The Third Eye

Chapter 7

"Vera!" a voice yelled. I tried to open my eyes, but I was too weak. "Vera!" the voice yelled again. I felt my eyes flutter. Then, open. I coughed and coughed. I felt a warm hand support my back. "Oh, Vera! You're so cold!" it said. I felt a brush of warm cloth over my shoulders. "Vera?" the voice said. My eyes opened once more. Waves crashed and I felt a tickle of cold water touching my shoulder.

My eyes revealed a blurry image of Prince Lucas helping Princess Heather a dozen feet away. I looked up to see Landon. Thank God. I smiled.

"Landon?" I asked softly still trying to make sense of my surroundings.

"Yes, Vera, it's me!" Landon said with a new hope in his eyes. I jumped up and hugged him somehow regaining energy. Tears started to fall down my face.

"Thank you," I cried.

We just stood there warm in our own embrace. I didn't want to, I know I shouldn't, but I trusted him. Suddenly, I didn't feel that much alone.

Landon's face dripped with blood. He had be scratched up on the rocks. His legs were scratched up horribly. Landon's face had a huge scratch right under his left eye. "Are you okay?" I asked feeling the swollen bump around the scratch.

"I'm fine. I'm lucky. If it were a few moments earlier, I would've been blind." Landon said.

"Where's Cole?" I asked innocently. Landon gulped. In our hug, I was afraid that if I let go I'd fall. And I trusted him to catch me.

"I still haven't found Cole yet," Landon finally said.

"I'm so sorry!" I cried. Landon squeezed me tighter. I guess I was as much comfort to him as he was to me.

Landon and I began building a ship to somehow get back to... wherever we wanted to get back to. We worked for three hours collecting materials. Prince Lucas and Princess Heather were on the other side of the beach. I didn't know what they were doing and frankly I didn't care.

"Landon!" I shrieked. Landon ran to me. I pointed to a portion of the shallow water. The water was disturbed, splashing everywhere. I didn't need to say anything else. Landon went running into the water. I ran after him, the saltwater stinging my wounds.

We found Cole gasping for air. Landon grabbed Cole and carried him to shore. Cole's eyes fluttered like mine did just hours before. His skin was delicate. He muttered what were probably words. I clenched my fist praying he was okay. Landon put his ear to Cole's chest.

"Cole? Cole... please!" Landon said in a quiet, calm, whisper-like voice. "Please... I... I can't lose you again," Landon cried.

I carefully grabbed Cole's wrist placing my fingers on the bloody skin. "He has a pulse!" I reported to Landon. "Try your magic," I commanded.

"Doesn't work that way!" Landon cried. "But you..." he started to say. I backed up. I could barely get my feet off the ground nevermind save a life.

"I can try," I answered his question without him having to ask. I placed my hand on Cole's chest. Landon placed his on top in support showing me how.

He transferred an energy I cannot describe in words. I closed my eyes in an instant picturing a balloon blowing up in Cole's chest. I pictured Cole and Landon together again. I smiled just thinking of it. The two of them deserve to be together more than Princess Heather deserved a huge smack in the mouth.

Cole's eyes opened and I gasped. Landon helped Cole to his feet. "Cole!" he cried. Cole pointed to me.

"Did you just... you... woah, Landon. You're a good teacher!" Cole said like his regular self. I looked down at my hands, they were more powerful than I thought. Landon had the biggest smile, I'd do anything to keep that smile plastered across his face.

We all cleaned up in the water of the beach. Prince Lucas and Princess Heather came back to see us. "Vera!" Prince Lucas said running to me. "You're alive!"

"Yes, yes I am. Where did you go?" I asked.

"We found shelter!" Princess Heather bragged.

"Where?" Landon asked eager to get some rest.

"I'll show you!" Prince Lucas said.

The sand was burning hot against my bare feet. I carried my shoes in my hand because of how wet they were. We stopped at a cave. Prince Lucas leaded the way. Cole and Landon followed suspiciously. The twins whispered about the carvings on the walls.

Prince Lucas sat down crossing his legs. He was pretty satisfied with himself. "What is this place?" I asked.

"It's a cave!" Prince Lucas responded. Landon touched the walls tracing the markings with his finger.

"We're on Dimmer's Island." Landon said out of nowhere.

"What?" Princess Heather screamed.

"The golden eye tribe used to live on this island until the white eyes and black eyes turned it into a prison. The golden eyes abandoned their caves on the shores. That's what the writing is on the walls. Tribe markings." Landon explained.

"What does it say?" Prince Lucas asked. I wandered over feeling the markings with my fingers like Landon did.

"It's a death wish..." I said. "It says, 'I will stay brave with my tribe, but if all is lost give the remains to my sister'"

"They must have taken over this cave years ago..." Cole observed.

"Sounds like it," I sighed.

Princess Heather's eyes glowed white. "The prison is only two hundred paces away. We better get a ship in the water and fast, or we'll all be dead. Golden eye or not." she said. We all looked at her surprised at how she even knew that. When she saw how shocked we were that she had a brain in that pretty head of us she hissed, "I have powers for a reason,"

"Vera and I will go look for wood in the cave. We can read the markings, so we should be able to navigate the cave." Landon told Cole and the royals. He pulled me aside.

"Stay close," he whispered.

"Why?" I asked quietly.

"My father has told me about these caves, you never know what to expect. We just have to stay close and be careful." Landon explained. I nodded watching each step I took.

I looked at the furniture in the cave. The pictures from Cole and Landon's book came to life in this place. The tables were lined with a magical game called, Sparks. The walls had family stories all over them some inspirational and others hilarious. The belongings of my ancestors gave me both an uncomfortable chill and a relieved smile. It was weird to think about a whole big village of people like me and Landon.

"I knew it!" Landon squealed. He turned a corner into a huge room. I followed him.

"What is it?" I asked. Landon pointed to a huge ship only a little smaller than the one we had travelled on before and much safer than the one we were attempting to build. My eyes widened. Landon waved his hand over the ship and the ship dissolved. He reached out his hand and I held it. We ran out of the cave calling the names of the others.

Landon opened his hand and the ship appeared in the sea. "Impressive!" Cole smiled giving his brother a high-five.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Princess Heather asked. We followed the twins onto the ship. Cole stood at the wheel. You could tell he was a little afraid to step back up there because of the storm. His hands trembled with nerves. Landon walked by and patted him on the back supportively.

Thanks for reading! Please like and comment if you enjoyed!! :)

Ava