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

here.”
The boys, Shane and Craig, looked at each other. “Right.”
“Sure. Whatever.” Craig mumbled.
“Come on, Claudia. Time to do for Derrick what you did for Mr. Norton.” Anna remarked seriously.
Gulping, Claudia nodded. She kissed Craig on the cheek before leaving him.
Craig, on the other hand, slumped in a chair. He watched as Shane paced the floor in front of him, eyes lined in thought and one hand fingering a necklet lined on his throat. After a few minutes, Craig was dizzy just watching him.
“What’s on your mind, Morehouse?”
Shane stopped pacing to face him. “I was thinking about that silver Magic.”
“What about it?”
“I’ve only seen it used once before, by Dixilynne Ryan.”
“Wasn’t Dixilynne Mrs. Woods’s mother?”
Shane nodded, finally sitting down. “How much do you know about the Dream Realm?”
Craig shrugged. “Not much, except the little Claudia told me.”
“Some time ago, years before Ariana was named Dream Realm’s Young Guardian was the Wars for Power.” Shane explained softly, making sure no one could overhear him. “In that senseless war, hundreds of animals we call Companions died fighting the Dominionite Master.”
“Let me guess, Sabrina’s father Orthos?”
“You’re catching on.” Shane joked. “Anyway, Dixilynne was the owner and Chief of Detectives at the newly-built place called the System. She got the First-generation Crusaders, myself being one of them, together to help fight the Master. I was wounded badly by a shot of Dominionite Magic during the battle. Something came over me, and to this day I don’t know what it was. Whatever it was had me fearing of losing my mind. That same something reminded me of my parents, who died earlier that year in a car accident, leaving me orphaned.”
“Orphaned?” Craig asked. “What does that have to do with Dixilynne Ryan and the silver Magic?”
“A lot. You see, it was Dixilynne who rescued me from a foster home. She was also the one to use that kind of Magic against a demon enemy in the Dream Realm Wars.” Shane explained. “Get it?”
“Yeah, I guess.” Craig said.
Shane stood, only to begin pacing again. While Shane paced, Craig was deep in thoughts.
I never knew Shane was an orphan. He thought to himself. Maybe that’s why he and Derrick got along so well? In Derrick’s case, he only felt like one.
Derrick ran away from home years ago, meeting a strange young man who would soon become his best friend. Shane took Derrick away to the System in California to learn his craft of detecting.
Shane was also the one to bring Derrick back home, where he belonged.
Craig stared at Shane, looking at him in a whole new light. The only thing they had in common besides the knowledge of the Ancient Mystics and the Dream Realm was Derrick. It had been Derrick that introduced them at his wedding in Hill View. When the guys received promotions to Detective, they took their closest friends (and brothers) to the bar to celebrate. That’s when the Dark Magic began to haunt them, turning the boys against each other.
“Hey Shane.” Craig spoke up.
Shane turned.
“I want to apologize for what I did to you at the bar.”
Shane smiled. “Don’t sweat it, Craig. I’ve already forgotten it.” He sat next to Craig. “If it hadn’t been for you, Derrick and I never would have met in the first place.”
That was a new one on him. “What do you mean, me?”
“He told me a lot about his last months at the Academy, how everybody would shun away from him.” Shane replied. “Everybody that is, but you. You stood beside him when no one else would. You were the one to convince him to get out of Hill View.”
“Once he got out, he forgot about me, didn’t he?” Craig asked.
“He wanted to forget everything about Hill View and his family.” Shane replied. “Craig, I don’t know what’s going on in that mind of yours, but you are his first best friend. You know it. It’s not easy competing with you, you know.”
“You? Competing with me?” Craig had to laugh. “Tell me you’re joking.”
Shane shook his head. He noticed something moving in the corner of his eye. He looked up to see Anna and Kelly leading a very tired Claudia Woods out to them.
“What happened to her?” Craig rushed up to ask. He took his girlfriend out of their grasps.
“Fainted.” Kelly said.
“She was trying to heal Derrick’s mind, but was knocked out of it.” Anna said. “Get her home and to bed.”
“What about Ariana?” Shane asked. “How is she?”
“Fine, thank goodness.” Anna replied. “Listen, Craig, take Kelly home for me, okay?”
“Why can’t I stay here?” Kelly admonished.
“There’s nothing more for you to do, kid, so go home and heal up.” Anna told her.
“Come on, Kelly. We’ll see what Cara’s up to. How does that sound?” Craig asked.
Kelly brightened. He knew the mere mention of his sister would make her smile.
Anna and Shane shared a look, with Anna nodding. Craig thought he should leave them alone. Whatever happened to Derrick and Ariana had to be extremely serious. He only hoped his best friend and his wife would be okay.
Part Three:
Fight to the Finish

Prologue:
The Djinn’s Curse

Ariana Reading sat at the bedside of her husband, stroking his still cheek. “Darling, please. Come back to us. Your family needs you.” She kissed his soft lips, the tear from her eyes dripping to his face. “I need you.”
She leaned to hug her arms around his body, listening to his heartbeat. She softly cried, not hearing when someone came in the room.
“Ariana. . .” A voice echoed her thoughts, her ears catching it.
She dared to look up and see who spoke. It was Shane. She stood and raced to his arms.
“Shh. It’s okay, I promise.” Shane whispered in her ear, kissing her forehead. “I’m here for you, sister.”
“There’s nothing more you can do for him.” Anna remarked, placing a hand on her sister’s back.
“What about?” Ariana began.
“Let the doctors take care of him, now, okay?” Anna asked. “Shane’s going to take you home. I want you to rest, you hear me? You’ve gone through a lot, body, mind, and Magic. I suggest you spend the night with Lu and Shane.”
“What?”
“If you’re worried for the kids, they’re with Aimee.” Shane remarked, pulling her back to meet his eyes. “Safe.”
Ariana managed a small smile. “Safe.” She turned to Anna. “Thanks, Anna.”
“No problem. We’ll let you know when he wakes up, okay?”
Ariana sniffed, nodding. Shane led her to his car, opening the door for her.
After a few minutes of driving, with Shane’s mind deep in memories of the Wars for Power, he spoke up. “What really happened at the station today?”
“A demon wanted to take over his body.” She explained, playing with her rings. “I overdid myself when I Exiled him.”
“That wasn’t the Magic for Exiling, Ariana.” Shane decided to confess.
“Of course it was. I just thought of a different way of using it.” Ariana supplied, sleepy. She slid closer to him, laying her head on an arm.
Shane’s heart jumped. He debated wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “I’ve seen that kind of Magic before, and not from Luna, either.” She didn’t respond, so he continued. “It’s called the Ancient Mystic Force. I’ve only seen it used by Dixilynne Ryan, your grandmother. She used it against a demonic enemy, saving me from insanity.”
“Really?” Ariana’s soft voice whispered. “Interesting.”
“More than interesting.” Shane continued. “She was weak for a month after the Wars for Power.”
“Wish I’d been there to help.” She replied softly. “Maybe we wouldn’t have had to go through the Crusades.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.” Shane replied. “What’s in the past can’t be changed, no matter how much Magic you possess.”
“Mm-hm.” Ariana said, snuggling closer to him.
With a smile on his face, Shane decided to take the long way home.
His mind began to whirl, this time of his lost family. Telling Craig the tale had brought back so many memories, not to mention the hard lesson he’d learned about his parents’ deaths. His heart went out to his sister-in-law. He felt a deep concern and love for Ariana, for he cared for her as much as he did his own wife.
The Crusades not only bound the five of them as friends and comrades, but family. Derrick has always felt like a brother, from the day he was brought to the System. He grew up with Luna, with his feelings growing with them. Aaron was a mystery, having the heart of a brave fighter. As for Ariana, it was different. Shane always knew she was something special.
Shannon and Luna had told him she was the Elder Guardian’s successor, the Earthbound Young Guardian. Once hearing the story of her orphanage family life, he began to respect her. Despite an angry mistress using her as a daily punching bag, Ariana used Empathy and her other growing Magics to become strong. He admired that about her.
He rubbed her shoulders, giving her a quick kiss on the head as he rode up the driveway of his house. She’d fallen asleep so he carried her inside the house, where Luna was waiting at the door. He lay her on the couch, placing an afghan over her before turning to his wife.
“Is she going to be okay?” Luna whispered.
Shane took her to their bedroom before speaking. He told her everything that happened, except his thoughts about his lost family.
“What about the kids?” Luna asked. “Kelly goes to school with Bradley earlier than the younger ones do. Who’s going to take care of them while Derrick’s in the hospital and Ariana’s like this? What of my sister? Is she going to be well enough to take care of her children?”
Shane laughed, hugging and kissing her.
Luna pulled away. “Just what is so funny, Shane Michael?”
He pointed to her chest. “You, my love, are a born worry-wart.” He kissed her again. “Besides, Kelly and Bradley will help out, you know that. They can practically take care of themselves, now.”
Luna sighed. “I guess you’re right.”
Shane shrugged, smiling. “Aren’t I always?”
Luna caught his smile and laughed. “I don’t know about you. I’m going to check on my sister. Why don’t you say goodnight to your children?”
Shane nodded, “Gladly.”
It was late, and thankfully, all three of their children were in bed, fast asleep. He stopped in Meredith’s room, sitting on her bed and thinking back to when she was born. Luna had been so proud, and so had he. He had a daughter.
He kissed the top of his daughter’s head, quietly shutting the door behind him as he left the room. He went back to their bedroom to find Luna sitting up. She immediately saw the depressed look on his face.
“What’s wrong, darling?” She asked as he sat beside her on the bed.
He shook his head. “Nothing. How’s Ariana?”
“She went home.” Luna told him. “I told her I’d be there in the morning to help get the kids off to school.”
Shane nodded, searching his wife’s silver-blue eyes. He stroked her cheek, kissing her lips tenderly. When they parted, Luna smiled, holding his waist.
“Wow. What was that for?”
“I love you, Aluna Star.” He whispered, kissing her more passionately.

II

By the time she went home, Annabelle Woods was exhausted. She thought back to the night’s events on the drive home. She’d wanted to use her Healer’s Magic on her brother-in-law but was wary. She knew someone would be either listening in or watching her every move. She had to be careful. Already, too many times she’d been seen