-22
AURORA’S POV
I couldn’t have imagined such a death even in my darkest fantasy; suspended in the air, surrounded by candles with weird fragrance.
My death meant the return of someone very evil. It also meant the death of my little girl. I tried to use my magic but it was all in vain.
My body was drained of all strength. Despair had taken root in my heart and had grown like Cuscuta engulfing my heart; draining it of the tiniest bit of hope that was left.
I was on the verge of giving up when Tyson and Caleb appeared before me, I was sure that it was just an illusion. So, I didn’t bother to respond and closed my eyes.
A few drops of warm liquid dripped on my face. My eyes snapped open, hoping that Logan had found some way to save me.
My eyes met copper brown ones instead of the blue ones. Bloody Hell! Tyson was here for real.
He caressed my forehead and croaked out, “I thought I had lost you and our baby.”
My eyes snapped towards the door in a panic. Celeste would return soon. I had to tell them the way to get me out of this place.
Drawing in a deep breath, I drew from whatever little strength was left. I focused them on a single point and tried to use it to speak. “This place is created through representational magic. If you find the object that represents me, you can get me out.”
“I will go and search for it. Tyson, you stay with Aurora.” Caleb said and rushed out of the door before I could warn him.
“Tyson, you should leave… Celeste will be here any moment…” I gasped as my vision blurred and darkness engulfed me.
I felt something warm pressed against my lips. A warm liquid flowed down my throat. I gulped greedily. That wicked witch hadn’t even let me drink water for the past five days.
I started gulping the liquid greedily. It tasted slightly metallic and salty but I didn’t care. With every draught, energy flowed through my veins.
After a few more draughts I managed to break Celeste’s spell. My eyes snapped open as my body dropped suddenly.
A scream escaped my mouth but my body never hit the ground. Tyson had caught me.
Licking my lips, I asked, “What did you make me drink?”
“I am sorry. I couldn’t come up with anything else.” He said awkwardly.
It was then I noticed the red spots on my clothes. “Ewww! You didn’t make me drink….” I couldn’t even bring myself to say it.
“Sorry… I made you drink my blood. There are no syringes here…”
My scream must have alerted Celeste. She popped right in front of us. Tyson was so startled that he staggered. He would have fallen if I hadn’t held him on time.
Her eyes widened in shock but the next moment an evil smile played on her face. She clapped her hands in delight and said, “Well, isn’t this my lucky day. The great king of the dragons is here in person!”
Tyson spread his arms protectively in front of me and growled, “Let her go with me and I will pardon your sins.”
Celeste tsked and said, “Only YOU would dare to make such arrogant remarks at such a delicate moment.”
The veins on Tyson’s forehead bulged as he glared at Celeste. My heart pounded against my ribs. Celeste was right. We were in her magical realm. We couldn’t afford to behave recklessly.
“Tyson…” I whispered, grabbing his hand. My eyes pleaded with him to restrain his temper.
“Look at you, Aurora. You are so useless. If your parents were alive they would have died of shame, seeing your cowardice.”
I knew that Celeste was trying to provoke me but it was becoming to reign in my temper. Tyson’s condition was not much better. I could hear gnashing sounds made by his teeth as he clenched his jaws.
Celeste kept taunting Tyson and me with her words and actions but I kept calm. Surprisingly, Tyson hadn’t attacked her yet; though his face was turning ghastlier by the minute. I was afraid that he would burst if Celeste didn’t stop soon.
After what seemed like ages, Celeste let out a frustrated scream and said, “I will have to admit that you have better restraint than I thought…”
Her face suddenly lit up with a victorious smile and she said, “Sadly… it won’t matter soon.”
Without warning, she sent a huge burst of energy towards Tyson. My hands shot out and an invisible wall got created in front of us as if by reflex.
Celeste gasped and said, “How did you do that?”
She didn’t allow me to think about it. She kept attacking us with various spells. The shield blocked all of them but I started feeling the strain.
She must have guessed it too. The intensity of her attacks increased manifold.
I had to find the object that represented me before my shield broke. I swept my eyes around the room. The room was bare except for the toys that I used to play with.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Celeste creating a meteor. What is more, she was using her life as a source to power it.
This meant only one thing. Destruction of this realm along with her.
“F***! No!” I screamed as a huge explosion hit my shield. It cracked and sent me spiraling against the wall. I hit my head against the wall and everything was engulfed in a cloud of darkness.
CALEB’S POV
I tiptoed along the house looking for… Dang! That was the problem. I didn’t know what I was looking for.
I regretted getting out of the room without further details. I exhaled deeply and shook my head at my foolishness. What could be done now? I couldn’t probably go back and ask the details like a fool, could I?
I had already lost the war, I didn’t want to lose my honor too… I snuck into a secluded corner and closed my eyes. I inhaled deeply, letting my keen senses segregate the different scents.
My ears perked up and I heard the tiniest whimper. It seemed to be coming from the wardrobe. Using my strength as an advantage, I pulled the door of the wardrobe right off the hinges.
A gasp escaped my mouth as I saw a young boy huddled in a corner.
“What were you doing inside?” I asked helping him to his feet.
“Shhh!! Mom will hear you….” He said looking around warily. He grabbed my hand and dragged me to a musty cave outside the house.
He visibly relaxed once inside the cave and pulled me to sit beside him on a rock.
“How did you come here? I didn’t see mom create a model of you…” He started saying but the expression on his face changed. He bit his tongue and jumped to his feet.
He gave me an apologetic look and ran inside the cave without saying another word.
“Hey! Wait! I need your help.” I screamed running after him but he had already vanished. Letting out a deep sigh, I turned around to return but there was no way. It had vanished just like the boy.
With no other option, I walked ahead. God knows how long I continued walking. My legs started aching but the way seemed to have no end.
Exhausted, I sat down on the ground. It was caked with dirt but I didn’t care.
The moment I sat on the ground, the landscape changed. I could now see endless rows of clay models. The boy’s words flashed in my mind. Maybe the object I was looking for was a clay model shaped like Aurora.
I stood up and dusted my clothes. When I looked up the racks had vanished again. I realized that the models were visible only when one was seated on the ground.
Sitting back on the ground, I gazed at the dolls. There were so many of them. My head started spinning just by looking at them.
Suddenly the ground started shaking and the models started falling on the ground one by one. I looked around the room in panic. I had to save the one that looked like Aurora.
Then I saw it, a plain, beautiful model that looked like Aurora falling off the rack. I jumped into the air and waved my hands to grab it. Something cold landed on my hands and then everything turned dark.
.