Intertwined

Chapter 4 | Dangerous

Dedicated to TracyMJoyce - Do check out her book, Altaica. It's something you have got to read! 

Chapter 4: Dangerous

Jade woke up with a throbbing head, aching body and the threat echoing in her head. The lives of those around you will be in danger… “No!” she cried, sitting up. Her head spun wildly and she was forced to lie back down.

“Hey, you’re up,” her stalker said. He was sitting at the edge of the bed, flipping through the ‘Fates Intertwined’ book she’d received from the old woman.

“Where am I?” she murmured, glancing around. They were in what looked like a cross between a modern apartment and a chic hotel room. There were some huge curvy metallic sculptures on display as well as an entire glass wall through which sunlight was streaming through. It gave a spectacular view of the city. The flat screen television was on CNN. “Where is this?”

“Friend’s apartment,” the stalker shrugged. “You’ll have to stay here for now. After the bombing…” He trailed off, running his hand through his hair.

His words brought back vague memories of a shock, ripples of heat, screams and pain. She flinched and curled up on her side in bed, feeling sick at the thought that it might all be her fault. “It was me,” she whispered. “He wanted something from me, I have no idea what, and he said that- that- ”

Lance’s head snapped up. “Who?”

“I- I- I don’t know! Someone called me. I- it was a threat and- I really don’t know.” She shivered.

“Did he by any chance mention this book?” he held up the book, flipping through the pages.

“How would I know? Are you all in a sort of cult or something? Why is it that everyone I meet today talks non-stop about realms and power? That guy on the phone gave me the creeps,” Jade snapped. In the background, the newsreader continued droning on. In a bombing incident at Summer Ridges Mall, just west of…at least 30 casualties…case still being investigated…area has been cordoned off by authorities for further investigation… Was it really all because of her? She bit her lip and tried to be angry instead of close to tears. “Who are you anyway?”

“You’ve finally asked. I’m Lance,” he smirked. “Honored to meet you, arrèdulenn.”

“Ar- ari- ” she frowned. “What did you just call me?”

“Arrèdulenn. I believe it’s called avatar in your language, or maybe keeper. It’s someone with the power to actually manipulate the three main elements of the realms. I figured that out by myself, seeing as you actually survived after the bomb blew about two or three meters from where you were standing. Scared the shit out of me, you did. It threw you right into a glass cabinet, and you somehow miraculously survived. Well, miraculous for a human.” Lance raised his eyebrows at her.

“Don’t swear. I crashed into a glass cabinet? And what do you mean miraculous for a human?” Jade sat up – slowly this time – and looked down at herself. She was still in the same clothes, thankfully, but they were dirty and there was dried blood. There were some cuts and bruises on her arms and legs. They looked days old. “How come- I mean why do I have a lot of healing cuts?”

“Relax, síerrí. You probably healed yourself. You should be fine in no time. And of course, if you had any sense at all you’d know that no one human would survive being thrown headfirst into a glass cabinet filled with heavy metal statuettes and other human whatnots…but you survived. You’re okay now,” Lance patted her leg reassuringly from where he was sitting and flashed a brief smile that made her heart stutter. A little voice in her head told her it was the first real smile he’d given her. “Our problem right now,” he continued “grinds down to this book. Fates Intertwined. A lot of people believe that it holds the secrets to the Great Realm and how the- ”