The wicked and the brave (Book 1- Valhireya Series- Completed)

Chapter 1

Luca

I manage to make it out of the palace with the help of a maid that I used to screw when I was a teenager. She's always had a soft spot for me so she gave me some new clothes and kept all the guards busy by misguiding them around the hallways.

As I enter the narrow street that crosses behind the palace wall, I feel the sharp pain from the wound that one guard managed to give me, but I force myself to focus on moving. I can't let Stafan catch me.

The sky is dark and heavy, making the air quite hard to breathe. The clouds are gathering with every minute, foretelling the storm that is about to start. I pull up my scarf to cover my nose to stop all the dust getting in my lungs and make my way through the the city.

The streets are quite narrow and the houses are crooked. The merchants on the side of the road are trying to sell you anything, from dragon claws to love potions. It's always like this during summers.

By all Gods, how I hate this season in Valhireya. There is always either too much dust, too much wind or too much sun. Never the perfect weather, never calm. The weather is wicked, just like the people here. It's not like the realm of the humans, no... It's just a long row of neverending wretched days.

And ever since king Stafan took the throne, Valhireya has become even worse. He has turned our realm into a prison for all magical creatures that live here. He is merciless and cruel. Some say he is even mad. The bastard even banned travelling between realms, just to make sure every one of us is miserable. They say he drives his force from his hatred towards our kind, which is kind of fucked up, given the fact that he is one of us.

I try to gather my strength as I continue walking towards the boarder of the city. I need to travel to the human realm before Stafan's guards catch me but it's hard to do so while also trying to maintain my cover in this heat. It would be easier if only I could morph, but my wound is keeping me from doing so. I guess that's what you get for messing with the most powerfull man in the realm, not to mention the most dangerous. But damn, she was fun.

I apply more pressure on my wound and feel my vision blurring. What the fuck did that guard inject me with? Why can't I heal? I try focusing some healing energy towards it but it's not working. My legs start shaking because of the pain. I won't make it to the boarder. Fuck!!! I need to go to Gael's house. I need help.

I stumble upon the streets and reach the entry to Gael's domain, The institute of knowledge in magical science. I pass through the cloaking spell and manage to open the door before collapsing on the floor. I can feel my blood pulsing out of the wound, I can see dark spots clouding my vision. My ears are buzzing extremely loud. My heart is racing in my chest. I need to stay awake... I need to...

Clara

I run quickly towards the man that just crumbled on the floor. I turn him around and see the blood on his clothes. Gael runs from behind me and looks at the man. As he takes his hat off, I get the chance to look at his face.

His blonde hair is wet and his face is beaded with sweat. His lips are parted and chapped. His skin is slightly tanned. I snap out of my trance as soon as I notice his entire body is shivering, probably because of the pain inflicted by his wound.

"Clara, don't just sit there. Help me get him up and carry him to one of the rooms." He orders me and I snap out of my thoughts.

One of our pupils walks by and sees us and offers to help Gael. Thank the Gods. I don't want to touch him. I think to myself while playing with the fabric of my gloves.

I follow them to the room and see Gael pulling the stranger's shirt apart, to study his wound.

"Do you know who he is?" I ask him curious.

"He is my brother, Luca." Gael says while studying his wound.

"Your brother? You've never even told me you have one." I tell him surprised.

"Well, he doesn't come by that often and when he does, he's usually in trouble." He looks at me and I can see the anger in his eyes.

"Luca..." I whisper to myself and look at the blonde man shivering on the bed.

"Will you make sure to keep his fever down? He has been poisoned. That's why he couldn't heal himself. I need to go and prepare the cure." He says while collecting some blood in a small vile.

"Gael, I..." i try to speak and refuse him but he comes and puts his hands around me.

"Please, Clara. You're the only one I trust with his safety." He whispers in my neck.

"Ok." I tell him and he barges out of the room without saying another word.

I can't refuse him. He is my best friend. The last 6 years he has sheltered me from the world. He knows what I am and does everything in his power to help me become better. He respects me and loves me as if we are family. I was 18 back then and my mom was trying to hide me from a very rich man that found out what I am, but she failed. He tricked me into believing that he could help me control this and he locked me down in his basement and used me for months. When Gabriel found me, I was an empty shell. I am what I am because he saved me.

I sit down on the bed, next to Luca. I take off my gloves and my hands start shaking immediately. I mentally prepare myself for any scenario I might see once I touch his skin. I take a deep breath and urge myself to put the cold cloth on his forehead.

"Come on, Clara. You've seen horrible things in your life. There's nothing left to see.." i lie to myself as I drain the cold water from the cloth in my hands.

As I touch his face, visions start to pass before my eyes... I see blood, people running, people killing other people, I see fire, I see death.

I let out a sharp cry and jump off the bed, tears pouring down my face. My entire body is shaking with fear. My head starts hurting instantly as I press my temples to try contain the pain.

Gael runs inside the room and finds me curled up in a ball, crying in my fists.

"What is it Clara? What did you see?"

"War..."