Spellbinders Secret

A Quest of the Heart

Callum stormed out of the throne room.

He should've known. He didn't care that it was almost impossible to find a Match. He should've known.

And if you had? A mean little voice whispers in his head. Suddenly, he stops. What if he had known what she was to him? Would it have changed anything?

Yes. His head automatically answers. Of course it would. She'd always wanted proof that he'd never leave her. Now he had it, but she was in the arms of another man, unwillingly, he should add. Rage coursed through his body, twisting his heart until it too screamed for revenge. He would find her, and then he'd bring her back to him and keep her safe until the end of their days, which, considering that they were Celestial Spellbinder's, could be five or six hundred years at the least.

The patter of feet came from behind him, but he ignored them.

"Callum, wait!" his mother cried desperately. Callum didn't wait. This had been part of their deal; if Ella was his Match, then he could go after her. And now he was.

"Stop!" his father roared. Sighing, he reluctantly turned around and faced his parents.

"What? You can't go back on your word now. I'm going to find her, and nothing you say can stop me," Callum snapped. His Mother and Father backed away, trying to show him that they weren't about to stop him. Good.

"We just want to say goodbye... and good luck," Lilliana whispered. Callum's gaze softened and he nodded. Giving his mother a hug, and his father a handshake, he said his goodbye's.

"But when I return, I hope to be the happiest man in Celestia," he finished, waving to them. Travelling down to the stables with nothing but his sword, a bag filled with cheese, apples, and a small pouch of gold coins, he saddled his jet black mare, Night Dancer, and galloped away. The horse, which he'd also learned how to ride in the past few weeks, had reminded him of Ella with its dark mane. He hoped that, in little more than a few short days, he would be reunited with the girl of his dreams.

***

A few short days later, Callum stood under the shade of a nearby market stall and scrutinised over a map. It was drawn on thick parchment with black ink marking the boundaries between kingdoms and the rough terrain of mountains with dotted lines that showed the paths and trail through the rocky, and usually dangerous, areas. To the east of the market town he was currently in was the boarder between Glace and Emerald. And further north from there? A dark patch of shaded mountains, formally labelled 'The North Mountains', but to the people of Celestia, it was known as the Land of Nightmares. Not a place you'd want to end up, unless you were a member of the Cursed, which, in itself, was not a desirable thing.

From the map, Callum figured he had only a few days to go. A few days. That's when he said he'd find Ella... a few days ago. Sighing, he rolled the map up and gently tugged on Night Dancer's reins. The mare obediently followed behind him, oblivious to her masters suicidal plan.