Entangled web of destruc.., p.27
Entangled Web of Destruction, page 27
“Your alliance with the Elders and resentment against the Winifred Family have gone on long enough. It’s time to turn yourself in for betrayal and put all of this behind you.”
“I can’t do that.”
He flicks his hand, throwing a flare of fire toward Cora, who dodges the strike, and the blast hits an empty shelf behind her, shattering it. Small flames dance on the remaining wood pieces.
“I am surprised Aurora did not accompany Charnell, with you being no match for me.”
“Who says she is not here?”
Cora attempts to summon Aurora, something she has not done outside of a dream state, which is most of the time by accident.
“Your powers are not strong enough,” he says, sending shards of fire in her direction.
She unknowingly dodges the magical blasts and gets out of the way as he sends a second wave of strikes.
“I do not give up easily, Coralynn,” he says.
A commotion from the kitchen interrupts their conversation as someone, or something tries to gain access to the hidden room.
The two men who accompany the warlock close the door at the bottom of the stairs, locking both her and Kayleen in with them. She glances over to see Kayleen; she grips a dagger, hiding behind the stacks of grain.
“Why do you want all this so-called power? The Vale is just a small part of the realm of Noradell, and I am sure there are other worlds you can dominate. You have the knowledge and history to become a leader, not this villain you are projecting you need to be.”
“You know nothing, child.”
Footsteps race down the stairs.
“Did you ever care for Nelia?” she asks.
“We were once friends, but nothing more. Growing up in the same city had its advantages. I could team up with the high priestess to gain wisdom and skills at my mentor’s request. We all drifted apart over the years. Nelia and I were castaways, sent in different directions.”
“Why did you choose her?”
“She never was the same after Queen Lilianna’s murder. She returned to Splintered Vale after a long hiatus, displaying weakness, instability, and vulnerability,” he says.
Charnell yells from the other side, as he or someone else pounds on the door.
“Where did you send her?”
“Gone forever. Our time is running out, so I must move this along quickly.”
He flicks his hand, sending another round of magical spikes toward her, and this time she can’t dodge them all. Falling to her knees, she cries out in pain. The lacerations on her arms are visible through her torn clothing from the impact of fragments that whizzed by her.
“You had every opportunity to assassinate me at the beginning, but you have not?”
“That would have been no fun.”
He reaches down toward her as the door to the storage room flies inward, catching him off guard for a moment, and she drives a dagger into his side.
“You’re braver than I thought,” he mutters as he backs away, as if he were surprised at her retaliation. She doesn’t allow him to come after her again. She runs toward Kayleen.
“Charnell, it’s nice to meet again,” he says, flicking his hand slightly, casting Charnell backward, and he collides with the shelves. “You cannot win against me.”
Cora whispers, “Bring a storm upon this man, casting him away to forgotten lands.”
A black fog covers the room, bringing with it lightning and rain. A powerful wind sweeps down the stairs and wraps around the room, scattering loose objects before resting near the warlock.
“Elbas, you are under arrest for treason.”
“I cannot allow that.” He dismisses the storm. An elixir shatters on the floor, and a cloud of black smoke swirls around the room, creating a screen of low visibility. After the hazy mist of darkness disappears, the warlock and the two knights have vanished.
Cora and Kayleen emerge from behind the grain.
“Where did the warlock go?” asks Kayleen.
“He ran away cowardly. The queen waits for you in the study,” he says.
“My brother?” Kayleen asks.
“He is fine. I need you both to go with Pugh, and I will bring the others with me shortly.”
“Can we not come with you?” Cora asks.
“I am unsure how many of Richard’s minions are still within the castle. It’s best if you do not. I will need to focus and can’t worry about either of you. Please, go with Pugh.”
67
Charnell
Splintered Vale
Charnell arrives at the storage room off the lake, knocking three times before stepping away from the door. He has been worrying about the prince, since he observed his condition in the dungeon. Hopefully, they were able to get the bleeding under control. The door opens, and Alexander stands on the other side; both sigh with relief to see one another.
“How is the prince?”
“He is doing slightly better, but he’s running a fever and needs to get to the infirmary. Is the castle secure?” Alexander asks.
“I have been a little too busy to get updates on everything, but with your help, we can get that accomplished.”
Kyle leans against a knight as they walk toward the door, and the ladies-in-waiting follow them. He is extremely pale, has perspiration on his forehead, and his legs are weak.
“My family,” Kyle asks.
“They are safe. Let’s get you to medical, and we will send word for your family to meet you there,” Charnell explains.
“Cora?” Rebeka asks.
“She is safe as well.”
Once they arrive at medical, they are greeted with several doctors who have been treating knights who have been injured. Alexander breaks away from the group, escorting the ladies-in-waiting and the Williams family to the queen. He will need to inform her of Kyle’s whereabouts and his injuries.
“Prince Ainsworth, we are going to need to stitch the laceration on your side. It’s going to hurt. You have an option of herbs, alcohol, or other sedatives if you would like.”
“Just get it over with quickly,” Kyle says.
Charnell is pulled away for a moment, but he refuses to go too far until Alexander returns. Colin informs him, “We have regained control of Splintered Vale. We have the individuals we arrested in the lower barracks with no access to weapons, of course. Several people fled the grounds, but that was expected.”
“Once Alexander arrives, I will meet with the officers. Can you send word for them to meet me in the courtyard?”
“Will do.”
The door opens, and Alexander enters first, followed by the royal family. Charnell listens to the doctor providing updates for Kyle as others work on him. The atmosphere is calm and quiet for a moment before Kyle’s muffled cries can be heard. The queen holds on to her daughter’s hand as they enter the room with her son.
“Alexander, I need to meet with the group leaders to gain insight on what happened and create a plan to prevent this from occurring again.”
“I will stay with the royal family. Mitchell is in the hall with Pugh and a few others who are waiting for you. Richard is still under guard in the study until further notice. Do you know where the warlock has disappeared to?”
“No. I will never stop looking for him.”
“We will search for him together.”
CHARNELL MAKES A DETOUR TO the royal flower gardens before meeting with the group leaders. He stops where Nelia typically prays. The ground is still flattened from the last time she was here. Kneeling, he rubs his hands over the dirt and the leveled grass. Many nights, he journeyed here with her, as she begged for forgiveness.
A flash of light blinds him a moment as he refocuses, and he sees a faded image of Nelia before him, and she is arguing with someone.
I will not allow you to destroy everything that I have built over the years. Do you hear me? Darkness will not invade Splintered Vale as it has done many times over the years, each time taking someone with it as it disappears. Not this time, I will not allow it. Take me if you need someone to fill that void.
Another flash of light blinds him for a second, and she continues to argue with someone.
It was you this entire time, Elbas. You murdered Lilianna, placing the blame on me. Do you realize what you have done? You have destroyed my family, my happiness, and my life. I will never allow you or Richard to hurt anyone else, not after everything you have put me through. The darkness will trap you forever as it has me.
He is as much to blame as she is in the death of the late queen. If only he could have been more observant that night. Everything would have changed. A slight breeze filters around him, brushing against the bushes and the resting flowers, as flurries float down from the sky. The snowflakes melt on impact as they land on his palm.
“Nelia?” he asks, knowing it’s not possible.
Aurora says, “I brought those who were injured back to Splintered Vale. How are you?”
“Richard has been arrested, but the warlock has disappeared. You could be him.”
She laughs. “I am not, and you are not dreaming.” She waves her hand, lighting the torches around the garden. “It’s nice to help the torch lighters this evening.”
“Have you seen Cora yet?”
“I will talk with her after we are done here. I have tried everything to find Nelia, but my thinking isn’t working. The only thing I can think of is asking Elbas to reconsider, but we know that is not going to happen.”
“He doesn’t need to be anywhere near this situation, not after everything he has done to the Winifred family, including Cora. All he did was play mind games, until she was hurt, physically and mentally, which she will not admit.”
“I will speak with her. Did you ever give her Nelia’s pendant?”
“It has given me nightmares for days. Please, take it back.”
She smiles. “Only a glimpse into what my sister has gone through over the years. The darkness is still powerful even in this tiny capsule.”
“There were snippets of images that I will never understand.”
She rests her hand on his shoulder. “One day, you can share what you have seen with me, and we can work on unlocking those visions. Until that time, take care, Charnell.”
68
Cora
Splintered Vale
Cora opens the door to the northeastern tower, the home of Nelia, her mother. Which sounds strange, since Rebeka and Rike are her parents. She doesn’t want to disrespect anyone, but everything is so confusing. She loves her parents, but should she also get to know Nelia? A faint light from the faded moon shines in through the window.
She waves her hand, lighting the candles throughout the room. The warmth from the fireplace embraces Cora’s skin.
The smell of rosemary and lavender fills the space.
Everything in the room is as it was in her dream, except night has fallen. She can’t see the mountain peaks, but she knows that they are there. Smiling, she runs her fingers through the dust that has accumulated on the table and bookshelves.
She picks up the books off the floor, stacks them on a shelf, and goes around straightening up the room. After making the bed, she sits down admiring the coziness and quietness of the space.
Her heel kicks something under the bed, and she reaches down, pulling out a wooden box. She finds a small leather book, a white blanket, and random fabric. A few flattened flowers fall out of the book.
A knock on the open door redirects her attention.
“Aunt Aurora,” she says as she places the box on the bed. “I missed you.” They hug. “What brings you here?”
“I brought Jack and the others who were injured to Splintered Vale this evening. I thought I would swing by to see you, before I journey back home.”
“I have been worried about Jack. How is he doing?”
“He is healed and doing fine. All he talks about is going on another adventure. I just let him talk, because there was no reasoning with him.”
“No, there isn’t,” she says as she picks up a few more items off the floor. “I thought Nelia may want to return to a less chaotic room when we locate her.”
“She will appreciate all your help, Cora.”
“I know the warlock sent her away, and she is in the desert. Do you think there is still hope in finding her?”
“Let’s not worry about that right now.”
Aurora helps with straightening up the bottles on the shelf and using an old cloth to clear off the dust and cobwebs.
“I had spoken with Mitchell upon arrival, and he told me what happened with the warlock. You should never have gone through that alone, and I am sorry I was not here to help. I had to make a dreadful choice, of helping my people or you, and regretfully, I chose wrong.”
“You did no such thing. Sacrificing your people for me would have been a mistake, and that is something I would not have wanted. It’s unclear where the warlock has wandered to, but I am sure he is still around, waiting for another chance to destroy me.”
Cora sits on the bed, refocusing on the box she found. Inside is a small notebook, written by Nelia, she presumes. Flipping through the pages, she sees drawings, and she comes upon a passage, I shall never forget you, Christian, never, no matter the sacrifice.
“Who is Christian?”
“What?” Aurora asks.
“I stumbled upon this box earlier by accident, and inside, this book says that Nelia will never forget Christian.”
“I have no idea,” she says, grabbing the book. “Was there anything else with this?”
“This blanket.”
Aurora eyes the blanket and returns to the passages.
“This could be written in code or something else. Something we can ask her about in the future when we find her.”
“What else did you find?”
“This random fabric.” She hands the box to Aurora, who scans over the objects. “Do you know what this is?”
“The fabric represents the flags of the Hidden City and Splintered Vale. It was created for Nelia by a seamstress in our homeland to show her relationship to both kingdoms.”
“How long will you be staying here?”
“The coronation has been moved up to a few days, and afterward, I will return home. My support is important to our alliance. You are welcome to join me back at the Hidden City, and I can train you to use your abilities.”
“I will give you my answer in a few days,” says Cora.
“Now, let’s finish here. I am sure you are tired and want to join your parents for the evening.”
AN USHER ESCORTS CORA to her parents’ guest suite. She hopes it’s much better than the one she stayed in a few days ago, considering there were bars on that window. She was only able to talk with her parents for a few minutes because she wanted to show support for Kyle and visit Pugh.
Rebeka answers the door and pulls Cora inside, embracing her with a hug. Rike wanders in from the other room, greeting his daughter.
“Cora, we missed you,” Rebeka says. “I thought we would never see you again.”
“Did anyone hurt you?” Cora asks.
“Surprisingly, no. Richard placed us in a tower before bringing us with him to Splintered Vale. Rike, if you want to get some sleep, Cora and I can catch up.”
“Cora, I am glad you are well,” he says, kissing her on the forehead. “We must have a meal together tomorrow morning. I am too exhausted tonight to think about food.”
“Goodnight, Father.”
He goes into another room where the bedroom is located and closes the door. Cora sits down beside her mother, holding her hand.
“You promise no one will hurt either of you?”
“I was a little worried when we arrived here. The focus shifted and the amenities were not great. We did ask for food to be brought to us this evening, if possible, since we have not eaten today. The guards seemed to be preoccupied with other things going on, and the cooks were not permitted inside the dungeon.”
“If food is not brought soon, I will go check to see what is going on. I am sure our homestead misses us all. I can’t wait to get back to check on the animals, friends, and family.”
“Are you traveling back home with us?”
“I don’t know yet. Aurora has offered for me to travel with her to Hidden City, and we can stop by our home during our journey.”
“You can learn so much than you have in the past, since you no longer need to hide. We didn’t realize the intensity of the danger you were facing, while we were protecting you. If we could go back, there is a lot we would change.”
“None of this is your fault, Mother.”
“You will never convince me, Cora. We could have lost you, and we would have never forgiven ourselves.”
“It was my fault. I used magic without telling you and placed us all in danger. If something had happened to either of you, I don’t know what I would have done.”
Cora rests her head on Rebeka’s shoulder, sobbing, and her mother comforts her.
69
Kyle
Splintered Vale
The morning roars in like a storm, as night seemed to be only visible for a few hours. A few days have passed since Richard’s arrest, and the ownership of the castle has been restored. It’s his coronation day, but it’s something he doesn’t really want to celebrate. His father is dead, his uncle is secured in the dungeon, and exhaustion still runs rapidly through his body. Climbing out of bed, he makes his way to the washbasin, stretching, and splashes water on his face.
He makes his way to the staging area, a small room adjacent to the Great Hall. There are already people arriving for the festivities, and he dodges their glances, not ready to talk with anyone. The timing of the crowning ceremony was moved up with his approval after his mother expressed this could create a stronger position for the family and hopefully prevent anyone from attempting to overthrow them again.
