“I know, but this was different. Those others were nameless, faceless enemies,” replied Shayna as she pulled away from Seneca and Jake. She dried her tears and smoothed her hair as she regained her composure.
“It’s a war of sorrow and potentially revenge now,” whispered Seneca. “It’s going to get personal.”
Shayna thought about Wren’s sister’s last words. She had willingly provided information that helped them. Shayna wondered if Wren had regrets about the attack and the deception. She had done it all to get what she believed Lorikeet was owed: magic. She had gone to extremes to gain it, yet magic had ended her life.
“You were defending yourself,” said Conner. “You were under attack.”
“Plus, you were trying to save me. It was a trap, and you did what was needed,” Seneca added.
“Maybe, but I’m sure Wren won’t see it that way. Remember, her sister didn’t have magic to use. I did.”
“Then she was a fool to set up that trap and then leave her sister to fight you alone,” said Conner. “She’s to blame for putting her sister in that situation in the first place. She obviously underestimated how awesomely fierce Shayna is with that sword.”
“Conner’s got a point, but I agree with Shayna,” said Jake. “Wren’s going to be on the attack for sure. If she was crazy enough to team up with Brigara, then she’ll be out for blood.”
“We don’t know any of this for sure. You guys are just speculating,” said Seneca. “I think we need to stay positive. Maybe there’s a good explanation for why Wren wasn’t home. Remember, her place was trashed.”
“That was a smoke screen to throw you off your game,” said Conner. “Good maneuver, if you ask me. On the other hand, if Wren wasn’t involved, you’d better believe she will be now.”
“What do you think, Rileau?” asked Shayna.
“Seneca has a valid point of view,” said Rileau. “Let us consider what we know about the ambush.”
They discussed the attack, the change of training sites, and probable motives. The discussion lingered until Shayna stopped contributing to the repetitive theories that were tossed about. She retreated into her own private thoughts. She crossed the room until she reached the window that allowed the most light into the room.
Thick gray clouds moved rapidly across the sky in large, ominous clusters. She wondered if rain would soon follow. The smell of the air and the crisp sensation of the breeze after a heavy storm were some of her favorite sensations. She followed the sway of the branches in a row of large aged trees in the distance. She watched the rhythm the wind created as it lifted dry leaves and twigs. It carried them high and swirled them around before depositing them across the flower garden and lush grass below. She believed it was a way of nature blending the various elements to expose them to new surroundings—much like what had happened with the four of them.
“We’re a lot like decorating,” Shayna whispered aloud.
Shayna scanned the grounds as the wind continued swirling and redesigning the landscape. She wanted to feel the breeze across her face to dry her tears. She opened the window slightly and took in the fragrance of the rose blossoms. They were losing their petals with each swell of the wind. Shayna wondered if Wren’s sister had liked flowers and which would have been her favorite. She was confused by the sorrow she felt for someone she didn’t know. This was a person who would have likely ended her life if she had been able. Wasn’t that what Lorikeet had been attempting? Shayna knew that Seneca and the others were right about defending themselves. Her intent had not been to kill, but death had been the outcome. She felt a heavy hand upon her shoulder. The familiar scent was unique only to him. She turned and looked up into Rileau’s brilliant green eyes. She tried hard to contain herself but buried her face into his chest and cried. Except for her weeping, there were no other sounds in the room. She shuddered slightly and exhaled. The tears subsided. She pulled away and dried her face with her sleeve. Rileau directed her to join the others, and she complied without complaint.
“Sorry, guys. I just feel really bad for what’s happened. Not just to Wren’s sister but to all of us. Look what we’ve been through. It’s a lot,” said Shayna.
“It is, but it’s just the beginning,” said Jake. He covered her in his arms and gave her a firm embrace before letting go.
“We’re going to have to deal with loss. It’s a war,” said Seneca somberly.
“True,” said Jake. “We just need to stick together and end this thing before more families lose the ones they care about.”
“Now you know why the Dominion of Four is so critical to our realm and all others. We must end this war and return the Otherworld to harmony,” Rileau stated raucously. “We cannot allow Brigara or her followers to gain access to the source of magic, as it will end our way of life and jeopardize the entire world.”
Jake felt uneasy, and from the expressions of the others, he could tell he wasn’t alone. They were already feeling the pressure of the prophecy. They were being groomed to be the saviors and protectors of the source of all magic.
“You do know this is a lot of pressure to dump on four inexperienced teenagers, right?” Jake said. “I think we would all agree that this is a crazy mess.”
“Yeah, like, times five thousand!” said Conner.
“Are we going to let that stop us? Joan of Arcadia was a teenager, and look what she accomplished!” said Shayna.
“You mean Arc,” said Jake.
“Who?”
“Joan of Arc. Oh, never mind. You’re right; we can do this,” replied Jake.
“We most certainly can. We have the magic from the crystals, and the prophecy says we can do it. Plus, we’ve got Rileau. I bet they don’t have a dragon—or do they?” asked Conner.
“No dragons would ever be swayed to follow Brigara,” Rileau sneered.
“We have to see this through, because so many are counting on us,” said Seneca. “Can we talk about Wren?”
“That is sound,” said Rileau. “Yes, we may discuss her.”
“In my opinion, Wren probably played a big part in their strategy,” said Shayna. “It makes me wonder if we can trust anything she taught us. Can we?”
“Great question!” yelled Conner. “She must have totally set up Seneca and Shayna to get ambushed. What if she trained them in a bunch of bogus stuff?”
“You defeated your attackers. Her training served you well,” said Rileau. “It would have been of benefit had you continued on the course of her guidance. The castle was an adequate training ground for you. Taking you away from its protection was not ideal, yet you proved your adaptability. This will serve you well when we are fully engaged in battle.”
“It sounds like you’re not completely convinced that she betrayed us,” said Jake.
“This is true. Her actions are questionable, but I have known her to be noble. We shall uncover her true allegiance, as I am quite sure our paths will cross,” said Rileau.
“We thought it was odd that she wasn’t at her house and that it was ransacked,” said Shayna. “I kept thinking that she was this badass fighter who would never let that happen.”
“Seems to me she just wanted to get you alone to play tag team with that other elf and the dupelene,” said Conner.
“Lorikeet didn’t stand a chance,” said Shayna. “Now that I think about it, I’ll bet it was Wren she was talking about. They underestimated how good I am with a sword.”
“Nope. I’m sure Wren didn’t consider that when she was making her plans. But I’m sure she’s not too happy about how you handled her sister either,” said Conner.
“I am not afraid!” Shayna yelled.
“We have to be careful. Their plan almost worked,” said Jake. “I’m glad you mastered your reflectoire and got us there in time to save Seneca, but we can’t get cocky.”
“Let us continue, as there is mu
ch to consider,” Rileau said.
A smoke cloud jetted from his nostrils. They knew it was a signal to stay on track. They agreed and began to rehash all they knew and what was still in question. They discussed what Wren had taught them and the areas she had avoided when questioned. The discussion continued for what seemed like hours, and they grew restless.
“It sounds like we’re at the stage to launch a plan, Rileau. They obviously have given their attacks some thought,” Jake said.
“But we’ve squashed their plans and tossed them away like yesterday’s dog droppings!” said Conner. He kicked up a knee and pumped his fists.
“That’s gross,” Shayna replied in a perturbed tone. “Use better analogies next time, please.”
“Ha! You said anal.” Conner snorted and laughed loudly.
“I did not!” Shayna huffed.
“Yeah, ya did!”
“Seriously, Conner, cut it out!”
“Hey, don’t get mad at me for your potty mouth!” His face turned crimson as he doubled over in laughter. Shayna stormed in his direction, but Jake cut her off and put his arms up to stop her advance.
“You two need to stop!” Jake called out. He wrestled Shayna’s arms to her sides as she made futile attempts to swing at Conner. “Enough! We obviously need a break and have been in this room way too long. Leave her alone, Conner; you don’t want her pulling out her sword.”
Conner eased away in retreat as he smirked with satisfaction. Shayna shook her fist in response as she pulled away from Jake.
“I think you’re right, Jake. Maybe we need a break,” Seneca said from across the room. She was nestled in a chair with her legs pulled in close. “Those two especially could use a time-out.”
“What do you think, Rileau?” Jake asked.
They waited for him to respond, but he remained silent. He remained motionless in front of the wide window that had a view of the lush garden below. Jake slowly approached him and stood by his side. He looked out to see what could have captured his attention, but all Jake could see was the vast landscape.
“Excuse me, Rileau,” Jake said. He paused and waited for a response or some sign of being heard, but nothing changed. He cleared his throat and tried again. “We were wondering if we should take a break or something. You know, like leave this room for a while.”
“We’ve gone over everything we can think of, but we keep getting stuck on Wren,” said Shayna. “What do we do?”
Rileau spun around and faced her. His green eyes bulged beneath his furrowed brow. She stumbled back in response.
“We must do what is necessary!” he roared. “You are undisciplined, the lot of you! You quibble about nonsense, and your attention wanes quicker than that of a newborn. What do you do, you ask? You do whatever is required to defeat Brigara! You want breaks, reprieves, and rest? Do you think she is resting? Do you think her followers are retreating to bask in leisure? They are not!”
He slammed his fist down on the arion-carved table, and it crumbled into a heap. He yanked the cords that held his cape secure and tossed the garment to the ground. Seneca climbed out of the chair and moved in closer. She tilted her head from one side to the other.
“Rileau, we are young, and because of that, we make more mistakes than we probably should,” said Seneca. Her voice was calm, and she smiled slightly. “Perhaps you weren’t prepared to train teenagers who have no idea of the Otherworld, but we need each other. We need your help and guidance, but we also need to rest, or we won’t be able to help anyone.”
“I know what you say is true, Seneca,” said Rileau. “However, you must all face the circumstances head-on and forge past the need for rest.” He gazed across the meticulous landscape. “Brigara’s followers will not rest. Their quest is to destroy the Dominion of Four, as you are all that stand in the way of their leader’s return.”
“Do you believe Wren is part of their plan?”
“We shall not dwell on Wren for now. Seneca, please continue to share your experience. I do believe there is much we can learn—unless, of course, you desire rest,” he said. His voice was matter-of-fact.
He eased away from the window and sat down in one of the wingback chairs. He crossed his legs and positioned his muscular upper limbs atop the armrests. His tail wrapped around his ankle and tapped the carpet. It drummed a beat similar to the tapping of one’s fingers in a display of impatience. He leaned back and waited for a reply.
“Sure. I mean, no, I don’t need rest. I’m fine,” said Seneca. Her voice was airy and didn’t show any sign of nervousness.
Jake glanced at her face to see if her eyes changed, but he didn’t detect any difference.
Seneca wasn’t accustomed to the new sound of her voice and found herself listening as much as the others as the sound lingered in the air.
“Please proceed,” Rileau replied.
She had much to tell and decided that jumping right in would be better than fixating on whatever Rileau was hiding about Wren. She climbed onto the large ottoman and immediately understood why Shayna favored it. It was like sitting on an overly stuffed down comforter. She scooted over to make room for Shayna. Jake opted to lean against the wall, and Conner decided to do the same.
Seneca filled them in on the condition of the house when she and Shayna had arrived. They’d thought the house was empty, but they’d decided to look around to be sure. She explained that she’d gone alone to one of the back rooms, while Shayna had searched other parts of the house. They’d worried that if Wren was there, whoever had trashed the place might have hurt her. She explained that she had gone to the rear of the house, and that was where she’d stumbled upon Brigara.
“But now we know it wasn’t her,” Conner said.
“Sure, but that was my assumption at the time,” replied Seneca. “I was startled and about to call for Shayna, but that’s when Brigara hurled her first fire sphere at my head.”
Seneca explained how she had instinctively shielded herself with her wings, which had acted as a shield of armor and covered her completely. She described how the wings had been able to sustain each hit without any damage. The pride in her voice was evident, and she described the way the experience had felt in detail. While she didn’t feel invincible, she was confident in knowing that she couldn’t be taken down easily.
“That’s awesome!” Conner said excitedly. He caught Rileau’s glare and eased back against the wall. “Sorry, Seneca. Keep going. What did the dupelene do next?”
“Dupelene? Yeah, right, but remember, I didn’t know at the time. I thought she was Brigara until we got to her shack of a house,” said Seneca. While her voice was light, there was intensity in her storytelling. She explained that after several strikes, she could feel the fire sphere’s impact waning and the frustration of the dupelene growing. Her muscles tensed as she recalled the encounter and the feelings of being helpless and terrified.
“She was using swear words I’d never heard before. That’s when she tackled me and started dragging me across the floor,” said Seneca. “I heard Shayna battling someone, but I was too afraid to scream. I thought it would distract Shayna. I also needed to focus on not letting my wings down.”
“I tried to reach you in time, but that elf—I mean, Lorikeet—came at me from behind,” Shayna said. She shook her head in an attempt to erase the gruesome battle. She didn’t want to dwell on it. She knew it was Seneca’s time to give her version of the events. Rileau’s grimace was also a reminder. “Sorry to interrupt,” said Shayna meekly.
Seneca picked up where she’d left off and explained that she’d feared becoming easy prey. “Fighting fire spheres is so out of my comfort zone. At that point, I was still uninjured, but I didn’t know what to do. Just when I thought she was out of firepower and I might have a chance to escape, she pulled me into that portal,” said Seneca. She leaned her head on Shayna’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, but
I didn’t know how to help you.”
“No need to be sorry. You did the right thing. I handled Lorikeet,” said Shayna as she wrapped her arms around Seneca. “She actually came in handy when it came to figuring out who’d snatched you.”
Seneca smiled and took a deep breath before continuing to recap what had transpired. Jake listened carefully, resisting the temptation to jump in with questions. He was curious about the portal and wondered how difficult portals were to conjure. The notion of moving from one place to another by magic fascinated him.
“The portal led us to that shabby house close to a cliff. It opened just outside of it, and she cursed when she realized she didn’t have the strength to drag me inside. She started ranting about her sacrifices and how she was owed for her loyalty. That’s when I figured out that she wasn’t Brigara. I saw my opening,” said Seneca. She raised her head and tightened her fist. Her emotions were connected to that moment.
“Whoa!” Conner shouted. “You actually fought her?”
“Yeah, I sure did,” said Seneca. “I kicked her right in the back, and she stumbled. I did a roundhouse kick that knocked her to the ground. I learned that from my Shayna.”
“Glad to hear you were paying attention,” Shayna said, smiling.
“That’s when I spread my wings and sent a gust of wind. It raised her high off the floor and then slammed her to the ground. I thought I had the best of her, until I found myself rising and hitting the ground too. I tried to recover, but before I knew what was happening, I was swirled up in a small hurricane and dumped in a tepid pool of water that reeked of manure.”
“Gross! That sounds really nasty,” said Shayna. “What did you do?”
“Up until then, I hadn’t realized what she was doing.”
“You surmised that she was jinxing your gifts by imitating everything you conjured,” Rileau said as he rocked in his chair. His tone indicated he was engrossed in every aspect of the story. His nostrils flared, and smoke filled the room. Conner and Jake made futile swipes through the air in an attempt to fan it way.