Page 16 of Rising Out of the Darkness
“I agree. When the blast hit me, I felt like it tangled around my own dynamis before tearing back out of me.” I sighed. “There are too many strange and evil things rising in this kingdom. I feel like I’m drowning just trying to keep up.”
The two men next to me nodded solemnly in agreement. It had been a long twenty-three years since my mother and brother were murdered. Some days, it felt like we would never get closer to fulfilling our goal, no matter how hard we kept pushing forward.
Liam squeezed my shoulder. “I think it’s time Declan. We’ve been trying for several years, but I think it’s time we finally head to Oria.”
“I agree,” Killian said beside me. “We can continue our efforts from there. You know Clara is so close to discovering a cure.”
“You’ve sacrificed enough, and you’ve tried valiantly for years, Declan, but we all know the time for your father to change has passed.”
Truth ran rampant inside my head. I knew they were right, but I was still dangerous. I couldn’t imagine what would happen if I were to leave. “I can’t leave yet. I—I just don’t trust myself.” The words left my mouth on a breath, as I watched both men lower their heads.
“We will follow you, brother, whatever decision you make.” Liam patted my back and returned to preparing his horse for the journey back to Vrine.
The City of Shadows. Once my sanctuary, now more like my prison.
I opened my mouth to reply when the flap of wings hovered around us. A raven circled above. Extending my arm, I gave it a place to land.
I unraveled the scroll attached to its leg and handed the raven over to Killian. When I scanned over the contents of the correspondence, anxiousness coiled around my stomach and my jaw clenched.
“What is it, Dec? What’s wrong?” asked Killian.
I handed the scroll over to him. His eyes widened as he read. Liam extended his hand towards Killian, taking the note from him after he was done.
We stood in silence until Liam finished. He brushed his palm over his face as I sighed deeply.
“That town…and that last name, Morrigan? That can’t be Warren’s daughter, can it?” Killian asked behind me as I grabbed a quill and ink from the depths of my satchel. With a huff, I strode over to a boulder and scribed out a response.
The men stood patiently behind me as I finished the response to my father and attached it back onto the raven Killian was holding before I answered his question.
“It’s his daughter,” I breathed as I watched the raven take flight north, back towards the capital.
“Well, this changes a lot of things,” Liam said, handling the parchment back to me, worry lines etched into his forehead.
“Indeed, it does,” I said. “Although, I think this might change things for the better for us.”
Liam stared long and hard into my eyes before he finally nodded in agreement.
“Alright gentlemen,” I shouted, making sure I had the attention of all my guard. “Change of plans. We now have a Light Phoenix to acquire. Saddle up, and let’s head out.”
Chapter 7
Elena
The warmth of the daylight over my face awoke me from my deadened slumber. Shining light filtered through a sliver of a window at the top of the room, illuminating the cold, stone walls that surrounded me.
As my eyes further adjusted, I realized this wasn’t a room. Thick iron bars had replaced the door and one of the walls. It was barren besides the cot that I was lying in, sending shivers down my spine.
An ache throbbed inside my head. Instinctually, I lifted my palm to rub the ache and was confused by the heaviness of my wrist. Shackles circled around my wrists.
Iron, to inhibit the use of magical powers.
“Hells!” The room rattled with the sounds of my frustrated snarl and the clank of the heavy chain binding my wrists.
Memories began to rush back as I flashed back to what had happened before I blacked out—screaming, glowing, then total darkness. Scorch marks adorned the edges of my dress.
No wonder I was tied up. They feared me.
Boots shifted against the floor of the other cell. A body slumped against the bars in the corner, fingers running through familiar honey-blond locks.
