He sauntered over to the fireplace, journal in hand, and stood next to the hearth. She looked up at him expectantly, as she rubbed her hands together to soak in the heat from the dancing flames. “I know what you’re waiting for,” he said, gazing into the fire, “but there is no logical explanation.”
She seemed to be formulating a reply. “So…you’re asking me to believe that you have magical powers?”
“I’m not asking you to believe anything, I’m simply answering your questions.”
Aylie leaned back in the chair, putting her hand to her forehead. “I want to understand this—I really do, but there has to be more to it than what you’re telling me. There’s no such thing as magic.”
“The fact that you’ve never seen it before doesn’t’ mean it can’t exist.”
“Yes, but Ryder…magic?”
“How else would you account for my ability to transition into the panther that almost chewed your head off? What scientific argument could explain my ability to read your mind?”
Aylie shook her head slowly. He could see her brain fighting to find a more rational answer and watched as the battle in her mind raged, first one direction, then another. He could see the war between skepticism and childish belief behind her eyes and he was fascinated with the way her mind worked. She was both extremely logical and sincerely trusting at the same time. She wanted to believe him.
After several moments had passed, Aylie finally spoke. “Let’s say for the sake of argument that I believe your theory,” she said hesitantly. “Where does this magical power come from?”
Ryder was thoughtful. “That’s a little complicated to explain.”
Aylie let out a laugh. “How could anything be more complicated than what you’ve already told me?”
He looked down at the manuscript he held in his hands. “There are two possible sources—two bloodlines. They were once one and the same.”
Aylie lifted an eyebrow. “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
Ryder took a deep breath, trying to figure out where to start. “It’s an ancient magic that has been passed down through certain bloodlines for centuries. According to the legends of my ancestors, the magic originated from a single, powerful, immortal being—Ruardian, who had two sons. Both sons had different mothers and each inherited half of their father’s supernatural abilities. The other half of their DNA was human—which made them demi-gods in their own right. The name of the oldest son was Rhydian. He was the rightful heir to his father’s throne but he disappeared before he could be crowned king and was never heard from again. Some believe that his bloodline still lives on and that there are descendants alive who still have access to his powers. The younger son was named Edryd. He was jealous of Rhydian’s power and claim to the throne and wanted the kingdom for himself. He murdered his father and took the throne by force, destroying the rest of Rhydian’s bloodline to eliminate any future threat to his rule. He also invented dark magic—the very first druids came from his bloodline. My bloodline. ”
Aylie’s eyes widened in shock. “You’re a druid?”
Ryder shook his head. “Not by choice, but their ancient power flows through my veins.”
“How many of your people are there?”
Ryder stared at the roaring flames in the fireplace hearth. “Thousands.”
A knock sounded at the door. Bridgett came into the room, carrying a silver tray with several sandwiches and two steaming bowls of soup. She set the tray down on one of the coffee tables and went back to the silver cart in the hall to retrieve a ceramic teapot and two old fashioned teacups. There was an assortment of herbal teas on the silver tray from which to choose and she asked them both what they preferred.
Aylie murmured that anything would be fine, and Bridgett poured the steaming hot water over a bag of peppermint tea, bringing it to her on a matching saucer. She did the same for Ryder and quickly disappeared from the room, closing the door behind her. They sipped their tea in silence. Ryder didn’t know what else to say. He was still debating whether or not to let her read his father’s journal. He wasn’t sure whether this would bring more clarity or greater confusion, the latter of which he feared. He set it down on the fireplace mantel and went over to the tray of food. He handed a sandwich to Aylie and took one for himself. They nibbled on them until they had both had their fill.
When Aylie found her voice again she was very calm. “Should I be afraid of you?” She asked, looking up at him imploringly.
Ryder shook his head. “You have nothing to fear from me, unless you know who’s been murdering my family.”
Aylie’s forehead creased. “How could I possibly know who the murderer is if you don’t?”
Ryder took another sip of his tea and set the cup down on the fireplace mantel. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
“Just say it…whatever it is. I can handle it.”
Ryder smiled. “I know you can, but I wanted to give you a chance to change your mind if you’re ready to let all this go.”
“No, I want to know the truth. You said it might affect my family.”
Ryder nodded. “I have Edryd’s blood in my veins—that’s why I’m able to transition into the panther you saw and it’s how I’m able to read your mind.”
Aylie nodded impatiently. “You already told me that.”
Yes. But Aylie—how is it that you are able to read MY mind?
The horror on her face was unmistakable. Ryder saw her hands begin to shake as the implications of the question sank it. Her face turned pale and she looked like she might faint. He quickly went over to the silver tray Bridgett had left and poured her a fresh cup of hot tea, handing it to her. “Breathe, Aylie.” He said, forcing her to take a sip.
She took a second and a third sip, staring wordlessly into the fire. Eventually, she set the cup down on the saucer in her lap. “So you’re saying that I can read your mind because I’m a druid, too? That I have Edryd’s blood in my veins, just like you?”
Ryder sat down in the chair beside her, inhaling the comforting scent of his father’s pipe tobacco that still lingered in the chair’s upholstery. “That’s one possibility.”
“What other possibility could there be?” She asked, unable to conceal her mild despair.
“You could be a Silver Vein.”
“A what?” She leaned forward in her chair to study his face. He could feel the desperation in her gaze and felt helpless to offer relief.
“A Silver Vein…one of Rhydian’s descendants.”
“He was the older brother who went missing?”
“Yes. As I said before, some of my people believe his bloodline still exists, though I’ve never met anyone belonging to it.”
“How can you tell which bloodline you belong to?” She asked, sounding hopeful.
“There are certain traits or characteristics that are common to each bloodline—specific ‘powers,’ or ‘abilities,’ if you prefer to call them that.”
“What traits or abilities does a Silver Vein have?”
Ryder shook his head. “That’s what I’m still trying to figure out. I know all about Edryd’s bloodline, but very little about Rhydian’s. I do know, however, that his followers have one defining physical characteristic—the central vein in the right forearm is rumored to be silver.”
Aylie looked down at the teacup in her lap. “Hence the name, ‘Silver Vein.’”
“Exactly.”
“That’s why you kept trying to study my wrist,” she murmured. “It all makes sense now.”
“Does it?” Ryder let out an awkward laugh. “Good. I was afraid I was scaring you off with all this talk of magic and ancient bloodlines.”
Aylie laughed nervously. “I wouldn’t rule out that conclusion just yet.”
Ryder voiced the thought she was afraid to speak aloud. “You’re hoping that you belong to Rhydian’s bloodline and not mine.”
Aylie looked away from him guiltily.
“That would make us blood enem
ies,” he murmured.
“Would you try to kill me?” She asked, staring into the fire to avoid eye contact.
“Of course not. I’m not even part of Edryd’s Order. My family defected almost a century ago.”
“Is that what’s causing all of the unexplainable deaths?”
Ryder smiled sadly. “I think it’s safe to assume they didn’t appreciate it.”
“Isn’t there someone you can ask for help?”
“Who would believe me?” He muttered, standing to his feet. He paced back and forth in front of the fireplace.
“This is a nightmare…a literal nightmare.” She murmured.
shaking her head in disbelief. “Aren’t you afraid that you’ll be next?”
“Of course, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I don’t even know who’s responsible for it.”
Another knock came at the door and Bridgett entered again, this time carrying Aylie’s freshly cleaned clothes. Ryder thanked the maid and took them, giving the jeans and jacket to Aylie so she could change out of the shorts he had loaned her. When she was once again dressed in her own clothes, she seemed uncharacteristically calm and resigned. “I think its time for me to return to my post,” she announced, “but I want to talk more about this later.”
Ryder nodded and agreed to take her back to the place where he’d found her in Silvervane Forest. They walked shoulder to shoulder along the winding, gravel road, back to her hiding spot under the wooden footbridge. To the place where her friends were waiting for her and the only realities she had to acknowledge were those of high school and the simple life of an innocent, teenage girl. He left her in the safe and predictable world of normal and hoped that somehow she could stay there a little bit longer.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
W hen they had reached the perimeter of the paintball course, Aylie convinced Ryder to let her walk the rest of the way alone. She was extremely glad that she had, because her team was waiting there for her when she arrived and they weren’t very pleased that she’d vanished. They had noticed she was missing about twenty minutes before she’d reappeared and they were about to contact the park rangers to send out a search team.
“Oh my gosh, Aylie!” Lacey cried. “Where were you? We thought something terrible had happened!” She looked like she was about to cry. She was covered in splotches of paint, from her kneecaps to her stomach, but she didn’t seem to care at the moment.
“Where did you go?” Derek demanded, looking for traces of paint that might explain why she hadn’t been at her post.
Aylie had to think fast. “I had to pee but I didn’t know where the nearest outhouse was. I had to make sure I was far enough away that no one could see me.”
“You must’ve walked quite a distance,” Kyle mumbled, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. “You were gone for more than twenty minutes—longest piss I’ve ever heard of.”
Ren giggled.
“Are you alright?” Eli asked, searching her face. He seemed less irritated and more concerned for her wellbeing than the others, with the exception of Lacey.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” She asked, trying to appear normal. It’s not like she’d just discovered that she might have the blood of a powerful, ancient druid sorcerer running through her veins or anything.
Eli didn’t seem convinced. “You only left long enough to relieve yourself?”
Aylie nodded. She felt like such a liar that she couldn’t look him in the eyes. She didn’t like to deceive people, but she had to keep Ryder’s secret safe. The secret that could very well end up being her own.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” Ren said, squeezing her shoulders.
“We lost, in case you were wondering,” Kyle added, giving her a withering look.
“Did we lose because of me?” She asked, feeling guiltier than before.
“Not at all,” Chance piped up. “Kyle’s just a sore loser.”
“Well now that the crisis has been averted, I say we all go out for ice cream!” Lacey suggested. “Derek and I can drive.”
They agreed to meet at the Old Fashioned Ice Cream Shop downtown. It was the only ice cream place within a thirty-mile radius of Silvervane and a favorite off-campus hangout spot. It would probably be insanely busy on a Saturday evening, but it was still a fun place to mingle outside of school. Aylie tried to join in the narratives as everyone took turns sharing their dramatic paintball tales, but her mind was still preoccupied with everything Ryder had told her. She couldn’t seem to make herself care about their paint-related woes, and no one seemed to notice how detached she was from the conversation…except for Eli.
Just before they left the ice cream shop, Aylie excused herself to use the ladies room—this time for real. She’d been holding it for more than an hour and it gave her the perfect excuse to skip her turn and avoid making up a story that was hardly believable. When she came out again, Eli was standing just outside waiting for the men’s room. He put his hand on her shoulder as she passed by.
“Let me know when you want to talk about it,” he said before disappearing into the restroom.
Aylie was a little caught off guard by his perceptiveness. It was almost like he knew where she’d been and who she’d been with. It wasn’t possible, of course—no one even knew that she and Ryder were friends. Besides, Eli hadn’t been stationed anywhere near the road when they’d walked to the Mansion, so he couldn’t have seen where she’d gone. The feeling was strong, regardless, and she was relieved when Lacey finally dropped her off at the ranch. She fell asleep with Eli’s words playing over and over in her mind until the lines between reality and her subconscious blurred together.
When Aylie opened her eyes she was standing in the forest again holding her paintball gun. The sun was still shining brightly overhead and she was waiting impatiently for something to come along. A person. A rabbit. A squirrel. Anything. She was so bored she could hardly stand it. Off in the distance she saw something moving back and forth through the trees. She squinted to see what it was. She couldn’t tell from this far away, but it was large and white and familiar. She’d seen this animal somewhere before.
As she strained her eyes to identify it, someone grabbed her from behind, covering her mouth with their hand. She cried out, struggling to break free. Suddenly she realized it was Ryder Payne and her heart skipped a beat. She managed to free one of her arms and ripped the paintball helmet off so she could see his face. She whirled around with anticipation to wrap her arms around his neck and froze in shock. It wasn’t Ryder.
It was Eli. His eyes were so full of compassion and concern that it caught her off guard. She stumbled backwards out of his arms.
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” He asked, looking deeply into her eyes with both of his bright blue ones.
“Don’t worry about me,” she said, feeling awkward that she’d mistaken him for Ryder.
“Don’t forget why you’re doing this.” He said solemnly.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s time to take back what belongs to you.”
“What are you talking about?” She asked, feeling more and more confused by the minute.
“Find me,” he said. Then he took off running into the trees, leaving Aylie standing in the clearing with the paintball gun at her feet. She was determined to find out what was going on, so she ran after him. Forgetting about the paintball tournament entirely, she sprinted deeper and deeper into the forest. Every once in a while, she caught glimpses of him dodging branches and darting through the underbrush, but no matter how hard she ran, she couldn’t seem to catch up with him. He was further away than ever and she was getting tired. She’d given no thought to how she was going to find her way back to the paintball course. She didn’t know the forest well enough to navigate it without getting lost.
She stopped by a stream to catch her breath. The water looked cool and refreshing as she knelt down to splash some on her face. The pool was so clear that she could see her reflection in it.
As she gazed into it, she began to feel it pulling at her to take a drink. It occurred to her then that she was extremely thirsty, but she had a strange feeling it wasn’t safe to drink. There could be any number of germs or deadly organisms in this water that weren’t visible to the naked eye. But the longer she gazed into it, the thirstier she became. She cupped her hands and lowered them into the water.
It’s almost impossible to resist once you’ve felt its power, came a strangely familiar voice.
Startled, Aylie jerked back, letting the water slip through her fingers. There, standing on the other side of the stream, was the white lion. His eyes were even bluer than before…she remembered him now. She stared at him, wide-eyed and full of awe. Instantly she felt ashamed. “I wasn’t even thirsty until I noticed how clean and clear it looked.” She said, lowering her eyes. “I knew I shouldn’t drink it.”
Once your eyes have been opened, you begin to see things you didn’t know existed, the lion said. It can be hard to know what is right and what is wrong.
Aylie allowed herself to look up at him from beneath her long lashes. He wasn’t angry. His eyes were full of understanding. He knew exactly why she’d been tempted to drink the water.
You knew, for example, that it was okay to use the water to cool yourself, but you felt something telling you not to drink it. He continued.
Aylie nodded.
Look at the water again.
When she turned her eyes back to the stream again, it was dark and murky, like mud mixed with blood. Flies came up out of the water, drawn to its invisible stench. She wrinkled her nose, pushing herself away from the bank.
You knew something was wrong with the water even though you couldn’t see it—that’s because I gave you an intuition.
“But I didn’t hear you say anything,” she protested, a little confused.
In the core of your being, you have a spirit, the lion explained gently. You can hear the sound of my voice in your spirit. Sometimes it sounds like an intuition—a strong feeling or impression that you can’t seem to shake. At other times, I give you dreams or pictures in your mind that stay with you long after you wake. The ones you can’t stop thinking about. He took a step closer, looking down into the murky water of the stream. But if you ignore my warnings long enough, you’ll stop hearing them altogether. You will no longer know be able to tell the difference between what is safe and what is not.
WAKENED (The Silvervane Chronicles Book 1) Page 11
