The Blue Moon by Madeline Gottlieb (top ten books to read txt) 📕

same reason we can’t.” With an evil smile, Zach added, “You will watch him grow old and die, while you stay this young.”
Not hesitating, Teriha slapped him hard, the sound echoing in the doorway. “You do not to speak to me that way.” As he held the side of his face, Teriha turned on her heel and walked inside, ignoring Chris and John. She stomped up the stairs and past the room Cara and Garret were in and instead walked into the other one, where Chris had said Meri and Seyren were.

As she shut the door behind her, she slid down against it, trying to hold back the tears. She saw a flash of red and realized it was Seyren, leaning down next to her. “Teriha, what’s wrong?”

Seyren had known of Teriha and Garret’s affection for each other, but she also knew it was forbidden, not only because she was an elf. Keeping it a secret from Seyren’s father was difficult for both Seyren and Garret; they were forced to watch their brother and sister bring different ones back each day, having their way with them. Chris was never once allowed in the castle because of his magic and Teriha could not because she was not human.

Teriha took a deep breath and closed her eyes, attempting to control her shaking. “I was told that I was going to watch as Garret grew old and died.”

Seyren said nothing; she took Teriha into her arms and held her there as she cried. There was nothing Seyren could say because she knew it was true as much as Teriha knew it was true, so they sat there, silently crying together as the thunder crashed.

--

“What did you say to her, Zachary Hunter?” Cara asked, shoving him against a wall, her ice blue eyes cold and heartless.

He shrugged. “Not your concern, now is it?” Seeming satisfied with his answer, he pushed Cara away and took a seat on the couch next to John and Chris while Garret stood next to Cara. “Now, prince,” Zach said the word prince with venom in his voice, “tell me, why did you decide to come to us now?”

“There was no other time to get away; I had to make them trust me enough to let me off on my own.”

Zach’s laugh was humorless. “So what does Renin plan to do?”

Garret’s pale green eyes gazed to Cara. “He plans to find the crystal and use its power to take over Aulinaber and put everyone under his command.”

Only Cara and Teriha knew of the prophecy. Her eyes wide, she shoved past Zach and ran out of the room, banging on the door where Seyren and Meri were. “Teriha!” She cried out her best friend’s name, wiggling the door knob. Garret came up beside her and moved her out of the way as Chris ran into the door, knocking it down.

The three rushed into the room and Cara’s knees buckled out from under her. Seyren and Meri were sitting together, their tears mixing. The window next to them was open and the wind blew the curtains as Garret walked towards it. “Seyren… what just happened?” Chris knelt down beside her and placed a hand on her cheek, trying to get her attention.

“He… he came, Chris. He took her, he took Teriha.” Seyren sobbed and she threw her arms around Chris’ neck, who in return held her and tried to comfort her as Cara walked over to Garret.

Cara could see the pain in his green eyes. “We need to find her…” Garret didn’t respond. “Garret, listen to me, you know where Renin and Stephen are, you can take us there.”

He shook his head. “It is too dangerous right now, they’ll be expecting that.” Green eyes that looked gloomy in the light, moved over her pale face. “We must train the last warrior and end the war; only then can we get Teriha.”

“When will anyone of you understand that there is no time to train him? He is all we have and we don’t have forever to stop this war. It is now or never, Garret.” Cara said, begging him with her eyes. “I know what she means to you, it’s no secret, and I’m sorry you can never be together, but please, if you love her, tell us where Renin is.”

The room grew silent as Zach and John walked in. One look around, Zach knew what had happened and he turned his gaze to Garret. Stomping towards him, he shoved Cara out of the way and lifted Garret up by his shirt and punched him hard in the face, sending him tumbling backwards. “This is your fault!” Zach was blind with hatred as he continued to punch Garret, who didn’t defend himself.

Cara and John tried to grab Zach but he shoved them away. “Zach, stop it!” Cara cried. When he didn’t stop, Chris stood up, his eyes completely black. Lifting his hands, he concentrated on Zach. One second, Zach was punching Garret and the next he was across the room, groaning. Taking this as their chance, Cara and John grabbed him and sat him down, tying him to the chair.

“Chris, can you heal Garret?” Cara glanced back at the prince who was groaning, blood all over his face. Turning her attention back to Zach, she looked at his bloody knuckles and slapped him, hard. “What are you doing, you idiot?”

He chuckled and spit blood and then shrugged. “Why are we still here, we need to find Renin and kill him.”

Garret got his feet, wiping the blood off his face after Chris was done healing him. “You have no idea how to kill him, do you? You think you can just waltz in there and be done with him?” Garret’s laugh was as humorless as Cara was sometimes. “He has control of thousands, we will be killed if we get within twenty yards of where he is. We must stay or die.”

“So we are to just sit here and wait?” Seyren spoke up, her voice small and shaky.

Garret glanced at her. “No… until we know we can go, Zach must get ready. If we went now, Zach would die in the first 10 seconds, which is something we don’t need at the moment.”

Cara could feel the tension between the two boys and rolled her eyes. “Fine, we will start training tomorrow. Zach and Chris, you will sleep in here with Seyren and Meri. I will stay with Garret.” With that, Cara pushed the prince out of the room and closed the door behind her, walking him to the other room. “Why didn’t you fight back?” She asked quietly, looking at the faded bruises on his face as she shut the door behind him.

The prince shrugged. “I was not armed and I saw no reason to fight back. Perhaps it is my fault Renin got Teriha, but as far as I’m concerned, Zach is the only one who can kill him, and we need him.”

He smiled at his friend. “It is late, Cara, and I know you are tired. We will worry more tomorrow, but now we can do nothing for Teriha.”

Cara nodded and rested her head against the pillow in one of the two beds. Closing her eyes, she mumbled, “Good night, Garret.”

A smile on his face, he replied, “Good night, Cara.”

Power Beyond Your Knowledge

Teriha’s eyes fluttered open as cold water dripped down her face. Her hair stuck to her face and she could taste blood. She tried to move her hands and realized they were tied behind her back. Groaning, she looked around the room. It was dark and damp; a dungeon, it seemed. The ground was hard and the pipe above her was leaking. As she scooted out of the way, something made a noise and she stopped, listening carefully.

“Who be you?” The voice was old and Teriha turned around. In the cell next to her, she could see an old man, fragile and badly hurt. His gray hair was longer than Teriha’s and his eyes were glazed over; he was blind.

“My name is Teriha Vacon of Ceruhia.” She whispered, squinting, trying to see if she could recognize the old man. “Who are you?”

The man moved closer to the rail, using one hand to reach out. “My name… I don’t know. I’m not sure who I am.” He spoke loudly and Teriha hoped no one came down.

“It’s what happens when you’ve been here too long.” Another voice spoke up, this time it was young and strong, and it sounded very familiar. “You go crazy and forget your whole life story.” He chuckled. “It happens to everyone, sooner or later.”

Teriha looked around but couldn’t see where the voice was coming from. “How long have you been here?”

“A few weeks; I was taken from Ahuson. I’d gone to see an old friend of mine, but when I got there, the man she had been staying with was dead and I was captured by Renin’s men.” The voice replied, sounding sad. “I can only sit here and hope that the rumors are true. That the warrior has returned the Light once more and that my friend is with them and safe.”

She grabbed the rails with her hands and tried to look beside her, past the other cells. “What’s her name, your friend?”

The boy was silent for a moment before replying. “Her name’s Teriha. The man she had been staying with was a man named Charles, jolly fellow, very well to her.”
Teriha slumped against the bars; she had recognized the voice. It belonged to a childhood friend, Zere, another elf who had escaped banishment. “He’s dead?” She asked, trying to hold back her sobs.

“He is; if I had the chance again, I never would’ve gone into the house. It was horrible, he was tortured worse than anything I’d ever seen.” Zere paused. “What’s your name?”

“Teriha,” was all she could get out before she broke down. Charles, the only man who respected her in Ahuson, other than Garret and Zere, was dead. One of her closest friends, gone forever. She could hear Zere trying to comfort her from his cell, but it didn’t do anything.

The two grew quiet as a door opened and slammed and footsteps sounded near them. Teriha kept her eyes on the ground as her cell door opened and the black boots stepped up to her. “Well, if it isn’t Garret’s old friend, Teriha. How did you manage to get caught?” Teriha recognized Stephen’s voice and said nothing. Annoyed, Stephen grabbed her by her hair and yanked her upwards, causing her to scream in pain. He chuckled. “Much better, I like it when they scream.”

“Teriha!”

Zere’s voice echoed in the dungeon and she almost told him to shut up so he wouldn’t get tortured because he knew her. As if reading her mind, he grew silent. Stephen let go of her hair and grabbed her tied hands, pulling her towards the stairs. “Lord Renin wishes to see you.”

Teriha said nothing, nor made any move to say she heard him. Her blonde hair fell into her face as they walked down the hall and into a large room. As the doors shut, she was shoved forward towards a man who sat