Chapter 10

Ariel

"Oh, Ariel." mom greets me. She walks towards me and embraces me. At first I didn't know what to do and just stood there awkwardly, but after inhaling the familiar scent of my mother I finally wrapped my arms around her waist, nuzzling my head into her neck. A sob escapes my throat. I couldn't believe that my mother was standing in front of me. I pulled away and began rubbing my hands up and down her arms, struggling to believe. It was like if I blinked she would disappear or I would wake from a dream.

"It's alright, son. It's me." she reassures me. I chuckle with tears streaming down my face and mother embraces me again. It was her turn to pull away when she asks, "Where's Azriel?"

"He--uh-he's," I struggled to find words to create a sentence. My mind still in shock. Jinx saved me when she spoke up,

"The castle has been taken. The king and the prince have been taken prisoner."

Mother sighs shakily before stepping back from me, immediately I feel her warmth leave. I look up at Axel amd notice that he was staring at me. I frowned at him before he turned his gaze away from me to Jinx,

"I'm waiting for Yashi to send word." Jinx offers, noticing my mother's distress. Mother nods before turning to Axel,

"We need to be ready. Tell everyone to prepare. We leave in the morning."

"Leave? Wait, where are you going?" I asked panicked. I wouldn't leave my mother's side ever again. I already lost her once, I don't know if I could go through that again.

"To end this war." was all mother replied before entering her tent. I stared at disbelief as my mother left me standing there. Azriel will be so pleased to see her. He should be here instead of me. I look down at my feet and feel a hand on my shoulder. I look at who it was and saw Jinx looking at me, worried. I smile weakly at her, reminded of everything I lost.

"Let me show you where you will be staying." Axel finally speaks. Jinx looks at him and nods, them takes my hand and leads me away.

Jinx

As far as family reunions go, I'm sure that went okay. I mean, both Fiona and Ariel looked happy to see each other, that had to count for something, right? Well, what would I know? I won't get the chance to experience it. I sigh staring up at the tent from where I lay. Ariel had fallen asleep a while ago. Apparently princes can't handle long journeys with short breaks in between. Ariel was more exhausted than I thought anyone could be. Plus, I mean, meeting his mother must have been a shock for him as well. All that adrenaline pumping, no wonder he went out like a doused candle.

I look up when I hear a psst come from the opening in the tent and see Axel standing there gesturing me to follow. I stand and make sure Ariel is still asleep before I follow Axel out.

"You seem fond of this boy." Axel's deep voice breaks me from my thoughts. Axel and I have been friends for a very long time. After my mother was killed, Fiona took me in, Axel had become like a brother to be.

"Yeah, there's something about him. He's different." I reply. Axel scoffs before saying,

"Mother called for you." I stare up at Axel who was towering over me,

"Green is not a good colour on you." I walk away feeling Axel's irritation radiate from him. I smile at the thought that I was the only one who knew how to crawl under Axel's skin. When we were younger, I used to do stupid childish things and I would always blame Axel, and like the big-brother figure that he was, he took all the punches.

I arrived at Fiona's tent and entered. Fiona sat on a woven mat, meditating. Fiona always said she felt closer to nature than she did to herself. Fiona opens her eyes and looks at me,

"Join me." I sigh, I wasn't the type to bond with the earth and whatnot. I believe earth is there to keep us upright and thats that. I sit crossed legged across from Fiona and mimiced her position: palms resting on my knees, back straight, eyes closed,

"What do you feel?"

"Like an idiot sitting on the floor." I reply with annoyance. Meditating was an activity Fiona enjoyed doing with me. She said I had natures gift, that I could talk to the spirits of the earth, fire, water and wind. I, of course, believed this to be the hocus pocus normal people teach their kids about and didn't give it any thought, Fiona believed otherwise.

"Feel the earth beneath your feet, the wind breeze through your hair, the water flowing in streams beneath the many layers of earth. Tell me, what do you feel?" I sighed, she won't stop until I take this seriously, so I obliged. I listened.

"Anger." I say tilting my head slightly.

"Good. Keep going."

"There's something else," I pause, "sadness. The end of many and the victory of others."

"What else? Focus your senses."

"Something's burning. I can smell it," I gasp when I see a vision.

Ashes float in the air, drifting towards the ground. Cries of sorrow echo all around me.

"Please don't go." I hear ahead of me. Two figures are ahead of me, one on the ground whilst the other holds him. I can't make out who it is as their faces are all blurry. The ground beneath me grumbles and splits open. Dark clouds form above us and lighting strikes the ground in violent crashes.

I gasp, opening my eyes. I can't breath. My airway feels so tight. I gulp huge amounts of air but still feel like I can't get enough oxygen into my body.

"Relax, Jinx. You're safe." Fiona's voice brings me back. I take slower breaths and am finally able to breath again. I hold my chest and look around me.

"What did you see?" Fiona asks.

"A battle that had taken place. Um, there were people everywhere. Some," I swall

ow, "Someone died, someone important."

"Who?"

"I don't know."