Sahara Ashdell: The Son of Evil (Book 2)
Chapter 7 - Brystol’s Truth

Sahara had managed to avoid Brystol the remainder of the holiday break, but today was the day they were returning to Malorsty Academy and she was being forced to ride back in a carriage with him. She nervously says goodbye to the tari, aran, and Trylla as she notices Brystol walk out of the front door of Kinderton castle. “See you soon.” She mumbles quickly with a curtsy before running down the steps to the carriage. Her body cringes moments later when Brystol silently enters, sitting across from her.

She smiles forcefully out of her window towards the aran knowing she cannot teleport with them watching. “I have been trying to talk to you for days.” Brystol says sounding remorseful. She remains silent making sure to keep her eyes from his. “I wanted to explain and to say thank you. For not telling my parents.”

“You mean they didn’t know?” Sahara grumbles impatiently.

“No. They were not in on it.” Brystol says adamantly. “They would kill me if they ever found out.”

“I almost left you to die. But you tried to protect me so I figured, I owed you.” She says realizing they have now gotten far enough out of sight form the aran that he could not see her if she teleported. She knows it would be safe to teleport now but before she can, she hears Brystol speak.

“Everything I did was to protect you.” He sounds sincere and it makes her angry.

“Protect me? So, helping my sworn enemy’s son into all my dreams and poisoning almost all the elleth at Malorsty was protecting me?” She asks not understanding his way of thinking. “That is not protecting me! I was just starting to accept the….” She stops realizing she doesn’t want to admit that she was just starting to like him and was willing to accept the betrothal. “I don’t even know who you are.”

“Raglen came to me during the holiday last year and…” Brystol tries to explain further but Sahara cannot bare to hear anymore as her vision begins to turn orange. She instantly decides to teleport Brystol instead of herself. She relaxes back in her seat as the carriage falls quiet. She lets out a large breath as her vision clears. She would be happy if she never saw Brystol again.

The next day as she arrives to her class, she realizes she never teleported Brystol back from where she had sent him yesterday in the carriage. She moves out into the hallway and finds an empty room before she teleports him back to being in front of her. He looks frozen as the white ice and snow on him falls to the ground from his shivering. She feels worse than she thought she would as she watches him shake his head and more snow fall from him. “I almost froze to death.” He says in a shaky voice. Without saying anything, she steps closer to him and places both her hands on his chest and manages a spell to cause heat to travel from her hands into his body. He instantly looks better just before he shoves her hands away from him. “You sent me to the human world,” He says angrily, “knowing I couldn’t get back. I’m not saying I don’t deserve it, but you could have at least sent me a blanket or food if you were going to leave me there so long. It isn’t like I have your power and can build a house in five seconds with my mind.”

“You couldn’t use a spell to make warmth?” She asks teasingly.

“I did. But every time I would fall asleep it would disappear and eventually I got so cold I couldn’t even do magic.” He says shaking his wet clothes.

“Sorry.” She forces herself to apologize because she feels bad but she is also thinking he deserves it after all he put her through.

“Raglen threatened to kill you unless I helped him.” He says sounding much less angry and more sad.

“He could have killed me the other day. Why didn’t he kill me? I thought that is what they wanted.” She says running her fingers over the scar on her arm.

“I don’t know what their plan is, I swear. I never knew anything more than what they told me to do. And I wish I was sorry for doing it, but I’m not because they would have killed you if I hadn’t.” Brystol says boldly looking her in the face and she realizes he believes what he is saying.

“If you are wanting me to forgive you, I don’t. I would have never agreed to do such terrible things and the fact that you did not just agree but actually carried out..” She rolls her eyes and steps back away from him as she remembers how he kissed her knowing what he had been doing. “Wait. That night we fell asleep on the couch in the ellon’s locker room. You. You woke me up because I was having a bad dream, you were creating.” She gulps in a large breath of air. “You were the one that started the rumors about me going to the wall, but then were there begging me not to cross. What were you going to do next if I had not crossed?”

“Bularia. I was to poison Bularia next.” He says sounding ashamed.

She feels tears trailing down her face from her broken heart. “I was just starting to have feelings for you.”

Her words cause him to move up toward her and pull her up against him. “I know. And it is all I have wanted the past year. I don’t want to lose you.”

She pushes him away from her trying to tame her heart. “I would love to get out of the betrothal, but I would never ask an ellon to sacrifice himself, so that I could be free.”

She notices him look away from her and cringe before he speaks. “I. I should tell you something else.” Sahara wonders what else he could have done because nothing was as terrible as poisoning all those innocent elleths last year. “From here on out I will be honest and never help Patreek again. I swear. And please don’t get more upset with me, but I might have lied to Slagwart about him being killed if he helped you break the betrothal.”

“What!” Sahara screeches at him in shock.

“I couldn’t bare the idea of losing you. I am sorry for doing that, well kind of.” He says.

She feels her anger begin to pulse in her veins as her vision reddens. “Anything else you need to get off your chest?” She roars at him as her voice begins to sound funny.

“Other than I am in love with you, no.” He says not flinching from her anger. His words make her anger instantly disappear from shock. She had never heard anyone tell her that they loved her. She was speechless. She wasn’t even sure she knew what love was. “I know it might not look like it or sound like it, but everyone of those things I did for you. I knew the remedy for the poison and I knew no one would die from it. I knew they promised not to kill you when they got you out in the woods, but I didn’t know what they wanted from you and I thought you would not go alone, but with me. They didn’t get what they wanted that time from you, so they had me to help get Raglen into your dreams and promised not to kill you as long as I helped. Even though he is the bad elf, he has kept his word. And I told Slagwart that because the thought of you being with anyone else kills me inside.” Sahara feels the sudden urge to run away and so she turns and opens the door moving out into the hall as fast as she can. “Sahara, wait.” Brystol says following her.

“We have class.” She says moving right past their classroom.

“I know you have feelings for me, I felt them when we were dancing. Sahara please, stop running away from them.” He says catching up to her.

“I’m running away from you.” She says still moving quickly down the hall toward the stairs to Joust Hall.

“Why?” He asks staying next to her even though she is now inside the elleth’s dorm stairwell.

“You know what will happen to you when everyone finds out what all you have done?” She asks.

“Are you going to tell them?” He asks in response and it makes her stop as she feels offended.

“If I were going to, do you not think I would have already? Besides I am sure someone else knows, I cannot be the only one that knows.” She says before turning to continue up the stairs.

“No one else knows. I was going to tell you at some point way in the future but I didn’t want you to find out this way. And what will you do if someone finds out you teleported me and stranded me in the human world for over twenty-four hours?” He says keeping up with her.

“That is different, I didn’t poison anyone.” She says.

“I almost froze to death!” His voice sounds louder. “And it is forbidden to be there at all. And what if a human had found me?”

Sahara realizes she had not really thought about any of that, she had just needed him in a different world away from her for a while. “And I apologized.” She says.

“And I forgive you. All I am asking is that you forgive me too?” He says suddenly moving in front of her so she has to stop.

“You said you were not sorry like five minutes ago.” She scuffs at him.

“I’m not sorry for protecting you. But I know you are upset with me for lying to you, so that is what I am sorry for.” He says.

She shakes her head in response. “No. It isn’t that you lied. I can’t forgive you for doing those evil things. What kind of future aran does that make you? You are willing to sacrifice everyone else for me?”

“Yes. And so would anyone of the good elves in our world. If they kill you, Patreek will be unstoppable and then we are all dead anyway. Why do you not get that?” He asks looking agitated with her. Before she can say anything Brystol continues, “Raglen first came to see me at Holestroy over holiday break, when you were in the castle too. He was right there and had access to you. He just appeared so easily as if it were nothing. I knew he would be able to get to you easily, so I had to make a deal to protect you. He is who you saw that night out of the library window.”

“I thought that was Waizlynn.” Sahara says in confusion.

“It was Raglen. He had just been with me in my room and I helped him get outside undetected. I saw you were in the library and I wanted to make sure he was going to keep his promise to leave you alone.” His confession surprises her and she waits for him to say more. “He was standing out there the entire time we were talking. The second time we met was over the summer as I was about to leave Kinderton after being there with you for the week. He appeared in the carriage with me before it was taking off. He teleports like you do.”

“I know.” Sahara says remembering how he teleported that day in the woods when he stabbed her.

“He gave me something to put under your bed when you sleep so that he could communicate with you in your dreams.” Brystol admits looking ashamed.

“What?” Sahara asks in disappointment. “So, when you came back into Kinderton that day saying you forgot something?”

“I was taking what he gave me to your room. He gave me three charms one for Kinderton, Holestroy, and Malorsty.” He says looking ashamed. “I didn’t know what he wanted or what he was doing to you. I was curious how the dreams were, that is why I placed the Holestroy charm under the couch in the locker room that night you fell asleep. I didn’t know he was giving you nightmares. I tried to sneak back into your room to get the charm but one of the saitars caught me and I never got it back.” Brystol says looking remorseful.

“I had one over holiday at Kinderton.” She says not believing him.

He rolls his eyes in agitation. “I forgot about that one because I was distracted by Slagwart. I swear, if I had remembered it was there I would have gotten it.”

She is not sure if she believes him or not. “Why should I trust you or believe anything you are saying now?”

“I get it. I wouldn’t trust you if the roles were reversed.” Brystol replies sadly, before stepping closer and looking her squarely in the eye with his next words, “I promise I didn’t know he was teaching you all those things in your dreams. I have no idea what they are scheming.”

“I think he wanted me to join them and become evil. He wanted me to kill you.” Sahara says.

“I remember. Thank you for not.” He says with a smile.

“Recognizing him is the only thing that stopped me. I killed you multiple times in my dreams.” She confesses and wonders if she will kill him the next time she gets angry enough.

“But you didn’t in real life.” He replies.

“I might next time.” She says confidently.

“No you won’t.” He too sounds confident as he moves closer toward her.

“You don’t know that.” She says shaking her head.

“Yes I do.” He swallows hard before placing his hand on her cheek. “Because deep down you have feelings for me too.” He whispers causing her heart to flutter.

“Cundu!” A elleth’s voice causes them to jump and Brystol moves his hand away from her face. Sahara realizes they are standing next to her dorm door.

“Oh!” Brystol looks around also realizing where they are. “I… Sorry!” He says to the elleth glaring at him in surprise. “I will see you at lunch.” He says awkwardly to Sahara before moving toward the stairs to descend.

“Why aren’t you both in class?” The elleth asks after Brystol disappears.

“Why aren’t you in class, Thiana?” Sahara asks in response.

“I wasn’t feeling well, Saitar Herglis told me I could come up and rest.” Thiana says.

“Ah. Well feel better.” Sahara says quickly before opening her dorm door. She realizes she left all of her belongings in class and should actually probably return, but she runs over to her bed to check for a charm. She bends down and looks under her bed seeing only some of Bularia’s clothes. She moves them out of the way and still sees nothing at first, but then she notices a string dangling down from her mattress. She reaches over and pulls on the string causing a reddish stone to fall down to the floor. Her heart pounds as she looks at the large stone. She believes Brystol, though she didn’t want to. She shoves the stone into her pocket and, even though she will be late she decides to teleport back to the room she and Brystol were in a few moments ago, so that she can sneak back over into class. She is thankful Brystol never makes it to class, yet he seems to be all her thoughts are consumed with.

Sahara gives Brystol an odd look as he sits down next to her at lunch, taking Slagwart’s seat. “What are you doing?”

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“Sitting down to eat lunch.” He replies as if he has always set with her.

“Your table is over there.” Sahara points toward his usual table where she sees Waizlynn, who looks equally confused by the situation.

“Slagwart and I switched seats.” He says simply as he takes a bite of food.

Sahara looks back toward Waizlynn to see Slagwart was indeed sitting down in Brystol’s usual spot. “What? Why?”

“We decided it was a good idea.” He smiles deviously at her.

“Of course you did.” She rolls her eyes with her response.

“What are you doing?” Waizlynn asks suddenly appearing next to their table expressing her annoyance.

“Eating lunch.” He says with a smile.

“Is this something the aran is forcing now too?” She still sounds annoyed.

“You could say that.” He says taking another bite of food as if he could care less about how annoyed she is acting.

“Where have you been? You didn’t come to the party last night and were not here for breakfast.” Waizlynn puts her hands on her hips as if she is scolding him.

“That was my fault. He was…” Sahara starts to talk but Waizlynn gives her a disgusted look as if she was intruding in on the conversation.

“I was with Sahara.” He lies but not very well.

“But she was at breakfast and I saw her last night when she arrived. Alone.” Waizlynn smiles evilly at Sahara.

“Oh. That’s right. When your fat foot happened to get in my way just after I arrived.” Sahara says keeping a sweet tone and smile on her face.

“I do hope you were not hurt when you fell.” Waizlynn suddenly sounds innocent.

“No. Not at all.” Sahara says, still keeping the sweet tone.

“Too bad.” Waizlynn says before turning her words back toward Brystol. “Why are you lying to me?”

“Because he was doing something for me and it is none of your business.” Sahara snaps at her but she is not sure why she is defending Brystol.

“Anyone ever tell you how annoying you are? Because I was obviously not asking you.” Waizlynn begins to sound mad.

“Don’t talk to her that way.” Brystol says as he drops his fork loudly onto the table.

“Excuse me?” Waizlynn’s expression turns to shock.

“Don’t talk to Sahara, your future tari, that way.” Brystol says looking calmly up toward Waizlynn, who’s mouth just drops open. “I am so over your constant manipulation, intrusion, and hatefulness. I’m not your friend. I will certainly never be your deeto and you will never be the tari. No matter how much scheming and treasonous acts you commit.”

“Treason, I never…” Waizlynn sounds defensive and quieter than usual before Brystol interrupts her.

“You are lucky I haven’t told my father about you sneaking into Holestroy and relaying information you found out to Sahara. It is treason and nothing less. So, if you would like to keep your head, I suggest you leave Sahara alone.” Brystol’s stern voice and words surprise Sahara. She had never heard him be so authoritative. She realizes Waizlynn must feel surprised too, because she just looks flustered before she silently turns and leaves their table.

“Thank you.” Sahara says after a few moments of silence between her and Brystol.

“It was way over due.” He says never looking at her.

They quietly continue eating lunch as Sahara begins to feel distracted and uncomfortable from Brystol’s earlier confession to loving her. She was with him far too much to ignore the fact. She suddenly stands up and blurts out louder than she planned, “I will see you at practice.”

“Yeah. Okay.” Brystol says sounding surprised.

“Here.” She says handing him the red stone she had retrieved from her bed earlier. “Ensure it does not find it’s way back to me.” He takes the stone and looks as if he is about to say something but Sahara quickly leaves him before he can speak.

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