The Assassin Princess (The Legacy Novels Book 1) Page 26
“I think you could paint the world afresh and bring it to life how it should be,” he said. “I think you have talent and promise, Princess.”
“Aw, shucks,” she said, playfully mocking the Guard in a way he’d probably never fully understand. They were from different worlds, or different layers at least. She’d grown up with television and computers, electrical items that talked to you, food that was fast and bad for you…Hero had grown up with swords and horses, magical unicorns close by, and a land to protect in her stead. Yet, despite their differences, she honestly believed that she loved him. How could she not? She’d been whisked away on a mad adventure where she had done good and evil, had tried to kill him and had saved everyone. It was magical, and it was real, and it was because of him. He’d awoken her. How could she not love him? Plus, he was quite attractive.
Hero stopped walking and placed his hand on top of hers. “I know you have to go back, but you will visit again soon, won’t you?”
Ami looked to the Solancra Forest and back across the meadow where she had first arrived. She was going to go home, home to a place where she wanted to be more than anything, but a place where she was no one special—no, she supposed that wasn’t true anymore, for now she knew that not only was she a powerful princess, but also that it was worth being Ami, no matter what the layer.
“I’ll be returning,” she said. “I don’t think my work here is done just yet. After all, I’m still the Assassin Princess of Legacy.”
“The castle is rebuilt—”
“And the land secure, I know. The people are happy and Florence is doing an awesome job at looking after everything.”
“Awesome,” Hero repeated, smiling, “a word I like. I should use it I think. Awesome.”
“Oh, please no, don’t start sounding like the guys from home. I love you how you are.”
“Guys?”
“Men—”
“Love me?”
“Yes.”
Their eyes met and their hands held firm, and when Hero’s mouth touched down on Ami’s, she felt the power swim through both of them—but she thought maybe this was a different kind of power. She smiled, pulling back.
“I will come back,” she said. “I am the princess, and I will look after Legacy. I am planning on visiting other layers too. The Sentries were scattered. I don’t remember much from harnessing them within me, not now, but I remember parts. Parts I think I need to see for myself.”
“My hero,” Hero said, walking once more. “Forever my hero.”
“As you are mine,” she said.
They stopped and Ami took the sword from its sheath. “This is where I get off,” she said, remembering a story she’d been told. It jogged in her memory and suddenly, more than anything, she wanted to go there, where her own story had truly begun. She looked up at Hero. “I need to get going.”
“I understand. Please, don’t leave it too long. We need you, Princess Ami.”
“Believe me,” she said, “I need all of you too. You are my inspiration.”
With one deft stroke, Ami slit an opening into the layers and watched it peel the grass like an orange. She took one last look around and then reached over to kiss Hero. She lingered on his lips and her hand stroked his stubbly cheek and chin. Then she stepped into the rip, and was gone.
The rip sealed and Hero stepped over the spot, a tear careening down his face. He looked up at the sun, hidden behind a golden cloud. “I miss you already,” he whispered, letting his words rise up into the breeze.
*
The platform was busy, the people busy, and Ami wasn’t sure she was ready for it. How long had she been in the other layer? Could only have been a few days and yet, all these people…she hid the sword within the robes she’d worn over her dress and stepped into the shade. A couple of steps further, avoiding the business man with his very important briefcase, and there. Ami stopped and looked through the gap left between two suitcases. The woman appeared as if from nowhere, so sudden that a blink would have missed her arrival. She was beautiful, he’d been right about that. For a moment she seemed completely out of sorts, but after hundreds of years of composure, she wasn’t for long. The elegant woman straightened and then looked out down the track.
A train soon slowed and pulled into the station, and Ami watched the people disembark. The woman though did not move. She waited, waited for the man who approached her out of the blue and fell in love with her all over again.
She saw him, her father, young and handsome. The meeting.
After they left together, moving on to their life and her eventual birth, Ami stood on the spot they had vacated and looked around, breathing in the air.
“Home,” she said, and smiled, liking the sound of the word. “I will always find it here.”
*
Ami walked through the meadows and up to the paddock where the forever-chestnut horse stood, simply grazing in the morning light. Her eyes were big and beautiful, and at her approach, the horse bowed her head. She had been visiting the same horse every year, ever since she’d been a small girl. She’d nicknamed her Mystic, though now she knew her true name.
She stroked her muzzle and bent close, the horse allowing it, her lips touching her ear. “Florina—there is something you must do…”
Soon she would send her back through, to be the girl Florence, armed only with the knowledge she needed to help save the world—and another cycle would complete.
*
Julie opened the door to find the flat freezing cold. She shivered, turned the light on and walked across the room, slowly inspecting the cause. If the cardboard hadn’t have been there, blocking the hole up, she wouldn’t have even gone near it, but it just seemed so strange.
The glass had been swept, the window covered, and a note left on the coffee table.
“Julie,” it said, “sorry about the window. A bird flew into it and with the wind just being so…windy…it cracked and blew right in. I’m okay. I ran and smashed through my art room door—” Julie looked up and jumped to see the spare room door demolished. “—and I hurt myself, so I have taken myself to the hospital, and my parents will come and collect me from there. Gonna take a break from everything. Will be back soon, I promise, and the damages will be paid for. I’ll sort it. Love ya, Ami.”
Julie put down the note and shook her head, heading to her room. “What a night!” First she’d dumped Jason, and now this?
Ami looked round the doorway and then slunk back into the spare room. She unpinned the last of her artwork she wanted to take with her, placed it into her bag and zipped it up.
She swung the sword.
*
Walking across the platform, Ami stepped down the steps and through into the walkway, placing her bag down on the ground. She could see the mirrors, floating in the far off room of darkness.
“What is that room?”
“It’s the one you created,” Dangerous said, whispering in her ear. Ami didn’t turn to her. “It wasn’t there before. Grace didn’t create this walkway, nor the buildings at either end. These are yours.”
“And now they are yours.”
“Ours.”
“I can come back?”
“Always,” she whispered.
Ami picked up the bag and headed back to the white steps, walking between the rising columns and into the incomplete archways, and then home.
Map of Territories
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Thank you,
Blake Rivers.
Books by Blake Rivers
The Assassin Princess
A Step into Darkscape
Of Colours and Shades (In Progress)
Acknowledgements
Firstly I would lik
e to thank my inspiration and magical muse for this book, my wonderfully talented and beautiful girlfriend, Emi. In addition I would like to thank Becky for her support and her patience with me throughout all the years, and the rest of my friends and family for all of their support also.
About the Author
Blake Rivers lives in the East of England, surrounded by acres of historical countryside, towns and villages. His first passion has always been writing, creating new worlds with the magic of infinite words.
www.blakerivers.com
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