A Dangerous Destiny: The Pure One Book I

Chapter Sixty-Six

Arranging her sword and knifes on the table, Karina took each blade in her lap one at a time, sharpening the edges with a whetstone, carefully removing any burrs and oiling the metal. But as she removed her mother's dagger from its sheath on her belt, Karina was struck by a strange sensation. The handle seemed to vibrate in her palm.

As Karina slid the oiled rag along the blade she noticed a strange bluish tinge on the metal. It looked as if it were glowing with an odd inner light. And then, as if some hidden part of her was in command, a new thought came to Karina's mind. She would meditate as Manna had taught her. Perhaps she could pull answers to her questions from the earth in the absence of her teachers.

Karina returned the dagger to its sheath, securely on her belt and laid her other weapons by the door. In the cupboard she found some sage and cedar and set the burning herbs in Manna's large metal bowl, placing it on the floor in the center of the room. She brought in a sprig of pine from the forest to ground her to the place and, using the stick, she stole fire from the hearth to light the herbs. In a few minutes, the small cabin had filled with the heady incense. It made her dizzy. Manna had told her that this was part of the practice. She had to breath through the feeling and center her thoughts.

Karina took her mother's dagger from her belt again and held it in both hands. The tingling vibration she had felt before had only grown now, radiating through her fingertips and palms, carrying a strange heat up the length of her arm. 

It was odd, but she was suddenly struck with a sense of familiarity. A lost memory danced along the edge of her mind. The sensation she felt holding the blade now, the power. She had felt it before, though she could not recall when.

Ignoring the thought Karina breathed in deeply, once again inhaling the smoke that grew thicker by the second. Pointing the blade at the ground she turned clockwise in a circle.

"I draw around me a circle of protection," she said aloud, repeating the process Manna had taught her in lessons on reaching the denizens of the other realm and drawing on their ancient knowledge. She tried to speak with as much certainty as she could considering she'd never tried it before on her own. "I call to of the sprits of earth, humbly seeking their wisdom."

Sitting down before the bowl within the imaginary circle she had transcribed Karina closed her eyes, continuing her slow deep breaths until she felt a familiar prickle up the nape of her neck as her mind went blank. And then she heard it.

"Karina"

The voice was instantly familiar and so clear, she nearly lost her focus.

"Serifina?" she asked silently in her mind, remembering the name as if in a dream. The faery. The imaginary friends who had followed her throughout her childhood. But how could that be?

"I am here," came the reply.

"Is this real?" Karina asked, still incredulous.

"You are in danger Karina," the voice said, ignoring the question. Though its tone was not unkind there was a freighting intensity to its timbre that made Karina tremble. "I wish to help you as I have helped you before."

Karina felt her forehead wrinkle in confusion as her mind sought to remember. Yes! Serifina had helped her in the past. The night Manna was away. That thing had attacked her. Serifina had been there, shielding her, protecting her. But there was no demon here now... 

"I don't understand," Karina answered tentatively, wondering what new horror the faery's presence might herald. "Why am I in danger?"

"There is too much you do not know," the voice answered, "I cannot explain it all now. She is coming for you."

"Who?"