Cult of The Moon (Completed)

Chapter 8

"Why can't I just get this?" Aaliyah yelled.

"You have to calm down and try again dear." Emily cooed softly. Aaliyah took a deep breath in and out, trying to calm her nerves. Aaliyah put her hands back on the rock. Come on, change you stupid piece of earth! She angrily hissed in her head.

"Is something on your mind? Sometimes magic can be blocked if the user is preoccupied with another thought." Emily said.

"It's just... it's stupid." Aaliyah sighed.

"Tell me," Emily demanded.

"Eden. I've been meaning to apologize to her. It's been radio silence from her for a month. She moved my meal assignment to the west wing dining room and avoids me. I haven't even seen Eden since my confirmation." Aaliyah said.

"My dear, you don't need to apologize for showing her your true feelings," Emily said, placing her hand on Aaliyah's.

"It was... a mistake. I see that now." Aaliyah said softly. Emily sighed softly and stood up from her chair.

"If you truly believe that then continue," Emily said. Aaliyah nodded and moved her hands across the rock, feeling the curves and dents. Aaliyah took a deep breath and let the world bend around her. The rock remained unchanged.

"Ugh!" Aaliyah screamed as she threw her fist against the rock.

"Take a walk Aaliyah, we can try again tomorrow," Emily said forcefully. Aaliyah nodded and walked out onto the training field. She put her hands on her hips and took a deep breath, throwing her head back as she breathed in. She was tired, it had been a long day. The sun had only just begun to set, how did it get so late? Aaliyah asked herself. Her magic had been getting spotty in the last week so she had asked Emily to take some time to work with her. Emily health had begun to decline, her true age showing more with each passing day. Aaliyah had pleaded with her to stop the aging but Emily liked her place on the Elders council too much, so she put up with the health problems. Only those who let their bodies age naturally could have a spot on the elder's council, so Emily aged and aged. Aaliyah worried about her daily, Emily always seemed so fragile; but Aaliyah knew better than to underestimate her.

Aaliyah walked slowly back to her room, taking on the compound as she did. Aaliyah loved it her, she always felt so calm. Better than she ever did on the outside. She could be herself, something she never had before she had come to the compound. She wound down the blank square white halls without seeing another person, Aaliyah didn't mind she was so occupied with thoughts of Eden that she didn't notice. How do I even apologize to Eden? I'm sorry that I made you uncomfortable? No. That's not right. What if I said something like, I shouldn't have made that without asking? Maybe. Argh, I don't know. Aaliyah shortly arrived at her room, she glanced around. It had been so long since she had been in there. After the thing with Eden, she had stayed in a guest room next to Emily. There was a letter on her bed. When did that get here? Aaliyah wondered. She picked it up and realized that it was from Eden.

"Dear Aaliyah, I hope that you're very pleased with yourself. I've had your statue destroyed and publicly announced that it was a disgraceful thing for you to make. Cleaning up your mistakes it seems. As I write this letter I still have no idea why you could ever think that it was okay to make such a thing. I wish that you hadn't, things would be so different. I wish that we could take so many things back. But we can't, I can't. So, please don't do anything else to embarrass me. ~Eden." Aaliyah read out loud. What... What? I have to go talk to Emily about this. Aaliyah grabbed the letter and briskly walked to Emily's room.

"Emily! You need to see this." Aaliyah called through the door as she knocked.

"Come in then," Emily called. Aaliyah pushed into the room and sat down on the floor next to Emily. Aaliyah handed Emily the letter and watched as she silently read it.

"You must go speak with her, immediately," Emily said when she finished reading. 

"Where is she? Do you know?" Aaliyah asked urgently.

"I believe she went down to the caves," Emily said calmly, without the urgency that Aaliyah felt.

"She went where?" Aaliyah asked even more urgently.

"The caves...?" Emily said, still calm.

"Can you take me there?" Aaliyah asked.

"I guess so... Sure, why not." Emily said with a laugh.