Bride of Alvar (Redemption Saga, Book 1)

Chapter 28

"You seem to know me by a name I've long given up, and yet I've never personally met you," the Sorceress says, her eyes glinting in the light of the eerie green lamp she carries.

"Where is Emily? I heard her here," I say, as calmly as I can muster, backing away from her, my skin prickling with the memories of what she is capable of.

"She's was quite excited when I gave her a shard of Arlite and taught her how to use it to access the Bridge. Said she couldn't stand it here, needed to get back to your world. She said you belong there too."

"I'm not going back to Earth." I lift my chin. "My husband is Alvar."

"Ah, Alvar, the king of Underland and the salvation of Axus," the Sorceress's words drip with mockery. "A Cursed who thinks he can masquerade as human."

I hold my breath, is she going to tell everyone in Underland about this?

"Oh, my dear, don't worry." The Sorceress chuckles. "I'm sure he's on my side more than any of the humans here, I'm not going to reveal him, but I am so tired of the lack of chaos in this world. There is nothing to feed off of. My power grows weaker every day. When Remora fell, I knew I had few options left. Emily is my last hope of causing chaos, you see? The Dark Lord demands it."

"What do you mean, your last hope?" I'm still backing away, unsure of what to do.

"You don't have any need to fear me right now. I can't hurt a thing, not with my weakened state... but hasn't Alvar explained to you how sorceresses and all dark magical beings survive here in Axus? I am the last of the pure sorceresses, I live for the one who brought darkness. We feed off of chaos and pain, betrayal and malice, greed and perversion. If those things wither in Axus, we do too. All those who have dark magic abilities do." But her brow furrows in thought as she adds, "well, perhaps not all of us."

"What?" I ask her. 

She scares me, the way she talks. I can almost perceive the darkness she speaks of surrounding her like a cloud of nightmares. 

No, it's not just surrounding her, it's living in her.

"Saul gave me the benefit of all those things," the Sorceress continues. "I was so close to being more powerful than any Cursed, and overthrowing Saul myself and giving this world to the darkness, but Alvar found the Bridge and sent Saul to Earth before that happened. Saul will enjoy meeting you, the lovely pure woman his slave fell in love with. Oh, I cannot wait for the tasty moment when Saul has his way with you while he makes Alvar watch--or better yet--has Alvar pin you in place for him. That kind of agony and perversion... Mmm... delicious," the Sorceress licks her lips.

My stomach twists at her words, horror building inside me till I'm sure it'll spill out. I've never felt more violated in my life than right now by this woman's words. There is no soul in this woman. No light in her eyes. Only a hunger for death and misery. A shiver runs down my spine. Fear creeping inside me, the need to run from this person of evil. "Saul won't make it back. Even if Emily is on Earth right now with some Arlite, how on earth would Saul know where to find it? Earth isn't a tiny place."

"Because I sent your friend to find him and give him a message for me in exchange for the Arlite," the sorceress cackles. "Of course, your friend never questioned the kindness of this stranger. She promised me that she'd give him my message as Saul and I are two star-crossed lovers parted by worlds. It didn't take long to spin a lie for her. She was so desperate to get back home."

"No, no," I shake my head and my throat tightens, dread rending through my heart like a knife. "Alvar!" I cry out. "Alvar! Grey! Anyone! Help!"

"You should have gone back with Emily, Lucy," the sorceress is fading from my sight, the lamp she holds is dimming. "But instead you'll get to watch as your love sends this world to hell again."

She disappears completely and I turn and run back to the encampment. Alvar. I need to find Alvar and warn him. There has to be something we can do. How much time do we have? My heart pounds in my chest like a drum, I feel as if I cannot breathe. I've seen what Saul does while in power here. I know what awaits this world if what the sorceress says is true. It can't happen again.

"Alvar!" I scream. I'm suddenly sobbing. I trip in my rush into the damp earth, but hurriedly I pick myself up again. Almost there. Almost to the encampment again. A warm hand grabs mine.

"Lucy!" Alvar's says my name and pulls me against him, holding me as I sob. "Lucy what happened?"

"I saw her! The sorceress from your memories..." My voice trails. The adrenaline is making me dizzy.

"What?" Alvar grips me by my upper arms. "Where, Lucy?!"

"Back in the forest, I went searching for Emily," I quickly explain. "She sent Emily over the bridge back to Earth to find Saul. Gave her a shard of Arlite so she could go back home. Emily is going to give Saul the Arlite so he can return."

Alvar holds me close to him again, gripping me to his chest as if I would fall if he didn't. I can feel his heart beat, it's building in pace to match mine. "No," the singularly word holds an unspeakable amount of doom in it. "Say it isn't true, Lucy," he's pleading this in a whisper, his lips inches from my ear. "Say it isn't true."

"What are we going to do?" I ask him, I'm shaking uncontrollably.

"Sola Brightfeather," Alvar states stonily. "We must find her."

"Who?" I blink.

"A sylph priestess who knows my story, we must head to the skylands of the sylphs," Alvar says.

"But, do we have enough time to do that?" I ask Alvar.

"Saul won't return until the next bridge opening. You cannot open it every single day, you have to wait for the correct cycle," Alvar explains. "I'd say we have at the least fives days."

"Five days isn't much time," I state, but my heart is calming, Alvar seems so sure this Sola Brightfeather person will have answers of some kind. I hope he's right.

"Go to Leeza, have her pack your belongings," Alvar orders. "I'll tell Fletch what you told me. I must make sure the gobli are set with their new order so they can live in peace."

Alvar, holding to his responsibilities as if the impending horror was nonexistent. Still, as calmly as I can muster I find Leeza still dancing at the feast and set out with her to pack my things.