Flutter (The Discover Series) Read online

  “I don’t think I can-”

  “Just start it,” Alejandro whispered, interrupting her.

  Before she could respond, the doors were thrown open and three hunters filled the doorway. They stopped short, scanning the room.

  “I thought you said you heard voices!” The first hunter demanded of the two behind him, scowling at the darkened room.

  “We-“

  “There-“

  The hunters stumbled over their words, trying to come up with an explanation for the dark, empty room. The one who seemed to be the leader, took a few steps farther into the room, the wood floors creaking under his weight. He stopped.

  The entire room was vacant. No place to hide.

  “Is it an ill-“

  One of the hunters began to ask, but the leader quickly silenced him.

  “Quiet you idiot!”

  He took a few more steps into the emptiness and eyed the area suspiciously. His eyes roamed over every detail of the room before lifting his arm, waving his hand through the air. He waited, searching the darkness for signs of deceit.

  Alejandro, Reyna and Andres watched, frozen as the leader closed his eyes and formed a circle with his hands. He twisted them back and forth, until thin wisps of grey and silver light flowed from the center of his hands a hazy ball of light forming between them. He twisted again and pulled his hands apart, dividing the light into two. Turning his hands so his palms faced out, he started pushing them back and forth, creating shadows of light in the air.

  Reyna looked at Andres, terrified. They knew exactly what he was trying to do. He was trying to destroy the illusion and it didn’t matter who was holding the creation, he would succeed in overthrowing it.

  After a few minutes nothing happened, and he closed his fingers into a fist, and the light was extinguished. He turned on his foot, facing the double doors. Shoving the other two roughly out of the way, he stalked out of the room.

  “They are here somewhere!” he bellowed with rage. “Keep searching!”

  The other two followed, closing the doors behind them.

  “They’re gone,” Andres’s voice was tight.

  Reyna, Alejandro and Andres looked at each other, and then their eyes fell to the child who was now sitting up, alert in her fathers arms. She stared back at them with wide, jungle green eyes that sparkled and matched her mothers. She smiled, waving a chubby little fist in the air.

  “Did you-” Andres asked.

  “No.” Reyna responded.

  “Did she-”

  “Yes.” She breathed.

  “How could she?” Alejandro asked.

  “Because she is strong.”

  She answered slowly, smiling proudly at her daughter. The feeling was bitter-sweet because she would never see her daughter’s full potential.

  “We need to hurry.” Alejandro finally said.

  No one had wanted to be the first to interrupt the moment.

  “Do you think she can keep it constructed?” Andres asked.

  “Of course she can, can’t you my love.” She cooed sweetly at the Princess and she giggled, nodding her head.

  The three of them stepped through the illusion; it quivered and blurred around their silhouettes, but remained intact. They could hear the hunters stomping through the rooms below them. They were running out of time. If they wanted to get the princess out of here they had to move fast, or it would be too late.

  Alejandro moved first.

  Dropping to the floor he pushed away the thick rug, and pulled open a door that led to a tunnel hidden beneath the Princess’s room.

  “Through here.” He didn’t need to tell Andres where it led. “Adan will be there waiting for you,” he explained. “He’ll help you get to the boat. You have to go now!”

  Alejandro started to panic as the intruders got louder. There were more of them swarming the castle now, and they wouldn’t stop until they found them. Until they found her.

  Any second now they would realize what had been done, and they would come back looking for them.

  Andres knelt next to the opening in the floor, and looked at Alejandro and then Reyna. There were so many things he wanted to say to them; but he only nodded, knowing that was enough. Alejandro and Reyna each leaned forward, giving their daughter one last kiss and hug. Andres jumped down into the tunnel, landing lightly on his feet. He looked down at the Princess, but she was looking at her parents. She didn’t completely understand what was going on, but she could sense their urgency.

  “I’m shadowing her creation. I’ll continue to hold it until I know you’re far enough away.” She told him

  Andres nodded, and paused before he turned away. Once he started, he didn’t waste any time moving through the tunnel; it was pitch black, but he knew exactly where he was going.

  Reyna knew precisely when Andres and Sara were out of reach of her shadow. She knew she was the one holding the illusion on her own. Every breath she took, every movement she made, caused the illusion to shimmer and threatened to melt away; but she knew Andres needed more time, and that was all the encouragement she needed to keep the illusion together.

  Her head was pounding, and she wanted to collapse to the floor to mourn her daughter’s absence, but she could hear the hunters making their way up the stairs again, and she forced herself to focus.

  Alejandro moved to stand next to her, and the apparition trembled violently around them. She looked at him, and couldn’t help but fall in love with him all over again. They were together, and if this was the way it had to end, she wouldn’t have had it any other way. His hand found hers, and together they intertwined their fingers around each other’s and held tight.

  Alejandro bent down and kissed Reyna softly on the lips. He lingered there as he brushed his lips over hers, back and forth. It was a bitter-sweet kiss, and Reyna couldn’t help the tears slowly falling down her cheeks. Alejandro found the salty paths, sweeping the tears away with his lips, kissing the corners of her mouth. Leaning his forehead against hers, he stared into her eyes, wanting to tell her so many things. But it was too late.

  The doors to the chambers were thrown open.

  Their time was up.

  Andres

  Once I neared the end of the tunnel, I ducked low, and took in my surroundings.

  The tunnel had been built under the castle grounds, and covered three and a half miles, leading directly toward the edge of the island. It was still another fifteen miles to the ocean, and the only way off of the island.

  Reaching the end of the tunnel; I crouched down, waiting, listening for any of the hunters that might still be surveying the escape routes. I hid behind the blades of long grass that grew over the entrance, disguising the opening of the tunnel. Stopping for a moment, I looked down at the Princess. She had fallen asleep again during our getaway.

  There was a heavy mix of smells in the air; the muggy smell of the dirt that surrounded us, the smell of grass; and the thick overpowering smell of smoke and burning wood. I couldn’t see much beyond the long blades of grass, except for the sky; and only because it looked like it was on fire as the orange tint from the burning fires highlighted the horizon. It was quiet now; I could no longer hear the clamor of horses, or the screams of the innocent people that had once inhabited the island.

  The silence of the night made it easier to hear when the ground above us began to rumble. The echo of hoofed feet, bounced around inside the tunnel; and I shielded the Princess as dirt and earth fell around our heads. I could hear men talking; they had found the King and Queen. My heart sank at the news, but the Princess had been nowhere inside the castle, and now they knew someone was trying to leave the island with her. I flattened my body against the ground as much as I could, ignoring the roots that stuck out all along the walls of the tunnel, scratching my face. Bits of debris slid off the sides, burring into the thick mess of my hair, and inside of my shirt. An impression of my body formed in the damp dirt as I used it to camouflage myself.

  There was n
othing I could do but hope that they rode on, and that the Princess would stay asleep until they had. Looking down at her again she looked so peaceful; blissfully unaware of what was happening to her home, and the people who were fighting and dying to save her. She needed to get off the island, and if it was the last thing I did, she would.

  I didn’t know much about Adan’s history, but I knew that the King and Queen trusted him, and knew he was somehow very important to Sara’s future as the Princess of Encanto; so I would trust him too.

  The sudden squirming of the Princess brought my attention back to her, and I realized she was awake again. Smiling down at her, I lifted my finger and pressed it to my lips. She responded by making the same gesture, lifting her eyes, and tilting her head from one side to the other, trying to figure out where she was.

  My attention was refocused on the men outside the tunnel when I heard one of the hunters speak.

  “Did you hear that?”

  I couldn’t hear the second hunter’s response.

  I waited, straining to hear whatever it was that had caught their attention. I couldn’t hear anything, but I could feel something, something strong, nothing I had ever felt before.

  The Princess moved again and I glanced down at her. I could see it in her eyes; whatever I was feeling was coming from her, and… someone else. Whoever it was, was not one of our kind. Her eyes were sparkling brightly, and there was a faint golden glow outlining her silhouette. She looked dreamy, happy, and calm; so whatever she was feeling wasn’t hurting her. I could tell that whatever was on the other end of the connection was getting closer, as the sensation was getting stronger.

  “There is something over here,” one said, “bring that light here.”

  I could hear them moving right over our heads. I pushed us deeper into the soggy earth which caused more clumps of dirt to fall around us.

  I could see the spotlight of the flashlight, as they shined it down toward the opening of the tunnel. Turning, I placed Sara behind me and pushed her as far out of sight as I could, before turning my attention back to the two men. They hadn’t moved from above us, but I knew it was only a matter of time before they moved down to inspect the inside of the tunnel.

  “Get down there and check it out.” One ordered the other.

  I focused all of my energy, and warmth started flowing through my veins; traveling toward my hands until streams of currents swirled, forming a brilliant ball of light. It wasn’t very strong, but it would do for now.

  I felt the Princess’s hand on my arm and turned my head toward her. She was looking down at her hand; her little fingers found the skin of my wrist. My eyes followed hers, as she shifted her grasp, centering her thumb directly over my pulse. I could feel the warmth intensify, and the ball of light bloomed brighter and stronger. She smiled, dropped her hand away, and moved behind me again. I was so stunned that I didn’t realize what was going on outside the tunnel.

  “Who’s there?” I heard the hunter yell. “Get out here where we can see you!”

  “Can’t we all just get along boys?”

  “What are you doing out-“

  His question was cut off, and there was a muffled sound. I couldn’t make out what was going on; and then I heard a loud thump followed a second later by another. Then it was quiet. There was no longer light from the flashlight and I watched the entrance of the tunnel, my eyes darting back and forth, waiting.

  I could see the shadowed outline of a body, through the long vines of grass, a second before they stepped through the opening of the tunnel.

  Holding his hands up, I knew he had been the one who startled the hunter. I felt the Princess stir behind me. She was trying to see around me, and I could feel her reaction to him, the intensity of their connection shocked me.

  Walking past me she walked right up to him, and he knelt down in front of her.

  “Hi Sara, I’m Adan.”

  Flutter

  One

  Black out

  Adan

  I sat alone, sipping my coffee slowly without really tasting the searing hot liquid.

  The ordinary coffee shop was dimly lit, and about to get dimmer; as one of the hanging lamp’s bulb pulsated, flickering like a Morse code message. It was a twenty four hour place, and at three in the morning there was a surprising amount of people scattered throughout the shop; sitting at tables and bar stools at the counter. I wondered what they were doing here at this time of the morning.

  I took another sip of the bitter coffee and tried not to grimace as the harsh flavor slid down my throat, warming my body as it traveled down. I used the coffee as a distraction, something for my hands to do while I waited. The more I forced myself to drink it, the more I regretted not just getting something off the laminated breakfast menu. The waitress sauntered over to me again, and presented me with what I was sure was meant to be her most enticing smile, sticking out the pot of coffee in a flirtatious offer.

  “Can I get you anymore coffee?” Her voice was syrupy sweet and that, combined with the suggestion of coffee, made my stomach twist.

  “No thank you.” I said just as sweetly, returning her smile. I had the feeling I could have been a complete jerk, and she still would have swooned.

  “Well then stranger, can I get you anything else?” It was hard to miss the invitation in her question, but just in case I had, she made sure her point was made with her body language.

  “No, but thank you. I’m just waiting for a friend,” her face fell slightly, but brightened when I added who I was waiting for. “He shouldn’t be much longer.”

  “Well if you need anything, you just holler.” She winked and turned away.

  I couldn’t help but follow the swish of her hips as she walked behind the counter and disappeared into the kitchen. I shook my head and tried to grind away the image that was burned into my eyes lids, with my fists.

  I turned, looking out the window. It was pitch black outside, with no light to be expected for months. Big billows of angry clouds covered the sky with the promise of stormy weather for the people of this small town.

  It was the middle of the year on this side of the world, and the middle of winter as well. Most of the towns that surrounded this area, had been sunless for months and expected to be sunless for a few more. After almost twelve years of this pattern, it wasn’t a big fuss anymore. If scientists couldn’t explain it, then a town of less than five thousand people didn’t have a chance.

  I looked down at the table and began to skim the outdated article that had been cut from a newspaper ten years ago, and placed under a thick piece of glass. It talked about how the town looked as though it would be left without any sun for the second year in a row. A year before the published date of the article, the sun suddenly disappeared for nearly seven months, leaving nothing but storm clouds in the sky. No one could explain why this had happened or how long it would continue.

  There was an epidemic of chaos after the first month with no sun. Crime, in the towns affected by the missing sun, sky rocketed to an alarming high. You wouldn’t think so much violence could exist with only a few thousand people, but it was there. Everyone swore it was the end of the world, an omen for the sins of all the wrong doers. Stores were raided and houses were broken into, people spent weeks underground expecting the worst. Reinforcements were finally called in, and everything eventually started to calm down enough that it was safe to go out without being harassed.

  After almost eight months of no sun, the town’s people had awakened one morning to find the first sunrise. Again, no one could explain what made it reappear or why any of it had happened in the first place, but people considered it a positive sign and a blessing when it returned. When it happened the next year and the year after that, no one knew what to think anymore.

  No one except for me.

  I knew what caused the sun to disappear and hide for months at a time, depriving this side of the earth its warmth. What I didn’t know was why or how it happened.

  I to
ok another sip of my cold coffee and made a face of disgust. Blah! I didn’t know why I continued to drink the stuff. I pushed it to the other side of the table, so I wouldn’t impulsively pick it up again. I waved off the waitress as she started to work her way toward me once more, she put on a full pout but turned around.

  I looked at my watch and realized it was just about time to get moving again. We still had another day of traveling if all went well, and I wanted to get out of here before we got hit by this storm.

  I decided to wait for Aaron outside and shifted out of the booth, reaching into the back pocket of my jeans, and throwing down enough cash to cover the coffee and tip. As I passed the counter I tried to ignore the look of longing in the waitress’s stare down, as she drew lazy circles on the top of the counter with a red finger nail. The door of the coffee shop chimed, and I nodded a goodbye to the waitress, pushing my way through to the outside.

  I stood off to the side, knowing Aaron would be back anytime now. I shoved my hands into my pockets, and rocked on the balls of my feet to keep myself occupied. It was cold, but it didn’t bother me. I kind of liked it, or at least had adapted to it. I played the part because it drew less attention to me. People tended to notice the only person that wasn’t trembling and flinching away from the icy bite of the weather.

  This would be our last stop before we finally reached them, and Aaron had needed to get some last minute supplies before we headed out. I wanted to be there already. The closer we got to our destination, the more anxious I felt, which I took as a good sign. Everything I had been put through, my entire life, up until this point, had been put in fast forward, literally. I had been waiting for this moment for as long as I remembered. Now I just wanted this task to be over, but everything seemed like it was going in slow motion. It had been so long since I had had to live life at the natural pace of time.