32
Myra
Even with the openness of the Hideaway I felt trapped. It had been over an hour since Luka and Luna had left. I know he would take her to the old ruins. It was his favorite place to go and think.
I left Rykar in the Hideaway, a stack of books next to him. At some point and soon I would have to tell him about Brooke. Nyght said she set the fires. Fire… I hope that her gift was to control the elements, not fire. Fyre is a death sentence for those who are given this gift are consumed from the inside by the flames they control.
I sat down next to a large tree that stood not too far from the wood entrance to the Hideaway. The bark of the tree trunk rubbed against my shoulder an aching, burning settled into my arms. Luna must have given me a bruise when she had grabbed me. She had every right to be upset with me. I hugged my knees to my chest. It was my fault they had been taken.
What was I going to do? With Nyght gone and my parents, I sniffled, my parents… I hadn’t had time to mourn them. None of us had.
I’d tried to save Brooke. Failed.
Tried to save Luna and Hailey and Nyght get taken in the process. Now Luna wants nothing to do with me. I lost my parents, my sister, and my best friend in less than a month. My breath caught in my chest and tears streamed down my face. Nyght my Alma Immer, the other half of my heart gone again, my only solace the bond we shared I would feel the moment he passed from this world.
“Myra would never do that!” Rykar yelled.
Had Luka and Luna returned? Had I been so caught up in my own thoughts that I missed them coming in. I wiped the tear from my face. It sounded like the walk hadn’t done Luna much good. Should I go back? It wasn't right letting Rykar fight my battles. Also, why was I hearing anything from the Hideaway? That hadn't ever happened before and Luka could be loud sometimes.
“You can't possibly believe that?” Rykar said.
I dragged my feet through the fallen leaves listening to them crunch under my feet. The smell of earth reminded me of the summers I had spent in these woods with Nyght and Luka. Back when I was the only one who could find a way into the Hideaway. Luka could never seem to find the way in and the entrance wouldn’t show itself to Nyght not matter how hard he tried. Now it was all that was left of my home.
I stood the end of a path staring into a thick grove of trees that parted reviling the Hideaway. The forest entrance was my favorite for this reason. The mirror was simpler and the way the mirror seemed to melt away was enchanting, but when the trees moved it was magical.
“BrookeRyn please,” Rykar plead.
My sister stood in front of me, her dark hair cut short, hung just below her ears. Black fabric and lace replaced the bright colors that Brooke favored. How had she gotten into the Hideaway? Her golden eyes glow bright against her pale skin; they were full of hatred for me. I wanted to hide from her gaze, her anger. This was not my little sister. I took a step toward her, my voice cracked. “Brooke…”
“I have nothing to say to you,” she growled. Her gaze focused on Rykar. “You’re staying then.”
Rykar nodded.
“You’re wrong.” She stepped back moving the bracelets Rykar had given her from one arm to the other. With the transfer of each one she faded a little more until she was gone.
Rykar mumbled, “I hope not.”
Brooke was right in front of me. Close enough for me to touch. I looked at my brother and the spot that Brooke had disappeared from. All I did was say her name. I should have grabbed her, tied her down tell what ever spell she is under could be broken.
“Is she right?” Rykar asked. “Do you even care what happens to us?”
“Ry…” I stared, but Rykar cut me off.
“Our parents are dead. Murdered. Brooke taken. Nyght’s missing, maybe even dead. There’s something wrong with Luka.” He started to pace “I was dealing with it all by myself. Because I knew you would fix things. Now I not so sure, I mean I haven’t even seen you cry. Maybe Brooke was right.”
Is this what people saw when they looked at me? Someone who didn’t care, that damaged, didn’t feel. Is this how Drake got Brooke to believe him? I thought Rykar saw me, the real me, not the person I show to the world.
I hadn’t asked him once how he was holding up. Moving from one moment to the next trying to deal with one problem after the other. For the first time since the party I really looked at my younger brother. He was taller than me and looked like our father with our mother's eyes. Blue eyes that stood out in contrast to his dark hair and tan skin. His eyes were no longer those of a child, but a young man that had suffered loss.
“I care.” Couldn’t he see the red around my eyes? “Of course I’ve cried. Just because you haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened.” The next words came out in a rush. “I won’t sit here and do nothing Rykar. Not again. I thought you were the one person who would understand that.” I took a deep breath and pulled the book Mother had given me out of my bag and hugged it. “Everything is falling apart. Somehow I have to find a way to keep our family together. If that means keeping my emotions to myself…” I opened the book. “So be it.”
I don’t know how long I stared at the page before Rykar sat down next to me. “I’m sorry. I forget how much we all depended on you.”
He clasped my hands in his, I stared down at them.
“Myra none of this is your fault.”
I shrugged.
Rykar lifted my chin so I had to make eye contacted with him. “It’s not your fault.” He pulled me for a bone crushing hug. Something else I had missed he was no longer that scrawny kid that tripped over his limbs. “It’s not your job to take care of us.”
I pulled back and rolled my eyes at him.
He smiled “Even if you think you’re Queen of Everything.”
I pushed him. “Of the known realms.”
He stood and dusted himself off and helped me to my feet.
I picked up the book, dusted off the cover. “I want to give you this.” Not sure why, but trusting that there was a reason I hand the book to Rykar. “Everything I know about Dusk history is in this book.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
***
“I think I found something.” He had only had the book for an hour tops and already found something.
“Already?” I walked over to the stone table Rykar was using as a desk. There was a bag stuff full of notes and the table was covered with books. I scanned some of the covers Plants and How They Heal, A Kingdom Lost, Hidden in the Lost City.
He handed me a blue book with a gold compass stamped on it. “I have never seen this, where did you find it?”
“I didn’t, it kind of fall on me.” He rubbed his head. “There’s a spell.” He took the book back and opened it to the middle. “I didn’t think much of it the first time I read it. But Oleta mentioned something about it.” He turned back to the table.
I hadn’t spent that much time in the section of the book mother gave me. It didn’t seem important. It’s an old story about love and loss that had been told and retold millions of times by a thousand other people.
“There are three outcomes. It depends on the placement of the…” He looked at my wrist. “Marked.” He tapped the page. “There should be nine.”
I looked over Rykar shoulder reading pages in front of him. The spell I had seen it before. Not just the words, but watched it preformed. It was a binding spell. “I know…”
Rykar face had gone white and the look in his eyes was of an all-consuming fear.
“Smart boy too bad I have to kill you.”
YOU ARE READING
Marked
FantasyRunning away never changes anything. A dark presences by the name of Drake has been gathering the strongest and most talented to become part of his soulless army to complete a curse that was set upon him a century before. All he needs is the key, hi...
