Ancient Mystic's War of the Realms Saga - Lady Adellandra Dratianos (best detective novels of all time TXT) 📗

Come on, Lu.”
“You wouldn’t believe a child’s word, would you?”
“Ours, yes. Others, I’m not so sure about.” Shane took Logan in his arms. “What about him?”
“What do you mean, ‘what about him?’” Luna asked.
“How do you punish a toddler?”
“We’ll think of something. In the meantime, I believe he has his strongest power.”
“Telekinesis? Tell me your kidding.”
Luna grinned, shaking her head. “They’re the ones that come out first, remember Caleb’s?”
“Premonition.”
“And Meredith’s.”
“Like you, Clairvoyance. So, what are we going to do about him?”
“Silly, we’re gonna teach him.”
Shane groaned. “Great.”
They walked into the house to see the three other children standing together.
“Mommy and Daddy want to invite you to our house for dinner.” Amanda spoke up with a grin.
Luna and Shane exchanged glances.
“When you take us home, so no rush.” Amanda replied.
Luna had to laugh while Shane groaned.

II

Meanwhile, at the Readings, Kelly was coaxed by her brothers to talk to their parents. Neither Reading kid liked the new addition to the family, Juliet, and they weren’t going to stand for it anymore.
“Why me?” Kelly asked before she headed out to the kitchen.
“Why not?” Mark Antony supplied.
“You are the oldest.” Andrew remarked.
“Not to mention Mom’s favorite.”
“She doesn’t play favorites.” Kelly tried to tell them.
“She’ll listen to you.” Mark replied.
“In other words, she won’t suspect me of mischief, as she does you two?” Kelly suggested. “Yeah, whatever.”
“You don’t like Juliet, either, do you?”
“I don’t need a babysitter. Heck, I am a babysitter.”
“We know that. We just need you to convince them we don’t need one, either.” Mark replied.
Kelly knew right away she was duped by her little brothers. Twins and lovable they may be, but annoying they’re definitely. “Fine. I’ll talk to them. Okay?”
The twins exchanged glances. “Okay.” They ran off, leaving her alone.
“Momma, Derrick, can I talk to you?” Kelly asked.
“Certainly, honey.” Ariana replied. “What about?”
“Juliet Grey.” Kelly supplied. “You see, I don’t understand why she has to stay.”
“Is that why you pulled that prank on her?” Ariana asked, arms crossed.
“Prank?” Kelly asked, confused. “What prank?”
“You know what prank, young lady.” Derrick supplied. “The shaving cream in her shoes?”
“That wasn’t me, it was the twins!”
“Where did they get the idea from?” Ariana asked.
“You don’t believe me!” Kelly cried, exasperated. She looked at her stepfather. “You guys honestly don’t believe me!”
“You’re well-known for playing pranks on people Kelina Erin.” Derrick supplied. “That’s why we thought it necessary to hire her on as a live-in caretaker.”
“A Caretaker.” Kelly huffed. “A babysitter, you mean. I don’t need a sitter and you know it. I’ve been watching them since they and Melody were born. I can take care of myself.”
“Don’t you dare talk to your mother like that!”
“Sure, take her side.” Kelly interrupted, arms crossed. “You always do. You never seem to see my side of anything.”
“Regardless of whether or not you can take care of yourself, Juliet is staying. End of story. Is that clear?” Ariana pointed out.
“Yeah, whatever, but don’t expect me to listen to her.” Kelly huffed.
“You will listen, obey, and respect her as you do us.” Derrick supplied. “She is here to help us.”
“Does she know about us? About how different we are?” Kelly argued. After a moment of their silence, she laughed. “Didn’t think so.”
“That’s enough out of you, young lady.” Ariana said seriously.
“I think your mother will agree with me when I say this.” Derrick announced. “You are bound to your room until you can apologize to us and Juliet for the way you’ve treated her.”
“What?” She looks from one parent to the other. “You can’t do that!” She looks to her mother. “He can’t do that!”
Kelly noticed her mother’s amulet glowing, all six jewels were bright.
“He may not be able to, but I can.” Ariana took Kelly’s arm and stared into her eyes. “Until further notice, I personally bind you to your room and school. No clubs or after-school activities until I release the binding. As it is done, so mote it be.”
“Not even a binding will stop me from living my life, and you know it.” Kelly remarked.
“Maybe not by itself, but with my empathic powers linked to yours, I will be able to watch your every move, hear your every thought and be able to recognize when you’re ready to apologize.”
Mother and daughter stared at one another.
“Oh, and one more thing.” Ariana replied. “Decorum Sanctus Be!”
Those three words bound themselves in Kelly’s memory, and Ariana released her arm.
Derrick cleared his throat, refusing to look at his stepdaughter. “For now, go to your room. We’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”
With a huff of surrender, Kelly turned on her heal and left.

III

In the Dream Realm that night, Luna was patrolling her own ground as the Grand Magus. She spotted a strange girl snooping the Garden, where the barrier separating the Province and the Dominion had once stood.
The girl was dressed all in black. From leggings and boots to cloak and long-tunic, the girl snuck around, not wanting anyone to notice her.
Luna shook her head as she came out of the shadows. “Now, what would a girl like you be doing here? Snooping around where she doesn’t belong?”
The girl froze, staring at Luna. “Young Guardian!”
Luna shook her head. “Close, but not close enough.” She took her own cloak and bowed, tossing it behind her. “I am the Grand Magus. Who are you?”
“What do you care?”
“I patrol the Dream Realm just as my sister does.” Luna remarked. “I demand respect from all Creatures of the Realm, which I would guess includes you.” She stepped up the girl, noticing at once who this had to be. “Princess Tempest?”
“Aye, what of it?” Tempest huffed.
“What are you doing out of the Grey Area? Does Lord Max know where you are?” Luna asked. “Does Queen Jezebel?”
Tempest continued to stare Luna down. “In that case, does anybody?”
“Nay, nor will you tell them.” Tempest took out a wand and pointed it at her. “Or I will curse you so bad you will not be able to see straight!”
Luna laughed, waving her arm in front of her. The wand went flying out of Tempest’s hands and up into a tree. “You’ll curse me? With what? A silly spell? Girl, there’s no spell I can’t block. No spell I can’t turn against the caster.”
Tempest was scared. “Leave me alone!”
“You’re the one out on your own, not me.” Luna pointed out. “Why are you here, anyway?” She saw the black bag on Tempest’s back and surmised. “I see. You’re running away. Where did you plan on going?”
“Anywhere but the Shady Kingdom.”
“Why?”
“I hate it there!” Tempest cried. “They hate me! I do not belong there with them.”
“Where do you think you belong?”
“With my real mother and father.” Tempest replied.
So she didn’t know. Luna thought to herself. “Did they happen to tell you where you can find your real mother and father?”
Tempest shook her head.
“Have you any ideas where to look?”
The Princess shook her head again.
“That’s what I thought.” Luna stepped away from the girl. “The only thing to do is send you back.”
“Back? Nay! I cannot go back!”
“Have you done something wrong?” Luna asked. “Don’t want to face it?”
Tempest nodded her head. “I spied on Lord Max when he was talking to Young Guardian and two Companion pups.”
“Which ones?”
“Sire Stargazer and Red Wolf Moondancer.” Tempest replied. “Said they were going to start an Army, and Red Wolf needed permission to leave the Grey Area.”
“Was he granted it?”
Tempest nodded. “Aye. He is now Sire Stargazer’s Page. Young Guardian was to be in charge of it all.”
“Who else knows you were spying on them?” Luna asked.
“Queen Mother.” Tempest announced. “She sent me to my quarters, where I packed a bag and left. I never want to go back.”
Luna thought it over while the girl stood there, staring. “I know where you can find your mother.”
Tempest was aware in moments. “Where? Can you show me?”
“Not really, but I can send you there with my Magic.”
Tempest nodded ecstatically.
Shouldn’t be any harm in pointing her in the right direction, should there? Luna mused with herself. “Very well. Stand back while I call the spell.”

“Magics of the Realms Unite
“Take this Old Dominionite
“In a cloud of dust to the Unknown
“I Exile you all alone!”

In a flash of light, Tempest was gone and Luna was proud of herself. She didn’t realize she was being pulled away by an unknown force of Magic.
When she appeared again, it was in front of Lord Maximaniac’s throne. He wasn’t smiling.
“Lord Max,” Luna stood and bowed to him. “What can I do for you?”
“Why did you Exile my daughter?”
“She wanted to know where her mother was.” Luna supplied. “So, I sent her away to look.”
“Do you not know what you just did?”
“Obviously something I should not have, but it’s done. What can you do?” Luna tried to joke. “I’ll be on my way now.”
“SILENCE!” Lord Max’s voice boomed. His image changed to that of his Gargoyle self. “I do not care if you are the Grand Magus, or even the Young Guardian’s twin. You will bring her back.”
“Sorry, Lord Max, but I can’t.” Luna remarked.
“You Exiled her. Find her and un-Exile her! Am I making myself clear?”
Luna gulped. “Perfectly.” She croaked. “There’s just one problem.”
Max stared at her, growling. “What problem?”
“She’s in the Unknown.”
Max turned away from her. “Did you tell her the truth?”
“No, I thought I’d leave that to her father.” Luna supplied. “Apparently, she doesn’t know who she is? Why do you insist on keeping it a secret from her?”
“It is hard to explain. You should know this!”
“I should but I don’t. You see, I was always told who I was.” Luna remarked. “Send one of your minions to get her.”
“One of my minions, aye.” Max turned back to her, his image changing again to his court-jester self.
This told Luna one thing. “I’m not one of your mindless minions, Lord Max, and you know it.” Luna argued. “I’m a powerful Ancient Mystic.”
“One that has been to the Unknown and back time and again.”
“Only for my sister.”
“You can do it again, and come back in one piece.”
“Max, please!”
“Grand Magus, hear me out.” Lord Maximaniac said. “You sent the Princess there. That was your crime. Your punishment is to fetch her before she finds Sabrina. Easy enough, aye?”
Luna sighed. “Aye.”
Why did she have to be so impulsive with her Magic? Why couldn’t she just leave well enough alone? Why didn’t she send Tempest back to Max instead of the Unknown where she would ultimately meet up with Sabrina?
She knew it from the moment her eyes met Maximaniac’s. She was doomed.
Story #3:
The Devious Plan

Ariana thought hard about that binding spell she put on Kelly. She felt so bad about it, she confided to Wolf. “Do you think I was too hard on her?”
Wolf shook his head. “Of course not. She did something wrong and she has to pay the price. Tell me you have never punished her before?”
“I wouldn’t be lying.” Ariana said. “Oh Wolf, I feel so awful. I want to take the Binding Spell off her and apologize.”
“She will never learn if you do not set boundaries for her.” Wolf remarked. “How will she know the difference between right and wrong?”
“She’s never done this before.” Ariana said.