Whispers of Tomorrow (The Alina Chronicles Book 2)

by Regina J. Robinson

  “Galen? Mate come on. Can you hear me?” I shout out loud and in my mind. Anything to try to gain his attention. I hear nothing, not even static. Not his cheery voice or his chuckles. Nothing. I look to Alina whose tears stream from her eyes just like mine. “Is he—?” I can’t bear to even finish the sentence. I already know from her pained, heartbroken expression. Her sobs echo around us as the fire grows nearer, the heat becoming unbearable.

  “Alina? Love? Come on, we need to get out of here. The barn is about to collapse on top of us, unless we go now,” I plead reaching out to grasp her hand.

  She shakes it away from my grip and glares at me, her face twisting into a hateful sneer. “This is all your fault! If you had never fucking attacked Vemnos, Galen would still be alive! You killed him!” Throwing a fist hard into my chest as she screams more curses.

  “Alina. I’m sorry. I wanted to help. I didn’t know this would happen. Please let me get you out of here before the roof collapses.” I beg, trying to stop her lashing out as her other fist collides with my chest. I let her hit me over and over again, definitely leaving bruises from the force she is using. I’m hoping she can get just enough of her anger out so I can drag her out of here.

  “It’s all your fault. You did this.” Her sobs wrack her body, her fists slowing down and losing their force.

  “I’m so bloody sorry. Please. Let me get you out of here,” I cough out, struggling to breathe. My lungs are filling with so much smoke my breathing is nothing but harsh rasps and coughs.

  Alina looks at me with her head tilted to the side, puzzlement etched on her face. “Why?” She tilts her head the other way, blinking several times. “Why would you want to save me, after you so easily let Galen die?”

  “Because I can’t let someone else I care about die. Now, please grab my hand and come with me.” I plead, reaching my fingers out to clutch hers. She stares at it for a moment before wrapping her fingers around mine. With the other hand she carefully moves Galen’s head from her lap to gently rest it on the hay. With tears streaking down her cheeks she leans down and places a soft tender kiss to Galen’s forehead.

  I stand upright, pulling her with me and I begin slowly walking toward the exit. The flames and smoke make it extremely difficult to see. Bracing my arm against the flames, I can just about see the exit. With a sense of renewed energy, I tug harder at Alina’s hand. Except she won’t budge.

  I turn around to check on her, but Alina is nowhere to be seen. Instead, my fingers are latched around the one creature I never wanted to see again. Vemnos.

  “Hey there boy. How are you this fine evening?” A sinister grin lines his lips as his crimson eyes gaze deep into my soul. A cold deadly shiver runs down my spine, despite the flames surrounding me.

  “Where’s Alina? What have you done with her?” I shout. I try to release my fingers from his wrist but he uses his other hand to hold me in place.

  “Ah, what’s the hurry boy?” He hauls me up against his chest and stares down at me with his chilling eyes. “And I haven’t done anything to Alina. Not yet anyway. I thought we could have some play time first.”

  A large chunk of the roof falls with a thud next to me. My head shoots in the direction of how close this one nearly came to hitting me. It doesn’t appear as though Vemnos is even a little unnerved by his close call. The air is growing even thicker, choking me and making my vision hazy. Through my strained eyesight I can just make out Vemnos still glaring at me.

  “Are you feeling sleepy boy? How about you have a nice little nap like your pet unicorn, hmm?” He grins once more before releasing me and shoving me backwards.

  I fall hard onto the ground close to Galen’s body. Squinting my eyes, I can just about make out Alina laying across his neck, arms draped over him. I shuffle my body closer, reaching out to brush her hair out of the way which has fallen over her face.

  Her once beautiful eyes stare lifelessly back. Her skin is so pallid I know she is already dead. There’s stinging in my eyes, but no tears fall. I let out a wail of loss and pain as I move to wrap myself over her and Galen. I can feel the extreme heat of the fire all around me, but I can’t seem to find a reason to care. What reason could there be? Alina and Galen are gone. My farm is gone. There is nothing left for me now.

  A dark chuckle sounds above the crackling flames taunting me. He’s probably waiting for me to fight back. There’s no point. I’m not strong enough. I’ll never be strong enough. I decide to do the only thing I can. With my heart beating erratically, I move a little to place a kiss against Galen’s charred muzzle, stroking his mane one last time. Then I turn back to Alina. I gently run my fingertips against her cheek with tears threatening to burst at any moment. I know they can’t. I’m dehydrated and slowly cooking inside this extreme heat. I can’t even sweat. Placing a tender kiss to Alina’s cheek, I wrap my arms around her and hold her close, moving us both so we are against Galen’s chest.

  I can sense the inferno raging all around us. I cocoon my arms around the only person I have ever come close to loving and wait for the fire to consume me.

  I wait to die.

  ALINA

  A yawn escapes me as I open my eyes and I notice I’m sitting on the steps leading up to Killian’s porch. Funny, I don’t remember coming here. The last thing I recall was sleeping in the barn with Killian and Galen. Actually, that’s a point. Where are they?

  I shout out their names but hear nothing in response. Hmm. Weird. Gathering my thoughts, I decide to check the barn seeing as that was the last place I remember us all being together.

  The gravel crunches under my feet up until I reach the barn door. Sliding it open I can see Killian sitting with his back to me. No sign of Galen though.

  “Killian? Are you alright?” I take a few hesitant steps closer to him. When he doesn’t respond, my stomach tightens with apprehension. I tentatively reach out to touch his shoulder, turning him to face me.

  My eyes widen with terror and I fall back against the floor holding my hand over my mouth. Killian is staring right at me, but where his warm chocolate eyes used to be are clouded red orbs, similar to Vemnos’. I feel my heart stop when Killian’s lips turn up into an evil sneer. He tilts his head to the side and glares at me. “What’s wrong love? Cat got your tongue? Or should that be horse?” His voice is grainy and distorted, so unlike his normal soothing tone. He gestures with his head over to the nearest corner where Galen is standing in the shadows.

  Galen struts out of the shadows and I can see blood trickling down his legs and neck as my eyes follow their path up. A scream threatens to leave my lips when I see the source of the blood flow. Galen’s once piercing sapphire blue eyes are now pools of red, empty hollow pits leaking streaks of blood down the sides of his face and falling down his body.

  “Ga…Galen? Wha…What happened? To both of you? You were fine a few moments ago.” My voice comes out rough and shaky, sounding nothing like my own.

  “You should know by now there’s nothing you can do to stop me. I will always hunt you and take everything and everyone you love. My only dilemma is, who should go first? Farm boy or your little pony?” Galen may be speaking, but I know for a fact it’s not him. This must be another dream. I pinch myself hard, yet feel nothing. Definitely a dream. Maybe I can control the outcome of this one.

  “Vemnos. Leave me fucking alone. I have never done anything to hurt you or even bothered you for that matter. Yet since the stupid cave you have done nothing but hunt and torture me and control the man I love. Isn’t that enough for you? What more can I fucking give you?” Sparks begin to take form in my hands, gradually burning with my growing anger.

  “You did everything!” Galen’s distorted voice grates out. “Ever since you were fucking born! And no. It’s not enough. It will never be enough until you are a destroyed broken mess on the floor and I can take the pleasure in standing over your corpse and gloat how the mighty-fucking-phoenix was powerless against a God!” He sneers, Galen’s bloodied lips turning up at
the corner to reveal black teeth.

  “Ah, so that’s what it is? You’re threatened by me. Is that it, Vemnos?”

  I don’t notice Killian creeping closer until he’s next to me breathing down my neck. I turn my head to stare into his cloudy red eyes. “Don’t fucking test me bitch.” I shudder when he snarls in a voice which is definitely not his.

  “Why? What are you going to do about it?” I know I’m goading him, but the sooner I can get this nightmare over and done with the better.

  “Ah, so you do want to try me, is that it?” His lips turn up in a sinister grin when he reaches out and grabs me by the throat hard. I feel sick as my feet are lifted off the ground as he raises me upward. I glare down directly into the malice and darkness reverberating from his eyes.

  I’m about to give in when I remember this is my dream. Gripping my fingers around Killian’s wrist, I pull him away from my throat.

  “Tsk, tsk. Stupid god thinking you can control me in my own dream. I make the rules in here, not you.” I smile back, staring him down.

  “Ha, really? Is that what you think? You have no more control over this than you do in the real world. I’m fucking in charge, not you, not anyone. The sooner people fucking realize it the better.” He spits. I think he’s going to grab me again, but I’m ready this time. However, he takes a step back and snaps his fingers. A wall of purple smoke appears around him. When it clears, the person before me is no longer Killian.

  It’s me.

  I turn away from my lookalike to talk to Galen, but he has also disappeared. I am alone in the barn with a carbon copy of me. “So now what? Do you think I would hesitate to attack myself?”

  A dark laugh echoes around us and my head snaps back as the lookalike’s mouth turns up into a merciless grin. “No, I don’t expect you to hesitate. I mean you were happy enough to attempt to kill Branor before, so why wouldn’t you kill yourself. Not that there’s really any point as you’ll just fucking come back. No matter what I do to you, you won’t stay dead.”

  I proudly smirk back. He’s right, I will always come back, but sometimes that’s not always as great as it sounds. I stand my ground as the creature steps closer. It’s so surreal to see myself looking back. She looks almost exactly the same as me, apart from her eyes. Whereas mine are golden rimmed with red hers are completely crimson, the same color as Vemnos’.

  “You would think one of these days you would grow a pair and actually face me for real. Or are you just going to hide behind bodies that aren’t yours and invade my dreams?” I cross my arms in front of me. I’m seriously tired of this bullshit.

  “The same questions again? Seriously? Are you a fucking broken record player?” she sneers with her face mere inches away from mine. “When are you going to get it into your thick head, I’m in charge? I have always been in charge. And I will continue to be so.”

  “If you say so. I personally still believe you’re a coward. Why else would you not face me in person in the real world, hmm?”

  The fucker smiles at me. Reaching her fingers out she snaps them together and everything fades to nothing in front of me. The barn is gone, so is the rest of the farm, the trees everything. We are standing in a vast darkness. There is nothing but black and silence.

  “What have you done?” I loosen my hands from around me and look around. Absolutely nothing, except myself and…well, myself. “What’s the purpose of this?” My gaze falls back to the creature who is still smirking.

  “See the thing you forget to realize is, I can tell what you are most afraid of. Call it a gift. You want to know what my ultimate torture would be for you? Nothing.”

  Puzzlement crosses my face and mind. “What do you mean nothing?”

  She throws her head back laughing. “You don’t get it. Damn you really are thick. Remember I can not only see into your mind but also Branor’s. Joy of controlling someone for so long, you kinda get into their head. As for what I mean by nothing, it’s exactly as I said. The perfect torture for you is nothing. I will leave you here. Leave you trapped inside your own head, inside the darkness, with no one. Do you want to know why?” She moves her head beside my ear, lowering her distorted version of my voice to a quiet whisper. “Because, your greatest fear is to be alone. For everyone and everything to die around you. So yes, that’s exactly what I will do. Leave you here with nothing.” She backs away, standing straight, she gives me one more smirk before a cloud of purple smoke wafts around her. The last thing I see is Vemnos’ real face. He cruelly smirks, winks, then darkness surrounds me.

  I gaze around, but there is only a dark void. It’s as he said. Absolutely nothing. A vast blackness which fucks with my brain. Horrible palpitations start in my chest as fear begins to consume me. I go to use my powers to light up the dark, but nothing happens.

  I am truly alone.

  Collapsing to what I presume is the floor, I roll myself up and hug my knees close to my chest. I squeeze my eyes shut and try to block out the paralyzing fear. The sound of my blood rushing through my ears, my thundering heartbeat. Anything to stop the crushing feeling of hopelessness which is slowly consuming me. What if Vemnos is right? What if I am trapped in this nightmare forever?

  I’m not scared.

  I’m not scared.

  I’m not scared.

  8

  Galen

  I’m startled awake by a sudden jolt. Flickering my eyes open, I glance around in a sleep filled haze. Sad pained groans fill my ears and I look down to see Killian draped over Alina. They are still both snuggled into my side, but they are both twitching. I can see their eyes flickering back and forth under their eyelids. I presume they’re having nightmares.

  I nudge my shoulder against Killian jostling him a little. He barely stirs when I try it again. Whatever they are dreaming about has really sucked them in.

  “Alina. Killian. Wake up. It’s just a dream. Come on, wake up.” I ask hoping they can hear me. After no response, I jostle them again. Still nothing.

  “Guys, come on, wake up.” I’m starting to worry now. How am I meant to wake them? I have hooves for crying out loud. Nudging them with my shoulder, I try to wake them again. Killian moves a little but only to pull Alina closer, squishing tighter against me in the movement.

  One of them should have woken up from how much I’m moving them, but neither stirs. It seems like something is stopping them from waking. Something like magic.

  Vemnos.

  This has his fucking name written all over it. It has to be some sort of curse or spell. But, if that’s the case, how come it hasn’t affected me?

  I carefully stand so as not to accidentally step on Alina and Killian. Leaning down, I push my nose between their sleeping bodies, enough to pull them apart. Killian tries reaching for Alina again in his sleep, I push him further away. Looking at Alina, I notice how she is wrapping her arms around herself and curling up into a ball. I have no idea what’s going through either of their minds at the moment. All I can sense is stress, despair, and grief, in a fog of pain. I know if I can’t get them out of their heads soon, they’ll be trapped forever.

  Neris once told me about the sort of tricks and mind games Vemnos favors the most. Nightmares are definitely one of his favorites. I remember hearing whispers around the palace about how Vemnos has even cursed the goddess Draythys causing her to lose her mind.

  I stamp on the ground loudly a few times. Nothing. I scream in my mind at them. Nothing. There’s only one thing left to try. Moving close to Alina’s head, I grasp some of her long hair in my mouth, clenching it between my teeth and pull back really hard.

  Alina’s eyes shoot open with a pained grimace. “What the fuck?” she croaks out rubbing her head. Thank the fucking gods she’s okay. She glares up at me where I have a few strands of her hair between my teeth. “Why the hell did you pull my hair out?” she asks as I drop it from my mouth.

  “I did what I had to, to wake you up.” I reply, edging close to her face to reach my tongue out to lick her cheek.
She squeals and bats me away, to which I can’t help but chuckle. “Fuck. Stop that Miggles. I don’t want to smell like horse drool.” She joins in with a stilted smile. She gazes around her for a moment until her eyes land on Killian off to the side of her. “How come Killian is still asleep? Have you not tried to wake him?”

  “I did try. Nothing was working. Well, not until I pulled your hair. I remember Neris telling me the best way to release someone from a cursed nightmare is to inflict pain on them. I hated doing it, it was needed though.” I move over to Killian about to pull his hair as I had done with Alina when Killian lets out a bloodcurdling scream. “The nightmare must have taken a turn for the worse. We need to get him out of it now, or we’ll never be able to do it.” Alina gives a quick nod and I turn back to Killian and repeat the action I had done to wake Alina up. Although I have pulled hard enough, to the point I have removed a few of his wavy strands, he does nothing but stir a little. Whatever is going on, he’s completely trapped within his mind.

  “Perhaps there’s something else besides pain that can wake him,” Alina hurriedly replies, nudging me out of the way. On her knees she leans down so her lips are next to his ear. “Killian. Killian wake up. Come on.” Her whisper is so faint I can barely hear her. She carries on whispering and I notice rapid movements under Killian’s eyelids. He turns toward her slightly when she says his name. I try whispering the same thing in my head to him, however I receive nothing back.

  I can tell from Alina’s worried expression tears are threatening to spill. She tenderly touches Killian’s cheek, resting her forehead against his. Releasing a deep breath she whispers, “Come back to me,” just as her lips touch his. The kiss is a slow lingering one and I wait with bated breath to see if it works. Releasing her mouth from his, she places her other hand on his cheek.