Anastasia (The Bolton Series Book 1) Read online

  I closed my eyes and took three deep breaths before starting my bath.

  *~*

  I was not sure what the time was. It must be close to midnight judging by the darkness outside the only window in my room. I sat down on the bed staring out at the night sky. Thousands of stars looked back at me. Bolton’s two moons were nowhere in sight. My heart wanted to be with them, to be free in the sky without a care in this world, never having to come back down and face reality.

  A few people moved around the street in front of the palace. They couldn’t see me from the tinted windows but I could see them. A Fay with lime green wings was talking to an elf. They seemed happy with their conversation. On more than one occasion they would look to the palace and their smiles would grow. I wondered what it was about this place that brought happiness to them.

  No one bothered me the whole day. I checked to see if Cabel was in his office in the morning but he was not. Since then I spent the rest of the day in my room. Emilie brought me food but I did not eat it. I was not hungry anymore.

  I was glad for my day of solitude but could not help but wish someone were with me. Someone I knew would not be coming anytime soon. Simon.

  He’s my big brother, my best and only friend, the one person who I could truly feel safe with. If he were here with me, I would not feel as helpless as I did now.

  I am not strong, mentally or physically, I am not brave, or fearless. I am the complete opposites of those things. I am weak and a coward and scared to try anything life throws at me. I always look for the easy way out. However, there did not seem to be one for this situation.

  If I wanted to get my family back, I had to work for it. I needed to be prepared to defend myself from Daruka, whoever he was. There is only one thing I knew about him and that was that he was dangerous. If I had to go up against something like that, I had to get strong.

  I watched at the Fay walked away from the elf. Her angelic face lit up the dark street. She said hello to the few people who were still out at that late hour. When she was just a few feet away from my window she stop. Her green eyes went to the palace once again. Her lips moved as she said something I couldn’t quite here and was only able to make out her last sentence.

  “We will not have to suffer much longer.”

  She quickly moved past my window and out of my sight. I didn’t know what to think of her words. She had to be talking about suffering from Daruka. I couldn’t have possibly been the only one who had been hurt by that man.

  I pulled out my spell book to distract me and started to memorize the defensive spell until my eyelids could not stay open any longer.

  I woke up to the smell of food. I instantly searched for the source. My stomach protested for me to find it as I had not eaten anything since our ride here. Finally, I spotted the plate on the dresser. Scrambled eggs and toast beckoned for me. I pushed back the covers and grabbed the plate gobbling down the food as if it would disappear at any moment.

  A small knock echoed in the quiet room as I took my last bite of the toast.

  “Come in,” I said with my mouth half full.

  Emilie poked her head through the open door. Her long purple hair fell to the side as she smiled at me.

  “Glad to see you liked the food. I was not sure about the scrambled eggs. I know some people do not like it. Yelson hates it, he always tells me to fry them but Arabella just loves them.” She said without attempting to enter the room.

  “They are, well were delicious,” I said looking down at my now empty plate. “You can come in.”

  “Oh, thanks.” She entered the room and closed the door behind her but did not move farther in. “I came by to see how you are feeling today.”

  That’s right, she heard me crying in the bathroom the other night. I smile slightly at her but it did not reach my eyes.

  “I’m feeling better,” I whispered. I knew she could tell it was a lie. Her short legs made their way to the bed where I still lay. She took the empty plate from my hands and placed it on the vanity before sitting down on the bed.

  “You can tell me, you know. I may have a tendency of talking a lot but I am a great listener. And I can keep a secret.” She smiled at me and hers reached her eyes.

  I felt something pull at my heart from her smile. Her Strega eyes looked at me with such kindness. I knew I could trust her. She was, after all, a part of my family’s coven. I should trust her and confide in her but I just could not voice the words.

  “Thanks, Emilie, I needed to hear that.” I said instead.

  “You’re welcome.” She bounced off the bed, took my breakfast plate and skipped to the door. “Oh, by the way Yelson told me to tell you to meet him in the living room.”

  She disappeared out the door. I got up and brushed my hair. I braided it as I walked out of the room and into the living area. Yelson was sitting down on the farthest of the three armchairs from the hallway. A book that he was engrossed in covered his face.

  “You wanted to see me,” I said before my mind could go to memories of Simon in that same position.

  “Yes.” He lowered his arms closing the book. His eyes looked me over before he stood up. His look did not make me feel uncomfortable the way Weldon’s did the other day. He was not looking at me in a predator way but in a curious one. It was as if he were trying to figure something out about me. “I thought you would like to visit your horse. Cabel told me that she was put in the barn out back.”

  My eyes lit up at the thought of seeing Mary. I was glad that the centaurs took her to a safe place and did not just leave her outside. I followed Yelson out the back of the house.

  A barn, double the size my family had, poked out of the tree line to the left of the house. We crossed the large backyard that was nothing but grass boarded by the forest. Yelson opened up the giant wooden doors and walked in with me. The room had twenty stalls in total, ten on each side, most of which were occupied. Yelson led me to the third to last stall to our right. Mary stood on the far side of the large stall. Her dark hair glistened in the light.

  I smiled and called out for my horse. She quickly made her way to the door and poked her head out the opening. I scratch behind her ear and murmured about how much I missed her. She was the only living thing I had left. She was the only one who escaped with me.

  “Thank you, I really needed this,” I said to Yelson as I press my cheek to her head. His soft eyes examined my interaction with Mary. A lazy smile plays at his lips.

  “I figured you would want to see her, after everything.”

  We stayed at the barn for an hour playing with Mary. It was only when someone walked in that Yelson said it was time to leave but he promised me I could see her again tomorrow. I said my goodbye to her and walked out the barn with Yelson at my side.

  “Is there a chance I can talk to Cabel today?” I asked my bodyguard on our way back inside. I still needed answers and I knew Cabel would have them. He needed to have them.

  “He is not in today.” Yelson’s smooth voice traveled over my body as he held the glass door open for me. “I will let him know you want to talk to him when he gets back.”

  “When will that be?” I asked. Weldon was sitting at the breakfast table with a girl slightly older than me. Her dark blue eyes grazed over my body as I walked into the room. Her dark hair was also the same color as Yelson’s.

  “Tomorrow morning.” Yelson closed the door behind him.

  “Hello, Annie. It’s nice to see you this afternoon.” Weldon’s smile was back but it was kinder than when I first met him. His lips slightly parted showing his white teeth below.

  “This is my sister, Mari.” Yelson pointed to the girl who now stood up and left the room. “Sorry about that,” Yelson whispered in my ear. “She’s not a people person.”

  I nodded my head. My mind was going crazy over his breath on my neck. The heat his body released warmed my left side. I do not know why my body was reacting this way. It never had before. Then again, I had never met someone like Yelso
n. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I didn’t even know him.

  “You just gonna stand there or what?” Weldon waved his hand to the now empty seat next to him. I sat down across from him, glad to see that Yelson did not leave me alone but took the seat closest to Weldon. “We heard about your family, Annie. I’m very sorry. No one should have to go through that.”

  The look on Weldon’s face was a genuine one. The smirk that was usually there was gone.

  “Thank you,” I whispered. I did not want to be reminded of my family. Not when I knew it would bring tears to my eyes again.

  “I was thinking you could use a distraction so I grabbed this.” He pulled out a leather book that sat on the windowsill behind him. “It’s just some paintings but they helped me forget so I thought they would help you.”

  I wondered what it was that he had to forget. Was his family taken from him the way mine was? My hand traced over the leather cover. There was no writing on it only a flower that was carved into the middle. I opened to the first page.

  A woman was sitting by a river. Her long dark hair covered her face as she washed away the dirt from her hands. Bolton’s two moons covered the sky giving her protection during the night. The painting itself was breath taking even in just black and white.

  “This is beautiful,” I said aloud. I moved to the next page. A small boy hid behind a tree. His face looked up into the night sky as blood trickled down his arm into a puddle on the ground. I wondered what happened to this boy. Who would hurt such an innocent looking child?

  “Master Kai gave it to me when I first came here. It helped to keep my mind off things.”

  “Who’s Master Kai?” I asked looking between both men. I remembered Cabel talking about him when I first got here.

  “He is our trainer,” Yelson replied looking at the book in my hand. “He helps to prepare us for anything.”

  “Like what?” I closed the book and placed it on the table next to me.

  “War,” Weldon said it as it was something to be expected.

  “War against whom? Daruka? My parents said this was a safe planet when we moved here. That everyone gets along.”

  “You honestly believed that?” Yelson tore his eyes away from the book to look up at me. “Your parents lied to you Annie. Bolton has not been that way since before you were born.”

  No, he was lying. My parents would not have told me that if it was not true. I knew they kept a lot from me, most things from me, but they would not lie about that. The reason why we left earth was the war, which everyone was fighting with each other. They would not have brought their children to this planet if it were just the same. Then again, they were kidnapped.

  “Daruka started trying to control the species over twenty years ago. Many sided with him because they wanted earth for themselves. That was what Daruka promised them. If they fought for him, he will allow them to roam freely over earth once again.” Yelson took the book from the table. He held it with such carefulness as if he was afraid of break it. “The royal family tried to stop him, still are. If the species are allowed that freedom, it will destroy earth. The humans will cease to either exist or be enslaved.”

  “We have a secret weapon though.” Yelson shot Weldon a sharp look at his statement. I even cringed a little. The color drained from Weldon’s face as he looked to me and back to Yelson. “Don’t you think she should know?”

  “No,” Yelson replied through closed teeth.

  “What are you talking about?” My eyes bounced between both men waiting for an answer. They stared at each other in a silent debate. A minute later Yelson spoke up.

  “It is something you should discuss about with Cabel. We have no authority to give you that information.” His hands gripped the book until his knuckles were white.

  “That’s bullshit Yelson. I have been kept in the dark for my whole life. No one has ever told me anything because ‘I’m too young’ or ‘I won’t understand’. I am nineteen years old and my family was just kidnapped by some psycho who I have never even heard about but wants me dead. I think I deserve some answers!” Weldon wide eyes looked at me in shock. Obviously, no one has ever said something like that to Yelson before. Judging from the look he was giving me and his grip on the book, he wasn’t expecting it either.

  Without saying a word, he stood up, dropped the book on the table in front of me and walked out of the kitchen.

  “I should not have brought that up,” Weldon whispered looking down at his hands talking more to himself than to me.

  “What was it that you were talking about Weldon?” I asked him as I leaned against the table towards him. I wanted to know more.

  His brown eyes glanced up at me. He looked small, and helpless. The boy in front of me was nothing like the cocky man I had met the other day. “I’m sorry, Annie, I really am. If I could tell you, I would but as Yelson said, you should discuss this with Cabel.”

  “I’m never going to get answers,” I sighed as my head lay on the table. The book of paintings sat inches from my face. I wondered why Yelson cared for it. From the way he was holding it I knew it meant something to him.

  “Don’t say that.” Weldon reached across the small table and patted my hands. I was shocked at how cold his skin was. “You just have to be patient.”

  “I’m tired of being patient,” I mumbled, raising my head up to look at the book again. “What is the book called? It doesn’t have a title.”

  “That’s the beauty of it. It is whatever you want it to be called. I call it Flor, for the flower on the front.” It is whatever you want it to be called. His words echoed in my head. I am not sure what I would name it but Flor seemed as good as anything did.

  “Hungry? I make a mean veggie soup.” Weldon’s smile was back. He did not wait for my reply before he got up and walked to the fridge. He took out some ingredients and immediately went to cooking.

  It looked funny to see him in an apron and I couldn’t help but laugh. He seemed confused as he looked at me before I pointed to his choice of clothing.

  “Hey, don’t judge me,” he said as he waved the ladle towards me before pouring his soup into two bowls.

  “Thank you,” I said as he placed a bowl of soup in front of me. I blew on it to let it cool down some. Yelson still had not come back. I guess I hurt his feeling more than I thought. I could not help but feel sorry about what I did to him. If I had known it would have had this effect on him, I would have said everything in a nicer way.

  “Can I ask you something?” I looked to Weldon who had a spoonful of soup in his mouth.

  “Yea,” he replied as soon as he finished his bite.

  “What species are you? It’s okay if you don’t want to answer me, Yelson didn’t,” I whispered the last part, moving my spoon around the bowl.

  “No one knows what he is other than Mari and Cabel. He is a very secretive person.”

  “Wouldn’t he be the same thing as Mari? They’re siblings.”

  “They are half brother and sister. They have the same mom,” he said simply as he continued to eat his soup. “So he is only part witch.”

  “Really? What coven?” Even knowing half of what he was is a plus.

  “Siren.”

  “Oh.” The beautiful creatures who loved fire and killing. The humans almost had it right with them. The only difference was that they didn’t live by the sea. In fact, they didn’t like the water that much.

  He took another spoonful of soup before he answered my question. “I happen to be a very rare creature. Not many of my kind left.”

  “He’s a mermaid,” Emilie snickered from behind me. She sat down on the seat Yelson had occupied.

  “Hey, how many do you know?” Weldon asked her.

  “Five.” She replied with a smile.

  “And how many are male?”

  “One.” She sighed.

  “That is what I thought.” Weldon’s smile was back as he finished his soup.

  “Anyways, I came to ask you if you wanted to
hang out with Arabella and me.” Her purple eyes lit up as she looked at me.

  “Yea, sure,” I said before my spoon hit my lips. It would be nice to be able to hang out with a girl. It was never something I had to chance to do. I did not have any friends back on earth. Simon was the only person who I spent any time with.

  I quickly finished my soup and followed Emilie up to the second floor. There were two staircases in the living room, one on each side of the giant room next to two halls. The stairs connected with each other at the top before opening up to the second floor. Other smaller steps started at the other end of the room. I looked up at the door that blocked anyone from reaching the third level. It looked like all the other doors in the building but had a menacing feel to it reminding me of Cabel’s words not to go up there.

  The second floor consisted of an open area by the stairs that branched out into three hallways. Arabella was on the floor playing with a small doll. It looked to be many years old. Its left button eye was hanging on by a thin string and its black hair had patches missing.

  “Hello Arabella.” I greeted her. She gasped and quickly got her small body off the floor to stand up. Her hands absently went to straighten out her worn out dress and curled hair.

  “Hello Anastasia.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

  “I told you, you can call me Annie.” I smiled at her bright blue eyes. She looked at me in such awe. I could not help but feel a tad bit uncomfortable. What had I done to make her look at me in that way?

  “I’m sorry. I forgot,” she smiled back before returning to her doll.

  “Please sit.” Emilie pointed to the black loveseat the stood in front of a huge window. It looked over the large village. I could see the people moving around below. I was too far to see their faces clearly. I hoped they were happy like the Fay I had seen the night before.

  “What’s earth like?” Emilie asked when she sat down next to me. Her question caught me off guard. No one had asked me about that yet.

  “Oh, it’s very different from here,” I replied trying to come up with the right words. “The colors there are duller than the ones on Bolton. Partly from the fact the humans are killing it.”