The End of Innocence: Book 3 of the Kinstone series
Chapter 32: England

(Rachel)

A few hours later.

I, much like my daughter, hate rather long flights over the ocean. Even if the destination is a favorable one. There is a certain tedium involved to merely being encased in a metal tube for an ungodly span of time. Aria often found respite with her nose in a book or in the rear of the cabin, fast asleep. I would join her of course if journey grew too tiresome.

While a teenager, I can’t help but hold that little girl in my arms. Heaven knows she absolutely loves waking up only to find my arms around her tiny body. Even now I can still feel her warmth on my skin.

Our parting, while normally routine and met with little issue, felt harder than usual. I agree with her that this trip does indeed feel different. I will make this up to her the moment I return home. But for now…I must face the task at hand.

Her sister and I were at last able to disembark from our plane upon arrival at Heathrow just a shy of an hour ago. Travel weather was graciously favorable, starting from the airfield, Dulles, and finally to London. Long transoceanic flights aside, the final portion of the trip is relatively simple, if not strange. It involved traveling by car to a small manor in the shire north of London.

I peer out the window of our car, having enjoyed leaving the overly-developed urban sprawl. While Austin is undeniably a major city in America, there still remains the feeling of nature and life.

Although, when Aria and I traveled to Chattanooga last spring, I could not help but become entranced by the region’s beauty and charm. In some unforeseen way, everywhere she lived, felt very much like a precursor to her current life on the Estate.

“How long has it been since you were here in the shire?”

I turn my attention to Sil’vari, as she sits across from me. “Two years,” I smile, “two long years since I first brought Aria here. Granted, she and I traveled north to Manchester. A trip she thoroughly enjoyed.”

The dragon smiles, leaning back into her seat. I know it hurt my little girl to bring her sister along with me.

One tends forget you are in the presence of a dragon, if they are in their full human guise. The last time I recall seeing her in the state was during the first spring after I met my now daughter.

She had volunteered to go and watch over her one day while she visited her mall. The child immediately recognized her upon first glance, towering over most humans. She always did possess a keen eye for details.

I close my eyes for a moment, thinking of my little girl. With her aunt away as well, she must be feeling lonesome. This is different than any prior trip. Questions were abuzz in my mind.

A sudden notice summoning me to England from Viktor, stating that it would be safer to leave her home? If this in some manner dealt with Dewloura, surely she ought to be present. Another question, why meet so far from the airport? I understand the need for discretion but why this deep into the shire? Answers for later.

I gaze back out the window, watching the sky as it slowly turns from clear to being filled with clouds heavy with dark blues and greys. A storm is settling in, which only serves to hasten our arrival.

I sly grin rose on my face, “Did you know Aria has been corresponding with Titania?”

The red dragon looks at me in disbelief, “No I didn’t. When did this start?”

My grin grew broader, “For the past year according to her.”

The dragon leans back, covering her face with her hand, “Unbelievable. That girl loves her secrets doesn’t she?”

I chuckle, “That she does. To be honest,” looking to her, “I have noticed my girl’s somewhat rapid progress in fae magic and history. It always made me wonder what her source was. Now it makes sense.”

Her sister crosses her arms, “If the fairy queen and her are passing letters to each other, I wonder when the two became friends, given their first encounter.”

The first time Aria ever encountered the queen of Tir Na Nog, she was nearly overwhelmed and frightened beyond words. The queen’s presence was far greater than anything she previously felt. But the visit was merely that, a visit. According to her, the queen had taken notice of my girl while the both of us visited England.

The fae had traveled to our home just to meet with her shortly after I began the girl’s training. So it goes without saying that Aria was not prepared for her. So with the two of them having more or less become pen pals, it stands to reason the pair are now friends.

I grin, that girl always seems to have a knack for making friends.

“Are you planning to have her stop talking to Titania?” asks her sister.

I tap my chin, “No…I don’t believe I will. Her Majesty hasn’t reappeared on the Estate for nearly two years now. If the pair have indeed become friends, there is little I could do to stop them. Lest offending her Majesty.”

The dragon leans further into the seat. “Well I will say if Titania really does like our girl, we could count on her to look after her.”

It’s not a bad idea, however Titania is known for being somewhat capricious, not to mention unpredictable even in the best of times. It still makes me worry all the more for my little girl.

The car finally arrived at the manor, coming to a complete stop near the front of the house. The building is an old Tudor construct, possibly being summer retreat at one point for a lesser noble or merchant. It is small yet homely, with stone walls and pitched yard. Light shines from a couple rooms, possibly the entry hall being the obvious first.

Sil’vari and I exit the car, feeling a blast of chilling wind, extremely odd for a mid-summer’s day. The storm we had been traveling against was growing stronger, with the sky becoming even darker.

Apart from the rustling of trees and bushes, the surrounding area was quiet and void of life. No foxes rushing across the yard, birds flapping in the sky. Not even the sight of a stray dog. Something didn’t feel right, and my daughter’s fears and concerns began echoing in my mind once more.

There was another car parked alongside ours, bearing the crest of House Titalos, meaning Viktor had arrived before us. Outside the front door stood two men, presumably servants belonging to his house. I turn to my companion, each giving the other a short nod before venturing inside.

The entryway is small, roughly half the size of Aria’s room, with stairs sitting to the right of us. The air within the house feels old, if not stale, as though no one had resided here for some time. We slowly make our way through the room, following the second light within the old house.

The floors creak with each step, which echo throughout the hall. There were no portraits, no signs of who originally owned this place. The creeping sensation of this feeling wrong grew stronger and stronger the deeper we venture.

We then enter into a large open space, possibly a living room or dining room. A large table sits in the middle, surrounded by chairs and a fireplace in the back. I peer over the lit fireplace, seeing a man hovering over it.

“Viktor?” I call out to him.

He turns and looks to me, “Rachel?”

I round the table, walking over to him, “Care to tell me what was so important I had to fly all the way to England?”

His head tilt, raising an eyebrow, “What are you talking about? I received a summons from you, stating you needed to see me right away.”

Now it was my turn to be confused. My mouth hung agape, not sure how to respond.

Sil’vari steps beside me, “Okay…what’s going on here?”

“Rachel? Viktor? Mind telling me what this emergency is all about?”

We all then turn to see another figure enter the room. “Arcturus? What are you doing here?” I ask, staring at him.

He walks over to the three of us, holding up a letter, “I received a letter from each of you, saying you needed to see me. But you never stated why.”

I pull back, regarding him, “I never sent you any notice.”

He hands me the letter, “It’s from your stationary.”

I hold up the parchment and examine it. It was from my stationary, right to the feel of the embedded weaving of the paper of which only I order. But I never give this to anyone, not even Aria.

“Okay…someone needs to start talking, and answer why we were dragged all the way out to the middle of nowhere,” growls Sil’vari.

Both men turn to her, watching as she angrily snorts flames from her nostrils.

I look to her, “This makes no sense,” turning to Viktor, who also handed me a letter, which also came from my stationary. Both letters were identical, each bearing my handwriting, “I never sent either of you a summons.”

The room then grows cold, despite the radiant heat coming from both the dragon and the fireplace. Arcturus steps closer, “Rachel, why isn’t Aria with you?”

I look to him, “The summons I received stated she should remain, for her safe…ty.” A shiver then runs up my spine as horror fills my eyes.

“Rachel…where is her Highness?” asks Viktor.

Turning to both men, “She’s, at home. I left her there.” My eyes bulge, “Oh no. This…this was a trap, meant to draw us, me, away from her. Someone baited us into coming here.” My breath grows heavily as yet another fear rose, “With Sil’vari and myself gone, her defenses will be severely weakened.”

Sil’vari’s face coils in horror, “Little Wing,” turning it me, “someone is going to attack her.”

My mouth hangs open, “We need to get home right now.” I then hear my phone ring from within my purse. I pull it out, answering it, “Yes?”

“My…my Lady…the plane…it’s been destroyed.” The line goes dead.

No.

More phones go off, with both men answering them, each giving me the same terrified glance.

No, no, no. I quickly dial Aria, hearing it ring. Please sweetheart, please pick up.

A few moments later the line connects. I sigh in relief, “Oh thank god, Aria?”

The line is silent, aside from the sound of someone breathing into the phone. “I’m afraid not, my Lady.”

I feel my heart skip a beat. The voice on the other end sounds feminine, but I couldn’t quite recognize it. “Where is my daughter?”

The voice chuckles, “Oh, do not trouble yourself, my Lady. I do not have your precious daughter.” The house then shakes violently, causing the four of us to dash out the room and towards the front.

When we arrived, all three of our cars lay in smoldering heaps of flaming metal. Both of Viktor’s men lay belly first on the porch in a pool of blood.

“Now…I am pleased to announce that you will be staying with us until our task is done. Please do enjoy our hospitality.” The line goes dead. I turn to both Viktor and Arcturus, who each try desperately to call out.

The storm churns violently as lightning then crashes overhead, only to strike the top of a magical barrier. Sil’vari steps out onto the front yard and transforms. She draws in a long deep breath, unleashing a torrent of dragon flame onto it.

The flames press hard onto the invisible wall, pushing it back only for it to rebound onto her. She growls, standing unfazed, launching herself into the barrier, slashing and punching at it.

“YOU THINK A PUNY BARRIER IS GOING TO KEEP ME FROM MY SISTER!?!?!”

I stagger onto the yard, transforming my ring into a staff, “Sil’vari, stand back!”

The dragon turned, watching as I gather magic from all around me, pouring it into the ruby held within. She quickly leaps back, flying towards me. She barely passes by my face as I stab the pummel of my staff into the ground, causing all three focusing gems to fire three massive beams of energy the size of a school bus into the barrier.

It wavers and buckles. The dragon flies into the air, drawing in yet another breath, unleashing her flames onto the same point of my spell. The barrier soon buckles even more under the strain.

Cracks soon form in the wall, only to again rebound our attacks. The reflected magic hurtles itself towards us. Sil’vari and I quickly duck along with Viktor and Arcturus, completely destroying the house.

Debris falls all around as I rise back to my feet. Horror and terror grip my heart, unable to break through and return home. Whoever set this up knew how powerful we are and prepared accordingly.

My phone then rings once more, to which I immediately answer. “You goddamn bastard, or whoever this might be, you will not keep me from my daughter!”

The line is quiet for a moment. A low chuckle hovered over the line, “I told you, my Lady. You are not leaving here until we are done. And we will be once we have your daughter’s head on a pike. But by all means continue to try and escape, it’ll only make us enjoy the show,” the line then went dead.

Anger flowed through me, crushing my phone. Magic swirled around me. I won’t give up until I am free and beside her. I stared off into the horizon, Aria, please…please stay safe.

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