“You weren’t kidding with the weather changing either, huh?” The birds chirp themselves to sleep as we walk toward the exit of the strange forest. He holds onto my hand, turning me around to face him. He starts to say something to me but squints.
“I could’ve sworn your eyes were green like mine, and now they’re light gray.”
Chapter 12
I know it’s really rare for a person’s eyes to change color, unless you're lucky enough to have two different eye colors. Or an animal; husky dogs have green eyes or icy blue ones. I always liked that about them. I don't feel like a dog…or at least I don't think I am one.
I remember Mom giving me a mood ring. You know one of those rings with the big sphere right splat in the middle of it? It's said that the ball will change its color according to how you are feeling, what your mood is at that moment.
Apparently my dad left his with my mom. This moment made me remember that ring. My mood is all over the place. Silver tattoos on my skin and green ones on my left arm; now my eyes are gray.
Yes, I'm a bit all over the place, because so much is happening. Honestly, I think any normal person would explode.
Christian could be lying; I'm not sure. I rub my eyes, hoping they'll change back to their original color. All I get out of it is an annoying numb freeze.
Completely ignoring Christian, I breeze past him.
“It feels great to finally let loose…” My grandmother's voice in my head.
Apparently my mom was talking to a corrupt elf from the grimoire event back at home. I remember getting pulled inside and hearing Mellissa tell Alec that he's a traitor, because he was behind him aiding the corrupt mystic, helping the creature talk to my mother.
The two of them continued to fight in the forest; Alec Verel was a corrupt witch and part of the Verel gang. If there were any other witches living besides Donovan and me, and his brother Eric, they'd certainly understand that the Verels are not to be messed with. My mother talking to a corrupt mystic and a Verel, trying to warn my great-grandmother of it, makes all of this even more confusing. Why would a witch from an evil gang even try to help a female witch?
“So you're going to ignore the fact that your eyes are now gray?” Christian plops in front of me to stop my walk. “Hey, are you rewinding an entire movie in your head?”
“I'm fine. I don't know what's going on.”
“You still don't trust me?”
“I never said that,” I say, trying to play my part correctly. I'm not a good actress.
“I can feel it, Eliza. The portal to Ellevil wouldn't allow me in. You can't hold that against me. There was nothing I could do.”
“I understand.”
“No you don't, because those are glowing.”
“What's glowing?”
“Your arms, like they always do when you get upset or irritated or whichever mood you're in.”
I glance down at my left arm, seeing my green leafy tattoos. I shrug it off and proceed in front of him; he grabs my arm, pulling me back.
“What are you doing?”
I hold up Christian's arm, and our green tattoos align and glow. A zap zips through my body. Images flash vividly across inside my mind; I shut my eyes tightly.
Alec Verel appears beside Eric, as well as his family. I notice the corrupt elf that was talking to my grandmother Lauren, and since elves don't really age, he looks the same as before.
His tall frame, light hair, and sharp green eyes that beamed, looking right at me; he knew I was seeing this happen in my mind. I feel like I'm gasping for air.
The corrupt mystic says, “Eliza, we finally meet.”
I snap out of the daydream and glance up at Christian, who is staring at me like he always does. I want to tell him everything about my life, but really, who has time for that? Besides, I don't trust mystics. Even if Donovan and I are the only witches alive or if there's more out there.
I run into the dark forest. Donovan’s chains rattle in his cell; he's hurting, and so am I. Christian is yelling out for me, but I don't listen; I mute him from my thoughts.
I trip over a large root in the ground, landing on my palms in a push-up position. It's familiar to me, these predications and other new senses I've been developing. I'm starting to learn to use them more and more each day. I push myself back up from the ground and continue to glide through the enormous ferns in the woods.
***
It's amazing in here. If I’m not careful, I’ll make myself lost once again. Three light rays from the moon creep between the scattered leaves of the trees surrounding me. I glance up at the leaves above my head. The one thing I've noticed about being in Ellevil: it's beautiful. Everything about this place is extremely large, and at certain times I’m like an ant in such a big world.
My knee brushes against a colorful fern. I pick up a stick from the ground and start to weave around the dozens of trees. I place my stick on the bark of each tree to make a ticking sound as I walk.
It's peaceful to be alone.
After I had enough of walking, I stopped in front of a large tree. I clamp my right hand onto the bark, then my left. Energy surges throughout my body, the same sizzling feeling I've always felt traveling in my body, and buzzes against my nerves. I become aware of everything around me. I dart my eyes down at my leafy tattoos, glowing extremely bright; my mind becomes blank.
I close my eyes and dig my nails into the bark of the tree, pulling every working muscle in my body. I start digging into the tree's bark as hard as I can.
Don't think, just go.
“Instinct, Eliza,” my mother's voice rings in my head. I remember when she killed that corrupt fairy for me. It was amazing, and I want her back.
I want answers.
“I got your instinct,” I say through gritted teeth.
Once my body adapts to the impact from my climb, everything begins to get a tad bit easier. I use my fast reflexes and newfound flexibility to glide pass thick branches. The pressure of the air presses against my cheeks.
Another thick branch is coming up; there isn't a way for me to pass through it. I look below me. Realizing I am pretty high up in the sky, I lose control and let fear overcome me, ruining my thoughts and motivation.
“What happened to your Instinct?” my mother whispers.
“It's still here.”
I glance at the next tree to the right of me. I don't even think of me missing the grip and falling toward my death; I jump.
My body chucks against the tree and I screech in fear, hugging onto the bark. I claw up to the next thick branch, standing up and glancing down to the ground.
I'm up in the sky with the tree's branches, covered by thick green and pink leaves. The sky is light purple and the castle is in front of me. I guide the thin branches away from in front of my nose to see better. There's a path of connecting thick branches for me to run and jump on.
What a thrill. Now I know the real reason why elves stay in the trees.
The surge of energy is still flowing inside of me. I can still feel the zaps and my left arm stinging me pleasantly. At this moment, I want to test death.
I smile, chuckling to myself. I snap a thin branch away from my face so that I can see the space between this tree and me. Following a flash of brown hair running across the branches with my eyes, I begin to run and successfully jump off from my branch.
***
Who can possibly be all the way out here in the woods? Then again, it is Ellevil, the home of the elves, so I figure it is a mystic or something running around in the forest. I have my broomstick now, so I should be fine. Miss Canary, Emily, everyone loves being in the woods. I wish I had my grimoire to help me out here. But this person is snickering as they run across the trees…they are running from something.
I take my broomstick out of my pocket, clicking it on into a sharp dagger. I dig the blade into the tree's bark, helping me land on a random branch in time to catch the direction this person is running. I press the button on my weapon, runn
ing and skipping on the many branches around me. I jump off one branch and another swiftly, dodging anything that gets in my way. I hold my broomstick out to my side as I run after the person in front of me.
The mystic jumps down to a branch beneath me, running underneath on a different tree. The creature continues to snicker as I run to keep up with its pace. It's not easy. I have to make sure I don't get knocked out by a branch. I keep my focus and determination to find out who this mystic is.
My branch is coming to an end, forcing me to drop below to another thick one. I continue to run, a bit faster now. Breathing becomes fairly easy and the person is to my left. My eyes flicker back in front of me; I'm about to run right into a tree. I leap onto the same branch as the person I'm running after to avoid getting knocked off.
I quicken my pace to catch up to the person, but they're running too fast for me to keep up. Eventually they disappear into a bunch of leaves.
Damn it.
I stand still in place, looking around at my surroundings, trying to find this creature. They had short hair and looked muscular from the back, so I could tell it was a guy.
“That was sexy,” someone spoke, hugging me from behind. I whirl around with my fist in the air. Christian catches it before it jabs him in the face. I can't believe I was chasing after Christian. I should have known it was him; he's totally different in the forest. How did he know where I was? I thought I ran away fast enough to lose him; he must've followed me here.
“What are you doing?”
“You led me here.”
I jerk my hand out of his grip. We stand on our sturdy branch in the sky. It’s weird conversing with someone inside of a tree.
“You look confused. I can read you too well.”
“I am.”
“Because you don't know how I found you in the middle of nowhere? Because you have the same tattoos as me? Because a witch can keep up with an elf? Because you can climb an elven tree that only elves can climb? Because everything you do draws me in?” He touches the side of my neck, brushing his fingers under my chin. “Yeah, I'm pretty confused myself if you ask me.” His minty breath hits my cheeks as he looks into my eyes. I think I've got a hang of his manipulation tactics, and he's not doing anything abnormal.
“Why did you give me my broomstick?”
Our tattoos glow in the forest we are in. Soon Miss Canary and the rest of her elf gang will come looking for Christian. We are a speckle of green, lighting up this leafy place.
“I needed you to scare Warren into letting you free from his kingdom.”
I knew it.
Donovan wouldn't understand this moment in this forest; he's too delusional and filled with anger and jealousy. He'd say I'm stupid, up in the trees, allowing an elf to do as he pleases. Has he found peace in letting me portray a character to get us out of this hell?
Is it really okay for me to act in front of Christian like this and not yell? I hope I'm not losing myself during this time with him. I think I am. Sure, I'm starting to recognize some changes myself; this won't be the first transformation I've felt this way.
“Are you manipulating me to feel this way for you?”
“I told you I was forced to play with your mind the other times we've had, because of Terese.”
I cross my arms in front of him. “Why were you on top of me in my room? Why are you coming off malevolent toward me?”
He leans against the tree as I try to find my balance, avoiding looking down. The more I think about falling, the more I feel like I'm going to fall down to my death. The little chase we had earlier was all instinct as my mom would call it. He looks at me; he knows his little trance is broken and I'm free.
“Yeah your little spell…it's long gone,” I say.
He chuckles, placing his hands into his pockets. “She thinks you're special and didn't want to lose control over you.”
“Your point? Out of all the forests in your strange world you followed me to this tree. Why won't you let me be? Who do you think you are?” I say, walking over to him and pressing the end of my broomstick in the middle of his neck. “You're like the rest of the elves here. Cocky, competitive…all in, like to test my limits.”
“I guess you can say I like chasing you. Terese doesn’t want you finding out the truth about your mother and who you’re meant to be.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Well you did ask me to explain why I was on top of you in your room.” Christian walks toward me and brushes against me. “You’re going to be mine soon, Eliza. We can’t allow you to leave Ellevil just yet, so yes, I did change you. Don’t you want to know why you freeze every time we touch?”
The haunting voices return to me again. Listen to him; forget about Donovan. The truth about my mother. What is he talking about? You know the truth, you know the truth…the little boy you saw when you were little. What does he mean? The note you found in Miss Canary’s house, signed by Christian. You know the truth, you know the truth. The voices giggle devilishly.
Donovan was right…they’re planning to keep us here longer than what we expected. I have to blend in a bit better; I can’t let my emotions and confusion take over me. I can’t let Christian play with my mind anymore. I need to block him out. I press my broomstick harder against his neck, but his hand shoots up, pushing my hand away. He grabs me in closer, because he knows my balance up here isn't as good.
“Do you think that treehouse burned itself?” He raises his eyebrows, staring me down. “Why would I want to hurt you? Out of all the witches alive, we need you to solve everything.”
Why would they need me? I'm nothing but a rookie witch, trying to free my fellow witch from their elf jail and go home.
“Why does she need me, Christian?”
“The same reason she needs me.” He leaps off our branch down below to the dozen others beneath us.
“Hey! I'm not finished with you. Don't you walk away from me.”
“By all means, follow me.”
I leap down after him but stumble back, because I didn't really want to leap. I end up tripping off the branch, falling down just how I predicted. He looks up, his eyes wide, shocked that I'm falling. He leaps in to break my fall, dirt and foliage scattering up in the air. He coughs, pushing me aside.
“Really? You actually jumped.”
I pull on his collar to help me up. He chokes, and his shirt rips a little from the tug. “This was my favorite shirt!” He wipes off the dirt and flicks my hand away from him.
I stand up. “Talk,” I say, pulling out my broomstick.
“Listen, ever since your arrival here, I knew something was up. Every time a witch enters Ellevil, it always turns out badly.” He glances at a firefly flitting by. “So yes, I was curious if you guys would retaliate harshly.”
“What do you mean when witches enter here?”
“You and Donovan aren't the only witches alive.”
There is more of my kind? Well I kind of knew there was, the only other witch I've known to be alive is Eric, but he's the evil kind. My mom told me we were the only ones out there until I met up with Donovan.
“Back then, mystics and witches got along with each other, and then this whole mess with Ravamere and the Verel tainted our community and the trust got ruined. Your mother came and she met with someone who was affiliated with Ravamere.” Christian pulls a flower out of the ground. “The witches we thought were our friends killed our people.” He snaps the flower stem. “Which is why that treehouse means a lot to me,” he says, looking up. “It was my home. My father and I built the place. The reason why Terese needs you is to see if you can solve the mystery with the witches of Ravamaere.”
Who could Mom have been talking to?
He drops the flower and walks off in a direction that will lead us out of the forest.
I can't believe any of this. Donovan told me not to trust him no matter what, but there's a feeling of honesty coming from him. I can't explain; I know he's trying to be himself with me. Th
ere were more of my kind, but they ended up killing the people here? Now that didn't really make sense.
“You know about Ravamere?”
He chuckles. “Who doesn't?”
“I think I need to get there. I also think I know where a portal is that'll lead me there…”
Christian's eyes dart up. “You know how to get to Ravamere?”
“I didn't say that…I said I think I know.”
“Take me.”
“Whoa, why would you want to get to Rav? You know what happens there.”
“I'm aware, and I'm looking for answers, like you…don't you want them?”
“I think we both do.”
I continue to walk, and he follows. Then it hits me, he is too excited to talk about Ravamere. I stop. “Speaking of answers, do you know the rules of Faevil?” I ask.
Warren says that his portal only allowed purity in, nothing corrupt, and no witches. I wondered if Christian knew about this.
“Just witches weren't allowed in.”
“Anything else?”
He raises his eyebrows, and he knows I'm looking for a particular answer.
“I don't know what you're trying to do. I'm not asking you to trust me.”
“I don't. I'm wondering why you couldn't enter the portal. You're not a witch.”
“I didn't want to enter the portal. I've told you this.”
“Why waste time and create an illusion for him to see and not travel down yourself?”
Mythical (The Mystical Series Book 2) Page 13
