Phobia (Interracial Paranormal Romance) (Wisteria)

by Leyton, Bisi

  “Where’s Felip?”

  He seemed to have vanished.

  “Come on.” Garfield signaled and ran off.

  Sprinting after him, she headed down a narrow stairwell and through a series of doors and hallways. They raced through the dark, lower and deeper into the archive.

  He climbed up into a tiny passageway that was some sort of ventilation shaft.

  She got in after him. “What happened, Garfield?” She asked after crawling for several minutes.

  “Alba escaped and started messing with Robinia’s programming or whatever it is. Robinia felt herself shutting down and brought me here to disconnect her from the archive. That way, in essence, her heart would be preserved, even if all the avatars were destroyed.”

  “Her heart, you mean like her CPU or something?”

  “No, she meant her heart.” He stopped when he reached a square hole in the ground through which a pale light emanated. “Alba hasn’t found this place, but we can’t stay long.” He jumped down.

  She slipped in after him, landing in a room as the lighting came on.

  The room seemed to be filled with a series of glass walls covered with the same strange writing in Felip’s book.

  At the far side of the room a sleeping girl lay in a glass case, dressed in a white gown.

  Standing next to the case was a white version of Robinia’s avatar. “Welcome back, Mistress.”

  Approaching the case, Wisteria leaned over and peered in. The person inside was a kid holding a glass doll and couldn’t be more than fifteen.

  “That’s Robinia.” Garfield touched the glass.

  “That doesn’t make sense this girl is a real person?” Wisteria marveled. “Robinia, how is this possible?”

  “Mistress, I am a person,” the white avatar informed her. “The First Pillar recognized only a living mind was powerful enough to run the archive.”

  “They forced you to remain here for centuries?” Wisteria enquired.

  “No, I volunteered, like the others, but I was supposed to be here a year to learn,” Robinia replied. “But I was dying of congestive fever. The First Pillar set me up to remain here and keep the archive running until they found a treatment and not violate the treaty with the Family. The archive kept me alive until my body finally recovered.”

  “So, you’re better?” Garfield asked.

  “Yes, I recovered 312 years ago,” Robinia’s avatar replied.

  “And you never left?” Wisteria wondered.

  “The archive requires someone to control it and this is my home,” the avatar said.

  “She has nowhere else to go,” Garfield noted.

  “Hang on, if you’ve disconnected her from the archive, why is this avatar still here?” Wisteria pointed to the white stone girl.

  “This avatar looks after my body, until I wake,” Robinia explained.

  “And right now you’re not longer connected to the archive, so you don’t control the sentries or the others?” Wisteria asked.

  “No, Mistress. Alba has corrupted my avatars and is searching for me, so she can hack into the central control,” Robinia stated calmly.

  “How can you be sure of this, if you’ve been disconnected from the archive?” Wisteria enquired.

  “The archive is updating what’s going on here.” Robinia pointed to the glass walls.

  Examining the glass, Wisteria watched as more text appeared. “It’s recorded our arrival, the prax I took from the vault and that Garfield shot Alba. Who’s writing this?”

  “The Hall of Ages keeps a complete record of what goes on here, so when the First Pillar returns, they will learn what happened and what was taken,” Robinia explained.

  “We believe Alba’s going to renew Robinia’s body to get control of the archive,” Garfield added.

  “That figures.” Wisteria kept reading. “According to this, Alba’s almost here.”

  “What?” he exclaimed. “I haven’t figured out how to free Robinia’s body. The avatar says if we don’t do it right, she might be brain damaged.” Garfield looked worried.

  Alba jumped down through the hole. “Thanks for leading me here…Terrans.”

  “How? I shot you with enough bean vine to knock you out for hours.” Garfield was stunned.

  Wisteria didn’t look back immediately, she could see Alba’s reflection in the glass, but it seemed more important to finish the reading.

  “I had body armor,” Alba knocked on her chest. “You should have made sure the poison actually got in before you scurried off like Rats.”

  “I’m not letting you get any closer to her.” Garfield picked up his cross bow.

  Alba grabbed it from him in seconds, broke it in half and tossed it aside.

  “Garfield, don’t do anything.” Wisteria pulled him back, away from Robinia’s case and against the far wall. “Get ready to run.”

  Alba stalked toward Robinia’s body. “This was almost too easy.”

  “You’re not going to touch her.” He fumed.

  “What? You cannot stop me?” Alba mocked as she advanced. “You are nothing but useless and inconsequential Terran jaga.”

  “Curious you would say that,” Robinia replied calmly, “Humans are more powerful than the Family. You exiled the First Pillar because of this.”

  “Shut up.” Marching over to the avatar, Alba struck it, breaking Robinia into pieces.

  “Alba, control your temper.” Felip dropped down. He looked better, but still pale from his beating and the poison Wisteria gave him. Standing up, he examined the remains of the broken avatar.

  “Alba, why don’t you take care of your boyfriend and leave her alone,” Garfield remarked in anger.

  “He is not my—” Alba glanced at him. “Felip is fine.”

  “Garfield, don’t say anything—” Wisteria pulled him aside.

  “Let go of me. I’m not going to let them destroy her,” Garfield yelled.

  “There’s nothing we can do for her,” Wisteria whispered. “Felip might be weakened, but he’s dangerous.”

  “I am more than a match for both of you,” Felip threatened. “Thanks to Alba. She was kind enough to regenerate me a bit.”

  “She’s in love with you Felip,” Wisteria remarked.

  “In love?” Alba paused at the case. “No, I am not.”

  “That’s why you killed your own father,” Wisteria called out. “And why you willingly betrayed your own people.”

  Felip glanced at Alba and frowned. “You are wrong Wisteria.” It seemed obvious he felt no affection for her at all.

  “I believe Felip is a great man.” Alba smirked, as she smashed Robinia’s case. “I want all the realms to see that.” She seized the girl on the bed by her neck.

  The girl on the bed, Robinia, opened her eyes and gasped as if taking in a deep breath. Seemingly, confused she looked around, but didn’t rise.

  Breaking free from Wisteria, Garfield lunged at Alba.

  The Famila girl punched him in the stomach.

  Garfield careened past Felip and across the room.

  Wisteria sprinted to her best friend. “You need to listen to me. Do nothing.”

  “What do you want more than anything in the world?” Alba took out her faycard and showed it to Robinia.

  “To be home with my brothers and sisters,” Robinia replied innocently. “Where are they?”

  “She’s human Wisteria. Alba’s going to—” Garfield struggled to rise to his feet. “You’re going to let Alba turn her into a sleepwalker?”

  “Garfield, no matter what happens, the archive will stand. What Alba is about to do might be the best thing for Robinia?” Wisteria bit her lip, hoping this was the right decision.

  “Are you out of your mind?” Garfield fought to stand. “Wisteria?”

  “No.” She glanced at the glass walls.

  Felip looked hard at Wisteria and then at Alba. “Alba wait.”

  “Follow me and serve me.” Alba continued her renewal of Robinia.

&n
bsp; “Alba, stop,” Felip yelled.

  “No, it is working Beloved,” Alba burst out. “She is surrendering to me. I will have control of the Hall of Ages”

  “What’s happening to me?” Robinia’s head jerked and flailed around as she tried to remove Alba’s hands.

  “Get off her.” Staggering to Alba, Felip grabbed her shoulder.

  “It is done.” Alba turned back to the group with a large grin. “She is my Thayn.”

  Felip let go of Alba and then turned back to Wisteria. “What is going on?”

  Wisteria shook her head. “Nothing.”

  “What was your problem Felip? It was the renewal of a Terran, pretty basic stuff,” Alba jeered.

  “Mistress.” Robinia coughed.

  “You stopped Garfield for a reason. Why?” Felip raised a brow at Wisteria.

  “It does not matter. I command the avatars that control the Hall of Ages and with Wisteria here, we can make everything work. We have done it!” Alba laughed as she took Felip’s hand. “Everyone will bow to you now.”

  Pulling away from Alba, Felip’s eyes remained fixed on Wisteria. “Name her and get her to tell us what could possible go wrong.”

  “Right,” Alba said coolly. “Robinia, as your liege, I name you Nevena.” Alba flicked the girl’s head.

  “Mistress? I am confused,” Robinia babbled.

  “Do not call me Mistress, I am your liege and you call me Eminent Alba.” She smacked the girl harder.

  “Do not. That hurts.” Moaning, Robinia hit Alba’s arm. “Oww.”

  “It didn’t work.” Garfield seemed puzzled. “If she’d been renewed she wouldn’t have struck Alba, right?”

  Wisteria nodded in the direction of the glass wall she’d been reading.

  New text sped was appearing.

  “What’s it saying?” Garfield uttered under his breath.

  “The Hall of Ages is updating its records,” Wisteria noted.

  “That doesn’t scare me.” Alba chided. “I expect the recorded to reflect the momentous change—when a Famila took complete control of the greatest of all artifacts.”

  The broken fragments of the white avatar started to reassemble.

  “D’cara!” Excited, Alba clapped. “I am more powerful than a Dy’obeth.”

  “Do not get carried away.” Felip’s eyes flashed yellow before becoming green. “Get this place up and running.”

  “No need, everything has been reset. Nevena has restored the link to all avatars.” Robinia sat up.

  “Robinia, I mean Nevena, send ten black avatars down here to lock those two jagas away.” Alba snapped in Wisteria’s direction.

  “You do not understand.” Shaking her head, Robinia brushed the glass from her body. “I cannot access or interface with the archive anymore. “

  “Nevena, you said the connection was restored,” Alba shouted. “So do what I ask!”

  “Alba, you are connected to the Hall of Ages,” Robinia revealed. “You control the avatars.”

  “Did you know this would happen?” Garfield looked over at Wisteria.

  Wisteria nodded.

  “Fine, I will get the sentries down here and drag you out.” Alba closed her eyes as she tried to commune with the Hall of Ages. “Avatars, I command you.”

  “D’cara?” Felip swore as they watched the white avatar take on Alba’s taller and skinnier form. “The avatars are mimicking you.”

  “So?” Alba stretched out her hands as several black rocks started to roll toward her.

  The stones formed another black avatar also in Alba’s image.

  “Alba, where is Galahad’s talisman.” Felip shook her.

  “Once the sentries are here we can go together,” Alba babbled.

  “Where is it?” Felip shook her harder. “I need it now.”

  “It’s in the East Wing. Take him to the talisman.” Alba ordered the black avatar.

  “Yes, Mistress,” it replied.

  “Can you prevent Wisteria from creating a portal to leave?” Alba asked Robinia.

  “Oh, she cannot do that,” Robinia explained. “Thresholds can only be opened in the outer courtyard or within the Nucleus; the builders did not want people journeying into volatile or sensitive places.”

  “That was very considerate.” Felip walked up to Wisteria. “Alba, do not let Garfield leave.”

  “He is not going anywhere.” Alba smirked.

  “Shall we?” Felip held out his hand to Wisteria. “You know what? I am going to carry you. It is faster.” He threw her over his shoulder like she was six-year-old child. “Do not worry it is almost over.” Two large stone doors at the end of the hall opened. He raced out of the room and through the archive.

  He moved so fast, she couldn’t figure out in which direction they were going. All she knew—they were going upward. Halting suddenly, she flew forward.

  He caught her before she hit the ground. “Sorry, this is almost over.”

  Prying herself out of his grip, she got down. She didn’t recognize this part of the Hall of Ages.

  The room appeared lavishly adorned with deep purple rugs and drapery accenting seven round black vault doors.

  One of Alba’s avatars strode to the second vault door on Wisteria’s right.

  “Open it.” Felip walked Wisteria over to that vault.

  “Felip—” she protested.

  Slipping his arm around her waist, he drew her toward him. “Before you start talking nonsense, remember the Room of Ages? I got you to open that door and I will get you to open this,” he assured her. “Please, I do not want to force you. Peeka.”

  “Don’t call me Peeka.” She fought to break free of his iron grip. “I am not yours.”

  “Oh you are mine.” He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “You need me to protect you from the evil out there.”

  “You are the evil out there.”

  “Evil? No. Yeah, I have made tough choices, but I am a good person. My intentions have always been good.”

  “A good person? Only the truly conceited ever consider themselves good,” Wisteria responded coldly, remembering Coles’ words.

  “I am the good guy. The way I feel about you—” His eyes turned yellow again. “And when I have renewed you, you will understand how I feel.”

  “You don’t love me. You never did. You made that clear in Franklin.” She was such an idiot for not seeing this sooner. “You want to control me because I am First Pillar.”

  “The part of you that is First Pillar needs my protection that is why I need to renew you.” He stroked her lips. “But you are beautiful and nothing I said about how I felt was a lie. We are both children of two worlds, we fit together.”

  “You’re deluded.”

  Leaning down, he tilted her head up to kiss her, but stopped. “You are not going to poison me again.”

  Digging her fingers into his skin, she pulled his hand away. “Stay away from me.”

  “Wisteria, you allowed Alba to take over this place. You did not even try to stop her. Either because you thought it would backfire or you wanted me to succeed. You wanted us to happen.”

  “Which do you think it was?” She sneered.

  “It does not matter. Sure, it would be great if you wanted me to win.” Stepping in front of her, he held her by the waist. “However, what you wanted to happen didn’t, which proves again, I understand more about this place and pretty much everything else on this realm than you do.”

  She wriggled to break free.

  “You are not as powerful here as you were in Jarthan. The Hall of Ages does not have enough Ninth metal for you to do any damage,” he said

  “Where does Coia fit into your plans? I can’t see you doing what she wants.”

  “Lady Coia is a bit of a nut and she is family, but she will eventually self-destruct. I mean, holding onto that much rage for so long is not healthy.”

  “You’re not on her side?”

  “Kind of. My plans and her mission are compatible.
I needed the Family subdued and she is more than up for making that happen.”

  “And when you’re people are gone, then what?”

  “Not all the Family will be gone, but enough for me to oversee one pillar in Jarthan. With the artifacts from First Pillar, I and my bloodline will hold power for generations.”

  “How will your children control those artifacts? Only the First Pillar can—you want me to have your children?”

  He chuckled.

  “You are truly sick.” She felt nauseous.

  “I do care about you and when I renew you, you will be happy. We will be happy.”

  “And the Dy’obeths? Will they let you rule Jarthan?”

  “The Dy’obeths will be gone.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  “Those monsters killed her first bloodline and her Mosroc. Everything she is doing is about getting revenge on her father and half-brothers. There will not be a Dy’obeth alive when she is done.” Felip laughed.

  “Then why do you need more prax, if you knew Coia was going to use it on the Dy’obeths?”

  “Prax has other uses.”

  “What kind of uses?”

  “Do not worry about that.” Lifting her up, he took her back to vault door.

  “I’m not going to help you.” She kicked and clawed at him, but her fingers were still sore from her encounter with Bach.

  Placing her in front of the vault, he placed her hand on the handle. “Speak.”

  Closing her eyes, she concentrated on keeping her mouth shut.

  The door opened.

  “I simply needed you to breathe.” He dragged her inside the freezing room. “Come on, I do not want you locking me in.”

  Around the room were several shelves of metal boxes.

  He took out a piece of paper from his pocket. The page was torn from the book he’d given to her. “There.” He pulled out a metal box on the top right shelf. Opening it, he took out a chunk of amethyst the size of her thumb on the end of a black chain. “Do you want me to tell you what this is?”

  “How can I stop you?”

  “This was a wedding gift from Daphne Zor’or to her Famila husband, King Galahad. The First Pillar said he died of natural causes, but Daphne murdered him and took the stone back.” He dangled the stone in front of her. “I would not blame her for doing it. Galahad wanted to use this stone to renew and control everybody, since it was used to create the renewal in the first place.”