Anastasia (The Bolton Series Book 1) Read Free Page A

to the handle. All the symbols had the same woven circle around it. It looked to be protecting the image. The Strega had a tree whose branches connected to its roots, forever interlocking with each other. Next was the Cailleach with the same woven circle around what looked to be a whoosh of air trying to break through it. Following that was the Sirens with fire that almost seemed to eat up the circle. The Lamia’s was a wave of water threatening to drown the circle. Finally, the Bandraoi had a simple blue crystal that glowed in the circle. “What does the crystal symbolize?”
    “Fusion, the Bandraoi have the powers of all the different covens. When they mix, the blue crystal appears. That’s how people know who they are.”
    “Do they constantly carry a crystal around with them?” It seemed somewhat absurd to me.
    “No. The color is always with them though.”
    “I’m not following you.” I looked up to my brother. A smile spread across his lips.
    “Don’t worry about it sis. You would have to meet one to know what I mean,” He closed his book and got up from my bed. “I’m beat. I’ll see you tomorrow. Goodnight.”
    “But that can’t possibly be it,” I stammered after him. I wanted to know more about this magical piece of metal. I needed to.
    “I’m afraid so, Annie. No one knows what happened to it so there is no more to tell. Some people even say it’s just an old tale and no such thing exists.”
    “It has to though, right?”
    “Why are you so interested in this sword?” He looked at me curiously trying to answer his own question.
    “I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “Just something new, I guess.”
    “Goodnight, Annie,” he said again leaving the room.
    “Night, Simon,” I replied as he closed the door behind him. I kept replying his last question in my mind. Why was I interested in this sword? I knew I could not deny the pull I felt towards it, it was too insistent to ignore. At just the thought of holding such a sword caused my hands to tingle and my mind to race. 
    I decided to grab my spell book to distract myself from our conversation. I had gotten as far as opening the book when a soft knock came from my door. Putting the book back on the shelf, I opened my bedroom door. My dad was standing there waiting for me. His red hair was sticking up the way it always did when he got nervous. His lavender eyes looked sad when they saw me.
    “Can I come in,” he asked in a low voice, telling me that mom had made her way to bed.
    “Yeah.” I backed away from the doorway giving enough room for him to pass by before closing it. He sat down on my desk chair and I on my bed. He sat quietly for a few minutes just staring at me before he spoke.
    “I know you don’t understand what is happening right now and that mostly has to do with the fact that your mom and I haven’t told you anything but I ask you to trust me. If you and Simon were in danger in any way, we would never leave. We are doing this because we love you, Annie. This is to protect you.”
    “Why don’t you ever tell me anything? Dad, I’m nineteen years old, I can handle it.”
    A sad smile spread across his face as he looked at me. “I know, but you are my little girl and it’s hard to think you are all grown up.” He stood up and pressed his hand to my cheek. His warmth brought the comfort I needed. “I promise you, though; I will tell you everything one day.”
    “Pinky promise?” I held out my pinky finger in front of him. He laughed at my gesture probably remembering all our pinky promises of the past.
    “I pinky promise,” He said and wrapped his pinky around mine.
    “It’s only four days, right? They’ll fly by.” I did not believe the words even though they came from my mouth.
    “That they will.” He kissed my forehead and left the room. It suddenly got ten degrees colder.

Chapter Two
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    My parents were gone before I had woken the next day. In a way, I was glad. Goodbyes