Bound by Magic

Chapter 17

The sorcery room was a big mess. I bent my knees down, picked up the books that were lying around the floor and placed them back to the shelves.

There was a long wooden cabinet with the drawers opened sitting next to one of the shelves. I walked over to the cabinet to close them.

As I was about to close them, a stack of old photographs caught my eye.

I pulled the pictures from underneath a book and gazed at them.

I couldn't help myself to not smile at the first picture that showed two little boys hugging each other glancing at me. This must be Dakota and Lucas. I switched to the second picture that showeda newborn Lucas carried by his mother Amelia with a tiara on, and his father Nicolai. They looked so happy.

I switched to the next photograph and gasped. A little girl with long straight platinum blonde hair with a pink flower crown on and a young Dakota sitting beside her. They were smiling at each other. This must be Dakota and Aurelia.

I turned the picture and the back was scribbled with a pen. I read it quietly.

Leah,
I promise I will see you again and my Aurelia shall bloom beautifully like she used to.

"That's her." I jumped when Dakota was standing beside me all of a sudden with his arms crossed.

"Dakota! Um hey..sorry, I j-just... wanted to see the pictures." He smirked. "It's fine. You are free to look around."

I glanced at the picture, Leah was such a beautiful girl. No wonder Dakota is so fond of her.

"You must miss Au- Leah a lot." I knotted my fingers together. Dakota ran a hand through his scruffy strawberry blonde hair and replied, "Yeah, I really do." I flashed a smile, "You'll be able to see her very soon."

Dakota gazed into my eyes and muttered, "But, I don't know if I'm ready to see her. I've left her for a long time and what if she doesn't forgive me?" I touched his hand to comfort him, "Oh, Dakota. Of course she will, she misses you a lot."

Dakota gave me a half smile and looked down.

"Aurelia. Her name is beautiful." I said quietly.

Dakota looked up at me and flashed a smile, "Her name is actually Leah. She acquired the nickname Aurelia back at Trixwerys because she puts on flower crowns everyday. Aurelia, a beautiful colorful glittering flower that only grows in the forests of Ephiezora."

I smiled with amazement. Leah meant a lot to him.

"I can hardly wait to meet her. She sounds wonderful." Dakota gave me a little laugh, "Distance ain't a problem. In the end, we'll be together forever." I chuckled, "Damn, you're a man of words."

I was placing the pictures back to the drawer when I noticed a crumpled piece of paper. I was about to pick it up and Lucas barged in all of a sudden and ran over to us. He was looking really pissed off.

"What are you doing man?" He grabbed my arm and pulled me away from Dakota. Dakota wailed, "We were just talking. . ."

Lucas gave a devilish look to Dakota and growled, "Fuck off."

Dakota frowned and gave Lucas a death glare as he walked towards the door.

"Lucas, what the hell! Why do you have to be like that?"

Lucas sighed deeply. "He just-- Dakota can be really rough sometimes. I want you to be careful around him."

I knew deep inside Lucas wanted me for himself and when he saw me hanging with Dakota, he was totally jealous ;P