The Allure of Darkness

29

Azia

We are facing two golden doors that say 117 and 119. How much is too much gold?

This castle is starting to look like a golden prison. From one prison to another. Maybe next I'll end up in a dungeon.

"This is your guys room," I say curtsying to Emrys and Loki. "Now please excuse me while I go to my room so far, far away."

I try to leave them with a smile and nod but it is never that easy with them.

"Before you say anything, yes I know if I even try to run, you guys will catch me. So I won't try to run. I just need to bathe," I say, trying to be quiet in case anyone is listening.

I look at the two people in front of me. My captors, the princes, powerful men, and a little part of me wishes that this is all fake.

That they were not really making me infiltrate another kingdom, that these two brothers did not know what it is like to always be competing with each other. That I was still back at my cottage with my family.

But life does not give you a choice. It pulls you in all different directions hoping you latch onto a choice just enough that it takes you all the way to the finish. Where that story ends and a new one begins. The cycle that never ends.

"You just blocked me out," Emrys stated with disbelief.

"Why is it okay for you to be going into others minds but saints forbid they shut you out."

"She does have a point brother." Loki says and sends a smirk in my direction.

It is nice seeing Loki and Emrys looking like different people. It is not such an eye sore anymore.

It gets tiring seeing the same exact face every day.

Alden

"Like I said she was up here and the wards were up. She just walked right into Atlas room like she owned it. Her guards do not even seem to care about her whereabouts," I look back and forth between Atlas and Anwyll.

"Her getting past the wards does not mean anything. Remember all the times others passed them without any markings. There are some holes right now in the ward. My father is trying to get them fixed along with trying to figure out why the holes keep popping back up," Anwyll says with such sureness and authority it is a wonder how he already did not convince his father to step down as king and just let himself become the king early.

Everyone would most likely be okay with it.

"But-," I get cut off by Atlas.

"Alden, stop trying to make something when it's clearly nothing."

"So I'm the problem. Makes sense. I come to the prince of the kingdom and give him someone suspicious and he turns it away. Be careful Anwyll you are starting to look like your father." I knew this is where he draws the line between friend and prince.

"Don't start with me Alden. You know damn well my father is trying to do all these things and has to focus on an oncoming war. So don't you dare place any blame on my father or me. I can have you back on guard duty in a second." Anwyll stares at me as he says it all. Not once looking away. His dark blue eyes are coursing with rage. And fire.

The candles all around us start to go up in flames. Fire starts to emit out of his hands. Scorching the hardwood floor.

He's losing it. All at one comment about his father. He had his whole life to control his fire but he hasn't. Everyone talks about it in whispers.

All the other kingdoms think the prince is this all powerful fire wielder but in reality he does not have any control in it. He used to.

"We have a meeting to get to," Atlas says and bumps into my shoulder.

I turn to walk with him. Shoulder to shoulder.

"He needs to control it better. Did you see how it got that bad so quickly?"

"You know how tough it's been on him. You know he's finally getting the right teacher to deal with his fire. You know he used to wield it with no problem." Atlas sighs and quiets his voice. "That night something happened you know, to cause this."

"Yes, yes I know. That was over ten years ago. He is eighteen years old now. He had time to grow up." Its only right for him to be able to protect his kingdom.