by M Guida
The orb cleared and once again, the twisted tree appeared. My mom stared at her window with the saddest face I’d ever seen. And why shouldn’t she be upset? She’d been imprisoned for two years.
“Mom, I’ll find you. I promise.” The empty words hung heavy in my heart. I’d said them when I first started at Legacy but a couple of years later I was no closer to finding her.
I picked up my crossbow that leaned against the wall. “Dragon, don’t mess me up.”
I sat in front of the orb as if I were about to hold a seance. My legs were crossed and I rested my palms on knees. Taking several deep breaths, I closed my eyes.
Please, can you stay in control if I do this?
My silver dragon flashed in my mind. Kindness swam in her beautiful eyes, and she nodded.
We are one, and we are whole.
I wasn’t sure what she meant, but I decided it meant Legacy wouldn’t burn to the ground.
I opened my eyes and picked up my crossbow. The orb changed colors, but nothing formed.
Thumpty-thump-thump
My heart pounded faster and faster as I slowly edged the tip of the crossbow toward the orb. Tingles skittered over my hand and ran up my arm. Goosebumps broke out all over me. The tip and the orb met.
A white flash burst and knocked me flat on my back. I couldn’t breathe.
Shitshitshitshit What have I done?
I put my hand on my chest to make sure my thundering heart stayed within my rib cage.
“Raven?”
Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
“Raven, can you hear me?”
I froze. I hadn’t heard that voice in months.
“I don’t have much time, honey.”
Tears formed in the corners of my eyes and I sat up, my ribs squeezing my heart. “Mom?” My voice was soft, but I was barely holding back a scream.
Mom stood in the middle of her cell. She was as beautiful as I remembered her. Her thick brown hair was pulled up in a messy bun. She was wearing a long black tunic and matching leggings.
I snatched the orb. “Mom, you can see me?” Excitement and fear shook my voice.
“Sweetheart, I can, but not for long. The dark magic can sense the good. You must be watchful. He’s coming.”
Ryker, damn him. He was the bad penny that never stopped haunting me.
She glanced over her shoulder. “You must be prepared, Raven.”
Poom Poom Poom Poom
Heavy footsteps drummed down a hallway. At first I thought perhaps someone was running down my hall, but then Mom ran over to a black wooden door that had a window with bars and peered out.
I sucked in air, making my gut go flatter, flatter, flatter. Too afraid to exhale.
“Mom, what’s happening?” I whispered.
She whirled around. “I can’t talk much longer. They’re coming.”
Air whooshed out of my lungs and her worried face whirled away from mine.
Shadows covered the orb like dark clouds rolling over the sun.
I shook the orb as if it were a crystal ball. “Mom, who is coming? Who are they? Ryker, Ari, Faas, who?”
For a brief moment the darkness cleared and Mom stared directly at me.
“Be prepared, Raven. He’ll be there when you least expect it. Go back to Mt. Elbert. The key is there.”
The door behind her ripped open, and the dreaded black clouds flooded the orb once more.
“Mom,” I screamed and shook the orb again and again. “Mom, Mom. Answer me.” I broke into the angry, terrified sobs that hurt your lungs and stop your heart. “Mom. Please. Don’t leave me. I need you. I love you.”
Why hadn’t had I told her that? I clenched my fist and pressed it against my forehead. What the hell was wrong with me? The first time I see her in ages and I didn’t tell her how I felt.
The clouds dissipated, but Mom’s sweet face had vanished. Only the twisted tree filled the orb. Behind the tree I could see her cell, but she didn’t appear in the window like she usually did.
Something moved in the darkness. The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up and a quiver slid straight down my spine. A pair of gold eyes stared at me through the window, and then disappeared.
I shivered and lowered the orb. Now I know how Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz felt when the Wicked Witch of the West replaced Auntie Em––scared shitless.
I picked up the crossbow and touched the tip again to the orb––not even a spark.
“Come on, Mom. Come back to me. Come back to me.”
Silence and a misty orb were my only answer.
My throat and chest seized up, but I didn’t care. I had lost my mom again. All because of Ryker.
I was gripped by an overwhelming grief. I dropped my crossbow and curled up into a ball on the floor. I dragged the blanket off my bed and draped it over me, crying silently, missing my mom. With miserly settling into my bones. I drifted off to a fitful sleep, dreaming about Mt. Elbert and a missing key.
Someone gently shook my shoulder. “Raven, Raven. Wake up.”
I blinked and stared into Mina’s confused eyes.
“Why are you on the floor?”
I pushed myself up, not sure I should tell her. I grabbed the orb and the crossbow and climbed onto my bed.
“Raven, please talk to me.” Mina sat next to me.
I fluffed my pillow and laid down. “I can’t… I can’t talk about it right now.”
“Why not?”
I bit my lip. “Because if Anton finds out…”
“Forget Anton.” She crossed her arms. “I’m not a snitch. Please, tell me.”
I held my pillow close, wishing it was Lucien. I let out a soft sigh. “Do you remember what Professor Elfiel said in Powerful Objects class?”
“He said a lot of things.” She rubbed my back. “Can you be more specific?”
“About combining two magical objects?”
She stopped rubbing my back. “You didn’t.”
I squeezed my pillow tighter. “See, I knew I shouldn’t have told you.”
“I’m sorry. I just don’t want any more bad things to happen to you. You were in such pain last night. Bo told me everything. I don’t want you to experience that again. You’re my best friend. I don’t want you to die.”
Tears glistened on her eyelashes. We’ve been through so much together, just like Julie and I had.
I blurted it out. “I talked with my mom.”
“What? How?”
I told her everything that happened.
Her eyes got huge. “Do you think that means Ryker is coming?”
I rolled onto my back. “Who else could it be?”
“True.”
Mina’s face had paled. Ryker terrified her, but who wasn’t scared of the Dark Demon bogeyman.
“You’re not going to tell Anton, are you?”
“No…”
But I wasn’t sure if she was going to keep her word.
“Can I tell…”
I looked at her sharply. “Who?”
“Lucien. He’ll know what to do.”
The pent-up tension inside me slowly unraveled. “Yes, but not Bo. He’ll get freaked out.”
Or he’ll betray me again. He was so unpredictable right now.
“All right. I’d better go. The reason I stopped by was to see if you wanted some lunch.”
“I hadn’t even thought of food. What are they having?”
“Pizza.”
I cocked my eyebrow and broke out in a smile. “Pepperoni and sausage?”
She patted my calf. “I’ll bring you back whatever you want, hon. Your wish is my command.”
I laughed. “Okay, slave. Pepperoni and sausage and a diet soda?”
“Sure.” She headed for the door. “I’ll be back in a jiff.”
My body ached, both from sleeping on the floor and also from last night. I set the orb back on my desk and the crossbow against the wall. I combed my hair and washed my face.
I straightened up
my bed and sat on my bed with my legs crossed. My mouth watered and my stomach growled in anticipation of sausage and pepperoni pizza. My two favorites.
About fifteen minutes later, Mina returned with my pizza, but she wasn’t alone. Poppy and Katona filed in behind her.
“Hey,” Poppy said. “She lives.”
I smiled. “I survived.”
Mina handed me a plate with two huge slices of pizza, one sausage, and the other pepperoni.
Katona put a large paper cup on my desk. “Here’s your soda.” She glanced at Mina and Poppy. “We heard about what happened.”
I picked up a slice, dripping with cheese. “Which part of it?” I took a huge bite and cheese, sausage, and tomato eased some of my grief.
“All of it. I think we need to get the Defenders together and discuss a plan. If Ryker’s coming, we need to be prepared and not be caught with our pants down.”
I took a big swig of my pop. “There’s the spell.”
She frowned. “What spell?”
“The Puriforgio Virtueus spell.”
Poppy sat on Mina’s bed across from me. “What’s the Puriforgio Virtueus spell?”
“The one where we combine all of our skills together.” I took another bit of the spicy sausage pizza. “I found it in the silver dragon spell book.”
Poppy frowned. “What about your dragon? Bo said you were having difficulty controlling her.”
I shrugged. “She’s better.” I tilted up my chin. “She didn’t freak out when I touched the crossbow and orb together. I think we’re friends again.”
“But was that a spell?” Katona asked.
“A spell?” I thought about it for a minute. “No, I guess not. Not exactly.”
“That’s different, then,” Poppy said. “Before we even think about using the spell, make sure you have your dragon under control, or you could put us all in danger.”
“Aren’t you a bundle of the doom and gloom,” I grumbled.
“Raven, we’re the Defenders,” she said. “I’m not trying to be Negative Nellie, but we have to be at our strongest if we’re going to defeat Ryker. I know they’re a pain, but what did Vivian and Demi say to do?”
I crossed my arms. “You’re going to laugh.”
“Try me,” she said.
“Okay, fine. I have to find the right music to soothe the savage beast.”
Katona burst out laughing. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No.” I attacked the pepperoni pizza. “I’m not.”
Poppy turned to Katona. “You’re not a shifter,” she said softly.
Katona threw up her arms. “Meaning?”
“Our beasts do respond to music. It really does soothe us. My wolf loves Whistle While You Work. Every time I’m upset or stressed out, I watch Snow White and by the end of the movie, I’m calm and my wolf just stretches out and turns into purring furry kitten.”
I blinked. “Really? I wasn’t sure if those two were yanking my chain.”
“No, it’s true,” Mina said.
“What does your dragon respond to?”
Her cheeks turned five shades of red. “Puff the Magic Dragon.”
Poppy burst out laughing. “You know that’s about selling pot, don’t you?”
Mina fiddled with a thread on her skirt. “Yeah, but my dragon doesn’t.” She looked up. “My dad used to love Peter, Paul, and Mary. He loved the sixties, and I guess my dragon does, too.”
I looked between Mina and Poppy. “How did you guys find the songs that soothe your beasts?”
Poppy smiled. “Well, we learned when we were little. I’ve watched tons of Disney movies, but nothing affects me like Snow White.”
“Me, too.” Mina added. “I love music, but there’s something about that particular song that chases away all my stress or anger when I listen to it.”
“Probably because it brings you close to your dad,” Katona said.
“Most likely,” Mina said. All of a sudden her eyes widened, and she snapped her fingers. “Maybe the music that soothes you will have something to do with your mom.”
I put my empty plate on my desk. “Meaning?”
“Is there any music that’s special between you and your mom?”
I ran my hand through my hair. “I can’t think of anything. We had opposite tastes.”
Poppy looked at her watch. “Well, think about it some more. We’ve got to go. Class starts in about ten minutes.”
Mina picked up my plate.
“Thanks for the pizza and the company.”
“Sure,” Mina said. “I’ll see you after class.”
Katona and Poppy both waved. “Bye.”
I gave them a small smile. “Bye.”
My mind was in a whirl, trying to figure out if there was any music that had been special to my Mom and me. As far as I could tell, we were the exact opposite. She was into eighties music, I liked jazz and blues.
I stared at the orb, waiting for an answer. Mom and I used to go to plays together, and we agreed on the music there, but that was way too easy. Or was it?
Mom and I had fallen in love with opera and Broadway musicals. The trick would be having to figure out which song spoke to my dragon. The problem was I had no internet.
Crap, the only person who could help with that would be Anton.
Chapter 16
I wrote down every musical and opera that I could remember Mom and I had gone to see, but after my high-carb lunch and my emotional trauma, I fell asleep still holding the pencil and notebook in my hand.
Soft footsteps approached my bed, and I jerked awake.
“Oh, shit.” My heart pounded a billion beats a minute.
Anton stood next to me. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Well, you did.”
“What happened when you used your crossbow to touch the magical orb?”
Anger surged through me, and I slammed my notebook down on my bed. “Damn it. Which one of them told you?”
“None of them.” He grabbed my desk chair and sat in it. I bit back a laugh, because it was so low for him that his knees practically touched his chin.
He drummed his fingers on his knees. “Raven?”
I frowned. “If they didn’t tell you, how did you know?”
The blood drained from my face. “How did you know that?”
“Because when you use two powerful objects like my magical orb and your crossbow, it sets off a tremor in the magic world. I felt it.”
I lowered my head. “I didn’t know that.”
“No, I suspect Professor Elfiel hadn’t gotten to that part yet. So, back to my original question, what happened? When you saw your mom, did Ryker or one of the Dark Demons come to her cell?”
I didn’t want to tell him, but I was a rat caught in a trap, so I spilled the beans. Except for the part about Mt. Elbert. I don’t know why, but something told me not to tell him about that… At least not yet.
“I see.” He got up and paced in my room. “But your mother didn’t say who he was?”
“No, but I assume it was Ryker. It sounds like he’s planning to attack Legacy.”
He picked up the orb from my desk.
“What are you doing?”
“Raven, I must give some more thought to this. I don’t think you should have the orb in here until I think you’re ready.”
“No, please.”
“I’m sorry.” He put his hand on the doorknob. “Raven, I must caution you. It might be Ryker, or it could be someone else.”
“If not Ryker,” I threw up my arms, “then, who?”
“I told you, I must think on this.” He opened the door. “Please, don’t try anything else without consulting with me.”
“Wait.”
He stopped. “What?”
“I need access to opera and Broadway music.”
“To calm your dragon?”
“Yes. I think the key might be the music that was special to Mom and me.”
“What about the internet?”
“No.”
“But––”
“There are no exceptions. I’m sorry.”
I wanted to throw my notebook, but I sat on my hands. “Can I go to the library today?”
“How are you faring?”
“Better. I had a huge lunch.”
“Your color is better. I’ll tell Baron Germaine that I’m giving you permission to go to the library. Listening to music might even help with your healing. But I must warn you to take it easy, or you will overexert yourself.”
I smiled. “I promise.”
He gave me a long, hard look before he closed the door, mumbling under his breath. I thought I heard the word reckless, which I had to admit was my middle name.
I got out of bed and put on my favorite red sweater and a pair of jeans. Sweats were not on the menu today. Damned Anton. I couldn’t believe he took the orb.
Classes were still in session, so hopefully, I wouldn’t run into anyone. I just wanted to chill, listening to music until I found something that touched me.
I grabbed my list and headed out the door. Unfortunately, Baron was outside my door.
“I’ve spoken with the Headmaster. You have ninety minutes and then you must return to your room.”
“That’s not what Anton told me.”
He shrugged. “The rules have changed.” He wagged his finger at me. “Don’t make me come looking for you.”
I thought about grabbing his thin finger, but instead I just smiled sweetly. “Promise. I’ll be back here on time.”
“That will be a first.” He rolled his eyes and turned on his heel.
I stuck out my tongue and followed him down the hall. Once outside, the sun had disappeared and gray clouds rumbled overhead. I smelled the sweet scent of rain and picked up my pace to the library, making my thigh ache. If I didn’t hurry, I’d be drenched in the next five minutes.
I couldn’t help but wonder if the sudden change in the weather had to do with me combining my crossbow with the orb. It had been a bold move, and I really knew little about that type of magic. Who was I kidding, my knowledge of magic wouldn’t fill up a tank of gas.
