A Kingdom of Tales (Kingdom of Avenlea #1)

Chapter 7

"You're the son of James and Alara Griffin, aren't you?" I whisper when we're out of earshot of the old lady.

Miles stops midstep and turns his head towards me so fast, it's a wonder it doesn't fall off. "How do you know that?"

"When I was a child, one of my 'fairy godparents' as I like calling them would tell me stories of Avenlea." I take a deep breath. "Melody was like a mother to me."

"Melody..." He stutters. "She wouldn't happen to be called Melody Valor, does she?"

"I've never asked her for her last name, but now that you mention it, I do remember whispers of the name Valor."

"Gods... She's been missing for years. After Fin died, Melody and her husband Bastian were nowhere to be found."

"You know Bastian too?" I ask hesitantly.

"Know Bastian? He was my father's second in the army. He was the second strongest Damaris born, if not the strongest."

"He had elemental magic?"

"So you do know of Avenlea..." He said in wonder.

"Only what Melody told me. She told me stories of Avenlea every night before bed, before I could even speak."

"Before I came here, I was training to join the King's army. It was the greatest honor bestowed upon any man or woman from Avenlea. When the king saw my achievements, he assigned me a special kind of mission. Bring back Jasmine." He puffed up his chest in pride.

"But why?"

"News of the bounty on your head had reached Avenlea. The photos of you resembled Lady Fin so much that the king had to see you for himself. I didn't think I'd find you this easily."

"Who is Fin?"

"Your mother. You've been missing since birth. Now we know you've been with Melody. I wonder why she didn't bring you back to Avenlea."

"You said you knew who my father was earlier. Who is he?"

"I wonder why Melody never told you. Nevertheless, you'll learn soon enough. The less you know for now, the better."

"I swear to the Gods if you don't tell me right now, Miles-." I'm cut off by the sound of a cruise ship ready to take off.

"No time for threats now, Jas. We need to get you to Avenlea. Your ride's waiting." He smirks wickedly.

As we approach the customs, the looming presence of the cruise ship intensifies. A sea breeze tousles my hair, and the distant sound of waves crashing against the docks fills the air. I send a prayer to Odar for luck. I open my eyes to see Miles staring at me. Miles shoots me a sideways glance, the dimple on his cheek making a subtle appearance. I can't help but roll my eyes at his attempt to charm his way out of my questions.

"What." I snap, not in the mood for his playful antics. My mind is still buzzing with the revelation that Miles is connected to Avenlea and my supposed family.

"You believe in the Gods." Miles observes with a hint of confusion, his eyes locking onto mine.

"Of course I do." I reply sharply, feeling a tinge of embarrassment. My cheeks flush as I admit to my prayer to Odar.

"It's not common to believe in the Gods outside of Avenlea."

"What do you mean? Of course it is. Even that old lady from earlier did."

"That woman was Avenlean. Were you praying to Odar?"

"Yes," I admit, feeling the warmth of embarrassment creep up my neck. Miles' dimple makes another appearance, and it's almost as if he's using it against me on purpose.

"We have temples made for Odar in Avenlea. They're probably the only thing protecting us from the Empire."

"The Empire... Why would Avenlea need protection from the Empire?"

"Avenlea can't match the Empire in terms of numbers. Our population never fully recovered after the great war."

"But Avenleans have powers... Won't that even the playing field?"

"Well, as you know, everyone has powers; it's the barrier that keeps people outside Avenlea powerless."

"But the eight are very powerful, are they not? Melody told me they could level a battlefield with just a thought."

"Theoretically, yes. But the first eight were the blessed ones; their offspring aren't nearly as powerful."

As Miles delves into the complexities of Avenlean society, my mind drifts back to a conversation I overheard between Bastian and Melody, a few days before my world shattered.

***

It was a moment of vulnerability for them, a heated exchange about my readiness for a destiny I had yet to comprehend. It was time for my lesson with Bastian. When I was about to enter the dining room, I heard Bastian and Melody arguing.

"She's not ready," Bastian asserted in frustration.

"Of course she isn't, but Avenlea needs her. She shows great promise. She could save us all." Melody argued with a determined softness in her voice.

"She's too young."

"You know children join the army before the age of 13 in Avenlea, Sebastian."

It was the first time I heard her use his first name.

"I am fully aware of that Melody; I was one of them." He retorted sharply.

"She broke a bone yesterday, and she's already fully healed. She's ready."

I looked down on my arm; the bruising had already gone down, and I could move it without any pain.

"I don't want her to get hurt." He retorted. "You know what Wariu would do if he got to her first."

"Then we'll take her straight to Avenlea ourselves. I don't care if we both get thrown in prison for deserting."

"Alastir may very well not forgive us. Worse yet, he may exile us from our home."

"You're being selfish now. She needs to be with her family."

"You're her family. They'll throw her straight to the wolves."

"Alastir wouldn't do that, and you know it. He'd protect her with his life."

"Alastir is sick." He growled out.

"She could heal him."

"You could heal him."

"Don't talk to me like that; I did what I had to do. She wasn't safe there. Wariu would have gotten to her eventually, just like he almost got to Fin." Melly had started yelling. It was the first time I'd seen her so angry.

"No, Melly. I won't let you do this to her."

"She could change the tide of the war, Bash. She's as fiery as her father. She could kill Wariu with her bare hands now, you know that." Her voice softened again.

I chose this moment to walk in. I couldn't bear to watch them fight. I knew they were talking about me, but why did Melly want to send me away?

As I replayed their conversation in my mind, I couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude for Bastian's protective stance, his reluctance to expose me to the perils they envisioned.

"Hello darling. Ready for your lesson?" Melody greeted me with a forced smile when I entered the room, interrupting their intense discussion.

Bastian, though dejected, offered me his arm. "Let's go. We have much to do today."

***

The memories resonate within me as Miles guides me toward the cruise ship, each step echoing the weight of my unanswered questions. The journey to Avenlea looms ahead, and with every passing moment, the gap between my past and the present seems to widen.