“As a child, they read to us from this large book. It talked about all types of fantastical creatures. Every night they read from this book. My sister and I would listen to the detailed descriptions of these wonderous beings and the young woman who killed them. In the morning, grandmother would test us on how to destroy those beings. If we failed to provide the correct method of death, we were punished.”
“Arel, no one has seen or heard from the resistance since that time.”
Sebastian’s words meant to dissuade Arel did nothing to change her mind. She would return to her childhood home, with or without him.
“The creatures in the stories were real. Of all the stories they only tales we never heard of were ghosts, but the humans had tales of ghosts. Even if they are gone, that house could lead me to clues about my mother. Sebastian, she’s alive!”
“Manea, lives,” questioned Sebastian.
“I saw her there in that place, and I knew her. Although I have never seen her face with my own eyes, I saw it there, heard her voice, felt her embrace. My mother. If I am to find her, I will need Wilex and the resistance.”
All evidence pointed to Arel’s mother as dead, even the Darken believed that to be true. It was not that Sebastian doubted what Arel remembered, he doubted that her mother lived. In her weakened state, he did not trust she would be safe outside of his father’s estate. Entrusting the Moruka to protect her wasn’t something Sebastian was willing to do.
“No. I promised to keep you safe, I can do that here among my people.”
“The Vampires cannot defeat the Moruka! They will come, we all know that. How quickly can you build an army?”
“Do you doubt me?”
“I have never doubted your desire to protect me. War is coming, if we are to defeat Zorin, we will need all of us. It means that I must go, back to my beginnings. If you wish to stay,” replied Arel.
Sebastian turned away from Arel. His back tense, he walked towards the window, preoccupied in his thoughts.
“No matter what I say, you have decided to go?”
“I know what I ask is a lot.”
“Arel, what do you believe the outside world is like? Amata is safe as it is under the protection of Vampires, outside its borders is a world that is at war.”
“What are you not telling me?”
“It is not as easy as walking outside and across the street. We have maintained our borders, keeping its inhabitants safe from the realities of the outside world, it is still a world filled with lawlessness. The resistance camp is in a territory we no longer control. I cannot guarantee it would be safe.”
Sebastian’s tone filled with worry and apprehension. Arel, placed her hand on his shoulder, drawing his attention to her. Standing in front of him on the tips of her toes, she pulled his face into hers. As long as there is breath in my body, I must do this, Arel thought to Sebastian. Squeezing her, Sebastian stood looking out the window, past his father’s estate towards the horizon.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chrystal Blue is an accomplished author with works in poetry and non-fiction. Sight, book two in the gripping Darken series follows Arel as she is held in the Vampire stronghold. Keep up with her latest works on Instagram, Facebook, or on her website.
www.ChrystalBlue.com
www.TheDarkenSeries.com
Instagram: blue.chrystal
Sight Page 26