Crossroads and the Dominion of Four Read online

  “She didn’t see it coming at all! Classic fake-out.” Conner snorted, punching the air to simulate a combination of boxing jabs and hook shots.

  “Yup, totally clueless. I’m sure being fooled has made her even more dangerous,” added Jake. He tried not to focus on what they had just experienced, but it was too fresh and ingrained in his mind to ignore.

  Seneca had only caught the tail end of Jake’s comment. She trotted up to close the gap between them. “I heard you say something about Brigara,” she said. “She was furious! Especially when she realized we were blocking her from getting back to the Otherworld.”

  The image of Brigara’s mangled face was seared in her mind. It was an image she would not soon forget. She was able to clearly picture Shayna’s illuminated sword crashing down on the portal in perfect precision. Brigara’s piercing screams rang loudly as her attempt to cross through to the Otherworld was foiled. Seneca thought about possible headlines with a full-page picture of Shayna posing in her boots. The headlines would read: “Evil Druid Stopped by Heroic Teen.” Knowing someone so brave made her smile.

  “We came pretty close to her busting through all right,” said Jake. “I’m just glad Shayna figured out what to do in time.”

  He pulled Shayna close and wrapped her in a hug. Conner immediately joined in and then grabbed Seneca to force her under his arm. She felt smothered. Her head was buried in his armpit and pinned to his side, but she didn’t budge. She reached out with her free arm and pulled Shayna in for a group hug.

  “Thanks, guys, but this isn’t a safe spot for us to stop,” said Shayna. She wiggled free and smoothed her wavy dark hair. “We’re surrounded by those thorny, poisonous plants we were warned about.” She pointed at the menacing shrubs as she moved carefully out of reach.

  “Oh yeah, the deadly blackthorns,” replied Seneca. “We’re surrounded by them, so we’d better stay on the trail.” She recalled how she had become entangled in them before. The branches had reacted fiercely when she fell into them; they had swatted her hard in the back and sent her stumbling. She definitely wanted to avoid that again. Seneca eased into the center of the path and pulled her arms in close.

  “Shayna’s on alert!” Jake teased. “Help us! Please rescue us from the thorns.”

  “That’s not funny. I just don’t want to die out here,” said Shayna.

  “He’s just kidding, you know. We’re actually really stoked!” said Conner. “You know what I mean—thanks for saving us.”

  “Yeah, Shayna—what he said.” Jake chuckled.

  “Give it a rest, Jake. I’m just grateful we got away from Brigara,” said Shayna.

  Seneca was thankful too. Shayna had consumed the last of the enchanted Himalayan crystals, which gave her the ability to conjure a sword that obeyed her every command. She had used the light- and jewel-embellished sword to destroy the portal, thus preventing Brigara from returning to the Otherworld. However, in doing so, she had trapped the four of them there.

  That had happened less than a day ago. To Seneca, it felt like years ago, as did the walk through the dark woods. She and Jake had the ability to fly, but they couldn’t leave Conner and Shayna to trek through the terrain alone. It was impossible to lift them. Conner was too heavy to lift even with Jake’s strength, and Seneca was so petite that managing anything other than her own weight would be futile. Walking was the only way to go. Dreya circled high overhead and was their guide to the site where they would begin their training as the Dominion of Four.

  Dreya had the ability to transform her human form into various animals. So far, they had only witnessed two changes. When they’d first met her, she’d been a swan on a lake in Fiona with her daughter, Celestia. Shayna had been told that her mother had died in childbirth, but that had been a lie; Celestia was her mother. Shayna’s father was mortal, making her a demi-elemental—a being of magical and non-magical descent.

  Initially, Shayna had found it difficult to accept that she was related to anyone who could transform into anything other than an ATM. She had been selfishly consumed with shopping and more shopping, with small doses of window-shopping, her entire life. The word Dad had always been preceded by the word more. She had lived a life of indulgence and a superficial existence until she’d faced off with Brigara. Learning she possessed inner strength and the ability to put others’ needs ahead of her own felt like discovering the missing piece. Shopping and spending were distractions, a sort of placeholders until she uncovered her true value and worth. She now knew without a doubt that she was destined to do more. She’d also become aware of an inherent ability, or, as she liked to put it, the gift of persuasion. She believed it would come in handy often. She droned on about it for quite some time with the others, especially Seneca. Seneca believed she had special gifts of her own. One was the ability to drown out Shayna’s voice whenever it became too much to handle.

  “I will use my persuasion superpower to get us a comfy bed tonight,” said Shayna.

  “Sounds like a great plan. I hope it works,” replied Seneca with a snicker as she rolled her eyes.

  “Oh, it will work! I will get Dreya to tell us everything she knows—no holding back.”

  “We have some mad skills!” said Conner.

  “Most definitely,” Shayna said.

  “I pity the fool that tries to stop us!” Conner exclaimed in an exaggerated deep voice as he pumped out his chest.

  “I guess I’m supposed to say, ‘I love it when a plan comes together!’” said Jake with a hearty laugh.

  “Brilliant, Jake. That’s classic A-Team material!” Conner snorted.

  “I guess it’s an inside joke. ’Cause otherwise, it’s not funny, guys,” said Shayna with a shrug and a shake of her head.

  “Yeah, I don’t get it either,” added Seneca. “Definitely falls into the guy-humor category.”

  “If you really want to laugh,” Shayna said, “then you should have seen the horrible outfits the cheerleading squad was planning on wearing to homecoming. Someone had the awful idea that all of us should wear chartreuse. They thought it would be perfect to go with the theme of Planet Earth. I was so not wearing puke green! Now, that’s what you call funny.”

  Listening to Shayna’s ramblings reminded Seneca of how their worlds had collided. They would never have run in the same circles in the mortal realm. Fate had changed that when they discovered they had bloodlines that rooted them to the Otherworld. She was a druid and perhaps a fairy. No one had actually designated her as such, but with her newly discovered appendage of wings, she assumed classifying herself as a fairy was probably accurate. Shayna was a demi-elemental with a mother and grandmother from the Otherworld. Her grandmother had promised to reveal more once they arrived at their destination, and Seneca was determined not to let her off the hook.

  Shayna eventually stopped her rants on dress lengths and straps versus strapless when no one provided any opinion. She had grown tired of listening to herself talk, but it was a way to avoid focusing on their predicament. They were all equally nervous.

  “We’ve been walking forever,” said Shayna. “I hope we aren’t being led into a trap.”

  “It’ll be great to get to wherever we’re going soon,” said Jake. “Having more info would be nice too.”

  “I’m sure Dreya will tell us what we need to know when we need to know it,” said Seneca. “She seems pretty trustworthy.”

  “You’re probably right, but just in case, I’ll be prepared,” whispered Shayna.

  “You know, you don’t have to whisper. Trust me—she’s pretty tuned into what’s going on down here.” Seneca smiled and widened her eyes.

  Shayna grimaced as they glanced up to watch Dreya cascading above them. She had transformed into an eagle with an impressive wingspan. Although she was Shayna’s grandmother, she elected to communicate telepathically with Seneca—something Seneca wasn’t quite used to yet. S
he wasn’t even sure if she liked it. She’d always been a private person, keeping her thoughts to herself. Now she felt her privacy was lost forever—or at least until she could learn how to block Dreya from reading her mind.

  The various changes happening to each of them made her anxious. Their abilities were multiplying, and the sooner they could begin their training, the better she would feel. There was much they had to grasp, and it was coming at them at warp speed. Harping on Dreya reading her mental ramblings was a waste of time.

  Seneca took a deep breath and let her mind drift to a time when she’d felt secure and at peace. She wasn’t sure where her family had been living at the time, but she was sure it had been somewhere in the southwestern part of the country. She recalled the dry, hot climate and the variety of spicy foods served for dinner. Versatility was among the positive things she appreciated about her mother. No matter where they lived, she was quick to adapt to the cuisine and local culture. She always made it a priority to fit in and ensure their family was not seen as outsiders. She would show the family the proper way to prepare and eat the food, whether with hands or utensils. Seneca looked forward to the new dishes whenever they had to relocate.

  Thinking about their constant worldwide moves made her feel nostalgic; she longed for the turmoil their relocation created. What had seemed so chaotic at the time would be welcomed in the wake of what she was currently facing. At least moving at a moment’s notice was familiar. She longed to be sorting, packing, and labeling boxes. No matter how mundane, she preferred those tasks to walking through the dark woods with strange, foreign, and frightening noises.

  Jake, Shayna, and Conner were several yards ahead, engrossed in discussing all they had encountered since stumbling into the Otherworld. They talked mostly about the strange, dangerous, magical creatures and newly discovered family. They recalled how they had consumed a third of the crystals, which had changed them forever. They had willingly accepted this gift from the High Elder Druid Council.

  They had countless questions as to what they could do with the abilities, but the answers would have to wait. They had been warned about impending danger, and getting to safety was the priority. They’d been told little about the training they would receive, which drove the discussion in another direction. They theorized about their instructor and what he or she would be like. The excitement kept them moving at a quick pace. Seneca lagged behind and avoided joining the discussion. She hadn’t consumed the crystals and couldn’t relate to their experiences. She was going through her own changes, which were quite different. She had discovered that she was an elemental and the child of druids.

  She kept reciting over and over in her head that her seemingly normal parents were from the Otherworld. It was difficult for her to grasp how they had managed to keep that information hidden from her throughout her life. She had wings—actual appendages that could appear from her back with little effort. That was the most extreme secret. She loved having the wings, yet she felt conflicted. How such a critical aspect had been kept hidden was beyond comprehension. She didn’t want to resent her parents, but their deception made her cringe with frustration. She knew they had done it for her protection, but it only made her question if there were other secrets. One of the hardest parts about being in the Otherworld was not having her parents there to fill in the blanks.

  Her mind drifted to moments she had spent with her family. She searched for clues that would reveal anything about them that might help in the Otherworld. Her life had seemed ordinary. She’d assumed the oddities of her everyday life were just part of the norm. Her mother’s terms of endearment, the rituals, and the frequent relocations across the globe were just their family’s way of life. She’d had no idea they were actively tracking Brigara. Her family had been pursuing danger without her knowledge. She wished someone—anyone—had clued her in. Her life had now taken a swift turn from dull and mundane to hyped up and dangerous. Having to stop Brigara at the threshold between the mortal realm and the Otherworld had changed their lives forever.

  “There’s some odd-looking plants to your right,” Jake said. “Steer clear!”

  “Got it!” Seneca shouted. She glanced toward where Jake was pointing.

  She spotted a protruding branch that had a thick yellowish gel dripping from its leaves. She took a wide sidestep around it and wobbled slightly while balancing on her toes. She successfully avoided stepping in a pool of the substance.

  “Ew! That looks nasty!” Seneca shrieked.

  “Keep up, Seneca,” Conner said. “You’re trailing too far behind.”

  “Okay, okay,” she answered. She had no intention of picking up her pace. Her thoughts guided her to move slower than the others. She needed time to absorb the circumstances.

  Uncovering the fact that she had wings was by far Seneca’s favorite part of all she had to deal with. She had many things to wrap her head around. Every nuance baffled her yet made her heart race with excitement. The questions mounting within her demanded answers, but she forced them to wait until the four reached their destination.

  They had no clue where they were going or what to expect once they arrived. Seneca hated not knowing the answers. At least when it came to schoolwork or anything involving research or problem solving, there was a method to finding the answer, even if it was difficult to get to it. This was different; the priority was to get to safety—wherever that was. Finding answers in the Otherworld seemed to be a game of avoidance. She didn’t care for it at all.

  “Don’t you think it’s odd that no one is straightforward in this place?” Seneca didn’t direct her question at anyone in particular. She wasn’t even sure if she spoke loudly enough for anyone to hear.

  “Not odd, just annoying, if you ask me,” Conner called back to her.

  “Yeah, annoying is a better word for it.”

  “It’s like we’re in a game of guess who!” Shayna added. “Except it’s not like we’re going to find a dream date or anything worth having behind door number two. Door number two is always the loser—trust me.”

  “What?” Conner and Jake said in unison. Jake shook his head, unsure whether to attempt to decipher Shayna’s comments or simply move on.

  “I agree with Shayna. There’s no telling who we are going to meet up with next,” Seneca said.

  “Is that what she said?” Conner asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “Exactly! It’s anyone’s guess,” said Shayna.

  “Well, at least we know they’re guessing as much as we are.” Conner chuckled. “Tune in and learn all about your life in today’s latest news update.”

  “That’s funny.” Jake snickered.

  “Find out the latest post that you know nothing about on your personal internet profile,” Conner continued. They were all enjoying his antics as he grabbed his collar and tugged it into place. “We have breaking news about the latest prophecy scroll. Only here will you find out all that you need to know before it actually happens!” said Conner, chuckling. He was convinced he sounded like an experienced newscaster. Shayna clapped, and he took a bow in acknowledgment. A cheesy smile stretched across his boyish face.

  “I can’t get used to everyone knowing what we’re supposed to do or who we’re supposed to be,” Jake said. “I can’t base my life on how someone thinks it’s going to turn out—especially when that someone has never even met me.”

  “I’m certainly not going to rely on it—or them or whatever,” said Seneca. She had slid in behind Jake to make sure she didn’t miss any critical discussion points.

  “This business of prophecies should be the first topic of discussion when we meet our new teacher,” said Shayna.

  “Can we please say trainer or coach?” said Conner. “The word teacher has left a bad taste in my mouth and makes me want to barf.” He pretended to gag, and the girls squealed until he stopped.

  “We’d better pick up speed. I almost lost sig
ht of Dreya for a second,” Jake said. He pointed in her direction as they stepped up their pace. He jogged ahead of the others in hopes of getting them to do the same.

  “She does seem to be losing patience with us,” said Seneca. “Have you noticed the nosedives she keeps doing periodically? What’s up with that?”

  “At first, I thought she was falling asleep up there. She is old, you know,” said Conner. “She was staying really still, like wicked stealth-like. Then bam! She started flying around all spastically.” Conner flailed his arms in the air.

  “I noticed that too. I thought maybe she was swatting at something, but then she stopped,” Seneca said. “Maybe the stress of all this is getting to her.”

  “At least she’s not being told to go prepare for battle against the unknown,” said Conner. “That’s the definition of stress.”

  “Let’s just hope she won’t Brigara us,” said Shayna. She was partially kidding, but she honestly didn’t know anything about the family she had just met. She wanted to reserve her opinion and, more importantly, her emotional attachment until she knew more.

  “Nice. Now our ex-teacher is a verb,” said Jake. He had slowed when he noticed no one was keeping up with him as he’d hoped.

  “Correction—an angry verb. It’s a new category,” said Seneca.

  They all laughed, but the laughter was forced. Any mention of Brigara was a sure way to dampen the mood. They grew quiet as they thought about the teacher who had sent them to the Otherworld. She had plotted to return, and they had thwarted her attempt. She had tried to follow the prophecies that were altered without her knowledge. Those in leadership had made alternate plans, yet the idea of predicting the future was still much ingrained in the realm. Its inhabitants made it clear; they placed a lot of emphasis on prophecies.

  Seneca had made up her mind that relying on old scrolls with predictions of things that were destined to happen was a waste of time and energy. She was not accustomed to having her life written about prior to experiencing it. She did concede that some of the prophecies were true, but she couldn’t shake the fact that others were fabricated. If some were flawed, then the entire concept for predicting the future was unreliable. She had decided she would ignore them all. She liked not knowing what was around the next corner. An unconventional way of life was familiar. She had dealt with ambiguity and unpredictable circumstances for as long as she could remember. Accepting the unknown of where she would end up on any given day was a huge component of how she’d lived. She didn’t openly embrace change, but she accepted it without fear. In her opinion, there were too many other things to be afraid of. Brigara had proven that.