Dusk Before the Dawn - Lady Adellandra Dratianos (highly recommended books txt) 📗

for Dragonwolves just yet.”
“All will be well.” O’Dell said sternly. “They will resume immortal form and be taught of whatever magic their minds believe they are ready for.”
Dracora and Drakkar looked at each other, unable to answer. What else could they say about it?
“Shall we begin?” Susan spoke up quietly.
Enchantra and O’Dell nodded, holding hands.
The Dratianos siblings of Dracora and Drakkar only watched as the three Dragonwolves changed form to become young immortals. The only thing that showed who they were was the armor and their reddish-golden blonde hair. Each form grew younger and younger until they were mere children. Adella and Adarra were young girls and their brother Anton was an infant.
Susan picked up the infant and held him. “We must rename them.”
The baby Anton was still sleeping in her arms.
“We will leave that to you, Susan.” Enchantra supplied. “Rename them, and raise them well.”
“The time will come when they are Called to this Realm once again.” O’Dell responded. “Until then, their true-names and lives must remain a secret.”
“Yes, sir.” Susan knelt to the still-sleeping twins. She placed her hand first on Adarramena. “You will be Aluna Star Woods.” Next, to Adellandra, “You will be Ariana Moon Woods.” And last, the baby. “You will be Antony Gregory Woods.”
With brilliant flashes of silvery light, the ritual was done, and the four of them were gone.
Their story from that point is yet to come.
As for Dracora and Drakkar, Drakkar disappeared to grieve the loss of his loving mate. Dracora stayed behind.
“What do you have planned for them, O’Dell?” Dracora asked.
“Just as your destiny has brought you to us in the past, so will it return them in the future.” O’Dell supplied. “In time, one of them will be the most powerful Wizard of the line. One will be the most gifted of Mages, and the other? Well, they will be my successor.”
Dracora could only stare at the space her Empress-Sita had disappeared from, hoping she, too, would return to the Dragon Nations and the Empire of Mal’estar.

Part Two:
A Thing Called Destiny

Susan Woods

Lord Guardian O’Dell visited the Ancient Mystic Susan, who was Earthbound with her family in the Mortal Realm.
“How are you, granddaughter?” His tone was low, with no emotion.
“Fine. Thank you Granpere.” Susan was suspicious. “Why do I have the feeling you came here for more than finding out how I am?”
O’Dell smiled. “You are correct, as always Susan.” He supplied. He was nervous. “Orthos is up to his old tricks again. He has stolen Companion babes for his Dominionite Warrior Army, taking away their magic and holding it in Dark Tower.”
“Why tell me?” Susan was suspicious.
“I need you to do something for me.” O’Dell supplied, his eyes down. “I have seen it in my Sphere. You must give up the Draconian girls.”
Susan shook her head. “No, Grandfather. I won’t do it.” She said adamantly. “You gave them to me to raise and that’s what I’ll do.”
“It is destiny, Susan Hope.” O’Dell responded, shaking his head. “The time has come, for I must train a successor.”
Susan studied her grandfather for a moment, sensing him with empathy. Sure enough, O’Dell was serious. “What do you wish of me, my Lord Guardian?” She asked in a soft voice.
“Separate them.” He started. “They must not grow up together.”
She blinked. “You know as well as I do how powerful twins are together; especially this pair. I don’t understand. What’s going on, my Lord?”
“Silence for now, Susan. It is because of their Draconian powers that they must be separated.” O’Dell supplied. “If they are not separated now, Orthos will take advantage and destroy them both.”
“They are only young children.” Susan supplied. “They love each other and the family very much. It would destroy them inside if you take them away.”
O’Dell placed a hand on her shoulder. “You care for them, do you not?”
“Yes, sir.” Susan nodded. “I am their mother. I love them.”
“As their mother, let them live in peace away from this family.” O’Dell responded. “I do not know how he knows, but Orthos does know about them. He will wish to destroy them in this Realm using their dreams.”
Susan didn’t want that to happen, for she knew her evil granduncle’s ways. Youth and the new blood-magic in their veins weakened the Draconian twins. In time, they would be able to fight him, and perhaps win, but not for years. Question was, what did O’Dell see in his Sphere and why was he so urgent about it?
“Granpere?” She asked softly, trying to find the right words. “What did you See?”
O’Dell’s gaze was distant. “My own death.” He cleared his throat and shook his head. “Neither of us wishes that to happen, so we do what we must.”
“Where should I take them?” She asked.
He looked at her. “Do what you Feel is right, my Granddaughter.”
With a final hug, he was gone and she returned to her bed in the Mortal Realm.

For the next couple of days, Susan watched them from the sidelines. They were so beautiful together. Their powers were growing rapidly, both apart and together. It seemed a shame to take them away from the safe and loving home while they were still adjusting to it.
She sighed, her eyes following as the young Ariana ran up to give her a hug. “I love you, Mommy.”
“I love you, too, sweetheart.” Susan hugged her back, kissing her forehead.
Aluna noticed her sister’s absence and raced to greet her. The younger of the two frowned when she met Susan’s eyes. “Why are you so sad, Mommy?”
Susan hugged Aluna tight. “I’m not sad, darlings. I’m happy, for I have you.”
Ariana broke away and frowned as well. “Where are we going?”
Susan blinked. Was Ariana gifted in her Empathy so young? Did she Sense what was on Susan’s mind? Standing and closing her mind to both twins, Susan sent an Empathic feeling that everything was okay. “Nowhere now but upstairs for a bath.”
Ariana shrugged, pasting on a smile and grasping her sister’s hand. “Race you, Mommy!” She cried before both girls ran to the house, laughing.
Susan sighed again, still wondering how she was going to let them go.
One morning, she had an idea. Throughout the day, she worked out the details. By that night, she was in her Study making calls and setting up times and dates for meetings.
She was so tired she fell asleep in her office chair. A hand on her shoulder woke her.
“Mom?” It was her eldest daughter, Annabelle. “Are you okay? You’ve been in here all night.”
Susan stretched and smiled at her. Silver-blue eyes and black-as-pitch hair, eleven-year-old Annabelle was a younger version of herself.
“I’m fine, Anna.” Susan said. “I was just setting up meetings with your Gramere and Madam Gertrude.”
Anna nodded, knowing what her mother had to do. “The twins are talking in their sleep again.”
Susan smiled. “Speaking in other languages are they?”
“I heard Ariana speaking in a mixture of Ancient Wolf-Speak and Draconian.” Anna told her. “I recognized the dialects of the Dragon Nations.” She thought for a moment. “From what I heard and could understand, she was calling for the dragonlets and her mate.”
Susan sighed. “Their blood has changed, but not their inner selves.” She shook her head. “In order for them not to remember until they are ready, I have to mix a strong Forgetfulness Spell.”
“Did you want help?” Anna asked hopefully. “I’ve studied and even practiced many potions lately.”
“Good girl.” Susan stared into space for a moment before smiling. “In that case, I could use your help. We’ll start in the morning. It’s much too late tonight.”
Anna yawned. “Okay. ‘Night Mom.”
“Night, Sweetie.” Susan said absently.
When her daughter left, she turned back to her desk. Her eyes spied her Sisterhood ring on her right hand. It glowed the color orange, signifying a warning of the upcoming conflicts in the Realm of Dreams. The warning reminded her of what she had to do.
“I know Granpere.” She whispered and thought at the same time as she stared at it. “I’m working on it. I promise.” Her left hand touched the ring. “I just wish I didn’t have to do it.”
By mid-afternoon the next day, the two of them were finished.
“Are you sure it’ll work, Mom?” Anna asked. “I mean, they’re magic is pretty strong for Draconians. It might not work the way we want it to.”
“All will be well, I hope.” Susan supplied. “They are Immortals in this Realm, blooded by Gramere and Granpere themselves. This potion should counter-act their true memories.”
“Should.” Anna replied, eyeing her mother with a smile. “Why do we have to do this anyway? Can’t they stay as they are, only separated?”
“Granpere told me they cannot grow up together, so I suppose that means unknowing of each other as well.” Susan said.
“That’s going to be pretty tough, being what and who they are, Mom.”
“I know that, Anna. Believe me, I know.” Susan sighed. She held up the potion bottle and corked it. “Well, it’s time. You can get them ready to go, and I’ll do one last spell to the potion.”
“Right.” Anna said, leaving her.
Susan reached the spoon into the cauldron with one hand while the other held another mixture of the Forgetfulness Spell. “One last spell should do it.”
Susan labeled the bottles with each of the girls’ names. She then held them in each of her hands and closed her eyes, reciting.

“Memories lost to memories gained,
“Only magic of the memories remain.
“Deep as heart and souls within,
“When your mind is ready, remind again.
“Know your true selves with time,
“Open your minds with the Mystic’s Rhyme.
“Only then will you return to me,
“So as I say, so mote it be.”

She felt the magic of her own making flowing to the each bottle. When she was finished casting the spell, the magic flowed back to her body and the warm glow faded away.
With a final sigh of determination, she placed the bottles in her purse and was on her way out the door.

The Immortal Twins

“I knew we were going somewhere.” Ariana remarked to her twin. It was the same time Susan was mixing the Forgetfulness Spell potions with Anna. The twins were in their room, dressing to go out for lunch. Ariana continued. “I could feel it.”
“We are only going to lunch with Mother.” Aluna remarked. “That is all.”
Ariana shook her head. “There is something fishy about it. I do not think we will be returning, sister.”
Aluna ignored her, brushing her hair in front of the mirror. She thought instead of why she was having visions, and whether or