by L. N. MALONE
“How will she be testing my magic?” I asked.
“Part of Mirella’s magic is to sense other magic. She can find magic with one’s body and determine what kind and how powerful. Do not worry it does not hurt.”
“Will we train right after the test?”
“No, after the test she will escort you back to me where I will show you where you can help out with in the kingdom and explain your position.”
I nod in understanding not having any more questions which is good because just then there was a knock on the door followed with the same simple “Enter” from Armond.
“King Armand. Princess Akasha.” Mirella says in greeting with a slight bow. She is dressed in her normal leather however today it is the color of deep red.
“I am here to take you to the training room Princess.” she says straight and to the point. There will defiantly be no small talk. I say to myself. My power decides at that moment to kick in I am attacked with the feeling of grief, sadness, anger, and a hint of arousal. What is the arousal about and which one of them is it coming from? I think to myself. “Thank you, Mirella. Akasha it was lovely as always and I will see you both in a little while.” Armand says breaking my thoughts as Mirella comes to lead me out of the room before I had a chance to determine whose feelings are whose.
We silently walk along the hall and within just a few minutes we are in the training room. The room is massive with rows of mats on the floor and various weapons along the wall. She leads me to the middle of the floor then says “Ok Princess, just relax. I am going to place my hands on either side of your head. You may feel a small release of energy, however this will not hurt. I nod in approval and she places both hands on each side of my head. I felt a tingle of release but heard a loud gasp as I opened my eyes and saw Mirella step back with large eyes. “What? What is wrong?” I ask her when I felt her anxiety shoot through the roof. “You Princess are immensely powerful. While I cannot tell you exactly what you are because there is a block on you, I can tell you that you are extremely powerful. You have more power in you than I have ever felt in anyone else in all my years of walking this planet.” Now it was my turn to wear a surprised face. “Can you still train me?” I ask and the nervousness is my voice is undeniable.
“Yes, all magic runs along the same wave. How to control it and wield it depends on each individual person and triggers. I will not be the only one training you, however. I am going to call in Rico to also serve as a teacher. With the amount of power, you wield we need to get it controlled right away. You should also make time to speak with Iris. She is our seer, and she will help with any mental blocks you may have. We will start tomorrow and train every day at dusk. Ok, now let us get you back to King Armond and inform him of the outcome.” I nod in agreement and understanding and follow her to meet the King.
We stop at a massive door with the same carvings his office. I am beginning to see a theme here I inwardly chuckle to myself. Mirella stops and nods as her way of saying goodbye. I ready myself and knock on the door. “Enter” I hear him say in a sharp tone.
I walk in and immediately I am in shock. I assumed we were heading to the meeting room however I soon realized that we are in a massive library. It is filled with wall-to-wall ceiling to ceiling bookshelves designed with the same engravings as the door. The bookshelves are filled with what looks to be every book ever written. After looking around with surprise surely written all over my face, I see the King standing across the room in front of what looks to be a reception desk. The desk is also made of solid wood that shines with the same deep cherry brown as the rest of the library. I walk towards the King and bow into a slight curtsy when I reach him as a sign of respect.
“King Armand.” I say with my head still bowed down a bit.
“Please address me as Armand. We are almost on the same station and I do not wish to see you curtsy.” he says quite briskly and startling me a bit. I have seen plenty of people curtsy and address him formally and I am unsure why he does not wish me too. I must admit this makes me a bit uneasy to be informal with him especially since my body seems to react to him in a way it does no other. However, here is where I am, and this is his kingdom I must obey as best I can. Dismissing my concerns, I look up and immediately fall into his gaze. Shivers suddenly erupt all through my body and I feel the butterflies flying all around in my belly. I struggle to keep the eye contact because of how lost I seem to be in them.
“Armand, then. I hope I did not keep you waiting too long. This library is truly breathtaking.” I say using it to break away from the strange connection I feel when I look into his eyes.
“I am glad you like it. It has been a while since it has been used fully and it needs someone to take care of it. Books need to be cataloged and our archives need to be cleaned and gone through. Which is why you are here with me now.”
The confusion I felt must have shown on my face because he continued quickly. “Your list you gave Nadia says you enjoy reading and all of your hobbies and interests seem to revolve around books. I thought you would be the best fit for this job. Rico is our Archivist, and he will assist when he is available. Also, once a week we would like the children of the west to come and have story time and maybe some activities. I will leave that up to you and their headmistress to discuss.”
“Wow. I am unsure what to say.” I say to him when I realize I am completely at a loss for words. He is not what I expected at all. He always seemed so cold and distant, however now he seems to be gentle and thoughtful.
“Well, let me show you around really quick.” he says while offering his arm as guidance. I wrap my arm around his and immediately feel a tingling sensation that leads all the way down to my toes. He must have felt it too because in that same second I heard him slightly gasp and tense up a bit. Quickly he relaxes and he starts to guide me through the library.
“We have added additional desks and chairs throughout the library and have added the newest high-tech electronics for any needs you may have. Computer and printer are fingerprint locked so only Rico, Mirella, You, and I will have access to it. If anyone else needs anything they are to come to you. No one is allowed to access the Archives without my permission except those who have fingerprint access.”
“Of course, Armand. That will not be an issue at all.” I state wanting him to know I take this job very seriously. The excitement is already filling me with ideas of how to organize and plan. The thought of running a library is a dream come true for me. He was not wrong when he said all my interests revolve around books. There is something so special and appealing to be able to transfer into different worlds all while staying comfortable in a chair.
“You may decorate anyway you like. This is your location now and it is up to you to make sure it is up and running. Mirella handles most of the finances in regard to shipping and receiving so if you need help with ordering or anything else please speak her. Are you comfortable with this location?” Armand asked breaking out of my inward thoughts.
“I am beyond comfortable. I am remarkably close to speechless. This location is perfect, and I truly look forward to starting working.” I cannot contain the excitement in my voice.
He chuckles and says. “Wonderful! However, we do need to go to breakfast and of course there is the matter of meeting The Guardians of the House of Obscurite.”
I nod and continue to let him lead me to the breakfast room. “This is Nicie. She is our cook. If you need anything or get hungry just ask her. She can cook anything you like. Now, I must take my leave. Nadia will come for you at Midnight. For now, eat breakfast and then I suggest you explore a bit so you can find your way around. If you get lost simply say my name and I will find you I am sure.”
“Just say your name. What if you do not hear me?” I am confused by his order.
“I will.” is all he says as he turns and leaves me standing there in disbelief.
I stay standing there still in a bit of shock when a mousy voice with a thick southern accent breaks me out
of my thoughts.
“Well sweet pea, what will you have?” she is asking. I look her over and immediately I think of Mrs. Doubtfire. She is an older woman with grey hair that is curled up on each side and is a little on the plump side, especially on her bottom half. Her brown eyes are kind of hidden by her circled glasses but because of how light she is they still seem to stand out under the glasses.
“Coffee?”
“Posh” she scoffs. “What else? We need to get food in ya” she says with bit of a southern accent.
“Coffee, orange juice bacon and two over medium eggs?” Is that better? I think to myself slightly amused.
“Sounds delicious. It will be coming right up.” she says, and she disappears further into the kitchen. I take a seat at the breakfast table and look through the window when I hear someone walk in. I look up to find Mirella standing in the doorway staring daggers at me. “Good Morning.” I say to her trying to be polite.
*Hmph* she snorts as she grabs a bowl of fruit and a water and walks back out of the room. I jump in my seat as I hear another voice saying “Don’t worry about Mirella. She is not a morning person at all. Plus, she is still terribly upset about Julianna and you are a reminder.”
I look over and see a blonde-haired blue-eyed girl in black tight black leather walking towards me. She is definitely eye candy I think to myself as she heads to the fridge and pulls out the milk. Hmmm… milk does her body good. I say to myself and shocked that kind of thought even entered my head. What the Hell am I thinking? That is not like me at all. I am usually the levelheaded one and I am not into girls. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but still, What the Hell?
“I am half Succubus. That is why.” She says as she also walks out of the room.
What the hell? Did I say something out loud? How did she know I was confused? Can she read my mind? OMG how embarrassing. I put my head in the palms of my hands and hope it was all just a coincidence. I sat there looking around the kitchen taking in everything I see. A few moments later Nicie comes in and hands me a huge plate of food “Here is your breakfast. I hope you enjoy it. When you are finished just leave the plate there.”
“This looks amazing and smells delicious. Thank you very much.” I say.
“You are very welcome,” she says as she bows and heads out of the kitchen again leaving me to eat my breakfast in peace. The food was as delicious as it smelled. Once I was full, I did as Nicie asked and left the plate there and decided to explore as Armand recommended. Upon leaving the kitchen area I noticed a living room to my right and a formal dining to my left. Each room you could tell was hand decorated by skilled people. Cherry wood surrounded the rooms along the frames and tables. Chairs and Sofas offset the deep colors with cream fabric that truly just added a “Pop” sensation to each room. It is uniquely beautiful.
I proceeded to the hallway area where I realized there were actually four different hallways all carved from cherry wood as well. Each entrance had a different design carved along the massive entry way to each hallway. All of the carvings had roses, but each had a different creature to accompany it: a wolf, a cat, a bat, and a dragon. I recognized the dragon and roses from the door to the library.
Thinking that the library must be this way I decided to head down this hallway. After a few turns I reached a door that looked the same as the library. I entered the room and soon discovered it was not the library but a pool of some kind. The room looked like it was an indoor pond of some sort. The water however glowed a beautiful blue color like it was a glow in the dark pool itself. Soft low-cut grass surrounded the water with smooth dark rock steps to get in and out of. Looking at the wall there were rocks that looked as if they were used as hooks for towels.
The place was unlike anything I have ever seen. Just as I was about to walk up to the pool, I noticed a ripple in the water. It got bigger and bigger before suddenly a small splash and a head popped up out of the water. I knew in an instant it was the who it was. I was frozen in place, too scared and mesmerized to move. He shook off the extra water from his head and ran his fingers through his hair and tingles started to spread throughout my body. I watched as he made his way to the stairs. He seemed to be distracted, not noticing me there while his eyes look as if they hold lots of worry.
He makes his way slowly across the pool gliding in the water slowly. He takes his time to reach the stairs. He slowly starts to climb up and I realize what a huge mistake I made not saying anything. As he rises from the water, I gasped at the realization he was completely naked. My gasp must have broken his thoughts and his head whipped around and his eyes bore into mine. We stared at each other for a solid minute before he suddenly tilted his lip up to smirk at me. He winks and then walks slowly away through what looks like a side door dripping water along the way. Bloody hell what was that all about and did he really just wink? A king? Winking? I was completely at a loss for words.
After the strange encounter with the King, I leave the room in a hurry. I decide it is best if I just find my room. Maybe I can ask Nadia to show me around later. So, I walk and walk checking out rooms after rooms as I go. After about an hour of roaming around I start to get nervous. I have no idea where I am at and it is getting close to midnight and I am supposed to be meeting the circle today. I do not want to make a bad impression on my first day. Most of them probably hate me already because of Jayson. I sigh knowing I must call for help. “Armand” I say in a whisper and lean against the wall and let myself slide down it so I can sit. I sit there for less than two minutes when I hear his voice.
“Princess? Are you alright? What are you doing on the floor?”
“S-sorry to bother you. I got lost and have been wandering the halls since I saw you …” I trail off slowly feeling my cheeks blush with embarrassment.
“Ahh. I see.” He nods as I look up, I see a smirk on his face.
“Do not fret princess. You will eventually get used to the castle. Each wing has a label.”
“The dragon, wolf, cat, and bat correct?” I say as he helps me up and leads me with his arm gently as I feel the same tingles I seem to always feel when he is around.
“Yes, each represents my circle members, or Guardians of the House of Obscurite as most people know them as. The members are broken off into teams of two and share that wing for equipment and needs etc. However, no one is over another, they are all equals. They each have their own skills and strengths. They empower each other. That is the way of the circle.”
“What about you? Do you have someone beside you on your team? Someone who takes care of you?” When did I get so bold, I think to myself. A smile breaks through as he looks down at me and simply says “Soon.” We reach some double doors that have carvings of all the creatures mixed with roses. This must be where the circle members convene. I think to myself realizing how nervous I really am to meet them. This could either be wonderful or awful, so I hold my breath as Armand opens the door for us to enter.
Seven
Chapter Seven
Akasha POV:
I walk in arm in arm with Armand and I see a huge circle table. Surrounding the table were six chairs and six people standing behind them looking directly at me. I keep my head held high. I cannot show weakness. I must be strong. As I look at each person’s face, I recognize a few people. I see Mirella and Luke followed by three others I am unfamiliar with. Then I see the blonde from this morning who smirks at me with a knowing look. On the opposite side of the table there are two large throne chairs. I can only assume one was Julianna’s. Armand leads us to the chairs and directs me to sit. I hesitate and whisper to Armand. “I am deeply sorry Your Majesty, I believe this was Julianna’s seat. I cannot possibly sit there.”
I look to him and see a sad smile on his lips. When he looks up at me, he tells me “She is gone now. She is free of this world and her work on this planet is done. You are not to blame for her passing, so you do not have to feel as though you are taking anything from her by sitting there. It is now rightfully yours.
” I heard a gasp but was too focused on Armand to consider looking. Even though I was surprised and confused by his words I still took the seat next to him. The moment we sat so did everyone else without so much as waiting for the King’s directions. How odd.
Mirella stands up and turns to me and introduces herself. “I am Mirella von Cane as you know. Second in Command. I am a level four witch as well as a cat shifter. I work strategy and finances.” Then she directs her eyes to Armand. “Sire, I have her results would you like me to tell you now or wait until after?” she asks. “It is up to Akasha if she would like it known.” I am surprised and relieved by his response. I weigh the options and decide its best to get it out in the open. If these are Armand’s trusted circle, then they must be sworn to secrecy. “She can proceed now with the results.” I say with confidence and without hesitation in my voice. Armand nods to Mirella and she proceeds to tell the room how powerful my power is and how it is also unknown. She laid out a training regimen that would include magic as well as weaponry and fighting. When she is done, they swiftly moved back to the introductions.
Luke is next to say ‘' I am Luke Mitchell. Protector. Wolf Shifter. Link creator and teamed with Mirella. Luke was definitely muscle. He was built like a tank. He had blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. He looked as though he carried the world on his lightly tanned shoulders. After Luke finished speaking, I could not help but notice the quick glance he gave Mirella. A flash of longing showed in his eyes before it was gone. Next was another blonde man except he had brownish gold eyes and was a bit smaller than Luke but just and solid. “I am Blane Whiting. Cat Shifter, Mechanic, and Driver Security.” Right after he finished speaking another man stood up dark hair, dark eyes, and caramel skin. OMG he is pretty! I think to myself. He has that soft yet masculine look. Looks like he just walked off of a GQ catalog. “Lovely Princess, I am Rico DeAngelo. As you can probably tell I am Vampire. I also have some Witch heritage in me as well which allows me to access up to a level three in magic. I am the Technology person of this circle as well. You and I will be working closely together since I am also the Archives and History of our cultures is a hobby of mine. I look forward to getting to know you intimately.” He says with a smirk that looks as though he was trying to undress me. Armand suddenly goes rigid, and I swear I heard a growl come out of him. I must not have been the only one because everyone whipped their head to him looking for what the threat was. Armand shakes off his anger and sat up straighter in his seat. “I apologize. Please continue.” All eyes seem to roam to each other with confusion as to what just happened. A beautiful Asian woman stands and looks directly at me. Her eyes are so dark they almost look black. Her pale skin makes her almost look translucent against her straight black hair. “I am Jin Lang a level four witch. My passion is the blade. I am Rico’s teammate.” she says quickly and takes her seat. She is straight and to the point. I think to myself. I like her!
