by Sela Croft
“No, that’s not true.” All eyes were on me. “That last paragraph was added after the fact. It was tacked on to the end by a human, and in the retelling over the centuries, that altered version was believed to be the real one.”
“But who would do such a thing?” Calina said.
I paused a beat, then said, “Your mother, Odeya.”
I sensed the crushing blow even as I spoke. The crestfallen look on Calina’s face conveyed her disappointment. “I don’t believe it,” she said. “Our mother loved us. She wouldn’t betray us.”
“You’re lying,” Draven said. “Your attempt to alleviate my guilt is misguided. I don’t know what you hope to achieve.”
“Are you hoping that Draven will let go of his regret if he believes your claim?” Mirela said.
“I’m shining light on the truth,” I said. “For only then can we hope to walk the path of destiny as intended.”
Draven glared at me, making it evident that he didn’t believe a word.
“I’ll prove it to you,” I said. It wasn’t often that I dealt with spirits, as it was best to leave them in peace. Yet I could see there would be no resolution until I called forth support of my testimony. “Give me a moment and I will show you.”
Draven sat beside Mirela, then I proceeded to work my magic. I probably should have prepared ahead of time, but I hadn’t realized that I’d need verification.
I lost track of how long I was in reverie. I flowed energy into the spirit world then fell into a tranquil state. Using my inborn talent, I called forth the woman I sought. I’d been around for centuries, and had known her when she’d lived.
When I opened my eyes, the others were staring at the form hovering near the fireplace. The woman appeared ghostlike. She was Odeya Petrovic, the mother of Calina and Draven, called forth from the world beyond.
She didn’t look much older than Calina, since she’d died in childbirth at a young age. She had long, dark hair and stunning blue eyes. She floated in the air, wearing an orange shift. Her innocence shone through.
“This is your mother,” I said.
Draven clung to Mirela’s hand, and Calina had a look of amazement.
“My children,” Odeya said in a soft voice. “I am so happy to see you.”
“Mother?” Calina said.
Draven was riveted on the sight of the ghost, having never met his mother before.
“I’ve been called back for a reason,” Odeya said. “I cannot stay long.”
“Can you tell us about the immortal prophecy?” I said.
Odeya looked sad. “I meant no harm,” she said, then looked at Draven. “I only intended to protect you, my son.”
Draven leaned forward but didn’t get up. “You are my mother?”
“Yes, my son…I am your mother. And I’m so proud to have given birth to you. You and your sister mean everything to me.” A tear rolled down Odeya’s cheek.
“I wish that I could have known you, but I was taken so soon.” She looked lovingly at her children. “As many young mothers do, I went to an oracle to learn about your future…to be sure that you would fare well.”
I was intrigued, as this part I hadn’t known either.
“The prophecy was written, but it frightened me,” Odeya said. “It foretold that you would unite with Mirela and that you would be king.” She looked at Mirela, who remained silent.
“And what else, Mother?” Calina said.
“Your father…Alban.” Odeya bit her lower lip. “He was terrifying. I didn’t want you to be linked to him. I had to try to give you a way to escape. After Calina’s birth, I witnessed how cruel he could be. I didn’t want you to play into his hand.”
“What do you mean?” Draven said.
“I feared for you, my son. And I didn’t want you to connect with Mirela and bring her here,” Odeya appeared grief-stricken. “Yet by doing what I did…it seems I’ve put you in harm’s way, the one thing I hoped to avoid.”
The room went silent.
“I added the last part of the prophecy to warn you away,” Odeya said. “If you didn’t go to Mirela, then I might prevent disaster. I was certain that, before you could rule as king and queen, Alban would destroy you.”
Odeya hesitated. “I couldn’t let that happen, and the only way I could think of was to keep you away from Mirela. I thought if you didn’t go to her, that none of this would happen. I added the warning to protect you, hoping you’d stay away. I thought to save you from your father, to prevent…” She wiped away another tear.
“But I can see that I’ve only made it worse.” She looked at Calina then Draven. “Can you forgive me?”
Draven walked over to the ghostlike form. “It means so much that I could see you just this once. I know you were trying to look out for me, that you were being a good mother.”
Calina stood beside Draven. “I love you, and I’ve missed you so much.”
Odeya smiled. “I am always with you. I treasure both of you and love you more than I can say.”
Then Odeya’s spirit form disappeared, and her children looked at the empty space where she’d been. I dared not speak, and tried to anticipate Draven’s reaction. He turned to face me. “You have given me a gift,” he said. “I will cherish this moment, the one time I was graced with my mother’s presence.”
“What about the prophecy?” I said.
Calina took the scroll from Draven and read, “Destiny will lead the pair to rule as king and queen of the ocean world. That is your blessing and gift from fate.” She looked up. “There is no more. That’s how it ends.”
“There was no warning,” I said.
Mirela put her arms around Draven. “You did the right thing. When you found me after your long search, you came to me immediately.”
Draven looked at her. “And I would do so again, my love.”
“That is how it should be,” Mirela said. “You followed your heart. That can’t be wrong.”
“And our own mother has confirmed it,” Calina said. “Destiny calls for you to rule together.”
It was quite a touching scene, but I wasn’t as calm as I might have been. “It seems that you feared that you’d defied fate, but you can see that you have only done what you were destined to do.”
“It’s not over yet,” Draven said.
“No, it’s not,” I said. “Destiny’s path can be treacherous. If the future is to be what you hope, you will have to make it so.”
“And Alban is more determined than ever to stop you,” Calina said, looking revitalized after the experience. “The fight hasn’t ended.”
Mirela linked her arm with Draven’s. “We must win. We can’t come this far to have our life stolen from us, to be the victims of death’s minions.”
I couldn’t agree more, but there wasn’t anything else to say. Nemuri had been wise to reveal the lie, and I’d done my part to make Draven see that he was on the right path. But there was much to overcome before victory would be his. At least he wasn’t ensnared by falsehoods. It was little enough for me to offer, along with the welcomed visit by Odeya. The future of the kingdom depended on what Draven did now.
Chapter 10 – Silvain
My thoughts were interrupted by a messenger sent by one of my lieutenants. “He requests an audience, as he’s just returned from battle with news.” I hoped it was good, since a recent report of the Guardians wiping out a faction of my men had been disconcerting.
The lieutenant was just leaving the stables. He strode over to me. “The royals have broken through.”
“Where?”
“A battalion encroached near the edges of our border,” he said. “We were too slippery for them, so broke away before we sustained too many casualties.”
“That was smart,” I said. “Those monsters are difficult to take down. I don’t want to sacrifice men needlessly.”
“Four royals cornered me, and I thought I’d be killed,” he said. “But one of them handed me this message. It’s to be delivered to you
.”
I accepted the message then dismissed the lieutenant. It was just like Alban to deliver his communications in a bloody manner—but he had my attention. I didn’t know what had possessed him to push so close to my region and instigate a battle to convey his message.
The king would have known that my armies guarded the rainforest borders heavily. Sending in too many of his troops would be suicide. Guerilla warfare was only effective to a point. If I was pushed, I’d have to call in reinforcements to obliterate the attackers.
In the library, I broke the seal on the message and opened it. It was in black ink, written in a bold script with heavy pressure. It had to be Alban. The signature at the bottom confirmed it. The message was signed: The King.
He hadn’t bothered to authenticate the message with the royal stamp or taken the time for any pleasantries. The communication was brief but clear. His guard had reported that Nemuri had escaped through a crossing point, one that could only have been fashioned by a sorceress.
The descriptions of the seer’s rescuers matched those of Selene the sorceress and Silvain the leader of the Dark Fighters. Such treason would not be tolerated. With no preamble, Alban said he would kill Selene; there was nowhere she could hide that he wouldn’t find her.
The note concluded: Once I kill the sorceress, I will come for you next.
I was furious. How dare Alban threaten women. First, he abused Nemuri, and now, he planned to torture Selene—for he surely would before killing her. I didn’t tremble over his threat to me, as I knew I’d carve him in half before I let him take my life.
I valued my immortality and didn’t plan to allow death to steal my life from me. But more than that, I had zero tolerance for killing women. I might have brought Mirela to my castle against her will, but she was treated well during her stay. She likely feared what I’d do upon my return, but she needn’t have. At the worst, she’d been intended to lure Draven into my net.
But Alban’s intentions were unconscionable. I would not stand for it. He’d pushed me too far. I hadn’t forgotten his treatment of my mother. Although the king hadn’t succeeding in killing her, he would have. The only thing that had prevented him was that he hadn’t been able to get his hands on her.
The king’s blackened soul permitted him to commit crimes that others would balk at. Yet those who were vulnerable needed a protector, so I accepted the responsibility. Hatred for my illegitimate father surged within me, motivating me to strike back.
The king’s intimidation tactics were about to backfire, for I was going to be his worst nightmare. Quickly, I made preparations then strode to the stable, only to find Selene on my heels. “How did you get in here?”
“The same as always…the front entry.” Selene’s hair was brilliant red, as if it was on fire. Her navy-blue eyes pierced into me. “Going somewhere?”
“I’d claim it’s not your business, but in this case, it is.”
“Now I’m curious,” Selene said. “I sensed something had disturbed you, so transported here immediately.”
“That damn telepathy of yours is going to get you in trouble, sooner or later.”
“I don’t pick up your thoughts,” she said. “You’re a bit difficult to read. But I am a sorceress.”
“So you keep reminding me,” I said, then walked over to my horse.
“My skill with precognition told me that something was about to happen.” Selene kept pace with me. “And that it involved you.”
“You might regret being so nosy,” I said, “because I’ve decided to take you with me.”
“Is that so?” Selene crossed her arms. “Where are we going?”
“To your old stomping grounds…the royal palace.”
Selene’s eyes widened. “Oh, no way. You realize, of course, that the king wants to kill me?”
“I have no doubt of that,” I said. “But after what I’m about to do, he won’t dare.”
For a moment, I thought she was going to refuse. “I’m trusting you with my life, you realize.” Then she got on the horse behind me. “While we’re on the way, how about if you tell me what this is all about?”
“To put it bluntly, I helped you. Now…you’ll help me.”
“Great,” she said with her usual sarcasm.
Before we arrived, I shared what I knew so far. If Selene had been reluctant to accompany me, she was more so after learning that Alban had put his intention to kill her in writing. “I must have really irked him,” she said. “I haven’t known of him to issue written threats before.”
“I suppose the king was anxious to get his message across, so couldn’t wait until our next visit.”
That didn’t get a laugh from Selene. But then, I couldn’t blame her. We were at the base of the royal mountain looking up at the palace, darker than the night. Temperatures had plummeted and the ice on the slopes seemed thicker.
It was no wonder the king didn’t leave his icy abode. Entering and leaving was difficult. If it wasn’t for levitation, I wouldn’t have made it. The ice palace was formidable and prohibited enemy troops from trespassing on the estate grounds. Any soldiers would be seen from miles away.
Selene looked up at the spectacle. “Morbid place, isn’t it?”
After levitating to the entrance, I went straight to the throne room with Selene right beside me. Alban was holding court with his servants, who shuddered before him as though they were about to be eaten.
“Dismiss your staff,” I said. “You have something more important to do.”
I’d walked right into the palace, knowing full well the king would order his guards to execute me, along with Selene. But I was betting that wouldn’t happen.
The king’s eyes flared with hatred. His cottony hair hung to his shoulders, whiter than the snow, and his skin was pasty, like death itself. His yellowed fangs extended, then he roared. “Guards!”
I held up my hand. “I wouldn’t do that.”
The king rose from his throne then grabbed his scepter.
“Or that either,” I said. “You’ll want to hear what I’m about to reveal.”
“You have nothing to say that’s worth anything, dark one.”
“Ah, but I beg to differ.” I stepped closer and Selene stuck close. “I decided to respond to your message in person. You took the time to write to me, so I felt this was the suitable response.”
Six guards moved closer, three on each side. I didn’t bother to look at them, as I already knew they were several feet taller than I was and outweighed me by more than double.
The king aimed his scepter at me, taking a moment to savor the pleasure of blasting me out of his throne room. He eyed Selene greedily, as he intended to follow through on his promise to take her life.
I barely kept my rage under control. “You hide out, and sit up here on your icy throne, like you’re a god. But if you’re anything…you’re surely a devil.”
“Seize him!”
The guards lurched for me. “And I am your son!”
The king raised his hand, and the guards stopped. One on either side had his hands on my arm. “You’ll kindly tell these cutthroats to release me, so I can enlighten you further.”
With a wave, the king ordered the guards to step back. They were still close enough to snuff me out on command, but I had breathing room. Alban’s beady eyes bored into me. “You can’t be. I have only one son.”
“What about the son you refused to acknowledge, the one you hoped hadn’t drawn his first breath?” I said. “Your worst fear is standing in front of you.”
Alban sat on his ebony throne, maintaining a grip on his weapon. “It can’t be.”
I was starting to enjoy myself. “Listen, king. Your reputation precedes you. I’m rather surprised that you don’t have illegitimate sons strewn across the kingdom. Before you grew so old and ugly, you were renowned for your lust for women. And that’s putting it nicely. Rape was more like it.”
The king hissed, and his fangs gleamed.
“You were
promiscuous,” I said, pointing a finger at him. “And you have a list of crimes so despicable that you aren’t worthy of the life you cling to.”
“How dare you insult your king!”
“You aren’t anything to me. You are nothing.” I took a step closer. “The only reason there aren’t other descendants to wrest the throne from you is that you didn’t allow any to draw a breath. Abuse and abortion went hand in hand with rape, didn’t they?”
Alban glanced at his guards, prepared for them to defend him if I went too far.
“You would have slit my mother’s throat if you could have,” I said. “I would have died in her womb.”
“That would have been better than the slow torture I have in mind for you,” Alban said.
“I think not.” I paused for effect. “Do you know who my mother was?”
“Your mother is of no significance.”
“Wrong again.” I took a breath; I hadn’t spoken her name since the day she’d vanished. “Laela was my mother.”
Alban flinched, every so slightly, but I saw it.
“You haven’t forgotten her, have you?” I smirked. “You had no conscience about the women you terrorized. Yet my mother was one you feared. Why was that?”
Alban was silent.
I saw Selene out of the corner of my eye. She was watching intently. I was about to reveal new information, things that I hadn’t shared with her.
“Laela, my dear mother, was under the protection of the god of shadows,” I said. “It seems that you remember Erembour, as I’m certain he will remember you.”
“No…” Alban said.
“You raped Laela, as you did so many others,” I said. “But you couldn’t allow my mother to reveal that. Erembour would have taken it personally. And he was a primordial deity, one of the most ancient gods.”
Alban gripped the arm of his throne.
“You may not fear me, but even you tremble to cross such a powerful god,” I said. “Erembour would not ignore such a violation. And so…I’m about to cripple you by revealing your secret. The kingdom will know of your horrible past, and so will the god you offended.”