The Key (#1 of Anna Kippling Series) Paranormal romance by A.D. Duling (4 page)

She frantically started
flailing around.
“Anna, you are
breathing.”
It said to her and she
suddenly stopped. She was breathing!

A soft glow illuminated beneath her; “Hold
your hand out and let me pull you along.” It told her. She looked
around for someone, but saw nothing; only the glowing light
beneath.

“Trust me and hold your hand out.” It spoke
again.

She did as it instructed and held her hand
out. Suddenly her hand started to tingle and it grew stronger until
suddenly she felt a tug and was pulled along, down towards the
light. As she got closer, she could see that the light was actually
coming from a glass structure! How it remained solid beneath the
heavy weight of the water, she could not fathom!

The invisible force pulled her towards the
opening until her foot touched floor and she was able to pass
through the large bubble keeping the water and air separated. She
took in a breath of the air and coughed the water out of her lungs.
They burned from the transition and she rubbed her throat, looking
around. In front of her stood rows and rows of bookshelves filled
to the brim with books!

It obviously appeared to be a library. At
the end of the center row, she saw a light appear. She followed it
down. “Hello!” she called out; causing an echo which was surprising
since the room was so full of books.

“Hello!” a voice called back to her,
sounding very much like the one she had heard in the water. “I’m
coming!” It called again.

She reached the end and turned to head down
another row, but collided into a small man instead.She shrieked,
startled and he tumbled back, landing on his bottom.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” She apologized and
helped him up.

He laughed, “Don’t be, nothing broken!” He
grabbed her hand and shook it, “I’ve been expecting you Anna
Kippling!” He shook it vigorously; shaking her whole body along
with it.

“You have?” She asked surprised. “Wait! How
do you know who I am?” she asked right after.

“I know when each visitor is due to visit!”
He let go of her hand and pulled out his watch; “And you are right
on schedule!” He looked at it. “Well… maybe just a few minutes
late, but you did panic up there for a bit!” he chuckled.

He put his watch away and walked away,”
Follow me! I’ve already pulled your book and it’s waiting for you
on my desk!” He yelled back to her. For a little man he walked very
fast and she almost had to jog to keep up!

“My book?” she asked him.

“Yes, you’re book! You are definitely going
want that, because you certainly have a lot of questions to ask!”
he answered back.

They came to an opening with a large desk
sitting in the center of it. He walked over and sat down in the
large leather chair behind it. He motioned for her to take a seat
across from him and she did so.

“Anna, everyone has a book… however the duty
of it depends entirely on its owner’s needs!” He explained; “You
need answers.

He reached down and grabbed a tiny white
book off the top of one of the many stacks that covered his
desk.

“Ah! Here it is! He handed it to her. “I’m
sure you will find what you need inside.” He said.

She noticed a lock on it, “Where is the key
that opens it?” she asked him.

He smiled, “You have it of course!”

She went to shake her head; but stopped
remembering her grandmother’s key.

He interrupted her thoughts; “Your friend is
calling for you Anna. He is very worried and I’ve kept you long
enough anyway!” He stood up and walked around the desk; holding his
arm out to her.

She tucked the book inside her pocket and
took his arm. He quickly led her back to the entrance and shook her
hand again; “It was very nice to meet you Anna Kippling, good luck
on your journey!” He then turned around and headed back.

“Wait, how do I get past the ice?” she
called out to him.

“Just reach your hand out!” He hollered
back.

She turned to the bubble door and reached
her hand through; the tingling came again and then the gentle tug.
Her body passed through the bubble and the water surrounded her
again.

She took a breath and tried not to panic
making the transition easier this time around. She could see the
light of the surface above her; as she neared, it grew brighter and
blinded her.

The grip on her hand became tighter and then
suddenly she was being pulled out and dragged onto the cave floor.
Hayden pounded on her back and she coughed up the water.

“You were under there for a long time! I
kept pounding on the ice trying to break it!” he stammered. He ran
over to the horse, grabbed a blanket and came back. He wrapped it
around her, which she was thankful for since she was now shivering
uncontrollably. He pulled her close to him and started rubbing her
arms, trying to get the warmth back into her.

“You disappeared, I thought you had drowned
and then suddenly the ice was gone and I saw your hand!” he went
on.

She buried her head into his chest, slowly
warming. He pulled her closer; “I pulled you out thinking you had
drowned, yet you were still alive!” he said astonished.

She leaned her head back to look at him, “I
was drowning, but then I heard a voice and it told me to breathe
and I could!”

He shook his head, “I think you’re in shock;
just try to relax so we can get you warmed up.”

“No! I’m not Hayden!” She reached inside her
pocket and pulled out the tiny book.

He looked at it, “What is this?”

“There was this glass building down there…
it was like a library, but the books it held belong to people! Then
there was this little man and he knew I was coming…. he gave me
this book, saying it was mine!” she excitedly explained.

He quietly listened as she told him about
the rest of her experience, when she finished he sat quiet for a
while; absorbing it in.

“
It has a lock.” He
finally commented.

She nodded, “It does, but I have this key
that was my grandmother’s; maybe it will open it!”

He stood; “Damn it Anna! What you did was
stupid! You have no idea what you are up against; our world is very
different than yours!” he yelled at her.

She lowered her head; “I know and I am
sorry.” She looked back up at him, “Hayden, I’m very sorry.”

He knelt down, “From now on, you have to
listen to me and never do anything as stupid as that again!” he
demanded of her.

She nodded and tried to stifle a smile, “I
promise.”

“It’s not funny Anna, I’m serious!” he
stressed and reached over and picked up the book. “Now let’s see if
your key will open this.”

She got the key out and handed it to him. “I
can already tell, it’s too big, Anna.”

She frowned, “He said I had the key; this is
the only key I have Hayden!” She looked at him for an answer, but
he had nothing and gave her back the book.

“So if this isn’t the one; then where is the
right one?”

Chapter 5

Neither got any
sleep that
night. They slept in the cave, but far away from the pool. The
following morning, Hayden made sure she stayed very close by and
she was too tired to argue. When they finally reached the other
side and stepped out, she was grateful for the warmth of the sun
and instantly felt rejuvenated!

She spent the remainder of their journey
soaking in her surroundings. It seemed that this world wasn’t
entirely that far different than hers. Soon the trees started to
spread out more until finally they rode out across open fields
filled with the same wild flowers she had seen before.

“
It’s so beautiful!” She
shared with him.

He pointed out across the field ahead of
them and she spotted an animal resembling a deer grazing. “What is
that?” she asked him.

“It’s a Denhorn.” He answered; “It’s
harmless, but will defend itself with its large horn if
threatened.”

“That is a very strange looking animal, in
my world it looks like a deer with a rhino’s horn.” She laughed.
“I’m surprised it can hold its head up with such a large horn!” The
animal looked up over at them as if it knew they were talking about
it.

“You will have to explain to me what a deer
and a rhino is.” He inquired back.

“Well a deer looks like that, but no horn.”
She explained; “Wait!” she interrupted herself. “The males do have
antlers that do get pretty big, so I guess it makes sense why that
one can lift its head up!”

He laughed at her reasoning. “Well, thank
you for clearing that up for me!” he jested.

“Anyways…” she continued; ignoring his
comment, “A rhino is a very large and sometimes mean four legged
animal that has a horn like that in the center of its head.”

He laughed, “Well, that sounds like a rather
strange looking animal too.”

“I guess it could be.” She agreed.

She yawned and leaned her head against his
back. She stared out at the bouncing horizon and allowed the
rocking of the horse’s to lull her to sleep again. Suddenly, what
seemed like only a minute later; she felt herself falling forward
and tumbling down onto the ground. Stunned she sloppily got back up
to her feet and looked for Hayden; who was nowhere in sight!

She hurried and ran up and grabbed the reins
of the nervous horse; he jerked, but she managed to keep her grip.
Above them a loud screech came and she quickly looked up. She found
a very large Falcon-like bird flying towards her; a very large
bird!

It screeched again and the horse finally
jerked out of her grasp and ran off. She looked back up at the
Falcon which was now diving straight towards her and she quickly
dropped to the ground.

“Anna! Grab my sword!” Hayden’s voice yelled
out from above her. She quickly jumped up to her feet and looked
up; she could see him dangling from one of the bird’s talons,
trying to wiggle free.

She looked around for the horse, but the
animal was nowhere in sight. She then remembered her dagger and
pulled it out. The loud screech came again; the Falcon had already
circled around. As it neared she could see that both talons were
now empty.

“Hayden!” She screamed and quickly looked
around for him, but he she couldn’t find him! The bird screeched
again and dived.

Without any hesitation she charged towards
the bird with her dagger raised and leapt into the air. She
screamed and the birds grab her. A faint cry came from behind her,
but she never heard it!

The bird’s claws clenched tightly around her
midsection, her side burned from where its nails cut into it. She
stabbed the dagger into its leg and the bird shrilled in pain;
slightly releasing its hold on her. She quickly grabbed onto its
leg and climbed up it; pulling her dagger out as she did. She
grabbed a fist full of its feathers and climbed up to its front.
She thrust the dagger deep into the breast of the bird and the
creature screeched again! Then both hurtled back down towards the
ground.

Before they slammed into the surface, she
leapt off and tucked herself into a roll. She tumbled away from it
and rolled to her side. She sat up and looked over at the bird; it
lay a few yards away, apparent of no life. She slowly got to her
feet and walked over to it.

Hayden rode up behind her and dismounted the
horse. He walked over and stood next to her; looking at the
bird.

“Are you alright?” he asked calmly. She
nodded. He grabbed her shoulders and turned her towards him. “Where
did that come from?” He asked amazed!

She said nothing and reached down and pulled
the dagger from the animal’s chest. She grabbed the corner of her
dress and wiped it off.

He silently watched her put it away; she
looked back up at him. “Are you alright Anna?” he asked her
again.

She at first nodded, but then shook her
head. “I thought you were dead…” she whimpered.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled
her close to him. The adrenaline had worn off and reality was now
sinking in; she started to tremble and sobs quickly followed. He
gently rubbed her back as she cried; to comfort her.

Chapter 6

H
ayden guided the horse along and searched for a secluded area
to make camp for the night. Just beyond, he spotted a grove of
trees and directed them towards it. He climbed down and grabbed the
reign and tied it to a nearby tree branch. Anna climbed down and
untied the blanket. She carried it over to a tree and laid it out.
She sat down and leaned back against the tree.

Hayden dug inside the saddle bag and pulled
out a jug of water and a satchel. He then walked over and joined
her on the blanket. He untied the satchel and pulled out a few
slices of bread and some jerky for them.

She grabbed the jug and pulled out the cork;
she took a big gulp of it and handed it over to him.

“
Wait until we get to my
home, the food is definitely better than this!” He took a drink
from it.

She nodded and took another bite from her
bread. A light breeze mussed her hair, blowing a strand of it into
her face. She reached up and softly brushed it away.

“Anna, what made you go after that Falcon
like that?” he asked her.

She shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t know. I
guess when it came back and I didn’t see you and thought you were
dead.” She looked over at him, “I wanted to kill it!” She looked
down at her dress and wiped the crumbs off it, “I wasn’t even
afraid; I don’t even know how I did what I did!”

He leaned over and lifted her chin with his
fingers, tears were in her eyes. “No one really knows their true
potential, until it is challenged. Anna this is just a glimpse of
what you are capable of!”

“
I only came here because
of my grandmother’s journals…I only wanted to ask a few questions!
I don’t know why this Chancellor wants to kill me! I am not here to
test my potential! I don’t even know why I did what!” She babbled
on.