Rose Of Darkness (eBook)

Marta Jansone (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2024 | 1. Auflage
436 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
979-8-3509-7574-1 (ISBN)

Infos

The past is still swirling in the shadows of the old city and casts its darkness over those who have not yet forgotten. Kai still sees the reflection of it all in the tall towers of the mysterious castle. He remembers it all and is still seeking for answers even though it's long gone. But is it gone for good? What happened will forever remain a mystery to most, but what price will pay those who were not willing to let go? For years the quiet whispers seem to gain the strength of voice. Do these callings behold the answers or is it just a lure to death? They all must make their choice...

Marta Jansone, in real name Marta Priedolina was born on 2007 December 3th. Marta is a young author from Latvia who enjoys horse riding, art, and music. She loves mystery and feels very engaged in fantasy. However, writing isn't the only way she loves to express herself. Drawing is yet another passion she has been developing since childhood.

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"e;The Rose Of Darkness"e; is a book that departs from everyday life to castles, magical powers, dark secrets, and dangerous choices. The intense nature of the characters slowly encircles readers from the very first page and drags them into a world with no rules. The compelling and unpredictable plot will make you forget the concept of boredom. The world that seemed familiar will be shown in a different light and expand your horizon.

Textauszug

The Castle

He was standing in a town square and doing what he loved more than anything in the world—playing his father’s violin. Not far from there was a castle. Beautiful and majestic, it had been standing there for centuries. Looking at it made him feel like nothing could make it crumble and anything was possible.

He felt like this castle held a part of him. A part that he had lost a long time ago. In its delicate facade and elegant towers he saw a reflection of it. Although the castle through time has been altered and no longer completely was in its original shape, it hasn’t lost its essence and beauty. Kai was sure it had many secrets still hiding within its walls and no person could ever discover them all.

This part of the city was pretty far away from where he lived, but he loved to come here and people here seemed to enjoy his music more. Maybe because he mostly came here on holidays, and people then have more free time.

Today there was quite a crowd and it thrilled him to realize that they had stopped their course and gathered here to hear him play. The violin case lay open at his feet, and people were throwing money in it. He finished the famous and quite catchy composition he had started and people applauded him. He did a small bow to thank them for listening. Some of them walked away, but some new ones came as well.

Among them was a girl he had seen before. She had been listening to his playing a couple of times before this. She was incredibly beautiful. Her long, auburn hair fell in thick waves over her shoulders adorned by golden strands. Something made her stand out from the crowd. Not just because of the way she looked. It was something so much more. He could always feel it when she was near.

There was a piece of music he had been working on. Something he had composed but had never played to anyone before. People were standing, waiting for him to play more. His heart started beating faster. He had to choose. He could go for something he had played hundreds of times before and knew people would like it. But he didn’t want to. He wanted to find out if he could be something more than just a good repeater. Kai remembered his mother’s last words to him:

Spread your wings, my boy. Fly high and never look down.

What wouldn’t he give to see her eyes again? He would do this for her, he would do this for his father. He grasped the violin more firmly in his hands. Admiring the beautiful instrument, he started playing the peace he wrote.

The sound was pure, crystal-clear, yet mysterious. A sound that revealed his heart, his deepest desires and hopes. He was afraid of what people would hear and what they would think. But he didn’t look at the crowd. He didn’t look for the girl to receive her approval. He just kept playing, the sound growing stronger and the meaning getting deeper.

Kai played every single note with perfect accuracy although he hadn’t played it often. He was so engaged in the music that he didn’t notice how the sky was getting darker from the gathered rain clouds, the wind was blowing stronger, and the first raindrops were falling on his skin.

Only when the last note was played did he notice that tears had blinded his sight. Kai looked ahead of himself and blinked rapidly several times to see clearly again. Only then did he realize that the crowd had scattered, seeking shelter. Except for one. The girl. She was still standing where she had been—watching him.

Kai quickly wiped off the water drops from the violin’s dark surface and crouched down to put it back in its case so that it wouldn’t get any more wet. There was quite a lot of money in it. He carefully placed the violin in the case, and just when he had closed the lid he heard a voice.

“That was beautiful.”

He looked up and saw a pair of vibrant green eyes with golden sparks within them. It was the girl with auburn hair. In her eyes, he saw something familiar that startled him. Something he hadn’t seen in so many years. A reflection of his mother.

“Thank you,” he got over his lips with effort, and then continued, “But it’s unfinished. I feel like it’s missing something.”

“Didn’t seem like it. You played it so passionately,” the girl said.

Now the rain was pouring like a waterfall from the sky.

“What’s your name?” Kai asked.

“Lucy Crysalis,” she answered.

He recognized this last name.

“So you live there?” he asked, pointing to the castle with surprise in his voice.

“Yes!” She nodded with a smile.

From that, he concluded that her father was this town’s mayor.

“Oh, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Kai Spryzen,” he said, giving her a friendly smile.

His clothes were completely wet and he saw a bolt of lightning striking from the sky that was followed by thunder.

“Where do you live?” she asked, watching how water flowed over his face.

“By the main library,” he carelessly answered.

“But that is so far away from here!” Lucy exclaimed in surprise.

“Not that far. I can call a taxi.” Kai tried to guide away her worry, but unsuccessfully because a cold autumn breeze blew and he shivered.

Wind and the storm were only getting stronger.

“So while you wait you’ll stand here and freeze? You might get sick,” said Lucy with her voice trembling from cold. “Come home with me. I’ll get you some dry clothes, and then we will decide what to do next.”

“That is not necessary. I don’t want to be a burden to anyone just because of my frivolity. I knew about the storm, shouldn’t have gone that far,” Kai explained but that wasn’t what he actually thought.

If he hadn’t delayed so much he would have just turned into a raven and flown home. Now the wind had gotten stronger and it would be harder but not impossible. But Lucy just seemed to care too much.

“You wouldn’t be a burden,” she said in an insisting voice. “My parents love guests and there are plenty of free rooms for you to stay in.”

Kai started to think that it was the only solution. But the idea of going to the castle felt exciting and intimidating at the same time.

“Fine!” he finally gave in.

“Excellent!” Lucy exclaimed. For some reason, she seemed happy about the current circumstances. “Come, let’s go! My parents will start to worry.”

They started to make their way to the castle. Crossing the paved town square, they passed by the impressive clock tower. The castle stood on a hill towering over the whole city. Behind it flowed a river entwining into the forest.

“Do you live with your parents?” Lucy asked.

“With my uncle,” Kai explained.

This was the part where it usually got awkward. When he first met someone, he didn’t want to reveal that his parents were dead. Although he should have gotten used to it by now, that felt too personal for a stranger to know. But it didn’t go like that this time. To his surprise, Lucy didn’t ask anything more about it. Instead, she said, “Your ravens aren’t with you today.”

“Yeah, they fly where they want to but always return to me,” Kai answered.

“That sounds nice. I think that birds should be free, too. I don’t understand people that trap them in cages,” she said.

They had gotten to the castle’s gates. Lucy approached the fence and placed her palm on a panel. It started to open with a creak.

“It recognizes fingerprints,” she explained and they walked through.

Kai nodded for an answer, and then asked, “Have you lived here since childhood?”

“Yes, since I remember myself,” she said, but her voice was stifled by a thunder roar.

They approached the stone staircase that led to the castle’s main door and started climbing.

“How long have you been playing the violin?” Lucy asked, to keep the conversation going.

Kai decided to go for an easy answer.

“Since I was a child.”

“When you play, you blend in one with your violin. It’s like a part of you. I’m not that good at anything,” she said, stroking back a strand of leaking wet hair from her face.

“I’m sure you’re wrong,” Kai said in disbelief.

They had come almost to the top....

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 17.9.2024
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Fantasy / Science Fiction ► Fantasy
• ISBN-13: 979-8-3509-7574-1 / 9798350975741