In A World of My Own - Book One

13. Take a Deep Breath

"Hey! I just thought of something!" I call. It's a few hours later. I've been good about just taking in the gorgeous scenery and haven't been "pissing around" or annoying anyone with questions. But my curiosity can only be contained for so long. I'll just bust if I don't ask questions. We're currently moving through this massive grove that's overrun with red roses. The roses cover everything like a blotchy blanket. Overgrown hedges weave between trees, huge roots and branches reach out from the hedges and arch out of the ground all around us. Vines ridden with more roses hang down from the trees and form curtains that block out most of the last few rays of setting sunlight.

Vyndren is several paces ahead, whacking stuff down with his sword. "What?" He huffs.

"How did you find me? Y'know like, back there when the other Dark Rider had me cornered. You were like, right there," I snap my fingers.

"Did you really think you were ever alone?" Vyndren doesn't look at me as he answers, just keeps lopping things down.

I am so surprised; I freeze in my tracks. "So...like, after I left you, you followed me? Even after I came unglued on you?" Whoa. That's a first.

"I've been told that I'm an infuriating person on more than one occasion, so it didn't exactly catch me by surprise that you reached the same conclusion everyone else reached: I'm crazy. Of course, persons called me that even back when I was sane, so it really puts into perspective what you're dealing with." He smirks and shakes his head as he puts the sword away.

"Well maybe you are crazy, but maybe not as hopelessly insane as I first thought," I smile when he glances over his shoulder at me.

"Thanks..." He says slowly, he sounds guarded, like he doesn't want me to know how surprised he is.

"Peace-treaty?" I pluck a rose from one of the wild hedges, he watches me thoughtfully as I close the gap between us. "Normally it's an olive branch but..." I roll my eyes as I offer him the rose.

"I suppose..." He reaches for it, but I pull it back as another thought accrues to me.

"I promise to watch my tongue if you watch your temper, deal?"

Vyndren smirks and takes the rose from me. "Deal." He looks around now, it's dusk. The sky is all purple with midnight blue hues seemingly painted over it, early stars are already brightly showing themselves. Finally his bright eyes land on me again. "I've been thinking... perhaps it wouldn't be the worst idea if I taught you a few things after all -"

"OMG! Really?" I squeal with thrill. "This is like, so amazing! OMG! Thank you, like so, so much! OMG! Whoa, I'm really excited. Can we start now?" I gush. But let's be real, ever since I learned that I am the Alice and that I have magical powers, I've been just dying to use them!

He shrugs. "Mind as well."

"Awesome! So what can we do first? Oh, what about my animal soul spirit thing? Or how to change my clothes? Or maybe my hair? Oh! Or my eyes? Can I make things fly? You can with your darkness. How can you do that? What all can I control? Can I -"

"Whoa. Slow down." He shakes his head. "First thing you're going to need to learn is how to control your emotions." I blush but can't stop smiling. "C'mon, let's sit down."

"Really?" I shrug but sit down anyway. "We're not meditating, are we?" I ask as he sits cross legged in front of me.

"Do I strike you as the meditating type?" He snorts. I grin. "The first thing you should probably understand about magic is...it's all around you, inside of you, and with clear focus and strong self-control you'll be able to summon it on command, and you'll only be limited by your imagination."