Empyreal, Book 1

Chapter 12

Kai's fingers traced the worn leather cover of the Dreamsong. The book felt smooth and warm beneath his touch. He glanced up at Max, who sat across from him on the floor, his legs crossed, and eyes fixed on the tome in Kai's hands.

"I know the spell is in here somewhere," Kai said, flipping through the delicate pages.

"It's how my mother used to find me whenever I ran off into the woods as a child."

Max nodded, though his usually carefree face was creased with worry.

Kai's gaze dropped back to the book, skimming across page after page of looping script and arcane symbols. He had memorized every word, every illustration, but nothing sparked recognition. Sighing, he closed the Dreamsong, the heavy thud echoing through the quiet room.

"It's no use," he said softly. "Whatever connection Sarah had to this book...it's like it's been severed."

Max exhaled a long breath, running a hand through his hair. "So, she really has gone somewhere we can't reach her."

Kai stared down at the book's worn cover. Somewhere out there, Sarah was alone and afraid. And he had no way to find her.

Kai's despair was interrupted by a gentle knock at the door. Helena entered, her silver hair unbound and spilling over her shoulders. Though aged, her face still held its beauty, only enhanced by the wisdom in her eyes.

"Any luck?" she asked.

Kai shook his head. "The spell's not here. I don't know how to find her."

Helena glided forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sarah's connection to the Dreamsong may have been severed, but you have a connection that cannot be broken."

Kai looked at her quizzically.

"The bond between Lunar siblings transcends physical distance," Helena continued. "You may be able to locate Malachi through this connection. And wherever he is, Sarah is likely to be as well."

Hope flickered in Kai's chest. "You really think I can reach him?"

Helena squeezed his shoulder. "Focus your mind, open your senses. You may see glimpses of where he dwells. Any details could help us find them."

Kai nodded slowly. He closed his eyes, picturing his brother's sharp, arrogant face. Reaching out with his thoughts, he searched for the thread that tied them together. The room fell away, and he drifted into darkness. Malachi's presence hovered at the edge of his mind, taunting and elusive. Kai strained toward it, willing himself closer. For a moment, he thought he glimpsed stone walls and dark parapets...

And then he was wrenched back, the connection shattering. His eyes flew open with a gasp. Helena and Max watched him expectantly, but all Kai felt was the lingering void where

Malachi's presence had been.

"It's no use," he whispered. "Something's blocking me from reaching him."

Kai closed his eyes again, trying to grasp the fleeting images he had seen. "There were shadows...like in a castle courtyard. And a night sky with no stars or moon."

He struggled to recall more. "A barn too, old and weathered. I felt cold, damp air."

Opening his eyes, he met Helena's intense gaze.

"The Hollow Earth," she said decisively. "Malachi has taken Sarah to the shadowed realm beneath the surface."

Kai's heart sank. According to legend, the Hollow Earth was a lightless place of twisted rock and endless tunnels. He started to reply, but suddenly the room tilted around him. The connection with Malachi slammed back into place, overwhelming his senses.

Abruptly, it vanished again, leaving Kai reeling. He clutched his head, trying to steady his breathing.

"Are you alright?" Max asked worriedly.

Kai looked up at his friends' concerned faces. "Malachi knows I reached him. He cut me off, but not before I got a glimpse of where he's keeping Sarah." Determination set his jaw. "We have to go after them. Now."

Meanwhile, Malachi's eyes narrowed as he listened to the servant drone on about mundane affairs of the estate. He waved a dismissive hand, cutting the man off mid-sentence. A foreign presence brushed against his mind, seeking entry.

His lip curled in a snarl. With a mental shove, he forced the intruder out and slammed his mental barriers back into place.

"Damn it!" he roared, slamming a fist on the table. The servant jumped back in fright.

"How did the Moonstone Guardian get inside my head?"

Malachi paced the room. He could still feel the echo of that other consciousness, somehow both gentle and defiant. This Kai dared to challenge him, to push into his inner sanctum uninvited? The audacity made his blood boil.

He would not stand for such insolence. Kai may have wielded power over dreams and visions, but Malachi's will was a fortress. He would find where the guardian hid and teach them the danger of provoking his ire.

With a growl, Malachi grabbed his cloak and swept from the room as the servants scrambled out of his way. Kai would regret his brazen trespass. The darkness of the estate seemed to cling to Malachi as he strode down the hall, his footsteps falling heavy with menace.

The hunt was on.

Malachi stalked through the dim halls and made his way into the study where he kept his most precious artifacts under lock and key.

He needed to check on the Earthsong. Such a prize could not fall into enemy hands.

At last, he reached the sturdy oaken door. With a muttered word and a twist of his hand, the locks clicked open. Malachi swept inside; the door slamming shut behind him.

Shadows swirled around shelves full of leather-bound grimoires and curiosities encased in glass. At the room's heart sat a pedestal draped in black velvet. Malachi swept aside the cloth to reveal the Earthsong, its facets glinting even in the low light. He let out a breath. Safe and sound, for now.

But he could not rest yet. Kai's intrusion left him uneasy. He needed to check on the girl, his leverage against the guardians.

Leaving the study, Malachi ascended a winding staircase to the east wing.

Inside, the room was dim, illuminated only by shafts of moonlight. His ward lay asleep, icy blonde hair fanned across the pillow. Malachi drew closer, studying her face.

She seemed untroubled, her expression peaceful. He reached out and gently brushed a lock of hair from her cheek. As he did, her skin seemed to glow faintly, as though lit from within. Malachi's eyes narrowed. Was she manifesting her powers even in sleep? If so, he needed to act quickly. The girl was more valuable than he realized.

Malachi recoiled, his mind racing. The girl's emerging abilities could threaten everything.

He needed to keep her contained until the ritual.

Whirling around, he swept from the room, the servants scrambling to close the door behind him. Malachi descended the stairs two at a time, his footfalls echoing through the empty halls.

Back in his sanctum, he began rifling through texts and artifacts, seeking anything to suppress Sarah's nascent magic. But he found nothing suitable. Cursing under his breath, Malachi steadied his breathing. He needed another way to secure his prize.

Closing his eyes, Malachi spread his consciousness, searching for Kai's essence. There— a cottage on the edge of the forest. So, the meddlesome guardian had tracked him this far. They could not be allowed to find the girl.

Malachi opened his eyes. He had one option left. From a black iron box, he withdrew a vial of viscous liquid. With a flick of his wrist, he cast it into the air, where it expanded into a writhing form with far too many limbs.

"Go," Malachi commanded. "Stop the guardian from finding us."

The creature melted into the shadows. Malachi watched it depart, the barest hint of a smile on his lips. The guardian would not take what was his.