This was such a big day for all of us. So much was riding on the information I was soon to learn.
“All ready?” Liam asked, offering an arm to each of us.
We nodded and hooked an arm in his and he led us inside.
The conical dome, visible from miles away, opened above us as we entered the rotunda. Illuminated by a lavish chandelier, the embellishments added grandeur to the already impressive dome. Ornate woodwork, detailed trim and meticulous workmanship gave the capitol a look of elegance and importance, just as Pim had intended.
Liam seemed to barely notice the beauty of his surroundings, while I stared and gawked at every detail.
As we turned to take the marble stairs leading to the Governor’s office, I ran my hand over the railing, the cool surface calming the heat wave that swept over me. I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders as we headed toward the open doors of the Governor’s hall.
A large oval cherry wood table took center stage, surrounded by thirteen dark leather chairs. Twelve of them were occupied by a man or woman dressed in a violet and gold robe. They all seemed intent on reading the documents before them and no one looked up as we entered, not even the few Magical Ones, including Dr. Sanz.
In the center of it all was Pim Seer, serene, solemn and confident. “Janice,” he called out gently, rising to his feet and coming to greet her.
A few of the Committee members followed Pim’s lead and joined in the greetings, exchanging trivial chatter and momentarily setting aside the true reason we’d all convened.
“Let’s get to the matter at hand,” Pim finally said, bringing the room to order.
Facing the entire Committee, I sat alone in a straight back chair while Liam, Sarah and my mother sat on the sidelines.
“We’re here today to review and revise Kama Johnson’s Life’s Plan.” Pim snapped open an enveloped, glanced at me and proceeded to read the report. “We acknowledge that Kama and her mother Janice are upstanding citizens of Arcadia. Janice gave birth to Kama here in our very own Arcadian Hospital 18 years ago and we’ve watched the little girl grow up here in Arcadia. She was a beautiful baby girl, healthy, happy, and sweet. It didn’t take long for her pleasing personality, intellect, and exquisite beauty to endear her to everyone who met her. She is, without a doubt, one of the most charming young ladies in Arcadia. Is it any wonder so many young men, including my son Liam, fell for her? However, now that she’s reached adulthood, it is time for her to choose, and she can only choose one man to marry and to form her Life’s Plan with. We already know she will graduate with honors, but what comes next?”
Dr. Reynolds, a stern-faced woman in her early forties, looked at me. I sensed h
er resentment and prepared for what she had to say.
“We understand your original files were altered. You were to graduate from high school with honors, attend college, marry Liam Seer, and become a Committee member along with Liam and Sarah before Liam became Governor.”
I glanced at Liam. Hearing aloud that my original Life’s Plan was exactly what I’d longed for was unreal. Had Torrid’s sudden appearance in my life really changed everything?
“However, something happened unexpectedly; something that brought about a change in your Life’s Plan.” She paused and scrutinized me. “Do you have any idea what could have brought about such a dramatic change in the Life Plan we’d originally plotted out for you?”
I intensified the blockage of my private thoughts, aware of the powerful minds surrounding me. I shoved all thoughts of Torrid aside, every kiss, every word, every lingering touch. I shelved the home he’d shown me, the possible future I could have with him. For this moment, he didn’t exist. He had no place in my life. He mustn’t, or everyone here would surely become aware of it. I thought, instead of Liam – how I have known him since we were children, how he had always been my best friend, how he treated me like a princess, loved me, made all of my concerns his very own. As I thought of him and looked into his earnest eyes, I remembered how much we have shared growing up, how much I had desired him when we were together, how much I wanted to be with him…
Stone-faced, Dr. Reynolds waited patiently while the other members of the Committee looked on.
My gaze turned to Liam.
“Ever since I first saw him, I knew I wanted to marry him.”
A few eyes turned to Liam, joining me in my admiration of the handsome and strong young man sitting there, looking at me with the kind of love that cannot be mistaken.
“At first it was just his blond curls, cute smile and soft eyes that captured my young heart, but I befriended him, learned who he was and my heart completely opened to the genuinely good man I knew he would be.”
