Page 15 of The Illuminated
When I awoke, I could tell it was still late night or early morning. The room was dark, and memories of my astral travels came flooding back like a haze of wild psychedelic flashbacks.
The disconnect between this world, where I could feel a mixture of hunger and anxiety in my stomach, where I had to move my heavy limbs and abide by laws of physics and materiality, was jarring compared to the weightless, ethereal dreamland of the astrals. It was uniquely unsettling to lose my ego, and I understood why Amos said it was possible to get lost in higher realms.
I’m Áine,I said to myself, repeating my name over and over until my sense of reality was restored.
I hadn’t gotten nearly enough sleep, but enough adrenaline pumped through my veins to keep me from slipping back into unconsciousness. I sighed and sat up, tossing my nightgown aside as I slipped into the most casual outfit I could put together from my wardrobe of clothes picked by Lucius, Daelon, and Taryn.
Snug in an emerald-green blouse and long, black skirt that came to my ankles, I snuck into the hallway wearing soft, white slippers. I figured I was the only one wandering around at four a.m., besides the guards. Either way, I wasn’t sure I much cared about my perception at this point.
I started at the sound of footsteps behind me, relaxing when I saw it was a uniformed guard but disappointed it wasn’t Daelon. At first glance, I thought it was Simon, the only pleasant guard I’d come across so far, but I realized this man was taller and more handsome. The lights above him flickered, illuminating his dark brown skin in a warm glow.
I gave him a nod and continued walking, turning a corner toward the wide corridor that held the throne room and the dining hall. The bright, waning moon called to me, but before I could step closer to the tall windows that overlooked the gardens, I felt a hand clamp over my mouth.
My stifled scream echoed through the crisp silence of the night, and I struggled against the strong arms that held me.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” the man I assumed was the trailing guard said, his warm breath tickling my ear. “I’m here to save you. We don’t know how you found us, but we felt your presence on the shore.”
I have no idea what you’re talking about,I forced into his mind.If you’re not here to hurt me, let me go.
“Not before I understand why you’re walking around this place like you belong here.”
I began to raise my power, prepared to force him if I needed. But before I could, a cold blade was at my throat, causing my heart to pound and ears to ring.
“We have company,” he grunted, guiding me to step forward into the corridor just as a group of witches tumbled out from the throne room, Lucius and Daelon among them.
Laughter and smiles faded at the sight of my predicament, and hot anger coursed through my blood at the way my mortality was being held against me. I was stronger than everyone here combined, save Lucius, yet I was held captive by a mere blade. With all the luck they’d brought me, I was beginning to hate knives with a burning passion.
“And what is this?” Lucius growled, stepping forward from the others as he adjusted his crown. “Release her this instant.”
I could taste the fear from my captor, nearly as strong as his determination and courage. His energy was like a warm bath of tropical sunshine, and I couldn’t understand the contradiction between his intentions and his actions.
The King will kill you. I think there’s been a misunderstanding. I know what I’m doing,I hurried into his mind, but he pressed the blade closer to my skin. It was so near now that I feared moving even the tiniest bit. I could barely breathe.
Daelon’s eyes were downright murderous, and the sight of Renata peeking out from behind him nearly brought forth the same reaction from me.
Seriously?I chastised myself. I could hardly believe there was even a small part of me that could foam at the mouth with jealousy at a time like this.
“Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to let us leave, or I’m going to slit her throat,” my captor said, and I could feel the lie in his voice. His plan didn’t make an ounce of sense, and Lucius knew it.
The King stepped forward, and I could feel the intensity of his power fill up the space between us.
“Not another step,” the man hissed, and the blade dug into my skin. I wasn’t sure why it hadn’t drawn blood.
Daelon tensed, my panic reflected back to me from his deep brown eyes. His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides.
Was this when I was to die? To visit the Akashic? Was it all a part of the grand plan that everyone wanted me to have faith in?
“There is no way out for you,” Lucius reasoned. “She belongs to me. Not to whatever filthy, barbaric heretic coven you hail from.”
I could feel the man’s anger burn through both of us, and I sensed myself in his energy. Why then did he hold a blade to my throat?
“Let her go now, and I may grant you a head start. You have five seconds.”
The man raised his free hand, swirling red flames shooting out from his palms for a moment before he released an explosion between us and Lucius. He removed the blade from my throat and clutched me tightly as he dragged me through space.
Chapter6
We landed back in my bedroom in a disorientating whir, and I quickly ducked out from his grasp and spun to face him. His handsome face contorted in confusion at our surroundings. He’d no doubt willed us out of the castle, but little did he know I was held under a binding spell that restricted my travel.
