Four Elements Book 3 - Sacrifice

Part 22

Everyone knows that feeling of falling in your sleep, until you "land" on your mattress and realize you were dreaming. That was what Andie felt like as she spiraled through darkness. She couldn't see anyone or anything, she couldn't tell how long she fell... until suddenly, she was standing on solid stone ground. She stumbled slightly, but an arm caught her and steadied her. She glanced up and smiled at Bane. Isabelle, however, was less lucky. She landed on her feet, but the rock under her feet was uneven, and she crashed into the first thing in her path. Zarias. They toppled over, Isabelle letting out a gasp.

They all froze, fearing they'd been heard. But nothing stirred. Isabelle quickly moved off Zarias and dusted herself, clearing her throat.

"So, Zarias, where are we?"

"In my chambers. I'm hoping that my father won't sense the shift as easily here as he would outside the palace."

Andie couldn't help glancing around. The room almost would have looked nice if it hadn't been so dark. There was a large, black circular bed with red velvet covers and black curtains. The only light coming from torch brackets, and a large portrait of Zorak on one of the walls. To the right, Andie saw a tall window alcove with an overview of the lava river.

"... But how are we going to get to Zorak's study without being noticed?"

"I should be able to conceal us, but we'll have to move quickly. Stand before me."

They did. Zarias eyed them a moment, then, with a long, sweeping motion, cast what felt like an invisible veil over Andie and the others.

"The Umbras won't see you, but if you speak too loudly, the veil will fade. So we'll need to be really quiet."

"How about getting back out?" Andie asked quietly.

"The device I used is in Father's study. Your friends know it, they've used it before. We'll be able to leave through that."

"Yeah, I know the one," Bane said. "Lead the way."

So, carefully, the four of them slipped out of the room. The walls were made of the same eerie black stone, with a thick blood red carpet covering the floor. That was fortunate. It would muffle the sound of their steps. At least for a little while. Zarias in front, followed by Isabelle and Andie with Bane bringing up the rear, they made their way down a long, wide but dimly lit corridor.

"Do we really need the cover in this darkness?" Isabelle whispered.

"It's dark to you. It's a bright as your day for the Umbras," Zarias murmured back.

They fell silent after that, tensely waiting for someone or something to raise the alarm. So far, nothing had. After what felt like a long time, they finally came to an ornate black door which Zarias opened before ushering the others inside and closing it quietly behind them.

The study, while just as black as everything else, was much more brightly lit than the rest of the palace. It was full of books, rolls of parchment... it was almost like stepping into a medieval library. One the far right was a staff holding upright a large red gem.

"So this is how you guys escaped when you came after me..." Andie whispered.

She hadn't seen the device, unlike her friends.

"Start searching, but keep quiet," Bane instructed as they all went towards the nearest bookshelf. "We can't stay too long, so be quick, too. We'll take some of it with us if we have to."

"What are we even looking for, anyway?" Andie asked.

"I don't know... pictures, letters... anything that tells us more about Zarias." Bane said. "But there had better be something, Zarias," he added warningly.

"I cannot guarantee it, but I myself have often wondered why we never spoke of my mother," Zarias said, browsing through a book without looking at Bane.

Andie searched through a handful of parchments, but they all had complicated symbols she didn't understand (and knowing Zorak, she wasn't sure that she wanted to). She was about to turn to a heavy looking book when she found a small chest hidden behind the book she'd just considered looking at. Intrigued, she set the book aside and tried to ease the chest out of its spot. Thankfully, it had a handle, but less thankfully, it was almost exactly the size of the hole, so tugging it out was more tricky than it appeared.

"Hey, Bane, give me a hand, I think I found something..."

Bane immediately dropped the paper he was looking at and came to her aid. As quickly and quietly as they could, they got the chest out. It was black and thankfully, not padlocked. So they set it on the table and stepped aside. Zarias crossed the room, and opened it. Inside it was a stack of papers and pictures.

"Did you have any idea this was here?" Isabelle asked Zarias.

"None," he replied. "I only ever saw portraits here, not photographies..."

Andie turned the box towards her, and after a mute nod from Zarias, began to sift through it. After a moment, she stopped in front of a picture.

"Guys..."

She held it up. It was a picture of a pretty woman with shoulder length dark hair and wide clear gray eyes... Just like Zarias's. And she was holding a tiny boy.

"... Is that... your mother?" Andie asked.

"She looks too much like him not to be... but... she's human... that's a human room..." Isabelle said. "And it's too light to be anywhere in the Demon Realm..."

"But I can't see Zorak taking a picture..." Bane commented.

"I'm... I'm not sure that he did. Zarias... " Andie put in gently. "I think your father took it. Your real father."

"What in the Realm are you on about?" Zarias demanded.

Andie held up another picture. This one had the same woman and child on it, but this time, a man sat with them. A man who looked nothing like Zorak.

"Could he have changed his appearance...?"

"... No. That smile is too warm for Zorak to be capable of. And that happy gleam in his eyes..." Bane said. "It can't be him."

Andie flipped the picture over. Her mouth fell open, her eyes widening.

"... April 5th 1990... Judith and Henry Bakerswood, and their son..." she read.

Zarias, if possible, had gone paler than ever.

"So... what does it mean?" Bane asked uncertainly.

Andie gulped.

"... It means Zarias never was Zorak's son... he's human."