The Land Of Shadows (8 page)

“This is nonsense,” I snap. “Why they have to make a dance of the evening goes beyond me.” An uncomfortable feeling creeps up my spine when Storm slowly strolls past me. He looks all cool and calm, as if nothing happened earlier.

“Come on, Luna,” Storm bates me, “are you truly against one night of dressing up and dancing?” I take a deep calming breath. I’m not even going to answer Storm. “Do you not think it a bit selfish to have two suitors escort you to the ball?”

Really?
He wants to start an argument in front of our friends? I duck my head lower and give Lucius a pointed look. I’m tired and ready to call it a night.

Lucius catches on fast. “We should get ourselves home. I am sure you are dying to get yourself cleaned up, Luna?” He takes my hand and pulls me in the direction of the village.

“But you will be coming back? We will wait for you, then we can make a fire and–”

Lucius cuts Caia’s excitement short. “Not tonight, Caia. It is late. Maybe tomorrow.” He tugs on my hand and starts walking again.

“But it is Friday!” Willow stops us again. “We can watch the sun come up together.” Willow makes some serious eye gestures, nodding her head in Elita’s direction. I notice the disappointment on Elita’s face and I feel bad for spoiling the evening. “You can sleep late tomorrow. Sunday we have Devotions so tomorrow night will not be as much fun. Besides-”

“Alright!” Lucius snaps. “Just stop with the hounding. We will meet you by the river. Just give Luna a few minutes to clean up.”

“Great! We will go get some snacks for a midnight picnic.” Caia says all excited.

As soon as we get home I go to shower. The water feels great and I spend more time in the shower than I usually do. I’m not in the mood to be all social with the girls, and knowing Storm will be there is more than enough reason to have me hide indoors for once.

When I walk into the kitchen, I find Lucius gorging himself on Mom’s latest batch of cookies. “Go without me, Lucius. The girls will want you there.”

Lucius watches me toss my long-sleeve shirt on the table. Knowing my parents are fast asleep upstairs, I seize full advantage and take a breather from the forever dreadful shirt I have to wear around everyone. I slump down beside Lucius and grab a cookie.

“They are your friends not mine,” he says and then takes a huge gulp of milk. I get up and pour myself a glass. “We can stay home,” he offers.

“That will be great.” I take a seat again and place my glass on the counter. “After the day I had, I really do not want to be around other people.”

“Raighne was brutal in class! What happened after Storm got you out?” I tell Lucius everything that happened. His eyes widen in shock when I tell him what happened when I touched Storm.

“I lied to him,” I whisper, a feeling of guilt swamping me. “I hate lying to him.”

“How did you lie to him?” Lucius asks. I love my brother for always listening to my problems.

“I only told him that I drain others of their energy. I only told him the part about me being able to kill others.” I sigh heavily and dunk a cookie in the milk.

“So he still does not know?” Lucius sits back, a look of disappointment on his face. “You should tell him. He is your trainer after all. He might be able to help.”

I’ve lost my appetite and go to throw the cookie away when someone knocks on the front door. I look to Lucius with a frown and go to answer the door. “It must be Rue.” As I open the door, Lucius calls to me. I look back in time to see him throw my shirt at me. As I reach out to catch it an arm shoots over my head and snatches it.

~*~

Storm~

“You should give the sleeves a break. It is a lovely night out. The girls sent me to see what is taking the two of you so long.” The look on my face might be neutral while I stare at Luna but I certainly don’t feel it.

“Give me my shirt,” she bites the words out. The nervous tone in her voice catches my attention. I don’t give her the shirt back wanting to see what her reaction will be.

She scowls at me and then grabs hold of my hand, holding the shirt. “You know why I wear it!”

I raise an eyebrow and look down to where she’s touching me. “So now you are fine with touching me?”

“Somehow that is different! I have been trying to figure it out.” Luna pulls me into the house and closes the door behind me. “I think you get your energy from nature, the same way I get mine from the moon. Lucius and I can give each other energy, and I think you might be able to … to …” Luna is going too fast, and before I can stop her she places her hand against my cheek. “Feel this.” As the first wave of bright light sizzles into me, my body jerks. I can feel my energy levels picking up, the fatigue in my muscles easing out. “That is me giving my energy to you.”

Lucius breaks the moment by pulling Luna’s hands away from me. He takes the shirt from me and shoves it into Luna’s hands. “Put this on,” he snaps at her. “We should get going.”

Now that Luna knows she can touch me, I’m feeling hopeful that things can work between us. “We have a lot to talk about,” I whisper as we fall into a comfortable pace on our way to the Virtues. For a moment I can almost believe we’re friends again.

“Nothing has changed, Storm.” She sounds sad. I take hold of her hand and pull her to a stop.

“How can you say nothing has changed? We can touch. That changes everything!”

Lucius sighs heavily and again breaks the contact between me and Luna. I’m getting tired of his interference!

“She will die along with the person who touches her!” Lucius snaps. I’m not sure I heard him right. My eyes jump back to Luna, searching for the truth.

She looks away and I can feel her sadness. “Not only do I kill the person who touches me, but I will die, too. They will take all my light from me and in turn, my light will destroy them. Now you know my big secret! Are you happy now?”

I feel a stabbing pain in the region on my heart. “You should have told me sooner, Luna. I have put you in danger at training … every day! Why did you not trust me enough?”

She shrugs. “I did not know you had the same energy as us. If I knew that I would have told you sooner. You hide your talents too. It is not just me.”

I can’t argue with her there. We both have the ability to kill. I just hate that she couldn’t come to me. “Well, now I know. From now on, come to me so I can help you.”

“All right,” she whispers. She looks up at me, and I swear for a moment there is a soft look in her eyes I haven’t seen in years.

~*~

Run all you want … but you cannot hide from your destiny.

Luna~

I wait for Lucius to sit down between Rue and Elita before I make myself comfortable in front of him. He pulls me down until my head is lying on his lap and gently runs his fingers through my hair. I love when he plays with my hair. It makes me sleepy.

“Are you okay?” He whispers as he smiles down at me.

“Always, and that feels nice.” I smile sleepily back at him. I miss the moments when I can just relax with Lucius.

It grows silent around us and I open my eyes, only to find the girls looking at us all stunned. “What?”

Rue’s laughter eases the tension. He is used to seeing us like this. He spends more time at our house than his own.

“It is not every day we see you so relaxed, Luna.” Caia inches closer to the fire and throws in another log. Soon a nice bonfire glows hot in the night.

“She allows you to touch her.” Caia’s comment is unexpected. “She does not allow anybody to touch her. It is not something we see every day, you know.”

I shoot up, not knowing if I should stay or go. A deep sadness fills me. I want to include them, to explain to them why I have to be the way I am … but I can’t.

“Come sit by me, Luna.” Storm’s voice is firm, a command. It’s a way out, a way to prove that I do touch someone other than Lucius. I don’t hesitate for one second to contemplate the repercussions this will have. I crawl to his side. I don’t allow myself to think how I went from wanting to kill Storm to allowing him to touch me, all in a matter of one day. I’ll deal with it all later.

His hands settle firmly around my middle and he draws me against him until my back is pressed against his chest. It’s suddenly very hot and I wish I could take my shirt off, but I bear the uncomfortable heat.

“Storm of all people?” Willow looks at us skeptically.

“Why do you keep harping on this? I like my privacy, Willow. I am not a hugs and kisses type person.” I really hope they’ll move off the subject now.

“Luna, why did you start to sparkle like that today?” Elita’s pearly eyes zoom in on mine. Her question turns my blood to ice. I tense up. I wish I was with Lucius now because I know Storm can feel every movement I make.

“The moon shines, does it not? So it would only be normal for Luna to shine, as well.” Lucius cuts in.

“Seriously! You expect us to fall for that line after all we witnessed at training?” Willow scoffs at Lucius and my eyes jump from Willow to my brother. I feel awful for placing him in such a position, one where he has to lie constantly.

Lucius’ mouth sets into a firm line and I know what that means, he is aggravated. If Willow provokes him any further his temper will explode.

“We should go home, Lucius.” I move to get up.

“No, let us stay. We are having so much fun!” Lucius looks at Willow, his eyes blazing with anger. “Sit, Luna!”

Reluctantly, I sit again. I’m hardly sitting when Storm pulls me back against him. Storm whispers close to my ear, sending tingles racing over my skin. “You both need to calm down, or Willow will keep digging. We need to give her something else to talk about.” Willow needs something to satisfy her endless curiosity.

I turn slightly so I can whisper back. “Look at the flames. Lucius is angry and I am scared he might reflect his anger onto it. The last thing we need is a fire.”

We both glance at the hot, dancing flames and I feel the heat on my skin.

“I will keep an eye on it,” he assures me.

I catch Willow’s eye through the flames. She’s blatantly staring at us, as if she’s waiting for something to happen, or go wrong. It’s been so long since I’ve been this close to Storm. I hope he doesn’t get the wrong message, but he said we need to give Willow something else to talk about. I turn my body sideways and throw my legs over Storm’s thigh. I take hold of his arm and pull it around my waist. My heart starts to thump wildly, and I tell myself it’s only beating so hard because I’m scared something will go wrong tonight. Once I’m comfortable, I glance at Willow. She’s still staring at us, her eyes wide. That should give her something to talk about!

I look up at Storm and whisper so Willow won’t hear me. “She is staring at us. I hope you do not mind. You said to give her something else to interest her.” A smile breaks across his face and I can only stare! I haven’t seen him laugh in such a long time.

“Did I now?” His voice is hoarse and I’m not sure if it’s from the laughing or because of me. I glance quickly in Willow’s direction to make sure this show isn’t for nothing.

The air grows tense around us, and it has nothing to do with Willow and Lucius fighting. I don’t know what to do with my hands and end up pressing them together in my lap. I’m too scared to look up so I stare into the flames. It only works for a short while. My eyes become my enemy and slowly start their own journey back to Storm’s eyes. I linger on his jaw and wonder how it would feel to throw my arms around him now and place a kiss right there. Would I feel the same intense feelings I did all those years ago?

“Luna, I do not know what you find so interesting down there but I would rather you look up here.” There is no teasing in his voice and for some reason it sends my heart on a wild gallop. I’d preferably be fighting or even teasing with him. I am not sure if I know what to do with this serious side of Storm.

When my eyes meet his, I am completely trapped.

“Raighne paid me a visit tonight.” It is the last thing I expect him to say and the intense feelings I have fluttering inside me faint dead away.

“Raighne?” I squeak. If there is one person I’m scared of, it’s Raighne. He hates me.

Storm continues, “He was quite excited about the fact that Alchera looked so much better.” I swallow hard, purely because I have nothing to say at to that. “I told him not to get too excited.” I frown at this.
Why would Storm say such a thing?
“I am the one who found you after you were with Alchera, Love. Let us not forget what a state you were in.”

I drop my eyes to the first button of his shirt. My stomach flutters when he calls me ‘love,’ and I can’t believe he still stood up for me after all the times I’ve pushed him away.

“Raighne will not listen. When he wants something he gets it.” Without thinking I run a finger along the top four buttons of his shirt. It’s more a nervous action than anything else.

“We will make him listen!” The steel in Storm’s voice sends cold shivers down my spine.

He takes hold of my hand and instinctively I want to jerk away. My eyes jump to his. For a second I wait for disaster to strike before the realization hits home that I can’t hurt Storm.

“I wish you had trusted me earlier,” he whispers. He laces his fingers with mine which feels far
too
good. I should get up and go.

Storm holds our hands between us. “Is this the only reason you pulled away from me?” His direct question hangs between us. I’m so tired of deceiving him.

“Partly.” I lean in closer and press my forehead to his chest. “Please be patient with me. Please do not ask me to explain it. You will understand soon enough.” I pray Storm lets it go just this once.

I feel his breath stir my hair and I close my eyes. “Why will you not trust me? Why not give me the chance to protect you?” It pains me to hear those words from him. I would love nothing more than to do just that, but I can’t. This is why I don’t let him close to me! He asks too many questions. Why can’t he just leave things as it is?

“I do not need protection,” I snap. “You are the one training me to be a guardian. You should know I can take care of myself.” I pull my hand free of his and push away from him. “It is really late. Lucius, either you come or you stay.”

I don’t wait to see if my brother follows. I walk as fast as I can to put distance between myself and the group of people who call themselves my friends. When I’m a good distance away I dare a look over my shoulder but I see Lucius nowhere in sight.

“Just great!” The words explode over my lips and my temper flares. Lucius can look out for himself if he wants to face them all.

I’m just about to head for the forest when I get blasted back a couple of feet. Hundreds of brilliant white lights flicker around me as I end up sitting flat on my backside.

“Do you not understand the word
destiny
!” The angry voice rains down on me and I want to dig a hole where I can hide from now until the end of eternity.

“Mara.” Her name slips over my lips. I hardly have the strength to sit upright with the fear numbing my body.

“
See
what happens when you lose control?
See
what happens when you stray from the path?” I can’t help but flinch from her anger. “Raighne is on a mission to find out how you healed Alchera. Storm wants to play hero. Willow is as curious as ever.” A sparkle flicks against my face to make sure she has my full attention.

“I am so sorry, Mara,” I answer quickly.

It is obviously not the response she wants from me. The lights gather into a brilliant sphere. I have only seen Mara once before, and as she appears before me again I am stunned by her beauty. I can only glance at her topaz eyes for a moment before I have to drop my gaze. It is as if you’re glimpsing the gates of Heaven. As soon as she speaks I fear the ground might open and swallow me whole.

“Your destiny is simple, Luna. Destroy Void.” Mara smiles and it feels as if all the weight I have been carrying simply vanishes. “Save a heart, walk through the shadows and exchange your light for darkness.” She said the same thing to me just after I turned eighteen, but I’ve yet to solve the riddle. “When you have fulfilled your destiny I will come for you Luna. Your death will be a praiseworthy one and not in vain.” I watch her fade along with the hope in my heart. There is no future for me. I have to remind myself of this. I’m going to die soon. I can’t let Storm get close to me.

My nerves are shot by the time Lucius gets home. I don’t give him time to say anything and drag him to the bathroom.

“You look nervous, what did you do?”

“Nothing … yet. Come, I want you to cut my hair.”

Lucius digs his heels into the floor and refuses to follow. His voice climbs a few pitches. “Mom will kill me! I am not touching your hair. Do it yourself.”

“I am not going to tell anyone you helped me, but how do you expect me to reach the back of my head?” I keep pulling at his arm, but he won’t budge. “Please, Lucius, before we wake them.”

“Why the sudden urge to cut your hair?” He eyes me suspiciously.

“Because I can easily touch someone with my hair, and putting it in a ponytail for training does not help anymore. It is getting too long. It can touch any of the girls by accident. What if I hurt Elita?” I know he has a soft spot for Elita and just the mention of her being anywhere near danger finally convinces him.

“Then we better be quick about it.”

I stare at our reflection in the bathroom mirror as Lucius drags his fingers one last time through my hair. He lifts it into a ponytail and cuts it off without asking me again. He holds it up and we both watch as the silver strands turn blonde and then to dust in his hands.

“Do you think that will happen to me too?” My eyes follow the dust as it cascades like a winter snowfall through his fingertips.

“What?” After rinsing his hands, Lucius tries to make some sort of style out of the hair that’s left.

“Will I turn to moon dust when I die?” I can’t help the forlorn sound in my voice.

Lucius sits down on the floor as he contemplates his answer. “We are Immortals, Luna. Twenty-four is a bit young to start worrying about a death that may never come.” I hold onto the basin and slide down next to the small pile of dust that only a moment ago was still a part of me.

“Remember when I told you about Mara?” I avoid eye contact with Lucius. I keep myself busy by drawing patterns in the dust.

“I remember.” Lucius sounds cautious. “But that was years ago. Did you see her again?”

Instead of answering him I go on, “Remember when I told you about Alchera’s nightmares and how I can see them?”

“Yes.” I can feel his eyes on me. Out of everything I’ve shared with Lucius this is by far the hardest.

“Mara said that I must watch over Alchera and that it is my destiny to destroy Void. I have told you that.” I take a deep breath. “But I left out an important part. My fate has been set in stone, Lucius. I will not survive it. To destroy Void …” I gulp a breath, trying my best not to cry. “… I must die.” My voice quivers and my heart shatters. “Alder told me the same thing just before Mara came to see me the first time.”

I hear Lucius take a deep breath and finally look at him. His eyes have turned to a dull brown and are drowning in heartache. “You have to die? I do not understand.”

“I need to save a heart, walk through the shadows and exchange my light for darkness before my destiny ends. That is what I have to do … and then I die, Lucius.” I reach out and pull him into a hug, unable to just let him sit like that. “Then Mara will come to fetch me.”

“They cannot take you.” Lucius croaks through tears of devastation. “You are too young! You are my sister … my twin! Why you?” His sudden cry is one of anguish when the magnitude of what I said finally dawns on him.

“You will be just fine. You are strong and have a wonderful life ahead of you. You will have mom and dad, and you will be guardian to Elita.” I pull back and look pleadingly at him. He needs to calm down and remain strong. “You cannot tell anyone, Lucius. This has to remain between us!”