Underworld

Power (I never said I wanted this)

"You must be one with the dagger," Toro said. "It must be an extension of yourself. If not, you could be destroyed by its power."

"Do I have to?" I squeaked. Eli laughed. "Unfortunately, you do."

I moaned and angrily snatched the dagger from my belt. I held it in my right hand.

"The best way to hold it is wrap your index finger on the top of the handle and have your thumb on the blade," Toro advised. I did as he said. The blade was sharp and slippery.

"Repeat after me," Toro ordered. "Esky le ocher mes kinges du tante."

The words danced out of my mouth before I could stop them but instead of hearing those words, I heard "Let the blade from the kings give me power." I had a feeling I'd heard those words before like in a vision or a dream...

Eli gave a strangled gasp.

"What is it?" Toro asked.

"She understands what it means!" Eli whispered to his father. Toro frowned. "Addison, put the dagger away and repeat the saying."

"Let the blade from the kings give me power," I repeated but of courses it was in the other language.

"Okay, so it has nothing to do with the dagger," Eli said, folding his arms. "She is the chosen one."

"I'm also descended from Underworlders," I pointed out.

"True," Eli added. "Should we continue the lesson father?"

"Yes," Toro nodded. "Addison, clear your mind."

I let every last thought drift to the back of my head.

"Feel all your energy pool in the bottom of your stomach."

It felt as if there was bubbling chemicals at the pit of my tummy.

"Now repeat the saying."

"Esky le ocher mes kinges du tante. Let the blade from the kings give me power."

Suddenly, it felt like a bomb had exploded in my chest and pain seared through my body. The inscriptions glowed the familiar yellow and my head started to spin.

"Stop her, stop her!" I heard Toro yell. "The power will destroy her!"

"How?" Eli shouted.

The blade of the dagger was getting hot and my thumb was burning. I felt like I wanted to die, I was in so much pain. My chest was tightening and my stomach was aching. I couldn't see anything, all I could see was yellow light.

Then, two hands grabbed my shoulders and I saw Eli's green eyes look straight into mine.

"Erpers nu mertone ocher ye tante halte," he said desperately. The words I heard in my head were "Undo the work of the blade's power. Make it STOP!"

I dropped the dagger and cold chilled me to the bone. The yellow disappeared from my vision but my head was still hurting. I collapsed into Toro's arms. There was a clatter and I heard Will's scream of "What the hell have you done to my sister?"

There was another clatter, a bang and I fell to the ground. I heard a snap and my arm seared with pain. Rowan had punched Toro in the face.

"Leave my father alone!" Eli roared and he grabbed Rowan's collar. Will leapt in to help Rowan.

"Stop, stop, stop, stop, STOP!" Ebony yelled at the top of her voice. Rowan and Will pulled away from knocking Eli unconscious and Eli sped to his father's side.

"Fighting will get us nowhere!" Ebony said. "Addison, put the dagger on your forehead."

I remembered what I'd done the day before on my wrist and put the dagger, inscription side on my forehead. Immediately, I felt as fresh as a summers' day. Even my broken arm felt better though it still hurt.

"Maybe we shouldn't have tried that so soon," Toro said and to my surprise and immense relief he was grinning.

"Sorry 'bout that," Rowan mumbled.

"Yeah, same," Will said, biting his lip.

"Same here," Eli said sheepishly.

Toro laughed and clapped all three boys on the back. "You kids should see the town. Get some free time."

"Town?" I said in surprise. "The Underworld Town still exists?"

"'Course," Ebony said. "Come with me. I'll show you round."