Page 62 of Rising Out of the Darkness (Divine Guardians Duology #1)

Elena

I munched away on a delicious muffin as I walked the dimly lit halls of the castle. It was no wonder Eloise was a Flame. She was a bundle of fiery personality and extremely passionate about taking care of others. Like feeding my addiction to baked goods and chocolate.

Eloise had made me swear to stay in the room to rest after I had returned from training with Nayla.

She’d told me if I went without rest or sleep for one more night, she would stop covering up the purple underneath my eyes as punishment.

Naturally I hadn’t followed orders. I’d waited until enough time had passed before making my escape to the library.

Welcomed by the wonderful smell of parchment, I bounced towards the area where I stored the collection of books that Declan had pulled for me.

Heaving them onto the table took effort, my arms and body sore from today’s training.

Just as I snuggled down into my seat, my body jumped at the sound of a sneeze behind me.

“Oh, thank the gods! For once, there will be someone to keep me company while I’m forced to read the thrilling tale of The Properties of Potions and Elixirs: Volume 12. You’d think by the twelfth title they’d come up with something a little more original.”

Stumbling around the corner of a bookshelf appeared Clara, arms wrapped around several books.

They spilled onto the table as she shoveled them out of her arms. Pieces of hair had fallen in front of her face, and I couldn’t help but giggle as she blew out a big breath that sent them flying.

Clara’s head fell forward onto her folded arms on the table as she let out a groan.

“Ugh,” she huffed. “I would much rather be reading a book about love, or anything more interesting than this. Alastor has me here every week. Says he requires extensive notes on each potion and elixir. I think it’s more of a retaliation against me.”

“What did you do, Clara?” I placed my hand over my mouth, feigning shock.

Her head rose from beneath her arms, a malevolent grin growing on her face.

“Well, I may have accidentally added an extra herb into his daily health tonic that made his tongue swell to the size of a potato. Which may have also been the day he had to deliver a very important speech in front of the king and council.”

“You are a vicious woman, Lady Clara. Remind me to never cross you.”

“That’s probably wise.” She smirked, then her lips fell back down into a frown. “Honestly, that man deserves everything he gets, accident or not.”

“Agreed.”

She got out some parchment and her quill as she began taking notes from the massive book.

I opened the red leather book from last night, eager to learn more about different powers within the kingdom, still searching for something to explain the violet dynamis that had erupted between Declan and I.

Of course, my thoughts lingered on Declan more than they should have.

“Why hasn’t Declan just left?” I whispered.

His captains were aware of the abuse that he had been taking for years from his father and his advisor, so it wasn’t a far stretch to believe that his cousin would know as well. Especially since she was also a Healer.

Clara’s shoulders tightened as she inhaled a deep breath before glancing my way.

“Lena, as much as I would like to share, I wouldn’t want to cross my cousin’s boundaries more than I already have by telling you about the curse.

This story may be one he’d like to tell on his own.

” She paused, as if choosing her next words carefully.

“He’s been living deep in the darkness for a long time.

Declan is trapped here, just like I am. However, his father and Alastor have forced him to endure far worse atrocities than I have.

There are things that haunt the deepest depths of his soul, but there’s still so much beauty inside of it.

Dec has always guarded his heart, never opening fully to anyone, even me.

Perhaps he’s been waiting until he met someone with enough light to help guide him out of the dark.

” Her hazel eyes twinkled as I let the meaning behind her words settle within me.

“I know that it’s been nothing but a whirlwind since your Ascension,” she said, covering her palm with mine. “I’m glad that Declan was the one to bring you back here. He needs someone like you, and something tells me that you need someone like him as well.”

Lifting her palm from mine, she continued writing down notes from the massive book in front of her, leaving me staring blankly at the words on the page.

Turbulent was the word I would use to describe the interactions between Declan and I. Whenever we were around each other, there was a storm of animosity or euphoria. I supposed there was a fine line between the two. Warmth began to bloom inside of me as my lips curled up into a smirk.

Maybe Clara did have a point. Declan might have been waiting for someone like me, but something deep within me shouted out that I’d been waiting for someone like him as well.

Shoving the thoughts away, I dove back into the pages of text beneath me. I’d been searching for anything that discussed Elysians’ dynamis reacting with one another, and I thought I’d finally found something.

There have been some records of combining one’s dynamis with another. Upon further investigation, we have found that these events seem to occur between fated mates…

I paused, rereading the last line aloud to myself.

… seem to occur between fated mates …

… mates …

Gulping down the fear rising within me, I continued reading.

When conducting our research, we have found that mates are often able to pull from one another’s dynamis, thus increasing their own. Sometimes, we have witnessed mates using their mate’s dynamis in place of their own.

Unfortunately, there has been a decline of fated mates over the centuries, so we haven’t been able to continue our research to prove if our theories are accurate.

A huff of breath escaped my lips as my shoulders relaxed. Fated mates was such an old term. Like the book stated, it was very rare to find couples who were actually mates.

It was once said that the gods themselves selected your perfect match for you to find. As the story went, fated mates found each other through their bond—somehow it guided them on a path towards each other.

Growing up, when girls in my town used to swoon over the stories of mates, I used to roll my eyes.

The idea of being bound to someone you had no choice in seemed like a nightmare to me.

I believed in true love, one that was created by real connections between two people, not through divine fate.

Giggling to myself, I dismissed the silly notion that had arisen in my mind.

There was no way that Declan and I could be mates.

As I turned the page, it crinkled. This was one of the oldest books that I had come across, so I was curious if it would include anything about the original Light Phoenix.

Not finding what I wanted on the next page, I gently skipped the pages to get nearer to the end of the book.

My heart jumped when the image of a Phoenix danced across the page.

Unsure what to expect, I sucked in a breath as my eyes roamed over it.

This is the one and only day we were able to witness the majestic dynamis that she possessed, because after the Phoenix rose and released it, she left this world permanently.

Wait.

The Light Phoenix had only used her powers for one day? How was that possible? Unable to control my heart from beginning to race, I kept reading.

Our cities had been battling for control over the realm, and Lord Draven of the City of Shadows was the leading choice to gain that control.

His family had been known for centuries to hold the unique dynamis of shadows.

It is a power unlike any other in our realm, and still, to this day, no other Elysian has ever shown signs of this dynamis.

Many believed that this was a gift from the gods, that it was fate for Draven’s family to rule over Ehora.

On this day, a raid was sent into Grinwood, the City of Life.

It was later discovered that they were going after a woman who had shown signs of a unique dynamis.

There is no real evidence as to what that power was, but it was declared a threat to all Ehora.

What proceeded was a massacre like no one had ever witnessed.

The woman was found and assassinated, along with others who had stood in the way to protect her.

Hundreds of funeral pyres lit the night that day, but only one burnt the brightest. Through the flames and ashes rose the Light Phoenix.

Once flames hit the body of the woman with the mysterious dynamis, she rose up into the sky on massive fiery wings that spread from behind her back.

Her body glowed golden and her voice was described to be otherworldly.

The Light Phoenix released a sorrowful cry, releasing a powerful white light across the land.

The Light Phoenix perished after exerting all of her dynamis, and was later buried beneath the soil for fear of what another pyre might bring.

It wasn’t until later that the realm discovered several Elysians, including Lord Draven, had also perished that day.

Many witnesses described their deaths almost like their life force was pulled straight from their bodies—one moment they were alive, and in the next dead.

Unrest grew throughout the land, and there was a call for a king to be declared immediately to ensure the safety of the land.

Lord Draven had left behind a son, Kage Stallard, who had also inherited the shadow dynamis.

It was made known that Lord Kage believed the Light Phoenix was sent to us as a warning of what happens when we allow evil and darkness to sway our minds.

He declared the Light Phoenix had rid the land of evil and provided us with the hope of creating a peaceful kingdom.

Supporters of Lord Kage rallied for him and he eventually became the first king of Ehora.

Ever since then, Ehora has lived in peace.

It was declared that a Stallard shall always remain on the throne.

They will bring peace and unite the kingdom, and the Light Phoenix is remembered as the vessel sent by the gods to help them complete this task.

The breath had been knocked out of me while I read, but I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the last line that passed before my eyes.

“… a Stallard shall always remain on the throne. They will bring peace and unite the kingdom.”

How fate had been proven catastrophically wrong. I wondered if the gods were shaking their heads at the state the kingdom was in, thanks to Alaric Stallard.

After the shock passed, I reread the passage just to make sure I had read it right the first time. I slouched deeper into the chair, and a heavy sigh escaped from within me.

The original Light Phoenix hadn’t even lived long enough to understand the power within her. She had been assassinated for just being different. Shivers ran down my spine at the thought. Would this end up becoming my fate as well?

I ran a hand over the tightness forming in my chest as questions flooded through my mind.

Why did people look to me with hope? Had they not read this account of that day?

Shouldn’t they be fearful of me instead?

Or maybe they thought I’d become a weapon and take out the darkness that was shadowing Ehora?

I needed to distract myself before my thoughts turned into an overwhelming fear that I couldn’t control. This book seemed too important to place back on the shelf, so I stood and gathered it and a few other books into my arms.

“Everything alright?” Clara’s eyes wandered over my worried expression.

“Yes, I just—I’m just a little hungry and tired. I think I’ll head back to my room and take a nap.”

“You’re not coming to the dinner tonight?”

“Oh, Hells,” I groaned, “I completely forgot about the dinner tonight. At least you’ll be at this one.”

“Get a little rest, Lena. Dinner won’t be for a few more hours anyway.” Her smile warmed me, and some of the worry began to flee.

“See you later, Clara.”

I made my way through the double doors of the library and ran right into Alastor Grimshaw. The books clattered to the floor, and I almost toppled with them before hands wrapped around my shoulders and held me steady.

My flesh chilled underneath his palms, and my head filled with the sounds of thousands of horrified screams. My wide eyes locked onto Alastor’s. He appeared to be just as fazed. The connection was shattered when a familiar voice from home filled the air next to us.

“Elena?”

Will.

“Everything alright?” he asked, looking between the two of us.

The boy who stood before me seemed quite different than the one I grew up with. His skin looked tanner than I remember, as if he’d spent days in the sun. His normal floppy, blond hair had been combed back and styled. And his clothes looked pristine, not a wrinkle or speck of dirt on them.

Alastor’s hands fled from my skin and he stormed down the hallway without so much as a backward glance. Still reeling from what had just happened, I barely noticed that Will had picked up my books and was holding them out towards me.

“It’s good to see you again.” His words were gentle.

I grabbed the books from him with trembling hands, and then he threw his arms around me. Thrown for a loop, I struggled between wanting to recoil or letting myself relax into something that felt so much like home.

The shock wore off, and I remembered the hurt he’d left me with only two weeks ago. Shoving myself away from his arms, I took two giant steps away.

“What are you doing here?” I asked tersely.

His smile faltered, and he brushed his hand over his mouth before he replied. “After the prince left, Alastor sent a raven to invite all of us to come stay at the castle until the ball.”

Of course he did. Hells.

“Where did the prince go?” I asked without thinking.

“Why do you care?” He glared.

“I just?—"

Will stepped forward, and my words fell silent as I shifted backwards, leaving me pressed up against the library doors.

A sly smirk grew on his face, and all I wanted to do was smack it right off him.

“After dinner tonight, I’d like to take you for a walk.

There are some things I need to talk with you about. ”

I pushed him out of my, storming only three steps before his words halted me in my tracks.

“Elena, I want to apologize. I miss you, and I haven’t stopped thinking about you since the moment I rode away.”

He walked tentatively towards me once more, and for some reason my legs felt like they were stuck in thick mud. Will picked up my hand and placed a chaste kiss upon the top of it. “Please let me apologize tonight, Lena.”

Tears pooled underneath my eyes as he walked away like his words hadn’t just shifted my world upside down…again.