Tainted

Chapter Six

TAINTED ׀ CHAPTER SIX

New world

I didn't even have time to get adjusted to the chilled water. I was stripped down to my boxers and the pale mermaid had lifted herself up out of the water and grabbed hold to my wrist swinging me onto her back like a rag doll. The water that met my skin was an ice-cold that made my back run sharp chills and made me go into instant shock.

I was stiff on the mermaid's back and was able to hear my teeth chatter against themselves because of how cold I was. My arms clenched tightly around her neck and in her angel-like voice, she yelled, "Take one last breath," so I inhaled as deeply as I could. I pushed the rich air pass my hyperventilating lungs to take a jagged breath in and then she pulled me under.

My face was instantly numb, and my skin matched it with the pens and needle effect. I had tightened myself around her as she pushed us through the water like a bullet. The water was trying to slip through the crease of my eyes, so I kept them closed tightly while I counted the seconds in my head that passed. I was focusing on keeping calm and not to let air bubbles escape through my lips.

It couldn't have been more than thirty seconds until the lids of my eyes went from a dark black shade to a tinted red. The red quickly turned into a bright white light, so I opened them I was curious to see the process of going through the portal. However, my lungs started to have fits because of a lack of oxygen. We were close I could tell but before I could know for sure the once bright lights turned black.

The first thing I felt when I woke up was the cold snow that bit at my skin as I laid on it in a daze. Val was hovering over me and so was another woman they were both staring at me with worried expressions. When Val caught my gaze, she gave me the biggest smile saying, "I thought you could hold your breath." I'm assuming she was just trying to make light of the situation.

"I actually never said I could," I laughed to myself, coughing. My bottom lip started to shiver as the bitter cold settled in. It was not like any cold that I ever felt before. I could feel it's bitterness in my bones.

Val looked up at her friend, that had been shuffling through her large bag. She took out some heavy wool jackets and pants and threw them on my chest and said, "Put these on." Her voice was strong and commanding and she stood tall about a hundred and seventy centimeters off the ground. Her skin was a rich chocolate tone that was even and clear. Her eyes were like a deep black ocean, that had glistening highlights of white in them, and her hair was slicked back in a tight bun like a soldier.

Breathing heavily, I adjusted myself to the snow to stand up. Val insisted to help me, but I shook her arm off wanting to do this by myself. "Thank you," I muttered putting on warm clothes.

"Don't mention it," she smiled.

"Alex this is Arianna," Val had introduced. "She's been a friend of mine for a long time now."

"Nice to meet you," I smiled putting my hand out for a shake.

"I'm trying to figure out if you're really this a claimed King, Val, I love you, but I don't know about him," She stated with that same intense tone as before. I could tell she wasn't trying to mean harm by it. It was natural aggression. If I were in her shoes, I'd have the same questions.

"I get it, but my father wouldn't put himself at this much risk for someone else," Valentina said with so much assurance it even gave me a little faith.

Arianna's face was nearly unreadable, and her black eyes glided across my body examining every feature. She looked back over to Valentina with cautious eyes, "You're right, it's just I don't want him to install hope into people if he's not what he claims to be."

"I'm not claiming to be anything other than being Alexander Moore. If I'm the person everyone is claiming for me then I'll try my best. I'm learning right now, but I wouldn't have let Val dragged me here riding on mermaid's backs if I didn't think I could do it." I had stated with as much power as I could. My body felt so weak and so cold standing up like this. The air around us didn't make it any better because it was slowly picking up into heavier winds.

"You don't look so well," She stated not giving any acknowledgment to my speech. Val came over to me taking my hands in hers to try to warm them up a little bit.

"We should get to your home first Ari; he needs some warmth. Let's get him warm and fed before we go up to my father's?" She asked looking back to Arianna whose face was still made of stone. She didn't respond for a minute and Val continued, "He's deathly cold. We just need to stop there for a few hours, I know you don't want to, but it'd mean so much to me... and our kingdom."

She smiled softly but it didn't reach her eyes and then took in a deep breath, "fine I guess." She pivoted in the snow turning in the opposite direction of us and headed off into the dense forest.

We followed her shortly after on a trail that was dug up into the snow. It was the first time I really could look at my surroundings. The tree branches hung low weighing down from the snow. The earth underneath our feet was barely dry. We sank in the soft dirt with every step that we took, and the forest seems to lack life but, in its depths, you could feel a huge presence.

This world cast a feeling of bleakness over its lands, and I could feel it in the trees and on the ground how depressed it really was. The low winds that were brewing as we walked seemed to whisper to me like a sad song. This place has been in dismay for a while.

Clearing my throat to the best of my abilities I asked, "What is this place even called?"

Valentina and Arianna both slightly looked back to me for the question and Valentina answered with a swiftness. "We are in Eari, where the vampires rule. There are about two other kingdoms in this realm but the vampire's rule over that too. The King and Queens two daughters both have mates that rule the subdivisions."

I let that information sink in. The King and Queen had other children besides me. I have half-sisters in a world that I didn't even know about it. "So, I'm walking around in a place where everyone thinks I'm dead. Is this kingdom even big enough to do that?"

Arianna was the one to speak this time, "You will not be in the people's eyes for a while. If the court finds out of your existence before you are able to fully develop in the next few days your entire life will perish." Her eyes burned with seriousness written in them. The way she carried herself was so different than the way Val did. She seemed more on edge and unnerved. Levelheaded was not her name of grace.

I nodded my head agreeing with her. Val crept up beside me with a soft smile, "We'll keep you safe. My father will know exactly what to do," she assured me. She could tell I was a mess, but hopefully, everyone else that was about to become before couldn't. She slipped her fingers in-between mines, and she squeezed my hand slightly. Her thoughts caressed mine making me feel at ease.

We continued along the path until we came upon a small dark cottage. The energy coming off it was so strong. It was impossible to put my finger on the word to describe the scenery other than off.

"Is it me or it feels different here," I muttered to my side to Val. I took in more of my surroundings as the cottage started approaching faster. The entire front of the house was covered with vines and flowers. Wildlife grew freely in its front yard as well, and the path that we walked on leads us to the door was cool flat stones that laid on the ground.