Embracing the Flames

by Candace Knoebel

  Thankfully, for Fenn’s sake, Alister landed between us. “Books about the Dark Saar,” he said, plopping them onto the table. “Astral left these for you. You must read and learn. Maybe your answer about the bargaining of his soul lies within.”

  I stared at the book, intrigued with what was beneath its cover. Zane pulled up a stool beside me. Fenn grabbed another one and wedged his way in between us. He possessively threw his arm around me and pulled me into him.

  Lexi giggled as I huffed and shot him a scowl.

  Zane was unfazed. He laid two vials on the table in front of us. One was clearly filled with the Harpy’s blood. The other contained a pinkish colored liquid that was cloudy and swirling.

  He pointed to the blood and said, “Blood of the Harpy can be used as a truth serum, something we may need one day. It’s very hard to come by and worth a hefty price at the market. You can thank me later, when you make use of it.” He rolled it towards me.

  My hand caught it before it rolled off the table. I held it between my finger and thumb, examining it closely and feeling horrible after watching its rightful owner die an awful death. “I can’t use this. Not after what I saw.” I placed it back upon the table.

  “I figured you’d say that…which is why I grabbed this.” He picked up the vial with the cloudy pink liquid inside. “This fell out of her hand.”

  “Harpies are the worst kind of scavengers, Aurora. They kill families; they destroy homes, even entire villages to take anything they can find that will sell.” Fenn now looked at Zane, intrigued. “When my father’s men found that Harpy, she had just murdered a herd of Unicorns. This vial holds the essence from the unicorn horn. It can be used for protection. If applied to a sword, that sword would be ten times stronger than any diamond. If melded in with armor, that armor would become un-cleavable. You could even mix it in with elixirs that would be of use in battle.”

  “Wow,” Fenn gaped, taking the vial from Zane and looking it over.

  I suddenly felt sick. I felt sick because he was right; this was the way things went here. This was not my normal world. No matter how I felt about it, we definitely could use these serums for good. I needed to grow a backbone and accept that.

  “Point is, Aurora,” he said, drawing me back in, “both of these vials are extremely hard to come by. Unicorns are few and far between. You’d be lucky if you even see one in your lifetime. That Harpy had murdered multiple. Does that justify her death? I’m not The Fates so I can’t say, but we’d be stupid not to use what has been left in our path.” He snatched the vial from Fenn and held it out to me, eyes raised in question.

  I waited a moment before taking what he offered, sliding the vials onto my necklace.

  “Look,” I said, putting my hand to his chest, “if you are going to help, no, if you are going to stay with us, let’s get one thing straight. You and me…that’s a never. Kapeesh? Fenn? Need I say more?”

  Fenn coughed down a chuckle.

  Zane shook his head, confusion written all over his face. I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said innocently.

  I pursed my lips at him. “Then we understand each other. Now tell me what you know.”

  Chapter 13

  A Secret Plan

  HOURS LATER, I FELT LIFETIMES older. The knowledge I absorbed had my head pounding in resistance. There was so much to theorize and even more to explain when I got home.

  We left Alister and the Biblium of Anything and Everything with a much better understanding of what we were up against. The only positive remnant from this crazy day.

  As I was about to jump through the portal, Alister grabbed my arm and said, “Come back and see me if you ever find yourself with questions.” Then Fenn pulled me through.

  We ported back to Astral’s room. I stood up, dusting off my shirt, and then turned to snatch up Astral’s box.

  Lexi headed for the door.

  “Wait,” I called out. “We need to figure out what we’re going to tell Myrdinn. We need to explain—” I looked over at Zane and thought I detected a trace of humor on his face. I pressed my lips into a thin, determined line and turned back to Lexi. “I need to explain what happened before we all storm him.”

  She took a huge step back, shrugging dismissively.

  Fenn grabbed my hand and squeezed. “I’ll go with you. If anyone can explain, it will be me,” he said with authority. I looked up at him, his eyes penetrating through to my soul.

  “Could you hurry up? I’d like to get a bath,” Zane interrupted.

  Fenn opened the door to find Myrdinn on the other side. We were immediately swarmed by a mouthful of accusations. Accusations that went silent the moment Fenn and I stepped aside to reveal Zane.

  Myrdinn’s eyes flashed with fury. “What happened, young lady? How is he alive?” Myrdinn asked through clenched teeth. “We’ve been waiting on edge for hours.”

  I took an encouraging breath before attempting an explanation. “Dad, listen, Astral left something for me. He left me the entry to a portal.”

  He glared at me for a long moment. “What kind of portal?” His words were slow, almost challenging. I tried to ignore his angry expression as I filled him in on everything that had happened. I told him about Alister and the Biblium and about slipping back into Zordon’s reality. “The really good thing out of all of this is that we walked away with a theory.”

  Myrdinn exhaled angrily and then looked away, his stature seeming to soften. “I’m just glad you are all alright.”

  “We are, and we’ve learned something new. Something useful,” I corrected. “Get Gabe and Eve and meet us back in the living room in ten. I need to change.”

  Myrdinn almost smiled, his eyes filling with pride. He nodded and asked Lexi for her assistance. She gave me a thumbs up as she followed him down the hall.

  I found myself alone with Fenn and Zane…just great.

  Zane watched us for a moment and then sniffed at himself. His handsome face fixed into a scowl. “I don’t know about you two, but this entire day has been pretty crazy, and I’m a rotting mess. If you’ll excuse me,” he said, slinking by us and out the door.

  The minute he was gone, I turned to Fenn and jumped into his arms, eyes closing tight from the comfort of his embrace. “I know I’m a mess, but I don’t care,” I said into his hair. I was just glad to be safe and to be with him.

  “You’re still a bit muddy, that’s for sure.” I could hear the smile in his voice. “And you smell like…” He pulled back and playfully sniffed me, “like a rotting corpse.”

  I gasped. “Gee, thanks,” I said gruffly, plagued by embarrassment as my face heated up. He chuckled, twirling the ends of my hair through his fingers.

  “Come with me to my room,” I coaxed, tugging his arm lightly as we walked out of Astral’s office and down the hall. His grin stretched across his face as he shut the door to my room. Then he pulled me once more into his arms, preventing me from grabbing my things to shower. He ran his fingers through my messy, mangled hair as he looked down at me, his gaze fiery.

  “I love you, Rory,” he whispered passionately, kissing my forehead, then my cheeks, and then lightly kissing my lips.

  “I love you too,” I breathed, fiercely kissing him back. Our lips parted to each other, sending waves of lust throughout my being. I wanted to stay in his arms forever.

  “Can you do me a favor?” he asked ever so sweetly, resting his forehead against mine.

  “Anything,” I promised, locked in the haze of his kisses.

  He pulled away. “The next time I tell you that you’ve had enough, could you at least consider listening? I need to protect you and I can’t do that when you continually take matters into your own hands.” His tone was possessive.

  I squinted up at him, suppressing the urge to protest.

 
“I suppose so,” I said with a heavy sigh. He was absolutely right. I needed to at least try to listen to him. He was after all, my protector.

  He smiled smugly and then kissed me softly, pulling me tightly against him. The world seemed to drift away from us as our hands explored each other’s exposed flesh, fueled by the intensity of our kiss. My skin burned with pleasure beneath his touch, taunting me to take it further. I wanted him more than I wanted anything else in this world.

  “I can’t stop thinking about you,” he said between kisses, his hands squeezing my sides. “I want you so bad.”

  “I want you too,” I rushed out, plunging my hands through his hair. I knew the more we kissed and allowed ourselves to feel, the worse our need to be with each other would grow. We were soul mates and he was undeniably the hottest guy I had ever seen.

  His hands slid under my shirt, resting on my ribcage. Thrilling tingles sparked under my skin where his hands rested. I pressed myself against him, sliding my hands under his shirt and roaming his chest.

  He grabbed my hands, pulling back just enough to let the cool air in the room bring me back to reality. “If we don’t stop,” he started to say, his voice thick with lust, “I don’t think I can control myself much longer.”

  My heart raced behind my chest, pumping out love and need instead of rationality. “I need to bathe and change anyway,” I forced out, trying to steady my heart.

  He paused by the door and leaned in for another kiss. After a sweet meeting of our lips, he nuzzled my nose with his, and then left.

  I took the vials from my neck and laid them on my dresser, letting out a deep sigh. Later I’d have to fashion something that could hold them securely. Who knew when I would need them.

  After a quick, scalding shower, I met everyone in the living room. Everyone except Eve.

  My lips puckered into a frown. “Where’s Eve?” I questioned as everyone sat down around the fire.

  “She’s not feeling well,” Gabe answered, looking swiftly away. Was he lying?

  I hesitantly nodded. Fenn raised his eyebrow at me, and I shrugged in response.

  Zane came around the corner a second later. He was clean-shaven and wearing black leather pants and a black cotton shirt that hugged his toned body in all the right places. Lexi’s brows rose in approval as she looked him over. I bit my lip to refrain from laughing.

  We awkwardly smiled at each other as he stood next to me. All eyes were on us, waiting for our news. Zane elbowed me to begin.

  I inhaled deeply. “Okay, so we obviously know that Zordon met with the Dark Saar. But we need to start at the beginning to try and root out this problem.” I smiled wryly and added, “Which is why Zane wants to explain a few things first. Zane,” I motioned.

  He stared me down like I’d sold him out. I fluttered my lashes and gave him a pretty smile.

  He puckered his lips in irritation and cleared his throat as a cold sweat broke out across his forehead. “Well, first of all, I’m back from the dead.” He broke off in uneasy laughter and frowned. “You must be wondering how I’m alive so I guess the best way to tell you is just to come right out and say it. My father is a son of The Fates. Crazy, right?”

  Everyone gasped. Zane looked to me, his eyes pleading.

  “That’s heresy,” Myrdinn said in disbelief.

  Gabe’s eyes widened in horror.

  “Do you know what this means?” asked Myrdinn in a faint whisper.

  “It means not good,” I answered. “Finish, Zane,” I encouraged.

  Zane stood taller, regaining his confidence. “That being said, we all know by now that he wants to rule both realms. We also know he wants the Stone, but now we know it can’t be for immortality. It’s for getting to the Hall. Aside from needing to figure out a way to prevent him from doing just that, we have stumbled into another problem.”

  “That is?” Myrdinn asked.

  “The bargain for Zordon’s soul. Why would Zordon agree to surrender his soul if it prevents him from entering the Hall?” He pause, looking around the room to see if anyone would respond, then he answered, “because it will make killing Aurora a possibility. Only a Dark Saar can kill a dragon. We also found a mention of a spell that could return Zordon and Searamin to their original form,” Zane stated, looking around the room at everyone.

  “Impossible,” Myrdinn and Gabe stuttered at the same time.

  I was ready and willing to explain that part. “When we were in the Biblium, Alister gave us a book about the Dark Saar and how they came to be. Interesting story…sad one really, obviously, since it’s about the Dark Saar and they…”

  “But that’s not really important,” said Fenn with a wry smile, reminding me to get back on point.

  “Right,” I smiled back. “Well, it seems the Original Saar was created ages ago.” My mind instantly flooded with the sound of Searamin’s snake-like voice. I tried to control a shudder as a chill ran up my spine. “He was the first Mage to ever use dark magic,” I said somberly.

  “I think we have all heard this story before,” Gabe said unenthused.

  I smiled flatly and continued. “Before he dabbled in dark magic, he was the leader of the Polar Magium in the north with a prosperous future. Life was as it should be—peaceful and harmonious. Then, the race of dragons was created by the fifth Fate, and an uproar spread throughout the lands about his sacrifice — the Stone of Immortality. It piqued said Mage’s interest. His family wanted to travel to see these un-heard of beings, giving him an excuse to investigate this creature that would cause a God to relinquish his powers and live out his days as a mortal.

  “But the ship never made it to the Chasm. And Searamin, the leader of the Dark Saar, the Original, was the only survivor. With nothing left, he tried everything he could think of to bring back his wife and children. The Necromancers refused to help. He didn’t have anything they wanted. That’s when he took it upon himself to turn to dark magic.

  “The warnings The Fates heeded meant nothing to him. Slowly, his longing for his family turned into bitter hatred and burning rage, a rage so fierce that he swore to avenge his family. His vengeance would fall upon the race that unknowingly took his family away. The dragons. When his day came to pass on to the Hall of Knowledge, he was denied—the first Mage ever in history to not cross over—and was thus transformed into the Original Saar.”

  Even though Lexi had already heard this story, she gasped, her hand covering her mouth. I looked at her, knitting my brow in question. She dropped her hand.

  “Little by little,” I continued, slowly looking away from her as I cast my eyes around the room, “he rotted into what we now know as the Dark Saar, his hate and magic so powerful, it granted him the power to kill a dragon…and to eat a soul. And what better way to bring him to your side than to offer a chance to be normal again while taking out the very being he blames for ruining his family. It’s eerily convenient.” I finished, looking at everyone expectantly, like I had delivered the best story ever.

  “It’s just so sad,” Lexi empathized, her lips turned downward. Myrdinn glanced back at her and rolled his eyes. She scowled at him.

  “I still don’t see how it’s possible to undo. It took years for Searamin to corrupt his own soul,” Myrdinn said.

  “But the Biblium holds knowledge beyond your imagination. There was something in that book that spoke of undoing it. I suspect Zordon knows about this. Why else would he risk not being able to cross over to the Hall?” I mentioned.

  “He shouldn’t have any access to the Biblium. I don’t know anyone besides you four that have ever been inside the Biblium. It exists in its own realm of time.”

  “Unless his creator is helping him?” Gabe offered.

  Lexi slouched further into her seat. I looked to my dad, and he smiled, his lavender eyes twinkling and creasing around the corner
s. “Good observation, you two,” he complimented.

  Gabe drew in a jagged breath, clearly baffled. “That puts us right back at square one. We need to figure out his next move and intercept him.”

  “Right,” I agreed, sighing.

  Myrdinn closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

  “Look, I know it sounds bad and it’s a lot to take in. It seems there’s nothing we can do to prevent it from happening. We don’t have near enough people to put up a fight against Zordon, his men, the Shadows, and the Dark Saar. Oh, and the Orient Magium.” I paused, sighing, and then willed enthusiasm into my voice. “But we have something they don’t. We have Soothe. Well, sort of.”

  It was something I was not willing to let go of. Not since Astral had strictly forbid it. Astral had hidden things from me and in return, we were slammed with a mess. This was another one of the things he wanted to hide. He was set on me leaving the prophecy alone. Why?

  I was beginning to think that maybe they had given up on me when Zane finally spoke. “Soothe isn’t in this realm.”

  “That’s beside the point. What if the answer lies with the missing piece? We still don’t know all of it.” I looked over at Fenn, waiting for it to sink in.

  “Missing piece?” I heard almost everyone question quietly.

  “The prophecy.” Fenn gasped.

  “Soothe has the missing piece. We need him in order to move forward.”

  “But Astral said to stay away from that thought,” Zane said.

  “Wait, you’re not thinking about going back to the other realm are you?” asked Myrdinn, his tone disapproving.