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Chapter 49
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2021-06-14 09:17:36I had gone completely still, so still that the slightest influx of air felt like shards of glass in my throat. My muscles were firm and taut, my eyes wide as I sighted the approaching librarians.
Carrying the musty smell of dust and old leather, they emerged from the darkness, their milky sockets pinpointed on where I stood.
I remained where I was, flush against the shelf I had been viewing. The book on my life was gripped in my hand. The last thing I wanted was to take it with me, but I couldn’t risk putting it back. Or worse, dropping it. The magic that came from my book…it made me want to read more, and that was just a tad frightening. As enticing as it sounded, nothing good would come from learning my future.
The librarians crept closer, and I couldn’t help but notice the sickly details between the four of them. They all had dead strands of silver hair on their misshapen heads, but it was human appearance that made them most…creepy.
Jane DoeHello everyone! I've been busy moving lately, but all the chaos has finally ceased! I plan to spend even more time on my books so that I can give you all even more! :D
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His fingers were velvety soft, and after a moment longer, I realized it was because he had gloves on. Though I couldn’t see them, they were smooth to the touch.“You’re wearing gloves?” I couldn’t help but ask, a bit exasperated. My heart was thundering, and I knew my face was already turning a horrible shade of scarlet. My dad had often toyed with my mom over how red she turned, making a game of it with whispered compliments and flirty smiles. I wasn’t feeling particularly flirty at the moment, but I was blushing down to my toes.“Would you rather I not wore them the next time I touch you? I knew you’d make an interesting player, but I never could have anticipated this.” He mused softly, in a way that made my brain flash danger. My thoughts wandered for a moment, and a part of me desperately wondered what he looked like. I wanted to see the expression on his face. Were his eyes hard and cold? Were they bright and m
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My head throbbed the moment I opened my eyes. A single stream of sunlight peered through the scarlet curtains, directly on my face. I cringed away from the light and rolled into a sitting position, noticing my shoulder was a bit stiff.I peeled away the shredded layers of cloth that hung over my shoulder and frowned. Other than a bit of redness, there was nothing wrong with it. The Game Master’s magic had worked fast, eating away the poison that was slowly killing me.Even though I was grateful to be alive, I couldn’t stop thinking about the offer he had made.It played in my head on a loop as I stood under the deliciously warm water that spewed from the multiple shower heads in my bathroom. My body ached from our time in the library, and the hot water was already beginning to take the edge off.I took those much-needed minutes in the shower replaying my night, finishing with yet another visit with the Game Master.When our visits had g
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There's something comforting about walking into danger with a friend by your side. It's so much more daunting when you're alone. The threat of death weighs heavier with only one set of shoulders to fall on.To simplify things, I was beginning to miss Helena. Our time in Castle Mist and the Library made me realize what a reliable partner she was. As I hopped out of the cab that took me out of the main town, I wondered if she was currently feeling the same thing.Cabs were free to contestants, more a courtesy than anything else. We couldn't run all over searching for clues if we had no means of transportation. I was dropped off at a small park out of the main town.It was unusual, but everything here was. There were no playgrounds, sandboxes, or screaming children. In fact, there were hardly any children here at all. However, there were a multitude of animal shaped shrubs. Bears on their hind legs, eagles with their winds spread, wolves howling, and dolphin's emer
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"I'm not sure why I'm surprised to see the two of you here." I scoffed, approaching the edge between Day and Night.Both men stood on their respective sides, within the circle of lanterns that sat in the clearing.I swore I could hear the creature gathering in the darkness on Night's side, eager for a new arrival."Why would you be surprised? It makes perfect sense." Day smirked; his golden hair ruffled by a warm gust.His suit quite literally mirrored the sky above, down to the last drifting cloud. Night's suit held an explosion of stars, within a network of galaxies. The shifting colors was a bit disorienting, but both were beautiful and full of that otherworldly quality Iridian was known for."Where is your destination?" Night asked, brushing an onyx lock back from his face. He stood strong and tall, and was just a tad bulkier than his companions. "While this is only my domain for a few more hours, I like to keep track of who crosses over."
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The humming was beautiful and cold as it echoed down the hall and into the office, I currently stood in. Goosebumps lifted across my skin, and the sickening sense that something was horribly wrong, bubbled in my gut. A cold gust of air carried a sickly-sweet stench that burned my lungs and eyes like bleach. The sound of feet padding sound the hall hit my ears, light and feminine. 'We've overstayed our welcome.' Rayna urged me, "I think we should take the necklace and leave while we can.' I gripped the amulet in my fist and darted from the room, paying close attention so I wouldn't stumble on the hundreds of journals scattered along the floor. I ran down the hall I had initially come from, the one with the least amount of trash. I was hyper focused on my surroundings, on the thickness of that eye-watering stench. Every creak and groan in the house held my attention. As much as I wanted to sprint in terror from this place, I needed to keep my wits for o
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I was jolted from the memory, spat out as my brain turned to mush trying to process what I had seen. Nadia and the Game Master had grown up together as children. While it was strange to think of the Game Master as a child, it was even stranger that she would insist so vehemently that a bond existed between the two. There was no mistaking what a mate-bond felt like, just as there was no mistaking the obsession shimmering in her eyes. What I couldn't seem to figure out, was how did Nadia have anything to do with Iridian? I crept down the silent hallway, every creak and groan in the old house had my hackles raised. Nadia had vanished the moment the necklace slid into place, but there was no telling if she were truly gone. My body still felt warm from the magic of the necklace healing me, though I felt nothing more from the necklace itself. No matter how hard I tried to conjure some form of magic, there was nothing to be found. I had just emerged from the estate
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For a long time; I felt nothing. I existed, suspended within the stars, peering into the never-ending darkness. They hung everywhere, in all shapes and sizes. Miniature orbs of light that were my only beacon. They floated through this thick liquid with ease, where everything else would sink. The moment the water rushed into my lungs, settling like bricks, I knew that I was dying. Even the amulet on my neck, which hummed and pulsed seemed unable to save me. Where death lingers close, waiting to claim another soul, that is true darkness. It doesn't just surround you, but makes you a part of it. Unfathomable peace and rest, the weight of mortality lifted from your shoulders. The choice was there, suspended in midair like an orb of shimmering light. A kid from our town had been struck by lightning a few years ago, and had claimed he saw a white light, and felt endless peace. I laughed at the time, like all of the kids in the neighborhood.
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'Death's sweet embrace yields to her touch,Blood and sweat, your bones she will crush.To break the curse is to seal your fate,a curse born and bred from love turned hate.''Run faster!' I screamed, giving Rayna another boost of energy to propel us forwards; away from the Ghoul and its haunting song.I was teetering on the edge, dancing between consciousness and relief as I gave all that I had to Rayna. Her panic and fear were acid in my veins, reminding me that I needed to stay awake. She was already giving her all, pushing through the exhaustion. She had no experience with these forms of creatures, ones of mist and smoke; of darkness, and death.'A house once warm, turned to ash and dust.An amulet lost, left to decay and rust.Tread to the starry lake, where the source of magic ever last.To survive the future, follow the events of the past.'Its voice was wet steel, wrapping around my brain until I had no ch
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I stumbled over my words, forcing them into the space between us where they hovered like a noxious gas. “What—what do you mean? I killed Nadia…I don’t—” The Moon Goddess cut my rambling short by placing the palm of her hand against my cheek. It was something my mom had done whenever I was upset as a child, and somehow the Moon Goddess’s touch held that same level of comfort. She smiled sadly, but it was an expression of pure love and understanding. “Do not punish yourself, daughter. What was left of Nadia’s essence has returned home and rejoined that of her wolf, but her death does not mean Evil is gone from the world. Us celestial beings aren’t allowed to meet our creations, but this situation…it is unique. I’m afraid I cannot tell you much, but there is one who can.” Jumping at the chance to get some answers, to preserve the peace Dain and the warriors fought so hard for, I asked, “Who? Who can?” “It is time to awaken, daughter. It’s in the world of the living where you’ll find
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All I could do was stand there and gape at him. Honesty shone in his eyes like newborn stars, but all it did was leave me confused. I replayed the last twenty-four hours in my head, searching for the moment where I’d won the game between us.When I came up empty handed, I stammered, “I did?”Dain nodded, staring down at me with hooded eyes. “You did.”“How? When?”“As for how, that’s the part where I cheated, I’m afraid. I didn’t admit out loud what I felt for you, but I felt it nonetheless.” He admitted, a sheepish tilt to his lips. “I realized I loved you the moment those doors opened, and you appeared at the top of the steps. I’m not sure I’ll ever forget the way you looked in that gown, which I’ll have to thank Adley for when she returns. You could’ve been an assassin here to put a dagger in my heart and I would’ve gladly let you.”There was an explosion of butterflies in my chest, their wings beating so frantically that the sound of my heartbeat was drowned out.Leaning into Dain
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The elongated claws tipped with old blood were hers. I couldn’t forget the sight of her gnarled fingers, which had once been slender and elegant, even if I tried.With a loud smack, she flattened her palm against the stone floor. A second arm shot out of the water, followed by another wet smack.‘That puddle’s not nearly big enough for what she’s trying to do…’ Rayna pointed out, her voice just as sickly as I knew my own would be.Both of Nadia’s arms were bent at odd angles as they rose from the water, but that was the least disturbing thing I witnessed as this day began to quickly unfold. Next to appear were her eyes, the whites much too large to be considered normal, followed by the jagged slash that was her smile. In the memories I’d seen, her smile had been coy and playful, with the same softness as a flower’s petals. This one was of malice and envy, both deeply disturbing and in dire need of some chapstick.Her shoulders rose from the water at the same time but were bent awkward
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It took everything within me not to flinch at the sound of her voice and how close it truly was to my ear. Only when I felt her icy talons meet my skin did I act.‘It’s showtime.’ Rayna murmured, lending me all of her strength as I willed the floor to crumble beneath my feet.Together, my wolf and I fell.Since I was prepared for the impact, it was easy to call on my magic to lessen the blow. Warm air rushed beneath my gown and outstretched arms, acting as a safety net that slowed my fall and kept me from toppling over. It wasn’t the graceful landing I’d been trying for since Nadia was doing something to block our magic, but it kept me from breaking both my ankles on the way down.I didn’t wait for the dust to settle. The moment I felt solid stone beneath my feet, I took off running.Nadia’s snarl was one of surprise and outrage, strong enough that it made the castle tremble. I didn’t repress my grin or the laughter I spewed into the air, knowing both would entice her to follow—to con
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Nadia launched herself at me, and as she did so, her hair and dress billowed out at her sides. The movement was slow and lazy, almost like she was submerged in water and not hovering a solid three feet in the air. Even though her form was translucent, and she seemed to be neither here nor there, I had a sickening feeling she could still do significant damage if I let her reach me.Instinct took over, and for once in my life, it wasn’t telling me to run.I launched the orb in my hand like it were a baseball, and watched as it spiraled through the air, a small halo of light surrounding it. When it hit its mark, square in the center of Nadia’s face, I silently thanked Aidan for teaching me all those years ago. I had hated every second of his baseball phase, but he’d been so passionate about becoming a professional athlete and whisking us away that I couldn’t resist helping him practice. After a dozen scraped knees, a handful of bruises, and one broken arm, we both called it quits.The in
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For the longest time all I could hear was the sound of stone grinding against stone.There was a painful burn in my lungs, but I didn’t dare exhale. Instead, I held my breath and watched as the corridors around me shifted. Walls slid left and right, forming new pathways that hadn’t existed before. Many changed angles, creating sharp turns that you couldn’t see coming until it was too late.Some of the windows began to close, melting away as though they’d never been there, while others grew larger. The ones that grew in size turned into arched doorways narrow enough for but one person to slip through.While the castle itself wasn’t a sentient being, every brick and inch of tiled floor was alive with Dain’s magic. I could feel it’s alluring touch within everything I altered and couldn’t help but smile at how eager it was to please me. Even the paintings responded to my call, changing forms until each one was exactly the same.The brash strokes of oil paint shimmered as they changed colo
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“My sisters, are they safe?” Aidan asked, his voice low.Even with a side view of his face, I could see the way it twisted into a concerned grimace. With eyebrows knitted tightly together and jaw clenched, he pivoted his head from left to right, peering down each corridor as we crept through another intersection. The sword he clutched in his hand, it’s metal an impenetrable black that shimmered with blood, was raised and ready for use.“Is anyone truly safe?” I asked, eyeing one of the windows warily. It would be all too easy for Nadia or one of her monsters to slip through now that the hallways were conjoined. “They’re hidden away. The fight won’t reach them.”His shoulders slumped as much as they could with the defensive stance he held, and a sigh of relief escaped his lips.“Thank the Goddess. Even though I’d see them when I got back, I’m not sure I’d be able to handle it if they were dead.”He didn’t have to explain why, not when the answer hovered in the space between us.There w
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Selfishly, I tried to call on Helios, to summon him to my side like I’d been told I could. It was what he would’ve wanted, it was why we completed the bond in the first place. The issue was that no one told me how to do it.There was a sense of awareness that settled over me, followed by a wave of understanding that told me Helios was very much alive. He was feeling it too, a subtle tug that let him know I was still here. I concentrated on my golden-haired warrior harder, imagining him as a sword sheathed at my side, ready to be used at moment’s notice.I felt that tug turn into a harsh pull, but there was no smile of victory on my face, because the milky-eyed creature at the end of the hall let out a blood-curdling wail and charged.I’d never been afraid of horror movies, not with their make-shift gore and fake blood. The knowledge that the creepy monster on the television screen wasn’t actually real was enough to smother any fear I might’ve felt. As I scrambled to get away from the
