The Shadows of the Four Realms [BOOK TWO]

CHAPTER 11 - Of Scrolls and Ciders

Next moment, waves of sorcery thrummed around them. A disembodied voice chanted a spell, and white wisps of shadows materialized out of thin air. The soldiers went rigid, as if gripped by coils and their eyes had a distant look. Althea was merely looking at them all, replaying the recent moment in her own head and seizing it from their memories.

Ralph kept his focus on Nova, who was undoubtedly having echoes in his head. He hated Neo damningly so, for thrusting words of insecurities in Nova's head just like he had done to Eleni. This man, who was the jauntiest person Ralph had ever known, now walked in a never-ending tunnel of despair. A trigger... one damning trigger was all it took.

"Nova. It's alright. Listen to me," Ralph clutched his shoulders and shook him. "Look at me. Don't go back in there, mate. Deep breaths. Come on, now."

Nova's troubled eyes met his and he couldn't not feel protective of him as he had felt about Eleni, when she had come out of her trance during the battle.

"Real," Nova breathily muttered, more to himself. "Real."

A chill crept up on Ralph's spine. Nova had been in a dungeon for two years. Two years! Did he have hallucinations, nightmares? Oh, the Throne damn them all!

With a sideway glance, he watched the soldiers blinking and clutching their disoriented heads. Astonished, they looked around and when their eyes fell on Nova, they all saluted in unison, loud thump of fist on their chests and then a bow. Memory erased. Back to square one.

Althea fell to her knees, her heavy panting audible. She had performed sorcery on more than fifteen people at once and was clearly exhausted.

"Leave. All of you," Ralph snapped at the guards. "Watch all the entrances. No one comes here."

With shocked and confused faces, they abided nonetheless. Marching out and about them in rhythmic footsteps.

"I... I am so sorry, Your Majesty." Althea's low voice stuttered, "I cannot apologize enough. I... have a loud mouth, as people tell me... but this... was a blunder. I gave away your secret... Cannot apologize enough."

Nova suddenly blinked, his hazel irises slowly coming back into focus and Ralph let him go. He pulled his jacket closer and roved a hand through his golden hair, gathering himself together, with a fleeting embarrassed glance around as if he hadn't wanted anyone to see him like this—broken—and Ralph stepped away, turning his head sideways.

Slowly, Nova moved towards Althea, crouched down to her level, and said in a gentle voice, "You do not have to apologize, Althea. It's alright. It was a normal reaction. Even Ralph here reacted the same way last night, if not worse."

She had her legs folded beneath her, hands clutched in her lap, not meeting his gaze. A long moment passed as the three of them simply... existed.

"I still look like him, don't I?"

Ralph and Althea shared a look of concern. Nova was a prey to their 'sorcerous pull,' about to speak his heart out...

"...cut my hair short and even this," he touched a forefinger to his chin, "Stubble of all things. I hate it. Hate it so damn much. I can't even look at myself, without thinking of..." Nova's head dropped, "This is not me."

In two steps, Ralph was by his side, squatted and gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze, wanting him to know that he really wasn't alone, that he was still himself. But words seemed to fail him during instances as such. However, the soft feminine voice spoke, with an underlining brutality—

"If you let your past dictate your present, you will end up ruining your future. Just look forward for tomorrow when the yesterday haunts you, no matter how difficult it is. I believe in you."