The Second Premonition

by Tamara Geraeds

  “I don’t know. Maybe both?”

  “She could be a dragon,” Jeep offers.

  Taylar taps his shoulder. “Or a fire starter.”

  “Or-“

  D’Maeo coughs. “She could be lots of things. The point is that she’s probably a magical being and she might be evil. We have to be careful. For all we know, she cast that spell on her house herself.”

  Countless options of magical creatures that have something to do with fire are offered during the ride back.

  “Please stop,” I say after a while. “My brain is about to explode.”

  I can’t believe how many beautiful creatures from the movies are real. And how many monsters from scary bedtime stories, too.

  The Shield laughs. “Those weren’t even half of them.”

  I swerve from Blackford’s magical road onto the normal road leading to Silverton. “So all the stories are true, right?”

  Jeep snorts. “Of course not.” He turns a bit in his seat to face me. “Let me tell you the truth about movies. Half of them are made by humans, who don’t know anything about us so they make stuff up to make things a bit more exciting.”

  “As if our lives aren’t exciting enough,” Vicky interrupts with a grin. “If only they knew.”

  Jeep winks at her, which makes my stomach do a backflip. I hope he’s not flirting with her, I really don’t want to fight him.

  “He’s not,” Vicky says.

  Jeep and I turn around at the same time. “What?”

  “He’s not,” she repeats, her eyes fixed on mine.

  I tear my gaze from her beautiful face and turn my attention back to the road. “Well, good.”

  Jeep just frowns and absently strokes his tattoos.

  “Go on,” I urge him. “Tell me more about movies.”

  “Well, the other half is made by magical beings. They turn everything into folk tales that hide their true nature. They have some truth in them, but most of the characterization is made up. Their aim is to scare off human hunters.”

  My head swerves to the right. “There are humans hunting us?”

  “Sure. You’ve heard of witch trials, right?”

  “Of course.”

  “Well, those are the most famous ones. But the witches they caught weren’t always witches. They took all kinds of creatures, good and evil. So the magical world made up stories to frighten them. Sometimes they would think of the most unlikely traits, so people wouldn’t believe it anymore. But in those stories a lot of truth was hidden.”

  I ponder that the rest of the way. The Shield is also silent.

  When I park Phoenix one street away from Myah Pullus’s house, the ghosts wait for me to make the first move.

  Our conversation about movies made me think of the creatures I saw at the bar. And that gave me an idea. “What if I cast the unblocking spell again? That should draw the guards around the house out, shouldn’t it?”

  D’Maeo fingers his beard. “Sure, but what do you want to do then?”

  I shrug. “Fight them?”

  Jeep adjusts his hat. “I like the way you think, boy.”

  I get out of the car. “Then let’s do this. I feel like kicking some ass.”

  The Shield pops up next to me.

  While Maël scans the street, Vicky observes me with her hands on her hips. “Getting a bit cocky, are we?”

  “Not at all. I just like to catch them by surprise instead of the other way around.”

  D’Maeo stretches his neck. “I think it’s a good idea. We have to find out more about Myah Pullus to save her, which means we have to take out the ones guarding the house.” He turns to me. “Do you have everything you need?”

  I point at Vicky. “I figured she can pull it out of her endless pocket.”

  She grins. “Sure, I think I’ve got some useful stuff here. What do you need?”

  I tilt my head. “I thought you’d know. Aren’t you the spell expert?”

  She gives me a little push. “I don’t know every spell in the world, Dante. Do you have any idea how many there are?”

  “Not really. Good thing I wrote it all down.” I whip out my spell book and start flipping the pages.

  “Wow!” Vicky puts her hand on mine and gapes at the pictures of the demons. “Did you draw those yourself?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  “They’re really good!”

  My cheeks heat up. “Thanks.”

  She moves closer to me. “Not just handsome and powerful, but also talented. No wonder I find you so attractive.”

  Smiling like a maniac, I lean over to kiss her.

  “Ahem.” Jeep pulls us out of our bubble. He’s leaning against the car, twirling his hat around in his hand.

  “Sorry,” I mumble. Vicky takes a step back and I search for the right page. “Here it is.” I read out everything I need, and Vicky’s hand slides into her pocket over and over. When I mention the dandelion, she gives me an incredulous look. “You don’t really think I’ve got flowers in here, too, do you?”

  “I don’t know. That might explain why you smell so good.”

  “Oh please,” Taylar breaks in. “Ghosts don’t smell. I’ll get you the stupid dandelion.”

  He vanishes and appears half a minute later holding out the flower.

  “Thank you,” I say. Once more I check the list. I crack my knuckles. “That’s all we need. Are you all ready?”

  CHAPTER 22

  We sneak as close to the front of Myah’s house as we can without being seen.

  Everyone has pulled out their weapons and Vicky is also carrying a small bucket with a bit of water in it, which we found in one of the gardens we passed.

  I point to the spot where something feels wrong.

  “I can’t believe you can sense them. I can’t even do that,” Vicky whispers, putting down the bucket.

  I wink. “I guess that’s one of the benefits of being the chosen one.”

  While I prepare everything, the Shield hides the candle flames from the guards.

  “Keep an eye on that spot.” All heads turn towards the bushes I point to when I start the chant.

  As soon as I drop the wick in the bucket, an angry shout erupts from the trees.

  I pick up my athame and squint to see what’s going on. Branches sway wildly and leaves fly everywhere. A cold squall catches my breath and I turn my head to let in some oxygen.

  “Leave it alone, Dante!” Simon’s voice yells from all around me. “You can’t win. We’ve been planning this for years. You never stood a chance.”

  I concentrate on my power core and hit the breeze around me with lightning.

  It crackles and moves away with a loud whoosh.

  But he hasn’t given up. Before I can take one step after him, he comes back at me, this time carrying a stack of bricks. I take aim and shoot another bolt at him, but he dodges it easily. He launches the bricks so fast, I don’t know which way to duck. A small black shape zooms past in the corner of my eye, and cuts one of the bricks in half. Like a boomerang it flies back, cutting another brick. Jeep catches it and places it back on his head. I duck to avoid the third brick, but when I stand up again, I see more coming my way.

  “Maël, can you slow them down?”

  She doesn’t answer, but slams her staff on the ground.

  Everyone but us slows down. D’Maeo raises his arms and hits the bricks with his deflective powers. They tumble down in slow motion. The air current that must be Simon, becomes visible and I hold out my hand to Vicky. “Do you have a jar or something in that pocket of yours?”

  She shakes her head. “Nothing that’s strong enough to hold an air elemental.”

  “Okay, any other ideas?”

  “Try to freeze him.”

  While the others move towards the remaining guards, I reach for the buzz inside me again and focus on coldness. My hands cool down rapidly and I aim them at the current. Inch by inch, it gets cover
ed in ice. It grunts, trying to push through.

  “More, Dante. Keep going,” Vicky urges me.

  Already, I feel my energy draining. My knees are starting to buckle and my chest hurts.

  Suddenly there’s a loud crack. Time speeds up again. Shards of ice slice my cheeks and an invisible wind picks me up and throws me backwards. “You can’t win.”

  I hit the pavement hard, but there’s no time to check for wounds. Simon is pulling me along by the ankle.

  A low curse makes me look up. D’Maeo is on the ground. Half of his transparent body is covered in bricks. Maël is leaning on her staff, panting heavily, while Vicky is trying to grab my arms. Taylar jumps in front of D’Maeo with his shield to ward off the next brick attack. Jeep wrestles a giant tree that wraps its branches around him one by one.

  We are so screwed.

  “Please, Simon!” I yell. “Stop this. We are friends. We should fight together, not against each other.”

  He lets go of my leg and I rub my ankle. I reach for my core, but all the energy is gone. There’s not even a tiny spark left. Still, I can’t give up. If I die here today, there will be no one to save Mom.

  A gust of wind makes my sleeves ripple. Simon’s face appears, then his body. He crouches next to me. From the corner of my eye, I see Vicky vanishing and reappearing next to D’Maeo.

  Simon blows his ruffled brown hair out of his eyes so he can look at me. “We should work together, Dante. We would love to have you on our side.” He holds up his hand and the other guards stop fighting.

  I reach for my athame with my right hand. “Which side is that? Of the Devil?”

  “We’re on the side of Earth and humankind. Lucifer can help us wipe the slate clean, so we can start over.”

  I scratch my head. “Start over? What does that mean?”

  “We’re killing our own planet, Dante. You know that as well as I do. Lucifer can burn it all, and we will repopulate the Earth. Start again and do better.”

  My hand finally finds my weapon and I grip it tightly. “With the Devil as our king? You really think that’s a good idea?”

  He smiles. “We humans, magical or not, need a strict ruler. God refuses to lead us, so we turned to Lucifer.”

  “But Lucifer kills people for fun.”

  He shakes his head patiently, never losing his smile. “Not for fun. Sacrifices have to be made sometimes.”

  “Now that I agree with.” I raise my arm as fast as I can and drive the athame through his heart.

  It feels like driving a knife through my own heart, and for a second I close my eyes.

  But when I pull it out, Simon isn’t there anymore. A strong wind hits me like a whip. Scorching pain goes through my chest as my shirt rips. A couple of feet away from me, screams rise up. I swallow my pain and swing my weapon in all directions. When I feel resistance, I use what’s left of my power to freeze it.

  Laughter right in front of me. An invisible hand pulls the athame from my grasp. “You may be the chosen one, but you’re years of training behind. Give up and you can live a few weeks longer.”

  A black-and-blonde head pops up next to mine and I’m pulled backwards just as the athame flies back. It hits the pavement with a clang and Simon laughs. “What’s this now? You need a girl to protect you?”

  Vicky balls her fists, ready to attack. She doesn’t notice the tree guy, charging her like a mad bull.

  “Watch out!” I yell, reaching for her arm to pull her down. I know it’s too late. It’ll hit her and squeeze her into oblivion.

  Simon knows it, too. He just stands there, the friend I thought I knew, and laughs.

  But then, seconds before the tree reaches us, a ball of brown mud hits Simon in the back of the head. He tumbles forward and the tree trips over him. More grease rains down on them, preventing them from getting up.

  Simon changes into his elemental form again.

  “Don’t let him get away!” Charlie shouts, still shooting gel.

  I scramble to my feet and pick up my weapon.

  For a moment I see Simon’s face, but then Jeep’s hat flies past. It cuts off one of the tree’s branches and spins towards Simon. In a split second, he’s in full wind form again. I expect to be knocked over, but instead the air grows still around us. The tree on the ground changes into a small, skinny man. He wriggles himself out of his muddy prison, grabs his bleeding hand and runs.

  I put my hands into my side. “Should we go after him?”

  Vicky sighs. “No, leave him. Myah’s house is more important.”

  “Dante!” A shout from Taylar makes me whirl around.

  I hurry to his side. “What’s wrong? Is Paul still here? He was the one throwing the bricks, wasn’t he?”

  Taylar just draws in short gulps of air, even though he doesn’t need oxygen anymore. “He’s gone.”

  “Then what’s wrong?”

  He points at the ground at his feet.

  My heart almost stops when I realize someone is laying there. “Maël?” I drop to my knees and gently touch her shoulder. “She’s barely visible. What happened?”

  “She collapsed after she slowed down time.” Taylar’s voice is choked up.

  The others gather around us while Charlie keeps watch.

  For a moment Maël fades. I gasp and swallow my tears when she returns. “It’s like she’s blinking in and out of existence.”

  “We have to do something,” Taylar says.

  I look up at him. “But what? I don’t know how to fix this!”

  “I do.”

  We all turn our heads. Quinn is standing behind us, his wings unfolded, his dark face bathed in light. He holds out his hands and Maël is lifted off the ground. She floats into his outstretched arms. “I pulled some strings, convinced the council that we need the whole Shield to win this battle. They agreed to help.”

  “Thank you, Qui- Qaddisin.” My eyes hurt just by looking at his true angel form.

  “I do need something though, in order to cure her,” he continues.

  “As long as it’s not the Devil’s blood,” I joke.

  He smiles blindingly. “No, but it is blood I need. From the bloodline of the one that did this to Maël.”

  “You need blood from a tree? Trees don’t bleed, do they?”

  “Sure they do,” Taylar interrupts. “We were just fighting one.”

  Oh right, the ent. “So we have to find a tree that is related to the one in the Shadow World? How do we do that?”

  Quinn flaps his wings and bends his knees. “You ask around.”

  Then he pushes off and disappears into the sky, with Maël held against his chest.

  CHAPTER 23

  Charlie joins us with a reassuring smile on his face. “She’ll be fine, she’s in good hands.”

  I sigh. “How are we going to find an ent related to that tree? And how are we going to get its blood?”

  D’Maeo stares in the distance. He looks a bit lost without the African queen by his side.

  I realize I should comfort them, instead of the other way around. I’m supposed to lead them.

  “You know what,” I say, pulling my shoulders back. “We can do this. We’re powerful, we’ve got an angel on our side and a prophecy that tells us we’re going to win this. We went into the Shadow World and survived. One of us came out weaker, but we can fix that. We will find a way to get everyone we lost back.”

  Mom’s face flashes before my eyes, followed by my father’s. If only I could get him back, too.

  I turn towards Myah Pullus’ house. “We’ve got people to save. And now that we’ve chased away Paul, Simon and that ent, we can plant some cameras in that house.” I don’t wait for an answer, but pick up the backpack I dropped and take off towards the side of the house. “You guys stay here and make sure no one follows me in.”

  They don’t object. I can almost feel their surprised looks, and Vicky’s proud grin and I’m happy that I took the le
ad. This is what a master should act like.

  I reach the back of the house and go straight for the open window. I almost trip over the remains of the zombie raccoon lying on the grass. The camera Taylar unwillingly left on its skull looks intact, so I put it in my backpack. I should probably get rid of the bones, but I decide getting in and planting the cameras is more important.

  All the fighting and jumping in all directions to avoid claws and teeth have done some good. Hauling myself up to the window and into the bedroom is almost a piece of cake.

  I tiptoe to the room with the computers and plant two cameras. Then I go downstairs and hide two more in the living room. When I’m back upstairs, I peek into the closet in the bedroom, hoping to find a clue to who this woman is.

  “Wow,” I breathe when I find a black leather suit and high heels. “Looks like she isn’t as virtuous as she wants people to think.”

  I wrinkle my nose. There’s a faint smell of smoke in this closet, but I can’t decide where it’s coming from. I reach for another camera, but my bag is empty.

  Grunting, I climb back out of the window, throw the raccoon bones in the bushes and hurry back to the others.

  I give them the thumbs up and a minute later we’re driving back to Darkwood Manor.

  Charlie goes back to Rodney’s DIY shop to get more cameras, while the Shield and I try to figure out a way to get in touch with some ents.

  “When I was young, I lived near a creepy forest that was supposed to be haunted,” Taylar tells us. “Maybe we should take a look there?”

  D’Maeo paces the kitchen. “We can’t act on a hunch. We need information.”

  My finger shoots in the air. “Maybe we could ask the owner of the Winged Centaur. He probably knows lots of magical beings.”

  Jeep flicks his hat in the air. “But would he sell out his own customers?”

  Taylar draws his sword. “We’ll leave him no choice.”

  I study his determined expression. “Okay, but let’s give him a chance before threatening him.”

  He slides the sword back into his pants. “Works for me.”

  “There’s one thing we need to know first.” Jeep drops his hat and bends over to pick it up.