I nodded, impatient for instructions.
“All right,” Sonya said. “Close your eyes.”
I closed my eyes before she finished. The scraping stopped, and I was overwhelmed by Alex’s intrigue.
“This is the challenging part. Reach out with your mind, and connect with the wood.”
I knew what she meant by “connect” because I’d felt “connected” to this world ever since I stepped foot in it. I tried to think of the wood, picture it in my mind.
“Wrap your mind around it. Focus on nothing else.”
With my mind I focused on the wood, the grain, its shape. I felt Alex’s eyes on my back, studying me, watching me. His curiosity and intrigue was so powerful it was dizzying.
“Keep your focus. Once you think you’ve connected, imagine heat with your mind. Feel it grow hotter and hotter. See it consume the wood.”
Something pricked on my mind. The sensation surged, melding with my thoughts—my being. It was much more powerful than I expected. It seeped through my veins, into my soul. My mind wouldn’t pull away—couldn’t pull away. My focus was trapped, and somehow I felt…complete.
I thought of heat, tried to feel it, when warmth burned deep inside of me. I was startled at first and had to fight to keep my concentration on the wood. The heat simmered deep in my gut and began spreading through my veins, down my limbs, and surged beyond, flowing outside of me.
And was interrupted by frantic yelling.
“Daria…stop!” It was Alex. And he was on fire.
I jumped to my feet, Cicero already dumping the contents of his canteen over his flaming son. The water licked up the last of the flames, leaving his shirt steaming and scorched, the sleeves charred like a marshmallow.
“Alex! I can’t believe…I didn’t…are you okay?”
He stared at me, water dripping from his face and singed shirt. I tried and tried but I couldn’t detect any pain from him, only irritation. Acute irritation.
Alex slowly turned to look at his father. “Do you have a spare shirt?” His tone was low and even.
Cicero, however, was gawking at me with his jaw hanging open. “Incredible.”
“Dad.”
“Check my bag.” Cicero continued staring at me.
Alex brushed past me, his irritation so strong I couldn’t even think about what I’d done. I just felt…mad, with his anger.
If I hadn’t focused on the logs, I’d been focused on…
“Alex, I’m so sorry. I don’t know how that happened! I focused on the logs, just like you said.” I looked at a wide-eyed Sonya. “And…anyway, I thought you said it was supposed to be difficult to use magic the first time?”
The sound of Alex rummaging through Cicero’s things was particularly loud.
Sonya grinned. “I think that’s enough for one evening. Next time, we’ll have you practice things that aren’t so…destructive.”
“There shouldn’t be a next time. She’ll be destructive with anything at this point,” Alex mumbled as he dressed himself in a fresh white tunic.
I didn’t argue. He’d earned himself some verbal slack since I’d just set his shirt on fire, but it didn’t stop me from making a face.
After Alex threw the remnants of his charred shirt in the fire and the surprise from my mishap subsided, Sonya and Cicero passed around more of the strange fruit and some salted meats. The fruit’s bright blue flesh tasted bitter despite the hundreds of sweet black seeds inside.
Alex returned to his daggers without eating. From the way he was acting, one would’ve thought I’d planned all that. When chatter finished and drowsiness set in, we crawled into our beds. Sonya kissed me goodnight and crawled into her blankets, which were not too far from mine.
I wasn’t sure how long I lay there, watching the golden remnants of our firelight flicker on the ceiling. When I stole a peek at Alex’s profile, I saw his eyes were wide open, too.
“Alex,” I whispered.
He didn’t flinch, but I knew he heard me.
“Sorry about your shirt.”
Nothing. But his anger was like an invisible halo around him.
“Look, I don’t know why you’re so upset when it was just an accident.”
He turned to face me, frowning. “Are you apologizing, or telling me why I shouldn’t be angry?”
“Forget it. I guess I’m the only one that has anything to apologize about.”
His jaw clenched. “Don’t try that again until we meet your dad. You have no idea how to control your power and you’ll end up killing yourself. We can’t protect you from you.”
“You’re just an overbearing egotist.” I didn’t mean to say that out loud.
And he didn’t miss it. His aggravation surged. I watched him, fighting against words he wanted to say but his self-control wouldn’t allow it.
“Daria,” he said in a very tight, controlled tone. “My parents don’t know you like I do, and you didn’t catch them on fire.”
This again? “What do you want from me? I told you I was sorry. It wasn’t like I tried to hurt you.” Even though he deserved it.
“I know. You never intend to hurt anyone.”
I was taken aback. “What is that supposed to mean?”
He held my eyes a moment then looked back at the ceiling, eyes closed. “Never mind.”
Frustrated, I flopped on my back and glared at the ceiling. Maybe he should reconsider our circumstances. Last time I checked, I wasn’t the one lying to everyone about how I felt and who I was.
A few more days. That’s all I had to wait until I would see my dad. But what would happen once we met up with him? Would all of my issues just dissolve? What if he expected me to return to our home on Earth?
No, I couldn’t go back there. Not after knowing this.
I stared at the ceiling with my conflicting thoughts, but each thought ended with the anticipation of reuniting with my dad. Everything would be made right once he explained.
It had to be.
Chapter 14
Off the Beaten Path
“It’s up ahead,” Cicero called over his shoulder.
The sound of rushing water poured through the forest as we neared a river—the one Cicero said we had to cross. But when we reached the gorge, all that remained of a bridge were two fat wooden posts. Wrapped around them were remnants of rope with frayed ends. And there, hanging from the opposite cliff, was our bridge.
We all stood quiet, gazing at the white frothed rapids below.
“Well, this looks promising,” Alex offered.
Cicero’s brow furrowed.
“What now?” Sonya asked.
“Looks like we’ll have to cross further upstream,” Cicero said.
“Will it put us far behind?” I asked.
Cicero shook his head. “Not more than a day.”
I wasn’t sure I could handle an additional day. The current wait was already long enough.
Alex leapt from Parsec and walked over to examine the rope, rubbing the frayed ends between his fingers. “This was cut.”
Cicero and Sonya exchanged a glance.
Still crouched, Alex searched the ground, pushing aside grasses and fallen leaves. Cicero joined him. Besides our horse tracks, I couldn’t see anything unusual.
“Here.” Alex had pushed aside a few leaves.
Beneath was a small indent in the soft earth. Even if I’d seen it, I doubt I would have stopped and called it evidence. But since Alex had pointed it out, I couldn’t deny that it seemed out of place. Whoever had made it had been very careful to cover the rest of their tracks.
Alex stared across the gorge, his features hard. “Do we have any other options?”
Cicero took out his compass, the little arrow floated over that strange looking “R”.
“No.” Cicero stood, his brow in a line. “Not unless we turn around.”
“Then let’s,” Alex said.
“You know that’s not possible.”
“It is possible.” Alex stood, his voice lou
der. “Notify Stefan. Let him know we’re being followed. He can tell Alaric. I’m sure Alaric will understand, and ask us to meet him somewhere else.”
“Where, Alexander?” Cicero’s voice was hard.
“I don’t know! Somewhere with less variables than this cursed forest.”
As if to emphasize its own mystery, a large gust of wind blew through the trees, stirring the fallen leaves below.
Sonya had dropped from her horse and walked to her son. Her features were tender, like they always were when she was about tell me something I didn’t want to hear. And by the look on Alex’s face, he knew what was coming.
“Dear,” Sonya’s voice was low, soft.
“Don’t—“
“Alexander Del Conte.”
Her tone silenced him.
“You know those variables you don’t trust are concealing us from all of Gaia. Alaric knew that. If someone is on our trail, we are more than capable of handling them. Otherwise, they would’ve shown themselves by now.”
Alex’s hard eyes didn’t falter.
“And remember.” Sonya placed her hand on her son’s forearm. “You are not the only one here that cares.”
Alex’s anger ebbed as he stood, holding his mom’s gaze a long moment. Our eyes met just before he mounted his horse. He began walking Parsec in the direction Cicero had alluded to.
“You’d better be right about this,” he called over his shoulder.
We stayed parallel with the river; sometimes with it in view, sometimes only the sound of it for company. The gorge, however, showed no sign of ending. I wondered if it was going to take us more than one extra day. We’d been walking for hours and always away from the bridge. Cicero and Sonya had taken the lead, guiding us through the thick, green maze. Our path became narrower, overgrown with no use.
Alex walked behind me for the most part, but moved to my side when the path was wide enough. He never spoke. Neither of us did.
It was during those silent, awkward moments I realized something about Alex. He had changed, and for the worse. There was no semblance of the boy who grew so fast his muscles couldn’t keep up. This one filled out his clothing, wore it with strength and pride. His features had sharpened, giving them a chiseled appearance. It was like he’d exchanged his brain for good looks. Such a waste. How could he have let that happen to him?
“What is it?” he asked, not bothering to turn and look at me.
“Nothing.”
“You’ve been staring at me for the past five minutes.” He turned those deep green eyes on me then. I decided those eyes saw too much and I should probably avoid looking into them.
“I was just wondering what happened to you,” I said, looking ahead. “Why you look like that.”
He paused. “I’m not sure how to take that one.”
“Don’t take it as a compliment.”
He gazed sidelong at me. “You’re saying I look different and you don’t like it?”
I nodded. “Tall, dark, and handsome isn’t a good look for you. It makes you look…dumber.”
“So you think I’m handsome, do you?”
I felt the rush of his amusement as easily as I heard the smile in his voice. Heat rose to my cheeks. Calyx didn’t need to be kicked in order to understand his time with Parsec was over.
Night began to fall, and there was still no way to cross. With each step my heart grew heavier. We were walking farther and farther away from our intended meeting place.
Cicero directed us uphill on a path so overgrown I had to hold an arm across my face to fend off attacking branches and vines.
Between two enormous trees, I saw the dark outline of a small building. It was a dilapidated structure, walls constructed of crumbling stone, a simple square shape of two stories. Narrow windows lined the sides—most of which were missing. A small stable stood beside it, equipped with rotted thatched roofing. It was probably an attractive and sturdy building at one point but weather and time had stripped away its strength, leaving only bones behind.
A wave of apprehension passed through me from the Del Contes. Cicero leapt off his horse, landing with a dull thud.
“What is this place?” I stared at the ruins.
Alex walked Parsec past me, his dark brows brooding. Fear crawled over my skin.
“It looks like an old outpost.” Sonya slowly pushed out the folds of her skirt.
“An outpost? In the middle of nowhere?” I asked.
A strong gust of wind barreled through again.
“This region didn’t used to be the middle of nowhere,” Cicero said. “Time has segregated the magical and non-magical. Many of the magical live here now, and because of the divide, humans have stopped frequenting this forest.”
“Look at this.” Alex held something black and curved and very sharp.
Cicero’s brow furrowed as he gazed back at the vacated building. “Well, it’s more dangerous if we travel in this part of the forest at night.”
Alex threw it hard at the ground, and led Parsec to the stables.
Calyx started whinnying, his steps nervous. “Sh,” I whispered, patting his mane. “It’s all right.”
Calyx believed me as much as I did.
Cicero and Sonya were already walking their anxious horses towards what was left of the stable. I slid off Calyx and glanced around. The air whispered as it rustled through the treetops, its cold fingers reaching beneath my cloak, chilling my damp leather. Calyx jittered nervously again, nuzzling his nose in my side.
“I know. That cave doesn’t seem so bad now, does it?”
There was something powerful here. Something…evil. It was in the air, in the trees, in the silence. I couldn’t imagine I’d get any sleep tonight.
Alex was fiddling with his pack when I approached with Calyx. His movements were quick and angry. I didn’t need the ability to sense his emotions to know he was furious. His countenance was saturated with it.
He didn’t glance up, but as he walked past me, out of the stable, he paused. “Don’t go off on your own.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. When has that even been an option since you guys dragged me out here?”
He looked in the eyes. “I’m serious.”
Before I could say a word he was off into the forest, slashing through the overgrowth with his blade.
“Planning on sleeping in the stable?”
The voice was so close I jumped. Cicero was standing behind me.
“Where’s Alex going?” I asked.
“To check our perimeter.”
“Shouldn’t someone go with him?”
I could feel Cicero’s silent suspicion as he studied me. “He’ll be back. Ready to come inside?”
“Sure.” I patted Calyx, who was very unhappy about my leaving him. “Don’t worry, I’ll just be on the other side of that wall,” I whispered for only him to hear. Taking one last glance at Calyx, I followed Cicero through an old shabby curtain of a door.
The space inside was filled with the smell of dried, rotted grass. There was no furniture, only dirt flooring. No glass filled the windows near the ground, just holes covered with shabby burlap cloth. There was no floor where the second story should have been, except for a small wooden ledge clinging to a portion of wall. I could even see parts of the sky through the thatched roof.
I sure hoped it wouldn’t rain tonight.
Sonya had brought in our blankets and was already spreading hers along one wall. Cicero inspected the building, moving methodically around the perimeter. He trailed his hand along the walls, pausing at increments, and every time he paused, I felt a surge of energy. Like a current ran through my body.
“Will it work?” Sonya asked.
Cicero frowned. “I hope.”
I was about to ask what they were talking about when Alex returned with some edible looking fruits in his hands. My heart swelled knowing he was all right, but quickly turned angry for being so concerned about him.
He handed the food to his mom. “All clear.”<
br />
Sonya took the little purple fruits from Alex. “Oh, I love these! Thanks, dear.”
Alex nodded. “What, no fire?” he asked his dad. “Don’t tell me it could attract attention.”
A firm look from Cicero kept Alex from commenting further.
I glanced between them. “Attract who…or what’s attention?”
Cicero transferred his stern gaze to me. “No one. Try to rest now. It could be a long night.”
I’d been lying there for hours, staring at the same hole in the roof. So much time had passed that I was able to see some of the stars move in their orbits. I’d counted them. At least ten times. I tried to sleep, but my mind wouldn’t stop thinking. Dad, this world, the secrets, Alex. All of them screamed in my head, holding me hostage from slumber.
Frustrated, I sat up.
Hot orange embers were all that remained of our fire. The Del Contes were scattered around me, all sleeping. Alex was turned away from me, but the rise and fall of his chest was slow and even.
Wrapping my cloak around myself, I crept over to the door and sat down, leaning against the doorframe. Thousands of stars glittered across the night sky. I searched and searched but couldn’t find any familiar constellations. No Big Dipper. No Orion’s Belt. These were all foreign, like everything else in this place. I swore everything in this world conspired against me, just to remind me I was a stranger.
A breeze rustled and I wrapped my hands around my knees, the little rook in my pocket wedging itself further into my hip. The tower with impenetrable fortifications. What I would give to have that now—for my physical and emotional safety.
So many questions haunted my thoughts. What else was this family not telling me? What would happen if we got to Amadis and Dad wasn’t there? Would I be able to get away from them? Even if I did, where would I go? I’d have to take Cicero’s map with me.
That was, if Alex didn’t catch me first.
A faint pressure on my shoulder startled me. Fate was not on my side this evening.
“Mind if I join you?” Alex whispered.
I looked away. I couldn’t deal with him. Not now.
He removed his hand from my shoulder, but instead of going back to bed like I’d hoped, he sat. Right beside me. The both of us were now crammed in the doorway.
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