by Missy LaRae
“...we’ve only three weeks before the sixth cycle of the full moon. The boy must transform before the cycle. Once his
transformation is complete we must commence with the ceremony on the full moon. When the moon is at its full power their powers will be strong, and pure. We need that purity. If either of them realize their full powers we’ll never be able to get them to the ceremony. They’ll discern our thoughts as we think them. Never forget to clear your mind of all thoughts before you interact with them Evelyne. We’ve only this one chance. If we do not succeed the last fifteen cycles of our lives will have been for nothing. We would be complete failures to The Order. We must move them tonight. Asrah is destined to make it back to Amatia Prime and tells their father where they are. We know the King of Swords will come here, and his fate will meet him when he does, and I want no chance of him finding the twins here.”
He stopped breathing. He inched his way back up the stairs, hoping that each step he took would not alert Evelyne or Michael that he’d been eavesdropping on their conversation. They continued to speak, but Tyler had heard enough. His eyes were narrowing, and his body was swelling. He felt the heat rushing to his
fingertips, and he clenched his hands into fists. He needed to wake Lily up, and they needed to get out of there as fast as they could.
He reached the landing and walked softly back to his room. He opened the door, and prayed that it would not make a sound. He sent up a silent prayer of thanks as the door slid soundlessly open. He hurried to the bed, and knelt on the floor next to his sister’s sleeping form. For one moment he wished he could spare her the details of what he’d heard, but she had more than a right to know. She’d been right last night to distrust Michael. He’d known his sister’s power of intuition was strong, but even he didn’t think she’d thought they meant to murder them. His head was reeling with the knowledge that his father was still alive. They’d always been told that their father was dead, and Tyler hoped with all of his heart that their father would want them back. It seemed as if someone knew that they were alive and in Charleston, and was going to tell their father, but he couldn’t wait on a rescue when he and Lily were in so much danger. He didn’t know what they were yet, but they were obviously something. Something that someone wanted to get their hands on desperately.
I felt Tyler shaking me awake, and I
heard his voice whisperin’ in my ear that I was bein’ as lazy as I’d ever been in my life, and if I didn’t wake up he was gonna dump some cold water on me. That got my eyes popped open, and for just a second I stared at him in
amazement. He looked different. He looked as if he’d filled out overnight. His shirt rippled across his chest, and almost looked like he was about to rip on out of it. I giggled, and covered my mouth with my hand.
“Tyler, not sure if you looked in the mirror or not, but you look like you’re wearin’ a shirt that’s five sizes too small for you.” He looked down, and then looked at his arms. He flexed, and his mouth popped open as actual muscles rose up to say hello. His blue eyes flashed with genuine surprise before he leveled a stern gaze at me.
“Hello Mr. Biceps. Look at you,” I smirked. I was kind of amused, but then remembered my own transformation the night before, and raised my hand to my hair. “What am I gonna do about this hair, Ty?”
“I don’t think you should do anything about it right now, Lily. You need to get up and get dressed. We gotta go right now. I need to tell you somethin’.”
That got my attention, and I sat up. I realized that I had fallen asleep in Tyler’s bed wearin’ the same clothes that I’d gotten dirty and wet up on the deck. So much for bein’ a polite house guest. Tyler’s face creased in worry, and he chewed on his bottom lip, somethin’ he never did unless somethin’ was really eatin’ at him.
“What’s got you so ate up?” I asked him. I was hopin’ he wasn’t gonna say anything about my vampire teeth from the night before, or the fact that my hair seemed to be crawlin’ its way across the bed all on its own. It was kind of like havin’ a puppy, only not really.
“I left the room a few minutes ago to see if I could get somethin’ to eat, and on the way down the stairs heard Evelyne and Michael talkin’ in their room. They said somethin’ about me comin’ into my powers, and a ceremony on the full moon. They said they had to wait ‘till I transformed or somethin’ and then they could do it. Sounded like they meant to kill us. Then Michael said somethin’ about some lady named Asrah goin’ someplace called Amatia Prime to tell our father about us.” Well that sure beat out my weirdo hair.
I could feel the sun streamin’ through the windows, and looked around. I’d been so hopeful on the train that this place would work out. After meeting Michael those feelings changed. I was scared. Really scared. I felt like time stilled, and I looked my twin right in the eyes. We’d always been very close, able to feel one another when we’d been in pain, able to tell each other stuff just by lookin’ in the other’s eyes. I knew that he was tellin’ me the truth, but I didn’t know what to do with it. What were we gonna do? We were just kids, fifteen years old, and no one listened to kids. That’s what Mama always told us. She said no one would believe us if we ever said a bad word about her, and I know she was right. You could just tell when Mama would say somethin’ that was right, and when she’d say somethin’ that was wrong.
“Well, looks like we gotta get ourselves out a here then.” I didn’t know what else to say other than that. Tyler and I had made it to Charleston all right all on our own, and I knew we’d be okay if we could just get out of Aunt Evelyne’s house.
“Let’s get our stuff together, and ask Evelyne if she’ll take us out to do some sight seein’ or some shoppin’. We’ll have to run from her while we’re doin’ that.” I knew it was the right thing to do. I knew it was our only option. After last night I didn’t think that they’d let us out of the house alone, and I wasn’t sure what I’d do if they tried stoppin’ us.
“Well, then, that’s what we have to do,” Tyler was resigned. His eyes looked sharply at me, and searched mine for a long minute before he stood up. “I’m gonna open the door and knock on your door and pretend I’m wakin’ you up for the day. Once I do that they’ll know we’re coming downstairs.” It was a good plan.
I got out of the bed and put my shoes back on, and walked to the door with him. He opened it up and walked across the hall to my room and knocked on the door.
“Lily, wake up! Gotta go get somethin’ to eat!” Tyler shouted through the door. He stood there for a moment before openin’ up the door. I think he was just as surprised as I was to see Michael standing on the other side of it.
Chapter 6
“A hhhhhmaaaahhhttiiiiiahhhhhh!”
The scream echoed through the chamber, and the young female sprang up from a dead sleep. Her eyes darted around, and she leaped out of bed as fast as she could. She hurriedly dressed in clothing suitable for running through the Imperial Chapel and bolted out of her room as fast as a shooting star. Her hair streamed behind her, long and thick. It was burnished silver in the moonlight, and the tendrils wrapped themselves around her arms, comforting her as she ran. She slowed as she passed the midnight Sentinels, and they put their hand over their hearts as she ran past them. She replied in kind, but couldn’t take any time to wish them good moon.
Her destination loomed in front of her, and her breathing tore from her lungs in ragged gasps. Her heart thundered, and she couldn’t focus. She knew that she had to make it to Amatia immediately.
The Sentinels guarding the main chapel heard her approach, and opened the door for her as she neared. When she was close enough for them to recognize her they both dropped to one knee and put their right hand over their hearts. “Good moon, Princess,” they said as she passed. She placed her hand over her heart and uttered the same greeting to them as she hurried through the door.
There were few females in the chapel. Those who were there sat silent, heads bowed in prayer, their silver hair wrapped aro
und them like living blankets. Rory did not stop. She did not offer a greeting to the Mother of Dreams when she reached the altar, instead, she passed by the altar and slowed as she neared the back of the chapel. There she came to the Diamond Gate. The handles were solid diamond, and the door itself was diamond inlaid with gold and silver. The pattern within the door continued to change as the metal was a living part of the door itself. Rory gripped the handle, and the diamond fit perfectly in her hands.
“Amatia, may I enter?” She whispered. The doors pushed against her, and that was all the answer that she needed. She walked through the room, and the light coming in through the ceiling illuminated her path. Amatia Prime gave them constant light. The swaying of the chapel on its moorings soothed her, and she took a steadying breath.
“Come, Rory,” she heard faintly from the balcony.
Walking by instinct Rory bypassed the furniture scattered about, and exited through the eastern facing arch at the back of the room. Sitting on a low round stool facing the water was her Amatia; her Mother. Her hair was as silver as the great double moons themselves, and her eyes were a brilliant, clear blue. Her hair wound around her and danced in the moonlight as she stared into the night. The moorings of the chapel shifted again, and the sound of the lake beating against the chapel poured even more peace into Rory’s heart.
“Amatia,” she began. She came forward and knelt at the feet of the Queen of Dreams, “I have had a vision, Amatia.” She bowed her head and allowed her hair to pull her forward and push her onto the lap of her mother.
“I know you have,” her mother answered. She looked at her with clear eyes, and waited for Rory to speak.
“I have seen my Heart. He is in pain, and surrounded by blackness. He called to me in a dream. He held my hand, and he asked me to find him. I must find him, Mother!” Her tears began flowing freely. They were tears of pain, and of relief. She knew that it was him. She’d waited longer than any other Daughter of the Kingdom of Dreams for her Heart. All of her sisters had found their Hearts at their Fut’uah ceremonies when they were younger. They were all complete, but she was yet half of who she was to become some day. Until she paired with her Heart she would never understand the path that Amatia Prime wished for her. Until she was matched with her perfect Heart, she could not begin her final transformation. Only on the day of her eighteenth cycle of life, with the mating of Hearts, would she be able to transform into a Prophet of the Kingdom of Dreams.
“What did your Heart look like, child?” The Queen looked at Rory’s tear stained face, and wished that she could take the pain from her child, but she could not. She knew that the path for Rory was more dangerous than any of the other path’s that were written for her daughters. Rory was stronger than she knew. She had known this was the design of Amatia Prime the day that Rory was delivered into her arms. She had received a prophecy from her sister, and had known that Rory would have to seek her Heart in another Hemisphere before she would be complete.
“His hair was dark, nearly black, and he had the coloring of the Kingdom of the Sword. His face was pale, unlike the males from the Western Hemisphere, but I knew that he was a Son of the Sword. His eyes shone like blue beacons at me, and the pain was more than I could bear. I pulled out of the dream, Mother,” she confessed. This was her shame. She was so shocked by the depth of pain that her Heart felt that she had willingly let go of him. She could not forgive herself for this betrayal. Mates would never willingly abandon one another, and she knew that she would harbor this guilt in her heart until she could petition her mate for forgiveness. She wept as her Mother’s hands stroked over her hair. She raised her eyes to her Mother, and brought her hands forward for her to bless.
“Rory, you know that you are a strong daughter of the Kingdom of Dreams. You must follow your path. Amatia Prime has given you a dream to follow, and you must seek it as soon as the night begins to fade. I will inform the General of Sentinels that you require safe passage to the Kingdom of the Sword, and he will arrange to have you taken there. You are on the right path.” Celeste, Queen of the Kingdom of Dreams, ruler of the Northern Hemisphere, prepared her own heart to weep for the path that her daughter had been given by Amatia Prime.
“So soon? Do I not have time to prepare for this journey? I must pray to the Mother of Dreams for guidance!” Rory looked up at her mother with wide eyes. The last thing she expected was to be sent on her journey in mere hours.
“Daughter, it’s time you chased down the path that Amatia Prime has written for you. You have a journey in front of you that is unlike any other Daughter of Dreams. You are part of a larger design. All will be revealed to you.” Celeste stroked Rory’s hair back from her face.
“You will be a formidable Prophet for the Kingdom of Dreams, and for all Syren. You alone are able to fulfill the destiny that Amatia has written for you. You must not wait.” Celeste could feel how torn her daughter was, and her heart broke for her.
Rory stood slowly and stepped back. Swiftly she bowed low on one knee, her hair trailing on the ground. “So it shall be, my Queen.”
Celeste smiled at Rory, and watched as she stood and walked back to the Diamond Gate and passed through. She called out to her Heart and it was not long before he strode into the room, his black armor glistening as he
approached her.
“What is it, my love?” The General of Sentinels asked her. He searched her pale eyes, and saw in them the truth that they had been expecting since the day of Rory’s arrival. “It’s time for her journey to begin,” he said it with a flat voice. He’d struggled for many cycles of life, worry over his eldest daughter’s unmatched state. He had been assured many cycles of life before that her destiny was different, and that it had been written. However, it was a father’s job to worry, and he did more than most.
Celeste nodded and leaned against him. Queen though she was, she would ever be tied to her Heart, and seek his comfort. Her silver hair twined about them, stroking his face, and pushing her emotions into him. Markus stroked her back and freely allowed her emotions to enter into him. He felt her pain at the coming loss of their daughter, and he felt her joy at the prospect of Rory finding her Heart.
They stayed that way until the moons dipped below the lake and the suns shone again. Markus kissed the top of Celeste’s head as he let go of her and left to make arrangements for his daughter’s journey to the Kingdom of the Sword.
Asrah’s pod landed at the main
transportation pavilion on Amatia Prime. She stared, unblinking, as males rushed towards her. She didn’t know exactly how long it had been since she left Earth, and she had been in a state of suspended existence until the pod regulated her body temperature as she neared the dual suns of Amatia Prime. Her descent into the pavilion put her stomach into her throat. She’d never been in human clothing during a descent, and she was sweating profusely.
“Your arrival has been completed, Your Highness,” her star guide’s voice sounded distended and warbled.
“Thank you, please release the hood,” her voice trembled with exhaustion. The full force of the afternoon sun hit her as the pod’s hood slid open. Hands reached for her, and she fell into them.
“Mistress, are you okay? Mistress?” A male cried out to her. She regarded the group of Syren males that stood around her. The shock on their faces at seeing an unchaperoned Syren female land at the transportation pavilion was evident. All of them wore the tight metallic clothing, called a khatah, that most Syren wore during day time. It was designed to pull the body’s moisture away, keeping the wearer dry, and regulate their body heat.
“Please, I need to be inside. I need something to drink,” she said. She was lifted into strong arms, and carried into the interior of the transport station to a small medical clinic. She wondered if anyone there recognized her. Surely they had not, and she was grateful for that for the moment.
A male doctor came over to her and pressed his hand to her back. “I’m sorry, we do not have any female’s here to see to y
our health, Mistress. Please accept my apology for this.” Asrah’s eyes filled with tears as his concern washed over her. She’d missed the love of her species. She’d missed their total acceptance, and brutal consideration of one another. She’d lived with poison invading her body for so many cycles of her life that she was incapable of even offering him her acceptance of his apology. She touched her heart in a silent thank you, and noted the withdrawal of the male who had carried her to the clinic.
“Please, just refreshment. I must see the King of the Kingdom of the Sword
immediately,” she said. She knew that her sister’s husband would take her to her Heart. She needed her Heart with her more than anything else in the world.
“Mistress, the King of Swords may not be available for your petition. He is visiting the King of the Peacemakers in the Eastern Hemisphere.” Her coloring marked her as a female of the Kingdom of the Sword.
Asrah swallowed. The lump in her throat choked her, and she gripped his hand. Syren women did not touch males who were not their Hearts unless they were related by direct blood tie. The male’s face lost all color as her pain transferred to him. Her eyes darkened, infused with her memories. Her limited power surged to the surface, and her incisors elongated. Asrah raised her eyes to him, “Tell him that Princess Asrah has come home, and that I do not have his children.”
The male’s knees buckled, and she lost her grip on his hand as he threw his head back and screamed.
Chapter 7
Jackson Ti’Druelle, ruler of the Western
Hemisphere, and King of the Kingdom of the Sword, laughed as his wife tried to smack him with her favorite shoe.
“Alexia, please, you’re not going to hurt me with something as insignificant as your shoe. Why don’t you pick something a little stronger, like a pillow?” He grinned wide as her face reddened. She flew across the room at him. She really was amazing when she was angry.