RETURN

This story is prompted by Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo Thursday photo prompt:  #writephoto.

Jadis yanked Emme’s arm forward. “We’ve got to get to the next escape passage.”

Emme bent over and put her hands on her knees breathing in fast and hard. After catching her breath, she stood.

He was there. On the hill in the distance. The man with the staff. But he looked–different. He wasn’t thin and frail. He’d changed, but she knew it was him. The man that vowed to kill her. A chill went down her spine. She shivered.

“You see him, don’t you?”

Jadis pulled Emme close and pushed her toward the woods, and the next escape passage. Would she ever be free of this monster?

She’d had enough running and hiding. “Why don’t we teleport?”

 “Because you haven’t mastered teleportation, and it isn’t safe,” Jadis replied.

“Wait. What? It’s not safe?”

“Emme, you must know by now that whoever is after you, has powers as strong as or stronger than those assigned to protect you. It should be obvious they can detect the use of magic.”

“You know why they are after me, don’t you?”

Silence.

Emme stopped moving and stood her ground. “Fine. I’m done. If you don’t tell me, I’m not moving. I’m sick of the games. The secrets. The lies. Let them find me.”

Jadis tugged harder, but Emme wouldn’t move. “Tell me. Or we’ll both die when they find us. I’m done running. Hiding. I deserve answers and I want them now.”

“You must come with me now. You have my word, I’ll explain everything when we get to safety.”

“I’ve heard that before. Empty promises to get me to do what you want.”

Jadis sighed. “I swear on the of souls of The Three, if you come with me, I’ll tell you what I know.”

Emme didn’t want to die. She had to trust Jadis would keep her promise. And she swore an oath on the souls of The Three.

The Three. Who were they? Where were they? All she knew of The Three is that they represent Good, Peace, and Light and have great power. But was that enough to protect her from whoever wanted her dead? Could Good, Peace, and Light actually save her? Them? Jadis had better tell everything.

The air surrounding them grew colder. They needed to get away from the man with the staff. Now. It was their only chance. Emme knew what he was capable of, he posed a real threat. A great danger.

“TRIBUS, defendat. conspergitur scuta,” Jadis chanted.

Emme hoped that The Three were listening and would protect them, and the shields Jadis conjured would work.

The smell of the outdoors filled her with despair. The birds scattered. Too late. Emme knew he saw them.

The wind picked up and the sky darkened.  His laugh echoed though the mountain. “The Three can’t protect you. Your shields are worthless.”

Jadis grabbed her arm, “Dona mihi transitum sanctuary.”

The ground shook. Everything spun. Her stomach lurched. Jadis transported them to the next safe place. How safe, she had no idea. But it got her away from him.

“Thank you for getting us out of there. Now tell me what I want to know. You promised.”

Emme stood with her hands on her hips. “I’m waiting.”

Jadis paced the floor, then sat beside Emme.

“Very well. You should know your destiny and why it is crucial that you fulfill it.”

The door burst open and several from the order charged inside. “We must get you out of here. Now. You are in grave danger. We’ve been compromised.”

“Who—”

The speaker dropped her hood. “Grandma?”

“Yes, child. We must go. Now. Several in the order have been compromised. Those with me can be trusted.”

“But—”

“Nos protegat ac defendat. Nos protegat ac defendat. Nos protegat ac defendat.”

The new order chanted the protection shield as they circled Emme and Jadis.

Emme stared at Jadis as the circle engulfed them. “Tell me. Please.”

“Your destiny is to—”

This story is prompted by Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo Thursday photo prompt: #writephoto.

To read the entire Emme’s Destiny series, click here.

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