Jenevi was fifteen. She went out to a nearby city with her aunt for the first time. She was scared and kept her hood up the whole trip. Her eyes, though it was night, were not glowing and neither were her aunt's.
"Remember to stay calm," said Sharlette as she placed a gentle hand on her niece's shoulder. "You can only control your eyes when you are relaxed."
Jenevi's eyes flickered. "I'm obviously not relaxed. There are too many people here!"
"Then keep your head down and let me do all the talking."
They walked through the market as Sharlette picked out some stuff to buy and trade. She led her niece into a small shop and approached the skinny man behind the wooden counter. There were antiques and weapons all over the room, and in glass cases were precious items.
"Ah, Sharlette!" exclaimed the man. "I've been wondering when you would return! And who may this be?"
Sharlette put an arm around Jenevi. "This is my niece, Jenevi."
Jenevi knew that they were expecting her to look up, but she hesitated, and her eyes flickered. She felt her aunt's hand rubbing her arm, and the young teen let out a breath before looking up into the man's golden eyes. "Hello," she said plainly before looking back down.
The man chuckled. "My, how shy she is. She is absolutely lovely though."
Sharlette brought out her bag and dumped the strange contents out on the counter. "The tongue of a Grutus lizard, dried, of course, a giant tooth from a snow leaper, and trinity flowers."
Jenevi peeked around her aunt's back.
The man shook his head. "I have no idea where you find all these things, but it does help keep my business going. Here." He handed Sharlette a heavy pouch full of coins. "With that much, I probably won't be seeing you for while. You should bring back your niece, too."
The door open and closed behind them. Jenevi sensed a heavy-set man and a boy around her age. She turned around and peeked through her hood and blushed. Her heart raced as she stared at the kid in front of her who had hazel eyes and dirty blond hair. He was standing next to a large man with a black curly beard. Once the boy glanced over at Jenevi, she quickly looked down and turned her head forward.
The man behind the counter smiled. "Welcome back, Peter! And you too, Mace. Haven't seen you out for a while!"
"Let's go," said Sharlette to Jenevi. The two turned and walked out of the shop, but Jenevi's heart was still racing as the boy's face burned in her mind.
"I felt your heart rate speed up," said Sharlette with a smirk. "Could he be the one?"
The young Magus pouted and walked faster.
Jenevi was nineteen. Her aunt had been keeping her new boyfriend a secret and even allowed him inside the Forest of Despair. She hasn't even seen his face, and her aunt never talked about him.
Finally, fed up, Jenevi worked up the courage to question it as the two sat down for breakfast at the kitchen table.
Jenevi had her food in front of her. She didn't want to wait before she lost the courage to ask. "So who is this new man of yours that you keep bringing over? You keep blocking my mind whenever you two do whatever you do in the forest."
Sharlette blushed. "He's special to me, Jenevi. You know I would never let anyone near our home if I didn't trust them. He's so sweet and kind..."
"Then why haven't you introduced us?"
The older woman hesitated before saying anything, thinking about her words carefully. "Honey...he's a very open person and very assertive. We have known each other for a while after a certain...incident...and I want to keep that away from you as much as I can."
Jenevi knitted her eyebrows in confusion. "I don't understand. What happened? You've been keeping something from me?"
Sharlette nodded her head, and in a quiet voice she said, "It has to do with your mother, Jen."
"My mom? What happened to her? Why have you been keeping it from me all this time?" The young Magus's voice grew louder and louder with each question.
Her aunt scanned the room nervously. "I-I just wanted to keep this sensitive topic away from you. I wanted to tell you when you were older-"
"I am older!" roared Jenevi as she shot up from her seat. She pounded her fist on the table and yelled. "You took me away from my brother. You raised me as your own. You didn't even bother to tell me what happened to my mother? Your sister! And you've also been keeping a strange man around who happens to know about this as well!"
"Jenevi!" cried Sharlette as she stood, tears streaming down her gray eyes. "Please, I want you to understand. Gaelen and I tried our best to stop it from happening but-"
"Gaelen? What did you want to stop? What happened to my mother?" Jenevi's eyes watered from frustration, though she knew that whatever her aunt was about to tell her wouldn't be good. "Tell me!"
Sharlette opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it when they heard the sound of horses running in their direction. The two rushed to the window to see what was happening.
A man and a woman rode on two gray horses. The man had his dark brown hair slicked back and fashioned a short brown beard. He held his head high, and judging by his expensive clothing, Jenevi figured him to be royalty. The woman, however, wasn't wearing anything fancy, but she didn't look like a beggar. She had short, curly red hair that framed her diamond shape face, and wore bright red lipstick.
"Who are they?" asked Jenevi, looking over at her aunt who held an expression of confusion as she continued to stare out the window.
"Gaelen..." she whispered.
Jenevi peered back out. The two were getting off their horses. "So who's the redhead? And how was she able to get in?"
Sharlette quickly turned around. "I don't know who she is, but he should never have brought her here."
They both headed for the front door to meet with the two visitors. Sharlette threw the door opened and narrowed her eyes at the man walking towards her.
"Is this her, darling?" asked the redheaded woman. Up close, her blue eyes were very visible.
"Excuse you?" said Sharlette, putting her hands on her hips. "Who are you?"
"This is my fiance, Oria," said Gaelen. He held said woman's hand and then gently placed it up to his lips for a quick kiss. "Oria, this is Sharlette."
"Fiance?" cried Sharlette, outraged. "Since when?" Jenevi took a step back into the house. In all her time with her, she has never seen her aunt so mad.
"Since a week ago, darling, and we're getting married tomorrow," replied Oria with a smirk on her face. She wrapped her arms around Gaelen's.
"Then why did you come?" asked Sharlette, more to Gaelen than to Oria.
Oria chuckled and stepped forward, getting uncomfortably close to the older Tenebrae's face. "Gaelen has told me about you two..." The redhead briefly glanced over at Jenevi who was observing through the window. "How you're...Tenebrae. I'm a Magus too, you know."
"I really couldn't care less," said Sharlette with a sneer. "Leave this forest before I call upon the creatures to rid of you two."
Oria's smirk disappeared for a moment before returning. "Your sister...Myra, was it?"
"How do you know my sister?" Sharlette got closer to Oria's face.
Jenevi wished that it was nightfall already so she could have heard what Oria whispered in her aunt's ear. Whatever it was, it wasn't good.
Sharlette stepped back and started to hyperventilate. Jenevi quickly rushed to her side and supported her so she wouldn't fall over.
Oria laughed and looked at Jenevi. "It will be fun to have a Tenebrae at my command. I think I'll keep you." She started to walk forward towards the two.
"I won't let you have her!" cried Sharlette, pushing Jenevi behind her. "You'll have to go through me first, witch."
Behind Oria, Gaelen's amber eyes started to glow as balls of flame circled him. He lunged his arm out at the front window, causing one of the balls to shoot in that direction. It exploded through the glass and landed on the stone wall. The rug, curtain, and small end table caught on fire.<
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"Gaelen!" shrieked Sharlette. Jenevi could feel her shake in fear. Without the dark, they were almost powerless.
"There's nothing you can do but give in," said the redheaded woman as she walked closer. She pulled out a dagger from her belt and held it up. "I'll make it quick."
"No!" Jenevi pushed her aunt to the side and sweep-kicked Oria who fell and landed roughly, hitting her head. The dagger she was holding flew into the air and dropped by the fire.
Jenevi stood over Oria and sneered. Before she could drop down and land a punch, her aunt pushed her out of the way. Gaelen had thrown another fireball at the young Magus, but it ended up hitting Sharlette, sending her flying back.
Jenevi let out a cry as she watched her aunt, engulfed by flames, collapse to the ground.
Oria stood up and flared her small nostrils. "You'll pay for that!" She tackled the young Tenebrae to the ground and pinned her down. "Look into my eyes."
Once their eyes locked, the redhead's eyes started to glow blue, paralyzing Jenevi. Oria was in her mind.
Around her, the flames grew higher. The walls began to collapse once the wood holding the roof together started burning away, but Gaelen blasted any debris that was about to fall on top of his wife and prevented and fire from catching her or her prey.
"Almost got her!" announced Oria.
Sharlette stepped out of the flames. Her clothes and hair were singed away, and her skin was melting off, but it didn't stop her from grabbing a heavy piece of stone, running towards Oria, and slamming it on the back of her head.
Oria collapsed on top of Jenevi and the two laid there unconscious.
Sharlette turned her attention back to Gaelen. She could feel her life slipping away quickly for she used the last of her strength to protect her niece. "I should have never loved you," were her last words.
Gaelen formed a giant ball of fire as he glared at the burned woman before him. He lunged both arms forward and the ball was sent flying, making contact with Sharlette and sending her flying back once more.
The king's brother quickly gathered his wife in his arms and placed her on his horse. He rode off, leaving the Forest of Despair behind him.
Ember from the fire gently landed on the trees, only to sizzle away. The creatures who lived near the house took off further into the forest. All creatures, but an old woman with her mouth on her throat who stood behind the trees, watching the scene before her.
Jenevi's eyes snapped open to see Mace's above her and noticed the bloody fabric around the young man's arm. She was on his lap, still in the kitchen belonging to the elderly couple who just tried to kill them. The young woman sat up and scanned the area. There was still blood on the floor, but the bodies were gone.
Feera sat at the kitchen table that still had their breakfast on it. She was crying hysterically.
The Tenebrae Magus felt the tears come down slowly, dripping onto her thighs. Then they came in a strong wave. Jenevi wailed and threw herself forward onto the ground, wrapping her arms around her head. She couldn't control the screams that she produced.
Mace rubbed her back as he cried as well. He had put the three bodies in the living room, knowing that looking at the body of her dead brother was not the first thing Jenevi would want to wake up to see.
A knock came from the front door. No one got up, but they all continued crying. After a few more knocks, the door swung open.
"What in Slarin's name?" Came Wilson's voice. He saw the lifeless bodies and his face contorted in confusion. He could feel his breakfast rising to his throat, but the sound of sobs brought it down. He ran into the kitchen. "What happened?" he cried. Wilson sat down by Feera and rubbed her back.
"Tishka and Yever tried to kill us," said Mace. He sniffed and rubbed his nose with his sleeve.
Wilson stared at him for a few moments as he processed everything. Finally, it seemed as though something clicked. "Oh no..." he whispered. He continued rubbing Feera's back and tried to stay strong, but tears rolled down his cheeks and dropped into a cup of poisoned tea.
For a whole week, Mace and Wilson took care of the girls. The women both stayed in their rooms, but they were almost unresponsive. Wilson cooked food, but they would barely touch their plates.
The two men buried the three bodies in the backyard and tried their best to clean the blood off of the floor.
Jenevi stared out the window and peered down at the graveyard. She sneered, not liking the idea of having her brother buried next to the people who killed him. She cursed herself for not being strong enough to protect him.
Feera peered out her window as well and viewed the graves. After all that had happened, she questioned if anything her parents told her were real and if her whole life was a lie. She sat on the bed when the stabbing pain in her lower abdomen appeared again. Feera stared at the blood stain next to her on the bed. She wasn't sure if she should be worried and decided to tell Wilson the next time he would come up with a tray of food.
The sun was starting to set. Wilson came up with a small piece of steak and knocked on Feera's door, but didn't expect her to answer. To his surprise, she answered rather quickly.
"I need to talk to you," she said before giving him entrance into her room.
Mace was sitting down on the kitchen table when Wilson came down with an empty plate. His eyes were knitted together, and he looked as though his mind wasn't with him in the room.
"What's wrong?" asked Mace, a plate of steak in front of him. "At least you got her to eat. It's almost impossible to talk to Jenevi, before and after the incident."
"There is something weird going on with Feera. She's bleeding." Wilson sat down across from Mace and placed the empty plate in front of him. "Do you think that's odd? She's also cramping."
Mace shrugged. "I honestly know nothing when it comes to women. Maybe when Jenevi feels better, we can ask her."
The sun set and Jenevi's eyes glowed. The more days passed, the more she felt hate instead of sadness. She listened to the little heartbeat of the Lulu bird that was still in the library. She was hungry and agitated. She fluttered around her cage so much that it fell off the table.
Jenevi quietly climbed down the stairs, not wanting to attract attention from the men in the kitchen. She opened the library door and silently closed it behind her.
The only light in the room was the moonlight that was shining dimly through a small window, but Jenevi didn't need any light to see. She picked up the cage and placed it back on the table. The bird looked at her expectantly.
"Don't worry, little one. I'll give you food." Jenevi grabbed the bowl of bird seeds that sat on the other side of the desk, placed it closer to her, and opened the cage. Lulie chirped excitedly and flew out of the cage, thankful for the opportunity to stretch her wings.
After making several rounds around the small room, the bird landed on the bowl of bird seeds and pecked away greedily.
As she waited for the bird to finish eating, Jenevi listened in to the conversation going on in the kitchen.
"Jenevi is so amazing," started Mace. "She is so strong, can teleport, and talk to animals or something."
Wilson laughed. "It sounds as though you are infatuated with her."
Jenevi heared Mace's heart beat faster and imagined him blushing, causing herself to blush as well. "I-I'm not infatuated with her!" the young blacksmith stammered. "I just admire her a lot."
The two stayed silent for a few moments until Mace spoke up again. "I'm going to miss Simon. He was an excellent teacher and friend. And I'm sure he was a good brother to Jenevi."
"Brother?" questioned Wilson. "I didn't know he was her brother."
Mace shook his head. "I didn't either until the day before he..."
The two stopped talking altogether.
Jenevi turned her attention back to the bird that still pecked away at the seeds, oblivious to what had happened just one week ago. She held her index finger out for the bird to perch on.
&
nbsp; Lulie stopped eating and looked up at Jenevi, tilting her head back and forth. She stepped off the edge of the bowl and onto the young Magus's finger.
Jenevi recalled the times that she used Lulu birds in the past. She stroked the bird's breast with her other index finger and said, "Play the previous messages."
Lulie opened her mouth wide like a baby bird waiting to be fed by her mother.
"Gaelen," came Yever's voice. "I have a Tenebrae Magus currently residing in my home who resembles Myra. I thought you said you killed the last of them? She is with two men. Did you want Tishka and I to take care of her and save her heart for Oria?"
"Kill her!" yelled Gaelen. "Kill all of them! I thought I killed her in the Forest of Despair. She's dangerous and knows too much. Get rid of her as fast as possible and then send me a bird when you're done!"
Lulie closed her mouth and moved her head side to side.
Jenevi narrowed her eyes. "Where is Gaelen located?"
The small bird opened her mouth again.
Yever's voice came through. "Gaelen, River City."
Lulie closed her mouth and flew back to his bowl of seeds.
The Magus burst through the library door, eager to tell Mace that they would be heading off shortly. She stopped when she heard Feera cry out upstairs. She ran, followed by Wilson and Mace. The Magus opened the door to Feera's room and ran in, but then quickly stopped and took a step back.
Wilson dropped to Feera's side. She was on the ground, covered in her blood.
"It hurts," she said through sobs. She held onto her small bump. "What's going on with me?" Feera looked up at Jenevi, hoping she would know.
Jenevi kneeled down by Feera and placed her ear on her stomach. A moment later, she pulled away slowly with distraught written on her face. Her eyes started to water as she stared into Feera's worried blue eyes. "I'm so sorry," whispered Jenevi.
Feera turned her head and planted it on Wilson's chest, sobbing.
Darkness Falls (The Dark Series Book 1) Page 21