Awakening by Sara Preucil

Author:Sara Preucil [Preucil, Sara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-02-08T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 31

That evening, Tara stood shaking under a black, hooded ceremonial cloak, but she doubted anyone noticed. At least, she hoped not.

The horrible nightmares that had been plaguing her for the past few sleepless nights had her feeling their effects now. She was exhausted and unfocused, but worse, she was afraid.

She took a deep breath, steadying herself. She let it out, causing the flame of the white candle that she held to flicker angrily.

This was the first official meeting of the Order that Tara was allowed to attend. Sure, she had been to smaller gatherings hosted by local elders, but tonight’s meeting was to be conducted by the regional councilor.

The meeting had been a total surprise; her father received the summons only an hour prior, and they had rushed over to the Whitlocks’ to eagerly await the councilor’s arrival.

And still they waited, in quiet anticipation, in the Whitlocks’ candle-lit basement. Everything was set, everyone was in place.

Tara, along with the other initiates too young to be considered members, wore a black cloak and stood at the back of the gathering, forming a loose outer circle around the perimeter of the room. Austin Whitlock stood off to her left. He was also wearing the black initiate cloak, and he was looking quite put out. He had been charged with a special assignment: pacifying the fire unnatural, Subject 2381, in an attempt to keep her abilities from developing. But it hadn’t worked. Much to the Order’s displeasure.

As Tara watched Austin sulk, she couldn’t help but find joy in his failure. Even though it meant a failure to the Order’s greater mission, she thought he could stand to be knocked down a peg.

She smirked, and continued her survey of the room, her eyes drifting to the inner circle of the official members of the Order.

The elders, clad in emerald cloaks, formed this inner ring which surrounded a large depiction of the Order’s symbol inlaid in what appeared to be gold in the mahogany floor. At about ten by ten feet, the symbol, what would look to the untrained eye as a six-pointed star, shimmered in the candle light. But those gathered here knew what it truly represented: upright triangles for fire and air, inverted triangles for earth and water. Overlap them and you have all the elements represented in perfect harmony

A proper balance. As nature intended.

Tara’s stomach clenched at the thought. What if her dreams persisted? Could what she feared even be possible?

She pulled her eyes away from the symbol, casting them around the room. Her parents stood next to the Whitlocks; she could see the excitement in their faces. Her mother, as if sensing Tara’s gaze, looked over to Tara from under her emerald cloak and smiled. Her eyes, a slightly lighter shade of green than Tara’s shone brightly in the light of her candle. How quickly her smile would disappear if Tara’s fears were confirmed. If it was proved that she too was, in fact, unbalanced.

An unnatural.

But Tara didn’t have long to contemplate this, because suddenly, the basement door opened.

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