Chapter Twenty-Nine

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Chapter Twenty-Nine

I tumbled down into the darkness that sucked me in like a ravenous beast. The earthen tunnel collided into my body as I went over and over…

Until I was falling.

I cried out, but my voice was cut off by the cold liquid that engulfed me. I thrashed wildly, searching for a foothold in the water, but everything was dark. I could see nothing, and I could only feel the frigid, slick water against my skin.

Suddenly, my feet found the ground and I propelled myself upward with what little strength I had left. I gasped for air when I broke the surface. Moonlight streamed down from various cracks in the ceiling of the tunnel. It was the same shaft I had entered when Nezira was taken to the guillotines. I pushed myself over the edge of the water channel and forced the water from my lungs.

I was a sopping mess. The skirt of my sleeveless crimson dress was ripped in half and covered in mud. My hair was an unbounded, tangled mess, and my bare knees were knocking together from the cold. As a plus, my shoes were missing.

And Titus…

Royal on both sides.

It didn’t make sense—it wasn’t possible. Titus couldn’t be the Sylph Queen’s son. She was the ruler of all the nymphs. All the female nymphs. Male nymphs didn’t exist. But he said he was her son. Why would he lie to me?

I shook my head to clear it all away. Titus and Mayra made a sacrifice. I would escape through the hole in the tunnel like last time. I would run away. I would alert Natz. Alert Aria. Save them…

I sobbed on the ground, pounding it with my fist in frustration. I could do nothing. Even if I did alert someone—even if I alerted Aria—it would be too late. Therin would take Titus and Mayra would be killed.

I had never felt so powerless before. I had never had such a reason to want power before.

And I had failed. I had failed to obtain that power. The spirit rejected me after I summoned it.

I was unworthy. Unworthy of power. Unworthy of everything.

If I couldn’t even protect those I cared about, why was I on this planet in the first place?

“Are you done now?”

Despite myself, I jumped at the melodic voice that sounded from the water. I looked over to see the dark-skinned naiad, her jade eyes narrowed in anger. It made sense now—these were the underground tunnels that connected the two lakes to each other.

But I didn’t bother to move from the channel’s edge. She could drown me if she wanted to. I didn’t care anymore.

She brought her face up next to me, probably preparing to grab my arm. What she said next confused me. “I have never been so ashamed to see a human crying.”

Ashamed?

“You are supposed to be one of the four Harbingers,” she snapped, leaning a hand on the stone floor and bringing herself up to face me directly. “You are supposed to save this world. Why do you weep when the Drakain is present within this castle? You have the power to defeat him.”

How did she know Therin was here? “No,” I said weakly, “I don’t. I can’t even summon the spirit.”

She bared her fangs at me and grabbed my bodice, pulling me to meet her eyes. “If you do not defeat him,” she growled, “our Queen will be in danger. And if that happens, I will kill you myself.”

“Go ahead!” I was angry with her now. How could she expect so much of me? I just told her I couldn’t summon the spirit! “I can’t defeat Therin.”

The naiad took her other hand and slapped me across the face. I gaped at her as she hissed, “Stop it!” Her harmonious voice was high-pitched and tinged with anger. “Your self-pity enrages me! The moment I discovered you were a Harbinger,” she said, “I knew there was hope. There is hope in you, Harbinger! You must defeat Therin. There is no other way.”

I didn’t realize it before, but the naiad was shaking—not with anger, but with fear. I saw the lines of anxiety etched into her dark, pristine skin. The wild look of terror in her eyes. “What are you afraid of?” The question burst from my mouth unexpectedly and I cringed back when I saw her fearsome look.

“What do you think?” She gripped my dress tightly. “When Therin brings my queen’s son to her forest, he will obtain the most powerful Harbinger—more powerful even than you.”

Even the Sylph Queen recognized their power. Kasib’s words pierced through my mind. “What are you talking about?”

“He will exchange your prince for that Harbinger!” She was yelling now. Her voice was harsh with malice. “And then he will destroy the forest and every one of my sisters in it.”

“But he’s not that powerful!” My heart was pounding against my chest. None of this made sense. Why would Therin want this Harbinger so much that he would go to such great lengths?

“That Harbinger is more powerful than you will ever know.” There was a darkness that overcame her face. “If Therin obtains that power, then it is over. Etheia will be in the hands of that Drakain.”

Something stirred within me. There was a deep anger—an anger that did not belong to me. A righteous anger I did not understand.

I took both of my hands and slammed my palms on my cheeks. Hard. They burned from the pain, but I needed to snap out of it. I needed to save Titus.

“Okay,” I said to the naiad. “What do I need to do?”

                                                 ————————

“THIS IS NOT WHAT I—”

My scream was cut from my throat as water enveloped me and surged into the dirt tunnel above.

Apparently, naiads could control water, too. And as the water carried me through the tunnels at racing speed, I almost felt grateful for the naiad despite everything she had done to me.

But I didn’t have time to feel grateful.

I collided with the little black door; it was no match for the water pressure, so it burst open, spewing me onto the marble flooring of the throne room.

Oh, but it didn’t stop there.

The water kept going. And I slid like I was on ice toward the dais. I pushed at the platform just in time to divert my progress. This, unfortunately, propelled me around the dais until I was in front of it. Therin was standing before Titus, his metal tail raised in preparation to strike. Mayra was crumpled in a heap near the dais, unmoving.

The Drakain’s moss green eyes widened when he saw me. But it didn’t last for long.

Titus hurled himself at the creature, bearing his sword down violently on the glistening metal scales. The impact rattled my jaw, but I ignored the pain.

Because I could only stare at Titus.

His amber irises glowed with an otherworldly light as he fought. There was something about his face, something ethereal and beautiful. It shone with a brilliant light, as if the sun illuminated his skin.

It was then that I fully realized the truth: Titus really was the Sylph Queen’s son.

The Drakain’s gaze made Titus look at me. He gaped, although I couldn’t tell if it was horror because I was there or confusion as to why I was there.

A sly grin crossed Therin’s face; he took that moment to strike at a distracted Titus. I could do nothing but watch as Therin launched his metallic tail at Titus’ chest. The prince flew, landing with a sickening thud against the dais.

“Titus!” I cried, only to find my voice echo louder than I had intended. Therin’s attention diverted to me.

“How many times do I have to tell you weaklings?” he snapped. “You will not stop me from taking what’s mine.”

And with that, he lunged at Titus and wrapped him in a metal embrace. Titus was barely coherent, though he managed to yell angrily. He thrashed in Therin’s grip, but it was all useless as the Drakain carried him to the doors.

I stumbled to my feet and told him to stop, but the only thing that came out was a strangled cry. I could do nothing but watch as Therin dragged the Crown Prince away from me.

“Goodbye, Harbinger,” Therin said. “Next time I see you, I will claim that spirit inside of you.”

Spirit

inside

of

you.

The words reverberated in my mind, bouncing off recesses that held all of my fear and anger. And the darkness. So much darkness. I was afraid. Terrified.

And that brought memories long buried. Long forgotten.

Lannie, Mother’s voice was clear, dare to have courage in the face of darkness.

Titus gave me a fleeting look as Therin carried him away. It was not one of fear, anger, or hatred. He gave me a sad smile.

“Goodbye, Lannie,” he mouthed.

And I acted.

“Spirit!” I yelled, feeling my voice resound through the vast room. “Awaken!”

This time, there was no darkness. No hatred. I only felt the strong, desperate desire to save those I cared about.

And that, it seemed, was exactly what the spirit approved of.

The room before me was engulfed in blinding sunlight. A being made of azure phosphorescence brightened Therin’s shocked expression as he dropped the prince on the marble flooring.

The spirit raised a hand and sent Titus sliding across the ground until he was out of reach. I covered my mouth with one hand as the shock set in.

This creature—this beautiful, human-like spirit—was inside of me?

I would have fainted had Therin not been there.

The spirit turned her almond-shaped eyes on me; they were blue with flecks of ivory starlight within them. “I was wondering when you would finally snap out of it, Brackenbury.”

What did she mean by that?

“My, my…” Therin’s voice broke the trance that the spirit’s voice cast. “Eden, how—”

The spirit abruptly whirled on Therin, her long dark hair flying with her. “Do not speak my name, filth!” she spat, hair flinging in every direction as if it were made of air. Eden’s green apparel exposed her midriff, though the skirt she wore reached her ankles. She looked like a Norian woman—the telltale jewel on her forehead and her olive skin made it clear she was from Nor. But what was a Norian spirit doing in Aria? In me?

“And still as vulgar as ever, I see.” Although it wasn’t apparent, the Drakain seemed nervous. His face was tinted with anxiety. It was almost as if Eden were stronger than him—and that any move he made could be fatal.

“Silence.” Her voice shook the very floor with its power. “An Exile should not speak to one such as I. Leave at once.”

Eden raised her hand as if to strike him with an invisible force, but Therin backed away immediately. His fangs were bared, his metallic serpent tail whipping angrily. “You will pay for this, Elemental!” he screeched before he flew out the throne room doors.

The next words that came out of his mouth made my skin crawl. “This isn’t the end, Harbinger!” His voice echoed eerily through the halls. “I will have the power of that spirit—and one day, Etheia will be mine.”

And he was gone just like that.

                                                 ————————

A/N: Thank you everyone for all of the wonderful words you've had about Seize the Day. They make me smile, laugh, and tear up. I am so blessed to have such amazing people reading my work.

The last chapter will be Chapter 30!

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