The glass bubble sealed and filled itself up with the same clear liquid as before, which appeared out of nowhere. Abrille tried to keep her head above the surface for as long as she could, but it eventually swallowed her. She choked, but then she breathed again, once more readjusting to the strange liquid.
She knocked on the glass, moving her lips, but I couldn’t understand what she was saying anymore.
“Your reputation was soiled the moment you turned against your people,” I said to Azazel. “Don’t think I agree with anything that you do. Don’t think I don’t see you’re capable of horrific crimes. You’ve been committing them daily against the people of Eritopia for centuries. I’m only doing this to survive.”
He scoffed then waved me away with a hand gesture.
“Go on, move along, then,” he replied. “Damion will take you on a tour of the castle, after which you’ll be left to concentrate on your visions. I’m expecting results within the next moon.”
He gave me a smirk, then shifted his focus on Abrille, gazing at her as she continued to knock desperately on the glass after me, before the liquid finally put her to sleep. Her consciousness seemed to depend on Azazel’s whims. Be good, he let you stay awake. Be bad, and you went under.
I shrugged and walked away, ready to hurl everything I’d managed to eat at the sight of him. Damion waited patiently on the edge, his hands behind his back as he watched me approach him.
“He’s easily offended,” he muttered as he motioned for me to go down the stairs first.
“If only he could be easily killed, too,” I muttered back.
Damion didn’t reply, but the look he gave me seemed to be one of sympathy and understanding. I had a feeling that Aida was on to something when she’d said he had a soft spot for me. I needed to reach out to her as soon as possible and see if she or Phoenix could tell me more about Damion’s other friends, the young Druids that had escaped to Marton’s desert.
In the meantime, however, I braced myself for a tour of the castle, hoping I’d convince Damion to show me the dungeons. I had a Lamia to rescue.
Aida
I wanted to check in on Vita as soon as the morning came and I woke up alone in our bed. I was worried about her, the reason I’d only caught a couple of hours’ sleep. I washed my face and went outside, deciding I’d settle under one of the magnolia trees and try to reach out to her like I’d done yesterday.
Destroyers were lurking beyond the shield, as usual, so I chose one of the more secluded spots behind the mansion where I couldn’t see them, hidden behind a throng of large green ferns. I took a few deep breaths and tried to tune everything out again, but it didn’t work.
I was exhausted, and, despite multiple attempts, I couldn’t clear my mind completely. I’d exerted myself the day before with visions and my first contact with Vita. I sighed and leaned my back against the magnolia tree, looking around for nothing in particular.
An hour later, I decided I’d give it another shot in the evening. I needed to know she was still okay. Worry ate away at me. I couldn’t sit still anymore. I couldn’t leave the protective shield either, so I went for a stroll around the mansion.
I found Anjani, Aura, and Almandine out on the front lawn, training for combat. Both young succubi were throwing kicks and punches, trying to hit Anjani in vital points, but she expertly dodged and blocked all of them, smirking just to get them riled up.
“You’re not focusing enough,” she said. “You have to hit me with your heart, not your body.”
The girls grunted and went for another round. This time, Almandine managed to get Anjani’s side with a high leg kick.
I felt my muscles twitching. I hadn’t trained in a while, and my body seemed to need it. It was a good way to keep my mind off Vita, Serena, and Jovi for a while since my Oracle abilities were a little tapped out.
“Can I join you?” I asked, walking toward them.
The succubi stopped, then looked at me and smiled. Anjani extended her arms as a welcoming gesture.
“Of course,” she said, then turned to Aura and Almandine. “You two practice what you’ve learned today and take turns in attack and defense, okay?”
The teenagers nodded and moved over to another patch to give us room for our training session. We circled each other for a few minutes, analyzing our strengths and weaknesses. Given her relationship with my brother, I felt this was a good time for a little bonding and figuring out what her intentions were. Jovi had told me everything, but I needed to do my own “sister” thing.
“When is the last time you trained?” she asked.
“Too long, given the circumstances, but I’m good,” I replied. “I can hold my own.”
“I have no doubts about that. I just want to know so I can hold myself back. The last thing I want to do is hurt you.”
She made me grin. I liked her. She had spunk.
“Don’t worry about me. I grew up with fighters like Jovi, Phoenix, and Field. You won’t bring me down easily,” I said.
She nodded her approval then came straight at me. I swiftly dodged the first round of attacks, a series of punches and low kicks that I blocked intuitively. My breathing was getting heavy, though.
By the time the second round came, my moves had gotten slower. She seized the opportunity, bringing her knee into my stomach and throwing me off my feet. I landed backward, then jumped back up.
The adrenalin kicked in, and I channeled my inner-wolf for some heightened senses. I liked starting my fights as humanly as possible to get a feel for my opponent’s capabilities. Now that I had a better idea of Anjani’s fighting style, I could show her mine.
I moved around, looking for an opening. I sent a right hook out to distract her. It worked as she raised her forearms to block it, giving me the split second I needed to launch a side kick and knock the air out of her lungs.
I stepped back as she coughed and laughed at the same time.
“Okay, I see I underestimated your strength, but your stamina needs working on,” she gasped.
“I don’t like to be in a fight for too long,” I replied. “I usually go for the kill straight away, get it over with.”
“That will not work with someone as strong as you, or stronger,” Anjani said, then came at me with a flurry of strategically placed punches and kicks.
She got my ribs and neck twice on one side before I charged her, ramming my shoulder into her stomach and throwing her on the ground. We wrestled until she squirmed her way on top, catching me in a head lock.
“When you’re dealing with someone who can take what you’re dishing and give you more in return,” she said, her breath ragged, “you need to hold on and take them for a longer ride. You need the stamina to bring your adversary to the point where—“
I interrupted her when I managed to knock her with my elbow hard enough to push her off the knee she’d been supporting her weight on. I quickly turned over and wrestled her again. This time, I was the one to catch her in a choke hold.
She slapped the ground a couple of times, yielding.
I let go and stood up, offering her my hand. She smiled and took it, pulling herself up.
“To the point where they get tired or distracted enough to give you the window you need to knock them out with one smart move, is what I was trying to say,” she laughed lightly.
“You’re insanely good at this,” I nodded my appreciation.
I was telling the truth. I’d gotten lucky with that elbow. Otherwise, I would’ve had to yield. Anjani was strong, fast, and well taught. I could only imagine how deadly Hansa could be if her sister was already so dangerous.
“You’re fearsome as well,” Anjani replied. “Great technique. I can tell you’ve dealt with larger opponents before.”
“Oh, you have no idea,” it was my turn to laugh, remembering all the times that Jovi and Phoenix had knocked the lights out of me before I figured out how to hold my own.
“Should we go again?” she asked. “I’d like to build up
your elbow jabs. You’re onto something there, but you can do better. I am sure of it.”
“Turn my elbows into killing machines? Sure, why not!” I giggled.
Movement at the corner of my eye caught my attention. I looked up to my right and saw Field settling on the roof, his black wings retreating behind his shoulder blades. With everything that had been going on, particularly with Vita, I’d barely said two words to Field since I’d last seen him and accidentally told him I loved him.
I still wanted to smack myself for my loose mouth, but I couldn’t take it back either. I’d meant it even though I’d let it slip at an inappropriate time. His turquoise gaze found mine, and I felt like melting.
I needed my physical strength more than ever now, though. I worried about Vita, and I was terrified of Azazel trapping me in another vision. I didn’t want to worry about Field not saying anything back regarding my impromptu confession.
We both knew there was something deep and intense developing between us, but neither of us had given it a name until yesterday. I wasn’t going to chase him for a reply, either.
I took a deep breath and decided to ignore him. He’d come to me, eventually. The ball was in his court, and I had too much on my plate to drive myself crazy over his lack of response.
I turned my focus back on Anjani who’d cocked her head to one side, watching me curiously.
“What?” I asked, shrugging and pretending to myself that Field was just a good-looking garden decoration.
“Nothing, I was just waiting for you to stop swooning after the Hawk and come at me,” she smirked, then took her fighting stance.
I liked her a lot. My brother was in for quite the ride, that I was certain of.
“Do you love Jovi?” I asked.
She stopped, blinking several times.
“Why do you ask me that now?” she replied.
“There’s never a good time to ask that,” I said, “but I love my brother, and I want to make sure no one hurts him. Not even you.”
“I would rather die than see Jovi suffer,” she replied, her voice filled with emotion. “I have never felt this way for anyone before, and I’m still learning to live with the fact that I may never live again if Jovi disappears from my life. I feel vulnerable when I am around him, but I feel stronger than ever, too. I feel invincible. I will stop at nothing to keep him, to keep all of you, safe.”
I didn’t know what to say. Her response had been so swift and raw. It hit a soft spot in me, more painful than any of her kicks and punches. My brother was in good hands.
“Okay then,” I shot back with a grin. “Thank you for your honesty. Now excuse me while I kick your ass!”
I went straight for her torso with a series of hooks and uppercuts. She laughed and blocked each of them, pushing back each time with hits of her own.
I had dodged a few punches before I found an opening to jump and twist myself in the air, landing a heavy leg kick between her neck and shoulder. She fell to her knees from the brutal impact, hissing from the muscle pain before she chuckled.
“Now we’re talking!” she exclaimed, then rose to her feet, ready to retaliate.
For a little while, I was distracted by Anjani’s relentless and methodical hits. All I could think of were ways to knock her out. I welcomed every ounce of pain that she served me, while Field watched from above.
I was in for a sore afternoon. Strength never came from pleasure. Strength only came from pain.
Serena
We returned to the archive room, still hot after our morning prelude in Draven’s room. I longed to feel him close to me for more than a few minutes between efforts of survival, and he displayed the same kind of frustration.
This overall angst seemed to help with the search process. We were both more focused and determined to find the information we needed to plan our next steps. Thorn and Rebel joined us shortly, and a couple of Bajangs brought us hot coffee.
I took a sip and was immediately impressed by the texture and rich taste, prompting me to raise my eyebrows in sheer surprise.
“This is delicious! How did you make it taste so good?” I asked, while Draven flipped through another Druid registry.
“The orchard on the western slopes is filled with coffee plants. The soil here is different than other parts of Antara, more red. It gives the beans a specific taste,” Rebel explained.
“This is interesting,” Draven muttered.
“I know, right? I didn’t know the soil could influence the taste of coffee this much.”
“No, I mean this,” he gave me a half-smile and pointed at a list of names in the registry.
“Jasmine,” I read one name that stood out. “Almus. They’re mentioned here. Why are they mentioned here?”
“This is a 78th level registry. It marks the Druids who qualified for 79th stage. The 79th ring,” he said. “It’s from the Grand Temple.”
He placed his hands on a tower of similar ledgers next to it.
“These are all from the Grand Temple,” he added. “If we identify the most recent ones, we might learn the names of all the young Druids that escaped to Marton.”
“Marton?” Thorn looked puzzled. “That’s a desert land. There’s nothing there.”
“Not exactly,” Draven shook his head. “Ten Druids escaped from the Grand Temple before Azazel destroyed it. Six of them might still be there today. We’re not sure yet, but one of our Oracles will look into it.”
“Will look into it?” Rebel raised an eyebrow.
“He’s still learning to use his abilities,” I shrugged, suddenly yearning to hear my brother’s voice. We were due for another telepathy session soon.
“I find it hard to believe any Druids survived,” Thorn muttered. “If they did, why haven’t they risen against Azazel?”
“They were young and inexperienced when they fled the Grand Temple. There was no one left to teach them the art of Druid magic, especially the dark side,” Draven said. “It’s better that they stayed hidden. Azazel thinks I’m the only one left, and he only learned about me recently.”
“What are you hoping to achieve with these young Druids if they’re still alive?” Thorn asked.
“With all the spells preserved in these archives, I could teach myself and teach them. We can increase our strength and hit Azazel with the kind of magic that could damage him. The thing is, everything he’s done so far, every spell he’s used and inflicted upon Eritopia, it’s all Druid magic amplified by the Daughter in his possession. If we take the Daughter away from him and give him a taste of his own medicine, he will fall eventually. The more of us, the better.”
Thorn and Rebel both nodded slowly, each picking up a register and browsing through it.
“What are we looking for, then?” Rebel asked.
“Damion. Any mention of a Damion will mean we’ve found the last Druids trained at the Grand Temple,” I replied, then turned to Draven. “What about Jasmine? What does it say there about her? Do we know if she’s still alive?”
Draven shook his head.
“It only mentions her expertise. She was an expert in cloaking spells, but she’s not mentioned in any of the other ledgers I’ve checked so far,” he replied. “She stopped checking in on the young Druids anyway. I don’t think she made it.”
I mulled it over, then pulled another ledger for inspection.
“Well, she was an expert in cloaking spells,” I said. “What if she found the perfect hiding spot and never left? What if she’s still alive?”
“That’s a long shot. I wouldn’t bet on it.”
“Nevertheless, let’s not forget about her.”
My stomach growled so loud that it echoed through the entire hall, breaking my train of thought. They all stared at me, including the Bajangs tasked with dusting the shelves on the north wall. My eyes opened wide, and my cheeks burned with embarrassment. I realized I hadn’t eaten yet, except for the fruit the Bajangs had brought in, and that special coffee was eating away at my insides.
“I am so sorry,” I muttered. “I think it’s the coffee.”
“It’s definitely the coffee. We never have it on an empty stomach. It’s a strong digestive,” Rebel smirked.
My alarmed gaze shifted from her to Draven, who burst into laughter. His genuine reaction and the sound of his voice as he guffawed made my heart flutter. I had rarely seen him so light-hearted, a victim of sheer amusement. It was so endearing and sweet, even if it was at my expense. I couldn’t help but laugh myself.
“I’m sorry,” he chuckled. “We should get you some food.”
Rebel giggled as she clapped her hands at one of the Bajangs by the north wall. The young male nodded and shuffled away. I presumed he was sent to get us food.
I hid my face in my palms, feigning embarrassment as I laughed to myself. Draven wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer in an embrace. He dropped several short kisses on my forehead, using his other hand to caress my face.
I relaxed against his body, almost purring from the comforting feeling that his presence brought me. I gave Thorn and Rebel a sideways glance, wondering whether our display of affection bothered them, but it didn’t. They grinned at each other and pretended to look through the ledgers they’d chosen to inspect. I decided not to care what anyone thought, anyway, and simply enjoy the affection Draven offered me.
There was no point in avoiding the truth anymore. I was deeply in love with him. I had to make sure we both made it out of this alive because I had trouble imagining life without him in it.
Serena
An hour later, I chose a spot on the floor and sat down, preparing my end of the telepathy spell. Draven sat in front of me, helping me draw the symbols. The world opened up in an instant. I closed my eyes and saw a flurry of ribbons flowing in my direction. I recognized each as belonging to a member of our group.
I tugged on Bijarki’s first, silvery with sharp edges.