A Hero of Realms

by Bella Forrest

  “Just wait here,” Julie said. “I’ll go back up to the castle and try to find out from Uma’s sister exactly where we are. The situation might not be as bad as we think. For all we know, we could be close to The Tavern.”

  The former I found hard to believe, but I let Julie leave, watching as she scurried up the hill toward the stone building at the top.

  Alone now—or as alone as I could be with two supernaturals fighting a war inside of me—I fixed my gaze back out on the ocean. The sky was still overcast, thank God. Without a jinni, Julie and I would’ve been roasted by now.

  Wanting to take my mind off the hollow feeling in my stomach as I waited for the vampire to return, I started running further up the shoreline to look for any kind of vessel that we could use to leave this island. The main problem with Julie’s suggestion was that finding the box was only half of the battle. Even if she managed to get her father to hand it over to me, or somehow swiped it for me in some other way, then what? I’d have to travel to Cruor in order to be close enough to trap Basilius—the very place that I had been fighting tooth and nail to stay away from.

  I shook myself. I need to stop trying to think so far ahead. Just one step at a time, or I will drive myself insane.

  Whatever we decided to do, Julie was right that we could not just stay on this island. We had to keep moving. I sped up and reached the end of the current stretch of beach, arriving before a large cluster of boulders. I was about to lay my hands on the rock nearest me and clamber over the cluster to continue my search for a suitable boat to escape in when a familiar female voice spoke behind me.

  “Benjamin Novak.”

  I spun around. My jaw dropped to the floor as I found myself face to face with… “Hortencia?”

  The small, fragile young woman, clad in a long dark robe, stood quite still before me, a silver visor covering the fleshy pits where her eyes should’ve been. Her lips were clamped tightly shut.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked, dumbfounded.

  She reached up a hand and, with curved forefinger, beckoned me closer. I took a step forward. She gripped the front of my cloak, yanking me nearer still. She tilted her head upward as if to look me in the eyes, if she possessed them herself.

  Her lips unglued from the hard line they had formed. “Something’s happened,” she said in a quiet voice. “Something that has never happened before.”

  She paused, leaving me hanging.

  “What?” I urged.

  “My sister and I… our eyes have diverged.” She let go of my robe and her small palms flattened against my chest, directly over my heart. “Although we are twins, my sister Pythia and I differ in a number of ways. However, never before have our eyes not seen as one. She envisioned a different path for you than I did, vampire.”

  Again Hortencia paused, infuriatingly. I gripped her shoulders and shook her.

  “What did she envision?”

  “I would not suggest that my eye is more accurate than my sister’s,” she continued as though she hadn’t heard me. “Thus, I can only conclude that fate has carved out two paths for you.” Her hands slipped beneath my cloak and then through my ripped shirt, settling directly over flesh. Her fingers felt moist and clammy. The strange black symbols tattooed up her neck began to swirl and migrate around the center of her throat.

  “Since earlier today, one of your feet is already over the edge. You are on the verge of being faced with a decision. It will happen soon. Very soon. Whichever path you choose will determine your true identity, and your place in the history of the universe.” Her face tensed, her voice strained as she parted her cracked lips and hissed, “When the road forks, your route will be clear. Either a destroyer or hero of realms you shall be.”

  To my horror, her hands slipped away from my chest, and she jolted backward.

  “No!” I lurched forward, reaching out to grab her, but it was too late. She disappeared before I could latch on to her. “No!” I yelled again.

  Destroyer or hero of realms? What does that actually mean?

  What did she mean when she said one foot was already over the edge? The loss of a jinni and the demise of Arron?

  But she said I had a choice.

  As desperate and hopeless as the situation was, those words shone a light. Ever since my visit to the oracle’s cave, I’d feared at the back of my mind that she was right. That my destiny indeed was to become a soldier of shadows and be lost to the Elders, their slave in helping them come to resurgence. The fact that Hortencia herself had said that her sister—wherever and whoever she was—had seen a different future for me, one where I could be a hero rather than a destroyer, sparked an unexpected ray of hope in me.

  But how would this play out? And, dammit, why couldn’t she have stayed a few moments longer to help me? Wouldn’t the rise of the Elders affect her too? She was part jinni, part witch. She held magic. She could’ve easily stayed and at the very least transported Julie and me to our next destination, even if she refused to give us any more information. Would that have hurt her so much?

  There was no point in lamenting what was out of reach. She was gone and I was on my own again. Although at least I was now armed with confirmation that there could be another way.

  I remained still, watching the spot where the oracle had vanished, but soon it was clear she wouldn’t be returning. I turned around and clambered up the boulders, continuing my search for a boat. Her visit hadn’t changed our immediate plans. We still had to get off this island, and I still had to figure out if I really was going to go through with Julie’s suggestion.

  As I reached the other side of the boulders, I was glad to see a small harbor filled with a dozen boats. To my surprise, Julie was also standing on the bay, accompanied by the redheaded witch.

  I hung back, watching as Uma’s sister pointed toward one of the boats—a small yet sturdy-looking vessel with a narrow covering over the bow. I didn’t know exactly what kind of negotiation Julie was coming to with the witch, so I figured it was best I didn’t interrupt. I kept my distance until the witch had left Julie’s side and vanished herself, presumably back to the castle.

  I ran over to Julie. Her eyes widened as she spotted me.

  “Ben,” she said, stepping down from the boat and onto the wooden floorboards of the jetty. “I was about to come and get you.”

  “What’s happening?” I asked, deciding not to tell Julie about the oracle’s visit to me just now. There was no point. It wasn’t like Hortencia had offered a single shred of practical information that could help us in our predicament. Besides, the exchange I’d had with Hortencia somehow felt too personal to share with Julie.

  “I managed to strike a deal with the witch,” Julie said. “Even though she was adamant that you could not receive treatment without the third ingredient, I told her that she and her sister could keep the two ingredients that we brought with us—the werewolf tooth and the dragon scale—on the condition that they provided us with a boat as well as a sea chart and directions on how to reach The Tavern. It seems you still haven’t decided for sure whether you want to pursue my father’s ship, but at least if we arrive in the waters near The Tavern, we will be in a more familiar place.” She climbed back onto the boat and headed toward the bow. “I did, of course, at first try to bargain with the witch to transport us to our next destination by magic, but she wouldn’t agree to it. So this was the best deal I could come to.”

  “Did you ask if she knew of any other doctors who can treat a vampire?”

  “I did ask if there was anyone else in the supernatural world who could perform the operation for you, but the witch was tightlipped, as is to be expected, I guess. I don’t see why she’d recommend another doctor even if she knew of them. She told me that there was only her sister who specialized in such treatments. It could’ve been a lie, but we have no way of knowing. Even Arron suggested that this witch Uma was one of a kind in her medical skill and knowledge, and more importantly, in her willingness to treat non-witche
s.”

  Some willingness, I thought bitterly

  I climbed onto the boat and walked to the bow. As with all the other boats I had seen so far in this supernatural dimension, this one was also drawn by sea creatures—two large, pure white dolphins, to be precise. Their reins hung over a metal clamp, behind which was a wooden bench just about wide enough for the two of us to sit.

  “Okay.” I breathed out, looking back up at the sky—still mercifully swarming with clouds. At least there was a small covering we could take shelter under once the sun broke through. “This boat should be all right, I guess.”

  “So…” Julie began tentatively after a pause. “Where exactly are we headed?”

  As much as it made my stomach sink, I couldn’t think of any way to reply other than, “Let’s head for your father’s ship.”

  Maybe by some miracle along the way we’d come up with some other idea. But for now, this was all I had.

  Julie nodded and immediately grabbed the reins, taking a seat on the bench. I walked to the stern of the ship and stood gripping the railing, the wind blasting through my hair as the dolphins lurched forward with supernatural speed. I watched the witches’ hilly island grow further and further away.

  All the while, Hortencia’s words played over in my mind.

  “Either a destroyer or hero of realms you shall be.”

  Chapter 28: Ben

  I didn’t know how many miles an hour we were traveling, but these dolphins were anything but ordinary. Uma’s island soon turned into a dot the size of a period until it faded completely out of view. We found ourselves entering a world of endless masses of water. The waves were calm at least, which I was glad for. The speed at which the dolphins were traveling made the ride bumpy enough.

  As expected, the clouds didn’t keep the sun at bay for long. They began to thin, allowing rays of piercing sunshine to spill down from the heavens. So much so that it became uncomfortable for the two of us even while sitting beneath the covering. It wasn’t very wide, and sunshine kept spilling onto us, even when we sat directly in the middle of it. My only relief came from Julie’s confidence in navigating the boat. She constantly consulted a map and by the time night descended, she assured me that she recognized the area we’d reached. This was the hope I clung to, even as the hours passed by. Precious hours. Hours that, for all I knew, could be the last of my life. At least, a life worth living.

  I was grateful to Julie that she insisted that she didn’t need to sleep, hence we didn’t waste any more time. The dolphins were showing no signs of tiring, although I supposed we would have to stop at some point for them to feed. Hopefully that would not take long and we could continue traveling throughout the night.

  Julie and I barely spoke, even as we sat so close to each other, we were practically touching due to the narrowness of the bench. But as night progressed, she became more talkative.

  “I’m thinking about how exactly we will do this,” she said, her eyes fixed on the waves. “Once we spot my father’s boat, I will bring ours right up to it. I’ll board it first and seek out my father. Once I’ve brought the box upstairs, you probably need to step aboard at least for a few moments to help transfer the box to your boat. It’s large and even though I could manage its weight, my arms aren’t physically long enough to lower it…” She threw me a sideways glance. “You need not worry about being in danger from my father’s crew. You won’t stay long and they’ll all be too preoccupied with my return to pay much attention to you.”

  “What makes you think he’ll give up the box so easily?” I asked, frowning.

  “I never said that it would be easy,” she said, tightening her hold on the reins. “But I know my father… Somehow, I’ll find a way to get it to you. That is my worry, not yours. You have enough to worry about as it is.”

  “And then how will I get to Cruor?” Asking the question sent chills running down my spine.

  Her jaw tensed. “That is, I’m afraid, something that I cannot help you with,” she said, to my dismay. “But you’ll have the box on your boat. Despite the distance from The Tavern area to Cruor, it’s a straightforward journey, and there are a number of landmarks along the way. I’ll leave this map with you and tell you which signs to look out for.”

  “And human blood,” I muttered. “You said some needs to be placed inside it?”

  “Yes,” she said. “Human blood is something I can help you with. We have a small stock of it on board my father’s ship—or at least we did when I left. I’m sure it’s still there and I’d manage to swipe enough for you without too much difficulty. Once we get the box, I’ll give you detailed instructions and advice, as much as I remember the warlock giving my father. It’s hard to explain thoroughly without having it in front of us.”

  She paused, falling silent for a while. When she spoke again, her voice was lower. “Once I return to my father, it won’t be so simple to extricate myself again. It pains me to think of you alone in this. Though in fact… I’ll be sad to leave you at all.” She left her words hanging in the air as I wondered what exactly she meant by them. Then her glance, infused with an unexpected affection, made me realize.

  “I… I would have liked to have known you better,” she continued. “I guess what I’m saying is, men like you don’t grow on trees.”

  She smiled to herself bitterly. I wondered if she was thinking of her fiancé, the man she was so opposed to marrying that she would rather risk her life escaping. The man her father would surely force her to accept once she returned.

  There was an awkward silence, as I had no idea how to respond. I had too much weighing on my mind to be able to think much about her apparent attachment for me. Even if I hadn’t, River held my heart. Every part of it. As attractive and kind as Julie seemed to be, she couldn’t hold a candle to the girl I’d professed my love to. I didn’t want to hurt the vampire either, however. Not after all she’d done to help me.

  I realized that I hadn’t mentioned River until now. Perhaps because the thought of saying her name out loud was painful, since there was a strong chance that I would never see her again.

  But I didn’t want to give Julie any kind of false hope. Hope that, even if I did manage to survive all this, I might have some attraction for her, and find a way to cross paths with her again in the future. I had to crush that now, for her sake.

  “Julie,” I said, looking sincerely into her eyes. “Thank you. You’ve helped me through what has been the most desperate time of my life. I’ll be forever grateful to you. But I need to tell you that I have a girlfriend, back in The Shade.” I’d thought that talking about River would be painful, but somehow, it was strangely cathartic, and so I continued. “Her name is River Giovanni. I’m in love with her. Deeply, madly in love with her.”

  To my surprise, Julie responded with a smile. “Oh, I know about River.”

  I cocked my head to one side. “What?”

  Her smile widened and she looked fondly at me. “I heard you mention her the other day, when we were camping outside the dragon’s cave… I’m pretty sure you fell asleep for a bit, or at least dozed off into semi-consciousness. You were breathing her name. I figured she must be someone you care deeply about.”

  I hadn’t realized that I’d managed to fall so deeply into rest, much less that I’d been so audible about what was on my mind.

  Our conversation became a bit stilted after that. I stood up and, it being dark now, I walked freely around the deck and stretched my legs.

  I remained at a distance from Julie for the next few hours, watching the waves froth and foam. All the while, I tried to ignore my increasing hunger. As the early hours of morning approached, I felt a very different sensation within the pit of my stomach. A more worrying sensation. Like the pangs of hunger, it was painful, but this pain was more intense, more acute. As if someone was drilling a nail through me. I recognized it as the beginnings of the same sensation I’d experienced just before Bahir had left me. Before I’d leapt from the cliff. Before the
Elder had regained control over my mind.

  Is Aisha tiring already? This was what I’d feared. That she might be weaker than the other jinni and unable to last as long. I shut my eyes tight, summoning every ounce of willpower I possessed, as though willing alone would force Aisha to remain within me.

  She can’t leave me now. Not yet.

  My fists clenched around the iron railing. I found myself squeezing so tightly that the metal bent out of shape. I held my breath, bracing myself for the pain to worsen. But to my surprise, after perhaps five minutes, it died down. I breathed out a slow sigh of relief.

  Perhaps it’s not a sign of her weakening after all. Maybe that was just a temporary glitch. Aisha not paying attention, or something… I prayed that it was true. Everything rested on this jinni. This girl who had so aggravated me on first meeting now held my life in her hands. Her stamina and will to help me was the only thing keeping my head above water.

  Swallowing hard, I left my spot and moved back toward the bench where Julie sat.

  “I have good news,” she said, sensing me approach.

  Good news. The notion was foreign to me.

  “What?” I asked, resuming my seat next to her.

  She nodded straight ahead. I looked out toward the ocean and spotted the outline of an island.

  “That’s The Tavern,” she said. “Uma’s island wasn’t so far at all.”

  I hadn’t expected the journey to go so smoothly. We hadn’t even stopped to let the dolphins feed yet. I felt almost suspicious of this stroke of good luck.

  “And now… your father’s ship?” I said. “Where do you think that is?”

  “We need to sail around a bit more and try to find it,” she replied, speeding the dolphins forward.