Ascension (Unbound Prophecy Book 1)

by J. L. Jackola

  She thought she faintly heard the king call her name, but the doorway sealed too quickly behind her to really know. She had re-entered the hallway just in time. Sinow was just stepping beyond the room when she emerged. “Sinow, please wait!” she called.

  He stopped, lowering his head as he did. “I thought I made it clear I was done here, Violissa,” he responded not turning back toward her.

  “We are, but I need to ask one last thing before you go.” He turned toward her, his eyes black as a moonless night. “Daneele, please escort Kanine out.” Daneele looked as if he were about to object but stopped and bowed, clearly seeing that there would be no arguing the point with her.

  There was enough distance between them that Violissa felt it safe to remain where they were while talking. She wanted the privacy and knew she had only this moment in time to catch him before he was out of reach again.

  “This had better be important, Vi. My temperament is touch and go right now, and I’m having a very difficult time keeping my powers at bay. Make it quick.” He ran his hand through his hair, and she caught the momentary closing of his eyes as he tried to deal with the internal battle that was happening inside him. If he lost control of his powers, the consequences would be dire to any mortal on the grounds above them.

  “Sinow, we need to work together...” she meant to say more, but his laughter interrupted.

  “This again. I thought I made it clear that I was finished with this conversation. Now let me out of here, Violissa.”

  “Hear me out, Sinow. The ascension was hard on both of us…well mainly hard on you,” she corrected as he raised his eyebrow questioningly. “We still have the prophecy hanging over our heads and at some point, we need to deal with it. It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when, and I think both of us realize that.”

  “Do we?”

  “Yes, we do. There will come a time when it will be fulfilled, but we need to first give it a chance.” She wanted to kick herself; she could not seem to find the right words to say what she wanted to say.

  “What are you asking, Vi?” She noted the change in his tone and that he’d returned to using the nickname he’d given her. That was a good sign. Apparently, her frustration brought his tension level down.

  “We should meet regularly. Ever since the ascension, we’ve avoided each other and have had our Councils hold the treaty meetings. We should take over those meetings and conduct them without our Councils.”

  “And what would that accomplish aside from completely torturing us both?” he asked, looking into her eyes. Her heart beat increased with the look he gave her and the insinuation in his voice.

  She smiled. “It would get us closer to each other. Maybe get our powers acclimated so that we could stand to be near one another.” She could feel the heaviness in her breathing and the quickening beat of her heart. She felt the same reaction in Sinow and thought she had him convinced until he changed direction on her.

  “What did the old king say to you back there, Vi? You were in there longer than a normal goodbye would take. Did he say something to spur this new idea of yours?”

  She didn’t know what to say other than the truth. Knew that if she lied and said nothing had been spoken, he would walk away from any future meetings for a very long time.

  “He said it would take both our powers to defeat the blackness. It seemed like a good excuse to see you more often.” Even as she said it, she winced at the desperation in her voice. Saw from the expression on his face that she’d given away too much of how she felt toward him. She groaned inwardly, not knowing where to go from here.

  Then he did something unexpected. He smiled. It was beautiful and frightening at the same time, and she had to force herself to take a breath.

  “At the rise of the next full northern moon, I’ll be at the meeting ground. Now let me out before I change my mind and my bad side comes back out.” He held her eyes longer this time, causing the heat to rise in her cheeks, then he turned and walked toward the barrier that separated them from the others. She waved her hand, the barrier disappearing as she did, and watched as he walked through, grabbed Kanine by the shoulder, and shifted.

  Violissa stood, momentarily feeling the loss of his presence deep within her soul. So much had happened and she knew it would take time to process it all. She looked up at the doorway to the Hidden Realm. The blackness still lingered around the edges, but she wondered how long it would be before it made its mark on the land above.

  “Violissa?” Daneele had leaned through the opening that still stood where she’d let Sinow leave. “How did you let him out?”

  “With the wave of my hand. Why?”

  He seemed bewildered and looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. “I thought only Keepers had the power to do so. I’m just surprised. Did you know you could do that on the way in?”

  “I did, I just didn’t want to hurt your feelings.” She smiled innocently and walked past him. “I think I’ll take a walk now. I need some time to think.” With that, she shifted out to the lawn of her Castle and walked waywardly, her mind milling over all that she had seen and learned.

  Twenty-Nine

  Violissa sat on the grass in the middle of the meeting grove. The rich lilac skirt of her dress draped around her gave the impression she was sitting upon a cushion. She rested back on her hands and tipped her face toward the sky. The full sun above shimmered on her skin. Golden tendrils of hair swayed in the breeze, the brightness of the sun reflecting within them creating a look of stardust upon them. She was breathtaking, and Sinow didn’t dare disturb the moment, so he silently watched her, taking in each beautiful inch of her.

  She tilted her head back down and gazed across at him. He could feel the beat of her heart skip momentarily as her breath caught for just that brief instant as it did each time their eyes met. She smiled at him, the sun sparkling in her emerald eyes.

  “Are you purposely trying to sneak up on me, Sinow? You should know by now that I can sense you shifting in.”

  “Ah, I’d forgotten that slight point, Vi. I was simply taking a moment to enjoy the scenery.” The calm he experienced each time they met swept through him. It would last almost until their next meeting and had been helping him keep the full extent of his inner turmoil at bay. He still wasn’t sure how she managed it, but regardless, he didn’t question it. The urge to move closer to her, to be by her side rather than so far removed from her tore through him. He quickly pulled himself together as a brief surge of power ran through his arms and into his hands, threatening to destroy the calm she’d given him. Time away from her, as well as being too close to her, were the only things that managed to disrupt whatever spell she placed on him.

  Time for immortals moved quickly. It would seem that the centuries would crawl by as they lived through so many of them, but that was not the case. Instead the years following their ascensions advanced rapidly. To Sinow it seemed as if only a few moons, but in truth years had passed since that day. They now met with each other on a formal basis four times a year when both moons were at their peak in harmony. Their relationship had grown into one of respect and friendship. They discussed matters of the realms and then spent the remainder of the time talking of their lives and their experiences. They learned from each other and with each other. Their time together was short, but he looked forward to it with an eagerness unlike any other. Although their relationship had grown, neither moved to make more of it, or to even ask for more time together. He knew they both wanted to, but neither knew how. It seemed a curse to have so much power yet be so powerless. They both still struggled with instinctive reactions to the other, especially Sinow. Those reactions had calmed, but distances were still kept. Rarely did they get close enough to test what would happen. The sexual tension that surrounded them was enough to throw any creature within a few feet of them into heat. Each desired the other so much that the thought of losing control to th
at need and the fear of what mayhem their instinctive hatred for one another’s kind would cause in their powers kept them at a distance. The habit of distance was ingrained in them both, and neither of them trusted themselves.

  “Sinow?” The enchanting sound of her voice broke his thoughts and brought him back.

  “Forgive me, Vi, my mind had wandered.”

  She gave him a sly smile and his heart raced. “Hopefully nothing that would make me blush,” she said playfully. “Sit and relax. The day is fully here, and the sun is shining its blessings upon us.” She patted the ground before him, knowing they couldn’t possibly sit next to each other.

  “That’s definitely not something that would invite a Darkbearer to sit down, especially not their king. What is it with you and your nature gifts? I’ll never quite understand the connection.” He sat a good distance across from her. Each time they met, they tried to stand or sit closer to one another, but so far had only managed to remove about a foot of what seemed like miles. In reality, only about ten feet stood between them, but to them, it was an enormous gulf that symbolized the hurdles each had to pass before finally being able to unite.

  “Have you any news from your realm?” Violissa asked.

  He could tell she was trying to take her mind off the awkwardness of their situation. “Right to business, Vi? Will you never allow yourself to simply leave business aside and spend the entire time we have discussing other things?”

  “Such as?”

  “You know damn well the things to which I refer.” He refused to have her turn the conversation back to his lead for once.

  “We’ve been through it before, Sinow. We can’t even bear to get close to one another, so how can we even dare to discuss anything further until we accomplish that feat?” She rose, looking toward her back as she brushed her skirts off. He took in the curves of her profile, the softness of her chin, the delicate cheeks upon which now sat a light blush. The blush deepened as she met his eyes once more. “What would you have me say? That I welcome you to my bed when I know the risks that would bring?”

  He stood suddenly, moving forward but stopping as the heat rose once more within him. How had he managed to overcome the internal response when he’d taken her to heal the ancient groves? He hadn’t been able to regain that ease with her since then, had been unable to have the calmness wash through him enough to get to that point. He theorized that it was through impulse and an emotional reaction that he’d done it, but no matter how he tried, he not been able to replicate it. He cursed silently as she watched him with a look that told him he had just proven her point.

  “So, you would welcome me into your bed now, Vi? How quickly your feelings have changed,” he said, hoping it was a quick enough recovery. Her reaction to his words gave away more than she’d wanted. “They have, haven’t they?” He took another small step closer.

  She turned from him and walked away, lengthening the distance between them.

  “Vi, don’t walk away from the truth. You can’t run every time the subject of our union hits too close to home. You’re no longer the innocent queen in waiting who could get away with playing games with me and your Council.” He’d gotten to her. She turned and quickly walked back toward him. The closer she came the more his hands tingled with power and the more her eyes showed the struggle within her to control her own powers. She stopped about a foot in front of him, the closest they’d been able to get. He could see the strain it caused her to be this close. Her hands glowed a brilliant greenish blue color, and he could feel the arcane within her reaching out to attack him. It tingled against his skin, and he wondered how powerful the attack would be if she let go. Flames ran through his fingertips at the thought of the fight, and he felt his aura darken, a haze of black beginning to shroud him. He shook his head.

  “You’re brave, Sinow, to challenge me with such words.” Her voice was strong but quivered as she continued. “I’m not running away. I don’t know what to do now. Can I deny that we’ve grown closer? No, can you? Can you stand there and tell me that thoughts of the union have not crossed your mind again?”

  He smiled. “No, I cannot. Nor can I deny that thoughts of you in my bed have ever left my mind.” He relished the blush that returned as she chewed her bottom lip. She tipped her head down and drew a deep breath before meeting his eyes again.

  “Sinow,” she said softly. “It cannot yet be. Don’t you remember telling me the same thing that day in my washroom? Or do you forget what you gave up that day telling me the same thing I’m telling you now. You were right. The forces within us are too strong and yours are too unpredictable. Someday it will happen but not until this…” She brought her hand before her and opened it. The arcane within drew up before his eyes, not leaving her hand any more than to rise above it, but he could see it looking for an escape from the invisible border she’d created around it. “Not until this has dissipated can we be together and I just don’t see how to overcome it at this point.”

  He moved to grab her hand, but the power upon which he’d had such a tight rein seized its opportunity and burst forward as Violissa lost control of hers the same instant. The two met with a thunderous roar, and both went flying backwards. Sinow sat up and rubbed his head once he’d come to a stop among the trees.

  “See,” Violissa yelled from across the grove. She was pushing herself up from the ground where she’d landed. Then he heard her quietly say, “Even if we were to admit our feelings, nothing could come from it.” He wanted to call her out on the comment, see what she meant by it. Did she feel as deeply as he? He’d felt his feelings for her deepening so that it was no longer simply desire that made him want her. No, there was definitely something more there, and she felt it as well. A part of him knew it had always been there. He put his hands to his head in frustration, knowing that she was right. Time was still needed. The rage that was still tearing through him was evidence enough. He relaxed as he felt her calming spell pour through him. Closing his eyes, he relished its touch, letting a long sigh escape.

  “I do believe we’ve had enough for the day, Sinow,” Violissa said quietly as she slowly moved forward, brushing her dress off once more and magically repairing a rip which had appeared on it. Sinow stood and brushed himself off as well, rolling his neck to release the tension in it from the crash he’d just been through. He moved toward her but left a safe distance. Her eyes gleamed; he wondered if the brightness of the sun had caused their glossy look or if it was something more.

  “Once long ago, we stood in this very spot, Vi, and I told you I’d wait for you. Even though the tides have turned, and both of us need to work things out, I’m still waiting. I do believe I will always be waiting.”

  She smiled, a sad yet lovely smile. “No, not always, Sinow.” She looked off toward the sky for a moment, her chest rising with a deep inhale. “One day. Yes, one day, it will all come together and our patience will pay off. The Fates have their reasons for delaying things, and I have faith that they’ll reward us soon.”

  He lost himself in her eyes for what seemed an eternity before he pulled himself together and said the two words he dreaded every time they met, “Goodbye, Vi.”

  Thirty

  Violissa focused her energy once more toward the image of Sinow that stood before her. Initially, she had made Anwell spell himself to look like Sinow, but the feelings that ran through her when he did it made her change strategies. It was too disturbing knowing it was Anwell and being so attracted to his spelled appearance. She had turned instead to projecting an image of Sinow and using that image to practice. The power within her surged as she got closer to the figure, but it didn’t overflow this time. For the first time, she was able to stand directly in front of him without a reaction. Of course, the image didn’t project the power he carried, just the thought of it. An excited and relieved giggle escaped her, and she looked around to make sure no one was near enough to hear her. It had been two moons s
ince their last meeting. She hoped she had enough balance in her powers to approach Sinow and know that this time there would be no urge within her to fight. As she breathed a sigh of relief, she felt something that made her freeze in place. She tilted her head slightly as she tried to understand what she had just felt. It hadn’t been anything physical; it was more an awareness that something wasn’t quite right. She looked around but didn’t see anything unusual. Then she knelt and placed her hand on the ground, waiting silently for a sign of something wrong. She didn’t need to wait long and pulled her hand back suddenly as the ground shook from some unknown force. She stood, a concerned look crossing her face, then felt the ground rock below her again.

  She knew Brom was in the outer courtyard and said silently to him, Brom, did you feel that?

  Yes, my Lady. I was just coming to find you.

  The ground rippled below her, and she heard the land bellow in response. A large, angry roar erupted from far away, and Violissa knew instantly that she needed to find its source. I’m going to find out what that is, Brom. Stay here and alert the Council that I may need them.

  Yes, Violissa.

  With that, she shifted, honing her powers onto the sound and following it. She landed on the western side of her realm, not too far from the boundary. Her feet sank in that same dark substance she’d seen on the border near the sacred woods and on the walls below her castle. After the warning from the guardians, she and her Council had monitored the black substance but the spread had been so slow their concern had diminished. She put her fingers down and felt the substance. Not only was it oily and thick, but it emitted an aura of Dark magic. She breathed in as she spotted the source of that deafening sound out of the corner of her eye. The largest, most hideous creature she had ever laid eyes upon was bearing down on the village before it. The village had to have been at least three miles from where she stood, but the thing was so huge that it still seemed to cast a shadow over her. She heard it scream, if that’s what the sound could be called, as it brought something up in its hand. It took her a moment to realize that what it held was the roof of a house from the village. In its other hand, something moved violently. Violissa covered her mouth with her hand to stifle the bile that had risen in her throat; it was one of her people.