Chapter Ten:

TJ (Tobias John)

 

After what seemed hours of searching, I found a wedding venue that suited Jordyn’s orders. 

I had spent the whole day looking for a new place for the two of us to get married. The day before, I went over to her hut, expecting to have lunch together as we usually do. Instead, she kicked me out and made me look for a new wedding venue. I consider it our first argument as a couple because I wasn’t obedient on leaving. 

The next day, I went back over to her hut and told her the news of our new ceremonial location. She approved, and then immediately left to shop for a wedding gown. I stayed behind, it is obviously bad luck to see the bride in their dress before the ceremony. 

I sat on the chair next to the small table in the living room. I stayed in complete silence, not even making a quiet creak on the hardwood. It gave me time to reflect. Time to reflect on the decisions I have made up to this point. 

I have realized for a while now that since I am going to be married, I am going to officially be an adult. No more childish games or niches. I would have to kiss goodbye the one part of myself I felt confident in. It felt weird. It felt different. To think, most seventeen-year-olds on Earth don’t get married unless they are enormously stupid. Now, I am going to be the enormously stupid person I never wanted to become. 

I thought about Jordyn. My fiancée. My soon-to-be wife. I had known her for almost a year, and yet, here I am, I am engaged to her. I used to believe that people who had known each other for a short amount of time and get married were stupid. Now, I understand why they made that decision. What I feel for Jordyn, is something I cannot shake. 

Then, I thought about Daisy for a moment, about all the memories we shared together. We grew up together. We witnessed everything the other did. There were no words that describe our friendship. Now, we have split apart like atoms. It’s felt like years since I have last talked to her, but then, I realize it’s been at least two days since our argument. 

You should talk to her, a tiny voice in my head whispers. I shake it out before it can try and convince me. I shouldn’t talk to her. I doubt she wants to. 

You need to make things right, it purrs again. 

I grind my teeth together in frustration with my own mind. “Fine,” I force out. “I’ll go talk with her.”

It felt dumb talking to myself. 

 

Once I finally made it to the castle, I immediately searched the dining room to see if she and Finn were in there, making the other laugh. But, ended up making me want to punch the idiotic, purple-haired voyager. I glanced in the room. Nothing. Nothing but a long, hardwood table with candles burning all around. The scent of wax was opaque. 

I decided then to walk up the stairwell to Daisy’s bed chambers. Hopefully, she’ll be there, the annoying voice says again. I reached the door and urgently pulled it open, my knuckles turning white gripping against the knob. 

Nothing. Not a single person in sight. 

Daisy’s room was surprisingly clean compared to hers back on Earth. Her bedroom was always messy, clothes sprawled over the floor, bed sheets hanging off the mattress. Now, it was spotless. The floor must be cleaned daily because I swear I saw it gleam off the exposed sun through the window. Her bed was neatly made, the covers tucked in tightly. 

I stepped closer into the room, the floor creaking quietly beneath me. Daisy’s vanity had a hairbrush clumped with frizzy purple curls. It made me smile. It reminded me of the time Daisy told me people with colored hair were psychos. Now, she had purple locks that were dark as the night sky. 

But, I shook the thought away. 

I can’t think of her like that. 

“You’re getting married,” I scowl to myself. “You have room for only one love in your heart.”

I heard the floor creak again, but it wasn’t from me. I whirled around, only to find the one person I did not want to encounter again. 

Flynn’s twin stood in the doorway of Daisy’s chambers, leaning against the hardwood. His purple hair was messy, making him look manic. He wore the same white tunic and beige slacks as always. Something in his eyes was different. But, it felt all familiar to me, like how I thought of him two days ago. 

The argument. 

“Well, Tobias,” Finn said, looking smug with his eyes more bronze. “Can I help with anything?”

“I was looking for Daisy,” I replied, not breaking eye contact. “Do you know where I might find her?”

He scoffed. “And why would you be looking for my Flower?”

I clenched my fist at my side. Stupid nickname. “I need to talk to her about our argument.”

“You mean when she declared her love for you?”

I knitted my brows together. “What do you mean?”

He chuckled darkly, easing away from the doorway. “She was about to burst out of anger about your and Jordyn’s wedding.” He said her name like it was a curse. 

“And you don’t care?” I said, my teeth grinding together. “About her confessing her feelings to me?”

Finn chuckled again, making his way toward me. “Tobias, I never cared about that moronic matron.”

“You better watch your words if you know what’s good for you, Finn.”

“I don’t have to, Tobias John,” He said smugly, now inches away from me. “I have protection.”

“I don’t understand.”

Finn sneered. “Let’s just say Daisy might have an encounter with an old friend here soon,”

Wunait. 

I gripped my hands on his shoulders, toppling him into a wall. “WHY ARE THEY COMING OVER? IS IT BECAUSE SHE KILLED THE SORCERER?” I never knew I could yell so loud until now. I could hear it echo down the stairway. 

“The Sorcerer isn’t dead. In fact, she’s more alive than ever.”

His words were like a knife to the heart. It sent my mind with questions and emotions I couldn’t begin to comprehend. How could The Sorcerer be alive? I witnessed Daisy kill her with my own eyes. 

I suppose it wasn’t murder, although she stabbed her in the hand. Eliminating her powers for good. But it doesn’t make any sense how Finn could be protected. Unless he has the Emperor and his men on his side as well. 

Hesitantly, I released my grip from his shoulders. Finn looked as if I hadn’t startled him in any way. 

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Were you listening, Tobias?” he asks, matter-of-fact. “Wunait is coming to attack. Did I not clarify that in your tiny, pea-sized brain?” His expression turns smug again. “I figured I’d give you and Daisy a head-start.”

I clenched my fist again at my side. “What is it going to take?”

“For what?”

“For me to not punch you in the face.”

Finn chuckled darkly once more, making him seem more manic than he already is.
I could not connect the dots Finn was so desperately trying to get me to solve. The Sorcerer was alive, Wunait was coming to attack, and yet I still have no idea what part Finn has to play in this. Was he an ally or a foe? It was something that made me ponder. 

Finn began to walk out of Daisy’s bed chambers, the floor creaking once more. He was almost out of the door when he abruptly stopped, turning around slowly. 

“Oh, right,” he murmured manically as he threw a knife from his vest, barely missing my face and slicing into Daisy’s paved walls. “forgot that.”

I exhaled, thankful that he missed. I kept my face cold and stern, not blinking. My green eyes held his bronze-metallic gaze. Neither one of us was going to purposely attack the other, even though the other was starving to throw some punches. 

“You’d better go protect your queen, Tobias,” Finn said. “It won’t be long until her family comes back to finish what they started.”

That evening, I ran so fast I didn’t even know I had it in me. 

Thankfully, Jordyn was home when I reached her hut. She sat in one of the chairs, lounging while reading the newspaper. Her tan legs were crossed on top of the small table. I burst the door open, out of breath. 

Startled, she whirled around. “Tobias!” Jordyn said. “What’s the matter with you?”

I bent over, catching myself. “We need to leave…now.”

“What are you talking about?”

I stood up straight, locking my eyes with her, and taking her hands in mine. They were warm like the sun. “Finn is a traitor.”

Jordyn knitted her brows together in concentration. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

Sighing, I led her into the dining room of her hut. I sat down in one of the chairs, she sat opposite me. Our hands were still interlaced, though I felt her tense by the sudden urgency I brought upon her. Her purple hair was braided down the side, brushed over her tan shoulder that was exposed through her dress. 

“I went to apologize to Daisy,” I said, barely more than a whisper. “then he showed up and said Wunait was going to attack.” I left out the part about The Sorcerer. The last thing Jordyn needs to hear from this is the murderer of her brother, Joth. I’m sorry. 

Jordyn seemed calm in a moment like this. In fact, she almost smiled. The sides of her mouth were faintly turning upward. I ignored her for a second and continued. 

“He said he was letting Daisy and me get a head-start,” I murmured. “So, let’s leave,” My hands gripped tighter in hers. “me, you, and Daisy let’s leave this dreaded kingdom before Wunait burns it to ashes.”
Jordyn released her grip, humming deep in her throat.

“What?”

“Tobias,” she began. “I’ve noticed this for a long time, but I never thought it was necessary to ask.”
Hesitant, I gestured for her to go on. 

She exhaled. “It’s quite obvious you have a fondness for Daisy.”

I scoffed, a red flush rising from my neck to my cheeks. “That’s not true. I’m engaged to you.” I grabbed her hands again. “I love you, Jordyn.”

“You’ve only known me a year, Tobias John. You have known her your whole life.”

My eyes turned to slits and I waved my hands in frustration. “Jordyn, I don’t have time for this. We have to leave.”

Her hand cupped my cheek, easing my irritation. “I love you too, Tobias John. But, you don’t love me the way you love her. Which is why I am going away…for a while.”

“You’re leaving?”

“It’s not because of romantics, it’s my own choice. Flynn will be joining me.”

I scoffed. “Where are you going to go?”

“I can’t say.”

“Jordyn-”

She shushed me with her finger pressed to my lips. “Tobias, if you want to leave, go ahead and escape this kingdom with Daisy. You don’t need to worry about me.”

“I do need to worry about you!” I mumbled against her finger. “You’re my fiancée!”

She released her fingers and kissed me for what seemed like the final time. When we parted, Jordyn got up from the table and made her way to the door. Before twisting the knob, she grabbed her bow on the way out. 

“Goodbye…TJ.”

And just like that, she was gone. 

My fiancée was gone. 

Forever.