Read The Key for Free Online Page B

know.’
    Arkarian’s words send a chill through me. ‘What is it?’
    Matt comes close enough to listen, but stays quiet.
    â€˜There’s more power in your hands now than you realise.’
    â€˜More than the touching and visualising thing I do?’
    â€˜Be careful, Rochelle, until you learn what your capabilities are and how to control the power. You could probably injure a small animal with these.’
    I yank my hands from his. ‘Injure an animal?’
    â€˜Or a child.’
    â€˜What are you saying, Arkarian? I don’t want to hurt an animal, or a child!’
    A soft whoosh from behind has me spinning around. My nerves are suddenly on a razor edge.
    â€˜I assure you my dear, you won’t be hurting anyone.’ It’s Lady Arabella, cloaked in a golden cape and looking very regal, even with her delicate skin and frosted eyelashes.
    I first met this woman in a safe room here in the Citadel. Along with Arkarian, she debriefed me and helped with my transition into the Guard.
    She smiles and her ice-encrusted eyes appear softer. ‘Don’t fret, Rochelle. I’ll teach you how to control your new-found power so that your hands will be completely safe.’ Her words are a relief. I thank her and she glances past me to Arkarian. Her eyebrows lift. ‘Unfortunately we are still picking up the pieces after that disastrous meeting.’
    â€˜How is my father?’ asks Arkarian.
    â€˜Tired. He asks about you. He warns you to take care and stay out of sight. He says to tell you that there has been some suspicious movement on the borders of the realms of late. And he gives you these.’ From within her cloak she hands Arkarian what appear to be three small crystals. ‘They will give you light.’
    Arkarian takes the crystals and stashes them in his trouser pocket, while Lady Arabella’s eyes drift to Matt. She greets him by smiling and bowing her head. Bowing! What is going on? She’s acting like a gushing schoolgirl.
    Finally she pulls herself together and starts explaining how we’re to stand within the inner octagon frame. I look around, but can’t see it until Arkarian points to the ground, where an octagon is displayed through a series of patterned floor tiles.
    â€˜Your exit from this world will be smooth, but your delivery into the remains of the temple will be anyone’s guess.’ From nowhere Lady Arabella produces three thick long cloaks. ‘Put these on now and keep them wrapped tightly around you. They will cushion your fall and protect you from injury. Remember you don’t have Isabel to heal you on this journey, and even with her newlyenhanced powers of being able to heal without touching, she is still limited by distance and barriers. And of course she can’t heal unless she knows what the injury is.’
    After a few more instructions to Arkarian on how he will return us, Lady Arabella guides the three of us to stand within the inner octagon. Content that we are in the right position, she steps back. Almost instantly a humming sound draws our attention to the high centre point above us. The ceiling panels begin to move. They move slowly at first, and it’s quite a sight as the panels are just so big. As their movement increases the colours and patterns intertwine and soon become one colourful blur. It becomes hard on my eyes and I lift an arm to shield them. Suddenly the highest point in the ceiling opens and fills with a light so bright it’s as if the sun is falling.
    Surrounded by this light my body lifts and spins, leaving me disoriented. The light changes, loses its brightness, and darkness rushes in. Arkarian calls out, letting me know he’s not far. But I can’t see either him or Matt any more. There’s a strong wind now, pulling my limbs in different directions. It strengthens until it becomes too much to handle and I wonder if I will survive the experience, when the wind suddenly