Echoes of the Past (The Alina Chronicles Book 1)

by Regina J. Robinson

  I try to scream but no sound comes out.

  I look around for Branor and see him sleeping on the cave floor not far from me. I stumble over to him, desperately trying to call his name.

  Finally reaching him, I stumble down beside him and reach my hands to shake him awake.

  “Alina? Are you alright, Birdy?” his sleep filled voice croaks out.

  I heard him!

  I stare down at myself and see no evidence of the spiders. I look around me on the floor, they couldn't have just crawled away. It’s like they weren’t even there. Where are they?

  I felt them, I saw them, I know I did. I’m not crazy, am I?

  I’m so busy looking around myself to find the spiders that I don’t hear Branor talking.

  “Birdy? Are you okay? What are you looking for?” he asks, sitting up and reaching for me.

  I place my hand in his and he pulls me closer until I’m sitting on his lap. He smooths my hair as he cradles me closer.

  “I… I think I must have had a nightmare. I was… I was seeing things.” I look up to gaze into his emerald eyes filled with affection and a small tinge of worry.

  “It’s okay. There’s nothing here. You’re safe with me my sweet Birdy.”

  He places a gentle kiss to my forehead, leaning back against the cave wall with his arms cocooned around me.

  I snuggle into his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. I think about how lucky I am to have such a wonderful, kind man as my own. We never did get married, but it doesn’t matter as long as we’re together. Although, I can’t help the dark thoughts that penetrate my mind, making me shiver.

  “Are you alright, Birdy? You’re trembling, are you cold?” Branor asks, his warm breath ghosting over my hair. I cling onto his shirt as I bury my face into the material. He lightly pushes me back so he can look me in the eyes, his flickering back and forth, worry lining his brow. “Birdy? Talk to me, what’s wrong?”

  Taking a deep breath, I ask him the one question that has always played on my mind, even after all this time, “Why me?”

  “Why me? What do you mean, Birdy?” His voice lowers, the frown lines getting deeper.

  “Out of all the girls you could have been with, why me? Why did you choose me? Why did you stay with me even after the… the village?” I whisper, lowering my head.

  He reaches his large hand out, placing his thumb and forefinger under my chin to lift my face up to meet his. “Don’t you know?” His fingers move up to stroke against my cheek and I lean into his warmth. “How is it after all this time you still doubt yourself?” His handsome face softens. Tilting his head to the side, his eyes filled with love and devotion burn into my soul. “I choose you, because, well, because of so many things. Your adorable laugh. The way your nose scrunches up when you’re concentrating. Or the way you refuse to watch me kill the rabbits because you can’t bear the idea of any animal suffering. Your fire and determination to always try to do better, to always help others, even after everything you have been through. Your eyes which I can feel myself become lost in. Your lips, which I can’t stop kissing.” He leans forward and places a gentle kiss to my lips. “But most of all, I love you. Everything about you I adore. You are my best friend, my lover, my heart, my soul, and my life. I chose to stay because without you, I am nothing but dust whispering in the winds, my all belongs to you for all eternity. You are my everything and you always will be. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you. I love you Alina, now and always.”

  Tears slip down my cheeks at the amazing man holding me. He brings his other hand up to brush his thumbs across my cheeks wiping the tears away. I notice his own eyes are watering, a comforting smile tugging at his lips. I move forward and place my lips against his, relishing in their softness and warmth. Leaning my forehead against his, I let out a few shaky breaths, before moving back to look in his eyes again. “I adore you and nothing will ever change that. You are my heart and my soul too. Thank you, my love, just thank you for always being there and making me feel like I could do anything. I love you.” I hiccup out and Branor places a soft kiss against my temple and uses his hand to press my head against his chest again.

  “Come on now, try and get some sleep. We need to walk to the next village in the morning and we’re not going to be able to do that without enough rest. Goodnight my beautiful Birdy.”

  I simply nod and bury my head into his large chest, feeling safe, warm, and loved in his arms, my hands bunched up in his shirt, clutching him as close as possible. The sound of his steady heartbeat fills my senses and I slowly begin to drift off.

  The thought of reliving this next part fills me with dread. I hate having to remember what happened next in the cave. Killian and Shadowbolt are still listening, eyes filled with worry. I struggle to swallow, my mouth is dry and my chest feels tight. But I know I must continue. Taking a deep breath, I let out a shaky exhale and carry on talking.

  My eyes shoot open when I hear a sinister chuckle all around me.

  “Well, what do we have here, Little Bird?”

  I sit up, rigid against Branor’s chest and stare out into the dark cave. All I can make out is a large shadow moving around slowly close by.

  “Who… who’s there?” My voice betrays me, coming out in a startled squeak.

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?” It snarls back, edging closer.

  Just as I’m about to produce a little fire to see, I remember I am still sitting on Branor and I wouldn’t want to burn him. I nudge him to wake him up.

  “Hmm, what? What’s going on, Birdy?” His groggy voice rasps out, opening heavy lidded eyes.

  “There’s someone here,” I reply pointing to the dark shadow.

  “What? Who’s there? Whoever you are, leave us be. We mean no harm to you,” Branor shouts, moving forward to push me behind him, using his body like a shield.

  Another menacing laugh echoes around us.

  “No harm? You mean me no harm?” another laugh, “no you stupid boy, you can’t harm me. But her? Oh her, she can do much harm to the likes of me.”

  The shadow shifts closer, Branor’s muscles tighten in response as he spreads his arms out in front of me.

  “What do you mean?” I call over Branor’s shoulder, “I would never harm anyone.”

  “Is that so? What about that man from the village? You know, the one you burned to ash?”

  “How… how do you know about that?” I shudder, trying not to remember what happened a few years back, the sight, the smell, the fear.

  “Oh, I know a great deal about you, Little Bird. I have been looking for you for a long, long time.”

  “Why have you been looking for her? What do you want?” Branor shouts back, his deep voice filled with his growing anger.

  “That is none of your concern, stupid boy,” it spits out, edging close enough so I can make out two sinister blood red eyes.

  “It is my concern when it involves my Alina. Now I don’t know who or what you are, but you better get the hell out of this cave before I do something I may not regret,” Branor menacingly growls back.

  A booming malevolent laugh pierces me right to my soul.

  “Bran...Branor, I think we should go,” I stutter, grasping his hand to pull him away.

  There’s nothing this man wouldn’t do to keep me safe enough, even if it means putting himself in harm’s way.

  “Go? Oh, Little Bird, you’re not going anywhere. It took me years to find you. I’m not going to let you get away now.”

  The large shadow steps close enough to just about make out a face. A red tinged face full of malice and hatred. Thick black hair and… and horns? Two large ram like horns protrude from his head, curling around into sharp points.

  “Let’s go Branor. Please, now, let’s go,” I pull at his shirt trying to bring him away from the monster before us, “please, I’m scared.”

  The creature’s mouth opens into a menacing grin, sharp teeth grazing his lips.

  “Oh, you’re not going an
ywhere.”

  The creature springs forward without warning and wraps his hands around Branor’s throat, large talon like nails digging into his skin.

  “Noooo! Let him go!” I scream rushing toward them.

  I am thrown backward with a sharp smack to the side of my head from the creature’s hand.

  “Leave her alone!” Branor tries to roar, struggling from the pressure on his throat. His fingers clawing at the creature’s hand and his legs kicking out at it.

  Pushing myself up from the ground I can feel my back sting from where I had fallen on the jagged rocks. I can feel blood slowly trickling down my back from the little cuts spread across it.

  “Alina, flame the bastard!” Branor chokes out.

  The creature who was staring at me turns to look at Branor.

  “I don’t think she’ll do that, will you dear? See, if she tries to use her fire on me, it will touch you too. And we all know what happened the last time her fire touched someone, don’t we?” He grins, turning his cold eyes on me.

  He’s right. I can’t risk hurting Branor. I can’t do anything.

  “Please just let him go, I’ll do whatever you want,” I plead, tears filling my eyes.

  “No Alina. Just run, please, just run,” Branor rasps out, his legs have stopped kicking as he loses more air. He’s growing weaker by the minute

  “I’m not going to leave you.”

  The creature’s chuckle rings out, echoing around the cave once more.

  “It’s no fun when they don’t run. It’s so much more enjoyable when I have to give chase,” he lets out a deep sigh, “so boring. Here, have your lover boy.”

  He throws Branor to the other side of the cave, his body thudding against the wall.

  I’m just about to run to him, when I feel a painful sting to the side of my ribs.

  Glancing down, I see a huge serrated cut along the side of my body. The pain is excruciating.

  I look to the creature who is walking backwards, holding a wavy edged dagger coated in my blood. His evil eyes meet mine as he brings the dagger to his lips and I watch in disgust as he runs his tongue along the blade tasting my blood.

  “Mmm, so sweet. I bet other parts of you taste just as good.” He glares.

  I’m sickened to the core by what he is suggesting. I visibly shudder.

  “Don’t speak to her that way!”

  I hear Branor croakily yell as he rushes forward into the vile beast.

  He topples him to the ground where he begins landing punch after punch into its face.

  “Branor. Branor, please stop. Let’s just go, please,” I beg pulling at his shirt.

  He looks up at me, pain filled eyes full of worry.

  I pull again at his shirt and then grab his bloodied hand tugging him away from the beast.

  I start running forward, holding tightly to his hand. The early morning daylight is just about visible at the exit of the cave.

  I feel Branor’s hand slip out of my grasp and I turn quickly to make sure he’s okay.

  I stop where I am.

  The sickening creature has his arm locked around Branor’s throat.

  The same dagger that was used on me is being pointed at his face.

  There’s nowhere for him to go, no way he can move. He’s trapped.

  My eyes collide with Branor’s and I can see how scared he is, but not for himself but for me. God knows what that thing will do to me if anything happens to Branor, and he knows it. His fear is so palpable, it scares me.

  “Let him go now,” I order this time, “I will do whatever you wish, but please spare him.”

  “Ah see, there’s the problem, Little Bird. See, what I want you to do is die.”

  “I… I can’t die. Because—”

  “Because you’re a phoenix. I know that already. I know no matter how many times I kill you, you will just keep coming back. You think I don’t know these things, Little Bird?” he snarls, edging the blade closer to Branor’s face.

  “Then why are you here?” I can’t help but ask. If he knows I can’t die, why is he even bothering?

  “That’s for me to know and you to find out,” he spits out with a snarl.

  He abruptly pushes Branor forward holding him by his long hair.

  “Have fun, Little Bird. I’ll see you soon.”

  Raising his other arm into the air, I watch in horror as he takes the dagger and plunges it into Branor’s back, before he disappears in a cloud of thick purplish smoke.

  I see shock register across Branor’s face as the blade pierces his back and appears through his chest.

  Dark blood marring the front of his shirt.

  He slumps forward clutching the blade impaled in his chest, before it disappears in a puff of purple smoke, leaving a gaping wound in its wake.

  “Nooooo,” I scream running to where Branor had fallen.

  When I’m next to him, I sink to my knees and reach out and gently pull him towards me. He weakly raises his hand to brush his fingers against my chin.

  Blood seeps from his battered body as I cradle him close. My heart is beating out of rhythm, the crying shaking through me.

  “You can’t leave me. Please. Don’t leave me,” I wail, bringing him closer. His blood drains from his wound and I know I can’t do anything to stop it.

  “Don’t worry Birdy. It’s alright,” he struggles to whisper. A beautiful smile crosses his bloodied face, a lone tear falling onto my hand.

  His hand slowly drops from my chin.

  His eyes stare lifelessly out and I know he is gone.

  My strangled cry sounds all around me, echoing from the walls of the cave.

  I glance down at my own bloodied body and see that the wound on my side has already begun to close.

  Without warning, my hands begin to glow. Bright swirling gold emanates from my fingers, different from my fire.

  I stare at the swirls, enthralled by them and I know what they are.

  It is in that one soul destroying moment I realize my healing powers have been awakened, just a little too late.

  The pain in my chest flares until it’s unbearable, as if monstrous claws were grasping my heart and squeezing it, shattering it into millions of pieces.

  My body shakes and trembles as the tears fall and my sorrow consumes everything.

  I try to inhale, the sobs raking through me.

  My skin prickles with the cold sensation of dread and denial.

  He’s gone, he’s really gone. He can’t be, he can’t leave me. He promised he would always stay with me.

  I pull his still warm body against me, the shocking numbness beginning to consume me. I brush a strand of his matted hair away from his face and place a gentle kiss to his temple.

  My best friend, my lover, my life is gone.

  And yet I remain.

  ‘SHADOWBOLT’

  I listen intently to every word Alina says. Everything. How could one woman suffer so much and still manage to hold her head up and carry on?

  I’m in awe of this amazing woman. As Killian appears to be as well.

  He’s still sitting on the floor beside her, his hand tentatively laying on her lap, as she absentmindedly plays with his fingers.

  I’m again struck by the feeling of jealousy, wishing it was me she was caressing, seeking comfort in. Fuck.

  Alina peers up at me and I know she heard me curse, maybe she will think I was merely commenting on what she had just revealed.

  My mistress had made me aware there was a great tragedy in Alina’s life, but wouldn’t tell me what it was. She said it was for Alina to tell me herself, as it wasn’t her place to divulge information as personal as that.

  “I’m so sorry Alina. I don’t think there are any words to describe how sorry I am for you having to experience that. No one should ever have to suffer in that way,” Killian laments, taking Alina’s other hand and holding both in his own.

  “Are you okay, Sparky?”

  “No. Not really. But I will be. Just need
to keep my head up and watch my back, that’s all,” she replies solemnly out loud.

  “Watch your back?” Killian and I both ask at the same time.

  “Why would you need to do that?” Killian asks, edging closer again.

  “Well, let’s just say that wasn’t the only time I met the red eyed beast.”

  She stands and starts to walk away from us, but stops and turns to face us again.

  “What do you mean?” he questions, sitting down on the hay bale Alina previously sat on.

  I know a little of her history with the red eyed beast from what my mistress had told me, and the rumors I’d heard around. I wonder how much more she will tell us?

  “He’s the reason I was reluctant to stay at first, and why I will need to leave soon.”

  “Leave? But I thought you were going to stay here, with me, for the uh… for the farm.”

  “I would love to stay here. But I simply can’t. As I said, that time with Branor wasn’t the last encounter with the monster. I’ve seen him many times.”

  I watch as she clenches her hands together, her thumbs idly toying with each other.

  “If you have seen him lots of times, why haven’t you flame grilled him yet?” Killian boldly asks, “why haven’t you attacked him back and burned him to dust?”

  “Because I can’t! Okay? I just can’t.”

  Alina throws her head into her hands, her fingers weaving through the silky fiery strands.

  She takes several calming breaths, before gazing back at us.

  “Look, it’s not like we do happy little visits here and there. He finds me,” deep breath, “no matter where I go, or how far I run, or whether I’m underground or in the middle of fucking nowhere. He finds me and when he does—” she slowly stands up straight, eyes flicking from me to Killian and back again, “—he kills me.”

  ALINA

  “Kills you? I don’t understand. Why would he do that?” Killian questions, staring at me with anger and compassion waging war within his chocolate eyes.

  “Ha. Do you know what? I don’t actually know. You would think after centuries of being hunted by the same creature I would have some idea to the whys.” I fake chuckle, hoping to seem more put together than I actually am.