Sacrifice [BOOK 2]

Chapter 7

Trying to keep up with the freakishly longed legged Arel seemed to be a struggle as a huge sense of deja vu takes over my mind.

"Slow down! I can't keep up."

Arel: "Should I carry you princess? Would that help you keep up? Can't have an exhausted princess now, can we?"

"You don't have to be sarcastic all the time. The faster I walk, the more I trip over my skirt."

Arel continues to march ahead, muttering to himself as he walks. Our journey continues in silence, until I watch him go through a curtain of hanging vines, pushing them back, and disappearing from view. I contemplate not following him, running in the opposite direction to get out of the forest and back to the castle. Facing my fears I breathe out the breath I've been holding in as I reach the other side.

"It's actually the same."

Arel: "What are you blabbering about?" He whispers in my ear.

I scream, too startled to recognize his voice.

Arel: "I appreciate it if you would lower your tone. The forest animals are running scared and your mother can probably hear us from the castle."

"You were just in front of me, now you are beside me. You're suppose to protect me, not mock and humiliate."

Arel: "The more frightened you become, the more I worry about your future. Come on, she is waiting."

Pushing me forward, he wraps his arm around me, almost dragging me along the broken stone path. The door opens without help from either of us. It slams shut with so much force that the wind tickles the nape of my neck. Despite having windows, no light seems to illuminate the inside of the room, only smoke from the cauldron obstructing my view of the witch sitting in her arm chair, reading a thick tome, dusty and ragged.

Keturah: " Sit you two, sit. May I offer you some tea?"

Arel: " I am fine, thanks. The princess of cowardice may want some."

Arel plops down in an armchair close to the cauldron making dust fly around him as he fiddles with his golden bracelets.

This place is disgusting, dust everywhere. Cobwebs in every corner. Is that a spider? What is that scraping sound?

"We made a mistake coming here, we will leave."

Searching around I see that the door to the outside world doesn't exist anymore. Arel continues to ignore me, staring intensely at the now bubbling cauldron. I feel around the filthy walls in repugnance.

Keturah: "I have a gift for you princess, in celebration of your homecoming. A gift to gain your trust. Come closer and open your hand."

Glaring once more in Arel's directions, I know that his help is fruitless. Walking up to her I put on a brave face, still unsure about the situation I find myself in. Opening up my hand I wait patiently for the unexpected gift. It glistens as soon as she retrieves it from a pocket in her distasteful dress. Instantly, I recognize, the heart shaped trinket.

"My necklace, how did you? Why did you? Ummm, thank you."

I proceed to hold it in my hand with concern, only to find the comfort of my true home, not this backwards world I've been brought to.

Keturah: "I fixed it, your heart. You are still broken, but the necklace should help you reach your true potential."

Arel stands up, snatching the locket from my hands and latching it back around my neck. As soon as he steps back the necklace sends a soothing warmth throughout my entire body.

Arel: "She needs insight on her bloodline. She is not human. There is magic in her, magic that can only be conjured by one of your witchy sisters."

Keturah: " Prick your finger to find your truth."

"Will I sleep for a hundred years?"

Arel: "What?"

"Nothing. It's a saying from a folktale. What do I do now?"

Keturah: " Let the blood fall onto the blank pages. Two drops is all you need my child."

Holding out the tome that she has on her lap, she opens it in front of us. I force my ruby colored blood out of my fingertip and onto the pages, as the redness soaks into the blank parchment, disappearing in a blink of an eye. Slowly, an illustration of a tree shows up with continuous budding branches and leaves. Stepping back I turn my attention back to the boiling pot, now runneth over, yet no liquid falls to the floor.

"I am scared Arel. I wish I could turn back time. To the time of not knowing who I was and what I am. I prayed to the moon goddess to find myself, but when the truth is put in front of me, I coward. Dreading the possibilities. Craving for normalcy."

Arel: "I am here for you little princess. Knowing yourself is the first step in healing."

Author's Note

I can't thank you guys enough for all the support on the story. Please continue to comment and vote. I am trying to be more daily with my updates to this story. Also you can reach me on Twitter @sabby . Until next time, stay awesome people.