HEIR TO THE THRONE by Iris T Cannon

Author:Iris T Cannon [Cannon, Iris T]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-17T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 24

ZEN

Ornos is nothing but a big gaping oval field reminiscent of a football ground. It’s flooded in light, although there are no floodlights and it’s still dark out. We’re still shrouded in night, and we can’t see past the field; it’s dark on all sides. I don’t know what he wants us to see, but Grog, the ugly hairy oversized two legged dog tells us to wait. Then he takes two steps to the left and disappears.

“Wait!”

But he’s already gone, disappearing into an ominous plume of smoke.

“What do we do now?” the Professor asks.

“Now we wait,” I tell him. “I’m sure our next test will be along eventually.”

I drop to the ground and cross my legs, pulling at a nearby strand of grass. Like an overbearing mother, I tell everyone not to wander off; I can’t afford to lose any more members of my team.

“Does the book say anything about how many trials we have to go though?” Ethan asks, coming to sit beside me. I watch as Paris casts him a derisive look and ignore it. Everyone’s going to have to get along here if we’re to make any progress. I shake my head in response and look at the Professor.

“That damned book,” he says. “I can’t believe I had it in my possession all those years and didn’t think to open it.”

“May have solved many mysteries if you had,” Jonah snorts, and we all laugh.

“I can’t believe how tired I am,” I remark, my eyes clamping together.

“Don’t sleep now,” Paris says, crouching down beside me, a look of concern in his eyes.

“I can’t keep my eyes open, Paris.”

◆◆◆

I wake to find myself alone on the embankment where we lost Alwin. The water is no longer blue. It’s black. Deep and dark and murky, its filthy wetness slapping against rocks as it gushes down like a tidal wave. I look Into the water, and regardless of its darkness, I can see my reflection looking back at me. It’s me, but it’s not. It’s a version of me in a flowing white dress, a crown of fresh flowers pinned across my head above my temple. My hair is lighter, an ash blonde, and my eyes crinkle at the edges as I stare up at myself.

“Xenisa…”

I gasp when I recognize the voice of my mother. And I don’t know how I know it’s her, because she left me when I was very young, but my brain tells me that it’s her. My heart tells me that it’s her. I reach out a hand, try to touch her, but she just shakes her head slowly, indicating that I should not try to touch her.

“I miss you,” I tell her.

“I miss you too, my love.”

“Why did you leave me?”

“You must destroy the book,” she tells me.

“The book?” I look around in confusion; why would I destroy the book?

“Xenisa…you must wake up now.”

“No. Wait!”

I’m scrambling to reach her as the water starts to ripple, the image of her face disappearing. Only her voice is still present, urging me to wake up, the remnants of her ominous command ringing in my ears.

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