by Allison West
He didn't so much as offer her a hand to help her up. What an ass. "You just stabbed me." Lil gasped for air and moved her right hand over and across her chest. There was no mark, no cut, just a slight sizzle as the material stitched itself. The jacket saved her life.
"Get up!" Hudson rolled his eyes and pointed the sword tip at the ground. His other hand helped Lil to her feet. He steadied the sword, to keep it from falling. "Eilith isn't going to wait for you. As soon as she discovers what you're wearing is a protection shield, she'll cut off your head. Use the eternal suit as a last resort." It was a warning.
"Okay, got it." Lil reached for the sword. Even if he was an ass, he made a good point. "Can I try it now?"
"Knock yourself out." Hudson smiled, watching as she lifted the blade with ease. His smile faltered as she used two hands to wield the sword through the air, whipping and whizzing it by him as he jumped, ducked, and even shifted sideways to keep her from killing him. "Careful. There's only one eternal suit."
There was something about Hudson that drew her to him. Maybe it was because, back home, she'd have been invisible to him, the bad boy. He paid attention to her, which made her heart flutter. It was probably all the adrenaline confusing her with her own stupid teenage hormones. There was no way he was interested in her, and why would she start to like a guy like him? No. She needed to get her emotions in check.
Chapter 4
Responsibilities
"Do you think Lil is okay?" Bray asked.
Willow used a pestle to crush the bone into a powder. Bray was not any help, standing there watching.
"We're lucky she's not forcing us to clean up dead bodies. I think you should grab a bone and help me out, unless you're incapable of work?"
Bray shot her a look and stalked to the opposite end of the table. He bent down, lifting the smallest bone he could find. "I need a pestle." He refrained from going into any details about what he had experienced with Eilith. Thankfully, Willow hadn't asked.
"Help yourself." Willow pointed behind her at the assortment of various sized pestles on the counter. Evidently, Eilith crushed a lot of bones, herbs, whatever you could make into a potion.
"Please tell me you're coming up with a plan to escape. I don't want to become that guy." Bray gestured to the skeleton on the table in front of them. It was hard to fathom that a few hours ago, he had been bound on the demon's bed, and now he was a slave once again. Nothing had changed.
"We just have to get downstairs without getting caught."
"Not easy, considering she locked us in this place. We should be burying the dead, not smashing their bones." Bray paused, the color draining from his face. "How is it even possible? How is any of this real?"
"It's as real as you and I are," Willow said. "I have to admit, you've handled the whole doppelganger aspect pretty well."
"That's the easiest part to deal with right now, trust me. Besides, you and Willow are nothing alike." Bray grabbed the pestle and slammed it across the bone on the table. The bone shattered into a dozen pieces. Repeatedly, he beat the pestle on the table, letting out his frustration.
"I know you're upset," Willow said, "but don't let her get to you. Keep a level head; you'll need it when we try to escape."
"Escape? I'm just trying not to be summoned to her room again." He didn't want to admit that a small part of him had enjoyed the sexual encounter. "Maybe if we do what she says, she'll let us go." Bray paused, silence encompassing them. It was more than a long shot; there was no chance she would let them escape. He didn't want to face that reality. "She killed him, didn't she?" He dropped the pestle to the table. "What happened to this place?"
"Eilith has the uncanny ability to kill any living thing in sight. She sucks the life out of the living, human or otherwise. There are no plants or animals within miles of her castle, unless you count her pet dragons."
She didn't seem that terrible when she'd desired his flesh. Maybe it was a ruse, or perhaps he'd only seen one side of her. "Dragons?" Bray raised an eyebrow. "That is almost cool. If it wasn't for the fact I'm trapped in a demon's castle." He had loved stories about dragons as a kid, but he was eighteen. Those days were long gone in believing in fairytales and fantasies.
"Demon sorceress," Willow corrected him. "I'm not sure where the dragons originated. Before the Scourge, I'd never seen one. Maybe they're cursed too."
"We're going to die here, aren't we?" Bray asked. Never in his life had he imagined this was how he'd die. He had always hoped it would be in his sleep, when he was old.
"We might." Willow made no effort to soften the blow. "I'm trying to devise a plan, but it's going to take time. You don't think I'm going along with this for nothing, do you?" She gestured for him to come closer, and as he did, she balled her fist and punched him in the shoulder.
He doubled over in pain, one hand holding the injured area. "What the hell was that for?" he asked.
"I thought you would have had defense training." Willow reached out to touch the injury, but Bray backed up, forcing himself against the wall. He held his head back up, gritting his teeth.
"Why would you think that? Stay away from me," he said, raising up his good arm to protect himself. Why had he offered her protection in a deal with the devil? He'd been an idiot, not that he could take it back.
Willow rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to hurt you. We have a lot of practice to get through if there's any shot of you escaping with me. I guess I was wrong about your training." She reached for his shoulder, lightly touching it. "You'll be fine. It's not broken or dislocated. This evening, assuming we're not separated for sleeping, I'll teach you how to defend yourself."
Bray didn't move any closer to Willow. He gave the faintest nod. "What's the actual plan?"
"We fight our way out of this place. Just keep yourself alive long enough for our escape."
Hudson stood behind Lil, his arms at either side of her. They held the sword together in both hands. "Like this," he said, demonstrating how to spin the weapon and stab the enemy. His left hand came to rest on her hip, forcing her to take a step back and to maneuver her feet. "If you stand in the same place all the time, Eilith will kill you."
It was growing darker by the minute. Lil had missed the sunset. An odd green and blue sparkle had twinkled across the sky as the red sun had faded down into the horizon. The training arena's lights flickered on, brightening as the hour grew later.
"How much more training do we have tonight?" Lil asked, feeling Hudson's breath against her ear. She didn't mind the sensation. He was good looking and had a great physique, though she wasn't used to being this close to any boy—not even Bray. Her best friend, Bray, had never kissed her, and hugs were for rare occasions when something terrible transpired. He was a shoulder to cry on, but she'd never been overly affectionate with anyone. Hudson had stirred something within her. She couldn't quite grasp or explain the feeling, but it hadn't ceased. Lil's cheeks reddened, but she hoped it had more to do with the training exercises than his proximity. Besides, he was an ass to her earlier. Was she just supposed to forgive and forget? She didn't want to admit, even to herself, that he was inevitably growing on her.
"Until dinner is served." Hudson breathed against her neck again. "It'd be nice if Rawlie started it, since he's not doing anything else." He shot Rawlie a sharp look.
"I'm busy." Rawlie held up his hands in defense. "Just because it may not look like I'm busy to you, doesn't mean I'm not learning something." He'd been sitting there since training had begun.
Arianna brought Jamie into the training arena while Rawlie watched in amusement. "You could offer a hand," Arianna shouted at Rawlie.
"Has training worked up an appetite?" Rawlie smiled. "Good, then you'll be hungry enough to cook for me."
Hudson's breath lingered against Lil's ear a little longer than necessary. "I think now's a good time for a break," he said, helping her put the sword down.
She swung it with ease, and though she'd been practicing with the sword for hou
rs, she showed no signs of exhaustion. "I've got it," Lil said, taking the sword back to where she'd seen it retrieved from earlier.
Hudson waited while she returned it, standing outside the small weapons closet.
"Making sure I don't touch anything else?" Lil asked, watching him standing there observing her.
"You're a quick study. I've never seen anyone take to the sword like you did today."
Was he actually paying her a compliment? "Thanks." Lil smiled. "Turn around, would you?" The last thing she needed was to disrobe in front of a stranger.
He obliged. "It's amazing. You and Willow are the exact same size." Hudson stood guard outside the small cubicle while she removed the suit and slipped back into her clothes.
"Well, we're kind of the same person," she said. "Aren't we?" She closed the cabinet and touched his shoulder to pass by him when she finished.
"I suppose so, but in all honesty, you two look nothing alike."
"I don't normally look like this." Lil gestured to her hair. "Back home, my hair isn't highlighted, and my nails…" She held her painted fingers up to his eyes. "They're plain. Not that I can't paint them, but not in this detail."
"Even so," Hudson said, "you look different from Willow." He followed her toward the center of the training arena where Arianna and Jamie were battling it out in hand-to-hand combat. "Personalities and what not," he said. Lil raised an eye, waiting for Hudson to continue what he was saying. He didn't. "I should go. I have some things to do before we set off tomorrow."
She didn't want to admit she was disappointed that he wasn't continuing the conversation. The first time she ever truly had feelings for a guy and he was from a parallel universe. This could not be happening. "Okay," she said, watching as he disappeared through the exit to the corridor. Lil heard a soft snicker, and her gaze moved upward as she caught sight of Rawlie above her on the rafters. He had a full view of the training facility. "Coming down?" she asked, staring up at him. Though she wasn't thrilled with Rawlie for bringing her here, she was beginning to understand his reasoning. She'd need more than just her bare hands to fight Eilith. The sword, the training, and the eternal suit would come in handy. Perhaps that was what Nightblood Academy had been all about.
Rawlie grunted in protest before slinging himself down from the ceiling and onto the floor without so much as a flinch. "I'm not making dinner," he said. "Don't think she won just because she got me to come down," he told everyone.
Lil watched Arianna and Jamie practice. She peered toward the hallway where Hudson went. "Where's he going, anyway?" She was trying to make sense of the academy and its corridors. Lil learned she could only access the back part of the building, and Hudson was going toward the door that she had no chance of opening, which meant that he was originally intended to attend Nightblood Academy. What about her? Why had her mother mentioned the school for her younger sister? There were still so many unanswered questions.
"Where's who going? Hudson?" Rawlie asked. "Don't know. Not sure I care. You did well today. Impressive. I thought it'd take you longer to learn how to handle the sword."
"Guess I'm full of surprises." Lil grinned. This entire world she found herself in was full of surprises, and she was learning quite a lot about herself as well.
"That, you are. I think Hudson likes you." Rawlie kept his tone indifferent.
"He's nice," she said and followed Rawlie out into the hallway. As much as she wanted to know more about Hudson, she wasn't sure she wanted them to know that he stirred something inside of her. "Which way?" She still wasn't familiar with the corridors. She tried to change the subject to hide her discomfort and mild embarrassment.
"Left, to the kitchen." He led Lil down the hall until they reached the second door on the right. Inside, was the kitchen.
"You're not expecting me to cook for everyone, right?" She'd seen the exchange earlier and was not about to fall into their trap.
Rawlie laughed. "No. If your cooking is anything like Willow's, we'll keep you far from any appliances. You can watch, since you're the guest. Besides, Hudson should be back soon."
"How do you and Hudson know each other? Were you both students at the academy, or is there something more?" She felt like the boys knew one another from way back, but she couldn't figure out how.
Rawlie began pulling out the ingredients from the fridge. With a slow drawl, he said, "He's my cousin."
"He doesn't have your accent," Lil said.
"Smart one, aren't you?" Rawlie rolled his eyes with a faint smile. "I grew up far from Orenda, but my parents insisted on enrolling me in Nightblood Academy so I would have all the advantages of a bright future. No one knew what awaited us. When I came to visit my aunt and cousin eight years ago, it happened to be the same time Eilith opened Pandora's box and gained power. There were no returning flights and no airports after she destroyed everything. Our world used to be a lot like yours until her rule."
"Do you think your family is still alive back home?" She couldn't imagine not knowing what happened to them.
"I don't usually have the opportunity to think such things. I spent the last eight years helping Willow raise Jamie; he was just a small child when his parents died."
"They're dead?" She let out a soft breath, shocked by the news. "That's why the photographs in the house are different." Her heart was heavy just thinking that her parents—Willow's parents—had passed in this world. Even though Lil's parents were safe and well back home, the thought saddened her. She reached into her pocket to find her phone. She wasn't getting a signal, not that she expected to find one here.
"What's that?" Rawlie asked, seeing the small device in her palm.
"My phone?" She glanced at him, amused. "I guess it doesn't work in Orenda—you must not have cell towers. Or cell phones, it seems. It's how we communicate with each other back home."
"I've never seen anything like it. Give it to Hudson—he might be able to do something if your friend Bray has one as well."
"He does. Everyone back home has one." Lil's eyes lit up. At least there was a chance she could contact her best friend, even if it was slim. Maybe he could turn them into some type of two-way radio since there wasn't a cell tower or service. "If he brought it with him, would his phone need to be modified too?"
"Yes, but if he's with Willow, she might be able to handle it," Rawlie said.
"Good." Lil let out an anxious breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. The kitchen door swung open hard as Hudson stalked into the room. "Hey," Lil said, her face cheerful and smiling. "I need a favor."
"Who doesn't?" Hudson asked. He glanced her over, sizing her up. It was as if the few moments they had earlier that had finally softened the harsh reality between them had vanished. "What do you need?"
"Rawlie said you might be able to modify my phone." Lil slid the phone across the countertop. Hudson stepped closer.
Hudson shot Rawlie a brief glance. "What is this?"
Lil answered, "It's how we communicate with one another, back in my world—you guys really don't have phones? Bray should have his, too, and I was hoping we could contact him with this, though I don't have a signal here."
Hudson picked up the device and flipped it over, examining it. "It's not that simple. Did he tell you it would be?" He pointed at his cousin. "You always make it seem like I can fix anything, and that isn't the case."
"Don't underestimate yourself." Rawlie smiled. "I bet you can fix it."
"Say I can… What do I get for my troubles?" Hudson asked. He glanced from Rawlie back to Lil, the question in her hands.
"I don't—I don't know. I don't have anything. I left my school bag back at the Porter's house. I am going to rescue Willow. Isn't that enough?" It was why they'd brought her to Orenda.
"Suppose I'll do it out of the goodness of my heart... you can pay me back later. We'll come to some type of agreement." Hudson reached across the table and pocketed the phone. "I'll have it to you by the end of the night."
Eilith escorted Bray
and Willow from the apothecary to their sleeping quarters on the third floor. There were two cots and two cold meals waiting for them. A tiny, square window offered a hint of moonlight into their room. Bray hoped the window would offer some form of escape, but it was far too small and still much too high.
The sleeping arrangements were better than he expected. They both had been provided cots to sleep on, instead of the gray cobblestone floor that needed a good cleaning. The blanket was scratchy but warm, and the pillows were surprisingly decent—soft, plush, and comfortable.
He sat at the edge of his cot. Hungrily, he ate every bite of his soup and bread. More than anything, he was grateful for the mug of water. Crushing bones had equated to hard labor.
Willow did the same, finishing just as Bray did. Swallowing the last of her water, the mug slipped out of her hands and fell onto the floor. "Bray?"
Bray's eyelids grew heavy and the room began to spin. "I think we've been drugged," he mumbled, feeling his lips tingle. Was Eilith concerned they'd escape? He struggled to focus, collapsing onto the cot. He was out cold.
Chapter 5
The Mission
After dinner, Lil borrowed a change of clothes from Arianna before heading into the bedroom. She hated that she couldn't leave to find Bray tonight, but she was exhausted from spending most of the late afternoon and all the evening training. Her arms and legs were sore, forcing her to wait one more day. She hoped Bray was still alive and that all this training would help save him.
She undressed and regarded the pajamas Arianna had lent her, black and blue plaid flannel bottoms and a matching blue short-sleeved shirt. Lil didn't realize how much taller Arianna was until she wore Arianna's clothes. She was swimming in the pants, and the drawstring barely helped. The t-shirt wasn't doing her any favors, either. It didn't matter. She'd wear the outfit tonight, change tomorrow morning, and be on her way to rescue Bray before breakfast.
