1 Chapter 1
Helena remembered her room as a child in her grandmother's house. A dollhouse sat on a ledge by a window. Small pink doors decorated it; doors her grandmother forbade her to open.
Most striking about the room was the many dolls that sat on perches. Some were inhuman, with deer-like bodies. Some were human, with different outfits and red lips. The one on her bed stood out the most. The honey-brown skin was stark against a billowing iridescent gown. All the dolls had one thing that made them so unnaturally beautiful.
Their eyes.
Their eyes were so human-like, it was hard to believe they were dolls.
Helena could have sworn she's seen the dolls blink.
Helena was sent to live with her grandmother on her 17th birthday.
Her grandmother was a firm believer in fairy tales.
Helena used to believe in her grandmother's stories.
Now that she's older and wiser, she recognizes a difference her senior grandmother had yet to comprehend.
She still loves her grandmother. She would listen to those stories any-day. Her grandmother gave her flashbacks of what it was like to be a child. Her grandmother gave her hugs and comfort. There would never be a day where her grandmother wasn't there.
Back in her old room, her bags crashed against the wooden floor. Her grandmother wasn't in the main house and was probably outside. The doll with the iridescent gown sat on her bed, with a card sitting in her arms. Helena rolled her eyes and snatched the card from the doll, making it fall over.
"My sweet princess. My true name is Elincia Valamin. I am your humble great-grandmother." Helena's voice took on a mocking high-pitched voice. She knew it was her grandmother playing tricks on her.
"Just say these three words and-" Helena squinted and saw 3 words appear in front of her eyes. She looked at the ink that was still wet.
"Incardion Sumerios-" Helena raised an eyebrow and quickly hid behind a large dresser. Her grandmother used to say weird incantations in her stories.
'Who knows. Saying this could cause something completely fucked-up.' She cleared her throat and looked at the inked words.
"Incardion Sumerios Irsidi!" Her eyes narrowed and Helena scanned the room. A bright light erupted from the doll, blinding Helena. She shielded her eyes with her sleeve. A feminine giggle was heard, filling the room. Helena slowly backed up into the door and moved her other hand towards the knob.
'Who is this!?' Her thoughts started to race. Then, she remembered one important thing.
'Shit! Where's granny?'
"Oh no, my dear."
The voice was light and melodious. Helena felt her hand inching towards the doorknob erupted in sharp pain. She bit the inside of her cheek to avoid crying out and inhaled sharply through her nose.
'How the fuck is this possible?' She thought to herself, cradling her injured hand against her chest.
'How did the woman get over here so fast? This can't be happening!' Helena gripped the carpet on the floor.
"This isn't possible!" She saw the woman's boots make their way towards her. The woman smiled softly at her. And pulled out a long stick of white wood from her dress. The lady tilted Helena's chin up and frowned at the terror in her eyes Helena was trying her best to hide.
"Helena-" Helena's hand shot up to slap the woman's hand away.
"Get the fuck away from me!" The woman's hand caught on fire.
She was laughing.
"Don't you recognize me?" She stepped back, and Helena got a good look at her.
The same honey-brown skin.
The same striking blue eyes.
"No." Helena held out one finger.
"No! This isn't right! Where is my grandmother?" Elincia scowled and kneeled in front of her.
"What has the human world done with you?" Helena kicked at Elincia and saw her eyes glow. Her legs became frozen.
��Now. If you are finished fighting. We can't talk here. The Phalei know we are here-"
"What are Phalei!" Elincia's eyes glowed again, and Helena felt her mouth shut. She tried opening it, but it was like her jaw was wired.
"My sweet granddaughter, I need you to let your elders talk before you get us both killed." Her sweet voice sent chills down Helena's mind. The pink door in the tree opened, and a dark mist overtook the room.
"For the love of Qhavmir. How did they find us that fast?"
'What is happening?' Helena's mind was racing so much, she could feel her thoughts being muddled. 6 strange creatures emerged out of the mist. They all had glowing purple eyes and scaly skin. Elincia pointed the wand at a doll with tan skin and light grey eyes. A red light burst out of the wand and hit the doll.
A tall and thin woman dropped down in a maroon outfit that looked like something a general would wear.
"Micaiah Xyrleth. Our family's protector." The woman walked past the 'Phalei' and they seemed to be caught in tornados. Micaiah raised both of her hands and snapped her fingers. The 'Phalei' seemed to disappear. She kneeled in front of Elicina and put her right hand over her chest.
"It seems our magic has returned, my lady." Elicina nodded and aimed the stick at a male doll.
"Edyrm Olophine." The doll covered itself in red smoke. He picked up Helena and led her towards the door in the tree-like decoration in her bedroom. The pink door turned into one of gold, and the inside was a swirl of red and orange. Helena looked at her 'great-grandmother' with pleading eyes. Elicina threw something in a white package at her.
"Open it when you get to your destination"
Helena woke up to see a pile of clothes. A trench coat sat on a hanger, with an emblem. Helena looked to her left and saw the bright sun shining atop of a glass-like lake. White columns and lacy curtains acted as barriers, instead of glass window panes. She sat up and saw she was sleeping underneath a dome. A dome made of white quartz. It seemed to have light buried underneath the outer layer. A large aquarium sat in the middle of the room. Filled with fish she has never seen in her life. 5 large doors sat at the end of her room. The marble floor had carpet leading to a chest.
"This isn't right. Where is my grandmother?" One of the doors iced over and a voice yelled from the other side of the room.
"It doesn't matter if she's the so-called princess! I can still beat her in any fight-" The door fell through, and a young woman with icy blonde hair and pale skin tumbled down. A male with dark brown skin and curly hair ran towards her.
"Look what you did Aelrie!" The girl leaped up and froze Helena's feet to the floor.
"What the hell are you doing?" Helena bared her teeth and kicked at the ice.
She was done with being thrown around by these people.
"Look the little princess is back." Aelrie's voice became mocking, infuriating Helena. It seemed like it made the other guy worried.
"Aelrie you're going to scare her. Calm down." He laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Please." The girl's icy blue eyes seemed to soften at the male's touch, and she scoffed
.
"Fine Luthais. I shall not tarnish my family name." Luthais stepped towards Helena and bowed.
"I am so sorry princess-" Helena shook her head and smiled.
"It's fine. You don't have to call me princess." She could see his soft reddish-brown eyes peeking out from under his hair. She awkwardly pets his head, and she could see a nervous grin overtake his face
"This might hurt a little." He saw Helena's nose wrinkle at the thought. His smile turned into one of embarrassment.
"I-It might not! My powers are just not very controlled but-" Aelrie rolled her eyes and lightly shoved him.
"You blabber more than you perform magic." He lightly chuckled and touched the floor.
The room seemed to get colder as the fire was focused mainly on Helena's legs. Melting the ice that blondie created.
"Is this magic?" Aelrie's eye twitched as the room got even colder.
"What do you mean 'is this magic?' of course it is dumbass!" Luthais twiddled with his fingers and started to shrink into himself.
"Hey, Aelrie! Leave the poor guy alone you can see he's nervous." Helena stood up and stood in front of the tall and lanky boy.
"Ael you know I can't absorb any heat anywhere if you make it cold." Aelrie tossed her hair over one shoulder and pointed at Helena.
"Thank short-stack over there." Helena couldn't deny that insult.
"At least my hair isn't so blond you get blinded!" She regretted that as soon as it left her mouth. Aelrie's hand started to glow with a blue light.
"That insult was so horrible I should give you hypothermia for it." Helena at this point was seeing red. Her blood was rushing in her ears as she stepped closer towards Aelrie.
"I may not have magic, but I can still throw a punch," Aelrie growled and lunged towards Helena. Helena felt eerily calm, as a cool feeling washed over her. She closed her eyes and put her hands up in front of her face. She hoped whatever she had done with her great-grandmother would work on this girl. With the angle, she was standing in, even if nothing happened her hands would only be frozen. Physics was already thrown out the window. If only a wall was in between her and crazy.
Aelrie seemed to stop as a large brick wall appeared in front of her.
Helena opened her eyes and saw the same wall. She touched the wall, and it seemed to solidify. It wasn't as hard as a brick wall though, it was soft. Like putty if anything.
"Aelrie! Helena! Please stop before one of you gets hurt." Luthais usually meek and quiet voice turned slightly more authoritative. Helena turned around to see him standing with his fists clenched. His reddish-brown eyes widened at the sight of Helena and he seemed to collapse on his knees.
"Please don't be mad at me. Please!" Aelrie stepped around the brick wall and leaped towards Luthais.
"Nobody is mad at you Luth. Don't let those monsters in your mind get the best of you." She got up and turned towards Helena. A blinding pain shot through Helena's cheek as a loud '
CRACK!
Was heard throughout the room. Helena saw her hand coming towards her again, and she somehow caught Aelrie's hand. Helena felt tears prick at her cheeks, and she twisted the blonde's hand backward, almost to the point of snapping. Ice crawled up her wrist, preventing Helena from bending it any farther. Helena let out a growl as she snapped Aelrie's wrist like a twig. Aelrie gasped in pain and she let more ice crawl on the broken wrist. Helene's tears were pouring down her cheeks.
"Don't you EVER touch me like that ever again!" She let Aelrie's hand drop like a stone.
"Listen, princess." She slammed her uninjured hand against a wall.
"So many people have gone through more than you!" Luthais shook his head and stood up.
"Both of you! Aelrie you shouldn't have slapped her!" Aelrie started to interject and Luthais held up a hand.
"I know you were trying to protect me but that was too far!" He turned to Helena and hugged her. The scent of cinnamon and marshmallows filled her nose.
"I know you've been through something. I don't think you want to talk about it but if you need me, I'm here. You're not in the terrible place where your mind is taking you." He turned to Aelrie, clutching her injured wrist.
"I can't exactly say you were in the right here though." He looked at them both. Then smiled.
"Well, princess! Your grandmother and great-grandmother await!" Helena looked at the door to see maids starting to pour in. A smile ran across her face, and she had the comforting sense of when she would play dress-up as a child.
"Wait? I get to wear a dress!"
