“I was hoping you’d be able to—” I start to say, but Mellissa stepped to the side and gave me a look. She and I both know what I wish to ask about Jared and the time I projected back in the past. She shook her head at me. I know it would probably change everything if Mom knew I traveled back in time. I breathe in, watching Mom and Lauren.
“Thanks for clearing things up, all of you.”
The trio smiled at me, soon becoming nothing but white ghostly dust in my room. I turn around to pick up my broomstick. This time, it didn’t burn me.
If we both work together then we can defeat both Dad and Christian.
My myth asked, in my head,
Why would I want to get rid of Christian?
Because he’s evil and he doesn’t want anything to do with us.
No, he doesn’t want anything to do with you, Rose.
I walk over to a mirror, seeing the blonde elf version of me. She smirks, twirling around the ends of her hair. “Don’t you think marrying him would be the better choice?”
“I know you heard what the family talked about. If I die, you die.”
My myth frowns in my reflection and says, “I suppose you’re right. I can manage without Christian. So what’s the plan?” I smile and so does she.
“We’re going to stick with Jared’s plan, and Lauren’s with the rose. We need to visit the shifter kingdom and then cause havoc.” My myth rubs her hands together and puckers her lips. This was all too fun for her; it’s rather ironic really. My birthday is in June, its astrology sign is Gemini. It fits both of us so perfectly; she’s the confidence booster I never had and I’m her opposite. The two of us working together will make the ultimate weapon. I place my hands on my hips and she twirls around smirking.
“Some things I can’t do well when it comes to Christian. His manipulation and illusions get the best of me.”
“Which is why you need me. You’re far too weak for him.” She fixed her hair in her mirror world. “He knows your weakness. Which is something he has no control over me.” She glances at me. “I’m the elf remember?”
“You’re right, so whenever he’s around I’ll let you take over and handle it,” I say.
“We need to be careful, though. I can try to block him from your thoughts. There’s no telling how fast he’ll catch on to our plan,” my myth says. Now that Dawn and my friends are gone, I don’t have to worry about my actions here. I stare back at my blonde reflection and glance down at my hair fading back into auburn slowly. I smirk slightly. I think it’s time to have some fun here.
I turn around and strut out of my room, twirling my broomstick.
Chapter 25
Step one in the process of causing havoc in a world of corruption comes with deciding how evil you’re going to get. My bare feet plop on the glossy flooring in the castle. Step two, finding a corrupt mystic who’s crazy enough and wants me for my royalty. A merman near the entrance I caught walks beside me, I play with his emotions in the act of making him mine.
He falls for it and leans in for a kiss, but I raise my index finger to his lips. Step three, and the final step is creating jealousy among the rest of the mystics here. There’s a fairy who floats in front of me. I lay my stare on him instead. He turns around, catching my wink; I motion him to come by. This angers the mermaid’s heart. He sprints over and slashes the faerie’s face and they fight. Envy runs around within the castle. I find my way over to a group of girl elves.
“If it isn’t our future Queen with the delicious pure heart,” one of the girls snarls at me.
“I had a sip of my first bit of innocence a few minutes ago,” I lie. The group looks among one another. “She’s not lying, I can feel it. Well, then welcome to Rav.” One girl bows her head. “I think I’d rather have all of you bow before me.” My voice is thick and stern, they narrow their eyes and bow.
“Now that we’ve got that out of the way…” I point at the elf to my left. “She will be my royal assistant from now on.”
“Rena? No, I think I’d be the perfect match for Queen Eliza,” one girl huffs and pushes Rena from beside me.
“Who are you to take Rena’s place? You’re the most worthless elf I’ve met. No, no, I, Sona, shall be our queen’s first assistant. I’ve claimed more innocence than the two of you could ever accomplish.” Sona flicks her fingers at the two other elves as the snarls between one another grow louder. Their tempers rise and they claw the air with their sharp nails. One of the elves releases a hiss and leaps in to fight. Sona jumps in to fight the other elves off, but is scratched to death by Rena.
I walk away, witnessing the commotion I’ve caused. Breathing in the dead stale air in this castle, I relax and walk forth.
“I can’t believe you’re succeeding.” I whirl around at Rissa licking the ends of her fangs. She’s the shifter who wanted in on all of this.
“I’m so glad you’re here to see everything go down as it should,” I say, minding my business and walking through the castle.
“So the plan is creating havoc among every mystic in this place?”
“Pretty much, but that isn’t the only thing on my list.” I walk past a mirror, seeing Rose with her auburn hair staring back at me with her arms crossed. I glance at a random corrupt mystic. Pulling them to the side, I say, “There’s an elf in the main hallway who’s vowed to steal what is yours.”
“What do you mean, steal what is mine?” he grumbles back.
I shrug. “Anything that you have and hold to your heart dearly.” The mystic’s eyes glow and he darts down the hallway and the two mystics scoff on the ground and gargle from choking one another. Rissa smiles at me and the work I’ve been doing in the castle. Christian is at the end of the hallway, watching me carefully.
Rissa whispers at my side, “I’ll take my leave from here.”
Christian walks over slowly. He eventually stands in front of me and picks the small pieces of fluff from his shirt. His deep velvet green eyes stare down at me. He rubs his index finger right underneath my chin and I glare up at him. “May I help you?”
“What did you say to that mystic?” he asks.
“Whatever I wanted to say to him.”
“You’ve finally let the myth out to play.” he says, holding his tongue back.
“I’m out and about, meeting with my fellow mystics.”
He circles his mouth and says, “Oh I’m aware. You’ll make a fine queen for such a dark king as myself.” I press my lips together and smirk up at him. I decide to gather some information about the rose and where he’s hiding it.
“I’ve searched around in my room. I’m afraid someone has found my rose, Christian.” I place my hands on his chest.
“Don’t worry, I took it. I’m keeping it in a place where no one ever goes.” He rubs the side of my cheeks.
“Sounds interesting. Are you the only one who goes to this place?” I smooch up at him and play with his tie. “You know I’d give anything to have a place to go to that only you and I know of.” I tighten his tie; he clears his throat from me almost strangling him. I smile from the accident. Christian walks me over to the entrance of the castle and opens the doors as we step outside.
We walk through the field, all the way down to the end where a black lake sits still.
My ears perk, I turn, the mystics are fighting outside. I can cross turning the Ravamere mystics against one another off my list. Next is to close the portal to Ravamere. I glance over at it swirling around quietly. I hum to myself as Christian says, “When I came here, no one had the power to control this place but your brother.”
“Jared? How could a fragile wimp like him ever be able to take on such a powerful place like this?”
Christian turns to search my face with his narrow eyes. I flutter my eyelashes and move my blonde hair from my face, the warm wind brushes between us. “During the time he was turned into a cat, his heart absorbed the curse. His innocence is strong…stronger than any witch I’ve come across. His heart could help your fath
er stay alive.”
I squint my eyes in confusion. “Wait, my father is dying?” All Christian does is grin down at me.
“Of course he is. He’s been in Ravamere too long. His soul will soon be trapped in the soul room of the castle.” My mouth parts, shocked from the information, playing my part well.
“What is it that I need to do?” I ask.
Christian presses his lips together. “So you’ve changed? What has gotten into you?” He wraps his hands around my waist and pulls me into him. We collide and I gasp while he kisses me, I don’t fight against him.
“I want to please you. I can’t fight against who I am anymore.”
Rose butts in my mind and says, “He’s falling for it, keep it up.”
“Of course he is, I know what I’m doing,” I reply back to her.
“I need you to lure him out of Ravamere and keep him from entering here again,” Christian says, walking on the edge of the cliff we’re on.
“So your plan is to keep him away from this place? I thought you were going to help cure Marcus?”
“I never said I was going to cure him. I said Jared holds a curse that could cure him. My plan is to kill your father so that I can take the rightful place as Ravamere’s King.”
“Why kill him off if he wants you and I to become Queen and King anyway?”
“As soon as you take my hand in marriage it’ll cure him immediately, the betrothal we have is so powerful. It will also help restore what was lost in this corrupt world.” He stops talking and stands still, looking out at the black lake. His markings glow in the shadows of the night, the purple glaze in the sky gleams off his brown hair and he turns to look at me with a devious glint in his eyes. “Is this going to be a problem for you?” he asks.
“Not at all,” I reply. “I’ll get Jared out of here as quick as I can, my love.”
“My love? Really, Eliza, can you be any more convincing?” Rose snaps in my head, but I ignore her.
Christian smiles as the wind blows his short hair from his eyebrows, he walks over and hugs me. “I’m so happy things are finally coming together with you. You’re a one of a kind prize.” Christian walks off into the woods calmly and disappears.
***
My hair fades back into its auburn color slowly.
Christian’s evil plan was to kill off my father and lead Jared away from it all. In the distance I notice Donovan running off with his gang members down a trail by the castle. Fairies float in the air and evil elves race throughout the forest’s branches.
I walked through the tall brittle grass, following Donovan’s scent and the sound of his boots digging into the moist ground. I manage to follow the group Donovan travels with through the trees and across a dark field.
There’s a mansion with golden lights ahead. I turn around. I’ve come so far, there’s still a trail back to the main lands of Ravamere. I avoid the bubbling mud and cover my mouth from breathing in the toxic gas around me. I wave my right hand in front of my face, shooing the insects away from me.
The door from the mansion clicks shut. I watch where I walk and eye my surroundings in case I was followed.
What is Donovan up to?
I narrow my eyes and gaze up at the large mansion, I press my hands on the dry door. Anticipation crawls on top of my skin. I open the door, golden light scatters out from the building. The slight creak echoes, bouncing off the stiff air. I step inside. There is no one present. I glance to my left and right. The same markings I found in the hidden room in the meeting hall in Vaelle are drawn across the walls. Chairs are broken.
A large staircase swirls up toward the rooftop. I’m in a spotlight of gold and in front of me the darkness calls for me. My nostrils flare and I pick up mumbles from deep in the building. I creep forward, hearing the cracked wood underneath my feet creak with each step I take.
“Have you started with finding Jared?” The voice is dry and raspy. There’s a crackle of wood that sounds in the hallway I walk in. I catch red flickers of colors on the walls ahead of me. There’s a room with its door open, and the colors are wandering out of the room; the sound of a fireplace crackles and the wooden building creaks along with the warm wind outside. Speckles of dust trickle down on the tip of my nose. I move my dry hair from in front of my eyes.
“No, he’s always around Eliza or with Marcus.”
“Find a way to get him. You know what we have to do. It’s time to end everything that was started.”
“He was in the way. There’s no telling how Eliza would react to everything. I can’t—I can’t bring this up to her.” There’s a grunt of pain, and the sound of spit landing on the ground. Several coughs sound from inside the room. I walk forward to try and see who was in the room.
“Father, she trusts me. I don’t want to be a part of this.”
“It’s not your choice if you want to be a part of your family or not. This is who you are and it’s in your blood.” The raspy man picked up his tone and there’s a sound of boots moving across the room. A shadow appears on the wall and so does another, the door closes.
I pick up muffles from the room in my ears. I step back slowly. There’s a pinching feeling in my head, like a massive headache about to erupt. My mouth is covered by rough and thick hands. I’m pulled back and against the floor. I kick and kick, trying to scream. The person wraps their arms around my neck and drags me out of the mansion. I’m tossed across the dirt, gasping for air and coughing from the stiff air.
I glare over at boots standing next to me and a sword dragging in the gravel, creating a line in its path. “I’ll kill you myself, since Donovan’s too weak.” It’s Eric. He’s dressed in black, his gloves scrunch on his broomstick’s handle as he picks up speed and runs toward me. My hair fades into blonde immediately.
***
I narrow my eyes and roll over calmly, missing a blow from the witch. I feel against my thigh for my broomstick, my hands burn. I release my grip, swiping my leg for the witch and tripping him onto the ground. I brace myself up and flip toward him, landing my knee on his chest. I place my free foot on his wrist where he holds his broomstick, he grunts in pain, releasing his weapon.
I catch something moving to the side of me. This causes the witch underneath me to force me off him. He stands up and punches my face; I spit the blood from my mouth. My hair fades back into its auburn color.
***
I feel for my broomstick as quickly as possible, I press the button as it scrapes and a neon purple sword slides out from the handle. I duck from a swipe from my left side. There’s another Verel witch, and another that steps from my right.
Eric is in front of me, smirking and fixing his mask on his face. It’s hard for me to breathe, the wind picks up, moving my hair around. The dirt gets into my nostrils and I struggle to speak. The Verels are prepared, they have their masks and sprint toward me. My markings beam in the darkness, I raise my sword, blocking Eric’s attack. I kick one of the other Verels and run for it across the field.
I trip into the bubbling mud; it burns my skin. I cough, clawing my hands through the mud and gravel. I get up and limping, run toward the edge of the trail I followed Donovan through. My hair fades into blonde, I breathe and let my myth take over control.
***
The burning feeling freezes over and the clumps of mud drop to the ground. I splay out my fingers as slithering thick vines come alive from the earth. They attach onto the two Verels running at both of my sides.
One manages to throw a dart that only seems like a shadow toward my direction. I bend to the side, dodging the attack. Eric grunts. I can hear his boots smacking in the mud as he chases me. He swipes the vines from around him. My eyes glow green as I approach the forest.
The broomstick I hold in my grip is burning my hand, but I am constantly healing myself over and over, I don’t know how much longer I can hold out. I press the button on the broomstick and quickly place it in my pocket. I lift my palm as the marks freeze over, my tattoos twirl around the bu
rnt marks.
“Eric, Eric! She went into the woods, we can’t stop her from here.” The two other Verels managed to free themselves from the vines. I press my back against a nearby tree, hearing them pant. Boots crunch on the gravel at the end of the trail. I tilt my head to the side, watching them closely against the magical ferns and dark looming trees.
“Dammit, Eric, we can’t stop her in the forest, you know about elves already.” One of the guys grabs onto Eric’s shoulder, but he punches him away. The other guy steps back.
“She heard more than enough to ruin everything.” Eric steps back, eyes on the forest in front of him. “Warn the rest, we need to execute early. It can’t wait, we’re killing Jared tonight.” Eric turns around and runs back down through the field with his two other members. My hair slowly fades into auburn, with my heart beating faster than ever before.
Chapter 26
I rush through the forest and through the tall brittle grass. I have to warn my brother about everything. This couldn’t be what Donovan’s been planning all this time. I can recognize that voice from anywhere; he was talking to his father in that Verel hideout. I stop running and crouch down to breathe in the dead air. I wheeze from the smog that’s stuck in the air around me, I wipe my heated tears away from on top of my speckled cheeks, checking my sides, wondering if I’ve been followed.
My hair sways across my face. I run across the field of grass as fast as possible. I reach the outsides of the Ravamere castle. There’s a stinging pain from my arms and legs that have deep cuts on them, I wipe the taste of dry iron blood from my lips. Several different kinds of mystics jump around a large fire, tossing items into a raging pit of flames.
Sparkles of maroon and purple sprinkle up inside of the smoke, the elves weave their hips with the music that’s made. The glowing colorful eyes of these magical creatures are lighting up the area.
Magical (Mystical Series Book 3) Page 16