I padded silently through the long, dark halls. Emily and Jason walked wordlessly by my side. No one spoke because there was nothing to say, and so much to say, at the same time.
It had been almost a day since Seth disappeared.
A day since Kojas took him.
I had told him, when he had first said that Kojas wanted to use him that he didn’t have to worry. I should have known that Kojas would do anything to get him, and now Seth was gone.
After he had been taken and Jason had awakened, the faery jerks had scattered. Then a light pixie had showed up, the same one who had saved my life a while ago, and led us all the way to her majesty’s place. She was apparently the queen but she was nothing like a stuck up royal leader. She was more like a warrior who lead Igneeria in the ‘good times.’
She was really nice but when we had met her, I was in an awful mood. No one blamed me; I had just watched one of my best friends get beat up and taken right before my eyes.
Her Majesty said to return in the morning when I would hopefully be in a better mood. So Jason, Emily and I walked to her throne room. Emily pushed open the door and Queen Crystalla turned to us. She wasn’t someone who you’d expect to be named Crystalla. She was more of the tough type.
“Jazell, Emily and Jason!” Crystalla beamed. “I’m so happy you can finally join us!”
Crystalla was dressed in a hunting jacket with a dark blue top underneath. She had dark green pants with simple brown boots. A gleaming sword was slung on her back. My heart ached because she somewhat resembled Seth. Man, I missed his stubbornness.
“Yup we’re happy too,” Emily said with a sigh.
“So, um, what did you need?” I asked.
She nodded. “Right, you must meet your destiny. It’s a shame the other one couldn’t be here right now.” She looked upset but she wiped it away with a small smile. “Follow me, please.”
We followed without any words. We went outside and past some light pixies that were milling around the very small garden. One waved to me and I raised my hand in greeting. Crystalla walked into a small, dark building and I followed.
It opened into a room with a high, glass ceiling. Ahead of us were four doors, each with a symbol I couldn’t see from here.
Crystalla stopped and faced us. “Find the door with your symbol on it.”
“Uh,” Jason raised his hand sheepishly, “how do we know which symbol is ours?”
She smiled. “You will know.” She motioned for us to move up to the doors.
I walked slowly and leaned forward to see the symbol. Amazingly, I walked right up to the one with an arrow on it. I looked to the left and saw a door with a sword on it. I sighed and pushed open my door.
The small room also had glass ceilings but they were dimmer. The room was dark and cold, with dust in the air.
“I was wondering when you would get here,” a familiar voice said.
I jumped and looked into one of the corners. The girl from my dreams walked out, shimmering. She smiled and I then noticed the bow hanging on her back with a quiver of arrows.
“You know how you asked for my name before? I can tell you now,” she said. “Actually, I can tell you a lot.”
“Great, I’m all ears.”
She laughed. “My name is June and like you, I was once a full human.”
“You’re a half-ling?” I asked in amazement.
“I was a half-ling.,” June corrected me. “I’m dead now. But I can still speak to you because you have to complete the job I did before with my friends.”
“Wow, back up a second,” I said quickly. “You’re dead?”
She tapped her foot impatiently. “Do you know how long ago I defeated Kojas? It must have been over one hundred years ago.”
“Wow, that was a long time ago,” I said. “You defeated Kojas?”
June sighed in frustration. “Did you pay any attention to anything? Mackenzie, David, Mark and I beat Kojas the first time he appeared. It wasn’t easy; let me tell you that right now.”
“How did you die?”
“Mark died of a wound after we beat Kojas. He was too weak to live. David and I died in an ambush of what was left of Kojas’ army. Mackenzie died from a fatal fall, I don’t remember how.”
“Oh,” I said and rubbed my neck. “I don’t want to be rude, but do you need to tell me anything else? I have to try to come up with a few explanations for back home.” A lot of explanations.
June walked towards me until she was standing right in front. I could almost see through her body, which was really starting to freak me out.
“You have to get back Seth,” she whispered. “I know David was supposed to see him right now and I know he’s disappointed. You can’t beat Kojas without the four of you. You can’t unleash the Night’s Circle without all of you. And without the Night’s Circle, you cannot destroy Kojas forever.”
I started to shake with the intensity of it all. “If the Night’s Circle destroys Kojas forever, why is he still here?”
June backed up a bit. “We think that our Night’s Circle wasn’t strong enough because Mark was seriously injured. But no problem, you guys have to destroy him now.” She must have seen me shaking because she added, “No pressure.”
“No pressure?” I practically squeaked. “You just put the fate of both worlds on my shoulders.”
“No,” she said, “I put the fate of both worlds on all four of your shoulders.”
“Alright, is that all?” I asked, eager to leave.
June nodded and I turned to open the door. I was just about to turn the handle when she said, “Jazell, don’t be scared to bring out your emotions. They make you stronger.”
I looked over my shoulder to see June standing stiffly. “Thanks,” I whispered. “Thanks June.”
“Good luck, Jazell.”
I opened the door and saw that Emily and Jason were also coming out of their rooms. Emily looked a little shaken but she gave me a thumbs-up.
Good luck, June’s voice whispered one more time.
Yeah, I was going to need it. Big time.
Seth, I’m coming, I thought, and I meant it. Hold on.
Then I walked out to face my destiny.
Don’t Miss Book Two in the Fall of Igneeria Series!
Fall of Igneeria: The Night’s Circle
Fall of Igneeria: The Half-ling Page 29