-33
AURORA’S POV
I felt so restless at the thought of taking my little girl on a dangerous expedition. Unfortunately, I had no choice.
Caleb stood up and took out a scroll from his pocket. The paper looked so thin that I was scared it would tear just because we tried to open it.
Spreading it out on the table Caleb explained, “This was given to me by a very powerful seer who owed me a favor. This is an ancient map that shows the location of the portal. It is nestled in the nucleus of a dense forest. This forest is surrounded by concentric stretches of seas, deserts, and high mountains.”
“Dang it! Caleb, we can’t possibly think of taking my newborn baby to such a place! I don’t think she can bear the unending journey and climatic fluctuations…”
“Who said we have to travel? We can teleport.” Zarina said shrugging her shoulders.
I smacked my forehead. I had forgotten that I had magical powers. Tyson and Aslan could transform into dragons and fly there. The path was difficult only for a normal human being.
After we were done discussing the details, Zarina and Tyson pulled me into a corner for a private discussion.
“Aurora, do you think it is safe to travel through the mystic land with your baby,” Zarina asked in a worried voice.
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as I said, “Didn’t you just say that we could you know ‘teleport’”
“You can only teleport to the portal. After that, you will have to rely on your legs to take to the stone. Magic doesn’t work in the Mystic Land, dragons and werewolves will lose their power too.”
“What the Bloody Hell! Why didn’t you tell us earlier? I am not taking my baby girl on this suicide mission! Tyson must be crazy to think that I will.” I said walking towards Tyson.
Aslan gripped my hand and pulled me to the secluded corner before I had gone very far. “Please listen to the whole thing first.” He said with pleading eyes.
I crossed my arms and said, “Fine, spit it out.”
“We have a plan. We can teleport to the portal and open it with Tiara’s help. Then Aslan and I will return home with Tiara while you go ahead with Aslan and Caleb.”
I opened and closed my mouth several times, unsure how to phrase it. “I can’t do that Zarina… don’t get me wrong. It is not that I don’t trust you… I just can’t stay away from my baby girl.”
Aslan placed his hand on my shoulder and said, “We are not forcing you to do anything, Aurora but I will request you to think about this with an open mind.”
“Aslan is right, Aurora. If you don’t find the Heart of Magic, there will always be a sword hanging on your daughter’s throat.”
“If we tell Tyson about this, he will refuse to take the risk. You know how paranoid he is!”
“Hmmm… true… why don’t we do it like this. I will return with Tiara to the Palace while Tyson and Caleb can find the stone.”
“The stone can be found by only a pure-blood witch. I would have gone but I am a hybrid.”
I stood there contemplating over what they had said. It was a very important decision and I couldn’t be reckless…
“There is no need to rush. Just think about it…” Aslan said before they left.
***
The night before the expedition, I sat in the garden contemplating what Zarina had said. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t come up with a better plan.
Caleb slid on the bench next to me and sat there watching me and Teetee quietly.
It was out of nature for him. He liked to talk especially to me and Teetee. “Why are you behaving like Tyson today? Don’t you have anything to say?”
He licked his lips and said in a heavy voice, “Once the stone is found, I would have to return to my pack. I just wanted to embed some pleasant memories in my heart. “
My heart sank at his confession. I had never thought about this. Once the stone is found, the magic binding Tyson and Caleb to ‘Code Red’ will fade. With their long history of enmity, I don’t think they would live together voluntarily.
Soon, I would have to make a choice too…
TYSON’S POV
It felt so exhilarating to fly in the sky unhindered with the cool breeze slapping against the body. I cast a sideways glance at Aslan who was flying a few yards away from me.
“Aslan! Shall we race just like the good old times?” I asked slowing down slightly to catch up with him.
“Times have changed, Tyson. We are no longer kids who could trust each other blindly.”
I just couldn’t understand the implication of his words. What did trust have to do with racing?
“Aslan, What do you mean?”
“Umm… nothing… just a slip of tongue… let us go quickly. Aurora must be waiting for us.” Aslan said in a flustered voice and surged ahead.
He kept flying faster and faster till he had vanished from my sight. I waited for a few moments to see if he returned for me but he never came.
His behavior was very weird. He had never left me alone before. Something was bothering him. I vowed to get him to spill it the moment we returned.
AURORA’S POV
The leaves of the large oak rustled and its huge branches waved in the wind as if welcoming us.
I shifted Tiara to one arm and ran my hand over its trunk saying, “This tree seems ancient. I can feel its strength flow through my veins.”
“That it is… it must be at least 400 years old,” Zarina said examining the trunk.
“What are we supposed to do now? Even the seer didn’t know how the portal exactly worked.” Caleb said, scrutinizing the tree.
I had no idea what was to be done either. I was hoping that we would figure it out once we were here.
“What is taking Tyson and Aslan so long?” I muttered, circling around the tree. The bark of the tree was unmarked except for the symbol of code red.
“Dang it! Even my magic is useless. How the hell are we supposed to make this portal work!?” Zarina said, punching the trunk of the tree. The next moment, she staggered backward as if she was electrocuted.
“Are you alright?” I asked her in an anxious voice.
She nodded her head and said, “My bad… I forgot that this tree was enchanted. Give me a moment, I will just perform a spell to appease the spirit of this tree.”
She placed both her arms on the tree and started chanting some spell. I watched in wonder as the tree was engulfed in a Golden glow. It lasted only for a moment and then returned to normal.
Zarina flashed me a smile and said, “Now, I have apologized properly.”
I was about to ask her what exactly she had done but stopped seeing Aslan and Tyson walk towards us.
“I had expected that you guys would have opened the portal by now. What have you been doing all this while.” Tyson said with a scoff.
Huffing with frustration, I said, “We were waiting for the great king of the dragon to do the honors.”
“Cool, give my angel to me,” Tyson said and took her from my arms.
Tiara started wailing when Tyson tried to place her palm on the trunk. He was about to put her palm forcibly on the trunk but I stopped him.
Closing my eyes, I let my magic connect with the earth, air, and the water under the ground; looking for any deviations or blockages in the energy flow.
I was stunned to find that someone had placed a Duse spell on the portal. My lips stretched in a victorious smile as I used my magic to render the spell useless.
.