Knowledge of the Heart (Book One)

Chapter Seven

~Chapter Seven~

Anastasia stirred as she rolled over to lie on her back, wincing as a slight twinge went through her back and she sat up quickly. She panted a little, having had a nightmare at the same time and she sighed, wiping her forehead on the back of her hand. She sighed before she put her glasses on and looked around her, blinking as she spotted some of the boulder beings gathered around something. She tilted her head as she looked at them carefully before she slid off of the bed, her clothes still damp from the rain in the previous realm. She glanced up as something caught her attention atop one of the beings heads and she blinked, her eyes widening as she recognised the petals of the flower.

"That...looks like Calla's wings..." she said in a small voice.

The flower shook and shuddered before falling apart and a bright blur flew forth.

"Miss Anastasia! So glad you made it through alright. I was worried there for a bit. You took to long at The Shadows."

She cooked over her, fluttering about.

"They've almost got it made, then it'll be filled and you can keep going. He's not far ahead, but you've got a stop to make."

She stopped her fluttering and stood on the stone bed.

"Have you thought about what you will offer?"

She looked at Calla as she flew over to her and she sat down on the bed again. She looked at her a moment before she sighed and she looked down.

"I...I know I took too long with the Shadows. They were hard to bargain with," she said with a grumble before she sighed and she looked at her. She nodded her head once before she looked over at the boulders.

"I do...but I don't want to voice it out loud in case I change my mind," she said in a small voice.

The fae woman nodded and took off like a shot back to the rocks, in a blur she was back again though. She carried with her a vial made of some kind of crystal and capped with a rock stopper.

"Now, when you're on the portal, you open this vial and think hard about your bargin, and remember what you're doing this for. Good luck Anastasia. You'd better bring him back for next Halloween. The girls are already planning matching dresses for us." She giggled and handed over the vial. "Now get moving missy."

She watched as the Fae woman took off again. She sighed and she sat there for a moment, fiddling with the bloodied cloth before she looked up as Calla came back again. She reached out with her free hand and accepted the vial as it was handed over to her.

"Matching dresses?" she asked with a surprised look before she stood up.

"Alright, alright. I'm going," she said to her ebfore she smiled.

"Take care Calla," she said to her before she walked over to the portal platform.

She stepped up onto it carefully before she unstoppered the vial and closed her eyes, holding the vial close to her chest with the bloodied cloth as well. She thought hard about what she was willing to bargain, gripping both objects tightly in her hands.

The portal flared, a twisting of colors swirling about. It seemed to go on for ages, whipping and swirling about. Then a voice, smooth, with that hint of education, much like Desimune's.

"Bargin accepted. Come to me child of mankind and make your trade." Then the portal died down, and outside of it was a hallway. Like one out of a palace, but without adornments or decorations.

She covered her eyes as the portal flared and she kept them covered until the portal finally died down. She listened as the voice spoke up and she looked up, lowering her hand slowly from her face. She glanced around, her eyes taking in everything around her before she glanced down at the ground. She stepped forward carefully, walking to the edge of the portal before she stepped off of it, holding her breath. When nothing happened to her, she let out her breath and sighed before she looked forward again, looking down the corridor carefully. She took in a deep breath before she squared her shoulders and walked forward, her footsteps echoing thorughout the silent hallway. She looked around her as she walked forward, heading towards the end of the hallway carefully.