Emerald Mountains (The Dream Traveler Series Book 2)

by Nicole Knight

  “Don’t mention it, now Axel, move out of the way. I need to fix her makeup before she goes out there.”

  Axel moved out of Trin’s way and allowed her to powder my face. Once done, she declared that I was perfect again.

  Trin and I had spent the entire morning practicing what I would say, but sometimes you just don’t know what to say until you are looking directly at those who you are responsible for.

  The trip through the castle and out front felt excruciating. I couldn’t be sure that there aren’t any citizens from Tate or Corone here, so Axel had my security tripled, just to be sure.

  Now that I had my magic back, I felt much safer.

  Right before I reached the castle door, I straightened my back, lifted my chin, and put on a smile. I took my first steps into the sunlight with Axel holding my arm in his, and the Kingdom cheered me on. Axel escorted me to the podium and then stepped back and off to the side.

  I took a moment to take in what was in front of me. There must be thousands and thousands of my citizens in front of me. The crowd went back as far as I could see, and they were deafening as they cheered.

  In front of me was a floating orb that looked directly at me. It would watch my actions and pick up my words and broadcast it in Ubrem Glacies, much like a video camera and a TV.

  Little children were on their parents’ shoulders and waiving to me. I smiled at them and waved in the direction of each one I could see.

  I took one last deep breath, and then I cleared my throat. I held up the communication charm that would broadcast my voice to the audience in front of me.

  “My people, welcome to the castle, and I thank those who have traveled so far to see me today. I am here in front of you to announce our plans for the future. I wish to ask for your assistance in some matters and blessings in others.”

  I took a moment to pause to set the mood.

  “First, I will start with the happy news. Some you may know that Sir Axel and I have been courting for some time. Today we would officially like to announce our pending bonding ceremony. In my land, we give rings as a token of our love, and I was given a beautiful token,” I said as I held up my hand for the Kingdom’s to see.

  The crowd roared. Women were crying happy tears, and some men gave Axel a menacing look.

  “Thank you, thank you,” I said to quiet them down.

  “This also comes on the heels of news from the Goddess. Many do not know the exact details of the prophecy I was created for and destined to fulfill. The Goddess Venia, came to me in my dreams to tell me of her plans. For too long, magic workers were prosecuted by those who should never have come to power. I announced to you that it was over for any Kingdom under my control, which remains true. The Goddess has special plans for you magic-workers as a reward for your perseverance and faith.”

  The crowd went crazy again, and I knew I would not be able to talk over them. I waited much like a teacher waiting for her class to quiet down. The crowd started shushing each other, just like children, and then I continued.

  “Some of you may have heard of soul mates. For those who have not, soul mates are specifically created for each other by the Goddess. She has been creating more soul mates over the past generation or two, and she wants you to find your soul mates. Sir Axel and I are soul mates, and that was confirmed by the Goddess herself. She wants you to come out of hiding and find your soul mate. She wants you to find eternal love, and undo what Eduard and others like him have done,” I announced to the crowd.

  Now even some of the men were crying at this.

  “I will personally give my blessing to those who are soul mates and wish to bond. I will set up a small ceremony site outside of the castle for those who wish to have a magical start to your lives together.”

  Everyone went crazy again, so I just smiled and waited.

  “I would also like to share with you the struggles of the past few months. Many of you may know that I was poisoned, and I almost died. My friends, the King and Queen of Ubrem Glacies, were also poisoned, and they did not make it. Their Kingdom was left to me, and I have taken over. I know that I can never fill the place of their precious King and Queen, but I hope to do my best by my people, no matter where they live. I am opening the borders freely between these kingdoms. Travel, see the Kingdoms, trade, make new friends, or meet new loves.”

  I stopped a moment to bring back my somber tone.

  “However, that was not the only hardship I endured as your Queen. That poison came from a spy from Tate at the order of his Prince, Prince Kennan. He also ordered an assassin to try to kill me in my chambers, and he attacked my ship while sailing back from my friends’ funeral. He is a despicable man who wishes to enslave magic workers for his own gain. He is worse than you could ever imagine, I assure you.”

  Some of the audience gasped.

  “I have sent orders to burn his entire naval fleet, and a trusted source confirmed this has been completed. I also ordered a blockage to stop supplies from entering his castle. I asked for those supplies to be distributed to nearby towns and villages to help his people, who he neglects, and let’s starve. But now I must get to the part that I need to ask with a heavy and humble heart. I must declare war with Tate, and their ally Corone, who has continuously allowed Tate access to our border. I do not wish to seek the power of Tate or Corone as my Kingdoms. But I do wish to protect my own people, magic workers included, not just in my Kingdoms but also in all of the Kingdoms. My people, I come to ask you to support me in the fight that is to come. I ask anyone able and willing to fight alongside me. We will take this battle to Tate directly, and I will be the first to run into the battlefield. Will you support my request and follow me to our future?” I asked.

  It was absolutely silent for a moment, and I thought I was about to be booed. Suddenly, the crowd started chanting.

  “All hail Queen Violet, we will follow her to the ends of our land and beyond!”

  It was chanted over and over, and I felt a smile on my face.

  “My people!” I called to quiet them.

  “Let us end another tyrant, let us protect each other, and protect those most vulnerable. If you wish to join my fight the Army will be recruiting outside of the castle, here in this very spot, tomorrow. Pick up your weapon and join them. You will be compensated. In my newest home, those of you up north, if you wish to join me, you too can meet outside of my castle on your soil tomorrow and enlist with the Army. I look forward to fighting alongside you.”

  The crowd cheered my name again as I backed away from the podium. Axel grabbed my arm and then escorted me back into the castle. Trin followed behind, and Wisdom behind her.

  “That was a marvelous speech,” Trin said.

  “Thank you,” I said while letting out a sigh.

  I loosened my shoulders and allowed myself to slouch.

  “Now what?” I asked her.

  “Now you relax until your bonding ceremony in a few days,” she told me.

  “Relax, you know who you are speaking to, right? I’ve been going for so long that I don’t know how to relax,” I stated.

  “You deserve to relax,” Axel told me. “We both do,” he added.

  “Yeah, but you are a brand new magic-worker with next to no control over your magic. I know what we are going to do. I am going to train you.”

  “Oh no,” he said.

  “Oh yes,” I said in response.

  I have a lot of karma to repay him from his days training me in fighting and physical fitness.

  CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

  “That’s great that you can move one item for a minute,” I told Axel. “But you need to work harder. I know you are capable of more.”

  “Are you serious?” he asked me.

  “Yes, it’s just a party trick, like mine was before, but now just look,” I said.

  I formed three separate fireballs between my hands and threw them at three different targets.

  They quickly caught fire. I gathered water between my hands in
a long, intricate rope and then lassoed the three different burning targets, which put out the flames.

  “You see, you need to take out multiple targets at a time. Otherwise, you may as just stick with your sword.”

  “I see,” he said.

  I know he is frustrated right now, but he needs to hear the truth, and I told him at the start of this training, that is the only thing I would give him.

  “Let’s do it again, but let’s start smaller. Concentrate on just the center sword and the small knife,” I told him.

  He nodded and then closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He held his hands out and turned his palms down over the sword and knife.

  With another deep breath, the sword and knife began to tremble on the ground. With another two deep breaths, the blade lifted in the air to his hand. His right hand closed around it. With five more deep breaths, the sword slowly raised to his left hand.

  He opened his eyes once he felt the hilt of his sword in his hand.

  “Excellent,” I told him.

  “Thank you,” he said. His face was glistening with sweat from the concentration the task had taken.

  “Do it again,” I told him.

  He needed a drill Sargent right now, and I would be one. I’ll be damned if I let my feelings or our soul mate bond get in the way of his training or self-development.

  He nodded, knowing I was right. When he could do the task quickly and effortlessly every time, that was something to celebrate, and that’s when we could take a break.

  Trin had forced us both to rest before our upcoming bonding ceremony and to spend some time together. With idle time, I would be up to no good, so I needed to train Axel, just as much as he needed me to teach him.

  Axel threw the sword and knife back down, this time the blades were buried partially into the ground, making it harder for himself. It would require more force and effort to remove the knives from the ground and then pull them up to his hands.

  With one deep breath, I saw the handles wiggling in the air like an invisible hand was trying to remove them from the ground, like Arthur pulling Excalibur from the stone. By breath three, the weapons were both floating through the air to his hands. The remarkable thing happened on breath four. Before the hilts touched Axel’s hands, he turned his palms and faced them towards the targets, and the blades went flying. They tumbled through the air, embedding themselves into two targets, side by side.

  Following the sound of Axel making his mark, there was only the sound of his labored breaths. I turned to him in amazement. He improved so much in one try. After all, this was the ultimate goal, to be able to throw weapons at opponents without ever having to touch them.

  “Holy Goddess,” I said.

  He looked over at me with laboring breaths, but a smile quickly appeared on his face. He then changed it to a smug little expression that said, ‘see, I can do anything you challenge me to.’

  “What else?” he told me. He was on a roll, and he wanted to continue his efforts. I remember how frustrating it was when I was training in my magic, and I was stopped. I wouldn’t do that to Axel.

  “Three blades,” I told him.

  He nodded, appreciating my challenge.

  His first try, he got the two blades to move just as they had before, but the third blade lagged behind. By his third try, three targets had blades sticking from center mass, and Axel never even lifted a finger.

  I could see him coated in sweat, and he was swaying slightly on his feet.

  “That’s enough for today,” I told him.

  He looked like he wanted to challenge me.

  “When you use all of your magic, it is absolutely exhausting. It is not a weakness; it is a fact. Rest up, and if you feel up to it, we can repeat this lesson again this evening,” I promised him.

  He looked like he was satisfied with that. However, he was still overheated, and oh my goddess; he was smelly. I pulled some water from the moat, which was nearby. I gathered it into a rain cloud and directed it over Axel, who was still taking some labored breaths while lying on the ground. His arm was draped over his face, so he had no idea what was coming.

  The moment he felt the water hit him, he flinched and then relaxed into laughter.

  “I thought you looked like you could use a shower,” I told him.

  “Thanks,” he told me—the word dissolved into more laughter.

  “Why don’t you join me,” he asked.

  “No way,” I told him.

  He began to get up and chase me. I threw blasts of water to try to push him backward and have him keep his distance. He continued to power right through them. This was turning into a playful duel. We were both very competitive, always trying to prove that we were the more deadly opponent.

  I searched for my control of the ground and quickly led Axel into the reach of some vines. They suddenly snaked from the ground and caught his wrists and ankles. They wrapped their way up his limbs and stopped around his abs.

  Lucky vines.

  A smug smile grew on his face.

  What was he up to?

  The next thing I knew, something was tapping on my shoulder from behind. I turned to see the knife, which quickly moved to slice the vines on his right wrist.

  I knew I only had a matter of seconds to flee. I grasped my control of the air, and I shot up like a rocket into the sky. I had put a lot of time into developing evasive maneuvers. It was smart going into battle knowing how to flee the fight, if need be. Most of the time, thinking on the fly was luck at best, if you succeeded. I have gotten lucky enough, that I know I can’t count on that to continue.

  I soared through the air, with my hands stretched outward.

  “Try to catch me now,” I taunted.

  “You know I can’t,” he called up to me.

  “Good, I win,” I told him.

  “Sure, you do. You won the getaway, not the fight.”

  “Sometimes, half the battle is being able to survive to your next battle. I’m going to my room to clean up. Don’t forget the chef is making us a special dinner tonight.”

  “How could I forget? I planned it,” he said, still looking up in my direction.

  I flew to my bedroom window and could feel his eyes on me as I simply lifted the window with my magic and flew right through. Once in the window, I leaned back out, blew Axel a kiss, and then closed it.

  I took some time to just work on my own magic in private. I now have better control over it, and I want to see my new limits. I need to master what I currently have, to be able to use the new magic I will hopefully acquire from the Emerald Mountains.

  I had not yet told Axel my plans to go there, but that would be a conversation I would bring up tonight.

  I’m not sure how well that will go over, but it’s necessary.

  I absent-mindedly threw a fireball back and forth between my hands, while never actually letting it touch my skin. The ball grew in size and intensity. Before I knew it, the ball was the size of a beach ball. It was getting so hot that it was making me sweat. I squashed the ball between my hands, again never touching the flame, and it went out. This was becoming easier and easier to do. I remember when I struggled to do these simple tasks, and they used more of my energy. Now it felt natural.

  Trin knocked on my door and entered.

  “Ready for your bath?” she asked me.

  “Trin, you are the next heir to the throne, not a chambermaid. You don’t need to run me every bath,” I told her.

  “Yes, but…”

  “No buts,” I told her. “You see, your Grandmother is quite the gossip and told me you have the hots for your security guy. Trin, he’s hot. You’ve been busy, spend some time with him and see where it goes.”

  “I think she misread the situation,” she said as her face grew all red.

  “He was just training me like Axel trained you.”

  I stared at her a little longer and then said, “How did that work out for me?”

  “Oh fates,” she said, her face turnin
g even redder.

  “Trin, it’s me, you can be honest.”

  “You’re right. It is you, after all.”

  She sat on my bed beside me.

  “Ok, yes, he is hot. I am totally into him, but I don’t know if he is interested in me. I don’t want to put myself out there like that. I have too much on the line, and I don’t want to play with my heart. I can’t fall apart if things go bad, you need me, the Kingdom needs me.”

  “Trin, stop being so selfless,” I told her. “You absolutely deserve to be happy, and I think he is into you for what it is worth. Axel never ordered Thomas to teach you how to protect yourself. He took that upon himself to do. He also only ordered him to follow you on trips outside of the castle. He hangs out with you a lot, even when you are not training, we have noticed.”

  “ugh…” she groaned.

  “Don’t groan at me. I’m giving you your wake up call. He is into you, and I would bet money on it. I’m assuming he said yes when you asked him to accompany you to the bonding ceremony?”

  “Yes,” she said.

  “He’s into you. Stop playing games with your own head. Axel said he doesn’t have a family, and he’s mentioned you several times in conversation since he has been assigned to you, and that’s not like him. Trin, give it a shot.”

  She sat silent for a moment. I could see her taking in everything I said and trying to make sense of it.

  “Ok, I will,” she finally said with a smile.

  “Good. If you get bonded, I get to plan your ceremony,” I told her.

  “What… I…”

  “Calm down, Trin. He’s really got you flustered. While Axel and I are at dinner tonight, you have dinner with Thomas,” I told her.

  “But I have so much to do right now.”

  “Trin, don’t make me order you as your Queen. I don’t want to play that card, but you are going to sabotage yourself.”

  “Fine,” she said. She slumped out of the room like I ordered her to her death.

  I really don’t think she thinks she deserves love; she is so wrong, and I hope Thomas can prove that to her.