The Failsafe Prophecies (10 page)

He placed his hand along her cheek and
she pressed against it.

“Bala, I was lost to the dark when you
found me, but not now. Your love saved me. You gave me back my
heart. I believe that makes all the difference. If I transformed
now…”

“No.
” She shook her head as fear filled her eyes. She placed both
her hands on his face. “Promise me that no matter what, you
will
never
risk
it. Please, Luxe. Please. If you love me as you say you do,
promise
me.”

“Darling…”

“Just promise me.” She demanded this
time.

He sighed and shook his head before
looking deep into her eyes.

“Fine. I promise, but Bala, you could
have been killed today. Between Blu’s rogue protector…”

“He isn’t rogue, just…
confused.”

“Fine. Blu’s
confused
protector and
that roahn-ami, I cannot lose you anymore than you can bear losing
me. When that darkness stared into your soul today, god Bala, I
thought you were gone. I couldn’t get to you. I couldn’t do
anything
. I was
suspended in some energy field and couldn’t get to you. It’s too
dangerous out there. We must not venture out of Elethiya again, no
matter what.” To him the subject was now closed.

He wanted to pull her into his arms
and lie beside Obsidian like they’d done countless nights before,
and pretend everything was as it always had been.

“Luxe, something is wrong with me.”
She swallowed hard and drew a deep breath.

The words alone sent a
chill through him. He remained silent,
knowing
she needed to tell him
whatever it was.
Knowing
he wouldn’t like it.

“There is a fear in me that never was
before.” She pressed her hand against her heart. “I don’t know how
to control it. I worry what it will do to Elethiya if I stay here
much longer. I won’t put these people in danger.”

He calmly listened.

He wanted to brush it off, pretend it
was simply that she needed sleep, but he saw it in her
eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell me before? Did
the dark one do something to you today?”

She smiled and rested her forehead
against his.

“No, but I think he saw it. I think
that’s why he left.”

He moved and placed a hard kiss to her
forehead, then pulled her tight into his arms.

“We’ll get you help, Bala. We’ll go to
Wraithe, if he can’t fix it, then Ivin, or Hayden.” He shoved down
his own fear and looked at her directly. “Whatever it takes, I will
not allow the dark to invade your pure soul, Bala. I will not allow
it.”

She smiled and curled into his arms.
She ran her hand along Obsidian’s fur and snuggled down even
further into Luxe.

“I’m afraid that too much
has happened. I’m afraid the prophecies are coming to be. Most of
all, I’m afraid we are too late, too weak, too disorganized to
fight this coming darkness.” She looked up into his eyes. “For the
first time, I’m afraid that the light, that
love
, may not win after
all.

* * * *

Wraithe heated the fire in the small
chamber of the castle that was his office. Even though it was a
warm Florida evening, something about the day’s events left him
chilled.

They still had no idea how to awaken
Blu. Ivin couldn’t even be sure if her soul was one of those she
had in the soul skulls Rigo brought.

Today had not gone well. They made a
mess. Chaos and confusion reigned and it gave the perfect opening
for the dark to come charging in.

He’d been stupid today.

Thank gods Oz had been able to stay
atop the footage of all that happened and had erased it even as it
was being recorded.

That young boy was as much a wizard as
any he had ever known.

He walked over to his desk and looked
at papers, mail, and a few personal items he had placed
there.

Maybe Ivin was right. Maybe his guilt
had been going on long enough.

Maybe it was time to lay down the
grief he carried.

Maybe with all that was going on now,
he simply didn’t have the luxury for this
self-indulgence.

It was a long and very dark road from
that dark day in sixty five.

He picked up a picture from his desk.
One of himself and a smiling Walt, arm in arm.

Happier times.

“I loved you like you were
my clan, Walt. You
always
mattered to me.”

The time had gone so fast. He’d felt
so lost, so torn between his friendship and loyalty, and his oath.
Then suddenly it was simply too late to do anything at
all.

If the prophecy was true, if his
kingdom, and Walt’s, were the center of this first wave of
darkness, he had to find a way to protect them both.

“I failed you once, but I won’t do it
again.”

He set the photo back down and glanced
at a note card to the side of it. It hadn’t come through the post
office and it had only his name on the front.

He opened it and read the card inside…
and the chills he’d been feeling all night intensified.

Wraithe, that’s your name.
In less than forty eight hours I’ve discovered who you are, and
where you are. How long do you think until I figure out
what
you are?

I’m coming for you. –
DC

* * * *

You’ve just read one
episode of ten of The Seven Kingdoms, a serial from Tales of
Elethiya. For more information on this series, the world of
Elethiya, and all of Ms. Lucas’ writings, please visit
www.samanthalucas.net
or
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