Aloria: the Adventure Begins: A Daughters of Light Novel

By DL Taylor

Anna, Rashell, and Emileah are sisters in the small town of Maurepas, Louisiana, where they are considered strange and are teased by the other kids. They have always wondered why they are so different. They have abilities that they cant yet control and are expected to hide them. After a series of magical mishaps, their mother tells them that they must leave. She is taking them to Aloria, their home. They are filled with questions as she tries to explain that they had to leave when she and their father put a powerful sorcerer in stone, and his followers wanted to kill them to set him free. Now they must face dangers through the Bermuda triangle, confront dragons, and learn to trust their instincts and one another in order to make it safely home to the magical caves of Lamaria.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 25, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543425376

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

STRANGE HAPPENINGS

A tiny two story shack with a porch all around the bottom level that is slightly rickety with rotten and loose boards sitting in the middle of a small landing doesn’t look out of place in a small town like Maurepas, Louisiana. Its paint needs to be updated, as it is chipped and in many places doesn’t have any at all. Over the years it has obviously fallen into disrepair.

In a tiny room upstairs on the top bunk, Emileah Tanner jerks bolt upright in bed, her head barely missing the low hanging roof. She knows that it was a nightmare that woke her, but can’t remember what it was about.

She reaches up rubbing the teardrop shaped birth mark in the middle of her forehead, feeling pain throbbing there. Shrugging and looking around the little room and seeing nothing out of place, then bending down over the edge to see her sister, Anna, sleeping sprawled out across the bottom bunk, her long curly red hair spread in a tangled mess across the pillow. Slowly crawling to the end of the bed and down the ladder to the floor, she slips quietly out the door.

A few moments later Emileah is slipping out the front door and across a small gravel drive, then a small grassy hill to the water. She takes a long slow breath, smelling the familiar calming scent of cypress and pine trees and the river. She shakes her head, the water is very calming and its pungent odor of fresh water mixed with swamp is so familiar that it relaxes her nerves and lets her feel more relaxed.

Sneaking out again, are we?

Looking up in a tree, there sitting on a limb is their white and tan cat, Nicodemus with a disapproving look on his furry little face. Don’t you have something else to do or someone else to bother? Besides, I’m not sneaking out; I’m just getting some fresh air.

Sure, tell that to your mom when she catches you.

Don’t you have more important things to do like lick your butt or something? You need to do that instead of spying on me.

It’s my job to keep an eye on you. You should be used to that by now.

Emileah just waves her hand at him and walks out on the pier. Sitting down and leaning over, she runs her fingers through the water. For a moment, just a moment, it looks like a picture emerges, but it is gone so fast that she thinks she might have imagined it. Closing her eyes she hears the quiet calm of the water flowing down stream towards the lake. The sound makes her feel reassured that everything is okay. Opening her eyes and seeing the water vibrating away from the pier she smiles and looks up as she realizes that their neighbor Derek has joined her.

Sneaking out again? He says with a wry smile on his face.

Nope, it’s only sneaking out if you get caught. I’m just getting some fresh air.

I’ll remember you said that when she catches you and you get grounded. He says amused, then more seriously. So what’s bothering you tonight? You’ve come out here almost every night for the last month, so don’t try to tell me nothing again.

I don’t know. I told you before. I can’t remember the dreams. I know that it’s something bad because of how scared I am when I wake up, but I don’t remember what I’m dreaming. She snaps, then immediately feels bad for being rude to him. Sorry, I think I’m just going to go back and try to get some sleep. I know that’s what I need anyway. She gets up and heads back up the hill and across to the little house. She can feel Derek’s green eyes following her until she is back inside.

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Emileah tosses and turns and suddenly wakes feeling like she can’t breathe. Feeling someone holding her and trying to break free, but they have her in an iron grip. She fights trying to get loose. Opening her eyes and seeing nothing but a blur makes her panic even more. Not being able to see her captor through her blurry vision and the fact that they are behind her. Everything is dark and distorted; her lungs feel like they are on fire.

Emmy, calm down, I have you. She hears her mother’s frantic voice. She looks around in shock and confusion as her eyes begins to clear, then realizing that she is being pulled out of the river by her mother.

Derek is in the water lifting her feet up and onto the pier. He climbs out of the water after her and his mother, Clara Jones, wraps a towel around him.

Emmy, what were you doing out here? Why did you jump into the water? Her mother asks wrapping a towel around her body then another one around her hair and stroking her head tenderly trying to dry it.

I don’t think she knew what she was doing. She didn’t try to swim; she didn’t jump in the water. She walked off the end of the pier. She was fighting me in the water. I think she may have been sleepwalking. Derek tells her mother.

Oh dear, Sweetie, can you tell me what you were dreaming about?

Emileah shakes her head feeling panic rising from deep inside. I don’t know. I don’t remember.

Well, let’s get you inside and maybe once we have you out of these wet clothes and get something warm in you before you catch your death you may be able to remember. I would like to know what it is that drove you out here and almost took you from me. Camellia tells her and wraps her in her arms and picks her up, then turns to Derek. Thank you Derek, if it weren’t for you I would have lost my little girl tonight. This is a debt I will never be able to repay. Turning Camellia takes her back into the house and sits Emileah down on the couch. Here sweetie, I’ll go run you a bath.

Emileah shakes her head and looks at her mother irritably as everything slowly begins to form and she starts to understand what had happened. I’m okay. I can run my own water. I’m capable of getting cleaned up. I have been getting my bath and dressing myself for years now. She says sharply and gets up, moving past her and up the stairs to the bathroom next to her room.

Going into the bathroom and running water in the tub. Reaching down and running her fingers across the water for a moment she is sure that a picture emerged, but it’s gone quickly but she knows this time she saw it, but it was gone so fast she couldn’t see what it was. She shakes her head and tries running her fingers through it again, but nothing happens. She gets undressed and climbs into the old iron tub, feeling the heat from the water heating the sides of the tub as well. She has to turn the heat down to keep from burning herself.

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Getting out of the tub a little while later Emileah finds her mother at the kitchen table. You can’t be planning on staying up all night mom. You need sleep too.

No dear, I don’t plan on staying up all night, I want to get some hot chocolate in you to warm your insides and hope that you can tell me about the dream you had that almost took you from me.

Emileah sits down in a chair with a sad face. I don’t remember. I told you that. I didn’t say it just to make you leave me alone, I really don’t remember. She says as her body begins to shake and her head begins to throb. God, I have a headache.

You’ve had a long night. You need to get warm and take some Tylenol then go to bed and get some sleep. I’m going to sleep on the couch so that I can be close if you start sleep walking again tonight.

Emileah lets out an exasperated sigh, drinks her hot chocolate enjoying the sweet creamy drink and takes the medicine. Okay, I’m done. Good night mom.

I love you sweetie.

Love you too mom. Emileah tells her as she slides out of the chair and makes a dash up the stairs.

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Mom, I can’t find my blue sweater. I can’t go to school without it. Fifteen year old Rashell Tanner calls down the hall while digging through her closet trying frantically to find the bright blue knitted sweater that she loves so much. If the school uniform wasn’t enough to make everyone feel ugly with khaki bottoms and blue or white shirt, she needs something to make it pretty.

Camellia walks into the room and points to the left side. It’s okay dear. I put it in the back of your closet yesterday. It has been so warm I didn’t think that you would need it. It’s a beautiful day outside. You won’t need it, but if you must have it, look all the way in the back on the left side.

Rashell shakes her head of dark brown curls and digs for the sweater.

Nicodemus looks up at her from his spot between her pillows on the bed as her mother walks out of the room. You know if you took better care of your things on your own instead of your mother having to take care of everything, you would know where it was.

No one asked for your opinion, least of all me. Rashell snaps. The last thing I need is a cat telling me what to do. Besides, whoever heard of a talking cat? The only place that cat’s are supposed to talk is on T.V. I don’t understand why we are so different. I wish we could be just like everyone else she complains, and then a moment later pulls the sweater triumphantly from the closet.

Be careful what you wish for. Sometimes it’s good to be different, even special. You should be glad that you don’t live such a boring life. You have friends and family that are extraordinary. Nicodemus tells her patiently. Different does not always have to be a bad thing.

A squeal down the hall catches their attention and she hears her mother as she runs down the hall to the other children’s room.

Rashell walks over and looks in and sees her mother wrestling a purse from her two younger sisters. They are ten and eleven. They were always fighting over their things. She shakes her head, knowing it could be a while before they get ready for school.

It’s mine! Anna snaps trying to reach for the purse.

No, yours is blue, the pink one is mine! Emileah argues trying to keep it away from Anna.

Girls, that one’s Emmy’s. Anna, you hid yours under your mattress, now come on you two. You have to let me do your hair for school. It’s about time to go. Camellia is telling her two youngest daughters and starts trying to sit them down one at a time to do their hair.

Mom, I don’t want you to brush my hair. Anna complains. I can do it myself. She tells her mother pushing the brush away, and walking over to her bunk and pulling the purse from under the mattress. Hum, how did you know where it was if I hid it?

Camellia laughs softly. I’m your mother. I know everything.

Whatever. Anna says shaking her head with a frown.

Camellia shakes her head and hands her another brush that seems to appear out of thin air. Okay, you go work on your hair in the bathroom while I do Emmy’s hair. When I get done with hers, I’ll come and put your hair up for you. She tells her and Anna walks out of the room. Camellia turns back to Emileah. Come on Emmy. We have to get your hair done.

Emileah shakes her head and moves away. No, I don’t want my hair brushed. Its fine just like it is. She says putting her hands up over her tangle of straight light brown hair. I don’t need it brushed today, maybe tomorrow.

Camellia reaches out her hand and Emileah floats over to her. It won’t take but a minute if you will just sit still. I’ll be quick and painless. I promise. She tells her as Emileah begins to squirm.

Emileah squirms, trying to get loose but she can’t wiggle free.

"Why does Anna get to do her own hair and I can’t. It’s not fair." Emileah complains.

Camellia laughs softly. Because if we wait for you to do it we will be waiting all day since you hate to have it done.

Rashell shakes her head. I’m going to go wait at the bus stop. It looks like you are going to be running late again today. I’d rather not be tardy for school again. If we are tardy again Mr. Hebert says that we will get detention. I really don’t like school to begin with I’d rather not have to stay an hour after school for being late.

Camellia laughs. Okay dear, try not to get into mischief. Please don’t let the other kids antagonize you into doing anything, out of the ordinary and be careful and I’ll see you this evening.

Rashell nods, not sure what her mom means by that. Sure mom, see you later, and heads out the door and down the gravel road towards the bus stop. She looks around as she walks down the quiet road with the trees on both sides. They have the river in the front yard and a few houses behind them, then a swamp behind that. Every time the east wind blows they get flooded in. The bus refuses to drive down the road because of how frequently it is flooded. It suits them though. The smell of wild flowers and cypress trees float on the air around her. She gets to the end of the road and