by K. T. Webb
She still had no idea what he truly was, but she failed to determine why that would matter. Silverleaf was clearly crucial to the wild magic. Why else would they have protected him so thoroughly that no one even remembered who he was? She watched him consider her request.
“I will help you. This may be what I have been waiting for all these years. However, I do not foresee us walking out of this forest without first defeating the Shadow Mages. Have you brought the ruler of the Kingdom of Creatures?” Silverleaf glanced around.
“Her name is Nikita. I left her in charge of Pallisaide. Things are still fresh for the citizens of Alderwood. My father, the former king, ruled by instilling fear in our people. He murdered the innocent and elevated the wicked. The Gildi are out eradicating what remains of the ruthless army my father used to control everyone.”
Silverleaf nodded, “I have often wondered just how far our great land had fallen in the hands of those driven by power. My fear is that you and I alone are not enough to defeat the Shadow Mages. There is a reason the wild magic wants you to find your counterparts. We have always been stronger together, and we will need that strength to end their reign of darkness.”
“Then it seems as though our only option is to rescue Noble and take the fight back to Pallisaide,” Justice suggested.
The others nodded. It was the logical choice. Now, they must work together to escape the Forest of Illusane without losing each other again. Legacy swayed slightly as the enormity of the challenges they faced pressed down on her. The strong arms of Evander wrapped around her, offering support when she needed it most. As though he understood her thoughts and feelings without her openly communicating them, Silverleaf suggested they find a place to rest and get something to eat.
“I think we will find the spirits of the trees more than willing to help us in our task,” Legacy said as she watched Theon and Evander search for twigs and branches dry enough to start a fire.
“I believe you are correct. If we can harness that power and combine it with ours, we may be able to escape the forest without having to face the Shadow Mages unprepared,” Silverleaf agreed.
“Are you a tree spirit, King Silverleaf?” Justice asked when he returned with what appeared to be mushrooms and the thick roots of some plant.
Legacy tensed. It was a question she had wanted to ask from the moment Silverleaf revealed himself to them. Their new friend was reluctant to share more than he deemed necessary, and Legacy wanted to respect that, but if they were going to work together, she had to know more about him.
“I am not sure others like me exist anymore. I am what they call an elemental. Do you know of us?” Silverleaf questioned. “No, I cannot imagine you do. Even when I sat upon the throne, we were a rarity, a dying breed. I am not from any one particular element of nature. I have bits of them all. No one is certain where elementals originate from.”
“I have heard of such a thing, but only in storybooks for children,” Theon offered as he began to lay the foundation for their fire.
“Of course. Humans probably sensationalized what they did not understand,” Silverleaf hung his head.
“Many of the beasts have gone dumb. Some are beginning to awaken now that the wild magic is gaining ground,” Justice explained.
“What do you mean when you say they went dumb? Are you telling me you live in an Alderwood where creatures do not speak for themselves?” Silverleaf tilted his head in question.
“Nikita only recently awakened. She encountered me in a dream, well, a dream of the visions I had when I received my mark. My visions have changed through dreams,” Legacy admitted openly.
“Interesting. What brought on the change?” Silverleaf was now intrigued.
Evander cleared his throat, “I think I may be partially responsible for that.”
Legacy explained their shared dreams to their party. Even Justice and Theon did not know the extent to which she and Evander were connected. Each displayed various levels of shock and surprise. It was highly unusual, if not completely unheard of, for two people to share dreams. The idea that someone would be able to revisit the visions another person received with their mark did not seem possible. Legacy herself would not have believed it if she was not the one who had experienced it.
“It may be odd, but that is what we have to work with. Maybe because I do not have a destiny, I somehow managed to entangle myself in hers?” Evander did not seem to be expecting an answer because he did not think there were any answers to explain their situation.
“What makes you believe you do not have a destiny?” Silverleaf asked.
Evander hung his head as though embarrassed to explain his past to someone like Silverleaf. Legacy wondered if the practice of receiving marks was enacted when he was last outside the Forest of Illusane. She knew it started when the Shadow Mages began to take control of the wild magic. How long ago had that been?
“Evander was a soldier in King Junius’ Makt before he joined us,” Legacy explained.
“Members of the Makt were not permitted to receive a mark or the visions that accompany it. The former king refused to share his loyal army with anyone. He believed they would not fully belong to him if they felt compelled to complete a greater destiny,” Justice offered a more in-depth explanation, understanding that Silverleaf probably had no frame of reference for the Makt.
“I cannot say I know much about the marks you speak of. I do recall some whispering of a practitioner standing against the Shadow Mages, but that was happening just before I fled Pallisaide. So, other than Evander, do each of you have a mark guiding you toward your destiny?” Silverleaf asked.
The other three nodded in response. They were beginning to tread in dangerous waters. Silverleaf would not know that sharing their marks or visions was not widely accepted in Alderwood.
Legacy sat by the now crackling fire wondering if Theon or Justice had seen visions of this time and place when they received their marks. Her own visions had not involved many people or situations as straightforward as sitting around a fire. Everyone was different, some were destined for greatness while others may be facing a reasonably simple fate. Legacy had spent her childhood hoping Renata had been wrong about who she was meant to be; that Legacy was only meant to be a normal girl rather than Queen. Now that she wore the crown, she could accept that much of her future had been decided before Legacy was born, but it was up to her to use the power she was given to do what was right for Alderwood.
“And are you following that destiny out of obligation or because you have a desire to become the person you saw in your visions?” Silverleaf questioned.
The silence that passed between them spoke volumes to Legacy. None knew the answer to that question without thinking about it first. There was a difference between obligation and desire. Legacy herself felt a certain measure of responsibility to become Queen and put an end to the Shadow Mages, but she also wanted nothing more than to put an end to their darkest enemies.
“I believe our destiny is never completely fulfilled. The things we see when we are marked are only part of the life we live,” Theon explained.
Justice nodded, “I have to say, I agree. Our lives encompass more than the visions or mark ever could. We can follow the path we are shown by the wild magic, but that does not mean we will not take a different route from time to time, or that we will stop moving forward once we have completed what Alderwood has asked of us.”
Legacy had never heard anyone speak of their destiny in such a way. It made her feel as though she did indeed have control over her life. Legacy could be Queen, and she could be the girl who falls in love, starts a family, and builds a life for her family. Her visions did not guarantee she would die. The dreams she shared with Evander told her things were never as they seemed. Even if it was carved into her side, nothing was set in stone.
“I always believed I was marching toward my death at the hands of the wild magic. Honor saw her mark as depicting her destiny, I always saw
mine as depicting my fate. I thought my life would end to free Alderwood. It may still, but now I have hope that my visions are only part of the life I will live,” Legacy voiced her fears aloud for the first time.
Evander held her gaze. His eyes mirrored so many unspoken hopes that she had avoided talking about. Legacy had been holding back; she fell in love with Evander without believing there would be a future for them. It seemed to her that he finally understood why she had been less forthcoming with her feelings than he wanted her to be. With that look, he was communicating his feelings to her, and she felt everything. Legacy did her best to tell him she felt the same without speaking a single word.
“I have one more question about your individual destinies. If you do not feel comfortable answering, I will understand. Tell me, did your visions or mark bring you here, or did you come for reasons all your own?” Silverleaf asked the three who could answer.
Both Justice and Theon admitted that this journey had no bearing on their individual destinies; they came because of their devotion to both Legacy and Noble. Legacy knew her answer was more complicated. She came because of Noble, but she saw this very place engulfed in flames in her visions and subsequent nightmares. The question was, did Legacy come to the Forest of Illusane because she knew she was destined to, or did she go because she wanted to save her brother?
“I need a minute to think,” Legacy whispered as she stood and walked far enough away from the group that she could no longer hear their conversation, but not so far away that they were out of her sight.
At that moment, Legacy wanted nothing more than to have everything in her life simplified. Her biggest fears were about to become a reality in the forest where she had once burned to death repeatedly in her nightmares. Legacy was on edge. How would they be able to leave the woods with Silverleaf? He had been trapped in the Forest of Illusane for longer than any of them could fathom. How did they hope to find Noble and face the Shadow Mages in an unfamiliar place?
Moments later, Evander appeared at her side.
“Legacy, I had no idea. Why did you keep your fears from me?”
She glanced at him, “We have only been friends for a few months, and in that time, I fell in love with you. I cannot say telling you my darkest fears were at the top of the list of topics I wanted to bring up,” Legacy chuckled.
Evander turned her to face him. “I have been with you during your darkest nightmares. I think we could have a serious conversation about your fears for our future.”
Of course, she knew he was right. Legacy allowed herself to be pulled into the strong arms that waited for her. Burying her face into Evander’s chest allowed her to experience the safety and security she had been missing since they left Pallisaide. She listened to his heart beating and took comfort in the steady thump against her cheek.
“I love you, Legacy.”
She looked up at him and stood on her toes to kiss his waiting lips.
“I love you too, Evander. You know . . . I think we should get married if—when we both make it back to Pallisaide alive.”
He blinked at her in surprise. “And here I thought it was my job to suggest that.”
“We both know it would have taken you forever to get there. So, can I take that as a yes?” Legacy offered a sly smile.
“Ask me again when we make it home,” Evander whispered before giving her another kiss.
The pair turned to walk back to their friends only to discover they were entirely alone in the strange misty forest. There was no trace of the fire, no evidence there had been other people in the woods with them at all. They were completely and utterly alone.
Panic crept from her toes into every inch of her body as she realized they had been separated from their friends once more. They had found each other with the help of Silverleaf, but now he was gone too. Legacy could only hope Theon and Justice were still with their new friend. Still gripping Evander by the hand, Legacy stood staring at the spot she thought the others should have been. Everything was different. The trees were arranged in a completely different order, the moss seemed greener than before, and the mist was beginning to infiltrate the air around them.
“Take a deep breath, we cannot panic. If Silverleaf reunited us before, he could do it again,” Evander tried to calm the storm rising in her chest.
“Something is off this time. We were less than fifteen feet from them, how did we get separated again?” Legacy felt the weight of their absence like she still wore the crown upon her head.
“Legacy? I do not think we are alone,” Evander spoke out of the side of his mouth.
Legacy knew he was right. There was something in the woods with them, stalking them, following their every move. No creatures had graced their presence in the Forest of Illusane, it seemed unlikely whatever was out there was an animal looking for a meal. Evander tried to hold Legacy behind him as he turned around, facing the strange presence that followed them.
“Do you see anything?” Legacy asked as her eyes darted between the trees.
“I think I see someone, but it seems wrong. It cannot be—” Evander’s answer was cut short.
Legacy was torn from Evander’s side as though a cyclone had caught them unaware. One moment they were clinging to one another, and the next, she was whooshing through the air with no control over her own body. She landed with a thud against the base of a rotted tree. With an aching head and throbbing side, Legacy rose to her feet. What she saw made her stop short. She wondered if this was what Evander saw creeping through the woods. How could Legacy have missed it? Standing just beyond arm’s length stood her brother. Noble appeared to be in a trance once again.
“Noble? I have been looking for you! Are you okay? Are the Shadow Mages nearby?” Legacy asked as she fell to her knees in front of him.
The frail boy looked as though he had not eaten for quite some time. Every bone in each arm showed. His cheeks were sunken in, and his skin was a shade of yellow. He showed no response to her words. Chills ran down her spine as she watched him sway slightly in the low-lit woods. Legacy took a step toward him and gripped his upper arms, giving him a gentle shake. He showed no sign of recognizing where he was, let alone knowing who was there with him.
“Noble? Talk to me! I am going to get you home, just stay with me.”
The boy responded by allowing his head to drop forward as though he passed out while standing. Legacy tried to get him to speak to her, to respond to her in any way, but it was hopeless. She could not and would not give up on her brother. After giving him another shake, relief surged through her when he lifted his head and opened his eyes. His mouth opened at a strange angle as though he was not accustomed to his own face. Noble tilted his head to the side and regarded her with black, lifeless eyes. Tears formed without her permission as the terrifying thoughts began to swirl around in her head. Was he dead? Had the Shadow Mages drained the life out of him when they were done using him? How could this have happened?
“We are here. We will not leave without the one you call Silverleaf.”
Legacy fell away from her brother and pushed herself backward as quickly as her legs and arms allowed. Noble was not speaking, but his lips released the sound of the Shadow Mages’ discordant voices. His mouth was open, frozen as though it did not need to move to make the sounds. The longer Legacy stared at her brother, the more she began to believe he had indeed been killed. Everything came crashing down on her at that moment. She had not been fast enough, strong enough, smart enough to save him. Legacy was not enough.
“Get out of my brother!” The scream tore at her throat.
“He is ours; he has been ours since the day his soul was formed.”
“He is mine! You may have made a deal with our father, but Noble does not completely belong to you. I have seen the goodness in his heart and know he would not willingly give himself over,” Legacy stood on shaking legs. “You cannot claim the light inside him because it is not yours to claim.”
&nbs
p; A ripple of movement caught her attention for a moment. It was in her peripheral vision, something was there, just out of reach. The world itself seemed to move with the wind that whipped around the siblings and their unwanted guests. Her brother shook against the evil controlling his body. Legacy stood her ground as his head jerked in unnatural ways. She wanted nothing more than to run to his side, hold him, and remind him she was there, but she could not risk bringing herself so close to the enemy again. Another ripple of movement shifted to her right, almost like a curtain was being pulled away. The realization struck her in a distant memory; Evander described their dream in such a manner. He saw a veil and knew he had to be on the other side; that was where he found her in this forgotten wood.
“Noble, I know you are in there, and you can hear me. Fight them. Do not let them take you from us,” she was practically screaming to drown out the rushing sound of the wind.
“Legacy!” Noble’s voice rang through the chaos.
He was still there. The Shadow Mages could try to keep him locked away, but the strength of that boy was beyond anything they were prepared for. He was born with two sides of the wild magic coursing through his veins. Noble was not just a sacrifice given up by his unloving father, he was a true citizen of Alderwood. The darkness cannot snuff out the light if that light refuses to stop shining. Legacy knew her family had been chosen by the wild magic, they were the rightful rulers of the Kingdom of Man, and that claim was there before the Shadow Mages were born.
“I command you! Release him!” Legacy cried out.
All at once, Noble’s body convulsed as though he was experiencing the final throes of death. It was almost more than Legacy could take. Seeing Noble in such despair caused her physical pain. She had to do something to help him. Before she could appeal to them again, Noble seemed to regain control of his own mind long enough to speak directly to his sister. He made direct eye contact with her, his usually bright eyes were weary and full of fear.