Calmly, I rose to my feet. Trying not to lose my balance, I held onto the handle of the door. Warm air encased me as its heavenly heat ran through me, infusing every cell in my body. I felt at ease and fearless.
“Do not be frightened, child,” he reassured me. “I am Bylun, and I have come to help you. You are in grave danger, and must leave at once. Come, we do not have much time. Their lies will be your downfall.”
Bylun ushered me towards him, and in a flash, we were gone from the room. I felt queasy as I opened my eyes, and stared around the large blue panelled room. Its high ceiling was painted in gold, and sharp interlocking spirals shaded in sapphire spread from one end of the room to the other. The sheer dominance of it made me dizzy. I found myself grabbing a hold of Bylun’s arm, taking him by surprise. Smiling at me, he took hold of my hand, and together, we walked further into the room. Dim light shone in through the window, but I was not sure if it was day or night.
In the centre of the room, the silhouette of a man was sitting on what appeared to be a throne. It was large. Its back was oval-shaped with armrests, and had winged creatures intricately carved into it. Its golden brilliance dominated the room. It was its centrepiece, a place of power.
The closer I came, the more I recognized the man sitting in the chair. He smiled at me. His familiar blue eyes looked at me intently as I stood before him. The last time I was this close to him, he had dared me to jump to my death. In some ways, he saved me then, just as he had done now.
Antoine.
“How is this even possible?”
“Many things are possible, sweet Giselle!” His voice was mesmerizing.
“I don’t understand what’s going on? Why did Bylun take me from my room?” I asked, my voice breaking. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take.” Tears welled in my eyes.
“Shush, waste no more tears,” Antoine said as he wiped the tears that finally escaped. “There is so much you need to know. Unfortunately, time is not on our side. Bylun, here, is a good friend, and a strong ally. He is, of course, a white god, someone the underworld rarely associates with. But, on rare occasions, like now, those of us who remain loyal to the throne seek the assistance of the Gods.”
“I’m sorry, but . . . why?”
“Giselle, your body will be used as a vessel, a way for the hands of fate to change its course. If you are to bear the child of Alexander Baranski, you will give birth to the start of an uprising. A war that will be more powerful than those fought by man. Your child would be the sole inheritor of darkness, thus resulting in your imminent death, and of course, the death of Leonid.” Bylun’s strong voice echoed in my ear.
“My death . . . What’s Leonid got to do with any of this?”
Antoine grabbed a hold of my shoulders, and looked me in the eye. “Leonid has been taken for a fool. Vadim cannot be trusted. He did envisage you, but not the way you have been led to believe. You will be helping them embrace the darkness, Giselle. Alexander and Atarah are not what they seem. Between the three of them, they are on course to destroy those of us who believe human life to be sacred. They seek the ways of the old.”
“But . . . Alex wouldn’t do this to me!”
“No, Giselle. He is devoted to Atarah. They have long since planned the uprising, and you, my sweet Princess, are nothing but a pawn in a very cruel game. He cares not for you. It is the Nelapsi whom he seeks favour from. He is not to be trusted.”
“How could you say that? You don’t know us. You have no idea how he has been trying. I know he is slightly temperamental, but he has tried so hard to make me fit in. It makes me sick you would even suggest that he and Atarah . . . God!” I roared.
“We do not lie. We speak only the truth, and right now, it’s your safety that is our concern. We have . . . What is it you say? Ah, we have opened up a whole can of worms.” Antoine laughed as he loosened his grip on me, and escorted me to a door that led from the back of the room and down a spiral staircase.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Some place where they can’t sense you.”
“Where? Because it seems they can find me pretty much anywhere.” My persistence was starting to pay off.
“Home, Giselle. You are to return home.”
Home.
Just hearing that word sent a shiver down my spine, like a bolt of lightning striking me down. I was both excited and scared. I was not only apprehensive about returning to the place where I was born, but also of having to finally deal with the aftermath of the prom. I could not help but to think about everything that had happened. I had so many questions, and felt like a fool for not having seen the connection between Alex and Atarah. I wore the stress of it all on my face, and it obviously caught Antoine’s attention.
“Don’t worry. I will not leave your side. Well, not until you have returned home safely. I have already set up your protection. Between Bylun, me, and a few others, you will be secure.”
“But how? Alex will know where to find me. He will not give up so easily,” I responded.
“Yes, but he is unaware of my involvement.” Antoine was confident.
“Then how is this going to happen? So I just to place my life in your hands, and act normal? Like that could ever happen again! I mean, how can I face everyone back home? I can’t even look at myself in the mirror anymore.”
“Giselle, you are stronger than you believe. I promise you that from this moment forth, I will not let you come to any kind of harm. Can you trust me?”
I wanted to believe him, to place all of my trust in him. But after being betrayed by so many people in such a short period of time, I was reluctant to give my trust so willingly.
Bylun stood by my side. His gentle approach calmed me.
“I would place my life in Antoine’s hands, although I do not agree with his lifestyle. I do, however, believe he has the goodness to prevail against all darkness, and the power he possesses is one not to be trifled with.”
“Very true, although I do have your one hundred percent backing,” Antoine agreed, adding humour to an otherwise nightmarish situation.
“Okay, so let me get this straight. I can go home, return to my ‘normal’ life, do all the things I was meant to do in the first place, and basically forget that Alex ever existed?”
Antoine and Bylun looked at each other. Again, their expressions were unreadable.
It was Antoine who broke the silence. “Yes, all things considered, you can try to live a normal life, but unfortunately, the past always has a way of catching up with you.”
“Meaning what, exactly?”
“Giselle, Alexander will come for you. There is no doubt about that, but for now, you will be safe back in Minnesota. Remember, it is only a temporary solution. It will give us enough time to gather other nobles, and make plans to bring Atarah and her minions down.”
“But what about Leonid? We can’t just leave him there, can we?”
“Leonid will be fine. I can bet my life that he will see through their schemes. Besides, I have made arrangements to meet with him once I have returned.”
His eyes were so calming. I was pretty sure he was using a little compulsion to calm me. He took a hold of my hand, and kissed it gently. His blue eyes looked up at mine, and for the first time in a long while, I felt my heart skip a beat.
“Now, the long journey must begin. Sleep well, young princess.”
Light-headed and dizzy, I stumbled. I could hear my own heart beat sound a tad slower. Its thump echoed in my head, and my eyes began to lose focus. In a flash, I was out cold; again.
Chapter Twelve
IT FELT LIKE only moments had passed since I fell asleep. I had no concept of how much time had passed, and I was shocked to see the sun was starting to break through the clouds that had accumulated in the night. The sight of elms and evergreens made me feel welcomed, and I suddenly realised I was in Kenwood.
I was home.
A burst of excitement ran through me like a million stars exploding.
Eager, I sat up straight in the back of the blacked out car as we drove closer to my house. Looking out of the window, I devoured every path, house, and car we passed. I refused to take any of this for granted, and wanted to imprint the memory of ‘home’ in my brain, refusing to ever forget where I came from.
The car slowly came to a stop. Antoine, who sat beside me, took hold of my hand, and placed a necklace in my palm. Looking at it, I realised I had seen the same artwork on his throne. It was white gold with a miniature crown charm. Tiny writing was engraved on it, obviously in Slavic, a language I would never understand.
“Thank you, but I can’t accept this,” I said softly.
“It is merely a gift from me to you, but it also has some significance with your safety. See this writing? It’s an old spell, binding you from harm.”
“Oh. What does it say?” I was intrigued.
“This bit here . . .” He pointed to the back of the crown. “It says, ‘In the shadows, evils hide, willing to take me from love’s side, but with your help I shall be strong, and exile what does me wrong. Send them away. Send them astray, never again to pass my way. So mote it be.’ And this part says, ‘In the goddess’s name, Lilith, we command thee’.”
He placed it around my neck, and secured it in place. Before I could say anything, my door was opened by a large, bald man who wore thick-rimmed sunglasses. On his face was the same emblem Afanas wore. I could not see his eyes, but I was pretty sure they were deep red.
“Thank you,” I said as I got out of the car.
My legs were like jelly, and butterflies of excitement and anticipation built up inside me. I could not wait to have my mother wrap her arms around me, but I was also afraid of my father. I worried about how he would react when he saw me. Taking a deep breath, I stepped onto my drive. Pausing, I looked at Antoine. He smiled at me. A beautiful, caring expression spread across his face, and it made me feel completely at ease.
“I’ll be in touch. Stay safe, sweet Princess.”
I had no time to say anything. The car drove off, leaving me alone, looking at the house in front of me. My home was a traditional one, set on a hill overlooking the Lake of the Isles. Deep amongst the trees, it was a haven away from all the hassle of school life, a place where my heart truly belonged.
My mother’s silver sedan was in the drive. I walked around it as I slowly made my way to the front door. My heart skipped a beat as I bent down, and found the spare key lying under a pot full of posies and geraniums, their strong, earthy, herbaceous scent soothed me, balancing my thoughts, and giving me a spring in my step.
Turning the key, I entered the front hall. I was greeted by the same pictures of my youth, familiar surroundings that welcomed me home with open arms. I roamed from room to room, taking in every little detail, from the miniature fairies I had collected as a child to the more dramatic ornaments that were priceless collectables – my mother’s pride.
Glancing at the clock, I realised my parents would be close to getting out of bed. I had no clue what I was going to say, and tried in vain to make things up inside my head, planning answers for each question, but came up with nothing. I was a useless liar, and totally uncreative. I was going to have to go along with whatever was coming my way.
No one was more surprised by my presence than my father when he walked into the kitchen. I sat by the centre isle with a cup of coffee in my hand. I meekly smiled as he dropped his morning papers, pure shock shooting across his face.
“Marilyn, I think you better come and see this,” he shouted from where he stood.
From the hall, I heard my mother complain, “Oh, what is it now, Geoff?” She walked into my father, her eyes fixed on me. “Giselle!”
“Hi, Mom,” I said, swallowing hard. “I thought it was time to come home.”
My mother rushed up to me, grabbed me in her arms, and held me tight. I could feel her sobs as she tried hard not to let go. My father stood back, observing us, a stern look on his face. He was going to be the one to administer the discipline. I could see it coming.
“Enough,” he demanded. “Enough of this nonsense. Giselle, do you have any idea what you have put us through? We had just about accepted that you’d left for good. And now you turn up unannounced, and expect a welcome committee? You are in so much trouble, young lady!”
“Daddy, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking straight,” I cried.
“Not good enough. You are grounded for as long as I see fit. I don’t want to hear excuses. In fact, anything you have to say will fall on deaf ears.” He looked at me with hurt written upon his face.
“Daddy . . .” I tried again.
“You are excused.” He picked up his papers, and continued his journey to the breakfast room. No more was said, and I did as I was told, retreating to my room.
I was exhausted, and welcomed the sight of my neatly made bed. Nothing had been touched, except for the laundry that had been put away. Collapsing on the bed, I slept soundly until a loud knock awoke me from my dreams. Wearily, I tried to open my eyes. I rubbed at them, encouraging them to open. Slowly, I realised it was not a dream. I was really home in my own bed, and hearing the familiar noises that would normally piss me off – my brothers arguing.
Before I reached the door, my sixteen-year-old brother, Ryan, burst into the room, throwing himself on my bed. He was followed by Kevin, my irritating thirteen-year-old baby brother.
“Heard you were home,” Ryan said casually as he flicked through some outdated magazine he found on my side locker. “You know what they’re all saying?”
“What?” I stubbornly asked.
“That you were knocked up, and went AWOL to get rid of it.” He laughed.
“Yeah, well, you heard wrong, dumbass,” I angrily retorted.
“Glad you’re home, Sis,” Kevin said. “It’s been weird around here. Mom has been crazy. I swear I can’t take her picking me up from soccer practice any more. She’s out to ruin my life.”
Getting out of the bed, I pulled on a sweatshirt, and moved over to Kevin who was a miniature version of our father, tall and skinny with thick black hair.
“Glad to be back,” I replied as I threw my arms around him, and gave him a kiss.
“Gross!” he balked as he left the room, red faced, and wiping the side of his face.
“So, what gives?” Ryan asked.
“Nothing,” I told him as I sat back down on the bed.
“Liar! I know what that jerk did. Of course, you made yourself look like a complete loser by running off like that.”
“Really? So, what should I have done?” I prodded, folding my arms in protest.
“Come on, G, we all know you have a pretty mean right hook. Why not just kick her ass?”
I jumped off the bed again. This time, I stood by the window, and stared out across the lake, focusing my eyes on the trees in the distance. “Because, Ryan, I had my heart broken. I wasn’t thinking straight. Running away seemed like the right thing to do at the time. I guess regret is something I’ll have to learn to live with.” I turned around to face him.
“You should have gotten Mom involved. She would have crucified him.”
Ryan watched me as I paced back and forth. My hair was dishevelled, as was my choice of bed wear, my favourite Rocky Horror Show t-shirt and tiger pants.
“You’ve changed,” he blurted out as I sat down beside him. He was serious, and his deep brown eyes showed he cared.
“I guess I have. Sometimes, things happen, and alter who we are,” I said, sighing.
“Yeah, but don’t you think it’s time to . . . I don’t know . . . move on? Forget Marc and Evie ever existed, and just . . . you know, get laid by one of his friends?” He smiled.
“Eww. Oh, yeah, I can see that solving all my problems! How’s Dad been? He won’t even talk to me.” I changed the subject.
“Dad is Dad. He’ll cope. It’s just . . . You broke his heart. You left, and, well, he had to pick up the pieces. Kinda hard for a man who spends all of h
is spare time tearing things apart. He’ll come around. He always does. Mom, on the other hand, has gone all Stepford on us. We can’t do anything or go anywhere without her panicking that we’ll disappear as well. By the way, thanks for that. I was this close to getting it on with Brigitte Spencer.”
“I’m sorry, Ryan. I didn’t think about you, or Kevin, but believe me, I’m not going away ever again. I’m home for good. Scouts honour.” I held my right hand up in the air, knowing I was probably lying. “But seriously, Brigitte Spencer?” Both of us laughed out loud.
My mother knocked on the open door. “Honey, someone is here to see you,” she said as she moved out of his way, and he walked into my room.
A face more familiar than anyone I’ve ever known appeared. I had loved that face, and had grown up looking into those beautiful eyes. He was to be my always and forever.
My mother called Ryan out into the hall. He closed the door behind him, giving me a look I knew only too well, and mouthed a few words at me, “Sock it to him.”
Marc stood in front of me. I wanted to ignore him, to pretend he was not there, but my gut instinct refused. I gave in, and asked the simplest question of all.
“Why, Marc?”
Marc stood in silence with his hands in his pockets. He looked as miserable as I did, and for a moment, I sympathized with him. He made no attempt to answer me. The only noise I could hear was the pounding heartbeat that reverberated in my head. He looked tired, and was a shadow of his former self.
Impatience got the best of me. Pent up anger flew from me in a violent rage as I slapped him hard across the face. He did not fight back, infuriating me even more. I slapped him again, but as I did, tears fell down my cheeks. My anger was winning, and I could do nothing except continue to hit him until I ran out of breath and the urge to fight. Standing in front of him, I cried.
“Why Evie? Why her? Was I that bad of a girlfriend?” I sobbed.
Within The Shadows Page 10