The Cursed

Chapter Twenty Four

Lilura

After Willa regained her strength and left for downstairs to replace all the protections I had damaged, I sat in my room. The smell of oak and wood fire lingers in the air, the occasional smell of lavender drifts by me. Today I needed to strengthen myself for three days of treacherous and difficult work.

I go downstairs to the work room where Willa has a large, leather book propped open while she stirs a cauldron feverishly, muttering under her breath.

"Willa, I require assistance. After you're done with the protection of course," I say. I'd rather know my body is safe while my mind skips through time. Willa glances up at me before going back to stirring.

"With what?" She snaps at me. My heart lurches. Her magic is tainting her kindness. I should wait for her to be of her mind, but this needs to be done soon. I cannot wait in the dark anymore about myself and my magic. Especially if someone is looking for me and while I'm in the Iris Kingdom, a place that struck fear in me when I heard it's name.

"I need a potion to help me remember." Her head snaps up at me; her eyes sharp and pointed.

"Needy needy, so much. I've done so much for you, leave now before I regret my choice."

"What choice?"

"Get the purple vial with the golden liquid. Light a white candle and meditate." I nod and quickly gather the supplies and go to my room.

Back in my chambers, I set the items down and fish in the cupboards for any blank journal. Whatever I remember may not last, but unraveling my past will help me I understand and control my powers, therefor when my powers and I meet, there is greater chance I will not change. If I do not change, the little flicker of the thought of revenge can be kindled. Then safe, Everette and I can be together and protected.

I set the candle in front of me and light it with spare matches I found tucked in the corner. I set the purple glass next to the candle so the flickering last was reflected through the glass and spread purple light on the floor.

Taking a deep breath, I uncork the bottle and drink the golden liquid inside. It's warm and tasters sweet, like summer. The feeling of warmth traces down my throat and extends to all my limbs, making my fingertips tingle. I feel my eyes shut, and I fall backward into the ground.

Swirls of colored light surround me in a kaleidoscope of patterns. The constant changing makes me dizzy and nauseous. I spin and spin then land on the ground in a heap. Sitting up, I look around to find myself in a forest. The lush trees tower above me and moss grows on the ground, making is soft and supple.

"Hello?" I call out, but so faintly I'm sure no one could hear me.

"Hello?" A little voice says back. Ahead by a few yards, a little girl steps out from the trees. She has long blonde hair and large white eyes.

"What are you?" I ask, but realize the question was far too rude. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean any harm-"

"It's alright, most come to kill me or seek their future. I am Aislinn," she says. Her voice is soft and muted as though I was hearing it miles away, and it was carried to me on a breeze.

"Seek their future?"

"Many come to give me a gift and I'm return i often give them a glimpse of what the future can hold."

"Oh. I have a similar proposition, however I do not have anything to give you." I look at her, and she stares back, unblinking. Her head tilts to side as she studies me. She then walks towards me slowly, and circles me.

"Lilura, you have gone through much turmoil, but inside of you is power. A great and terrible power that you cannot control and have no hope of controlling."

"Unless?" I whisper, Aislinn stops and looks at me.

"Unless what?"

"Is there a way to control them? I hoped by learning I could control them?"

"Learning May help, but only if you learn the right things." She continues to circle me.

"What do I need to learn?" I beg. Aislinn stops behind me, so close her breath tickles the back of my neck, sending chills down my spine.

"The Queen."

"The Queen of Iris? I never knew her, why do I-"

"Hush and close your eyes," she whispers. I then feel something cold being poured over my head, making me shut my eyes. I sink into the moss ground and drop from somewhere high onto what feels like netting. The knots diffing into my back and thighs. I keep my eyes shut as I am bounced into the air once again, then clutched in the talons of something. The air whistles past me as I am carried them dropped in water.

The sudden drop and waves of cold water force me to open my eyes. I am in a large lake, far enough out where the shore is barely in sight, but close enough I could swim to land. I spin in the water, keeping my head above the ripples and waves my drop caused. It's a large lake with tall forests surrounding it.

Once I reach shore, I find jagged rocks and pebbles lining where the tide comes in. But something feels wrong. So very wrong. I call out a greeting in hopes some poor soul will hear me, then I realize I cannot make a sound, nor do I hear the sounds around me clearly. They sound just as muted at Aislinn, if not more so.

"My pet, there is a girl with the prince, my baby boy. She is one of the last three witches, find her and report back," a sharp voice says while a beautiful woman steps out from the trees' shadow, a silver crown perched on her fiery red hair, and a crow with a single feather matching the hair of the woman sits on her shoulder staring at her face. The Queen of Iris has stepped out of the woods and is looking right at me.