I shake my head. “I really doubt it. I mean, the guy knew exactly who he was kidnapping. I’m sure this cage is guarded against her powers. I actually woke up in a demonic prison not too long ago because of her.” I throw up my hands and look around again. “But even if she did get out, where would she go? She can run far and fast and could carry you no problem, but having no idea where we even are—”
“Ha! Yeah, good one,” Corrine snorts.
I glance at her, and she raises her eyebrows. “Lucky wouldn’t carry me five feet. She’d happily leave me here to die.”
“What? That’s not true. No she wouldn’t!”
Corrine rolls her eyes and looks away. “Well, maybe she’d help me, but only out of obligation to you. Trust me, if it was up to her, she wouldn’t lift a finger to save me.”
“Is she really that awful to you?” I ask softly.
Corrine is quiet for a moment. “It’s weird. Yeah, she’s pretty rude, not gonna deny it. But it’s more than just that. She looks at me with such hostility, but at the same time, I feel this weird sadness from her. Like she acts all tough because she’s trying to protect something. But she just barely tolerates my presence, and I fear the slightest provocation will send her over the edge.”
I lean forward and rest my forehead on my palms. I’ve always suspected Lucky wasn’t all that kind to Corrine, but it saddens me to realize how right I was.
“I don’t know why she does a lot of the things she does, or says what she says,” I begin quietly. “And obviously I don’t approve. But I do have an inkling of an idea why she’s mean to you.”
“Why?”
I lick my lips and try to choose my words carefully. “It’s because of what happened with Kayla and Michael. We saw it happen, and it’s what caused this…” I wave my hand towards myself.
Corrine nods. I’d already told her about them on the car ride to California, but I want to make sure she understands the context and implications.
“I think when she sees you, she worries that getting close or caring will end in heartbreak,” I continue. “And she’s already had so much pain and suffering. Besides Kayla and Michael, I know she’s lost several of her good demon friends lately, and that’s not even including Bones, who was basically her soul mate. Other than me, that is,” I add with a sarcastic smirk. “So don’t take it personal. She has intimacy issues, you could say.”
Corrine grimaces. “Don’t we all,” she mutters.
“It’s just her way. Try not to let it bother you. I’m sure in time she’ll loosen up.”
Corrine shrugs noncommittally. I can tell she’s not convinced, and who could blame her? It pains me to hear Lucky treats her badly… but it doesn’t surprise me.
“Can I ask you something kind of personal?” She suddenly sounds shy.
I can’t help but laugh. “Corrine, you know every dirty, dark detail of my sick and twisted life. I assure you at this point there really isn’t much off limits between us anymore.”
She gives a small smile. “I just didn’t want to pry or seem nosy, you know, but, well... is everything okay with you and Kieron? It seems like ever since we got here things have sort of changed between you guys. And with him and Lucky, too.”
“Oh. I… uhhh…” Somehow I feel more trapped by her question than I do by our magical green prison.
She shakes her head and looks away. “Never mind. Forget it. I shouldn’t have asked.”
I take a deep breath, and let it out with a whoosh. How to answer her?
“No, it’s fine. I guess… I guess I’ve been in denial about some things, and having to actually vocalize them makes them all too real.” I give another deep sigh, while Corrine sits there patiently.
“Something definitely has changed, and I don’t know what or why. I love him… I really do. He sees the whole me, the good and the bad, and he loves me. Do you know how amazing and rare that is? Yet lately, for some reason, even though I care for him just as strongly as I always have, the way I feel about him seems to be shifting, and it’s not under my control. And I feel horrible about it! It’s like more than anything my head wants to love him, but my heart just isn’t willing to cooperate.”
Corrine frowns and makes little snowballs with her hands. “Do you think it’s because of what’s happening, you being pregnant and all?”
I’m quiet for a moment. “The thought has crossed my mind. I don’t know if it’s guilt, or shame, or if I’m just protecting myself from what will happen when he learns the truth about us. I mean, there’s no two ways around it – we totally betrayed him! Lucky slept with Bones knowing Kieron was alive and in danger and needing our help. And now I’m afraid the thing that made Kieron’s love so amazing—how he saw through our split and saw her and me as one—will also be our undoing.”
Corrine looks up. “Maybe he won’t be that mad,” she says hopefully.
I shake my head and gaze out at the whiteness. “That would almost be worse.”
“Yeah… I see what you mean. So do you think maybe you’re not in love with him anymore?”
And there it is. The question I’ve been dreading.
I take a deep breath and stare at the snow until I see swirly spots. “I don’t know. I do know I love him… what’s not to love? But I don’t know if I’m in love with him anymore. I’ve always hated that stupid expression, but now I think I understand how it can be true.”
Corrine shrugs. “No, it makes sense. There are many different types of love. Like for instance, I love you. But I don’t want to make out with you or anything.”
I give a low chuckle. “But I love him more than a friend. Or different… I dunno. He’s so special to me. I just don’t know if he’s the one for me. I can’t explain it.”
“It’s okay, you don’t have to. I understand. You’re just going through some stuff and need to sort out your feelings. It’s normal. And just because you feel a certain way about a person at one point in your life, it doesn’t mean you’re absolutely going to feel the exact same way forever and always. Feelings are living, breathing things. They can grow, change, and die. The most important thing is just to be true to those feelings and don’t lie about them to yourself, or anyone else.”
I shake my head. “But how would it happen so fast? I felt so drunk in love with him a few weeks ago. Now I feel like that was another lifetime or something.”
She raises a knowing eyebrow. “A lot has happened during these past few weeks.”
“You mean this?” I point to my stomach.
“Among other things. Not to pry more… but maybe the arrival of a certain someone has made you question your feelings? I’ve seen how you look at each other.”
Vincent.
My cheeks grow warm at the thought of him. I can’t even begin to explain that mess to myself, let alone to her. I shake my head. “No. What I’m feeling or not feeling for Kieron has nothing to do with Vincent. He’s just… well… I guess he’s just someone I feel good being around right now. But he has nothing to do with Kieron. Nothing.”
She nods. “I get it. But I can see why you’d be confused.”
I sigh and throw my hands up in frustration. “Ugh! Who cares about stupid boys at a time like this anyways? I mean hello! We’re trapped in a magical prison a million miles from nowhere while a lunatic Sovereign angel- demon- whatever negotiates for my neck! My lame love life is the very least of my concerns. This is all such bullshit!”
Corrine’s eyes widen. “Well, obviously! But I was hoping to get your mind off it for a moment, seeing as how there doesn’t seem to be much we can do other than sit here and wait. We can’t even stomp around in angry circles, and don’t even ask me how bad I need to pee right now!”
I bury my face in my hands and shake my head. “I’m sorry… this is so crazy.”
Corrine glances around, suddenly looking worried. “Speaking of crazy, does it seem to be getting darker?”
We stare at each other. She’s right. If I didn’t know better, I’d
say it would be dark any moment now. But that’s impossible. It was morning just a few hours ago—
Morning in California… on the west coast! But who knows what time zone we’re in now?
“Liora!” Corrine’s eyes are wide with panic, and with good reason. The first waves of fiery tingles are flashing through my body, and suddenly I’m very tired.
“She’s coming… she’ll be here any moment. You have to keep her calm and tell her what’s going on. Keep her safe.”
“No, Liora! Please stay! Don’t leave—”
Chapter 22. Lucky
“Don’t move,” a panicked voice begs. “Whatever you do, just stay still until I have a chance to explain everything.”
Is that stupid Sapie girl trying to talk to me? Before I’ve even opened my eyes? Does she want to die tonight?
“Lucky, if you can hear me, just lie there and stay calm for a moment. Please. If you try to jump up or something there could be real trouble—”
“There will definitely be real trouble if you don’t kindly shut the hell up,” I mutter, without opening my eyes.
“Lucky! Okay, great you can hear me… Look, I’m really sorry, but please don’t be mad.”
I let out a deep sigh. I could kill this stupid Sapie right now. For a moment I had been lost in that other place, that hidden corner of consciousness that happens for the briefest time while we transition. It’s the only time I feel whole, and my soul is at peace. Sometimes it’s a few moments, sometimes longer. But this time that tranquility was ripped from me. I hear the whiny voice beg again.
“Please, listen to me! I have to tell you—”
“Oh bloody hell, shut up!” I open my eyes and start to sit upright. “Do you think I want to hear your yapping the moment I come to? You can’t even give me a second to— wait. What the hell is going on? Where are we?” I look around and groan as I see a hazy green bubble surrounding us. Crap! This can’t be good.
“What did Liora get us into this time? You have ten seconds to explain.”
Corrine squints as she scoots away from me. “It wasn’t her fault. This guy tricked us and grabbed us… did something… I don’t know exactly what he did. Just one minute we were on the beach, then all of a sudden he was this hideous giant, then we were underwater going a million miles an hour, then he dumped us here and put some magical seal over us, and it will kill us if we touch it!” She stops to catch her breath, her eyes bulging.
“Some giant guy on the beach? But the land was supposed to be protected!” I knew I couldn’t trust that witch!
Corrine shakes her head. “We were tricked past the boundary. This guy acted like—”
I hold up my hand. “Stop. Spare me the details of your colossal stupidity. Who took us… Light-angels, I presume?”
She shakes her head.
“Really, a demon? Do you know what kind?”
She shakes her head again. “It was neither. He called himself a Sovereign. Said he was a—”
“I know what they are,” I snap, as a knot starts to grow in the pit of my stomach.
Wow… A Sovereign? I’d heard of the mythical race of angel/demon hybrids, but I’ve never actually encountered any. I always thought they were more urban legend than anything.
“His name is Otto,” Corrine says.
I glance at her. “What?”
“The guy… the Sovereign. His name is Otto.”
I stare at her for long time. “Anything that crosses that plane disintegrates, you say?” I narrow my eyes threateningly.
“Fine, I’ll shut up,” she mumbles and turns away.
But as much as I’d like for that to happen, unfortunately this Sapie girl is my only link to what’s going on here. I hate to admit it, but I need her.
I roll my eyes and groan with exasperation. “No, don’t shut up. You’re being helpful. Please go on. Specifically, do you know why he brought us here? Where is he now?”
Corrine’s eyes reveal her fear. “He brought you here because the Light-angels put a ransom on you to bring you in alive, but then I guess some demons also want you, and they don’t care if you get delivered hacked into a bunch of pieces.” She gulps and looks away. “He went off to see which side was going to give him the better deal.”
I let her words sink in. “Sounds about right. And you say he took you by water? Like through an ocean?”
She nods. “It’s by far the craziest thing that’s ever happened in my life. I don’t understand how it happened.”
Crap. Water, especially saltwater, would completely mask any trace of our journey just in case anyone happened to be trying to find us by following our scents.
“And you have no clue, no hint as to where we are?”
She shakes her head. “Liora and I were both at a total loss. My hunch is the North Pole. She thought maybe Alaska or even the Himalayans.”
“What’s this?” I pick up a red bag near my feet and look inside.
“Just some food and water Otto left for us.”
There’s enough in here for a few days at least. But unfortunately nothing that will help me. I pick up a banana and throw it. It disintegrates to nothing the moment it touches the green haze.
“So what are we gonna do?” Corrine asks.
I don’t know what to say.
Because honestly, I haven’t got the faintest clue.
********
The Sapie girl’s asleep… finally. I don’t think I could’ve stood to hear her sobbing a moment longer. As if there’s anything I can do. I’m all but drained of energy, but I can’t give up. There’s only one thing I can think of to try, and I know the chances of it actually working are about as good as me springing a halo and joining the Peace Corps.
I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and focus my thoughts to a single, direct point. “Tattie… please ,Tattie, can you hear me? Hear my call… feel my distress. I need you... Liora needs you. We’re in big trouble. Please… hear me. Tatiana… Tattie…”
Finally I roll over on the ground, exhausted. I don’t know why I thought that might work. It’s just that ever since she revealed herself to be a telepath that night when the Light-angels attacked us in the cabin, I’d figured that maybe there was some sort of radio signal in her head that would allow her to hear me. But if there is, I’m not seeing or feeling any indication of it.
I’m not used to feeling so helpless, and I don’t like it. But I’m growing weaker, and I finally have to accept that there really is nothing I can do to save myself. I know better than to try to blast my way out of enchanted jail cells—I learned that the hard way when I was trapped in the Hlbafa dungeon with Bones, and he ended up a casualty of my ignorance.
Bones. Oh, Bones… I need you so badly. I miss you so much. I need you more than ever. Bones… Please… please help me somehow… please find a way.
Slowly the tears trickle down my face. I swallow hard and try to steady my breathing. It’s been pitch black for hours with no stars or moon overhead to cast any sort of light. The only illumination comes from the hazy green orb overhead.
I’m alone, and with no one who can help me. Maybe I don’t deserve to live. Maybe we’ve proven ourselves to be unworthy one time too many, and this was my last, fatal mistake. In the wild, the weakest of the herd are routinely picked off ensuring only the strongest of the species survive. Maybe this is just nature’s way of eliminating a mistake that should never have happened in the first place.
Maybe I was never destined to be reunified and whole again and see my baby be born into this world. Maybe my fate was to die here… lost, and unloved.
Because at this moment, I really don’t see it ending any other way. And I should’ve known. There was never going to be a happy ending for me. Or for Liora. The day the Amazèa killed our friends and shattered our soul, our fate was sealed.
We remain alone… broken. Never to be what we were.
Michael and Kayla weren’t the only ones who died that day. We died, too.
We just didn’t kno
w it yet.
Chapter 23. Liora
My neck is stiff and sore, and my back is absolutely killing me. I reach for my pillow, but it’s not there. Confused, I open my eyes. I’m on the ground in a greenish room.
And then it all comes rushing back. We’re still here, imprisoned God only knows where.
I roll over and see Corrine curled up in a ball, snoring softly. I don’t want to wake her, so I just stay quietly where I am. It scares me to realize my eyes are puffy and dry. Lucky was crying last night. A lot. That’s pretty much the worst sign I can imagine. I’d been hoping she’d figure a way out of this, and that I’d wake up safe and sound in my own bed at Anastasia’s house with this whole nightmare nothing but a distant memory.
I catch my breath at what sounds like a light crunching outside the dome. I look over at Corrine, but she’s still snoring peacefully.
There it is again. Yes! It’s definitely the sound of someone, or something, walking on the packed snow nearby. Otto must be back. I turn my head to look around, but I don’t see him anywhere. Now it sounds like more than one set of footsteps— quicker, closer together. And neither seems like the determined stride of our jailor.
My heart starts racing, and I strain my eyes to look in every direction. But I still see nothing. It hadn’t escaped my attention that while anything thrown against the inside of the dome was incinerated, Otto had been able to throw the bag of food into the cage without it being zapped. So basically, we are sitting here totally exposed and unprotected if some polar bear or other wild animal decides to come along and make us its dinner. I’d heard stories about Pack wolves in Alaska who stalk and circle their prey while they slowly close ranks, until the victim has no way to escape and is eventually devoured.
Are we being hunted right now?
The footsteps become quicker, lighter, and seem to move in several different directions at once. Something is getting closer… closer… I’ve never been so scared in my life.
Then I hear it, like a whisper in the wind.
“Liora… Liora?”
I must be hallucinating.
The Complete Demonblood Saga Page 61
