Hurricane (The Badlands Series) Book 5

Chapter Two: The Adventure Begins

Emlyn wakes everyone up to announce what she's done, "I used this spell that apparently only Wanderess can use. We all know I'm not a Wanderess so probably just a coincidence. Anyways we can all see and be shielded from the hurricane. So I'm thinking we should get to Camilla's castle before it's too late." She exclaimed to them excitedly.

They looked at each other confused for a moment before Stella chuckled, "Emlyn are you a natural red head?"

Emlyn looked confused, "yes, why?"

Stella shook her head laughing to herself, "cause sometimes you're kind of a blonde."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Emlyn asked still confused.

"Emlyn, you're a Wanderess. It's not a coincidence you can do that spell. There are no coincidences." Stella replied shrugging.

"Hmm I don't believe it, but let's go." Emlyn said, the Storytellers followed her out of the castle doors. The trek through the Badlands was always a long one. It could take days if they didn't figure another way of transportation.

"I have an idea how we could get there faster." Mystic said prancing up next to Emlyn.

"Please do tell, because walking is going to take days." Emlyn said, recalling her first walk through the Badlands.

Mystic shot white magic out of her horn creating a boat. "Get on," she said and they all climbed onto the big ship.

"Jeez Mystic this thing is fancy." Stella said looking around the outside, and poking her head down underneath in the inside.

The ship was elegant and mystical. The side of the ship said R.M.S. Storytellers. The sails billowed and the wind and had an old timey looking brown book on them with a unicorn engraved on the cover. The ship itself was engraved with their adventures over the years all along the sides.

The inside included a giant library that mimicked the one at Horrace's castle, there was a dining area with small tables that looked dainty and sweet. They all had their own rooms designed uniquely with their own colors and styles. Emlyn had blue, and Stella had black, while Mystics room was a whole pastel rainbow of colors.

Mystic had certainly put her heart and soul and whole brain into the design of this ship. It was magical.

"I thought it would be nice to make it special." Mystic raised her horn again and cast out another beam of white light out of her horn, putting water beneath them. The boat began to move forward and Bob took the wheel.

"Can you even drive that thing?" Emlyn asked, and Bob laughed.

"Of course I can, who can't drive a boat?" He said, and Emlyn rolled her eyes.

"Well alright, straight ahead of Camilla's castle." Emlyn said, and Bob held the wheel steady as they headed straight for the castle.

***

Camilla's castle was dark and gave an ominous vibe. You could feel the evil seeping from the black stone walls. The sky above was swirling with gray and purple from the hurricane. It was almost like the castle itself was a beacon for the storm.

The gate surrounding the castle was iron painted black, lined with barb wire that could probably cut you for looking at it for to long. The entrance gate had a large placard on the front with a crown on it and piercing red eyes, the only color that seemed to show. Poison ivy was tangled around the bars, daring you to try and enter. There were dead trees that twisted into menacing ways.

Emlyn was almost terrified to see the inside and what evil secrets were being contained behind those doors. She took a deep breath and nodded to Mystic who shot a black light from her horn destroying the ivy, breaking the gates wide open from whatever spell kept people out. Mystic didn't like using dark magic but it was sometimes necessary to combat the thing itself.

Ginger took the lead, "be careful it's easy to get lost in here."

They stepped forward inside the room it left an icy chill that ran up their spines making them shiver. The curtains blacked out the outside light and Ginger turned on the light. A chandelier casted a dim light that made the feeling of standing there more spooky.

The floor was a deep red carpet, the color of blood. Emlyn could see from a glance their was doors that led to more rooms and passageways and could easily imagine getting lost. Camilla could change the castle at will and change the rooms to benefit her. Emlyn knew this from her first attempt to stop her.

The wind howled and Ginger looked towards a grand staircase like she was following the sound. She led the way up the stairs and into Camilla's potion and spell room. Books lined the walls as well as a podium with a book open on it. Potion bottles, feather pens, scrolls, and everything else littered the room. It was a mess.

Emlyn and the Storytellers start looking around the room thinking Camilla wouldn't be so obvious and hide it in plain sight. "Hey what's this do?" Bob asks holding up a potion bottle. The potion is green and has a white label with a skull and crossbones and fire surrounding it. He starts attempting to open it curious and dumb as always.

Ginger snatches it from him,"a potion that'll burn your face off so maybe don't open any of the potions in here."

"Good to know..." He mumbles then goes back to looking with the others.

Emlyn approaches the podium after feeling like she's looked at everything else. She looks at the open book and skims the spell. "Guys this is it, she just left it here wide open."

"Well, I guess it's smart not one of us thought she'd hide it in plain sight. What does it say?" Stella asked.

"It explains how to cast a catastrophic storm, more specific than that but I assume it's what we are looking for." Emlyn said, and Ginger sighed relieved, she hated this place.

"Great grab it and let's get out of here." Ginger said, and Emlyn grabbed the book. The instant she did the doors slammed and locked. Stone walls shot up covering the windows. They were trapped.

Emlyn sighed, "well this is great, now what?"