Arcane Rising: The Darkland Druids - Book One, R Nicole [suggested reading TXT] 📗

path, wondering where the best place to contact the dead might be. In the end, I clambered up the side of the wall and onto the lawn. Weaving between headstones, I stood by the lid of a raised stone grave and peered at an ornate mausoleum opposite.

I now knew how things worked. I had no emotional hang-ups blocking me and after everything I’d been through, I believed in the supernatural. I simply had to focus on my intent and imagine it done, then the gift entwined with my blood would do the rest.

Closing my eyes, I pushed away the pain in my body and focused on the one thing I’d wanted since arriving in Scotland.

Then, I stepped into death.

Colour bleached out of the world, the grass turned grey underfoot and the orange sky dulled to black. White fog swirled around the headstones and oozed out of the doors of the mausoleum and curled around my ankles.

I always thought death would be cold, but I didn’t feel cold. In fact, I didn’t feel anything. Death was the absence of life—and life was colour and feeling. Made total sense.

“Els?”

I turned at the sound of my father’s voice. He emerged from the fog, tall, strong, and just the way I remembered him. He was grey, gone was his familiar salt and pepper auburn hair, and his brilliant green eyes, the colour of ash.

I choked back a sob and rushed to meet him, but even as I threw myself into his arms, I knew I’d never be able to feel his warmth again.

“Sweetie, what are you doing here?” he murmured, his arms winding around my shaking body. I couldn’t feel him, but the gesture was enough for now.

“I needed to see you,” I told him, “one last time.”

He pulled back, his colourless gaze searching mine. “You know.” He looked around, his expression falling as he recognised the shadowy cemetery. “You found them.”

“I-I think destiny found me.”

“The prophecy.” It was a hushed whisper, only intended for him, but I heard it.

“This world…” I shook my head, my adventures feeling more like a nightmare. “I can make flowers from magical threads that grow out of my palm,” I told him. “Not to mention my useless Arts degree is suddenly viable by combining it with my high school mathematical knowhow. It’s an amazing world full of beauty and myth come to life, but…”

Dad raised his hand and traced his fingertips over my cut cheek but his spirit form couldn’t connect with mine.

“Finding a connection to what I lost? The cost was too great,” I whispered.

After a long moment, he said, “They found me. I was out in the fire zone and I saw an elemental warrior in the blackened forest. I knew I had to kill it before it found you… I… I couldn’t stop it. A fire crew was rushing towards me and you—” He choked up, frustrated that he couldn’t touch me.

“You sacrificed yourself to save them and me. Don’t be sorry, Dad.”

“Forgive me, Els,” he said. “I thought I was protecting you from suffering this life.”

“I know. I could shout a lot of what ifs at you right now, but none of them matter anymore. So much has happened and I don’t have much time. I’m on my own now with a thousand questions, but I…” I thought about Rory, Jaimie, Delilah, and Ignis, knowing I couldn’t let them suffer at the hands of the Chimera. I knew what I had to do now—simply leaving wasn’t going to be enough. “I have my own crew to save.”

“What—”

“Please listen,” I interrupted, my depression fading under the promise of the battle I was about to fight. Druids still had the power to open portals and the Chimera would still break into the Warren, regardless of me being there or not. “The Druids hate me for what I am, and the Chimera want to exploit my power for their own unknown ends. I left the Warren before the Druids could kill me, but the Fae are at their door. They…” I drew in a shaking breath. “I could run and leave them to their fate—I don’t think anyone would blame me—but there are good people down there. People who helped me despite my Fae blood.”

“Delilah?” Dad asked.

“Grandmother, you mean?”

“Oh, Els. I’m so sorry…” His gaze lowered, and I saw the regret in his tired expression. “I kept so much from you. More than I had a right to. A child should know her mother.”

I shook my head, wanting to ask about her so badly but I knew I had no time.

“Dad, if the Chimera get into the Warren and capture the Druids, they will be able to open a portal to their world and people will die. Lots of people. Right now, I have a chance to lure them away. I’m what they want above all else.”

“You’re offering yourself as bait,” he murmured.

“The prophecy is coming true, but I still have a chance to stop it.” I curled my lip. “Or buy some time.”

“Els—”

The fog shuddered and began to swirl around us. I lifted my head and looked around the cemetery, but I was too far into the spirit world to see what was going on back in life.

Dad stepped closer, his presence the next best thing to taking my hand. “The Chimera.”

“Good,” I said. “I was hoping they’d come.”

“Elspeth, you must run.”

I shook my head. “I know what I need to do now, Dad,” I told him. “Don’t worry about me.”

“Elspeth, you don’t understand. The black sun—”

“Will never rise.”

I walked back towards life and colour began to bleed into the world once more. I threw one last look over my shoulder at my father and smiled.

“I love you, Dad.”

18

The cemetery snapped back into focus and the night sounds of Edinburgh hissed in the background.

I wasn’t surprised to see Owen leaning against a headstone. He had a smug expression on his face, like a cat who’d caught a mouse unawares. Do I have news for