The Halves of Us

by Sydney Paige Richardson

  Guilt sunk in, cracking her already wounded heart, but she forced a smile for Bokah. The weight of her secret was going to be a hard one to keep. She realized now, she could trust no one.

  35

  Adie

  Adie paced the Council Room. After meeting with Hontak, Aura’s replacement for the Council, she decided to take the Rokis off. I know what Mother means about the heaviness now.

  She eyed the Rokis on the table. A more urgent part of her wanted to put it back on. Waves of emotions consumed her—worry, sadness, fear I’m going to fail. You can’t do this. You’re too young!

  She pulled at the white iridescent dress sleeves which came to a sharp point in the middle of her hand. I don’t want to feel this way anymore! She ran over to the table, grabbed the Rokis, and placed it back on her chest.

  She whimpered as she inhaled, suppressing the negative feelings and vacating them from her mind. You are the Ruler. You will do great things. This is what her mother always spoke of, the feeling of calmness. The feeling of absolute power.

  She looked at the Globe. Aura should be contacting her soon. Hontak was kind. Though unfamiliar with the customs of the Council members, he seemed to understand what Adie expected of him. Gossamer had been unsure. She had been debating with herself all morning after hearing concerns from him that Aura wasn’t ready and Adie was making rash judgments. Aura had been through so much recently. We all have. I thought I wasn’t ready either, and now look at me.

  A vibration from the Globe alerted her to a call. She ran to it, receiving a message from Aura.

  “This is Aura, requesting Adie’s presence.”

  “Are you alone?” Adie asked.

  “I am.”

  “I will come to you shortly.” She placed her hand on the Globe and the other on the Rokis, just as her mother had taught her earlier that day. A heat pulled at her skin from every angle, and a swirl of wind surrounded her. She kept her eyes open, watching the shift of coloring and light as she found herself aboard the captain’s quarters of a ship. As she became aware of her new surroundings, she saw Aura at the front of a desk.

  Aura stood and ran over to her, embracing her. “I know it’s only been a day or so, but I’ve missed you.”

  Adie welcomed the embrace. See, Aura is okay. She pulled away from their hold to see a sullen expression on her sister’s face. Dark circles lined her eyes, bringing out the hollowness.

  “Aura, you look exhausted.”

  “I’ve had an interesting trip.” Aura paused and turned away from Adie. “I want to report to you what I’ve done.”

  “What you’ve done?” Adie’s heart quickened. Her sister’s silence only worried her more. “Aura, what happened?” she asked, walking toward her sister and resting a hand on her shoulder.

  “I went into Vadim. But before you—”

  “You what?” But the Sights! How did she . . .

  “I didn’t tell you before I left because I knew you’d be against the idea. I wanted to check out the area for myself since my new position has me leading that region. I visited Wendel . . . the Wicked Willow.”

  “You just walked in and visited with the Wicked Willow?” Adie looked at Aura questioningly, searching her eyes. She’s hiding something!

  “Please listen. I know I should’ve told you before I went, but I’m here to tell you I’ve reached an agreement with the Wicked Willow.”

  “An agreement? You made a deal with her?”

  “Yes.”

  She has no right. Adie walked to a nearby chair and sat. She straightened her shoulders and eyed Aura. “Tell me about this deal you’ve made.”

  “There will be no more Sights attacking the regions throughout Thindoral. They will stay confined in Vadim. They won’t go past the border walls.”

  Adie nodded slowly. “What did you give her in return?”

  Aura walked toward her, kneeling down beside her. She slipped a hand into hers. “I gave her me.”

  Adie tried to stand, but Aura held her hands and pulled her back down in the chair. The Rokis pulsated on her chest, sending vibrations through her. What does that mean? The image of her sister surrounded by dark clouds and the giant tree when she first touched the Rokis flooded her mind.

  “Aura,” Adie said sadly. She cleared her throat, hoping the sadness would vanish. “What does that . . . what was the full—” The vibrations of the Rokis jumbled her thoughts.

  “She wants me to reside in Vadim. That’s all. I’m free to travel. I just have to reside there. Vadim will be my home region. She said I could bring others to live with me. I have some Tribesman and perhaps some Etoyoc that will join me. Bokah will be there. She just wants me to reside in Vadim. ”

  That can’t be it. Adie stared at Aura. Sad emerald eyes returned her gaze, and Adie finally stood.

  “This is an interesting deal. Is that the extent of it?” She faced Aura, whose gaze remained on the ground.

  “The Wicked Willow knows she lost her main card, Zakar. She wants to reach an agreement and have peace,” Aura said.

  Adie could taste the lie in her sister’s words.

  “I don’t expect you to understand, but it has to be—”

  “No, it doesn’t have to be this way. I fear there may be more to the deal. There is always more to a deal with darkness.” Adie paused, pacing the room. Wendelone has done something to Aura, surely. My sister wouldn’t do this.

  “Isn’t this what you wanted me to do when you gave me this new position? This is Fate telling us—”

  “No. Fate wouldn’t want you to make a deal with darkness.”

  “Maybe my Fate does,” Aura whispered.

  Adie stifled a gasp. Is that what Aura’s Fate paper revealed to her? Adie’s chest rose heavily with each deep breath she took. She stepped back in defeat. The deal had been made, and she could do nothing about it.

  “I know why you did it. I guess I would’ve done the same to protect Thindoral.” Would you have? She brought her lips into a small smile, wanting to hide the concern on her face. “I’ll return to Giriveen and speak with the Council.”

  Their eyes met, both sad, unsure of what the future held. Maybe Gossamer was right. Maybe Aura isn’t ready.

  She placed her hand on the center of the Rokis. “Take me to the Council Room.”

  Specks of sand drug across the ground as the Sandman moved past Adie and Gossamer. She watched him intently as he walked by again, pacing the Council Room.

  “So your first time touching the Rokis, you were transported to the Wicked Willow, and you saw Aura surrounded by dark clouds? Have you told her about this event?”

  “I have not.”

  The Sandman nodded and sat in his chair at the Council table.

  Gossamer spoke, “Her first premonition, the first thing the Rokis showed her, has come true.”

  “We don’t know that,” Adie snapped. I refuse to believe it.

  “Aura said she made a deal with the Wicked Willow,” Gossamer said, standing.

  “But the deal only involved her residing in Vadim. If she resides there, the Sights won’t attack any region of Thindoral.” Adie nodded, more to herself than anyone else, desperately wanting to believe there was nothing darker about the deal.

  “I know you wish to view the deal your sister made as wise, and it does sound as if many lives will be saved, but deals with darkness are never what they seem.” The Sandman spoke, rising from his chair. “Your premonition shows darkness surrounding her. That’s exactly what’s taking place in Vadim—darkness surrounding Aura. Wendelone is at play here. We need to keep an eye on Aura.”

  36

  Aura

  Toni scrunched his face as he snarled at her, and a growl escaped him. “You made a deal with the Wicked Willow?”

  “It was for Thindoral.”

  “But you will now reside there? How often? Are you allowed to leave?”

  “I have to ask her permission, but she didn’t say I couldn’t leave.”

  “This is ho
w wickedness works. They mention nothing of the details. You’ve made a deal with darkness. You will be surrounded by darkness.” Toni took in deep breaths, his chest billowing.

  “I’ve angered you.”

  Toni calmed himself. “You have frustrated me, Aura. You should’ve realized the complexity of the deal before you agreed to the terms. You let your emotions impede your good judgment.”

  “She promised no more attacks on any region as long as I reside there.” Aura stood quickly, “I’ve made my choice, and I made the deal. I still hold my position given to me by the Ruler.”

  “Your sister may see you as a fool as well.”

  “She understands.”

  “Your sister will worry. She will visit. Have you thought, perhaps, that’s what the Wicked Willow wants?”

  Aura took a step back. An expression of horror marked her face. It hadn’t occurred to her that perhaps Wendelone had wanted Adie to visit all along. And the curse! She hadn’t told anyone of the curse, and Bokah wouldn’t remember because she erased it from his memory. She still had to figure out how to break the curse. At least I saved Felipe.

  “You’re thinking too long for an answer, so you must see you’re wrong here.” Toni stood, towering over her.

  She exhaled. “It doesn’t matter how I feel now. I’ve made my deal. I’ve sealed it with my own blood. I’ll reside in Vadim. I don’t require your permission. I wanted to notify you. Any Etoyoc that wishes to join me, can. I have safety promised to me.”

  Toni chuckled. “Young one, I hope you do.” He took a drag from his pipe and sighed, letting the smoke rise, and shook his head. “I’m worried about you, Aura, that’s all.”

  She walked toward him and touched his shoulder. The muscles beneath his thick fur twitched. “There’s no need to worry about me.”

  She turned to walk out of the hut and glanced back at Toni shaking his head.

  Aura stood in front of the gate leading into Vadim and looked out at the red sky. Together? She heard Felipe’s voice in her mind. “Together,” she whispered.

  Uni glared down at them. The midday heat soaked through her skin, making her muscles ache. She longed to sit and let her feet rest. We’re almost there.

  As if reading her mind, Bokah handed her the water pouch from his side. Behind her, three Etoyoc and two Tribesmen from Giriveen argued about carrying the cargo.

  After taking a swig of the water and feeling the coolness race down her throat, Aura turned to face the arguing Tribesman. “You’re equals with the Etoyoc. Do not talk down to them. They are not your slaves. Each must carry his own cargo. We’re all sweating in this heat, so let’s make our way to the tower. It’s surprisingly cooler in—” Aura stopped mid-sentence, remembering no one knew she’d been inside the tower before.

  The image of her and Felipe running away from it together and their kiss flashed before her eyes. She ignored the ache in the pit of her stomach, picked up her bags, and walked through the gate. After taking a few steps, she turned to see her companions looking up at her hesitantly.

  “I’ve been promised your safety. Come.”

  They grudgingly followed her toward the tower. The red sand blew in the howling wind, hitting their faces. Aura pushed through the sting of the sand on her cheeks. Once reaching the wooden door, Aura sighed. She pushed the door open, while the rest watched. Bokah followed behind her, and they all walked into the tower.

  She shivered as the coldness fell around them. “The tower has five floors. They have a similar layout to floors two through six at the Dome. Bokah and I will chamber on the fourth, the rest of you are free to choose. Please be safe. There are trap doors and secret passageways throughout.”

  “You seem to be very knowledgeable of this place,” Bokah said, looking up at carvings on the walls. “What are these?” he asked, enthralled with their dark beauty.

  Aura walked toward the wall, tracing her fingers across a creature carved into the design. It had two rows of sharp teeth, and its eyes seemed to follow her.

  “The Wicked Willow informed me of the layout. As for the design,” she looked upward and saw the head she’d been focused on was one of many coming from a four-legged creature, “I have no idea what this is.”

  She noticed the unlit lanterns between each carving and focused on them. They lit, revealing an open room before them and a large staircase. She was getting better at controlling her power without the use of her hands, though it took great strength.

  Bokah jumped back when flames from the lanterns woofed as they came to life. “That’s not creepy at all.”

  The three Etoyoc made their way up the stairs, and the Tribesmen stayed on the first floor, going down the hallway at the opposite end.

  “Come on, Bokah, let me show you where we’ll be staying.”

  “I still don’t know how you got me to do this.”

  Aura closed the door behind Bokah, giving him time to settle. She walked down the hallway, every lantern growing brighter as though beckoning her further down the dusty and bare hallway. Their light cast shadows that elongated down the hallway.

  She stopped at the next door. Soft whispers echoed around her as she reached for the handle. The door creaked open in a cloud of dust, forcing Aura to drop her bags and wave it away from her face as she walked into a dim room.

  Her eyes lit up when she saw a fireplace at the front. With a smile on her face, she looked at her fingertips as red sparks danced from them. She pointed to the fireplace, and with a flick of her wrists, the room was instantly illuminated as the fire roared to life. Aura tossed her bags down, closed the door, and examined her new room. Cobwebs filled each corner, and half of a broken chandelier dangled from the ceiling.

  She stood at the center, with her hands by her side. The sparks returned, and the flames from the fireplace glowed in her eyes. A black cloud formed around her and quickly poured throughout the room in a wave of darkness. Aura took a deep breath and closed her eyes, letting the energy flow from her, grinning from ear to ear as the power ran through her.

  After a few seconds, she opened her eyes. Her irises changed to a piercing shade of midnight black as she smiled, watching the room transform. The walls were now a red velvet, and the once-broken chandelier had hundreds of perfectly clear crystals that cast the firelight in a kaleidoscope across the room. Carved from dark wood, the bed lay in the back center of the room. Golden silk covered the mattress.

  As the dark cloud retreated back to her, she took in a final breath and looked around the room, spinning happily with the transformation. She stopped at the reflection of herself in the mirror. Her crimson lips matched the color of her hair, which fell in curls down her back. A satin dress clung to her alabaster skin. As she made her way toward the mirror, she ran her fingers over the material. A deep blue, like the night sky in Giriveen. The reflection taunted her, and Aura gasped in shock. The mirror cracked as a knock came at the door.

  “Who’s there?” Aura asked, gazing at the crack in the mirror. Her normal reflection had returned.

  “It’s Bokah.”

  Aura walked to the door, barely opened it, and peeked out. “Yes?”

  “Well, you cleaned up fast.”

  “I . . . uh . . . I always make myself feel at home by cleaning up first. It was rather hot out there.”

  “Yes,” Bokah responded, looking at her in confusion. He shook his head, “The Tribesman want to start dinner. It was hard to travel that far in one day, so I told them we’d be down shortly. They’ll probably get started without us.”

  “Bokah, why don’t you just head down there with them? I need to finish getting dressed. I’ll be down to join you soon.” Aura panicked and closed the door in his face.

  Bokah jumped back at the slam. “Fine,” he said. “Women.” He chuckled, walking back down to the first floor.

  Aura listened to his heavy footsteps echo down the hallway until she could no longer hear them. When she peeked out and saw no sign of him, she walked out into the hall. Her dress g
littered in the light from the flickering lamps. She headed down the long corridor and ran her hand along the walls. At the touch of her fingertips, the walls cleared of dust and cobwebs. The same red velvet in her room lined the walls.

  She took a sharp right down another hallway that stopped abruptly at a door much larger than the others. She walked slowly toward it and turned the handle, but it didn’t budge.

  “Locked?” she wondered aloud.

  She looked behind her and back at the door, focusing on opening it, but it didn’t unlock. She concentrated harder, bringing the sparks into her hand, but it remained locked. Aura took a step back with her hands by her side and pulled in her energy. As she pushed her hands forward, the gray clouds flew from her hands, towards the door. It went flying off the hinges and into the room.

  The lanterns were lit, revealing a spotless room, apart from the broken door lying in the center. A large bed of polished ebony stood in the center of the room with a desk in front of it. A thick book lay on the desk. The rest of the room was bare, except for one large shattered mirror hanging on the wall.

  Aura walked over to it and put her finger on the center, watching the cracks retract and vanish. She avoided looking directly at her reflection, remembering it smiling at her before, and walked over to the desk.

  She opened the book without touching it and didn’t recognize the scribble on the pages. The lines and shapes looked like gibberish. She ran her hands over a few lines, feeling the crisp pages beneath her finger. Suddenly, the words transformed on the page. She took a step back, blinking a few times, and returned her gaze to the book. Where she had crossed her finger over the lines, the words were now clear.

  She read aloud, “The Willow has promised the curse will come full turn soon. At last, I will have my vengeance. There is no way for them to stop me.” Aura stopped reading and ran her finger the next few lines. “The foolish girl has fallen in love. She is weak. She will bring me what I want. Wendelone demands I give the girl power, but once she brings me the Rokis, I have no need—”