Ancient Mystic's War of the Realms Saga - Lady Adellandra Dratianos (books to read in your 20s .TXT) 📗

Ancient Mystic’s War of the Realms Saga:

#3: War of the Realms

By

Lady Adellandra Dratianos,
Author of The Young Guardian Trilogy


BOOK ONE:
A Prologue of Events

Part One:
A Stitch in Time

Prologue: #1:
A Few Years Earlier

“Don’t fuss so much, Shannon.” Ariana Reading scolded to Shannon Ryan as she was trying to fix her hair. Only, it came out extremely muffled, and her cousin could not understand her.
Shannon laughed. “What did you say?”
Ariana took the hairpins from her mouth and repeated. “I told you not to fuss so much. You’ll make me mess up the braid.”
“Oh, sorry, Ariana.” Shannon replied. “I just can’t help myself. It’s the big day!”
“I know, I know.” Ariana teased. “You’ve only been psyching us up for the past week!”
“I’m glad you’re here.” Shannon said. “It’s good to have you back.”
“It’s good to be back, but don’t think you’re going to talk either of us into staying too long.” Ariana said with a laugh. “We do have lives outside the System, you know. Not to mention I’m six months pregnant.”
Shannon sighed. When Ariana was finished with her hair, she turned to her cousin and hugged her. “I know. I just missed having you here. You’re my only family.”
“That’s not true,” Ariana replied.
“It is, and you know it.” Shannon said. “I don’t have a mother or a father like you do. I only had Aunt Dixie, and she’s been gone for years now.”
“What about Julia Lynne?”
Shannon sighed. “Julie? Well, she’s another story all together.”
Julie was Shannon’s own twin sister who had found and tried to be a part of Shannon’s life when Ariana and her twin Luna were married years ago. She left shortly after the twins and their family did, only coming back for Shannon’s wedding to Nicholas “Nick” McNathaniels.
Just thinking about her “new” twin made Shannon want to cry. She had tried her best, but Julie didn’t stay long.
“At least she’s here for your wedding.” Ariana supplied. “You could give her that much credit.”
“My guess is she’s only here for the free food and hot guys.” Shannon remarked. “That woman may look like me, but we are anything but identical in that department.”
“Sounds to me you’re total opposites.” Ariana responded. “She’s the chic, sophisticated party animal and you’re all business, but also chic and sophisticated.”
Shannon had to laugh. “I bet your relationship with Luna is the same way.”
“Not really. Don’t you remember what she was like as a child?” Ariana asked. “According to Shadow and the crew, she was the party animal type, while I was the lonely orphan.”
“I wish you were the one who grew up with me, and not her.”
“Why do you say that?” Ariana supplied.
“Maybe it would have been different, you know?” Shannon started to cry.
Ariana hugged her cousin’s shoulders, being careful not to bunch up the pretty wedding gown she was wearing. “Don’t you dare start crying now, Shannon Ryan!” She playfully scolded.
Shannon sniffed, dabbing her tears with a tissue. “I always cry at weddings.”
Ariana giggled softly. “I know. You cried at Luna’s and my double wedding.”
“Yeah, twice!” Shannon laughed, remembering when her twin cousins were married in the double wedding to their loves, Derrick and Shane.
She stood, and started to walk toward the curtain.
“No!” Ariana cried. “Don’t let anyone see you until the music starts. It’s bad luck.”
“You’re superstitious.” Shannon turned to Ariana.
“Darn right I am.” Ariana laughed. “Come here, I want to give you something.”
Shannon was face to face with her now, watching as Ariana reached from behind her neck and unclasping a pretty diamond-heart necklace.
“I figure you have something old,”
“These earrings of Aunt Dixie’s.” Shannon supplied, touching them.
“Something new,”
“The charm bracelet Derrick gave me last night. The one with the miniature magnifying glass.” Shannon said, showing her.
“Right, and something blue,”
“The blue hair-ribbon in my braid Luna gave me, the one I gave her from Aunt Dixie.”
“Now, I want to be the one to give you something borrowed.” Ariana placed the necklace around Shannon’s neck and stepped back to admire it. “There, perfect.”
Shannon took it in her fingers. “The necklace Derrick gave you for Christmas last year! I thought you couldn’t part with it!”
“Just a thanks will suffice, cousin.” Ariana teased, hugging her.
“Thank you, Ariana.” Shannon whispered in her ear. “You’ve made this day really special for me.”
The Wedding March began and Luna, Ariana’s twin, barged in the tent.
“This is so exciting!” She nearly screamed, then thought of her own wedding. “Oh, but who’s going to give you away?”
Shannon looked at Ariana, who shrugged. “I hadn’t thought of that. I mean, you guys will be carrying the trail of my gown, and Derrick’s in the pews with the twins and the kids.”
“Knock, knock.” Came a male voice. It was Shane. “May I come in?”
“Sure,” The girls echoed.
Shane came in, dressed in a charming tuxedo. “You look wonderful, Shannon.”
“Thanks,” She said.
“You’re welcome,” He smiled. “I couldn’t help overhearing you needed someone to give you away.”
“Yeah, I do.” Shannon replied.
“You’ve got him.” Shane kissed her cheek. “For today, I will be your giver-awayer guy.”
Shannon laughed.
“That’s so sweet of you, Shane.” Luna complimented. She smiled at them. “Well, what are we waiting for?”
“Let’s go!” Ariana and Luna chorused.
Shane held his arm out for her to take. “Madam,”
The twins took the trail, and they were on their way.

After the ceremony, Shannon headed to the bathroom. She heard footsteps behind her and rolled her eyes. Someone was following her, and she knew exactly who it was. When she was certain she was alone, she asked into the air. “So, how did you like it?”
A voice similar to her own answered back, and Julia Lynne came into view. “It was okay, I guess.”
“You guess?”
“Okay, it was boring until Jammins sat next to me.”
Jammins was the codename of one of Shannon’s best friends and best recruits. His real name was Jamie Stewart, and he was the System’s resident Electronics genius with his best friend Alan “Chips” Deneson.
“So, what did he have to say?” Shannon’s tone was even. She was mad her sister was being selfish, especially at her own wedding, but happy she’d caught the eye of one of the System’s best guys.
“Would you believe he asked me out?” Julie grabbed her sister’s arm and jumped in place. “I am so excited! Maybe he’s the one for me? You know, like Nick’s yours?”
“You hardly know each other.” Shannon pointed out, stopping her to calm her. “Not to mention your Ancient Mystic powers are still kind of wacko.”
“I can control them better now, with Ariana’s help.” Julie said with a small pout.
“Not that she can help much, with her getting ready for the baby.” Shannon supplied. “So, onto another subject. Are you going to stay longer this time?”
Julie grinned. “I’m officially dating Jamie ‘Jammins’ Stewart, resident man-hunk. Why would I leave so soon?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Shannon supplied sarcastically. “Maybe because you have a life of your own, and you’d like to live it? Am I getting close?”
Julie stuck her tongue out at her twin. “Very funny. Throw my past words back in my face.”
“I thought I just did.” Shannon grinned. “Come on, Jules. Let’s get back to the party. We’ll talk about this later.”
As the women headed out the door, Julie supplied. “Sure, run away from the truth.”
Shannon stopped, took a breath and let it out slowly. Patience, Shan. She scolded herself. Remember patience. She turned. “I’m not running away from the truth. I’m trying to get back to the dinner reception. There are people here that came to see Nick and myself, and I intend to greet them properly.”
Julie huffed. “Go back to your boring party. I’m gonna find someone who’ll listen to me.”
“If you mean Jammins, he’s at the party.” Shannon grinned. “If you don’t believe me, ask anybody.”
Julie huffed again. “You’re no fun anymore, Shannon Ryan!”
“Good, because I’m not a Ryan anymore.” Shannon supplied. “Not in name anyway, and you never were.”
Julie could say nothing to that. It was true. “Fine. See you around, Shan. I’m gone.”
On that, she shoved past her twin and headed back to the party.
Shannon couldn’t help groaning at her sister’s actions. The twins never grew up together, but it was all for the best. Shannon Ryan-McNathaniels was glad for it.

II

Julia Lynne slammed the glass on the counter, groaning. It was four days after the ceremony and life at the System-Network Agency was beginning to bore her. She spent her days in her quarters, and nights in the mini-bar at the Chez Café.
“Care for some company?” Came a male voice from beside her.
When she looked, she smiled. It was Jammins.
“Only if it’s yours.” Julie grinned, looking into his dark brown eyes. “Have a seat.”
After ordering his own drink from the bartender, he sat down. “You sound agitated. What’s wrong, or am I being too nosy?”
Julie laughed lightly. “No, you’re not being too nosy. I am agitated. Shannon’s in the spotlight once again, and no one noticed I was there.”
“Maybe it was because it was her wedding?” Jammins suggested. “Jealous?”
Julie shook her head. “No – yes – oh, I don’t know!”
Jammins laughed. “Good to know you’ve got a head on your shoulders.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Julie spat.
“It was a joke.” Jammins said. “I was only trying to lighten your mood, Julie. Cheer up.”
“How can I cheer up? Shan’s got this great business, this great life, and I’ve got nothing but our mom’s old diary.” Julie said. “It’s not fair. Why wasn’t I the twin Aunt Dixilynne took in?”
“You’re gonna hear it a lot in your life as an Ancient Mystic, but I’m gonna say it anyway.” Jammins replied. “Everything happens for a reason. It was destiny for Shannon to be here, and for you to learn on your own. I don’t know about you, but she had to be here to help revive Dixilynne’s father in another dimension. She had to grow up around all this to learn her destiny in life.”
“What’s my destiny, then?” Julie countered. “To remain unknown and unloved for the rest of my days? I mean, I have a daughter out there, somewhere, and I want to find her. She’s the only link to whatever past or future I have.”
“You’ve got Shannon, and me.” Jammins said softly. “She could tell you about your past, and I could be a part of your future.” He grasped her hand, making her look at him. “That is, if you let me.”
Julie smiled. “I’d like that.”
Jammins sealed it with a kiss.
Complete me, Earthly Protector. Each heard in their minds.
They broke from the kiss with Julie staring into Jammins’ eyes.
He was smiling. Before she could comment on the strange message in her head, Jammins searched her eyes, gently caressing her cheek.
“I would be more than happy to, Julia Lynne.” He breathed just loud enough for her to hear and her heart to skip a beat.
An empathic feeling of love was shared between them as they kissed again.
From that day on, Julie was everywhere Jammins went, learning more about him, and herself, along the way.
Most of all, she learned how to love.

A year later, Jammins and Julie