THE ELEMENTAL CHRONICLE

One | Neorian

One |

W-what was that?

I groaned, and pressed my hands to the ice shard—it was gone.

Had that vision come from the ice?

My mind whirled; what did it mean?

I didn't think more of it, instead I peeled open my dry and sore eyes and looked around slowly. It would seam I was in a crate. I had been placed inside a wooden crate; the inside lit by a small glowing crystal beside my face. The crate was in motion. My mind whirled, my heart hammering loudly. For a moment, I considered screaming but what would that get me? I'd be caught, or whoever was taking me would certainly silence me.

I was much too angry to cry.

My wrist didn't burn at least, which meant Ebby did not think we were in danger. I didn't know which that meant, but I think I was more worried as to how and why I was in a crate. A soft sigh left my lips, I had been through such a terrible time, had I not? It made me want to laugh and cry at the same time. Unfortunately, there was no time to process anything.

Fionn was a King-Killer.

I was a criminal by association.

My fingers pressed to my forehead, and under my bangs. I found no circlet there, yet something had happened in that tomb. Gwynestri Yarrow had awoken and had seen me—she'd asked about her own failure.

"I will allow you to decide who truly deserves such peace."

I didn't know what her words meant, but she had done something. That light that made my head ache—it meant something and I could not yet explain it but I know that memory came from the ice. It was not my memory. It could not be.

Fionn...could it be Fionn's memory?

No, that didn't make sense. It couldn't be...could it?

My head hurt terribly.

I turned slightly to my side, my head banging against the good, and a small noise of annoyance fell from my lips. It was then, that I noticed a small bud begin to grow in front of my face. It came out of the side of the crate, and grew the smallest little green leaf. Relief filled me, a small smile growing on my lips.

Aldrich.

I pressed my ear to the wood and closed my eyes. From outside the crate I could hear voices if I focused hard enough. At first it was the unrecognizable noises of speech, but as I focused harder, I could hear the words.

"It doesn't make sense why Arianne helped us."

Kahuna's voice.

"Whatever the price is, is it not worth it?"

Aldrich.

I smiled, pressing my hand to the wood. I was safe with them.

"Maybe."

The movement slowed, and silence engulfed my ear. My stomach coiled with dread and I pressed my ear harder to the wood. The speech now was low between them. So low that it sounded like a mere tickle in the air. A frown crossed my lips and I laid back waiting.

The waiting was the worse part. It felt like we'd stopped for a while. Something had to be wrong. There was no way they'd leave me in a crate without checking on me if something was alright. Not to mention Aldrich must know I was awake now—he'd sent the sprout as a message after all. I could do nothing but wait now.