Ancient Mystic's War of the Realms Saga - Lady Adellandra Dratianos (electric book reader TXT) 📗

you are now.” Luna said. “If we didn’t do what we did, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Don’t you understand?”
“If you stopped talking in riddles, maybe I would.”
“Think about it, sister.” Luna whispered. “You wouldn’t be here now if we didn’t do it.”
“Get to the point, sister.” Ariana sneered. She pointed a hand at her, freezing her in her spot without saying the word aloud.
“We had to take you to the orphanage to get the ball rolling.” Luna started. “If we hadn’t, you never would have met Aaron and Aimee, fallen for him at such a young age, had Kelina, therefore never had the Enchanted Child. Never being there, you never would have gotten the Dream Locket, known about the Dream Realm, or even met Katherine Hawk.”
The mention of Katherine’s name made Ariana pay attention. “What are you saying?” she whispered, touching her sister to unfreeze her.
“What I’m saying is this.” Luna said. “Basically, no Forgetfulness Spell, no Destiny. No Destiny, no Young Guardian or the Crusaders to Exile the Master. If we hadn’t done that to you, none of the Ancient Mystics, myself included, would be here. We would have all been dead, killed in our sleep by the Master himself, made Dominionite Warriors.”
Ariana stood speechless. Her thoughts ran through her head like lightning. “No Destiny, no Dream Realm.”
“No Dream Realm, no Dreamers.” Luna supplied, agreeing. “Ariana, Lord Guardian would have died in the Wars if it not been for that Spell.”
“But why so young? And why was I sent to the orphanage?” Ariana asked her sister softly. “Why couldn’t I have been the one to go to the System?”
“Because I had a Destiny, too.” Luna said. “I had to learn the hard way, too. I may not have had it as bad as you did, but I still was lonely.”
“You grew up in the perfect place, Lu.” Ariana said. “I was beaten every night for being myself. My very differentness shunned most away from me, scared.”
“No one liked me, either, you know.” Luna said. “I was so little, yet no one wanted to play with me. Shannon had Nick and her friends, our brothers and sisters were back here, living their own lives. How do you think I felt about it all? You weren’t the only one who lost their identity.”
“Did Mom give you the Spell, too?”
“I didn’t have to ingest it.” Luna supplied. “I lost you. Of course, I knew I’d see you again, but not for a long time. I never knew it would be years and years later, after we both grew up.”
Luna hugged her twin. Tears were coming from her eyes. “You don’t know what you mean to me. You’re my other half.”
“It was only when we found each other I began to find myself.” Ariana whispered.
Luna pat her sister’s back, looking at her eyes and wiping her tears. “Go home, Ariana. Tend to your beautiful children. Live knowing who you are at last.”
Something in Ariana’s mind clicked. The tears were gone instantly and her expression turned blank. “Thanks, Lu.”
She walked away, stunning Aluna and confusing her at the same time. There was something in Ariana’s eyes and tone that told her she’d been tricked.

II

For the rest of the day, Ariana acted as if nothing happened. She wore the Crystal around her neck, touching it as she dressed for the night. She wore a strapless red dress that showed her youthful curves. It was something she normally left for dinner parties, but tonight was special.
Tonight was different.
Humming to herself, she made sure she looked perfect before heading out the door.
Again, she headed across the street to her sister’s house. She knew Luna was gone to a coven meeting with Darlene Bennington and their other Pagan friends. The children were all spending the night with their friends, just as Ariana liked it.
That meant Shane Morehouse was home alone.
At the door, she didn’t bother looking around to make sure no one was watching before disappearing into thin air. She reappeared in the Morehouse’s study, where she met Shane himself. He was reading over some of the case files for work.
“All work and no play makes the Shadow a very dull boy.” Ariana crooned seductively. She put her hand, palm up, to her chin before blowing a wind to him. The papers scattered.
“Hey!” He cried, staring at her. “Luna – what?” That’s when he caught both the dress and the necklace. He stood, eyeing both suspiciously. “When did you buy this?”
She spun in front of him. “Like it?”
“Mmmm. I love it.” He grasped her hand and pulled her in for a kiss. When he pulled back, he stared into her eyes. He whispered. “Ariana?”
“Surprise!” Ariana threw her hands up in the air and announced. She put them down again.
“What are you doing here?” Shane asked. He pushed her away when she tried to kiss him again.
“Don’t deny your passionate feelings for me, Shadow.” Ariana said in a low voice.
“You’re like a sister to me.” Shane remarked. “I have no more feelings for you other than that.”
“Well, incest is best you know.” Ariana quipped.
Shane stared at her. “This isn’t like you. This isn’t you.” He remarked. “Go home to your husband, Ariana.”
“Who, Derrick?” Ariana laughed. “That old dud wouldn’t know how to romance his way out of a paper bag. Besides, it’s you I want. Not him.”
“You don’t want me.” Shane supplied.
“Why not? We were made for each other.”
“No.” Shane remarked. “You and Derrick were made for each other. I love Luna, your twin and my wife. Would you hurt her by doing this?”
“Doing what? Revealing my true self to you? Freeze.” Ariana made a move toward him. This time, he didn’t budge. By a simple word, he was frozen. “Admit it, Shadow. You have passionate thoughts about me, don’t you?”
He couldn’t move, because she was right.
“I used to, but not anymore.” Shane told her.
“Care to rekindle what we once had?” Ariana kissed his lips firmly.
He was unfrozen but lost in the kiss.
For a moment, she made him give in to any feelings he used to have for her. Her hands went from his chest to his pants. She squeezed his crotch, making him come to his senses. He pushed her away.
“Stop it, Ariana! I mean it.” Shane cried, backing away.
Ariana laughed. “Stop what? Being me? No, I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
He grabbed her shoulders, shaking her a little. “This isn’t you. The Crystal’s making you do this. Why won’t you listen to me!”
In a blink of an eye, she’d slapped his hands away and pushed him back on the couch. Making sure he couldn’t move, she strode him. “If it isn’t me, then who am I? In fact, who are you? The man who has no family.” Before he could move to sit up, she pinned his arms above his head. “The man whose very identity is a lie.”
“What are you talking about?” Shane asked, struggling to break free.
“I wouldn’t try anything if I were you.” Ariana cornered. Her eyes glowed. “Remember how much power I have.”
“Power is nothing if not fickle.” Shane remarked sarcastically. “Remember who I fought against before you were given your grand title.”
“You have no idea what that title has brought me. You have no clue, Detective Morehouse, just how much hell I’ve been through.”
“Why don’t you enlighten me.” It wasn’t a question. It was a challenge.
“You’ve always known who your parents were, and how they died.” Ariana started. “I myself never have, and it’s all because of your wonderful wife.”
“I know all about what the Ancient Mystics call Destiny.” Shane supplied. “I was there, fighting in the First Crusades, also known as the Second Dream Realm Wars. I know more about you than you think I do.”
Ariana laughed again. “Oh, I doubt that.” She pressed her face close to his. “Do you remember my sixteenth birthday, when Shannon announced that ridiculous project we were going to be on?”
Shane gulped. “What about it?”
“It was supposed to help us heal.” Ariana supplied. “You know, from our pitiful pasts comes a shining new future?” She laughed. “What a hoax.”
“It wasn’t a hoax.” Shane responded. “We did help each other. You even admitted it when the project was over.”
“We helped each other, alright.” She said. “We were tortured, Shadow. Don’t you get it?” He just stared as she continued. “Neither of our partners were there. I never even knew where Luna was, or who she really was, but that doesn’t matter. What does matter is what that did to us. It made us crave each other.”
“We had a short-lived relationship, ending in a friendship.” Shane supplied. “That’s all.”
She stood, stepping away from him. She closed her eyes and changed her clothes using the Changing Task magic. She stood in silence, not opening her eyes.
“Do you know why I called myself the Shadow in the System?” She didn’t bother to look up or even open her eyes. Shane stood and rubbed his wrist. “Because I was a shadow. I saw things no one else even paid attention to. For a long time, I was nobody.”
Ariana finally opened her eyes, looking at him. Neither of them dared to move.
“Yes, I was nobody.” Shane admitted. “Only Dixilynne knew of my potential. That’s why she took me in when my parents died. She gave me a home, food, clothing, schooling, and a chance. She gave me hope when I didn’t have any. She helped me find who I was, and who I wanted to be.”
Ariana still didn’t move, but she took a breath.
“Ariana, I don’t want to ruin our friendship.” Shane supplied softly, moving toward her. He put a hand on her cheek. Her hand move to meet his. She closed her eyes, enjoying his touch.
“We’ve been through hell, both apart and together. Only true friends stick by your side when things get rough.” Shane remarked. “Call me your truest friend.”
He kissed her cheek lightly, backing away from her. Ariana opened her eyes, staring at him.
“Go home to Derrick, Ariana.” He said. “He’s a man that really loves you.”
Ariana nodded, disappearing from in front of his eyes.
When he turned around to his paperwork, it was already off the floor and back on the desk. He wondered just what about the necklace made Ariana act the way she had.
He sighed, returning to the work that was waiting for him on his desk.

III

It was three days before anyone she was around decided to do something about it.
Derrick met her in their bedroom one night as they were getting ready for bed. He shut the door behind him, glaring at her. “What exactly is going on with you?”
Ariana looked at her husband with a smile. “Nothing.”
He showed her the Dream Amulet necklace she’d put on the night stand days before. “Why did you take this off? Why haven’t you patrolled for the past three nights?”
“I’m taking a break, if that’s any of your business.”
“Well, while you’re taking a break, innocent Dreamers are in danger of losing their minds.” Derrick replied.
“That’s ridiculous. They can’t lose their minds by my not visiting them. Honestly.” Ariana remarked. She continued to brush her hair.
“Why has my Protector’s Pendant been giving me visions of you, then?” Derrick remarked.
She turned around. “This has nothing to do with Dreamers, does it? It all comes down to you.”
She stood, putting the brush down before using telekinesis to take the Pendant off from around his neck. “Let’s see what happens when you don’t have this stupid