Esveldza: 'The Lonely Child of Fire'

Chapter XV- Love Spell

Chapter XV

Love Spell

That night opened a new door for both Daarken and I. We were considerably closer, our pranks on Sarben became cleverer and we laughed harder. I versed him in every game he had, both losing and winning. Our fights were never real, more like a short period of rivalry while we tried to best the other in a game.

The days blended together until a month of bliss passed by. I didn't go back to school to join another group, Sarben didn't have the money to go and since Daarken had no interest of going I was happy with just staying at home.

I pressured Daarken to tell me more about myself but every time I brought it up he smoothly changed the subject. He believed I needed to find out some other way, but I still persisted.

Daarken and I sat on the couch while Sarben attempted different spells. "I do not understand why they would have to erase my memories just because we were friends..." I began one day, trying to get Daarken to slip some information about my past.

"Why? It is not as if I am exactly welcomed in Tivess." He shrugged. An explosion came from Sarben's direction but we ignored it.

"Hah! I was born in Tivess was I? That would explain why they did not what us to be friends... but to have my memory erased, they must be pretty close to the King and Queen to go to that extent." I pondered.

Daarken cringed, "You could say that."

"Oh why will you not just tell me who I am?" I cried, throwing my hands up in a frustrated notion.

Daarken smirked, shaking his head. "I do not think it would be right if I just told you. It could send you into a coma or something."

I frowned, I wanted to know who my parents were but whether I liked them or not was another matter. How could they just send me off like that and to the 'Eerns family' of all places. What if I had siblings? I wondered if they missed me.

There was an odd popping sound that this time managed to get our attention. Daarken and I turned our heads to see a singed Sarben triumphantly holding a tiny white cat. It meowed faintly, it's tail flicking from side to side. It's eyes had no pupils and they seemed to take over the majority of it's head.

"Aw, it is so cute!" I squealed, moving closer.

"It looks possessed." Daarken muttered, leaning in closer as well.

I gasped as Sarben closed his fingers murmuring, "End." In the God's tongue and the cat was gone when he opened his hands again.

"Well now that I have mastered a summoning spell I should try something else." Sarben said, slamming his book down on the ground and flicking through the pages.

"I would not call it mastering..." Daarken muttered but Sarben cut him off.

He slammed his hand down on the page, "A love spell! I can try it on you two!" He exclaimed excitedly.

For what must have been the first time I saw Daarken's cheeks redden a little. That was probably nothing compared to the colour my cheeks must have gone.

"Sarben, you could end up setting us on fire!" Daarken cried, "No offense." He added as Sarben glared at him.

Sarben sighed, "Look, the side effects if it does not work are just a reverse effect, as in hating each other and uh... severe blistering..."

"Sarben!" I cried, taking a step back in fear.

"It will be fine, come on, be brave you two." Sarben sighed reading the page, "Now the words are..."

Sarben closed his eyes, his palm on the page before lifting it up at Daarken and I. "Should we run?" I whispered to Daarken who nodded.

Before either of us could make a move Sarben chanted the words to the spell. I didn't listen to exactly what he was saying but one line stood out to me- Bring forth what is already there.

I knew Daarken was just my friend and I was still young so how could I even think of anything more...

Sarben finished his enchantment and I realised I had tensed up and shut my eyes. I opened them and studied myself. I had no blisters, did not feel a hate towards Daarken and I didn't feel love sick either.

"Did it work?" Sarben asked, standing up with the book still in his hands.

"I do not know, I do not feel any different." I said, folding my arms.

"Wait, Daarken are you ok?" Sarben moved over to Daarken. I looked to see he had fallen on the floor.

I rushed to his side, expecting to see blisters covering his body. He opened his eyes, "I feel perfectly happy... Akaiya did I ever tell you how pretty you are?" He said, smiling.

I jumped back away from him, my face burning. Sarben burst out laughing; he fell on his back and held his stomach, his laughter carrying around the house. For once, Sarben was the prankster and Daarken and I; the victims.

"Why are you laughing, her eyes are just the most beautiful colour of purple, I am lost in them." He stood up and walked closer to me.

I screamed, running past him and out of the games room and up the stairs. "Wait, my love!" Daarken called from the room.

It only made me run faster. I ran into Sarben's room, hoping Daarken would not look for me there. I could still here Sarben's laughter from his room.

Sarben's laughter finally died down and I could hear the creaking sound of the staircase. I peeped through the door, my heart pounding in my chest. Why did that idiot have to cast that spell?

The figure walked up the stairs and turned around. I let out a breath of air as I realised it was just Sarben. Perhaps the spell had worn off?

Arms clasped me around the waist and pulled me towards the body. Daarken nuzzled his cheek against mine, whispering compliments. I screamed again, kicking Daarken. He let go of me and I ran out the room.

He fell to the floor, clutching his stomach. The window in Sarben's room was open. Daarken had ran outside and climbed up the side of the house to get into his room. My eyes were wide with horror, I felt bad kicking Daarken that hard but at the same time having him that close to me was terrifying itself, plus there was no way someone that creepy could have been Daarken. He had let go of his stomach and his body lay limp on the floor.

"By Zora, did you kill him?" Sarben asked, astonished at the sight of Daarken in his room.

I kneeled down and turned Daarken over, he had a pulse so he wasn't dead.  "Daarken?" I whispered. His eyes slowly squeezed open.

His face reddened as he looked t me and hurriedly jumped away from me, "Sarben, I will end your life." He hissed darkly.

It was Sarben's turn to run as he bolted out the room, Daarken hot on his heels. "First I will cut your fingers off, then your toes and then I will put you in a girl's outfit and show you off for the whole town to see!"  Daarken yelled, his voice carrying from downstairs up to Sarben's room.

I breathed a sigh of relief; it was unusual to think that not long ago my troubles were the deaths of friends, the neglect from my foster parents and the bullying of my team mates. I smiled, now my only troubles were Sarben's amateur spells and who got to eat the last piece of chicken at dinner.