The Enchanted Flame

Chapter 9 - Not all of them show their true form

When I opened my eyes I was no longer sitting on the chair. Instead, I was on the couch where Killian was sleeping previously and I had a blanket over me. 

I was about to get up but then my eyes fell on the two men talking to each other in hushed voices.

I made no sound or movement as I observed Killian and Edor talking to each other silently, Edor was using his hands to gesture something.

Then Edor put his hand forward giving Killian something, which I assumed must be the pendant. 

Why was Killian carrying it anyway? Did he know Edor might need something like this for his spell?

“Does she know the truth?” Edor asked getting my attention.

I could only see the right side of Killian’s face and it tensed lightly as Edor asked the question. Killian turned his head in my direction probably to check if I were still sleeping or hearing their conversation.

I quickly closed my eyes and pretended to sleep.

“No.”

“But she needs to know,” Edor said softly trying to convince Killian.

“There is no need for her to know anything,” Killian’s voice was not calm and filled with fun like usual but serious, something that I had rarely seen on his face, “and you will not utter a word to her.”

“Edor will never say anything,” replied Edor instantly with urgency, trying to desperately prove his emotions and loyalty.

There was silence, but I did not open my eyes.

What was going on? What truth were they hiding from me?

I kept my eyes closed for the next two or three minutes and then opened them halfway to check if they were still in the room but to my surprise, only Edor was sitting near the fireplace with his back facing me.

I decided to get up.

Edor might have heard  my sound, “Glad you are up, Edor has put the spell on the pendant.”

I passed him a thankful smile, “Thank you so much for everything you have done, Edor.”

“Killian has saved my life, it is nothing.”

I shook my head, “No, I mean thank you for helping us earlier as well and I am sorry you got in trouble because of helping us.”

I dragged the chair that was in front of the table and put it next to Edor as he stared at the burning flames like a statue with no emotion on his face.

“It needed to be done, she was out of control. Her sins needed to be taken care of,” Edor did not look at me.

He was one of the oldest and the wisest wizards, who was framed for helping the enemies and was thrown out of the kingdom. He was staying in the dark woods. He was misunderstood by many but this did not stop him from helping the Queen. Even though he suffered so much that did not stop him from helping his Queen she needed his help.

But the reward he got for helping us would have cost him his life it was not for Killian. The woman who was behind everything managed to send him to the Kingdom of superior shifters knowing very well no one comes back alive from here.

“Why didn’t you come back?” I questioned. He would be welcomed back as the hero he was, not the backstabber he was thought to be.

He let out a small laugh while stroking his long beard, “I have no one, I have no reason to go back.”

“That’s not true, you have your coven, they would love to have you back.”

He shifted his eyes from the fire towards my face slowly, “If coven is everything then why did you leave yours?”

I pressed my lips tightly together unable to answer his question. 

My coven was different from his coven. My coven only believed in powers, just when I thought they would be proud of me for fighting along with Queen for our Kingdom, they managed to prove me wrong again. My grandma had only one question, ‘does this mean the queen would finally give our coven the place they deserve, or will she repeat the same mistake again?’

“There was no place for me in my coven,” I replied in a bitter tone, even though I tried my best to hide the emotions some things could never stay hidden.

“But you are their next true leader,” Edor said the words very slowly, saying it casually.

My head turned towards him quickly as the words settled slowly, “How do you know this?”

I was no longer relaxed near him but ready to use my powers. No one knew this, not even my cousins. My grandma, my parents, and one cousin knew about it. Except for Evan, who might have overheard it from someone or probably used his magic to find the next leader.

“The moon is always accompanied by the stars.”

His vague reply did not give me any answers. But I was sure the moon reference was for my coven.

“What are you talking about? How do you know so much about me?” I was getting anxious by my unanswered questions. 

In his reply, he just smiled at me, “You are a strong girl, keep following your heart. One day, you will have to choose.”

“What do you mean?” I asked but I knew it was useless, he would not answer my question, “choose what?”

There was something about him, something about his aura that was telling me he was not dangerous. His aura was like a light in the dark, he was strong. 

I focused more on his aura, trying to read what he was hiding. I had a strong feeling he knew very well what I was doing but I also had a feeling he knew very well what I was doing and yet he was not making any moves to stop me. Even though he could use the magic here. It meant only one thing, he wanted me to recognize him.

And that when it all clicked, the stars.

He was from the coven ‘Circle of wisdom’. 

It was the coven who used to work with our coven, our covens were connected. 

They used to keep us away from the darkness, or so I have heard but something happened between the covens that made them part their ways. Their coven leader used to give advice to our leader, two different covens but both shined at night in the darkness. 

“You are from the circle of wisdom,” I said softly and in response, he smiled with pride shining in his eyes.

“The moon did not make a mistake to pick you.”

“What….how..” I could not decide what question to ask him first.

“I knew just by looking at you who you were. I was not in the coven I was the rightful leader of the coven,” there was sadness in his voice as he continued the story.

“But when you got framed why didn’t your coven say anything?”

“Edor’s brother framed him.”

I stared at him with wide eyes, the current leader was Edor’s brother? There were so many questions swirling in my head after hearing his response.

“Why didn't you say anything? You can come back and take your place as the leader, Queen Amara would support you.” I tried my best to convince him.

“Loyalty can not be forced.”

I had a feeling Amara did not know about this as well because she wanted to bring Edor back in the Kingdom to give him back his lost respect. If she had any idea about it, she would have done something to punish Edor’s brother.

“Is that why our covens do not work together anymore?”

“My brother does not believe in kindness he only does the things that would benefit him and your grandma cares a little too much about her image. Two people much alike."

“So, both our covens are pretty messed up,” it was not a question. 

In fact, it was clear, without Edor to show grandma the wisdom she was taking decisions right for her, and Edor’s brother was never the right leader for his coven.

The leaders of the coven were picked up by the sources of our powers but sometimes the covens would not follow them.

“I have no relation with the coven anymore but Edor prays for the people of Kingdom.”

I let out a breath. I had to convince Edor to go back but how could I when I was not ready to go back to my coven? I had no mood of going back or taking my place as the leader but I could not leave the people of my coven as well.

“Where is Killian?” I asked to change the subject.

“He will be back soon,” was Edor’s only response.

I debated in my head if I should ask him about his conversation with Killian or not.

“What is the reason for your worries, child?”

I forced a smile and decided not to ask him anything. I had a feeling Edor would never say anything that Killian would not want him to.

“Just thinking about how I will return.”

“Killian would find a way to send you home, have trust in him, He will never let any harm come your way,” I had a strong feeling there was a hidden meaning behind Edor’s words, the way his eyes were shining with a knowing emotion.

“Why not,” I let out a chuckle, “I am just a girl he is helping as he helped you.”

Edor kept staring at the fire for a brief moment before opening his mouth, “Shifters are not real to one form, be careful with them, You never know what hides in their heart.”

I stared at the old wizard speechlessly. Was this his way of giving me a warning about Killian?

Was it a mistake to trust him?

“Edor,” I whispered to get his attention, “is there anything I should know? Or something I should be careful about?”

Edor was looking at me but he was having an argument with himself in his head, Edor had a distant look in his eyes as he kept stroking his beard, “Be aware of shifters, not all of them show their true form.”

I opened my mouth to ask him the meaning of his words but the door opened and Killian walked in.

“What are you talking about?” he questioned, looking between us casually as he walked over to the table and took a seat on the empty chair.

“Nothing much,” I forced a smile, “just telling Edor about the Kingdom and the covens.”

“Okay,” his eyes held a suspicious look as Edor did not look at him, “anyway, shortcake, we are leaving.”

I stood up abruptly, “Right now? Wait, does this mean I am going home?”

“Well,” Killian dragged the well as he looked tilted his head, “sort of.”

I folded my hands over my chest, “What do you mean, sort of.”

“I mean, that we need to make a quick stop to make sure it works,” he removed the pendant from his pocket.

I gave a quick glance to Edor who seemed to be having a silent conversation with Killian, in response to which Killian shook his head in a subtle way.

There was something very fishy, I could smell it.