Chapter 41
1473 Words
Anya woke up fully healed thanks to Aeosn's healing abilities. Aria's gash on her cheek was supposed to leave a scar but Aeson ensured that it wouldn't. It was currently eight at night and time was running out. Everyone had successfully summoned their spirits except Anya and Aria. Their spirits are the most aggressive and their injuries were proof of that.
"We have no time," Anya growled and got off the bed, despite getting dizzy. Cairn immediately pushed her back down to sit on the bed. "I know someone who can help Aria."
"But what about you?" Sierra asked as she was aiding Aria in sitting upright.
"I'll have to work that part out by myself," Anya explained. "But no one is supposed to know that the person who will be helping Aria can control the elements. Am I clear?"
"Crystal," Reed replied, sitting close to Aria. Anya quickly headed out of the Royal Guard wing and headed to the Servant's Quarters. She nervously gnawed on her lip thinking about how she would explain herself to Oliver. But there was nothing to explain...Was there?
She convinced herself that she shouldn't be this flustered and compose herself to act formally. But when she was an inch from her fist knocking against her door, she stopped. What was she doing? There has to be someone else who could assist Aria in summoning the wind spirit. Oliver was the only one she could think of that is a master at the wind.
It had to be done. They needed to prove themselves to the King because if they were to fail they would receive punishment from their Houses. Anya knocked three times.
She heard some rustling and what sounded like light snoring. He was in a deep sleep so Anya opened the door slowly so it wouldn't creak. A sliver of light illuminated his face. She tiptoed beside the bed and hovered above him for a couple of seconds.
"Oliver," she mumbled and lightly nudged his shoulder. He turned over to face her but he was still asleep. Anya rolled her eyes because he made it clear he was a heavy sleeper. His dark hair was messed up but in an attractive way that made Anya bite her lip to prevent from thinking unheavenly thoughts. "OLIVER"
Groggily, he opened his eyes. They fluttered for a few seconds before widening and he scrambled to sit up. He seemed to be in shock for a few seconds until Anya flicked his forehead. Some things never change.
"I need your help," Anya muttered but she saw the wave of confusion that washed over him. "I need you to help Aria summon the wind spirit."
He rushed to grab a piece of paper and quickly wrote, "You know that no one can know that I can control the elements."
"They gave me their word that they won't tell a soul."
"Do you really want to prove yourselves to the King that much?" his letters looked a bit angry to Anya.
Anya's face froze and she felt her trust in him dissolve a little bit. She never told him of the horrors the heirs of High Houses go through such as strainful training and excruciating punishments. "Will you help me or not?" she sounded colder than usual.
He heaved a sigh and nodded. Anya headed for the door and told him, "Go to the crystal Lake clearing behind the castle....It'll be frozen."
***
Once everyone had gathered around, Chirs lit a fire with his palm and Oliver crouched beside Aria who sat on the ground. To Anya, Reed seemed a bit off because he had his jaw and fists clenched.
"He's mute," Anya pointed out when Aria started to stare at Oliver weirdly because he wouldn't speak.
Oliver brought his palm to Aria's eyes and tried to lightly shut them but Reed growled and tugged him back by the arm. "Don't touch her."
Reed's eyes were dangerously glowing but Oliver was unfazed and simply blinked at him. Anya was surprised at Oliver's strength at not falling to the ground when Reed hauled him back. However, Reed was gripping his wrist rather horribly.
Anya stepped in speedily and clutched Reed's wrist, her nails digging in. "Stop this right now, Reed," she hissed.
"I don't like him touching Aria." Anya's eyes began following the trail of blood that flowed down Oliver's arm.
"You're hurting him," Anya strained but Reed wouldn't let go of him. "What's wrong with you? He's helping Aria."
When he still wouldn't let go, Anya ripped his hand away from Oliver's wrist. Reed shook himself free but slapped Anya by accident. A nervousness erupted through the air as a dangerous smile flowed on Anya's lips, "Start burying your own grave."
Anya landed a punch at Reed's jaw to which he stumbled backward. His target was no longer Oliver but Anya. He swept his leg across the ground, knocking Anya off her feet. Anya winced as her ankle twisted in a weird way and Oliver tried reaching for her but she shrugged him off.
"This'll be a nice warm up," Anya noted, cracking her knuckles. Raising her palm up, she shot an ice blast at Reed. He readily dodged her blasts but Anya detected some hissing at her feet. She had forgotten that he had the ability over animals but now there were serpents at Anya's feet.
"I despise serpents," she reminded and froze all of the serpents. They were like mint statues frozen as they struck their pose- ready to attack Anya.
Anya jumped towards Reed and aimed a kick at his chest. He stumbled a bit grabbing Anya by her hair and dragging her onto the ground.
"Hey guys, that's enough," Alder cautioned but didn't approach them because Anya's eye glowed a bright deadly blue.
As Reed hovered above her, still clinging onto her hair, Anya swung her right up over his neck and slammed him onto the ground. They rolled over until Anya was on top and throwing her fair share of punches. Reed snarled as he roughly shoved Anya away.
Anya yelped as she suddenly found herself sliding onto the ice cap on the Lake. With the force Reed sent her away with she was a few yards from the "shore".
It was dangerous for Anya to be on the ice, considering its instability and what happened last time. The water spirit was lurking and agitated at the lake. Reed's eyes widened as Anya's terror-filled eyes stared at everyone.
She suddenly felt cracking beneath her and shakily looked below to see cracks in the ice. "Stay very still, Anya," Cairn ordered. "I'm going to try to turn the ice into metal."
Oliver looked anxiously at Anya but she refused to look back at him because she didn't want him to see her fear. Anya screamed as the ice finally broke and she fell in.
***
"Nasie, the Duke's son is here,' a voice echoes.
'Why is he here?' a childish voice replies.
'Because he's your fiance.'
'What's that?'
"Nothing you need to worry about now,' she says but very sad.
'NO, I don' wanna!"
Light feet running away makes Anya's head spin. Then....screams start erupting from every corner and flames ignite the night. The palace was converted into an enormous bonfire.
"NASIE" a boy's voice calls out. "Sister!"
"NASIE!"
***
Anya opened her eyes and blue oblivion was before her. But there was a small thing right in front of her. It wasn't bigger than a pillow and resembles the loch ness monster but other than that, it was absolutely adorable in Anya's eyes.
Water Spirit.
The ice crackled above them as it broke. A giant slab of ice fell against Anya and began to sink her down. The water spirit nipped the sleeve of her shirt as she tumbled around in the water and pulled her toward the surface. Anya gasped for air as she jumped up in the air from the water.
Anya spotted the group shouting at her but the water from the lake was used to create a huge wall around the lake and box, Anya, in. With no water beneath her, Anya fell on the sand from what was the bottom of the lake.
"What is your problem, water spirit," Anya growled in frustration. She was sick of being treated like a ragdoll that could be tossed and thrown around.
The water spirit wobbled up to her feet and said, "You have gained my favor, daughter of water and ice."
The water rushed back into the lake and the water spirit shot Anya out of the way. She face-planted on soft grass away from the lake.
"Anya, what happened?" Cairn huffed as he jogged up to her.
Anya gave him a thumbs-up and muffled, "I gained the favor of the water spirit."
- Writer
