Page 38 of The Tricksters Deception

"You went to Skiora?" I slowly nod. Lighting up like a star, she smiles, "I had no idea you were already so strong. Well done!" She grabs my hands and pats them, as if I've accomplished something major.

"What are you saying?" Corvu questions. As she sits back to face us both, she sighs, touching Corvu's face in appreciation of his presence.

"I gave her the amulet to protect her. I don't need it anymore; but I certainly thought she might. But Tia has all the makings of an Elder Witch. That's why I gave her the amulet." Corvu's brows lift; clearly, whatever she said makes sense to him.

"So, Tia is actually a Witch? She doesn't even need the amulet?" I'm a what? Are they insane? I was born in Manhattan. I would hardly think someone from this world possesses magic from another. Shelia chuckles.

"The amulet is just a possessed item that glows when it senses the presence of magic. Otherwise, it's just plain old jewelry." My head is going to explode with all this new information. This entire time, the amulet wasn't anything special?

"The whole thing is made up?" I question.

"Yes," Corvu leans back against the bench, unbelieving of what he just heard. "The rumor about the amulet was concocted to protect new Witches. You see, Witches were to be executed as soon as they were found to possess magic, for fear they would turn evil. However, thankfully, if the King thought the magic came from a trinket that can only be given and not taken, we could protect the young Witches."

"That's actually rather genius," I mumble. Shelia nods in approval.

“People are dying over those things.” Corvu comments.

“I am sure they are.” Shelia sighs, “It’s not a myth I designed, but it saved hundreds. I was only able to save myself by using what remained of my power to come here. I had merely hoped I would be strong enough to go back.” She turns to Corvu and grabs his hand. “But I wasn’t. I ended up leaving you there with no way back. Even though only a year has passed for me I’m so glad I am able to see you grow into a wonderful man.”

“Corvu,” I begin, “, how long has it been exactly since you’ve seen your mother?”

“Twelve years or so.” He responds. It was like I thought, the time difference between both worlds was significant. One month here was nearly a whole year in Skiora.

“Shelia, if I really am able to travel to Skiora, and I was able to bring Corvu with me, that means I can take both of you home, right?” She thought about her answer before speaking.

“I suppose that would be correct, yes. You would take whatever your hands touch.”

“You need to tell me how to do it. You both belong there. And also there is probably an impending Orc attack on the Capital, I don’t feel right leaving everyone there fighting and dying over a trinket.”

“You can go back and forth whenever you want, dear. Just close your eyes and concentrate where you want to go. See it in your mind. It’s a power that builds up inside you, your emotions control it.” I could have come back whenever I wanted? Ugh!

“I didn’t know what Skiora looked like when I went there the first time. I just…remember feeling like I wanted to be somewhere safe.”

“And you ended up near the village where I was.” Corvu smirks. Clever Trickster. I suppose I could have gone to someone that would keep me safe, even if I didn’t know who they were at the time. I lean over and take Shelia’s and Corvu’s hands in mine. I know we were out in the open but what was anyone going to do if they saw three people in the park disappear? I really needed to bring them home, where they can be together as a mother and her son. I also want to make sure Gecko is okay, and somehow convince the Orc army that the prophecy was wrong. It was all made up.

I needed to go back to Skiora.

Chapter twenty-one

Day Twenty-Eight

The next thing I know, the three of us plonk onto the floor, the bench no longer there. I let out a short yelp as a spear is pointed into my face.

"Wait!" I hear Sandy's voice. "It's okay, they've returned." The guards pull back and appear to recognize us. As Sandy helps me and Shelia from the ground, I take a look around. We're inside the main hall, and the Prince is nearby, this time in full golden armor like his father wore before. Approaching us, he looks a little relieved.

"And they have the amulet! The Orcs aren't going to be victorious today, it seems," he chuckles. I roll my eyes and run to the nearest door. Beyond it, I can see various archers lined up along all the windows. I have to find out what's going on. Through a gap between them, I can see torches below us, and holding onto those torches are Orcs, hundreds of them, but not even close to the thousands of men that make up the King's army. They seem to be at some kind of standstill.

"Corvu! I need to get down there, quickly." He's been at my side the whole time, and it seems I didn't need to shout at all. Picking me up like he did once before, he takes a grand leap out the window, using ledges and balconies to make each jump short and less frightening. As we reach the bottom, I approach the man at the front of the army, who's in some kind of negotiation with Cutlass. "Talon!" I call out, pushing through the guards and coming to his side.

"The amulet!" Cutlass yells upon seeing me approach, which stirs his army into action.

"The fates may have it in store for us to die today," Talon says to me, ", but you didn't have to make it easy for them."

"Wait!" I yell. I'm stunned by how far my voice carries; the shouting around me dies down. Though the Orcs broke through the wall with great perseverance, their numbers are truly starting to dwindle. It's been several days since Corvu and I disappeared. With thousands of knights standing behind me, I look out toward the Orcs. Their only hope is the amulet. "There's no need for anyone else to die," I exclaim, pulling the amulet off from around my neck. "And this thing? It's fake." There's rustling from the crowd and a few murmurs of disbelief. There's only one way to prove it, and I really hope Shelia wasn't pulling my leg about it being mostly decorative. Throwing it down onto the stone floor beneath my feet, I draw the sword sheathed at Talon's side and strike the amulet's center.

After short gasps there is silence amongst everyone. I somewhat expected breaking it would be more spectacular, puff of smoke at least, but nothing.

“What have you done, girl?” Cutlass snarls. I’m not really sure why but I decide to approach him, breaching the unspoken line between the two armies.

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