The Petal Kingdom (Bringing Life, Falling Ash Book 2) Read online

  I will make it to the Petal Kingdom and then we’ll meet up. She decided. It may be lonely for a day or two but I’ll be fine. We’ll be reunited soon. Until then, I’m just going to wait.

  Chapter 6

  Lavinia felt like she had been riding for hours yet she didn’t seem to find Alice anywhere. No matter where she went, she came across nothing but icy trees and snow-covered bushes. The stallion that she had been riding on was fast and it was able to jump over fallen debris and icy waters with ease. The only thing it could not do for her was find Alice, Light, and all their things.

  “How hard can it be to find our campsite?” She wondered out loud, looking around the snow-covered area. Everything looked the same when it was blanketed in white. Then she tried calling out to Alice. “Alice! Alice, are you out there?!”

  All she received were echoes and chirping from creatures nearby. This was not a good sign as she slowed the horse down and let him sniff around the grass. “Where could she have gone? Alice! Where are you?! Please say something if you’re nearby! I’ve come back! I’m right here! Alice! Light! Anyone! Tell me where you are!”

  She got no answers from her yelling so she decided to slow down and take a better look at things. Alice would never leave on purpose. She didn’t know her way around the Frost Kingdom. She didn’t know what lay beyond these woods and she certainly couldn’t get to the Petal Kingdom alone.

  It felt hopeless until she saw some green straight ahead. Most of the trees and grass were covered in snow and ice so this was unusual. The only thing she could think of was that Alice had touched the ground with her bare hands and caused all of this. She couldn’t understand why this was necessary. Alice only used that power to create life and help others. She would never try to hurt anyone with it.

  She knows better than to use them… unless someone was trying to hurt her. Then maybe she might have used her powers to get away from them, one way or another. She realized as they came closer to the greenery. It turned out to tons of leaves and flowers in full bloom. Despite the lack of sun and the cold air, the plants were thriving. This had been the remains of their camp and now it was all gone. The only prints on the ground were those of Alice’s, the dragons, and new tracks that were too big for any of them to make.

  “She was here, all right. She must have created all this!” Lavinia realized, looking around the area. “But where did she go? Where is everyone?”

  Getting off the horse, she began to walk around the camp in fear that she would find Alice hurt or dead. It didn’t look like there had been a struggle but nothing was around. There weren’t even spots of blood to tell her if anyone had been hurt. All she saw were the leaves and flowers sprouting out of the snow. Most of their things were gone so she assumed Alice took whatever she could and fled. Just a few pots, blankets, and clothes had been left behind.

  “Why would she leave like this?” She wondered, turning to Dark. “Where’s your friend for that matter? Do you think they’re all right?”

  Dark shrugged as they began to look around the campground. How was she going to explain this to anyone? What if Alice had walked off too far and ended up slipping through ice? What if she did walk so deep into the forest that she couldn’t find her way out? There were all kinds of creatures and possible bandits out there. Alice didn’t have a map around the area and all she had for protection was her curse. It couldn’t keep her safe forever. Lavinia felt the pit in her stomach grow wider as she walked towards the vines and decided to touch one of them with her bare hands.

  “If we want to find them, we need to make a path out of here.” She decided out loud, taking off her glove and reaching out to touch the vines. As beautiful as they were, she needed to see what was really under them. “I hate to do this but I have to know what happened.”

  She touched the leaves with her fingers and they started to shrivel up. Within seconds, the bright green foliage turned black and fell to the ground as a pile of ashes. She shuddered as she watched this happen. It was never fun to take the life out of a living being. Even if a plant couldn’t speak, it was very much alive. It needed sunlight, water, and a lot of love to thrive. It belonged on the planet just as much as any human did. This was the one thing she was dreading about when going to the Petal Kingdom. She knew it would be filled with all kinds of colorful flowers and she wanted to pick them. The moment she touched a single petal, that flower would be dust. It hurt to know that she would never be able to hold them or even sniff one without fear of her bare skin touching it.

  This time, the plants didn’t just fall apart. Something was groaning from behind the vines. It didn’t sound like Alice to her but she had to see who it was. Perhaps someone had gotten caught in these vines. She had to call out to see who it was. “Hello? Is someone there?”

  “Help…” She heard a young man whisper. “I can’t get out! That... sorcery…”

  “Hold on! I’ll see if I can pull you out!” Lavinia turned to Dark who was trying to push aside all the vines. “There’s someone trapped down! We have to free them before they freeze!”

  “Trust me, I’d rather freeze than deal with that kind of power again.” The voice said. “I never expected to see something like this. I don’t even understand how she did it!”

  “She?” Lavinia was suddenly interested. “Who did this?”

  “A girl about my age. I was trying to…” The voice stopped. “I shouldn’t say it. It was wrong to think about doing it but I had no choice!”

  “Do what?” Lavinia wondered. “How did you get caught in all this?”

  “I was… I admit I was trying to get some money. My friends and I saw her and thought we could get some. It turns out that we couldn’t. She has the ability to create all this from her bare hands! I’ve been trying to get out but no one helped me! Everyone’s abandoned me and I can’t move my arms!”

  “Get some money, huh?” Lavinia knew what he was trying to get at. A part of her wanted to leave him behind but she needed to know more. “What did you do with the girl?”

  “Nothing! We couldn’t do anything! Once she created all this, she escaped with her dragon and things! No one could catch up with her or that strange light creature that she was with! It didn’t say much but it emitted so much light. It blinded me!”

  “I see.” Lavinia was still contemplating on whether to let this young man out or not. “Do you know where she went?”

  “It’s hard to say. I saw her fly into the clouds but it was so dark that I didn’t know which direction she went! You have to believe me! I didn’t harm her and I don’t know where she is!” He insisted. “However, I might be of use to you. If you let me out, I’ll try to help you find her. I think she might have tried to hide in a nearby village. It would be safer than trying to stay out in the woods.”

  Lavinia thought about this for a second. “If I were to let you go, do you promise to stay right here and not run? Do you promise that you will not try to attack me or steal from me?”

  “I promise!” He insisted. “I really want to get out! I tried on my own but these thorns keep scratching my arms and legs. I’m bleeding and I can’t do anything about it!”

  “Then stay still and promise me that you will not panic when I free you. I’m going to let you out and you have to keep your end of the bargain. I need someone who can help me get around this area. Are you familiar with the Frost Kingdom?”

  “I am. I’m also very familiar with the Petal Kingdom because that was where I grew up. If you need to get somewhere around those areas, I can help you,” he said as Lavinia ran her fingers across the vines. They shriveled up and slowly fell apart in her hands. “Now that I’ve been left behind, this is the best I can do to repay you.”

  “You’re from the Petal Kingdom? That’s good because I need to go there soon,” she explained, grabbing another vine and letting it fall into dust. “Now you say that the girl caused these vines to grow with her hands?”

  “Yes, she did. It sounds stra
nge but it’s not that impossible either. There are people that have powers out here. I never came across one until now. I’m just amazed she didn’t kill me in the process.”

  Oh, I’m sure she could have but she’s not that cruel. Lavinia thought as she got through the last couple of vines. In the clearing, she could see a pair of legs and some arms tangled up. “All right, I’m almost there. Before I finish, I need you to promise me one more thing. Promise that you will not panic and scream.”

  “Um... all right.” The young man agreed. “I just want to get out of here. I will cause you no harm nor do I have intentions of stealing from you. After what I had to see, I think my days of stealing are over.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.” Lavinia finally found the last couple of vines and turned them to ash, making it easier for the young man to get out. “All right, I think you should be able to free yourself. See if you can stand up.”

  There was a bit of a pause and some rustling before someone did stand up. On closer look, she could see that this young man was probably not much older than she was. He had some deep brown eyes that made him look smarter than his age and his face still had some soft features. His hair was long and silver, tied up in a ponytail and covered with twigs. What surprised her most was his face. It was soft and heart-shaped without any facial hair, the complete opposite of what she expected. He didn’t look like any bandit that she had run into and it was clear that this must have the first time he had tried to rob someone. He looked more frightened than frightening.

  You are so young. What are you doing trying to steal from people? She wanted to ask him as he brushed the leaves off his body. She was suddenly reminded of Kian and had a feeling they both had similar pasts. They didn’t have homes to go to or people who loved them so they turned to stealing for survival. When she finally saw his eyes, it hit her how young he was and how much he struggled. He didn’t look like he had a day’s worth of rest in a long time.

  “Thank you.” He swallowed, finally getting his first look at Lavinia. “I don’t know how you were able to break those vines but I am grateful to you. As a showing of my gratitude, I will help you try to find a place to stay nearby.”

  “That is kind of you but I’d rather get to the Petal Kingdom. Either that or try to find my friend,” Lavinia sighed. “Are you sure you didn’t see which direction she went?”

  “The dragon took off into the sky as more snow fell. I can promise you that she definitely survived this. No one could find her to follow her, let alone fight. They didn’t even try to go after her because they wanted to get out of the vines. They saved each other but not me,” he sighed, brushing the dirt off his body. “I’m guessing that since I’m new to all this, it was easier to sacrifice me than try to save me.”

  “Those don’t seem like friends to me,” Lavinia murmured. “Anyway, you are free now so you can definitely help me out. First, we have to get back to this village where I’ve left another friend. He’s not well so he needs to heal first.”

  “Not well? I might be able to help with that. I’ve made certain herbs that have helped with illness and injury in the past. In fact, that was the main reason I had been hired. They wanted someone who could help steal as well as heal whoever was injured in a heist. Not that I ever got a chance to use my abilities,” he shrugged. “Well, I can try to help your friend at least.”

  “Let’s get to the village and see what you can do…” She paused when she realized she didn’t know his name. “Ah, what do I call you?”

  “Oh, how rude of me! Call me Silas. That’s what everyone called me.” He introduced himself, holding out his hand. Lavinia looked down at it and then down at her own. He wanted to shake hands but she needed to cover hers up first. Before he could question anything, she quickly put a glove back on and shook his hand. “Oh, you have quite a grip! You didn’t need to put the glove on so fast. Is my hand dirty or something?”

  “No, not at all.” Lavinia shook her head. She was contemplating whether or not to tell him why she couldn’t touch him with her bare hand. “It’s just that I’m feeling cold and it’s best not to get frost bite out here. Speaking of the cold, we need to find a warm place. The last thing I need is more people to get sick.”

  “If it’s a warm place you want, then maybe it’s best to go the village your friend is in. The Petal Kingdom is still far away and it may take at least two days to get there. That’s provided that no more snow falls, of course.” He explained. “As for your other friend, I hope she made it to that village.”

  “So do I. It doesn’t seem like I’ll find her close by,” Lavinia sighed. “Well, I guess since it’s going to get dark soon and there’s nothing around here, we should head back. Do you have a horse that you can ride on?”

  “No, I have nothing with me,” Silas admitted, looking at the ice stallion that was grazing by. “I’ve never ridden one of the ice horses before. Do you think I can ride with you?”

  Lavinia swallowed when he asked that. Yes, the horse was big enough for both of them but there was no way she could let him know her curse. If he accidentally brushed against her while riding, it would be disastrous. “I don’t know if that is a good idea.”

  “Why not? Is it because you don’t trust me?”

  “No, it’s not that. It’s just... you’ve never ridden one before. He may not be used to you and might accidentally get spooked. He could throw you off.” Lavinia was hoping that her reasons would be believable. The look on Silas’ face told her that this was not working and she needed another approach. “I just want to be careful, that’s all. We’ve just met and I don’t want you to get hurt anymore. You have so many scrapes and cuts on you from those vines.”

  Silas looked down at his arms and shrugged. “I will manage. I can tell you don’t want me to ride with you so I guess I will walk.” He looked down at the scrape on his knee. His pants had torn thanks to thorns so she could see how injured he was. “This hurts but I think I can manage.”

  Lavinia looked at Dark who seemed to read her mind. “Actually, you can ride with us. Dark is thin enough that there will be plenty of room for you. Just keep hold and we should get to the village in no time.”

  “Oh, thank you!” Silas let out a sigh. “Now that’s settled, let’s move. I can see the sun is starting to go down. It gets much colder when the darkness comes out.”

  Slowly, Lavinia got on the horse first and then Dark followed. Silas got on last and tried to get hold of something to keep himself from falling. It was good that she Dark and that he could protect them from touching each other. Somehow, he was able to survive her touch and he would keep Silas safe from her.

  The horse took off and she kept him at a steady pace so that he moved through the woods with ease. Silas looked around as she kept her focus straight ahead. She didn’t need to navigate the horse because it knew the way. The man at the stable said that the horses needed no direction because they would always find their way home. They knew how to get back where they needed to be. From the looks of it, this horse certainly moved through this forest like it had been in it before. It had found a path that much shorter than the one that she took with Kian and they would be able to get past some of the harder parts with ease.

  “Have you ever been down this direction before?” She asked as they got closer to the village. “I’m still getting used to the area.”

  “I have come down here although I’m not sure I made it to the village you’re talking about. If I’m lucky, maybe no one over there can recognize me,” Silas said. “I don’t tend to come down to the Frost Kingdom that much. I was only here to steal from travelers but I prefer being in warmer areas.”

  “Well, your friends clearly didn’t care much about you. Why would you follow them and do what they asked? You could have gotten away.”

  “That’s much easier to say than do. We all lived in the same home. I didn’t realize they would turn on me. I’ve been with them for years and they taught me everything I k
now. I didn’t have a family so they took me in. I didn’t realize what they were doing was wrong at first and I just wanted to please them. I guess I wasn’t worth it in the end. Maybe they wanted to get rid of me for a while and now they found their chance.”

  Lavinia felt awful at that moment. She knew what he meant by people not wanting him because she often felt that way. She wondered if her parents secretly wanted to get rid of her. After all, she was never allowed outside and they didn’t even tell her much about Themasa, let alone anywhere else. Maybe deep down, they wished that she had never been born. They wouldn’t have to worry about having an heir who couldn’t touch anything. They probably thought having no heir was better than having a cursed one.

  “I’m sorry to hear of that.” She told him. “Do you have any place where you can stay?”

  “I used to but I don’t think they’ll want me back. Not that I have a desire to return anyway. After this, I never want to go back,” he murmured. “Of course, that means I’ll have to find a new home and I don’t really know where to go. I don’t know where I’ll find a house.”