Gates Of Dilemma: Paranormal Romance (Princess Anastasia's Tales Book 2) Read online

  “And when the gates are destroyed, these powers should disappear?” Elizabeth spoke up for the first time all day.

  “That is the theory. Unfortunately, we won’t know for sure till it happens. But please understand Elizabeth that everyone in this place yearns to be freed from the supernatural realm. We don’t want these powers, but we do practice mastering them in order to protect our world,” I explain, my voice catching Marcus’ attention. I watch as he excuses himself from his meeting and joins us in the hallway.

  “The team is ready if your able to get started today,” Marcus states as he looks at me and then turns his attention to Darien.

  “Thank you, Marcus. I’ll be just a moment longer,” I explain. Marcus gives me a quick nod before he leaves, but I can already tell he will be having choice words with me concerning the special attention I am showing the Mathews family.

  “I can tell you need to get to work, but you have to tell me Anna, why everyone keeps giving us weird looks? I know we are only human, but for an organization that houses all sorts of beings, I don’t understand their unwelcoming demeanor,” Darien says in a soft voice. I can’t help but smile as I motion for them to follow me a few steps down the hallway and away from anyone who may be listening. There I rest a hand on Darien’s shoulder for assurance.

  “My people are creatures of habit. We live based on tradition and purpose. We train from a young age and expect to spend our adult years on the battle field, fending off demons and spirits from crossing over. More than that, we are taught to make logical discussions and to avoid any emotional interference. Therefore, public displays of affection are rare and are only seen between couples who have been bonded,” I explain slowly, hoping my words bring understanding to the young family. As I watch Darien’s face, I can almost see when the information finally processes.

  “So back in the cafeteria…” Darien final says.

  “Yes. Though it’s not unusual for us, it sends mixed messages to those around us. So, don’t be offended that you are not welcomed right away by my people. They all expect their future leaders to bonded with other strong warriors.”

  “And I guess bonding means….”

  “It means everything you are probably thinking right now. It’s a ritual to bond two people together…forever,” I finish. “But you’ve seen a lot today. I don’t think any harm will come from you guys continuing the tour without me. Please feel free to ask people questions. I’m sure the teachers would be glad to have new students if you two want to go back to the class room and sit in,” I suggest to John and Elizabeth. They seem to be more relaxed now that they have seen more of the Kingdom and realize it’s not really a bad place to be for a little while.

  “And will we see you later?” Darien asks as he grabs my hand and gives it a light squeeze before letting go.

  “I will come by after dinner. But don’t be surprised if Morgan arrives before I do.” At the mention of the vampire’s name, both John and Elizabeth’s faces light up. They both have come to enjoy the company of the comical night walker.

  “Okay. We’ll see you then,” Elizabeth says as she takes John’s hand and leads him down the hallway. Darien gives me a small smile before he turns and quickly follows after them. I take a deep breath and conduct my appearance before I push away all thoughts of emotion and force myself to focus on the task before me.

  “So, what are we thinking?” I ask loudly as I step in the room and pull everyone’s attention to me.

  “Well I have an idea that no one likes,” Marcus speaks first as he sets a chair at the table for me to use. I say a quick thank you as I sit and look at the small group of warriors around me. “Anastasia, may I introduce you to my research team and closes companions. Aaron here is one of five siblings who continues their family’s work as mappers of the supernatural realm. He is here to help us strategize the best place to stage an attack if given the option to attack from anywhere.” I reach out and shake Aaron’s hand. His handshake is strong despite his appearance. He is a tall and lengthy fellow with red hair and freckles, but he clearly shows he is a force to be reckoned with as he crosses his arms and starts looking me over.

  “Then this is Gabriella. A local representative for her coven. Her magical abilities help us learn more about the environment inside the supernatural realm. She finds ways to speak with the creatures there and in turn discovers what is currently going on in that sector.” I turn and face Gabriella who bows. I return the gesture and place my focus back on Marcus.

  “And lastly, this is Mich. He enjoys studying the anatomy and physiology of all sorts of beings. It was his father who first began the theory that our powers might disappear if we seal off the supernatural realm. Mich had dedicated his life to proving this theory.” I can’t help but focus on Mich as I shake his hand. A million questions run to my mind but I know we have other things to talk about and my questions can wait till later.

  “So, what is this plan of yours?” I ask Marcus now that all the introductions are over. I watch as Marcus takes a deep breath as he exchanges glances with his team. It is obvious by their expressions that they don’t like what Marcus is about to say.

  “I want to observe a warrior’s body when they touch a token,” Marcus begins. “Based on your findings, a warrior’s spirit passes beyond while the body remains behind in the gate. And if a warrior’s spirit is sent into a token trap till their body dies, freeing the trapped demon, then if we can prolong the warrior’s life then they may be able to find a way into the supernatural realm by following the trapped creature. We can then use our knowledge to call the warrior’s spirit back into the body after a determined amount of time, and then we can analyze the results.”

  “But the only way to study these results is for a warrior to actually touch a token willingly and have the mental strength to do this suicidal task,” Mich speaks up as he gives Marcus a serious look.

  “Your right, Mich. Getting a volunteer may be tricky. But with your knowledge of the human body, combined with Gabriella’s magical ability to call spirits, and Aaron’s maps of the supernatural realm, we could be able to find a way to and from the supernatural realm and scout out a way to destroy the gates from within,” Marcus finishes. I’m enjoying Marcus’ enthusiasm, but he is more like a child trying to convince his friends to go on an epic journey than trying to find a way to win the war. Fortunately for me, I have experience convincing people to do as I say.

  “Gabriella, are you familiar with the spell that binds a demon to a token?” I ask.

  “Yes, Princess. I have performed it a few times when apprenticing with the warriors on the front lines.”

  “Do you think you could try it on a warrior’s body to bind their spirit back to their body after they have touched a token?” For a moment, I could tell Gabriella was going to oppose my idea but then she took another moment to think about the process.

  “In theory, yes. The body is a vessel and can contain many things, including a warrior’s hell fire. If we consider those from the supernatural realm to be more spiritual in nature, then the spell should be able to bind any spiritual form to a human body like we do to objects,” she explains as she glances back at Marcus. His smile widens at the revaluation as I turn my focus to Aaron.

  “Now Aaron, I want to see a map of the supernatural realm. I want to see where the five gates are and where the most ideal place would be to send an army to destroy them quickly,” I explain. Aaron is quick on his feet as he jogs over to a large container and pulls a long piece of paper from the bottom and cares it carefully back to the table.

  “When we refer to the supernatural realm, we think of it as a completely different world. Realistically, it is just another continent that exits on Earth but can only be accessed by the gates created by our ancestors,” Aaron explains as he points to the bottom on the map. “The five gates are located at the bottom of the continent, almost like the border between our land and theirs. Our warriors are grouped at gate one and ha
ve successfully defended that gate for almost a year without having to retreat. But we don’t have enough forces to march on the towns that surround the other gates. And we can’t destroy gate one without having a plan to retreat through another gate. So for now, we just send scouts to gather more information and create plans to attack the other towns and eventually close the gates.”

  “And what is beyond the gates to the north?” I ask as my thoughts begin to wonder to something the muse had told me.

  “We don’t have too much knowledge about what is to the north besides possibly the area in which the ruler of this realm resides. We have also estimated that this realm’s army lives in the north and the majority of the creatures we face are just from the towns surrounding the gates,” Aaron continues as I examine the few names on the map.

  “Have you ever heard of a place called ‘the pits’?” I watch as Aaron’s experience shifts slightly as he turns back towards the map and points to a black area above gate three.

  “There was a scouting party that left the main camp and went searching for those who had been kidnapped in a major battle about fifty years ago. It was discovered that those who are captured are taken to a place called ‘the pits’ where they are fed to the demons and spirits that have been sent into slavery. We don’t know how their slavery system works, but it is considered a major punishment to be fed one of our kind.”

  I can tell this topic is particularly troubling for Aaron as he continues to focus on the spot on the map. “Thank you, Aaron, for those details. In your opinion where would be the best place to stage an attack?”

  “Here,” Aaron says as he points to a space around gate five. “It’s a forested area outside gate five. If we can capture gate five and clear the area, we can then send forces from both gates five and one and make our way to the middle. We leave gate three for last and always have a plan to retreat to if we need to back down.”

  I nod my head in agreement. The area outside gate five is south enough that it may not get the attention of the army in the north and it would clearly surprise those in the town since they wouldn’t expect an army of warriors from that side of the continent. It would be a perfect place to scout out, I decide as I look up at Marcus.

  “If we can prove my theory and get a warrior there through a token trap, then we can send an entire army. Even if we still need the gates to get back, at least we will have the element of surprise as a major advantage,” I speak, hoping my plan sounds more acceptable to the group.

  “We still need a volunteer,” Mich says again as he rolls his eyes.

  “As the only warrior who has ever survived a token trap, I volunteer for this mission,” I quickly say. Shock clearly crosses their faces and Mich even appears slightly afraid.

  “Please forgive me, Princess. That is not what I meant,” Mich quickly explains. I force myself to smile in order to disturb the tension in the room.

  “I know that, Mich. But I can’t think of any other person who would be better prepared for this task. If I can’t reach this forest, then at least I’ll know how to release myself from the trap. And with your help, we can sustain my body for a period of time and Gabriella can call my spirit back when that time ends,” I finish. For a few moments, the room is quiet. It’s one thing to discuss experimenting with token traps, it’s another to suggest that I, their princess, be willing to sacrifice myself to simply prove a theory.

  “We need to get Mother’s permission,” Marcus finally speaks up. His voice is soft as he stares at me. We all want to end the war, but I don’t think any of us are prepared for the sacrifices that must be made to see this end. I give him a reassuring nod as Aaron carefully picks up the map and walks it back to its rightful spot.

  “I’m going to speak with my head mistress about altering the binding spell and how we can apply it to humans,” Gabrielle announces as she stands, bows, and leaves the room.

  “And I’m going to gather the supplies necessary to sustain human life for a few days. I hope you’re fond of needles,” Mich says as he looks between Marcus and me. I give Mich a wink before he walks off. Once we are alone, Marcus reaches out and grabs my hand.

  “I don’t like this idea,” he says as I grip onto his hand and simply focus on that sensation before speaking.

  “It was your idea, Marcus. Besides, I now know how to escape a token trap.”

  “But what happens when you reach the supernatural realm and can’t get out? What if the spell doesn’t work?” Marcus says in a rushed voice. I can tell he is panicking at the idea of sending me through.

  “Then I make my way to a gate. Marcus, I’m not going to tell you not to worry, because then I would just be filling your head full of lies. But we both know that if there is a way to seal off the supernatural realm during our lifetime, then we must not be afraid to try,” I say, trying to reassure Marcus but then he demeanor changes and he quickly stands, tearing his hand away from mine.

  “This is about that Darien, isn’t it?” he asks as he turns away from me. I take a moment to compose myself, refraining from lashing out at him in anger at his assumption.

  “If anything, it’s about Elizabeth. They are here because of her. Once she is cleared of my powers then they can return back to their normal lives. They don’t belong here, Marcus, so I guess that is just one more reason to find a way to seal off the supernatural realm.” I don’t wait for him to respond as I turn and leave the room. Though I should head upstairs to have dinner with my mother, I take a quick detour to my chambers, ignoring everyone who stops to great me.

  Since I didn’t shower this morning, I quickly discard my uniform on the bedroom floor and step into the shower. The hot water feels amazing against my cold and clammy skin. I take a moment to scrub every inch of my body with strong scented soap to rid myself of any stench. Today had been a rollercoaster of a day with plenty of mixed feelings and stressful situations.

  As I step out of the shower, I hear my chamber door open and close. I don’t bother rushing out to see who has stopped by as I take time to dry my hair and pull it back in tight braid. Then I pull on a clean uniform before leaving the small space.

  I feel slightly embarrassed as I watch my mother pick up my soiled uniform from the floor and toss it onto the bed.

  “Please don’t,” I say as I quickly pick up the rest and toss them into the bathroom to take care of later.

  “Sometimes I wonder if life would be easier if I only had to clean up after my children instead of an entire organization,” my mother says as she sits on the edge of the bed and motions me to sit with her. I sigh as I scooch next to her and take her hand in mine.

  “You have a rough day, too?”

  “Our token task force has lost another member today. Their body was discovered after they didn’t check back in. The generals now want to reconsider your research and instead they want to send you to train these warriors in escaping token traps so they can continue their mission,” my mother explains. I nod my head as I understand the stress she is going through. Making hard decisions on a daily basis was starting to take a toll on my mother. Hopefully, I was the only one who saw this.

  “Give me a week with Marcus and then I’ll start training the warriors. We are going to obverse a warrior’s body when they enter a token trap and see if they can enter the supernatural realm when their body is sustained medically for a longer period of time,” I explain as I stand and stretch. My stomach grumbles as I try to think if I had actually eaten a decent meal today.

  “And who have you decided to experiment on?” she asks with a weak laugh. I can tell she doesn’t like the idea.

  “I’ve volunteered for the mission. As the only one with the experience of escaping a token trap, I’m the most logical choice,” I say plainly. For a few moments, my mother looks at me as she tries to decide what to say. I can tell she is torn between the most logical choice and what she feels as a mother.

  “I agree with your reasoning. And I feel more comfortab
le with you doing this within the Kingdom. At least here, our people are available if something doesn’t go as planned,” she concludes as she stands and makes her way to the door.

  “Thank you, Mother, for your permission. I’ll take the next day to prepare and then Marcus, his team, and I will begin the experiment,” I explain as I follow her to the door. I pull it firmly behind me as we travel down the hallway and towards the dining room. She laces her hand in mine as we walk slowly and enjoy the silence between us.

  Chapter Three

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  “I was worried when you didn’t come by last night,” Darien says as he opens the door for me and I quickly walk in with breakfast in hand.

  “I’m sorry, but it was really late when I finished my work. I didn’t want to come by in the middle of the night,” I explain as I set two baskets down on the table as John and Elizabeth walk out of their rooms.

  “Don’t worry, Anna. Morgan came by last night and brought special cookies,” John says as he sits down at the table and starts peering into the baskets.

  “And what made these cookies so special?” I ask as I open up the baskets and set several plates on the table containing varies breakfast foods from scrambled eggs with cheese to pancakes with dark syrup on top.

  “You know…I didn’t ask,” John admits as he starts eating. Elizabeth eventually sits at the table as she tries to hide a smile. I can’t help but notice her flushed checks as she starts picking at the pancakes.

  “Do you know what made the cookies so special?” I ask Elizabeth when she finally looks up at me. She rolls her eyes in response, obviously avoiding the questions. I mentally make note to question Morgan later.