“Only if he stays in his human form,” I proposed.
“Ok.” He agreed “I can kick your butt either way but no powers from you either.”
“Fine.”
I would seriously be kidding myself if I wasn’t a little scared. I can do this, Leo is twice the size of Josh, and I beat him.
Taking my place in front of Josh, I shuddered, that wouldn’t make him aware that I was a little imitated by his tall muscle frame.
“3...2...1...GO!” Leo yelled.
As soon as the word left Leo’s mouth, Josh lunged towards me. Stepping out of the way, I threw a hook kick his way. He moved faster than I thought and I ended up just kicking the air.
“Is that all you got?” He taunted.
Throwing a punch at my stomach, I caught his fist inches from my body. Squeezing it in my hand, he cried out in pain.
“Is that all you have got?” I mocked releasing his fist.
Ducking from my fly kick, he grabbed my leg and pushed me towards the wall. Dropping my leg, he tried to grab my throat. Taking a cheap shot I kicked him in the groin, and he crumbled to the floor in pain.
“HA! That was a good Shot,” Alex laughed.
“I feel the need for popcorn,” Leo chuckled a deep laugh making me turn behind me, towards him. Josh tackled me from behind and tried to push me on the ground. Pulling on his arm that was wrapped around my neck, I flipped him over my head, and he landed on his back, in between Leo and Alex.
Slowly walking over to them, I bent down at Josh’s head.
“I think I win,” I smiled.
“Fine,” he grunted as Leo helped him up.
“Alright!” Alex cheered, throwing me a high five.
“So that’s two guys, Training Pah! I don’t need no training,” I gloated.
“How about two guys at one time?” Josh suggested as him and Leo marched towards me, before they reached me a huge ogre entered the gym.
“Adabelle, your father wants a word with all of you.” He breathed, fumigating us all with his horrid breath.
“Sure Toddy, we will be there after we freshen up.” I replied, trying not to breathe in. As he left, we all let out a gasp of breath. Ogres disgustingly un hygienic creatures.
“Hit the showers guys and be in the Kings office in half an hour,” Leo ordered as we all left the gym.
“Yes boss,” We called.
***
“How does it feel being beat up by a girl?” Alex asked Josh as we stood outside my father’s office, waiting for Leo.
“I could have taken you if I could shape shift,” He replied.
“Yeah right, my powers trump yours a hundred times over,” I laughed as Leo appeared next to us. Knocking on the door, we waited for my father to call us in. We all shared the same sharp intake of breath in anticipation of the next twenty minutes.
“Come in,” My father called from behind the door. We all entered and dotted ourselves around the big office. It seemed darker than usual, as if the cherry walls had changed shades since my last visit. I sat in my usual seat in front of his desk, with Alex sitting next to me, whilst Josh and Leo stood next to the open fire.
I was just about to ask why we had been brought into his office when Ethan ran into the room, without knocking, not a good idea.
“Ethan late as usual…”
“Dad,” I interrupted.
“Fine… I want an update on the situation about the element stones. Leo Shoot!” He ordered.
“Shoot?” He asked with a puzzled expression etched into his face
“He means explain,” Alex explained giving him a reassuring smile.
“Oh sorry, Thanks Alex,” clearing his throat he began to continue. ”Ok…”
“Is there a problem Leo?” My father interrupted, shaking his head and taking the seat behind his desk.
“No, Sir, The element stones we acquired are known for their rarity, rather than their power. It seems that they are needed to be collected in order to open a door, which we think, may be a Devils gate…”
“A Devils gate?”
“Yes Sir, Myself and Alex have been in the library searching for the reasons in which someone would want to open the Devils gate...”
“And?”
“And that’s where we draw a blank,” He finished.
I personally, would be annoyed by all the interruptions, but Leo being a good soldier, wasn’t annoyed at all and if he was, he didn’t show it.
“There is a lot of thinking going on Leo. I need hard facts and if you are struggling with this task, I can find someone else to do it for you.” Staring intently at Leo, my father continued to degrade Leo’s hard work without breaking his eye contact.
“It’s not enough reading about these things. You have to also do the foot work, when was the last time you visited Icarus? Have you done interviews? Oh and what about that elf Cedric, he has been here for over a month now and yet we have no information from him.” Taking his glance back to the rest of us, I could feel the unease that Leo was feeling.
“We went to Icarus yesterday, and we are narrowing the area in which the gate should be. So we should find it in the next couple of days.” Josh announced from behind me. I was pretty sure he had made that whole thing up, as far as I was aware we hadn’t found anything in that area. Apart from a big pile of nothing, literally, it was just a big field of daffodils.
“Think? Should? Not many positive words going on in these sentences.”
“Dad we are working on it ok…”
“We assure you that we will have it all figured out by the end of the week,” responded Leo. I’m sorry, did he just say the end of the week. That’s seven days, seven days to find out where the Devils gate is and why the demons are looking for it.
“End of the week?”
“Yes Sir.”
“Ok, End of the week. Leo I want to see results.”
“Yes Sir,” He replied with a bow. Even from this distance I could see the glisten of sweat around his neck.
“Ok you are all dismissed. Apart from you two, Elle and Ethan, I’d like a word.”
Oh no, the last four words filled me with dread as Ethan took the seat next to me. The others left silently, leaving the awkward silence between us and my father.
“I am under the impression that you two are failing to do your jobs...”
“Excuse me?” I interrupted.
“I know you are in charge of the others, but that doesn’t mean you can let them do all the work…”
“Are you serious?” I interrupted again. What does he think we do, sit around all day drinking tea while others work around us.
“We work are asses off! How dare you sit there and say we do nothing.” Ethan yelled leaping from his seat, making it fall to the floor.
“What did you just say!” The room shock as my father stood up. Crossing his desk, he stood right in front of Ethan, inches from him.
“Whoa Guys!” I piped up. They continued to stare at each other intently, ignoring me. Fine I’ll just sit here and watch this earth quake happen then.
“You heard me! I have been attacked on several occasions this past month, protecting these stones and so has Adabelle. Even though you have the security system, that could guard them a hell of a lot better than we can. You know what. You choose to ignore that fact because you would rather see us get hurt…”
“How dare you…”
“To teach us a lesson right dad?” Ethan finished. I’m pretty sure that they could feel the warmth of each other’s breath, they were standing close. I for one could feel the coolness of the tension between them.
“You ungrateful little sod!” My father roared pushing Ethan with his powers, so he didn’t have to touch him.
“That’s it Dad, teach me a lesson. Why don’t you be a real man and hit me!” Ethan yelled, pushing him back further and further towards the desk.
“That’s enough.” I shrieked, sending a gust of wind to blow them both apart. So much testosterone. Why couldn�
�t I have a sister, some female help would be awesome. No, I get to have two men who hate each other for my family, Awesome.
“What has gotten into you guys?” I asked. I must have missed something, because Ethan would never dare speak to my father like that on a normal day. I would never dare do it. He was far too powerful and assertive to have a full blown argument with.
“Ask him!” They both yelled in unison, which was freaky.
“Ok then, since you’re the father, Dad. I’m going to ask you. What did you do or didn’t do, or you know what I don’t know, so tell me,” I ordered. I’m pretty sure that made a lot less sense than it did in my head. I am not used to these two being at each other’s throats, this was a very rare occasion and not one I welcomed.
The silence between the two of them was almost deafening. So no one was going to clue me in to what was going on.
“Anyone?” I asked, mostly to the air as they seemed to be taking no notice of me.
“Alrighty then!” I sighed taking me seat again. This was going to take a while, too much stubbornness in my family, at least I know where I get mine from.
“He told me I couldn’t visit my mother’s grave on the anniversary of her death,” Ethan shouted pointing at my father as if he wished his finger was a dagger.
“What? Why? Why wouldn’t you let him go?”
“With the recent attacks it would have been the first place they would look for him. It's basic logic and even though you have said that I only do things to test you and to get you hurt, you are wrong! You are both my children and keeping you safe is my top priority…”
“Right” Ethan huffed rolling his eyes.
“Right, Young man! You are my children. Nothing means more to me than you two. Ethan I am sorry about you not visiting your mother and I promise you that after all this is over, we can go visit her together”
“Whatever,” mumbling he left the office slamming the door shut behind him.
This time of year was always tough for him. Even though, he was young when his mother died, he was very close to her. I wasn’t myself for some reason I didn’t take to her. Emerald would try and create bonding moments for us, but apparently I was having none of it and would always run away. According to Emerald the only person I ever wanted when I was a child was my father, daddy’s little girl that’s me.
“I could have handled that better.” Taking his place back behind his desk he poured himself a glass of scotch.
“Really? You think?” I replied sarcastically, that is the understatement of the century.
“Dad I know you, better than most people. What was the real reason for you not letting Ethan go?”
He took a sip out of his glass and placed it back on the desk with a sigh.
“They smashed up the Grave?” He whispered taking a big gulp of scotch.
“What?” I gasped “Dad I’m Sorry.”
Crossing the table I gave my father a hug. I knew this would have been hard on him. He loved her even I knew that. He used to talk about her a lot when she died, but after a while he couldn’t stand to hear her name in the castle. He only spoke about her with Ethan when they had their times together. Releasing him from my hug, I sat on his desk facing him. The sad look on his face broke my heart. I hated seeing him hurting.
“I’m guessing you haven’t told Ethan then?”
“No, how can I tell him? I can barely come to terms with it myself, he will be crushed, or by that sudden outburst he could possibly go crazy.” Holding his head in his hands, he shook it and then stared at me.
“Maybe you can…”
“No Dad, this will be better coming from you. I know that if my mother not that she has a grave, was vandalised like that. I would like you to tell me,” I smiled.
“You could apologies while you’re at it.” Kissing him on the forehead and rising from the desk. I headed towards the door.
“Come on I’ll Walk with you.”
“Fine, where did you get your level head from,” He laughed opening the double doors.
“Not from you obviously,” I mocked as we began to walk down the corridor towards Ethan’s room.
“Adabelle! Oh Sorry your highness, can we borrow Adabelle for a minute? It’s kinda super important,” Adam voice squeaked before he appeared in a ball of clouds.
“Super important,” Genevieve bounced as she jumped into view. Her long hair swept around her face as if she had been blown by a gust of wind.
“Sure little ones, Adabelle I’ll see you later.” Bidding us goodbye he kissed me on the forehead and continued down the corridor. He best go to Ethan and not chicken out because that would be seriously annoying. My thought pondering was broken by a tug on my trousers.
“Oh sorry Genevieve. How can I help?”
“You have to come see!” They both cried in unison each taking one of my hands. Before I could argue I was already standing outside in the cold air. The chill breeze covered my whole body in goose bumps. Adam and Genevieve were twins and each had the ability to transport people from realm to realm, which was seen as a great talent for a grown woman to do, never mind two eight year olds. These children were the cutest children I have ever seen, with both of their long hair blowing in the seriously windy weather.
“Look Look,” They called as they ran through the trees that ran around the back of the castle.
Fine I can definitely eat a big slice of that chocolate cake Emerald made later. A two hour gym session with Leo and now a run through the fields, definitely glad I chose the right foot wear.
“Where did you go?” I called to them. I had walked so far into the forest that all I could see were more trees, but no little children. If they had brought me in here for no reason or to play a joke on me, I’m going to be so mad.
“Here!” Adam called. I heard him, but I couldn’t see where he has. Crunching the leaves under my feet as I search the behind all the trees. Maybe they were playing hide and seek amongst the trees.
“Adabelle Come on!” They called sounding frustrated. It’s not my fault I couldn’t find them. I was never any good at this game. It’s a lot harder when all the other players have the ability to turn into anything they want, or could become invisible.
“I have no idea where are you guys... Whoa!” Well at least I found half of them. Adams arm hung in the air on its own as it gestured for me to follow them.
“What the…”
“It’s a portal” Genevieve laughed as her head appeared unattached from her body, floating in mid air.
That is some excellent witchcraft going on here. An invisible portal to another world, that’s fantastic. Circling the floating head and arm I tried to find the crystals or anything that could be creating it.
“Are you coming or not,” bugged Adam stepping out of the portal, so his body was all attached? No idea what I’m letting myself in for but the main concern is where them children are going to. It could be dangerous for them. Taking a deep breath I followed Adam through the portal and left the safety of the forest, into blaring sunlight.
“Could of warned me about the sun Kids,” I moaned shielding my eyes as I began to see dark spots forming in my sight.
“Kids?” Great off they go again. “Wait up,” I shouted chasing after them, as they ran through the corn field the portal had led us to. We had only run a short way before they disappeared again into thin air.
“What? What is this?” I mumbled jumping through the next portal and into a graveyard, that stretched for about a mile filled with broken down grave stones. Scanning the gloomy field of dead bodies, my arm developed Goosebumps. The thought of decomposing bodies underneath my feet made me want to puke.
“See!” Adam clucked jumping in a hyper manner.
“See what? Dead people yeah! Just call me Bruce Willis. What exactly am I supposed to be looking at here?”
“Don’t you recognise it?” She shrilled running around all the headstones pointing at each of them like it was supposed to ring any bells, which funnily eno
ugh it wasn’t.
“Look Ryann..Nny… Crag..Crai”
“Ryany Craig Genevieve. It says Ryany Craig. Oh my days are we in Icarus?” I gasped kneeling in front of the newly placed headstone. There, it was carved in stone, Ryany Craig born twenty sixth of September eighteen seventy four, died thirteenth of October two thousand and ten. Well he was defiantly old poor fellow, died aged one hundred and thirty six. I’ll be happy if I lived that long. Well I’d be a lot happier if I didn’t die painfully by being burnt alive, yeah that would be better.
“You kids shouldn’t be here, it’s too dangerous”
“Dangerous pfft! Danger is our middle names!” Adam ducked behind a head stone and jumped out as if he was scaring someone.
“We aren’t afraid of nuffing.” Folding her arms in irritation towards me, then following her brother. They ran around the graveyard jumping over the bumps in the ground and over the array of graves.
“Fine but still, how did you find these portals anyway?” I asked stepping over a gravestone or two to reach them.
“We were playing with Boggle, and he ran in to the woods..
“So we followed him.” Adam interrupted. The finishing each other sentences thing, was so cute.
“Why did you show it to me though? Surely you should have showed it to my father?” I asked puzzled by why I was the person they showed it to and not my father or even Josh or Alex. They are more of the adventurous type.
“He told us to,” Adam croaked from behind a broken down tree.
“Who?”
“The Prince” Genevieve smiled poking her head out from the opening of the dead oak. Oh, please let the prince be Ethan, please.
“Ethan?” I asked hopeful that it was my brother and not Logan because that would be another can or worms. I hadn’t seen Logan since the day in the alley, and I was trying to keep it that way. I didn’t want him to ask questions about Lorias, and I hadn’t heard anything from him in a long while.
“No, not Ethan, the Prince from the feast. He’s very friendly.” They smiled as they climbed under and through the big oak.
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