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Mum shot Dad a meaningful look and he took over.
“You should’ve thought of that before you decided to pick this moment to tell us what you’ve secretly been up to,” he replied, his demeanour unnervingly stoic. I would rather he just lose it like Mum because his reserved disapproval was far more intimidating.
“I’m sorry but I had to go. I told you both my plans and—”
“And we told you that you didn’t have permission to go ahead with them,” Mum countered.
“I’m nineteen, which is old enough to make my own decisions. You said as much when you told me it was my choice what I decided to do with my life.” I folded my arms, feeling defensive.
“Yes, well that was before I knew you were making such reckless choices. And there’s no way you’re going back there. You’re lucky you managed to get back unscathed this time around.”
For some reason, her attitude made me even more determined. “I’m going back. You can tell me no all you want but I’ve already seen it. I’ve seen my future.”
Both my parents stared at me and I saw the surprise on their faces.
“What are you talking about?” Dad asked.
I wet my dry lips, my nerves getting the better of me. I’d never had a confrontational relationship with my parents. In fact, up until recently we rarely fought.
“When I was in the Prison of Thorns there was a powerful elf named Sarasin. He showed me some visions of my future, and in them I was in Oreylia helping the miners gain their freedom.”
This news perplexed them. A weighted silence fell before there was a gentle knock on the door. I was certainly relieved for the distraction.
“Come in,” Dad called and then Mr Roe’s wife, Allora, stepped into the room. She was half elf, half human, a delicately beautiful woman with long, wavy blonde hair and fine features.
Like Sarasin she was also clairvoyant. She was the one who’d given my parents the prophecy about me before I was born.
“It’s finally coming to pass,” she said, stepping forward and taking my hands into hers. “You’re fulfilling the prophecy.” She paused and turned to my parents. “Don’t be angry at her for her actions. This was always how it was meant to be.”
I could tell both my mother and father were torn. They didn’t know how to deal with this but Allora’s words seemed to strike a chord in them, ease some of their tension. I watched them share a glance, as though communicating silently, then Dad drew Mum out into the back garden. Glancing at Allora, I shot her a grateful look.
“Thank you for coming to talk to them.”
She reached out and gave my hand a squeeze. “They’ll understand. Just give them time. You’re their baby girl. I have children of my own. They aren’t quite as old as you yet, but I know I’ll find it difficult when the time comes for them to be independent.”
The back door opened and my parents returned. Allora quietly left us and I drew a deep breath before facing them. Mum took my hands into hers. She stared at me for a long time, as though cataloguing my features. I had no idea what she and Dad discussed but she looked a whole lot calmer.
“Maybe you’re right, Darya. Maybe you’re meant to do this.”
Dad joined us then, putting his arms around each of us as he focused on me. “I don’t like any of this, but if you believe freeing these people and building a place for them in the forest is what you’re meant for, then I’ll help in any way that I can.”
Emotion caught in my throat. I threw my arms around his neck and we stayed like that for a long time, just the three of us. When we returned to the living room it felt like everyone was holding their breath.
“We’re going to help Darya with her mission,” Dad announced and I heard them all release the breaths they’d been holding. “And I hope you’ll all help, too.”
There were noises of agreement from everyone present and relief flooded me. I never expected to garner their support like this. I thought it would take far more begging and grovelling on my part. But then, they’d all known about the prophecy since I was an infant, since before I was even born. This news wasn’t a surprise to them. On the contrary, it probably made everything they’d learned years ago finally make sense.
“We’ll need to concoct a spell,” Rita said, eyeing my mother, then Roman. “Opening a portal as large as the one required is going to take all of our combined power.”
“If we join together I believe we can do it,” Roman replied.
“And I’ll gather volunteers among the vampires to help with the building,” Dad said. “It’s a big undertaking but there are many who helped build the school twenty years ago who I’m sure would be willing to lend a hand again.”
