Anastasia (The Bolton Series Book 1) (11 page)

warm hand pressed against my side in an effort to calm me down. It was the first nice thing she had ever done for me.

“I will circle around behind them,” she whispered close to my right ear. “You will show yourself to them. Cause some sort of distraction so I can take them out by surprise.”

I nodded in reply. My grip on the dagger tightened at the sound of their voices just feet from us. We didn’t have a visual on them so we weren’t sure exactly how many there were. I had my fingers crossed on it being just the two.

Mari gracefully moved her body around the brush making sure her sword was easily accessible. I counted to one hundred before walking into the small clearing.

Two small, ugly goblins stood in front of a tree blocking my view of whom they were talking too.  They didn’t seem to notice me.

“Hey,” I yelled in their direction. When they turned to look at me my heart stopped.

Simon was tied to the tree. His clothes were a tattered mess. He was wearing the same night clothes as the day they took him from me. His once handsome face was broken and bruised that I almost didn’t recognize him. A large gash covered his forehead above his right eye causing blood to slowly trickle in to it.

“Simon,” I whispered. His sad eyes looked to me in horror. His mouth opened and closed as he fought for what to say.

“The princess,” the shorter goblin said in awe. I casted a quick glimpse behind me but no one was there. His green catlike eyes were trained on me.

The second goblin didn’t waste a second as he lunged at me. He was taller than I expected, almost my height. I grabbed his arm and tried to shove his body away from me but I lost my footing and fell bringing him with me.

I push him off and jumped back to my feet. He lunged at me again, my knife in his hands. He must have gotten it when we fell. I panic at what to do. I tried to think of a spell. But before I could remember anything he made contact with my gut. A sharp pain like no other erupted throughout my torso. Something warm saturated the bottom half of my shirt.

“Ahh!” I yelled as some invisible force pushed the goblin away from me and I fell to the ground.

I touched the area above my left hipbone. A warm red liquid coated my fingers. Was that my blood? I was oblivious to what was happening around me. The goblin hadn’t attacked me again. Maybe Mari got to them.

I looked around but could only see trees. I tried to sit up but the pain pushed me back down.

Breath Annie. Think.

I am a Strega. I could heal myself, but I don’t know how. With all my training, I hadn’t had much time to work on my healing spells. I wished I paid more attention to Simon.

Simon!

My brother was here. I shot up from the ground and searched for where he laid. Mari was helping to untie him from the tree.

“Simon,” I cried as I ran to him. I collapsed next to him wrapping my arms around his torso. His once strong arms felt weak as they tried to hold me to him.

“Annie, what are you doing here?” His scratchy voice was nothing like I remembered. It was small and weak. I felt like he would fall into pieces at any moment.

“I came to find you. We all did,” I said looking up at Mari who stared at Simon.

“All of you?” he asked looking around for others.

“Yelson and Weldon are here as well as three-two-guards.” Mari’s voice came out calm and cool as she spoke to my brother.

Simon simply nodded his head before looking at my stomach. “You’re bleeding.”

I had forgotten about the wound. It wasn’t hurting anymore and the bleeding seemed to stop. I forced my hands to move the shirt to reveal my torso.  A small faint pink line was the only thing that marred my skin.

“Oh my gosh,” I gasped as I poked the scar. “How is this possible?”

Mari and Simon shared a look. A look of shock and fright. I stared back and forth between the two of them as their silent exchange continued.

“What?”

“We have to go.” Mari helped Simon stand up.

He slightly wobbled but quickly regained his footing. I wrapped his arm around my shoulders and mine around his waist releasing some of the weight from his legs.

Mari led the way back to the cabin. It took longer since we had Simon. He forced us to move slower as he had trouble walking.

I wondered what they did to him to make him like that. He was always the strongest person I knew, even stronger than my dad. But when I look at him now, leaning on me to help him walk a couple of steps, I didn’t see that man. I saw someone beaten to a point where he had no reason to live, a person who gave up.

I was so deep in thought that I didn’t see a man jump out of the trees. He grabbed my arm and pulled me away from my brother.

“Annie,” he yelled as I was dragged into the woods. Mari didn’t hesitate as she ran after us.

The troll moved faster trying to outrun Mari. He tried to jump over a root but I pulled against causing him to trip onto the floor. I fell on top of him. He quickly turned around. His wide, angry face was right next to mine. He grabbed my arms and dug his fingers into me.

I managed to kick him, stunning him enough to get off of him. Before he could get up Mari’s sword had made its way into his chest. He stared at it blankly for a moment before collapsing to the floor.

She gave me a ‘what the hell were you thinking’ look before she grabbed my wrist and pulled me back to my brother.

“Annie,” Simon said when he saw me walk out of the trees. He sat on the floor as he anxiously waited for us to come back. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, gotta pay more attention don’t I?” I helped him off the floor.

“We need to get back.” We nodded at Mari before we started walking again.

After half an hour we emerged from the forest at the back of the property. I could hear the guys yelling in the front of the cabin. I couldn’t see them but I knew they were angry.

“We shouldn’t have left them alone!” Yelson yelled over one of the guard who began to talk.

“They were not supposed to leave the cabin,” a voice I didn’t recognize said.

As we turned the corner I could see Yelson and the two guards standing by the front porch. Yelson’s face was flushed with anger as the guards tried to calm him down.

“We are fine. Even got a third wheel,” Mari exclaimed.

“Thank god,” Yelson sighed. He ran to my side and encompassed me in one armed hug as I was still holding on to Simon. His voice rang in my ears as he whispered how worried he was. “I thought they took you.”

“I’m fine,” I said as he let me go. I decided not to mention anything about the troll as he would had a freaked out. He quickly gave his sister a hug before he turned his attention to my brother.

“It’s nice to see you again Simon.” He couldn’t contain his shocked face. My brother was the last person he expected to see.

“Yelson,” he replied with a slight nod.

“Come on, let’s get you inside.” I moved to enter the cabin but Yelson stopped me.

“Maybe that is not a good idea right now,” He said as he held my elbow.

“What? Why?” Yelson’s face grew strained as he looked away from me. The guards behind him averted their eyes as well. “What is going on?”

I searched the small crowd and found what was missing. “Where is Weldon?”

“I’m sorry Annie.”

No.

It couldn’t be true. I was talking to him not even two hours ago. My arm fell limp to my side as I let go of my brother.  His grip on me got tighter. It was his turn to hold me up.

“How?” My voice was a whisper.

“He was ambushed when he followed a dwarf into the woods. I’m so sorry Annie,” Yelson said. “I should have been with him. I shouldn’t have let him run off by himself.”

Before the he said his last word I was running to the cabin. Everyone tried to stop me but I was fast enough to escape their outstretched hands.

The air inside was stale and smelled metallic. The state of everything was how I remembered it. Broken and shattered. I looked all around for my friend. My eyes stopped on the couch. A pair of black boots peaked out of the corner. I slowly made my way around to get a better look.

My heart stopped at what I saw. Weldon’s large body lay on the couch. His shirt was ripped to shreds at where he was attacked. Blood covered his torso but was no longer coming from his wounds, telling me his heart stopped pumping.

His sweet face looked peaceful. He looked years younger than his twenty three when he didn’t have that legendary smirk on. I cried as I knelt next to him. I touched his cold cheek and broke down.

“Oh Weldon, I am so sorry,” I cried. I laid my head next to his but didn’t touch him.

It was my fault he was dead. He only volunteered to come because of me. He wanted to help me and protect me. If I didn’t want to come so badly we would be at home playing with Arabella.

“I’m sorry. This should be me. None of us should have ever come back here.”

Don’t say tha
t
. Someone whispered in my ear. I looked to see Yelson standing in the doorway.

“It is my fault though.” I looked back at Weldon. I tried to avoid looking at his torso. If I didn’t see it than it wasn’t true. It could seem like he was just sleeping.

“No it is not. Weldon would tell you the same thing.” He moved the sit by me. “He knew what he was doing was dangerous. He came here because he cares about you Annie. He knew what it would mean to you to find your family.”

“He shouldn’t have come, none of us.” I pushed back his hair as I spoke. “Now two people are dead.”

“But we found your brother. Weldon would be happy about that.” He placed his hand on my arm. A sense of calm rushed over me.

A small smile spread across my face. “Weldon would have liked him.”

“He did,” Yelson laughed. He must have seen how confused I looked because he continued. “We used to visit him and your parents before the attack. That is how Cabel knew where to find you.”

“But how? I never saw any of you.”

“That was the point.”

I nodded my head. Of course they didn’t want me to see them. They probably came at night because I was rarely away from the cabin.

“What are we going to do now?” We had to leave the area as soon as possible I’m sure but I didn’t want to leave Weldon. We had no way of taking him back with us.

“There is a wagon in the barn right?” I nodded. “We will put Weldon and Verijo in it and take them back home.”

“Okay,” I whispered. The thought of my friend lying in the back of that wagon twisted my stomach. He did not deserve this.

   “I’ll get everything set up outside.” He removed his hand from my arm. My body suddenly felt heavier. Yelson gave me one more worried look before he exited the cabin.

I laid my head back down on the cushion seat. This time I touched my forehead with Weldon. His cold skin felt normal to me. He was cold blooded so it didn’t surprise me but this time it felt different because it was. His body wasn’t cooling down just because it was natural.

I closed my eyes and thought of Weldon. Pictures of his smile ran through my mind, his brown eyes, and his kindness. I remembered the first day he gave me the book of paintings. He helped me get through so much even though he was going through his own problems.

I went back to our conversation this morning. I remembered how sad, mad, and confused he was about what happened with his family. I knew he wanted to see them again just as I did with mine. Now he never would have the chance.

I couldn’t control the tears anymore. They came rushing down my cheeks as I sobbed next to what was left of my friend.

Please don’t cry.

“I thought you left Yelson.”

Annie.

I lifted my head and wiped the tears away, my vision blurry from the crying. I made out the shape of Yelson at the end of the couch. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were here.”

You never have to apologize.

“I just miss him already,” I cried as I touched Weldon’s cheek.

I miss you too.

“What?” I blinked my eyes until I could see whom I was talking too. “Weldon?”

My eyes went to the couch. He still laid on it but when I looked up, he was standing at the end of the couch. That million-dollar smile of his plastered on his face.

“How is this possible?” I asked. My eyes bounced from the couch to the now clear vision of Weldon standing.

There are things you don’t know Annie. Things you need to know about yourself.

“What are you talking about? Weldon what is happening?” My breath quickened the longer I saw him standing there. “How are you here?”

Annie you are powerful. More than we thought. This is why you can see and hear me like before when Yelson was here.

“That was you?” I remembered when I thought I first heard Yelson talk to me in the room. But it couldn’t have been him because it was like someone whispered it in my mind. That someone was Weldon.

You need to find Ulma. She will explain everything to you. Ask Mari to take you to her.

“Who is she?”

He walked over to me and knelt down. It felt like he was there. He didn’t look different. In fact, he was wearing the same tattered shirt. I could feel the tears threatening to come back.

Can you promise me one thing?

I nodded my head not trusting my voice.

Don’t hate anyone for what they did. They thought they were protecting you. I thought I was protecting you by not telling you the truth but I was just hurting you more.

“What do you mean?” I croaked. He wasn’t making any sense to me.

A sad smile spread across his face
.
Goodbye Annie. Tell Emilie that I’m sorry I didn’t come back like I promised.

“No, Weldon. Don’t leave me please.” But it was too late. He was gone.

Footsteps came from the porch. I didn’t want to see anyone yet so I ran to my room. I heard Yelson yell my name before I closed the door on him.

~*~

Weldon’s body laid on the wagon next to the guard. I knew it wasn’t him anymore, he was gone, it was just his body but that was just as bad. It took everything in me not to roll into the fetal position and cry my eyes out when I saw him.

Yelson attached the old wagon to both the guards’ horse. Simon took Verijo’s horse while Mari towed Weldon’s. We didn’t waste any more time than we needed too.

The way back to the palace seemed to take twice as long. It was as if we were trying to prolong our arrival. We didn’t stop for the night but kept going.

We reached the village before the sun came up. The few people around kneeled when we past them. They bowed their heads and placed their fingertips to the ground. I stared in confusing. What were they doing? They hadn’t done that when Cabel brought me here.

When we reached the palace Cabel was standing by the front door with Emilie and Kenelm. They seemed relieved to see us but that quickly changed when they saw my brother and Weldon’s empty horse. They immediately got on their knees, bowed their heads and placed their fingertips onto the ground.

Now I understood what they were doing. That was how they paid respect to their fallen.

Tears rolled off Emilie’s face as she ran to my side. I instinctively wrapped my arms around her. I murmured soothing words to her but I knew it didn’t do anything to help her. She knew what happened to Weldon, her best friend, and nothing would be able to help that.

“I’m glad you are okay Annie,” she whispered as she let me go. Her eyes focused on the wagon just feet away from us. I wasn’t sure who but someone had taken the horses to the barn and left the wagon.

Yelson and Kenelm were talking most likely about the events that occurred on our visit to the cabin.

Simon made his way to me a small smile on his face. “Emilie, it has been too long.”

“Simon,” Emilie whispered. A sad smile spread across her face as she gave him a hug. “It’s so great to see you again.”

“Anastasia, can we speak? In private. I need to tell you something I should have a long time ago.” Kenelm asked me.

“Yeah,” I replied and looked to my brother. I did not want to leave him after I just gotten him back.

“Go ahead. I’ll stay with Emilie. I’ll see you in a bit.” He gave me an encouraging smile before he looked to Kenelm. They shared a look before Simon nodded to him.

I gave my brother a hug and followed Kenelm into the palace. He made his way upstairs to the door to the third floor. He opened it and motioned for me to walk in. I hesitated of course. Cabel had warned me not to go up there.

“It’s okay,” Kenelm said when he saw me stop.

I took a deep breath, calming my nerves, and moved through the door.

I expected to see computers and top secret things scattered throughout. But that wasn’t what was there.

One giant table sat in the middle of the room less floor. Six smaller tables lay against the wall. Each one had stacks of papers and other tool’s I didn’t recognize.

I noticed one didn’t look as messy as the others. It had only a small stack of papers and a book. Kenelm towed me to that table and motioned for me to sit down.

“First off I would like to say I cannot express how sorry I am about what you have been through, your majesty. A young woman as yourself should never experience such things.” Kenelm looked at me with sympathy. I felt like he wanted nothing better than to sweep me away to a place where nothing bad could happen to me.

“Thank you, Kenelm.” I felt like I should have said more but I couldn’t find the words.

“Now, I believe we have found a way to kill Daruka without you being involved.”

I shoot up in my chair at his words. “How? I thought you said I was the only one who could do it.”

“The Sword of Ustrina,” was all he said in reply.

“You have it?” I gasped. “But my brother told me it was just a tale. He said it doesn’t exist.”

“Of course it does. My family has kept it hidden for centuries. We have made people believe that it never existed to protect it from the wrong hands.”

“Like Daruka?”

“Yes,” he replied. “Cabel and I have both agreed that the sword will be able to kill Daruka. Yelson has already volunteered.”

“What?” I croaked. He couldn’t do that. There was no strong evidence that said the sword would for sure be able to kill Daruka. For all we know it would not work on him at all and Daruka would rip Yelson to shreds. “But Daruka will kill him.”

“A risk we must take. We cannot allow you to risk your life like that. I will not allow it. You are far more important to me.”

“You don’t even know me.” A flash of hurt passed his eyes. He took a step back from me. I thought he was going to pass out. “Kenelm are you alright?”

“I do know you. More than you think,” he whispered. His large hands picked up the book that sat on the desk and handed it to me.

The papers seemed like they would fall apart from the leather that bound them at the smallest touch. I didn’t want to open it in fear I would destroy it but I had to. Kenelm was trying to tell me something, something he couldn’t say himself for some reason.

“I will be downstairs,” He said. He quickly turned around and exited the only door on the floor. I wanted to tell him to stay. It didn’t feel right for me to be here by myself but I let him go. This could be the answers I was looking for. I had to do this by myself.

I took a deep breath before I opened up the old thick cover. I gasped in shock of the picture on the first page. I could have been looking at myself.

A woman smiled at the painter. Her long blonde hair framed her face in perfect curls. Her shocking blue eyes showed the happiness she felt as she held a baby in her arms. Underneath the painting was written:

Queen Amelia Rosewell and Princess Anastasia Rosewell.

The book slipped through my fingers as I sat stunned at what I saw. That couldn’t be true. That wasn’t me. That was Kenelm’s wife and daughter. Even if I looked like Amelia, she wasn’t my mother. She couldn’t be. My mom was kidnapped by Daruka. She was being held captive in who knows what kind of conditions. 

But I couldn’t lie to myself. It would explain so many things. Why I did not look like my family. How I was always the outsider. Why I felt unusually safe around Kenelm.

He was my father.

What did that mean? If I was his daughter why were other people raising me as their own? It didn’t make any sense to me.

I grabbed the book off the floor and ran out the door and down the stairs. I could hear people on the second floor calling my name but I didn’t stop. They weren’t who I was looking for. I ran into the kitchen and saw her sitting at the table.

“You need to take me to Ulma,” I told her as I caught my breath. Mari’s face stared at me shocked at what I said.

“How do you know of her?” She asked me skeptically. She still did not trust a word that came out my mouth.

“Weldon told me.”

“What? When?”

“After he died,” I whispered.

She gasped wide eyed at me. “Follow me.”

Without another word, she took my arm and ran out the front door. She pulled me down the crowded street until we stopped at a small cabin. Potted flowers framed the walkway to the front door. An old rocking chair sat on the front porch next to a small table with a book on it. It all seemed very inviting to me.

Mari towed me to the front door and pushed through it not knocking. An older woman sat on a blue armchair. Her green hair was braided down the right side of her face tied with a white feather. Her bronze colored eyes smiled at me as I walked in after Mari. 

“Anastasia. Finally.” She gracefully stood up to hug me. Her arms wrapped around me sending an instant feel of comfort. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding and hugged her back. I