The Gifted (Book 2 of Seer Series)

Chapter 11

Ruckur? I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. I glanced around the dark room, my whole body tense while I tried to see something, anything in this room. Are you there?

Everything about this room felt off, and my whole body screamed danger. All I wanted to do was leave, but I knew that I had a job to do; I had to see what was hiding in this darkness and if it could give some of the answers that I sought.

I am, Ruckur confirmed, and my body relaxed slightly. Light a fire and see what is hiding. He paused. I am not going to lie, but I do not like this one bit.

I let out a breathless chuckle and took a deep breath before I closed my eyes and focused on my powers. You and me both, I muttered before I cleared my throat and held out my hand. "Jono Fou," I said, and my magic filled the air around us.)

Fire appeared above my head, but it didn't chase the darkness like it should. It twisted and twirled around and didn't settle like it should have, and it left me feeling nervous. It didn't produce any light except for the space above my head, which didn't help me see anything else in the room at all.

It was as if the shadows were creating the darkness, sucking the feeling of hope and light out of everything and everyone in the room. It left the whole place feeling cold and heavy, and I didn't like it one bit.

The silence in the room was deafening; not a sound was made; even my breathing didn't seem to break the silence that this room held.

Ruckur? I asked and earned a hum in response. I bit back a sigh of relief and bit my lip, glad that he was still there and this darkness didn't affect him. I don't think that the fire helped any, I said, stating the obvious, earning a chuckle from him. I bit my lip and chewed while I looked around. What do I do now?

I want to see if a stronger one would work, he said, and I could hear a sense of doubt in his voice. However, I do not think that it will work.

I bit back a breathless chuckle and nodded. I don't think so either, I admitted. However, I could try it out anyway and see what happens.

Ruckur hummed his approval. Before you do, take another step forward and go to the body. He paused. Look around and see if you can see it, he said, and I took a deep breath and nodded.

I did what I was told to do and looked around the room while I made it to where the body was supposed to be. However, when I made it to the platform, I could not find the body that was supposed to be in there.

My skin prickled and tingled while I looked around this dark and dim place some more, trying to locate the body, and I slowly started to feel as if someone was in the room with me, watching my every movement.

I don't like this, Ruckur said, and I flinched because I did not expect him to say something. Ruckur chuckled, amused, and I rolled my eyes and scowled. I apologize, Director, he hummed, the amusement filling his voice. I should have known that you hadn't expected me to say something.

I held back an eye roll and didn't clear my throat like I wanted to. I could still feel someone there, watching me look around, and I did not like it at all. My whole body grew tense while I looked around, waiting and praying that Ruckur would tell me what to do to make this feeling go away.

Instead, Ruckur was silent, and I could tell that he was anxious about what tricks were happening in the dark. His mind was blocked from me, so I couldn't hear what he was thinking, and even if I did find a way to hear his thoughts, I didn't think he would let me.

I took a deep breath and licked my lips while I looked this way and that. My whole body was tense, and my heart pounded softly in my chest while I waited for the creature to attack or something of that nature.

There was a hiss behind me, but I didn't turn in that direction when Ruckur told me not to. The hiss grew louder, and I pretended not to notice.

What now? I asked, praying that he would tell me something so that I could get out of this unscathed.

Wait, Ruckur replied, and I pressed my lips into a thin line, annoyed. Keep your whole body relaxed. Once you feel them making a move towards you, say Eirden.

And after that? I asked, wondering what he wanted me to do.

Say Frizon, he replied. That will get whatever is going to attack you, not move.

And then light a bigger fire? I asked after I mentally nodded, even though there was a small bit of doubt that it would work, and I could see.

If it calls for it, he replied. He paused and cleared his throat. I am hoping that with this spell, it will get lighter, but I could be wrong. If I am, then light a bigger fire to see what is being hidden from you.

I don't think that will work, I said, letting him hear the doubt in my voice. I mean, the smaller ball of fire didn't work, so I don't know if this one is going to.

Ruckur sighed, annoyed, and if he had a hand, then he would move it across his face because I didn't do what he told me to do. Do it, Alexandria, he warned, and I had to hold back a cringe when he called me by my first name instead of the two nicknames people normally called me. Even if it doesn't work, you'll be able to see what you can do.

I pursed my lips in annoyance but didn't respond. The doubt was getting heavier and heavier, and it started to get harder to breathe. All I wanted to do was sink into this darkness and give up. I didn't want to fight any longer, the hope of finding out what was happening diminishing with each passing second.

Maybe this was what the spell and the darkness were supposed to do, a random thought occurred, and I knew that Ruckur was paying attention to it. Maybe it was to just give up and not continue on with anything, for there is no hope that there is a brighter future.

The thing hissed again before it charged towards me like Ruckur said that it would, so I did what he told me to do.

"Eirden," I said, and the thing couldn't reach me like it wanted to while the heavy feeling left, and I could finally think clearly and breathe. I twisted around and raised my hand while I narrowed my eyes at the creature that I couldn't recognize. "Frizon," I barked, and the creature stopped trying to get into the bubble to get to me.

My heart pounded with anticipation while I raised my hand towards the sky, and I silently prayed that this would work and said, "Lena Jono Fou."