A Dragon's Heart (Book Three in the APK Trilogy)

Chapter 35 | The Pirate King

Nathaniel gripped him tighter, "No, I won't."

"Let go-"

"Circe is looking for you Tobias," Nathaniel squeezed his brothers' thin fingers, his voice urgent, "she is looking for us. You don't understand – there is no need for you to be trapped here. You don't need Aranel if you have us. You don't need to stay here-"

"I can't leave." Tobias's voice was sharp, his hand limp in Nate's grasp. Nathaniel loosened his own grip in response and in a flash the hand he held was retracted, cradled against Tobias's chest tightly as though it had been burnt. "It's you who doesn't understand," his brother continued bitterly, "I cannot leave here."

"Then help me understand," Nathaniel pleaded softly, his eyes imploring. "I am here in front of you. I am not asking you to let me leave. I want you to come with me. Help me understand why you can't let that happen."

Tobias gazed at him expressionlessly, his eyes staring off to the side slightly as Nathaniel spoke. His lips moved silently, as though he was speaking to someone, or perhaps repeating Nathaniel's words back at him. There was a moment of strained silence before abruptly, as though commanded by an invisible string, Tobias stood upright, his book toppling carelessly to the floor.

"Very well. Follow me."

Nathaniel's eyes followed his brother's back as Tobias made for the door that led to the outside, and a second later his body followed too.

No lock was unlatched before the door was swung open and a gust of salt laden air swept into the room, carrying the lightest spray of water that settled damply on Nathaniel's face.

Tobias glanced at him, holding the door open firmly. "You first," he said dully.

Swallowing lightly, Nathaniel stepped through the door. There was a gentle click as the door shut behind them and then Tobias was at his side once more, staring out into the darkness.
It did not take long for Nathaniel's eyes to adjust, the lighting in the room had been dim and although they were shadowed between two gigantic rocks, Nathaniel could still see the contrast of a slightly lighter grey sky from the gap at the top and the exits on either side. It was almost like a cave, this strange rock formation, but there was a deep trench running down the middle from which the ocean hissed and writhed, lapping at the edges of the flat plateau where they stood, constantly threatening to overflow.

Nathaniel thought he had never seen a place so desolate and yet again he could not believe that this was where his brother had spent his life. He cast Tobias a sideways glance. Perhaps some of his brother's oddities could indeed be attributed to the simple fact of isolation. Nate was sure that, were their roles reversed, he would have fared no better.

Tobias hadn't moved since they had stepped outside, but now he spoke and almost immediately his voice was in danger of being drowned out by the roar of the ocean. Nathaniel leant towards him a little, straining to catch his words.

"You know, don't you ... what we are?" Tobias sounded hesitant. An emotion Nathaniel had yet to see from him. He replied cautiously.

"What we are? Do you mean our bloodline? Our Mother is a Siren, isn't she?"

Tobias nodded his head jerkily, a confirmation. "Zeus Gold is of magic descent too. He taught me that, the reason two children are born when The Other breeds with a Human, is that the magic of The Other is simply too powerful to be contained within one human vessel, so therefore it is split into two."

Nathaniel frowned, "So are you saying that our Mothers magic was divided between us? I've never really felt anything other than Human if I'm honest though. Even after I found out the truth."