Sahara Ashdell: Rebirth of Patreek (Book 3)
Chapter 11: Responsibility

“That is easier said than done.” Verdiwild says continuing to pace. “It has been just over a week since your payment was made, so you only have about a week left to complete such a task. Not to mention that if you had to go to the Underverse the first time to replace her, you would most likely need to go there again. Making the biggest obstacle to get you to the Underverse and back.

“I um…” Sahara remembers what Hexaria said. “I may have accidently opened the gate of evil while there also.”

“What?" Verdiwild yells loudly toward her as he stops pacing.

“Sahara?” Brystol looks horrified at her confession.

“I didn’t know what I was doing. I thought it was what needed to be said to portal and Slag…”

“Slagwart told you to say it?” Brystol asks rubbing his forehead looking anxious. “I never trusted that …”

“Slagwart is a good elf. I think.” Sahara says unsure of if she believes her own words or not.

“The Underverse changes an elf.” Verdiwild says sounding more angry, Sahara thinks. “So now the bigger problem is to get those that escaped back into the gates of evil and lock them before they figure out how to get back into our realm, if they have not already.” He begins to pace faster than before and he begins to sound worried. “The Aran must be alerted. And the elders.”

“Perhaps…” Sahara tries to speak but Verdiwild cuts her off as he holds his hand up toward her.

“We need no further destruction from you, Aranel.” Verdiwild says in a cold tone.

“I thought I was doing the right things.” She says feeling ashamed.

“I must go to the Aran at once.” Verdiwild says gathering up his things from his practice battle earlier. “You two should stay put and speak about this to no one. We do not want to set off alarms.”

Sahara tries to leave and follow Verdiwild, but Brystol grabs her hand. “Sahara.” He says it so softly it makes her shutter as she stops next to him. “Wait.” He sounds as if it is a demand, and she doesn’t like it. She watches Verdiwild get closer to Malorsty as she waits to see what Brystol wants. “Can you please just try to have some kind of feeling for me?” She feels his fingertips tracing up her arm and it makes her think of how Slagwart made her feel when she opened the portal.

She gets a devious thought. “Make me want you.” She whispers closing her eyes and turning toward him so that their bodies are touching. She feels his hands tracing along her arms as his warm breath collides with her lips. His breath lightly moves across her cheek as she tries to focus on the diamond-shaped holes around them. They seem too dim. “More.” She whispers in his ear. She feels his lips begin to trace her neck while his hand runs along her side and the diamond-shaped holes glisten brighter. She looks around for the rounded holes but does not see any. She needs “More.” She says again feeling Brystol’s warm breath against her lips and his hands tracing the skin of her neck. She slowly moves his hand down so that it goes underneath her shirt and his fingers trace her belly. After a moment, she finally sees a round hole calling to her. “Further.” She begs as she looks for the second round hole and throws her head back as Brystol kisses her neck more. She smiles as she sees the second round hole appear and mentally pulls it toward her. She opens the hole and is trying to go through it, but she can’t seem to make it. “Further.” She says trying to push Brystol’s hand up toward her breast.

She feels her body suddenly jerk backwards and the holes disappear as Brystol’s body heat leaves her body. “What are you doing?” He sounds angry suddenly.

“I was so close to replaceing her!” She pushes him backwards in anger. “Why did you stop?”

“Finding who?” He asks looking wounded. “Were you just using me?”

“I needed help replaceing the portals.” His hurt expression made her feel bad for a moment.

“Wow.” He shakes his head at her.

“I can replace the Grey Elf but only if you help me like that.” She says as though it is a question.

“No.” He shakes his head in disbelief of her request.

“Fine. I will get someone else to do it.” She says walking past him toward Malorsty.

“What?” She felt him grab her arm harshly and stop her from leaving. “No, you will not! I would kill any other elf that touched you like that!” She feels him release her from his grasp as the anger in his expression changes to hurt. “Is that how Slagwart taught you to replace the portals?”

She knows it didn’t go that far with Slagwart but she sees none of that as being Brystol’s business. “You can’t kill an elf that is already dead.” She says with a smirk before she notices tears building in his eyes at her hateful reply and she changes her tone to compassion. “It actually didn’t go that far with Slagwart. My powers were stronger then.” Her words don’t seem to make him feel better. “Look, I know my duty is to be your wife and I cannot lose my virtue. I intend to play my part and uphold the betrothal. But I know I can get to Grey Elf and kill her if we can tap into my feelings of desire. I don’t know another way to get that feeling other than doing that.”

Brystol seems unsettled by her words as he shakes his head toward her. “I can’t be like that with you when you obviously hate me.”

“I asked you to do it so it doesn’t bother me.” She says wondering what the issue is.

“It bothers me.” He says sounding hurt. “Besides if you had just gotten to the Grey Elf, what was your plan? You are so weak you couldn’t have killed her.”

“I don’t know. I didn’t plan that far ahead. I just wanted to see if I could replace her.” She realizes it might have been prematurely executed.

“Don’t play with my feelings like that again.” He says sternly but in a way that Sahara can tell she hurt him deeply.

“Sorry. I just thought that if I told you, you wouldn’t have done it.”

She watches him for a moment as they both stay silent, and Brystol looks in thought. He finally breaks the silence. “Father and Verdiwild will replace a way to get us to the Grey Elf.” He shakes his head at her as he continues, “I think that is a much better plan than your ideas that seem to always cause more issues.”

She can’t deny the truth in his analysis. “Alright.”

He steps closer to her and she can feel his eyes burning through her with his demanding words, “If they can’t replace a way I, and only I, will help you get to the Grey Elf. Do you understand?” She nods her head in agreement as she swallows hard, feeling threatened by him.

It is not until the next day that Verdiwild returns to Malorsty. “In you go”, he points to one of the six carriages that sit outside the entrance of Malorsty Academy. Sahara watches Brystol get in a separate carriage and Savanah get in another carriage before she goes toward the carriage Verdiwild has pointed her toward. The Aran had sent carriages to transport them, but they were not sure where they were going. Sahara was just told to teleport if she could to the carriage with Brystol in it after they left the protective walls of Malorsty. She had kept from using magic all day in hopes that she would have enough magic to teleport.

She manages to teleport as instructed and replaces herself alone with Brystol in his carriage. “Do you know where we are going?” she asks.

“No.” Brystol says looking out of the carriage window and unimpressed with her being in the carriage with him. “I didn’t even know you would be joining me.”

“I was instructed to teleport to your carriage after we left.”

The remainder of the ride they stay awkwardly silent. Until they see that they are arriving at Kinderton. “Kinderton?” Sahara says leaning up to look out of the window down at her familiar kingdom. She notices thousands of elves, centars, and pixies gathered close to the castle. They seem to be practicing fighting. “That is not usual.”

“It is an army.” Brystol says looking worried. “They must be preparing to battle the escapees in the Underworld.” His words alarm Sahara. She had not realized the issue was such a concern.

“How would an entire army get to the Underverse?” She doesn’t understand how that would be possible at all.

“I don’t know.” He replies shifting uncomfortably in his seat as they descend toward the ground, and he sees his father waiting for them at the top of the stairs. “But I am sure we are about to replace out.”

Sahara cannot help but look around at the massive army as she steps down from the carriage. “Hey.” Brystol’s word causes her to look at him and follow him up the stairs to the castle entrance where the Aran is waiting. She stops moving up the stairs in surprise when she sees the elders step out of her castle just behind Tari Nathila. “I didn’t know the elders left their realm.” She says to Brystol, who is also stopped in surprise next to her.

“It is unusual.” He says looking just as nervous as she feels.

“Come along. We don’t have all day.” The Aran yells toward them and motions impatiently for them to come up the stairs.

They scurry up the remaining stairs towards the intimidating stares of the elders. “Cundu. Aranel.” The head elder nods toward her.

“I am sorry for opening the gate of evil. I didn’t know...” She tries to apologize but the elder holds up his hand toward her to silence her. He motions toward her bracelet, which she holds out toward him. He removes it without speaking and Sahara wonders if it will help her powers be stronger not having the bracelet. She rubs her wrist as she waits to be told what is happening. She notices Brystol hugging his mother, who smiles at Sahara. Sahara moves over to say hello to Tari Nathila and receives her hug. “Hi.”

“Hello elfie.” The Tari says squeezing her tightly.

The head elder suddenly speaks loudly so the entire crowd around the castle can hear and Sahara moves dutifully over next to Brystol to face the large army. “You have been foretold of the great battle of the Underverse. Many doubted the time would come, while others prepared for the day. Today that which was foretold becomes reality.” The army begins to buzz with whispers and worried looks. “Silence.” The elder yells louder, “Settle.” He waves his hands in the air as he speaks. The crowd grows silent again and he continues, “Be not alarmed for it is our destiny to which we travel today. It is our birthright that we defend today. It is our children and grandchildren that we protect today. The Underworld is a reality that only a few living elves have ever been granted to see.” He glances at Sahara before looking back at the crowd. “It is a dangerous place filled with evil Elves. The gate of evil has been opened for a week now and we have been preparing you your entire lives for this moment. We must replace those who have escaped and force them back into the gate before they breach our realm and all is lost. If we die on this journey, may it be known that we went down fighting. May it be known that we stood our ground and that we never gave up on good. It is our privilege to fight alongside friends and family. It is our privilege to die alongside friends and family. It is our privilege to succeed alongside friends and family. For together, we are strong. For together, we are one. For together, we are the living!”

Sahara hears the crowd begin to cheer in response to his words and she feels extreme guilt take hold of her. If any one of these elves died, she would be at fault. She tries to fight her tears as she looks down at her hands that are twisted together. A proud chant grows in the crowd as the pounding sound of spears makes a continuous beat, “For the living.” Sahara can’t bear the proud chant as her guilt grows. “Can I join the battle?” She asks stepping forward toward the head elder.

“What are you doing?” She hears Brystol whisper toward her.

“I think you should stay here elfie.” The Tari says gently.

“No.” Sahara shakes her head. “This was my fault and I want to fix it. Please send me with the army?” She asks looking hopefully toward the elders.

“I would like to remind the elders that the Aranel’s powers are dwindling.” Verdiwild says and it causes her to glance over toward him in annoyance. Why did he have to chime in? “From her payment to the Grey Elf. I do not think it would be wise.”

“As he said, dwindling, but not gone. Please? I still have some powers and I need to do this.” She knows the elders understand her. “If I am to be the Tari of all in seven months, then I should be able to fight for the living. What kind of leader would I be if I caused an issue and then set back and let others fix the problem for me?”

She sees the head elder about to speak but feels Brystol move up next to her and he speaks, “We both would like to go defend our realm. It is our duty as the future leaders.”

The Tari looks alarmed by the thought of both of them going but the Aran speaks before she can and he sounds proud, “I would be honored to have them in my regiment.”

“And if they die, what would become of our realm?” The Tari protests.

“If they do not go, what would be left of our world?” Verdiwild asks, sounding supportive all of a sudden.

“Indeed.” The head elder says in agreement with Verdiwild. “It would be an honor to fight along side you.” He says bowing toward Sahara and Brystol. “Get them prepared.” He says nodding in approval to Aran Rayterbay.

“Come.” The Aran says.