New Era ( Mrs. Sophie Sencen)

Chapter 17

The sound of footsteps shuffling down the stairs echoed through the house as Ella opened her front door, letting Asher in. They turned toward the sound to see Sophie practically racing down the stairs that both Ella and Asher thought she might slip and fall forward. She was dressed in her meeting attire along with its respectable accessories. As she grew older so did her previous regent outfit.

Her ruby-crowned diadem was placed neatly upon her slightly curled blonde hair along with her wolf printed cape– which she asked Flora to sew a couple of hidden pockets on. She wore a beautiful red blouse with black leggings and her favorite pair of boots.

" Hey, Mom. What's the rush?"

Sophie greeted them both with a warm smile and replied, " Hey, guys. Dad and I have a Black Swan meeting and I needed to change since your sister made me do some art and crafts with her. Got paint all over me."

Ella and Asher laughed. Calla sure is a handful.

" Cool, we're just going to my room. Are you guys going to be late?"

" Probably, Calla and Kenric are both with Edaline. We'll I got to go." She walked past them to the door after giving Ella a kiss and Asher a hug but turned back the last second. " No funny business. I don't want to have to ban Asher from visiting."

Ella blushed and Asher looked down at his shoes interested. Sophie chuckled at their reaction and pulled out a pathfinder. She went outside and glittered away.

Ella cleared her throat and nudged Asher to follow her upstairs to her room. They walked in silence as they made it through her door. Asher went over to sit down on her desk, while Ella went toward the corner of her room. She hid the vial and note behind her hanging pictures, just in case someone finds out.

Ella grabbed them and reached into her bag to get the book. Once she got ahold of it, she dropped it to the nearby chair and walked closer to Asher up until they were only a foot apart.

" Here goes nothing," Ella said as she opened the book to pour a drop of the substances in the flask, but before she could open the cork, a hand grabbed her wrist. Ella looked up to see Asher's eyes darken with a glimpse of fear. Now she was confused. Is he scared of something? If so, then what?

" Lia." His minty breath felt cold against her heated cheeks. Ella just realized how close he has gotten. Their nose very touching and if they leaned an inch more, their lips would meet. Her head felt dizzy just thinking about it.

" Ash?" Ella croaked out. Before she could react, Asher yanked both the book and flask from her hands; he then tilted the flask letting a drop fall down to the paper.

The drop scattered covering the whole page and glowed as words appeared. It read,

" You have done excellently. Follow these next steps to fulfill thy task or face thy consequences"

1. Lay the flask on the book

2. Create a barrier all round the book in the shape of a sphere

3. Push all thy power into it to create the portal

Portal? To where? What task?

Ella was beyond puzzled while Asher seemed to know exactly what it means. He was staring down at the words as if he would be able to burn it through. His face was blank and emotionless that it worried Ella. She reached closer to grasp his sleeve and tugged on it.

Asher's head snapped toward hers as complete horror flashed over his face before returning back to his previous expression. He pulled back his arm in a harsh tug. Ella's face fell as he moved away from her and toward her desk.

Why is he acting like this? What in the name of Atlantis is he going to do?

Asher placed the book of the hard surface of her desk with the flask on top of the pages as instructed. He then continued to follow the given step as he created a sphere-shaped barrier. Ella was stiff watching him pour every amount of his power into the book.

In a matter of seconds, the book glowed that if one started directly might become blind. Ella peered from her hands that were covering her eyes from the bright light. With blurry vision, she saw locks of brown hair walking deeper into the light. It's Asher.

Before she knew it, a rush of adrenaline ran through her and she rushed over to him. Going deeper into the light, as well, she felt her energy drain. She groaned as she felt powerless. She looked around her surrounding to find that she's in a dark hollow.

Dark Hollow? How? She was just in her room.

Questions flew all around her head to the point her head hurt of thinking possible, but crazy answers. Then a thought passed through her.

Asher!

Ella frantically surveys the place looking for her best friend and his daring grey eye, when a piercing voice called out.

" Oh look, is it, my dear granddaughter."

Ella's head snapped back to see Asher looking defeated alongside a woman who had a pink cape hovering over her blonde hair. Ella's breath hitched and her heart raced.

Could it be?

Omg! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in two weeks! I have just been so busy with my schoolwork. This year is starting out to be hectic. I'll try my best to have the next chapter quicker and longer.

Did this chapter shock you? Is Asher really who people thought him to be? Comment your thoughts, I can't wait to read them!

I'm also starting a new fiction book called Desired Keys. So please check it out once published. My best friend and I are really working hard on it.

- Love Malina