Page 4 of Kingdoms of Tides and Twilight

Renya had never wanted to accept the destiny of being the light bringer, but at this point, her second time being captured within two days, she wished the role came with power. She was tired of being pushed around, bound and silenced. She was finished with things being done to her.

Renya vowed that if she managed to get out of this mess, she would never allow anyone to use her again.

Cressida stood over a large cauldron and passed her hands over it. Brandle drew some ingredients from his robes and dumped them in. Bright orange flames erupted from the cauldron, swirling and hissing in the thick air.

“Will the power source be enough to draw from?” Brandle asked, glancing up at the rock slab.

“It should be more than adequate,” Cressida responded, the fire illuminating the snakes on her crown, their eyes seeming to glow.

Brandle was silent as he watched the flames lick the bottom of the giant cauldron. Renya wondered if they brought it here with them before retrieving her from the portal, or if it was left here long ago. It looked as ancient as the daunting rocks standing beside it.

“It’s ready,” Cressida said, eyes gleaming with excitement. The flames in the cauldron went out instantly and Brandle reached in, pulling out a handful of golden ashes. He placed them in a small urn and passed them to Cressida. She grabbed the container, her blood red nails glistening as she looked inside.

“Sion!” Cressida bellowed. “Pull back her filthy hair.”

Confusion came over Renya. Her hair? What did they want with her hair?

Sion walked over and moved her hair, damp with sweat, away from the nape of her neck. The Shadow Queen approached Renya’s back, and she suddenly felt naked under her scrutiny. Cressida traced the line of freckles along Renya’s back with her pointed nail and Renya’s head exploded with pain.

“Is it what you thought, my queen?” Brandle asked, sauntering past the cauldron to gawk at Renya’s neck.

The Shadow Queen turned her stare from Renya to Brandle. “It is,” she said, her eyes wide with exuberance. “She’s locked, just as I suspected. In order to claim what’s rightfully mine, I’ll unlock her. We’ll only have a few minutes to act once the power has been severed.”

Brandle nodded his understanding and pulled out a tiny stone box from his pocket. It was covered with shimmering runes and tiny images of the sun. Renya could feel the importance it held just by looking at it. It reminded her of a field trip she’d taken in high school to the Getty Center to see one of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings. The entire class had fallen into a hush as they squeezed around the painting of purple irises. The same silence seemed to settle around the jungle the second Brandle withdrew the container from its hiding spot.

“I’m ready,” he said, breaking the silence and glancing at Renya.

“Sion, hold the girl still. Once the power has been freed, the shadow bonds holding her will break. The timing of this needs to be perfect. If we don’t make the transfer quickly, all will be lost.”

Sion nodded and came over to Renya, wrapping his arms around her. While Cressida and Brandle conferred, Sion whispered into Renya’s ear. “Listen closely. We have one shot at this. The second you feel your power flow, pull it inside, as quickly as you can.”

“What?” Renya whispered frantically, “I don’t know what you're talking about.”

Cressida and Brandle finished their conversation and Sion went quiet. Renya was confused. What did Sion mean about her power? She had no power. How was she supposed to pull something inside she didn’t possess?

The Shadow Queen crossed back behind Renya, hardly bothering to acknowledge her. She was only interested in the patch of freckles along Renya’s neck. Renya could feel her intense stare before she blew the golden ashes against Renya’s neck.

Renya grew hot all over the second the ashes touched her. Heat bloomed from her neck and something inside her clicked. Her freckles. They weren’t normal. The heat she felt from them since coming into this world…it meant something.

Cressida pressed her fingers against her neck and they felt like white-hot knives against Renya’s skin. Then, all at once, she felt something move within her body. Warm tremors coursed through her skin, and she felt like everything was being pulled in the direction of the freckles on her neck. It started in her fingers and toes, and all rushed to that concentrated spot, like a dam about to burst.

“It’s working!” the Shadow Queen shouted excitedly. Brandle clapped his hands and watched Renya closely with his beady, charcoal eyes. Renya wanted to close her eyes against the sensation, but she heard Sion whisper to her, barely audible and hardly moving his lips. She thought he said to pull. Yes, that was what he said. And then he began counting, his breath hot against her ear. 10, 9, 8…

“Ready the vessel!” Cressida shouted. Brandle opened the carved stone box and approached Renya.

A thundering noise assaulted Renya’s ears. She wasn’t sure if the noise was coming from inside of her or not. But she could hear Sion continuing to count in her ear. 7, 6, 5…

It felt like an explosion was going to occur at the base of Renya’s neck. Sion continued his near silent counting while Renya tried to prepare herself. 4, 3, 2, 1…

White-hot light erupted from Renya’s neck. Golden rays burst through the palm trees before concentrating in a tiny ball, floating in the air between Renya and the box Brandle held. They all cast their glances downward, protecting their eyes from the ball of power that burned brighter than the sun.

“Now!” Cressida shouted frantically and Brandle moved towards the physical manifestation of Renya’s magic, opening the lid of the box. The golden orb slowly started to head towards it.

Renya looked back at Sion, and he nodded. He let go of her and pretended to fall backwards. Renya had no idea what she was doing, but she focused on the bright light and tried to imagine it coming towards her. The ball of magic continued its slow trail towards Brandle’s outstretched arms. It was almost to the top of his hands. Renya shut her eyes and as if by instinct, she felt the warmth of the orb radiate to a place inside her. She felt where her magic belonged and concentrated on that feeling, her body getting warmer and warmer.

“What’s happening?” Cressida said, looking between Brandle and the floating orb that had stopped moving in his direction. She glanced at Renya and saw her eyes closed, almost as if in a trance. “Get up and grab her!” she yelled at Sion, realizing too late what was happening.

Cressida went to move forward from where she sought shelter at the mouth of the cave, but at that moment Renya started to seize, shaking. She threw everything she had at capturing that little ball of magic. She thought of how desperate Grayden had looked when he explained how he was losing his magic and unable to save his lands. She pictured him in front of Cressida in the Sunset Land, begging for Renya’s life. She thought of the nightmare dungeon and the horrors she had endured there. And finally, she remembered the agony of being ripped away from Grayden, only to be captured once again. Her fury rose and her determination tripled.

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