Mythical (The Mystical Series Book 2) (12 page)

Warren’s wings appear once more, but they aren’t the color of the rainbow. They are dark red and fluttering rapidly. His tanned skin starts to glow from his green markings. He turns around to glare at me; he looks exactly like the corrupt fairy Dawn and I encountered. A second later, he places the golden rose into the carved window’s hole.

Everything is silenced, and my mind stops raging. Warren snaps his fingers to make them vanish. He glances at his golden rose.

“What was that?”

“Without a protective charm in my kingdom, I’ll lose control of my mystics and we’ll all become corrupt. See, it’s not only to hide away from non-mystics, creatures, and witches,” he adjusts his crop top, “it’s to keep us from becoming mindless killers.”

It’s come to mind that he must be the only fairy in his kingdom able to remove the charm, facing its corrupt state, and then successfully sticking a new rose in. No one else would place the new charm in, and they’d all become killers.

Aren’t they already?

I remember how Kara reacted to me entering the kingdom, knowing I was a witch.

“So again, I ask you how is it that you can come into my kingdom…passing this powerful protective charm?”

“I don’t know. I guess Miss Canary blessed me or something, allowing me to enter.”

“That’s not in her magic. Elves aren’t the only powerful mystics. This is my kingdom; I have that kind of power. I protected my kingdom from having witches like you disturb our peace, so please, how did you bypass my charm?”

“I’m sorry if I disrespected your powers, but I honestly don’t know myself. I was told to deliver the rose to you.”

Was this some sort of trap to get me killed? I wouldn’t think otherwise from how strange Christian and Miss Canary were. I don’t have my weapon to protect me, so I search the room for something sharp. To successfully kill him, I need to puncture his two hearts.

Warren stands quietly watching me, and I can tell he’s trying to figure out how I entered his kingdom.

“Liza?” The sound of footsteps comes from behind me. “Sorry to interrupt you, your majesty.”

I turn around to see Christian standing politely outside of the room. He finally jumped into the portal. He looks worried and distressed.

“May I come in?”

“Yes you may.” Warren flicks a long piece of hair from his eyes.

Christian walks over to me, stopping for a second a few feet in front of the king and me, glancing at the rose. He holds out something to me. My broomstick becomes visible, the red button appearing first and then the silver swirly lines wrapping around the base. I squint to make sure I am right about the object in his hand. He’d break his little dream world game by giving me my weapon? Is this all real or some sort of illusion? This must mean that he could have Donovan’s too. I’m losing focus; Donovan told me to keep playing the part of his interest. I can’t lose character right now.

“I don’t need it.”

Christian’s eyes snap up to me in shock that I’d refuse to take it from him. Warren is also confused. He steps in between us.

“How in the world did you find that?” Warren says stiffly.

“Here you go, Eliza.” Christian walks over, forcing me to take my weapon. Is he really that afraid of the fairies around here? Does he trust me to hold my weapon with him being around me? There’s no way I’m going to let him walk out of this kingdom with me. This is my chance to escape, rescue Donovan, and get the hell out of this place. I conjure up a strategic plan in my head, a plan to kill Christian. I grasp my broomstick, and my silver markings begin to burn as the lines on my weapon glow.

Don’t be stupid,
Donovan’s voice chides.

I swivel my head around, wondering if he’s here with me.
What’s so stupid about killing Warren and Christian here at the same time? I bet I could do it fast enough. Activate the whip to wrap around Christian’s neck so that he can’t hallucinate me and then kick Warren’s face while I find something in his room to puncture his two hearts. Who am I kidding? Such a stupid plan already.

I wouldn’t have enough time, and Christian would get out of the whip’s metal too fast for me to react. I would end up trapped with him or dead. Not going to act stupid: check. The two mystics look at me, wondering if I would do something since I now have my broomstick. There’s a thick lump in my throat. I swallow, tucking my broomstick into my pocket. I sense Christian’s emotions; he’s relieved I didn’t try anything. Maybe this was his plan to get us out of here?

“Witches aren’t allowed in Faevil. The magical force from outside of my tree is too powerful…one would simply incinerate as they fell down the hole.”

If witches can’t enter Faevil, I would have been dead already, so I too questioned how I entered the kingdom. Warren definitely has a point.

“If my fairies see that broomstick here in their home, they’ll go crazy.”

“I’ve already placed it away.”

“I think we’ll be going now,” Christian said. “You have your sparkly charm already.”

The king’s nostrils flare and his eyes narrow. “Don’t come back.” Warren slaps his hands together in the air, and a gust of wind whips across my body and blows Christian and me out of the room.

The air surges around us, causing our bodies to float in the air. It feels like I am Dory from
Finding Nemo
in that fast water current scene. The air zips us through the tunnel and passes the dancing drunk fairies. I see noticed Kara and Aeron fluttering by the entrance of Faevil. I wave at her and she grins. Christian’s holding my waist as we shoot up the large hole, back into the darkness.

“Why’d you give me my broomstick?” I ask. I can’t see him, but I can feel his arms around me. We land hard on the ground, and dirt crumbles inside my mouth. “Gross,” I spit.

“I was so freaking worried about you.” Christian helps me up and hugs me. “Are you okay? Were they monsters? What did they do to you?” He checks my entire body and makes me twirl around for him.

“You weren’t really there, were you?” I realize what he’s done. He tricked Warren into thinking he was with me. It feels warm outside, and the moon’s light relaxes me.

How has the weather changed so drastically?

“You wouldn’t have been able to get out if he saw your broomstick.”

“What are you talking about?” I rub my face; there’s a big headache coming.

“I’m saying you were going to get zoned again, and they would have eventually killed you.”

I guess that meant drugged. I did feel a little loopy down there with Aeron. I glance behind me at the glowing portal; it disappears and the bark of the tree becomes visible. It is amazing being able to do all of these things without Donovan protecting me. I’m coming into my own with my witch powers.

“You fell into that portal and I was blocked by some heated force. I couldn’t jump in after you, I was freaking out…”

I remember what Warren told me about who can’t enter the kingdom.
Corrupt beings and witches.
Christian isn’t a witch, so that can only mean he must be corrupt. I kind of figured he is, even how nice he might be acting toward me now. I won’t forget that he’s tried killing me since I’ve been here, and I will never forget the eyes I saw the time he was in my room. I continue to play my character. I touch my pocket; my broomstick is still outlined. So it wasn’t an illusion; he really gave it to me. Maybe I’ve had it all along and he played with my head, making me think I’d lost it. I chuckle to myself, realizing this continuous trick and should have known about it. It’s always been with me. I could kill him now, but I’m not.

“You weren’t kidding with the weather changing either, huh?” The birds chirp themselves to sleep as we walk toward the exit of the strange forest. He holds onto my hand, turning me around to face him. He starts to say something to me but squints.

“I could’ve sworn your eyes were green like mine, and now they’re light gray.”

Chapter 12

I know it’s really rare for a person’s eyes to change color, unless you're lucky enough to have two different eye colors. Or an animal; husky dogs have green eyes or icy blue ones. I always liked that about them. I don't feel like a dog…or at least I don't
think
I am one.

I remember Mom giving me a mood ring. You know one of those rings with the big sphere right splat in the middle of it? It's said that the ball will change its color according to how you are feeling, what your mood is at that moment.

Apparently my dad left his with my mom. This moment made me remember that ring. My mood is all over the place. Silver tattoos on my skin and green ones on my left arm; now my eyes are gray.

Yes, I'm a bit all over the place, because so much is happening. Honestly, I think any normal person would explode.

Christian could be lying; I'm not sure. I rub my eyes, hoping they'll change back to their original color. All I get out of it is an annoying numb freeze.

Completely ignoring Christian, I breeze past him.

“It feels great to finally let loose…”
My grandmother's voice in my head.

Apparently my mom was talking to a corrupt elf from the grimoire event back at home. I remember getting pulled inside and hearing Mellissa tell Alec that he's a traitor, because he was behind him aiding the corrupt mystic, helping the creature talk to my mother.

The two of them continued to fight in the forest; Alec Verel was a corrupt witch and part of the Verel gang. If there were any other witches living besides Donovan and me, and his brother Eric, they'd certainly understand that the Verels are not to be messed with. My mother talking to a corrupt mystic and a Verel, trying to warn my great-grandmother of it, makes all of this even more confusing.
Why would a witch from an evil gang even try to help a female witch?

“So you're going to ignore the fact that your eyes are now gray?” Christian plops in front of me to stop my walk. “Hey, are you rewinding an entire movie in your head?”

“I'm fine. I don't know what's going on.”

“You still don't trust me?”

“I never said that,” I say, trying to play my part correctly. I'm not a good actress.

“I can feel it, Eliza. The portal to Ellevil wouldn't allow me in. You can't hold that against me. There was nothing I could do.”

“I understand.”

“No you don't, because those are glowing.”

“What's glowing?”

“Your arms, like they always do when you get upset or irritated or whichever mood you're in.”

I glance down at my left arm, seeing my green leafy tattoos. I shrug it off and proceed in front of him; he grabs my arm, pulling me back.

“What are you doing?”

I hold up Christian's arm, and our green tattoos align and glow. A zap zips through my body. Images flash vividly across inside my mind; I shut my eyes tightly.

Alec Verel appears beside Eric, as well as his family. I notice the corrupt elf that was talking to my grandmother Lauren, and since elves don't really age, he looks the same as before.

His tall frame, light hair, and sharp green eyes that beamed, looking right at me; he knew I was seeing this happen in my mind. I feel like I'm gasping for air.

The corrupt mystic says, “Eliza, we finally meet.”

I snap out of the daydream and glance up at Christian, who is staring at me like he always does. I want to tell him everything about my life, but really, who has time for that? Besides, I don't trust mystics.
Even if Donovan and I are the only witches alive or if there's more out there.
 

I run into the dark forest. Donovan’s chains rattle in his cell; he's hurting, and so am I. Christian is yelling out for me, but I don't listen; I mute him from my thoughts.

I trip over a large root in the ground, landing on my palms in a push-up position. It's familiar to me, these predications and other new senses I've been developing. I'm starting to learn to use them more and more each day. I push myself back up from the ground and continue to glide through the enormous ferns in the woods.

***

It's amazing in here. If I’m not careful, I’ll make myself lost once again. Three light rays from the moon creep between the scattered leaves of the trees surrounding me. I glance up at the leaves above my head. The one thing I've noticed about being in Ellevil: it's beautiful. Everything about this place is extremely large, and at certain times I’m like an ant in such a big world.

My knee brushes against a colorful fern. I pick up a stick from the ground and start to weave around the dozens of trees. I place my stick on the bark of each tree to make a ticking sound as I walk.

It's peaceful to be alone.

After I had enough of walking, I stopped in front of a large tree.
I clamp my right hand onto the bark, then my left. Energy surges throughout my body, the same sizzling feeling I've always felt traveling in my body, and buzzes against my nerves. I become aware of everything around me. I dart my eyes down at my leafy tattoos, glowing extremely bright; my mind becomes blank.

I close my eyes and dig my nails into the bark of the tree, pulling every working muscle in my body. I start digging into the tree's bark as hard as I can.

Don't think, just go.

“Instinct, Eliza,” my mother's voice rings in my head. I remember when she killed that corrupt fairy for me. It was amazing, and I want her back.

I want answers.

“I got your instinct,” I say through gritted teeth.

Once my body adapts to the impact from my climb, everything begins to get a tad bit easier. I use my fast reflexes and newfound flexibility to glide pass thick branches. The pressure of the air presses against my cheeks.

Another thick branch is coming up; there isn't a way for me to pass through it. I look below me. Realizing I am pretty high up in the sky, I lose control and let fear overcome me, ruining my thoughts and motivation.

“What happened to your Instinct?” my mother whispers.

“It's still here.”

I glance at the next tree to the right of me. I don't even think of me missing the grip and falling toward my death; I jump
.

My body chucks against the tree and I screech in fear, hugging onto the bark. I claw up to the next thick branch, standing up and glancing down to the ground.

I'm up in the sky with the tree's branches, covered by thick green and pink leaves. The sky is light purple and the castle is in front of me. I guide the thin branches away from in front of my nose to see better. There's a path of connecting thick branches for me to run and jump on.

What a thrill. Now I know the real reason why elves stay in the trees.

The surge of energy is still flowing inside of me. I can still feel the zaps and my left arm stinging me pleasantly.
At this moment, I want to test death.

I smile, chuckling to myself. I snap a thin branch away from my face so that I can see the space between this tree and me. Following a flash of brown hair running across the branches with my eyes, I begin to run and successfully jump off from my branch.

***

Who can possibly be all the way out here in the woods? Then again, it is Ellevil, the home of the elves, so I figure it is a mystic or something running around in the forest. I have my broomstick now, so I should be fine. Miss Canary, Emily, everyone loves being in the woods. I wish I had my grimoire to help me out here. But this person is snickering as they run across the trees…they are running from something.

I take my broomstick out of my pocket, clicking it on into a sharp dagger. I dig the blade into the tree's bark, helping me land on a random branch in time to catch the direction this person is running. I press the button on my weapon, running and skipping on the many branches around me. I jump off one branch and another swiftly, dodging anything that gets in my way. I hold my broomstick out to my side as I run after the person in front of me.

The mystic jumps down to a branch beneath me, running underneath on a different tree. The creature continues to snicker as I run to keep up with its pace. It's not easy. I have to make sure I don't get knocked out by a branch. I keep my focus and determination to find out who this mystic is.

My branch is coming to an end, forcing me to drop below to another thick one. I continue to run, a bit faster now. Breathing becomes fairly easy and the person is to my left. My eyes flicker back in front of me; I'm about to run right into a tree. I leap onto the same branch as the person I'm running after to avoid getting knocked off.

I quicken my pace to catch up to the person, but they're running too fast for me to keep up. Eventually they disappear into a bunch of leaves.

Damn it.

I stand still in place, looking around at my surroundings, trying to find this creature. They had short hair and looked muscular from the back, so I could tell it was a guy.

“That was sexy,” someone spoke, hugging me from behind. I whirl around with my fist in the air. Christian catches it before it jabs him in the face. I can't believe I was chasing after Christian. I should have known it was him; he's totally different in the forest. How did he know where I was? I thought I ran away fast enough to lose him; he must've followed me here.

“What are you doing?”

“You led me here.”

I jerk my hand out of his grip. We stand on our sturdy branch in the sky. It’s weird conversing with someone inside of a tree.

“You look confused. I can read you too well.”

“I am.”

“Because you don't know how I found you in the middle of nowhere? Because you have the same tattoos as me? Because a witch can keep up with an elf? Because you can climb an elven tree that only elves can climb? Because everything you do draws me in?” He touches the side of my neck, brushing his fingers under my chin. “Yeah, I'm pretty confused myself if you ask me.” His minty breath hits my cheeks as he looks into my eyes. I think I've got a hang of his manipulation tactics, and he's not doing anything abnormal.

“Why did you give me my broomstick?”

Our tattoos glow in the forest we are in. Soon Miss Canary and the rest of her elf gang will come looking for Christian. We are a speckle of green, lighting up this leafy place.

“I needed you to scare Warren into letting you free from his kingdom.”
 

I knew it.

Donovan wouldn't understand this moment in this forest; he's too delusional and filled with anger and jealousy. He'd say I'm stupid, up in the trees, allowing an elf to do as he pleases. Has he found peace in letting me portray a character to get us out of this hell?

Is it really okay for me to act in front of Christian like this and not yell? I hope I'm not losing myself during this time with him. I think I am. Sure, I'm starting to recognize some changes myself; this won't be the first transformation I've felt this way.

“Are you manipulating me to feel this way for you?”

“I told you I was forced to play with your mind the other times we've had, because of Terese.”

I cross my arms in front of him. “Why were you on top of me in my room? Why are you coming off malevolent toward me?”

He leans against the tree as I try to find my balance, avoiding looking down. The more I think about falling, the more I feel like I'm going to fall down to my death. The little chase we had earlier was all instinct as my mom would call it. He looks at me; he knows his little trance is broken and I'm free.

“Yeah your little spell…it's long gone,” I say.

He chuckles, placing his hands into his pockets. “She thinks you're special and didn't want to lose control over you.”

“Your point? Out of all the forests in your strange world you followed me to this tree. Why won't you let me be? Who do you think you are?” I say, walking over to him and pressing the end of my broomstick in the middle of his neck. “You're like the rest of the elves here. Cocky, competitive…all in, like to test my limits.”

“I guess you can say I like chasing you. Terese doesn’t want you finding out the truth about your mother and who you’re meant to be.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Well you did ask me to explain why I was on top of you in your room.” Christian walks toward me and brushes against me. “You’re going to be mine soon, Eliza. We can’t allow you to leave Ellevil just yet, so yes, I did
change
you. Don’t you want to know why you freeze every time we touch?”

The haunting voices return to me again.
Listen to him; forget about Donovan.
The truth about my mother. What is he talking about?
You know the truth, you know the truth…the little boy you saw when you were little.
What does he mean?
The note you found in Miss Canary’s house, signed by Christian. You know the truth, you know the truth.
The voices giggle devilishly.