The Falling Kingdoms: The Hidden Coffins

Chapter Twenty Six: The Psycho Friends

There were hundreds of red eyes, following me around, trying to capture me like I was an award, a trophy to win. I kept running, hiding, defeating myself. But they didn't seem to decrease or go on to a different path. My breath hitched as a tough, fat hand got hold of my hair and pulled on them.

"Ugh! Let go of me!!!" I yelled, trying to free my hair from the cruel grip.

The hold was still there and if it wasn't enough having a huge man controlling my actions in his arms, a sharp and thin blade was kept on my neck. The man was seconds away from slitting my throat with it.

Try to remember, Aileen! Remember what Nick taught you! The advantages of being a siphon. You do remember it. You know it.

And then it clicked.

Till then, the blade hurt me a little, a drop of blood sliding down the unevenness of my neck. The pain was sharp and brutal, but it wasn't much to kill me. I didn't know what this man was trying to do. But at least now I know what to do.

"Igne me, Incendia, Igne me, Incendia!" Two times, I powerfully chanted and a blanket of fire surrounded me, protecting me from the man. He was thrown away with the power of the goddess of fire. She was protecting me. My gaze moved in the now burning man's direction. He was screaming for help, his body trembling. But the other red eyes disappeared one by one, seeing him in agony. Soon, his horrifying eyes vanished into thin air, leaving me peaceful and satisfied to open my eyes.

I sighed, watching myself in the mirror placed in front of me. My nose was bleeding again.

"Damn it!" I cursed and wiped the little amount of blood away with my fingers.

I blew out the candle in front of me then, finding myself in complete darkness. That made my image in the mirror disappear too, making me blind for the time being.

I was doing a delusional practice of the new protection spells Nick taught me. After what happened at the other side of the lake, everybody was certain I wasn't safe roaming around with little magic known. Anybody could hurt me badly, even kill me. So, Raymond's friend from school — the professor of the delusional arts gave me a book written by himself on the special delusional arts only Amara Queens could do. He researched for seven years before completing that book and that amazed me. I spent the whole weekend reading it and understanding how to perform those arts. Successfully, I learnt three easy ones and two tough ones. The one I was in a few minutes ago contained a delusional world that we create for ourselves to fight the demons we think will hurt us. I needed to protect myself from any other further attacks. Nick taught me the protection spells of the four elements. They were easy and connected with me easily because of my siphoning nature of the energy I consume for magic. That's why, for the first time today I thought of practicing going in the delusional world, testing my protection spells. There was only one drawback of going in the world of our imagination. If we got hurt in there badly or if we died, we will die in the real world as well. I winced as I touched the small wound on my neck which was still bleeding a bit.

The door of my room whished open and I jumped in my place, standing up immediately as a reflex. I was all ready to defeat the demon standing on the door when a familiar scent hit my nostrils, followed by the sexy accent.

"Hello, love. You're a bit jumpy today." Raymond greeted, the usual naughty smirk could be felt by the tease in his voice.

"Hi..." I exhaled out in relief, greeting him back.

He waved his hand in the direction of the big candle on the ground and it lit up, making both our faces visible to each other.

"Why are you bleeding?" He walked to me with concern, holding my face with his palms and tilting my head up to have a look at my bleeding neck.