The Key ( #1 Anna Kippling Series) YA Paranormal Romance / Epic Fantasy

by A. D. Duling

  Closed shops ran along the main street, resembling Parisian cafés and boutiques. Branches of little streets came about, lined with residential town homes looking not so different than the ones at the fake Tatania. Curtains parted and younger faces peeked through windows to get a glimpse of their new visitor as Hayden guided the horse down one of the smaller streets.

  Another turn and then down another residential street and Hayden had reached his home. The townhome sandwiched between two others, looked warm and welcoming at first impression. A small garden sat on one side of the yard and beautiful flowers overflowed the flower boxes that sat on the home’s tiny wooden porch that was painted in a white and aged in perfect balance.

  Hayden dismounted, just as the front door opened and a large man came charging out towards them. The large burly man grabbed him into a crushing hug and deep laughter followed from him. “It’s good to have you safe and back at home my boy!” He exclaimed loudly, pulling him deeper into his bear hug. Hayden groaned in protest, but happily hugged him back.

  “Your mother has been worried sick since you left!” The man announced after, letting him go. A hearty slap on the back followed and then the man’s attention turned to the dismounting girl. Anna had already figured him to be Hayden’s father. The minute he had exited the quaint townhome and she had gotten a solid look at him, she knew. He was an older version of the young man that stood next to him, smiling in sync with him as they stared upon her. Silver lined his blonde top, but the eyes were the exact shade of his son’s, if not deeper. Even his smile was identical to Hayden’s.

  He stepped forward and Anna cringed, anticipating the same bone cracking bear hug that was dished to his son. His father laughed and scooped her into her hug, but a gentler one. “So you’re our Anna Kippling!” His voice bellowed his excitement and echoed down along the tiny street.

  “Father, you’re scaring her, put her down,” said Hayden, laughing as he watched Anna’s eyes grow two sizes wider.

  Harmon chuckled and put her down. “I am sure you have figured me to be Hayden’s father already.” His voice came softer and she nodded. “You my dear can address me as Harmon,” He introduced himself with a large smile.

  “Yes, it’s a pleasure to meet you…Harmon,” Anna politely responded, liking the man already, who smelled a lot like her own father. It seemed Old Spice was even popular here in Tatania, or at least a fragrance similar to it. Anna didn’t really think she would spot a bottle of it here, but the fragrance was just the same.

  He chuckled and took the reins from his son’s hand. “You take the young lass into the house and introduce her to your mother. You leave me to put this old fellow here to the barn.”

  Hayden grinned. “If that horse understood what you just said about him father, it may be you tied up in the barn tonight instead!” He teased him.

  The man gave another chuckle and rubbed the horse’s snout, “Nah! He knows I’m joking, don’t you boy?” The man spoke sweetly to the horse as he guided him away towards the back.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Hayden’s hand took Anna’s and he pulled her to the wooden porch of the home and through the front door.

  “Head for the table, I’m sure my mother is already preparing our meals in the kitchen,” Hayden said, giving her a gentle nudge in the indicated direction.

  Anna walked over and sat in nearest chair, while Hayden took the one across from her. Not a moment later the swinging door opened and in walked a very lovely woman with two full plates of food.

  “I knew you’d be home tonight, so I kept your dinners warm for you!” she announced, setting a plate down in front of each of them. Mashed potatoes and a pork roast were their meal. Gravy covered them both and a corn on the cob with butter sat to the side. The far better meal Hayden had promised earlier to Anna.

  The woman smiled at Anna. “Hello Anna, I’m Hayden’s mother and you can call me Corinne,” she sweetly introduced herself. She then leaned over and gave Anna a hug; a much gentler one compared to her husband’s.

  Anna hugged her back and even though the woman’s fragrance was pleasant, it however was not the trigger that reminded Anna of her own mother. It was the hug. The motherly hug that was far different from the other types of hugs, the hug that came naturally to every mother without them even knowing it. The protective one, that reassures and inspires and always comes with a little special “oomph” on top of it.

  “It’s very nice to meet you Corrine and this dinner smells wonderful!” Anna complimented her.

  “Just wait until you eat it!” Hayden exclaimed as he scooped a large forkful from his plate.

  Corrine chuckled. “Now you two eat up, there’s pie waiting for you afterwards!” she said as she passed through the kitchen door to get them something to drink. She returned a minute later carrying a pitcher full of lemonade and Anna was glad to discover lemons were also available in Tatania. Corrine filled their cups full and then sat down to join them.

  “You’re being spoiled tonight Anna, this is my mother’s famous pot roast!” Hayden bragged to her.

  The bite in her mouth had already given the label before he did. The meat was tender and the mashed potatoes were creamy, butter was also present in Tatania, thank goodness! Corrine’s cooking would have shamed her mother’s and Anna was glad her mother would never know about it. Her mother tried hard, but many times the mouthwatering meals in the pictures of the magazines, were easier said than done for Mrs. Kippling.

  For the second time during her stay in Tatania, Anna had cleaned her plate within minutes. She would have licked it clean too, if Hayden hadn’t been present. The idea strongly played in her mind when she noticed he had no problem in doing so.

  “Hayden, we have company!” his mother scolded him as he dragged his finger across the plate to gather the lingering gravy spots. He licked his finger and winked at Anna.

  “Would you like some more Anna?” Corrine asked her, “There is more…” she added, slapping her son’s arm and then stole his plate from him.

  Anna laughed and wiped her mouth with the napkin that came with the plate. “As delicious as this meal was, I don’t think I could possibly fit another bite!” she confessed.

  “Not even for some apple pie?” Corrine teased her with.

  Anna smiled. “Well… give me five minutes and I am sure I could find some room,” she said.

  “Done!” the woman approved and disappeared again into the kitchen. The front door opened and in walked Harmon.

  “Well my son, your horse is fed and now resting!” He announced.

  Hayden smiled. “Thank you father, now come over and sit down, mother is getting pie!” He invited him over.

  The man rushed over and took his seat at the head of the table. “I could never refuse that!” He declared, just as his wife returned with two plates. Harmon frowned and looked up at her with sad eyes.

  “Where’s mine?” he played with her, batting his eyelashes and giving an exaggerated frown.

  His wife chuckled and handed the young ones their desserts. “Be patient old man, I do only have two hands,” She teased him and he gave her a wink.

  “Old man…well I never!” Harmon said in a playful gruff and then chuckled. Another wink followed in Anna’s direction. Corrine handed out the forks and then returned to the kitchen for her husband’s slice.

  Harmon leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “So Anna, how much has Hayden told you?” he asked her.

  Anna shrugged. “Very little… just a mention of an Empress and a Chancellor trying to kill me,” She answered him.

  “I told her all would be explained when we got here,” Hayden interjected and the older man nodded.

  “Do you know what happened with Taren and Kimble?” He asked his son.

  Hayden shook his head. Anna shot up, remembering the letter and dug inside her dress pocket. “Wait! Karina…I mean Taren…she gave me a letter…” Anna pulled the letter out and handed it to him. Harmon took the sealed letter a
nd quickly opened it. The two young ones waited in silence as the older man’s eyes scanned along the written words of the letter. His cheerful face went to a somber display and he crumpled the letter in his hand.

  “What did it say?” Hayden asked him.

  “They had no choice in what they did and pledge their allegiance to the Empress. Most likely they will be put to death for this…if not already.” he told his son and then looked at Anna, “But it was a sacrifice they were willing to make for your safety Anna,” he assured her.

  Anna shook her head. “Why would they die for me? Why is everybody saying I am the chosen one? What is it exactly that I’ve been chosen to do?” She implored of him.

  “This Chancellor Anna, who is roaming these lands and doing whatever he wishes, is up to no good. Our Empress rules over these lands for a reason, she was appointed to ensure order for Tatania and her sister cities. This Chancellor wants the opposite. His wants laws in his favor and the laws he wants are selfish. The ones who are willing to follow them and him are as corrupted as he!” He explained, his gruff not playful anymore. “When things are corrupt, only bad things come from it. A rumor has spread about the threat of war. This is exactly what the Empress does not want, nor does anyone else. You were meant to come here Anna because you are the chosen one…”

  “But what does that mean? What am I chosen for?” Anna asked him, interrupting him.

  “You were chosen to stop him,” said Harmon, “It was prophesized long ago of your coming.”

  “How am I supposed to stop him? I’m just a girl… I’m nobody.” Anna disagreed with him.

  His hand came over and patted hers. “You have more strength than you think Anna. The greatest outcome comes in the most unexpected places and comes from the most unexpected ones,” he encouraged her. Corrine returned with two more slices of pie and quietly sat her husband’s down in front of him before she took her seat at the table.

  “But how will I know what to do?” Anna asked him.

  “Only you will know that answer, Anna.” Corrine answered for him.

  “An answer..!” Hayden perked up and three pairs of eyes looked over at him. “Anna has this book that is supposed to give her answers, but we don’t know how it works!” he said and then looked at her.

  “Yes! When Hayden and I were traveling through a cave, I fell into this pool of water and was directed down to an underwater library. The man there said he had been expecting me and had a book for me as well. He said it was my book.” She explained to them and pulled it out. Anna handed it to Harmon. “He said it would have the answers to my questions.”

  Harmon opened it and flipped through the pages. “We found the key to it, but as you can see the pages are blank,” said Anna.

  “This is where we’re stumped,” Hayden added.

  Harmon flipped through the pages again. “This is strange,” He observed.

  “I thought perhaps maybe the Empress could help us to figure this out,” Hayden suggested to him.

  “The Empress is a very wise woman my son, but I think we may not need her to solve this riddle,” Corrine spoke up, bringing eyes over to her.

  “How is that, my dear?” Her husband asked her.

  She smiled. “Anna you said this man in the library said it would have the answers to all of your questions, am I right?” she asked her. Anna nodded, “Well then… Have you asked it one?” she pointed out.

  Anna grinned, they had not. “We didn’t think about that!” She exclaimed. Harmon handed her back the book and Anna opened it, “Do you have the answers to my questions?” she asked it.

  Right away the word yes appeared on the page before her. Simultaneously, the men leaned forward to get a closer look, but bumped heads in doing so. They both laughed and Hayden came around to look over Anna’s shoulder instead. “Ask it another question, Anna!” Hayden encouraged her.

  Corrine laughed at him. “Relax my dear son, she has to think of one first,” she said to him.

  Anna looked at her, “What should I ask next?”

  “Only you can decide that,” The woman responded.

  Anna thought a moment and then asked. “What am I supposed to do here?”

  You are to save the Empress and all who stand with her... It answered.

  “How can I save her?” she asked it next.

  Stop the Chancellor.

  “How do I do that?”

  Learn to fight and follow the path that will lead you to your greatest potential. It wrote.

  “That makes a whole lot of sense!” Anna responded sarcastically and sat the book down.

  Corrine stood up. “I think that is enough for one night. You two should get some rest and then we can ask it more questions tomorrow,” She suggested.

  Harmon reached over and picked the book up. “Corrine, this is more than we could hope for; this will help us defeat the Chancellor!” He argued with his wife, ready for another answer.

  Corrine shook her head. “No my dear, Anna will do that. This book is only meant to guide her,” She said and patted his hand.

  Harmon smiled up at her and placed the book down back in front of Anna. His focus then went to the pie in front of him. “Fine dear, but I think tomorrow Hayden should start training Anna,” He suggested as he cut is fork into it.

  “What about meeting with the Empress? She does need to see Anna,” Hayden spoke up, reminding him.

  “The Empress knows she is here my son and there will be a time for them to meet, but for now Anna’s training must come first!” his father answered him, chewing as he did. He swallowed and then looked at Anna. “Our time is very limited my dear, the Chancellor is not going to sit around and wait until you are ready for him. In fact, he’ll want to get you now. So training should start right away,” he emphasized.

  Anna nodded and stood up. “Well then, I guess I’d better get to bed then…” she agreed, but Corrine’s hand gently tugged her back down.

  “Not without some pie, you need you’re fruit!” Corinne said and her son laughed at her.

  “Mother’ when is apple pie fruit?” he asked her.

  She looked at him. “What is in your pie my son?” she asked him.

  “Apples…” he answered her.

  “Well there you go!” she educated him and he chuckled. His mother smiled at him. Anna laughed along with Harmon and took a bite of her pie.

  “When you’ve all finished, I’ll help Anna to bed!” she announced, her eyes darted to her son and he grinned.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Anna’s mind was restless as she flipped over to her other side, for the umpteenth time again in the bed. Footsteps came up the stairs and Anna listened quietly as they neared her door and then continued on. She assumed it was Harmon finally going to bed, as his wife had already went there an hour before. Her heart beat picked up when another set of footsteps came up then towards her door and then stopped. A faint knock came on her door right after and Anna knew who was on the other side; Hayden.

  Anna climbed out of the bed and walked over to the door; she cracked it a few inches and peered out at him.

  “May I come in?” he asked her softly.

  Anna eyed him, hesitating, but then stepped aside and allowed him to enter. She went back and sat on the bed as Hayden quietly shut the door behind him. He turned around and leaned against it. Hayden stared at her. A good minute ticked by as he stood in his place and Anna sat in hers; both staring at each other. Anna waited for him to say something, but he only just stood there and stared at her.

  Anna reached up and awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck with her hand, “Is there something you wanted to speak to me about?” she finally asked him, dying under his intense gaze. Hayden shook his head stayed quiet, holding her eyes with his; this made her even more uncomfortable. “Hayden …” Anna started, but Hayden quickly raised his finger to his lips and she quieted.

  “Anna… I would like to kiss you,” he whispered, so faint she almost didn’t hear him.

  “I do
n’t think that’s such a good idea…” She protested. He nodded. “Is this the only reason you’re here?” Anna asked him after he didn’t move.

  Hayden nodded again.

  Anna stood up and walked over to him. She hesitated, then tilted her head up and closed her eyes. Hayden did nothing for a moment, then gently grabbed her shoulders and pulled her head closer to him. A kiss was then given to her forehead. Anna’s eyes popped open in reaction and confusion was written all over her face, “I thought you wanted to kiss me?” she asked him.