Behind My Shadow - Book Three

12. Flying Through the Free Fall

Per our latest routine, Quill and I start off our early morning of training with a long run around the perimeter of Pleasance Island.

Since running is pretty much my standard mode of transportation, I hardly consider this exercise. It's something I could do in my sleep. But having Quill run with me is a nice change. His presence and his constant chatter keep me from feeling too alone or lost in my thoughts while we run through the remaining shadows driven by the rising sun.

Considering his animal soul spirit is a horse, it's no surprise that he enjoys running as much as I do.

Eventually we come to a stop at the highest point of the island. It's called Pinnacle Peak and overlooks the western sky so it's still dark when we crest the top.

"So," Quill pants as he drops down on the grassy ground. "How are you feeling about tonight's Labor?"

"Honestly?" I breathlessly laugh. "I'm kinda looking forward to it."

"That's the spirit!" He laughs and sits up as I flop down beside him. "I dare say you get bolder and bolder with each passing day, love," he brushes my messy bangs off my forehead. "By the time you get to your Eighteenth Labor, I imagine you'll just laugh in the face of the Jabberwocky."

"Ha!" I bite at his fingers as he taps my nose.

"C'mon, mate," he hops up and catches my hands. "Our mentor will be expecting us in the training yard by now."

I groan with protest as he pulls me to my feet. "I know I sound like a brat but sometimes I wish we could like, have one day off. All we do is train, compete, and train some more." I grumble as I stretch my sore arms.

"Ah, I know the feeling. But to be fair, I think all this vigorous training is paying off. After all, just look at yourself! You're truly shaping up into a very formidable Alice." He winks.

I smirk and flex my biceps. He laughs and shoves me before he takes off running. I'm laughing as I hurry to catch up with him.

♣ ♦ ♥ ♠

Tonight's Labor is summoning my elements in front of the spectators. I'm excited about this one because summoning elements is somewhat my specialty.

For my third Labor, everyone is outside. A gorgeous stage -that looks like it's made out of seashells fused together with gold- has been placed at the top of Pinnacle Peak and slightly juts over the cliff.

I stand on the very edge of the stage out over the ocean. For tonight's activities, I've been dressed in a two-tone sleeveless dress with a swishy silver skirt that drops right above my knees and is hemmed in sparkly black. The top is a scorching scarlet red and has a plunging V-neck, a black glittery belt is cinched around my waist and my hair has been straightened again. My lips are bright red which seems to be my new signature.

"Thank you, everyone!" I call to the roaring crowd. "Thank you so much for being here tonight!" They cheer louder. I wave from my elevated platform. The spectators throw flowers on the stage and chant my name. I smile with amazement and shake my head with disbelief. It's incredible and crazy how much this crowd loves me. Whoever would've thought I'd be up on a stage one day basking in such lovely, thunderous applause?

I wish my mom could see me like this...

The Judge and the rest of the Jury and the Royals all file onto the stage next and gather around beneath my pedestal. The Judge lifts her hands for silence and eventually the crowd settles down. "For our Promised Alice's third Labor, she shall demonstrate her power over the six elements. She will have to summon water, fire, earth, air, spirit... And sun."

I swallow hard as I glance over my shoulder. The sun set twenty minutes ago. How am I supposed to summon it now?

Luckily thanks to my newfound power of controlling emotion, my confident smile doesn't waver and no one can see how anxious and slightly desperate I'm feeling.

"Our Promised Alice will have to command all six of these elements at once -" At once?! Is she insane?! "...and hold them within her control until the eclipse."

I shakily release the breath I hadn't realize I was holding as everyone starts cheering again.

"Are you ready, Promised?" The Judge glances up at me.

I smile suavely and nod. "Absolutely!" I turn to the crowds again. "Are you ready for a show?" I call. They're all on their feet cheering. I laugh with relief and shake my head. At least the positivity from the crowd is encouraging.

Okay, Adara, I roll my shoulders back a few times, let's put on a show!

I swiftly lift my arms, summoning my command over air as I do and suddenly all of the bouquets of flowers thrown on stage lift into the air. They each spin in their own tornado, spinning around so wildly their pedals are shaken loose from their stems and now the miniature tornados of flowers spiral into the air above the audience. They cheer as they dip their heads back to watch the dancing pedals.

I can feel my heart racing anxiously as I summon another element while maintaining this one.

With a flick of my wrists, the torches lining the path to the stage suddenly spring twenty feet in the air with a roar. The crackle of the fire is nearly deafening, and I can imagine that the villagers living in the Rings back on the mainland can see this displace from their beaches.

The heat of the roaring fire and the intensity of my concentration has my brow glowing with sweat.

I risk a glance at my dad on the stage beneath me. He is watching me with wide eyes of amazement. I smile a bit with relief and now swiftly summon a third element. This strain on my magic has my veins practically screaming with protest but I dig deep through the pain as I summon water next.

I shakily lift my arms above my head -they each feel like they're made from concrete- and now an enormous wall of water rises behind me.

The audience gasps with equal parts awe and alarm as the towering, tsunami-like wave hovers over the crest of Pinnacle Peak.

The ocean spray gets caught up on the wind and instantly drenches me and the others on the stage. The Princess of Hearts shrieks but Quill and the others are laughing with amazement. Except for the Queen of Hearts, of course. I can feel her sharp eyes on me as she absently blots the water off her face with a handkerchief.

My very bones feel like they're shaking as I struggle to summon my fourth element. I grimace with effort and now hold my hands out in front of me.

The ground beneath the stage starts quaking wildly. Roots erupt from the soil like sea serpents leaping out of the waves before they dive back into the ground as effortlessly as if it was water.

I shakily smile as I keep making the roots dive in and out of the ground surrounding the stage. Earth was the first element I ever mastered, and I've only gotten better with it since then.

Only...two...elements...left to...summon...

I have no idea how I'm going to do this though! Summon spirit? Summon sun?! How? There is no sun! And what am I supposed to do with spirit?

I sway from my platform and briefly all of my elements falter.

The giant tsunami wave abruptly starts to collapse over the island and the fire flickers out before it springs back to life. The crowd makes a collective sound of panic as the monstruous wave sways above them. Some runoff is slung off the wave and drenches the crowd before I'm able to straighten the wave once more.

I'm forced to kneel on my platform, my arms tremble as I struggle to hold them out on either side of me. Everything feels like it's slipping! OMG, no! I strain to hold on, but my strength is rapidly draining away from me.

I can't hold on for much longer!