Page 18 of The Court of Secrets
“The darkness,” I whispered. “It lives in me.”
His response surprised me more than anything else. “It’s meant to.”
I raised my eyebrows. “How? What?”
“It’s part of the plan. Trust the plan.”
“I don’t want to go back.” I smiled. “I want to stay here with you. I miss you.”
“I miss you too, but Magaelor needs you. I’m proud of how far you’ve come. In time, all of this will make sense.”
“That day better come soon, because right now I’m as confused as ever.”
“It’s called being human.”
I smirked. “I can’t get over that you are standing here. I wish I could hug you.”
“I will offer you one piece of advice before you go.”
“Yes.” I gripped my staff. “Anything.”
He looked nervous. It flashed across his normally calm expression. He looked behind him as if looking at someone I couldn’t see. “My sister.” He hovered his hands over my shoulders, an invisible barrier separating us. The peace I’d seen in his stare was gone, replaced by pain. My eyebrows furrowed.
“Please trust my words,” he said quickly, panicked in his breathing. “Kill Vahaga, then destroy this pl−”
He was ripped from me, pulled into an abyss I couldn’t reach. His last words lingered in my ears. I remained rooted to the spot, crying. “André?” I cried, but only the spring breeze answered, dancing through my hair and chilling the coldness of the water on my skin.
I stayed there for a few minutes, staring at the empty space where my brother had been. What did he mean? Destroy what? Kill Vahaga. My stomach twisted. I slowly climbed out of the water, grabbing a jagged rock as I did for support. Still trying to make sense of what had happened, I looked up.
“Majesty,” Vahaga called over the babbling waters. “Do you need aid?” His lips were pulled into an uncertain frown. Vahaga averted his gaze. I was glad. My white undergarments were slick against my skin from the water, leaving nothing to the imagination.
I managed my way up the bank, where one of the priestesses was waiting with an oversized robe. “Put this on, Your Majesty.” She spoke softly. They’d come prepared. Pulling on the robe, I shuddered.
He turned around. “What did they say? Who was your guide?” His stony eyes froze my words. “Tell me.”
André had said to kill him, then he was dragged away from me. Perhaps he wasn’t meant to tell me. If that were true, then André had taken a risk. My heart hammered. I wasn’t sure I could do it, not after I’d murdered my father. But my brother said to trust his words, and I did. I loved my brother.
“It was my father,” I lied. “He said he was proud of me.” I wondered how they couldn’t see him or hear me, but then, perhaps a spirit guide’s apparition was only visible to the person whose guide it was.
“Ah.” He gripped his staff, which held the most beautiful amethyst I’d ever seen embedded into the top, where the wood met his hand.
“How didn’t you see him?” I questioned.
“The river is separated from the living, acting as a veil. It’s a meeting ground, therefore when you entered, we couldn’t see or hear you.”
“Ah.” That made sense. It was only when I’d already climbed out that I could hear Vahaga asking me if I’d needed help.
“Did he say anything else?”
I regarded him carefully. “No.”
“Then why were you crying?” Suspicion crowned his eyes.
“I missed him. I couldn’t believe he was there, talking to me.” It was half-true, except about thewhopart.
He didn’t look convinced. “We will pay tribute to the ancestors’ graves, then head back to the castle.”
Early morning moved into late morning as we trudged through the forest. I couldn’t wait to return. I wanted to tell Cedric everything, especially about André suggesting killing Vahaga. In life, he’d never have condoned murder in cold blood, but in death, he was different—wiser, knowing. I wished I could go back and see him, but something about his exit from me told me that wouldn’t be possible. I took comfort in his promise that he was with me when I needed him, even if I couldn’t see or hear him. I smiled to myself, feeling warm in the knowledge that my brother was okay, even if he was dead.
