Page 3 of Hidden Kingdoms

“Yes, I can see it is a rock,” he ground out, his tight hold on himself threatening to unravel the longer we were here.

“Well done,” she condescended, eyes sparkling with glee at the tick of his jaw. “Thatrockwill help you find your answer. Though you must imbue it with power. Charge it up if you will.”

“I can do that.” I nod at her, reaching for the rock clutched in his hand, glad to finally have some direction.

“No.” Her voice rings out sharp, firm and final. “Him.” She pointed a dirty finger and I dropped my hand.

Softer she added, “Your time will come, pretty one.”

I decided not to push for more on that ominous forecast, instead focusing on the dirty stone he was slowly turning over as if the answers would be written on it.

“What does it do?”

“I’m sure two big boys such as yourselves can figure it out.”

Standing from her seat she wandered close to the fire, the knees of her dress covered in mud. Leaning down, she shoved her hand into a small pot that had definitely not been there a moment ago. Removing her clenched fist, a black sand-like substance fell through her fingers. Before I could comprehend her intentions, she flicked her hand at the fire, sending the grit into the flames. They roared at its presence, pulsing into the room in an explosion of heat. Lurching away from them I banged hard into the jagged walls.

But Bas didn’t move; the flames held no fear for him. I saw the twist of his hand at his side and then I saw the hard edge to his features as the fire failed to abide his magik, continuing to lick at the exposed walls.

Nova’s cackle rang through the space, a harsh sound that carried a delight at his failure. The taste of her magik sucked from the room as the flames dropped to nothing but smouldering ashes, and we were left standing in this empty room with nothing but a rock and a prophecy etched into our minds.

1

CHAPTER ONE

ELODIE

The warmth from the fire washed over me, my mind drifting away from the cosy, overstuffed armchair I was sitting in. The heat of its caress replaced by a warm breeze ruffling through my hair, bringing with it the sweet smell of honeysuckle.

I found myself in a large, circular clearing; wildflowers of every colour filled the ground around me with an abundance of trees ringing its edge. Different from the rest and directly ahead of me was a single large willow tree, its long, leafy branches stretching out in all directions, casting dappled shadows onto the small pond it stood beside. Its graceful reeds dipping into the still water without casting a single ripple. Something small tugged deep in my heart as I looked at it, a familiar hum of energy running through my fingers. I clenched my fist against it, my nails digging into my skin. My gold rings clinked together lightly; the sound amplified by the quiet of the clearing.

There was a faint light emitting from the depths of the pond, growing stronger the longer I looked until the entire surface of the water was covered in a soft glow.

Where in the gods was I?

This wasn’t anywhere near Nanna Alba’s house. A buzz from the bees dipping in and out of the flowers caught my attention, their fluffy bodies covered in yellow dust ready to take back to their hives. As I watched, the gentle hum of their wings turned to a crackle, the crackle to a roar that could have nothing to do with the beating of tiny wings.

I spun on my heels, eyes darting towards a huge oak tree standing sentinel, as a fiery blaze spread from the large trunk up into its aged boughs that reached up higher than any of the others, burning with a sudden ferocity that I could feel from where I stood.

It raced along the branches, consuming all in its path, leaping around the clearing onto the other trees and burning everything it touched in a way that was definitely not natural. Heat smothered the space, tendrils of smoke that made my eyes water and my lungs burn with every breath.

I felt the tug in my heart again—stronger this time—and my hands were vibrating with the energy that was now pulsing through them. Angry orange flames leapt from tree to tree with impossible speed until it began moving around the sides of the clearing following the curve of the meadow. Slowly I turned, unable to look away as the fire walled me in, lighting the branches that ringed the space until both sides clashed together, culminating at the willow tree before finally merging into a complete, fiery circle.

As the rope-like fronds that decorated the willows boughs began to burn, a line of fire broke off carving a fiery path straight through the flowers I was surrounded by. Their destination was clear, and my heart pounded painfully in my chest as I watched it consume everything it touched.

Coloured petals of doomed flowers evaporating into puffs of ash as though they were never there to begin with. I tried to move, but my feet were rooted to the spot. Terror rose inside meas the fire gained ground, growing in speed with every bloom it devoured. Faster and faster the flames jumped forward to lick their way up my body?—

2

CHAPTER TWO

ELODIE

“Elodie, are you listening?” Nanna Alba’s voice broke through my consciousness, interrupting the flames that had been winding their way up my legs as I blinked back at her in surprise.

“Of course!” I shot back, chancing a look at my legs just to check they weren’t actually of fire. The fear I had just felt so vividly slowly withdrew from my body as I took in my surroundings, though my heart continued to race as I glanced over at the fireplace, scooting the armchair away from it a few inches and hoping she wouldn’t notice.

Grateful that they were no longer buzzing with energy, I flexed my hands in my lap, twisting the golden bands that I wore on my wrist.

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