death!”
“We must,” Micah began, his brown eyes darting around the room for defense.
“If you place this girl in stasis, you will answer to me,” Mathew’s eyes grew darker, all traces of white gone from them.
“It wouldn’t matter anyway,” Mira announced. Her white eyes may be blinded to the world, but not to what resided within it. “Even in stasis, the child will not be safe.”
“What do you mean?” Mara asked, trying not to stare at Mathew.
“There are other creatures outside of our circle who wish her blood be spilled,” Mira answered. “If she is in stasis, poor Anna will have no way to flee and flee she must.”
“Why would she flee?” Mara asked. “She is safe in Meridelle; under careful protection of the Prince.”
“No, Mara,” Mira whispered. “Can’t you see?”
“We can’t see as you do, Mira.” Mathew answered. “What is it we are missing?”
“The Dark Guild is coming,” Mira warned.
“The Dark Guild is disbanded,” Micah waved off the concern, but Mara heard his voice shake.
The Dark Guild, a legendary group of magical beings obsessed with linking the worlds and reclaiming the ultimate power which once was, believed to have been lost at the time the worlds were split. They were never seen and rarely heard from, but their actions decimated the lives and happiness of many species during their time. There was no magic the Dark Guild did not have knowledge of and only a few they did not possess.
“No, they are not! And, you are foolish not to be afraid!” Mira shouted.
“What can we do?” Mara asked.
“Run, hide, send the child home,” Mira’s tone leveled, returning to her soft whisper.
“I’ve searched all over the realm,” Mara claimed. “There is no way.”
“There is always a solution,” Mira stated. “The Dark Guild would not be in such a hurry to reach the child if they did not know it.”
“You’re saying the Dark Guild knows a way to send the human back through the portal?” Mathew asked for clarification.
“How?” Mara asked excitedly, the prospect of being able to send Anna back to her family making her golden wings sparkle.
“The solution is hidden in the thoughts of the Dark Guild,” Mira spoke sadly. “I do not see it.”
“Then, we must find it,” Mara announced. “I will search again; question every creature I can find.”
“I’ll help,” Mathew volunteered. “I have contacts even you are not privy to. And, the site of the portal will need guarded. I will take my warriors there and wait for word.”
“Thank you,” Mara smiled up at him gratefully.
“You must hurry, Mara, and be careful. Dark forces are everywhere.” Mira’s eyes focused on Mara even though Mara knew she was not seen. “They will reach the child. And, when they do they will show no mercy. Not only will her blood be spilled, she will die by their hands.”
Mara sobered instantly, her blood chilling with the Fairy’s prediction. She nodded once, looking to Mathew for a moment before hastily exiting the hall. Mara had many lands to search and little time to do so. First, however, was back to Meridelle. Prince Char had to be warned; Anna was in danger.
***
The morning came with a fury. The wind blew violently, rocking boats in their moorings and slamming shutters against buildings. Dark gray clouds let loose a torrent of rain which had sensible townsfolk running for cover. Only one man, dressed in black, dared the elements. It wasn’t by choice Jake fought the weather. His patience washed away in the storm which raged for the better part of the night and he ached to land a fist against a deserving jaw. With a grin, Jake thought of which jaw he would choose.
The seedy bar was empty save for the drunken soul huddled in a back booth. Once again, Jake sat across from Andre Morrow. “You said a day, Andre,” Jake whispered menacingly, his voice punctuated by a crash of thunder. “It’s been a week. I want my information.”
A part of him
“We must,” Micah began, his brown eyes darting around the room for defense.
“If you place this girl in stasis, you will answer to me,” Mathew’s eyes grew darker, all traces of white gone from them.
“It wouldn’t matter anyway,” Mira announced. Her white eyes may be blinded to the world, but not to what resided within it. “Even in stasis, the child will not be safe.”
“What do you mean?” Mara asked, trying not to stare at Mathew.
“There are other creatures outside of our circle who wish her blood be spilled,” Mira answered. “If she is in stasis, poor Anna will have no way to flee and flee she must.”
“Why would she flee?” Mara asked. “She is safe in Meridelle; under careful protection of the Prince.”
“No, Mara,” Mira whispered. “Can’t you see?”
“We can’t see as you do, Mira.” Mathew answered. “What is it we are missing?”
“The Dark Guild is coming,” Mira warned.
“The Dark Guild is disbanded,” Micah waved off the concern, but Mara heard his voice shake.
The Dark Guild, a legendary group of magical beings obsessed with linking the worlds and reclaiming the ultimate power which once was, believed to have been lost at the time the worlds were split. They were never seen and rarely heard from, but their actions decimated the lives and happiness of many species during their time. There was no magic the Dark Guild did not have knowledge of and only a few they did not possess.
“No, they are not! And, you are foolish not to be afraid!” Mira shouted.
“What can we do?” Mara asked.
“Run, hide, send the child home,” Mira’s tone leveled, returning to her soft whisper.
“I’ve searched all over the realm,” Mara claimed. “There is no way.”
“There is always a solution,” Mira stated. “The Dark Guild would not be in such a hurry to reach the child if they did not know it.”
“You’re saying the Dark Guild knows a way to send the human back through the portal?” Mathew asked for clarification.
“How?” Mara asked excitedly, the prospect of being able to send Anna back to her family making her golden wings sparkle.
“The solution is hidden in the thoughts of the Dark Guild,” Mira spoke sadly. “I do not see it.”
“Then, we must find it,” Mara announced. “I will search again; question every creature I can find.”
“I’ll help,” Mathew volunteered. “I have contacts even you are not privy to. And, the site of the portal will need guarded. I will take my warriors there and wait for word.”
“Thank you,” Mara smiled up at him gratefully.
“You must hurry, Mara, and be careful. Dark forces are everywhere.” Mira’s eyes focused on Mara even though Mara knew she was not seen. “They will reach the child. And, when they do they will show no mercy. Not only will her blood be spilled, she will die by their hands.”
Mara sobered instantly, her blood chilling with the Fairy’s prediction. She nodded once, looking to Mathew for a moment before hastily exiting the hall. Mara had many lands to search and little time to do so. First, however, was back to Meridelle. Prince Char had to be warned; Anna was in danger.
***
The morning came with a fury. The wind blew violently, rocking boats in their moorings and slamming shutters against buildings. Dark gray clouds let loose a torrent of rain which had sensible townsfolk running for cover. Only one man, dressed in black, dared the elements. It wasn’t by choice Jake fought the weather. His patience washed away in the storm which raged for the better part of the night and he ached to land a fist against a deserving jaw. With a grin, Jake thought of which jaw he would choose.
The seedy bar was empty save for the drunken soul huddled in a back booth. Once again, Jake sat across from Andre Morrow. “You said a day, Andre,” Jake whispered menacingly, his voice punctuated by a crash of thunder. “It’s been a week. I want my information.”
A part of him
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