by M. R. Polish
Luna, Dregan, and Hela sat dutifully off to the side. It comforted me to see her. “Don’t worry, Es, we’ll be right here the whole time. Feed energy off of us if you need to.” I didn’t have to tell her what I thought. She knew I was nervous.
My stomach twisted and pulled me toward Ian. He was really worried about me but put on such a brave face. I gave him my best smile, but knew he probably felt my unease as much as I felt his.
Valis came over to me, touching my arm. “We’re ready.”
We walked to the fire together. Ian took my hand. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
He pulled me close to kiss me. His lips crushed my own, demanding my attention. I didn’t want him to let go. What if this was our last moment together? I didn’t want to stop kissing him.
“Hey, Ian, that’s my daughter you’re groping in front of me,” my dad called out, breaking our moment.
Ian let his forehead rest on mine and I breathed in his minty breath. “I will be with you always. If you go, then I go. If you leave this world, I’ll find you in the next. But do me a favor and don’t make me look, just stay here.”
I forced the tears to stay back. “What are you worried about, you’ll have a personal tour guide. Besides, I’m not in the mood to die. I’ve practiced. I know I can do it.”
“Okay, but if you feel like you can’t, don’t push it. You know what happened to Risha when she tried it.”
“Yes, but I also know that Ambria succeeded after learning to control other powers.”
My dad cleared his throat.
“Okay, okay, jeesh. It was just a moment; you and Mom have them all the time.” I gave Ian one last quick kiss before pulling away.
I shook my hands out. “Let’s do it.”
My mom, Moriah, Gabriella, Valis, and Tamlynn stood in a circle around me and held hands. The wind picked up around us, bristling the leaves of the trees. I could hear the water beside us splash with gentle waves onto the cement. The night sky got darker with storm clouds and the earth trembled under my feet. I looked at the fire and a shiver coursed through me despite its warmth. I took a deep breath then let myself feel for the flames, watching them grow higher.
I closed my eyes and felt out for their powers. Each one I connected with felt like I pulled it from their soul, making me sick. What if I killed them? No, I had to concentrate. Now was not the time to worry, I needed to keep my head clear.
I let each power weave into mine. The familiar tingling in my palms intensified, almost burning me. I cringed and released the built-up magic. Green, blue, and red streaks of light shot into the sky from my hands. Instantly, the flames of the fire swirled up with the wind into a fiery funnel, reaching the sky where lightning spilt the clouds. Rain pelted the trembling earth. Deep rumbling sounded from both the sky and the ground.
I connected with all the powers and it felt good. I felt stronger than usual.
“Wicked souls of those cursed, let the pain you have caused fall upon yourself. We free you from your dark despair, and break this curse forever bound. Quench the souls of the cursed with the flames of fire, and douse them with the healing waters of our powers. Let the wind carry the darkness away, and the earth swallow your iniquities. Oh spirit hear our cry, return that of which has been taken. Let it be!”
A strong surge pulsated through me. I screamed as I fought against the pain. I didn’t let go of any of their powers and struggled to look at them to make sure they were okay. They all watched me with wide eyes, but remained motionless. As long as I didn’t kill them I could do it. I had to finish it.
I started to repeat the spell but the intense sharp pain in my chest brought me to my knees. Something was wrong, but I couldn’t stop it. The powers wouldn’t leave me. Ian ran toward me but was thrown back as soon as he reached our small circle. “Es!” he cried out and tried again. My magic created a wall around us that I couldn’t take down. Power flowed from me and I fought to hold on, but I was losing my grip. Mentally, the connection was too hot for me to handle.
Davin appeared inside the circle with me, grabbing my hands and helping me up. “Es, look at me. You have to concentrate.”
He held my hands tightly. I felt his familiar power race through my head, cooling the horrible heat my mind produced. “It’s the fire element,” I heard him say, but I was trying to understand why he was there. “Hang on to the powers, Es, don’t let go. I’m giving you mine too. Feed off of it. Finish it!”
I repeated the spell, and this time Davin joined in. I felt lighter, not so weighed down anymore. I gripped his hands as tightly as I could, afraid that he’d leave me to finish it alone. The third time I chanted the spell, everyone said it with me. Even Ian sat outside the circle chanting. I locked my eyes with his and didn’t look away. A loud boom sounded, and the earth quaked so much that we all fell down.
I remembered Ian’s face hovering over mine before everything went black.
“So, you did it.”
I spun around quickly. My heart plummeted to the ground as I broke out in a full run. I leapt into Jarak’s arms. “Jarak, oh my gosh. I miss you.”
“Hey now, no crying. You just finished it. The war is over. You did the Reaping Spell and it worked.”
Tears streamed down my face. “How’d you know that?” I couldn’t even remember how it ended. All I remembered was Ian standing over me. “Oh my gosh, I didn’t make it, did I?”
Jarak put me down. “I am so proud of you.” He touched my face with the back of his hand. “Ian is very lucky. Do me a favor. I don’t have a lot of time. Davin called in a favor so I could be here, can you believe that? Tell Ian that he is the best brother a guy could ask for. I didn’t ever really tell him, and he deserves to know. As for you, you know how I feel, but I want one thing before you go.”
I grabbed his hand and shook my head. I wiped the tears from my chin with my shoulder. “I can’t leave you, Jarak. You have to come back with me.”
He smiled. “I’m sorry, Es. Tell me something. If Julie wouldn’t have cursed me, do you think I would’ve had a shot?”
My heart lurched. “Jarak, I loved you first. Ian is just the one. It doesn’t mean you don’t have a place in my heart.”How was I supposed to answer that? Ian was everything to me, but Jarak was there first. He was my friend when my life turned upside down. He was the one who helped me through some of the worst moments thrown at me. Until Julie awakened, he was always there for me.
I remembered when he helped during the first days after being kidnapped by Victor. We borrowed a car and drove through Spain. He took me to McDonald’s just so I would have something familiar. He cared for me, and I cared for him. I still do. Nothing would change that.
He pulled me closer. “Can I have a last kiss?”
I reached my hands up to his face and gently kissed his lips. It wasn’t anything but a farewell, but it was enough. I felt that much from him. “Goodbye,” I whispered. He would always be a part of me. My eyes were heavy and the world around me faded into black.
“Es! Damn it, Es, can you hear me? Wake up. Please wake up. You can’t leave me.” Ian held my head in his lap, and tears fell heavy from his eyes.
“Ian,” I hoarsely whispered. “Jarak loves you.”
Ian swallowed deeply and looked away. Tears filled his eyes, and he drew his lips in a tight line. He gently shook his head. “I wish he knew…”
I touched Ian’s face. “He knows.”
He glanced down at me. “How?”
“I saw him on the other side.” A fresh set of tears slid down my face.
He choked back a sob as he pulled me more into his lap, hugging me tight. “I love you, Esmerelda.”
“I love you too.”
We both cried on each other. It was done. Finished.
We were free.
Epilogue
Esmerelda - Eight Weeks Later…
I curled up in Ian’s bare arms on the porch and watched the water. My wraparound skirt floated in the sligh
t breeze. Underneath was my favorite swimsuit that was red with black polka dots. I pulled out the red chopsticks from my hair so it fell in waves over my shoulders and spilled out onto Ian’s chest. I played with the chopsticks, running my finger over the carved wolf on the sides, remembering when Lauren gave them to me before putting them on the tiny side table beside us.
The ocean sparkled as the last rays of the sun hit the surface and danced on the horizon. I never knew the ocean could be so beautiful. Losing Jarak hurt us both, but leaving Spain was something we both needed to do. We flew to Ian’s home in Hawaii as quickly as we could. I’d always wanted to go, but never thought I’d go so I could grieve. At least Nicholas wasn’t there to torture me anymore. My dreams finally returned to normal, except now I dreamed of what happened, over and over and over. I dreamed of Jarak and our goodbye.
Ian ran his fingers lightly over my shoulder. The thin strap of my shirt made it easy for him to touch my skin, making me feel warm all over.
“What are you thinking?”
I sucked in a deep breath. “About how I’m glad everything is finally over.”
He kissed the top of my head. “Me too, Princess, me too.”
The sun dipped lower in the sky creating the perfect scene before us. “Es.”
I lifted my head to see his face. I love that he left his face with a little stubble now. It really fit him. “Yeah?”
“Marry me. I can’t lose you. I need you. Please marry me.”
More than anything I wanted to say yes. I wanted to shout from the rooftops that I would be his forever. I leaned so I could see his adoring eyes staring down at me, awaiting my answer.
A heat spread through me like fire. Tingles of energy vibrated all the way to my core, taking my breath away. Ian’s arm tightened around me, holding me closer. It felt like forever before I could take a breath.
Es.
I didn’t hear it, but I felt it. Like his soul pleaded with mine. It was garbled, but I understood. A shiver coursed through me. “Yes. Forever, the answer is yes.”
He lifted me higher in his lap and twisted me so that I straddled him. He grabbed around the back of my head, grabbing fistfuls of hair and pulled me close. His lips crushed mine and I could feel the intensity of the kiss in my soul—in his soul. I leaned back just enough to rest my forehead on his. I ran my fingers through his hair.
Emotions and thoughts filled me. They were embedded deeper than they were before and I heard them a bit clearer. They weren’t mine, but I felt them as if they were. The conversation with my mom quickly entered my head. An intense connection. A spark. This was it.
I wasted no time. I wanted more than ever to be with him, but I didn’t want to wait anymore to give him my gift. I pushed my magic toward him, focusing on his inner energy. The world seemed to stop as I felt his soul draw from mine. Breathing wasn’t required; all I wanted was his touch. Ian was the only thing keeping me alive.
A familiar sizzle radiated from him to me. His hands that still held my hair and back of my head warmed. His breathing hitched as he pulled me back down to kiss me. The wind picked up, sending everything on the porch into a spiral around us. Lightning streaked in the sky somewhere over the ocean and deafening thunder boomed. It was my power but not under my control. It was now Ian’s power too. I could feel it emanate from him as our kiss became more urgent, and lightning veined through the sky again. My hands found every part of him that I could explore and his did the same to me.
Our energy crashed together as the waves beat upon the sand. We were in the middle of the perfect storm—our perfect storm.
Julie
My whole body shook as I watched Ian and that witch from far off. I couldn’t believe that everything I worked so hard for was gone. Jarak may not have loved me without my spell, but I loved him, and seeing Esmerelda wrapped in the arms of the one she loved killed me.
I wrapped my arms around me tighter and walked off. My bare feet squished in the sand on the beach. I closed my eyes and lifted my face up to the clear blue sky, soaking up the warmth of the sun before lowering my head and watching as the waves crashed to the beach. I only had one thing I could do. My pain overwhelmed me; I wanted Esmerelda to feel how I feel.
“Death Keeper, I want to make a deal.”
About the Author
(Author picture taken by Edna Mowray – Photographer)
M.R. Polish was born in Idaho, a long, long, long, well, maybe not that long time ago.... Writing has always been there for her. Growing up, her mind was filled with stories, some she shared and others she filed away to write down later in life. It wasn't until 2011 that she decided to publish her stories for everyone to enjoy. Her first award, and when writing became more than just an idea, was in the 5th grade. She won the scary story contest for the school newspaper. It is one story she still has tucked away for memories. Her teacher told her she could be anything she wanted and that she had a talent for writing, being creative and drawing people into her stories. M.R. took that to heart and continued to write, although mostly in secret until recent years.
Now you can find her enjoying life with her family - wrangling her four kids, setting traps in the house with toys for unsuspecting victims (aka, her husband) and writing down all her crazy and fun stories.
"Life is too short to stand by and watch everyone else live your dreams. The bigger the dream, the bigger the adventure!" ~ M.R. Polish
You can contact M.R.Polish here:
www.mrpolishauthor.com
Facebook: M.R. Polish
Twitter: @_MRPolish_
Ageless Sea
By M.R. Polish
Preview
One
Shamike (Earth Year: 1922)
“Karis, the council has reached an agreement. You are to be banished for life on Earth.” The council members nodded their heads in agreement as the Commissioner read the verdict aloud. His long blue cloak brushed the ground as he paced the stone platform in front of the stands where the council members sat.
He stopped pacing long enough to gaze at Karis with his soul-piercing blue eyes. His expression revealed everything to her that he couldn’t say. His voice wavered as he continued, “This is not a unanimous decision, but majority rules.”
Karis swallowed hard and could feel her heart race inside her chest. She glared at the man who framed her into the predicament she now faced. His green eyes seemed to laugh at her as he stared back.
Earth. At least Earth was the most like her world, and they spoke the same language. Although, there were a few differences, such as the fact that the humans didn’t use their inner power for day-to-day interactions. She was accustomed to using her energy for the smallest tasks, and it scared her that she might not be able to use her power for everything. She knew from her father’s stories that Earth wasn’t set up to use inner energy. The humans weren’t there to live, but to learn, so that part of them needed to be suppressed and hidden.
Another fear raced through her mind. How would she blend in with the humans without them knowing she was different? All Shamikas looked human, but her magic and power surpassed anything on Earth. Her immortality alone would cause suspicion. Usually an immortal only died when a person used dark magic against them.
Many otherworldly beings lived on Earth for several years, so it gave Karis hope. Maybe she could do it too, but because of her royal lineage, her powers were a little stronger than most. She hadn’t learned all of her powers, as they were still growing inside her, but her father had high hopes for her. Her ability to heal others was an enormous strength, as was how well she could capture energy around her and use it to her will.
The Commissioner placed the paper with the verdict on the bench where the King sat, then turned to Karis. “You will live your life alone. We have already placed a boundary around an island in the South Pacific Ocean. One that even you are incapable of breaking.”
She moved her manacled hands to her face. How could this be happening? Why didn’t they believe that som
eone set her up? Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, pooling around the rims. She was barely twenty years old and now she’d have to live alone.
Hands roughly gripped around her upper arms. A masked guard, standing rigid in his green uniform stood beside her. She scanned the council members that surrounded her in the balconies. “Why don’t you believe me? I’ve done nothing to the King.”
One of the members stood and spoke, “You charmed Marin into committing treason against the King so you could regain your royal privileges.”
“I was tricked. Marin asked me to come to his home. I didn’t know he wanted to use my power against me.” Tears fell from her eyes.
The Commissioner cleared his throat and gestured to the man she still glared at. “Marin, the High Councilor of Shamike, has been in good standings with the council for many years.” His full attention returned to her. “Karis, you know with King Parius’s death, and you without a husband, the law states that the next in line would be your cousin. We know how much losing the position of Queen must upset you, but planning an execution against not only your kin, but also your new King, is treason. It is because of your royal lineage that we are not sentencing you to death.”
Marin gave her a slight grin that played at the corners of his mouth. He planned this all along. Everything was his fault, and now she would have to pay the price.
The guard’s grip on her arm tightened as he pulled her away from the arena. Everything became a blur. Karis heard a loud roar of voices as a crowd formed outside the Pentacle doors, waiting for the verdict. When they saw her, a hush fell over them. The once-loved Princess of Shamike was now a banished traitor. Murmurs and whispers of denial floated on the air, reaching Karis, pulling at her heart.