The Golden Awakening 6 Sarah

I was frantically searching for what to bring with me to Naeyriv, until, as I opened the drawer I found through thousands of odds and ends the letter which was still sealed. I knew it was not the time to read it and it would have been better to wait until January, as my mother had requested. However, a part of me wanted to have a glance and get it done with, but what would have happened if it was not good enough or I did not like what was written inside it.

My mind was busy with all these thoughts, when I heard a loud knocking on my door. Aliya stepped in, probably she wanted to check if I was still sane and I did not have any panic attacks in the meanwhile.

"Love, you're already up," she said.

"I couldn't sleep, I guess."

She instantly took the letter from my hands and shoved it inside the pocket of my bag, "you don't need to think about it today."

"Why didn't she tell me she was dying? If I knew everything from the start, I could have been prepared for what happened."

"As a parent I would do anything to make Robert forget this world, to live normally like everyone else and she wanted to do the same with her disease. Telling you she had so little time to live wouldn't have prepared you, the pain wouldn't have been any less than it is now."

"But running away from these problems and hiding secrets from the people you love should never be the answer."

As she took my hands she said, "you might not understand now and asking you to would be too much, but sometimes our parents can make selfish choices. It might have been the best one at the time."

"It wasn't hers to make. If she cared enough, she would have given me an alternative option."

"Life can give you different paths which you must choose from. Maybe what she decided was the best one at the time, don't judge if you don't know the meaning behind her actions."

"I would never be able to know the meaning, even if I wanted to."

"Remember, even if it was selfish, this was a decision made out of love. She gave you memories which you will cherish forever."

"But now I'm thrown into this world, which I don't know anything about how to defend myself or what to expect."

"You'll find out with time."

"What happens if I don't?" I asked.

"If I were you, I would have run knowing what is expected from me. It's what I would have done for Robert if there was a way out."

"Running is never the answer."

"Sarah, they make you think you're safe with them, you mustn't trust them. They will always find a way to stab you in the back."

"What should I-"

Before I could finish the sentence, a handsome yet puzzling man appeared from the mirror.

"Aliya!" he said, embracing her tightly. His eyes were significantly different from the two men who came here a month ago. He seemed friendly at first glance, while his scar, which I noticed straight away, ran across his white ghostly eye and stared deeply at me.

"This must be the girl who got the old Preskan mad," he said, as he gently kissed my hand, "I am Rayleigh Ukreni, Rob's uncle."

"Are you here to take me to Naeyriv?" I asked.

"What a smart metin rae we have here."

"I thought you were going to come tonight," Aliya said.

"No, the headmaster wants the girl now. Where is Robert? Still sleeping like always I guess."

He went to Robert's room, while his arm started to cover itself in what seemed to be diamond shards.

"Sarah, it's better if you step back," he said.

Once his hand was entirely covered, he punched the wall disintegrating it. The noise woke Rob up from his sleep as his fist was only two centimetres away from Rob's head.

"What is going on?" Robert shouted.

"You're still snoring, and you might want to put something on since I can see everything," Rayleigh said.

"And so?" Robert asked.

"And so, Sarah might like what she's seeing."

Rayleigh smiled at me, while Rob, stunned and almost naked, flushed as I stood near the door. He began to cover himself with the sheets, not making any eye contact with me, as he stared at the floor. In any other occasion I would have said something, but I still had his body in my mind, which strangely enough I had never noticed in this light.

"Oh my G.o.d, you could have told me she was here, or at least not come at all," Robert said, as he was staring at his own feet, his cheeks were blus.h.i.+ng, too embarra.s.sed to even look at me, "I'm ready," he whispered.

"Hara Naeyriv herall," Rayleigh said, as the mirror opened a gap in front of our eyes. I hugged Aliya not knowing when I would have had the opportunity to meet her again.

I took a deep breath and touched the mirror with my right hand, the texture seemed as if I was touching cold water, but once I removed my hand, it remained completely dry. I closed my eyes and while I entered, time seemed to pa.s.s differently, I felt as my body was fluctuating through s.p.a.ce.