Ancient Mystic's War of the Realms Saga by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (year 7 reading list .TXT) 📖

out for her, but couldn't touch her. "Amethyst...help me...I'm so confused..."
Aimee was able to speak now, and did. "Come back to us, brother. We'll help you figure it out. I promise."
She sent the Healing Magic to him, but he threw her out, unknowing.

Aimee gasped awake to find him looking -- no, glaring -- at her. There was something in his eyes and self she didn't like. It was dark, like Ariana said, but not dark.
Before she could say or do anything, he took the wrist of the hand that held his and put it to his mouth. In a split second, she saw his lengthening incisors and felt him bite her arm so hard, she screamed.
She tried to move or get away, but she couldn't.
She heard voices, or rather, a voice that got her out of her pain-shock.
"Aimee! Aaron!" It was Scott, and he saw the scene. "Bradley, take Angel and get out of here. Sierra, stop him before he kills her!"
The next voice Aimee heard was Sierra's. "Aaron, stop!" Sierra yelled. "This is your sister! Your twin!"
Aaron seemed to hear only Sierra, and let go.
Aimee was yanked away by a very attentive Scott. She could feel the barrier around them shatter to pieces. It hurt, but only enough to gasp. She wouldn't scream again.
“Let me take a look at that." Scott instructed, putting a towel to her bleeding arm.
Aimee's attention was still on Aaron, so she said in a daze. "No, it's all right." She removed the towel and showed him. "See? It's fading already."
Sure enough, Scott saw the pinpricks Aaron had made were indeed fading, until they were nothing.
Aimee turned her attention back to her brother. "Why did you do that to me?"
“I don't know what came over me, Aimee." He said, genuinely confused. "Last thing I remember doing was facing Orthos with you. Next thing I know, I find myself gnawing on your arm." He looked around the room to Scott, Aimee, and Sierra. "Does anyone want to fill in the blanks, here? I'd really appreciate it."
The three looked at each other. Scott looked embarrassed, Sierra looked ashamed and Aimee looked like she was about to cry.
"You really don't remember anything at all?" Scott asked, sharing a look with Aimee before looking down at the floor in shame. "You were hit by Dark Warriors' arrows."
With help from Sierra and Scott, Aaron was sitting up. Aimee could feel how much emotional pain he was feeling. Even with all that happened in the War of the Realms, she could neither feel nor see any physical wounds or bruises.
How were they going to explain that to him? How were they going to explain how he was Healed not by Healer's Magic from her, but by the Watcher-kin powers carried by Airmed, Sierra's Dream Realm Dweller persona?
Aimee watched as her brother lifted his torn shirt to survey the damage.
When there wasn't any evidence, he demanded suspiciously, "Tell me what happened. Now."
"Like he said, you were hit by Dark Warrior arrows." Aimee remarked. "Neither of us could move to stop them or sway them."
"As it was, all three girls were in shock at the sight." Scott supplied. “I could feel the Pendant jumping at my chest, and comforted Aimee the best I could."
"And where were you?" Aaron asked his Earthly Protector.
"Lost in my own Dweller-kin Blood-lust, I think it was called." Sierra replied. "Red Wolf was able to get me out of it before I could lose myself in the killing rage I was in." She took his hand and brushed his hair out of his eyes. "He reminded me of the love I had for you. He called you my Bondmate."
"If I was shot with arrows, shouldn't I have some scars to show it?"
"We're getting to that, I promise." Aimee supplied. "Red Wolf called on his mother Celeste to come and take you away to be Healed. I begged to let her take me with you. You're my brother. I wasn't going to desert you in your time of need."
"Did you?"
Aimee nodded, knowing what he was asking. "I tried to Heal you the best I knew how, but it didn't work." She cleared her throat. "You'd lost too much blood, and there was nothing anyone but Airmed could do to help you."
Aaron eyed his Earthly Protector. "How did you heal me?"
"I Bound you to me using a ritual Watcher-kin binding chant." Sierra announced softly. "I met my Watcher-kin grandfather, a son of Shem Starchaser, my ancestor. He and his Bondmate Melinda, along with Celeste told me I had to do it."
Aaron was silent for a second and Aimee could feel the tension in the air, and the thoughts going through his head. "Just what did you do to me, Sierra?"
Sierra looked to Aimee and Scott for answers.
"Tell him, Airmed." Aimee used her Watcher-kin name to remind her.
Sierra looked back to Aaron and told him. "I made you drink my blood. I drank yours, chanted the Bonding chant and Bound you to me."
"So, you made me a Dweller?"
"An Ancient Mystic Watcher-kin Dweller, to be exact." Sierra supplied. "You're still yourself, only better."
Aaron frowned at her, but nodded anyway. "We'll talk more about that later."
He turned and held out a hand for Aimee, who took it. His hand was warmer than it had been before. He unclasped his other hand from Sierra's and wrapped his arm around his sister to hug her. I'm sorry, little sister. Can you forgive me?
It was Aaron's true-voice, not the confused one she heard in his mind. Aimee grinned, kissing his cheek. Of course, big brother. I love you. Aloud, she teased him. "Just make sure it doesn't happen again, okay?"
Aaron smiled back, and teased her nose. "That's a promise I intend to keep."
It felt good to know her twin was going to be okay.
When Aaron's hand went back to Sierra's, Scott and Aimee took that as their cue to leave. They heard him ask her in a teasing tone as they left. "Now then, my dear, where were we?"

Chapter:
Dreams and the Forbidden

Chikité "Red Wolf" Moondancer paced the underground caverns with his parents in the Outer Realm. Celeste and Chase were worried for him, and finally had a chance to ask.
"What's wrong, Donar?" Celeste asked gently, trying to stop him from pacing.
"Wolf found out about us." Chikité announced in a low growl.
Celeste and Chase knew 'us' meant their son and Wolf Stargazer's daughter Celine.
"Have you tried talking to him?" Chase asked.
"Numerous times, Pérat." Chikité remarked, stopping in his tracks. "He will not listen to me."
"What about Katherine?" Celeste asked.
"At least the Lady speaks to me." Chikité supplied. "She keeps trying to get Wolf and me to talk about it."
"She is only trying to help, Donar."
"I know, Matéré, but it is annoying."
"How about cornering him?" Chase suggested.
Chikité laughed. "There is no cornering the great Sire Wolfton Stargazer of Stargazer Castle and the entire Canine Valley." He spat sarcastically. "He is just too good."
"Be nice, Donar." Celeste said. "He is your knight-master."
"He was also my friend, but look at him now." Chikité remarked. "He hates me, and I cannot help loving Celine. Why do you think I am in hiding with you in the Outer Realm?"
Chase growled at that. "I taught you better than to run away from your problems!"
"I am not running away, Pérat." Chikité found a chair and sat down, rubbing his temples. "I just needed to get away from our Realm to work things out in my mind."
"Meanwhile, you have a near-Bondmate that suffers needlessly." Celeste remarked. He could Feel the energy draining out of him. Taking his chin in her hands, she examined his eyes. They were red and full of Blood-lust. "Have you Fed, Donar?"
"I do not Hunger." Chikité said softly.
"You must Feed, Chikité!" Chase scolded. "We are not in our Realm anymore."
Chikité stared up at his father with glowing red eyes. "I said, I do not Hunger!"
"You will in this Realm." Celeste tried again. "I can see the Blood-lust in you. Feed now, Donar. Before it takes you where you don't want to go."
Growling, but obeying, Chikité shifted to his full Mountain Wolf form and loped away.
Chase held Celeste, comforting her and thinking the same thing. They worried, not only for their son, but also for his near-Bondmate, Celine Stargazer.

II

That night, the Unicorn and Airmed were lost in the Dream Realm. It didn't feel like anywhere either had ever been, yet they were compelled to go there. In the distance, they could see a spooky castle, complete with a full moon shining overhead and bats flying around the bell tower.
"Creepy." Airmed remarked, staying close to the Unicorn. "What is this place?"
The Unicorn could only shrug. "I don't know, but I intend to find out."
He began to walk toward the gates of the castle.
"Are you crazy?" Airmed cried, racing after him.
"Insane, now come on!" The Unicorn supplied.
Reluctant, she followed.
There was a tall dark-haired guard at the gate when they got there. The guard looked them over, black eyes glowing red, then smiled as he opened the gate.
"Okay, that was really creepy." Airmed said under her breath. The Unicorn heard and chuckled. She stared for a moment at the guard, who kept his smile and disappeared into mist before her eyes.
"Something's drawing me here," The Unicorn supplied. "Follow me."
"I thought you didn't know where we were?"
"I don't." He said. "But I know where there's a castle like this, there's a Monarch who lives in it. I'm just going to find them, that's all."
"You really are insane, aren't you?" Airmed asked, starting to worry.
He grabbed her and held her to his body. "Mad, my dear, now follow me."
She followed him until they reached a Great Hall, where she saw a Monarch at her throne. They stopped when she noticed their presence.
Airmed saw the dark eyes and black hair. There were even two incisors peeking out. It made Airmed feel for her own.
"Who dares disturb me in session?" The Monarch asked, walking up to them.
The Unicorn nudged her, and they both knelt to the Monarch. "We are two of Lord Guardian's Crusaders, lost and drawn to this land. I am called the Unicorn and this is my Earthly Protector and Bondmate Airmed Starchaser."
Airmed and the Monarch met eyes. The Monarch was surprised and cried "Sheba!"
"Uh-I'm sorry, who?" Airmed asked, confused.
"Later, child, later." The Monarch supplied. "You may rise." When they did, she continued, introducing herself. "I am the Countess of the Dragon Nations, Dracora."
"Dragon Nations?" The Unicorn asked.
Countess Dracora nodded.