Hybrid Princess

Chapter 17

Spiritless. Cold. Harsh. Only a few ways to describe this plane. Hollowed out trees, trickling streams. Little in the way of life. Despair filled the air with bitterness. Finn walks between the small structure and our small fire. Void of sunlight most of this place was dying. Once a beautiful place, now drained of the life it once cherished.

     “Why is this the only plane you bring us to? It’s so…sad here.” He was very focused on keeping the fire lit. A small smile creeped across his face. He knelt tending to the fire.

    “I don’t.” He chuckles. His laugh echoes against the barren landscape. “You do.” I do? I don’t even know where we are let alone how to get here. I shook my head that can be right. He smiled and sat next to me.

    “Did you hit your head that last jump? How would that…”

    “Consciously? I doubt you are even aware of it. But you know this place. Your soul recognizes it. I would be less surprised if we ended up somewhere in the mortal world.” He took my hand. “Close your eyes and take a deep breath.” A calming feeling flowed from his hands into my body, every inch of tenseness melted from my body, for the first time in weeks my wolf was calm.  “Now I need you to open and relax your mind, let the walls fall. Your memories are unlocked, all you have to do is concentrate on bringing them to light.” His voice echoed in my head, I felt memories of my mother filling my head her laughter, her voice as she sung lullabies to my brother and I. Ezra’s face filled my mind, my heart ached as his smile melted the cold inside me. One memory sparkles brighter than the rest. I’m older, maybe four or five. My mother and father are sitting in a cove of trees, he is playing with her hair nipping at her ears. Her laughter fills the air around them. Ezra is chasing me in his wolf form, nipping at the ends of my ribbons. The sun filled the sky with warm yellows. The birds chirp around us. Finn appears next to me. He reaches out his hand rubbing my cheek.

    “I still can’t believe he took this from me. We were so ha..happy.” My voice is weak. I still felt overwhelming anger each time I am reminded that the first five years of my life where stolen and locked away in my head.

    “I didn’t bring you to this memory to upset you Mistress, open your eyes and look around, use the same eyes that you have now.” Listening calmly to his words I focus my power to reveal the hidden world we sat in. Everything touched by death was once covered in luscious green life and an abundance of wildlife.

    “Ho…how?”

    “This place is a Vibration of your mother’s creation. Created by magic and sustained by magic. Many witches create them as secret hide outs. Only those with a password of sorts can find and enter them. This place is where you grew up until the attacks.”

     “But why is everything dead? If magic sustains it why has it become this wasteland? How did you survive here for so long?”

    “Magic is everywhere in the world, this one simply ran out. When your mother died she put me here and gave the rest of her magic to it. In some cases, you could think of this place as a beneficial parasite, it feeds off its host, even if the host dies it can go on until the reserved energy is spent.”

    “How long has it been like this?”

    “Not long? It worsened only shortly before you found me here. It’s not a fast process, your mother was one of the strongest witches to ever live, and I’d imagine she would have been the next High Priestess.” I signed and he released my hands. The bright sunlight faded away and brought back the hellish present that lingered around us. “Mistress…”

    “I asked you to stop calling me that.” His voice sounded strained. "Are you okay? You've haven't shifted in a while, you must be running low on energy. Why don't you shift back?"

    "I am fine. I can keep this form as long as you wish." He smiled but i could see that this form required more energy to portray than his natural form. He was always so sweet to me. I don't think that I could have made it this far without him. 

    "Finn shift. Please." He looked at me and signed. I smiled and let out a small laugh. Puppy eyes work every time. Nodding he hides the best he can behind the withering trees. Moments later he prances out in his true form. He stretches and rubs along the length of my arm. "You are cuter like this." 

    “Hey thats rude." He sticks his tongue out at me. "Tori…we need to go back. It’s been long enough. You can feel the drain. I can sense it. We can’t continue running with you in this shape. Your wolf allows you so much strength but she gets hers from her mate.”

    “HOW!” I yelled. “How can I forgive them for the lies and the betrayal, I don’t even think I could look them in the eye. The thought of seeing them, hearing their voices it make me so angry that all I can do it cry. How can I go back? I will never forgive them…”

    “Forgiveness can be earned, as your adviser I adamantly advise we go back. I feel your anger but I also feel that you miss him. Your wolf aches to just be near him. Your magic will only keep you going for a finite time frame. You need to meet with the Council, you should not trust them, but they need you. You have the power in this conflict. Don’t let them or the ones closest to you manipulate you into something you don’t want. Please Mistress. I beg you.” I knew what he was saying was the truth. But how could I face Noah and Ezra? We took off without even a word of warning. How am I supposed to make a Council who has never done anything but try to control my life listen? I am not ready for anything that may come. But I knew he was right. Being so far away from Noah was killing the both of us. Even if I didn’t want to admit it out loud to myself, I missed him.