by MJ Fletcher
Thomas Grimm died years ago. It is one of the earliest memories I have of my mother. She ran into the house in tears and straight to my father yelling that her brother was dead. Dad had hugged her and I ran to them, scared and confused. He lifted me up and hugged us both for what seemed like hours.
I had to wear an actual dress for the funeral. My cousin Jess’ parents had both been killed in a terrible accident. The look on her face had been one of utter shock. And she kept glancing at the door as if she expected them to walk through it at any moment. We sat together holding each other’s hands the entire time. Two little girls terrified and alone. Jess slept at our house for a week afterwards. Gran became her official guardian soon after that.
I stared across the room at this man who didn’t look much older than me and tried to recognize the man I had only vague memories of. How could this be possible? My uncle, Jess’ dad, had died years ago. Could this be some kind of First Kind trick? No, this would be far too convoluted even for them.
“How do you know who I am? I was just a little girl when my uncle supposedly died.” I kept staring at him wanting to find some way to disprove his story since it made no sense to me.
“You resemble your parents, but it’s your smile that confirmed it. It’s the same one you and,” —he took a deep breath— “my daughter would wear when you were up to something.”
“Liar.” It was all I could think to say finding his story incredibly difficult to believe.
“I wish I were, Chloe.” Tears rolled down his cheeks unbidden. He didn’t try to wipe them away, he let them flow “I wish I were.” He took another deep breath as if fortifying himself and asked, “Is she dead?”
“Who?”
“My mother, your grandmother, is she dead? Is that why I can’t see her?”
“No, my grandmother is alive.”
“What about Jessica?” His voice trembled with the fear of what he might hear.
How did I give this man answers when I wasn’t sure who he was? The First Kind had damaged my family enough, I wouldn’t see them hurt anymore.
“Please,” he begged with a soft quiver.
His plea sent a shiver up my spine, and I couldn’t help but think that if he was Jess’ dad she’d want me to tell him. “She’s fine.”
He looked as if he breathed a heavy sigh of relief. “Is she happy?”
I didn’t know how to answer the question. Jess was beautiful and more skilled than ever. But the fight in Storm Reach had changed her. She’d told me that she still had nightmares of being surrounded by Gremlins ready to kill her. Not to mention that she’d battled tirelessly beside me and suffered every one of my losses along with me. Life hadn’t been easy for her because of me. I wanted to believe she was happy. But in truth I wasn’t sure.
“Yes,” I lied, telling myself it was Jess’ choice to tell him if she was happy or not.
“Thank you.” It was a simple statement, but carried such sadness.
I lowered my head, my heart breaking for this man who could possibly be my uncle. He’d been locked away all this time, robbed of his life, robbed of watching his daughter grow. How terrible for him, and then I realized just how horrifying it was. Thomas Grimm was my mother’s brother and the First Kind had robbed both of them of their lives, their families. I hated the First Kind, but this made me hate them even more.
“I don’t know why your mother lied to me.”
My knees got weak and I placed my hand on the wall to steady myself. “You talked to my mother?”
“When the First Kind took over Storm Reach, they came to see me. They wanted my help, said they needed me. After they tried to,” —he chuckled and raised his head to look at me— “persuade me, she came to me one night. I didn’t believe it was her. She resembled Talia, though she was a bit older looking and she sounded like her. But there was something different about her. I couldn’t quite grasp what it was but I sensed something was wrong with her.”
“They were controlling her with a Forget Me Not.” A tear came to his eye and I fought back my own that threatened to spill.
He gazed off into the distance, as if lost in memories, and sorrow hung heavy on his face. “That would explain it. She was telling me things about time passing, about how she thought I was dead, about what was happening.” He crossed his arms over his chest and rubbed at his forearms. “I didn’t want to believe what she was telling me.”
I felt his pain but this was a chance to see if there was anything my mom had said that could help me find my sister. “I need to know what she said.”
“First, I want to see my mother.”
“Done, now tell me,” I shot back quickly.
“No, I’m not saying another word until she’s standing in front of me.”
“This is important. I need to know now.”
“And I need more clarification of what’s going on because right now I’m not sure of anything. Not another word until I see her.”
“Please, I need your help. So does your daughter.”
He scrambled to his feet and was across the room in a flash, crimson energy spewing out of him and filling the room. He grabbed my shoulders. “Is Jess in danger?”
His power was so intense that it sent my senses into over-drive. I tried to reach for my Doorknob, but his grip immobilized me.
“Let go of me,” I warned through gritted teeth. I activated my own ability letting it flow and reach out for my Doorknob. Focusing was difficult, his power all consuming, and I had no choice, I had to release all my abilities.
His eyes widened and turned a deeper crimson as energy seeped out of them. “You’re a Polymorph,” he whispered.
Nightshade crashed through the door, his Skeleton Key drawn. “Get the hell away from her!” He leapt across the space slamming into my uncle and the two crashed to the ground.
I stumbled away, the power so immense that my body quaked like a volcano ready to erupt. It was similar to when my mother had been controlled by the Artifact. All my powers were screaming out for me to use them.
Nightshade got to his feet first and quickly activated his curved blade. He brought it down to rest at my uncle’s throat. “Don’t move.”
Gavin rushed into the room and to my side “What the hell is happening?”
He laid his hand on my shoulder and he yanked it back, as if he had been burned. “Chloe, you need to pull back your abilities. You’re going to burn up if you release that much power.”
“I know.” I struggled to regain control. I was an idiot for not practicing more on how to contain and control my abilities. I could use that level of control right now. I closed my eyes and used some of my dad’s old tricks that had helped calm him before performing his magic tricks or so I thought it was magic at the time. I concentrated as I had seen him do and the flow of power began to weaken, and I sighed as I finally reeled it back in.
“The three of you are Polymorphs,” Uncle Thomas stated, “that’s very rare.”
“What can I say, we like each other’s company.” Nightshade smirked.
“You’re the ones who did this to me.” He spat at Nightshade.
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
“A Polymorph killed my wife. “He attacked both of us when all he wanted was me. I refused to help and that Polymorph bastard killed my wife.”
“Who was he?” I asked,
Nightshade pulled his blade away, though his energy hummed, ready if needed.
Thomas stood brushing himself off, his power still active but lessened considerably. “That same son of a bitch who came to me at Storm Reach and tried to persuade me to join them.”
“Who?” I asked again.
“How do I know that you’re not all working together?”
“Even if we were, you telling me his name wouldn’t help us.”
Thomas hesitated only a moment before saying, “The people with him called him, Tower.”
Chapter Six
Status: Things are getting complicated
.
“Now what the hell do we do?” Gavin raked his hand through his hair in frustration and Henna joined him on the sofa, leaning against him.
“Are you sure he’s your uncle?” Nightshade asked.
They were still trying to absorb everything I had just told them about my conversation with my uncle. “It seems pretty damn likely, though I think Gran would be the best way to confirm it.”
“You want to bring her here?” Gavin asked.
“I don’t see that we have much of a choice. He has information we need and if he is my uncle, Gran can confirm it.” What that meant, I didn’t know. All I could think about was Jess and how the news that her father was alive would affect her.
“I agree,” Nightshade said to my surprise.
I figured he would fight me every step of the way. Then again that did seem to be our default setting... arguing.
“Good, it’s settled. I just need her coordinates at the Dying Star Markets and I’ll go get her.” I stood and waited as Gavin drew golden symbols in the air that would lead me to my grandmother.
Nightshade moved to stand close beside me and I glanced over him appreciatively. He always looked so damn good to me. “I’ll be back soon.”
“I’m going with you.” He smiled that confident, cocky smile of his.
I tilted my head and narrowed my eyes. “I don’t remember inviting you.”
“That’s because you didn’t, and yet I’m coming anyway.”
“Nightshade, I’ll be fine.”
“Right, Masters, just like you were when you were talking with your uncle. I’m coming.”
I laughed. “You know you’re a pain in my ass.”
“I know.” His smile broadened and I shook my head.
Gavin flicked his wrist and the coordinates floated toward us. I snatched them from the air and absorbed them into my Doorknob. I activated it and opened a portal to the Dying Star Markets.
Nightshade slipped his hand around mine and we stepped through together.
Going to the Dying Star Markets was never an easy trip. It was rougher than a normal transit, but I was prepared for it.
The Markets were centered in a dimension of dwarf stars which made travel very difficult, the very reason it was set there in the first place. The people who had created the Dying Star Markets did so to avoid the Societies and the problems they brought with them. There were other black markets but none as large as Dying Star or as dangerous.
“Does your grandmother know anyone here?” Nightshade asked as the portal closed behind us.
“I’m honestly not sure, though Gran does know a lot of people. Plus she was a tracker for the Guild for decades. So I’d imagine if she wanted to hide, she would know some good places.”
“Good point.”
The road rose up and wound along like the rolling hills of San Francisco. Instead of a normal sky, it was populated with stars of varying sizes and colors, each in the throes of death. Massive solar flares shot between them like bridges of fire in the sky.
The area we entered wasn’t the Market section. It contained rows of buildings, each different in design and architectural style. I moved across to the nearest one which was a gothic revival with gargoyles perched on the edges, their faces sneering down at us.
“This is where the coordinates lead.” I pointed at the intimidating building as we walked up the front steps.
“Have you thought about what you’re going to say to, Jess?” Nightshade asked as we both activated our powers to search for any traps that might be active.
“I can’t imagine how to bring the subject up. But first I need Gran to confirm it before I say anything to her.”
“Maybe it’ll be a good thing.” He shrugged, focusing his eyes on the door in front of us.
“You okay with all of this?”
“Yes.”
I turned and rested my hand against his chest. “Don’t lie to me.”
“Your uncle, if that’s who he really is, isn’t the one who got my father killed. It was Tower and the First Kind who I owe that debt too. If he really is Jess’ dad, I’ll be happy for her.”
“Maybe for once we’ll get back one of ours, instead of losing someone.” I leaned over and kissed him quickly. “What do you think... any traps?”
“I’m getting residual energy signatures, but it could be from the dimension itself. I think we’ll just have to risk it.”
“Agreed.” I opened the front door and a warm rush of portal energy washed over us as we entered.
“You felt that right?” Nightshade asked his eyes shifting around the lobby looking for danger.
“Some type of barrier, but not a portal.” We hadn’t shifted location, but it was similar to the energy used for a transfer.
“I’m guessing your grandmother has pretty decent security.” His fingers tightened around his Skeleton Key.
“You can bet on that.” A cracking of stone echoed around us, and something told me we were in trouble. “What the hell was that?”
I didn’t have to wait long for an answer, the door swung open once again and stone claws gripped the rim, followed by the snarling face of a gargoyle. He opened his mouth and roared, his tongue darting out.
“Well, that’s new.” Nightshade laughed and rushed forward, his Skeleton Key glowing red and taking the form of a scimitar. He slashed at the beast as the creature growled and blocked each blow with a smack of its massive stone paw. Bits of mortar splintered around the room as his blade made tiny slices in the creature’s hide.
I activated my Doorknob, forming my trusty energy whip and circled around to try and out flank the beast. The beast snarled and spit at Nightshade as he feinted toward it, keeping its attention on him. He twirled his blade around leaving a dazzling trail of crimson in his wake.
The monster threw its head back and roared in anger. Nightshade acted quickly, jumping forward and slashing his blade across the beast’s throat. A thin line appeared with crimson light shining out and the gargoyle stumbled backward.
I snapped my wrist, my whip catching around the monster’s neck. He clawed frantically at it. I dropped to one knee and yanked the whip over my shoulder. Its head fell back, his chest and belly popping forward. Nightshade rushed forward and sent his blade straight into the stone monster.
A deep growl turned to a gurgle, and then his mouth froze as once again the beast turned into a motionless statue.
“You okay?” I asked flicking my wrist and releasing my whip from around its neck.
“Just fine,” Nightshade replied as he slipped the blade from the beast’s chest. “What the hell is this thing?”
“A protector... made by the Impossible Engineers.”
I spun to find my grandmother standing behind me, her arms crossed. “Gran,” I rushed forward and we threw our arms around one another. She pulled me close and for a moment I forgot all our troubles and was happy to be with family again. I only wish Jess was here so she could be part of it. Gran rested her head against mine for a moment, and then she pushed me out to hold me at arms’ length, and her smile faded to a look of concern.
“What are you doing here?” The edges of her mouth turned down and she looked as though she hadn’t slept in days. She let go of me and stepped back. She glanced around the room and appeared anxious like someone ready or anxious to leave. If she had a watch, I would have sworn she would be checking it.
“I could ask you the same thing? We’ve been looking for you for months.”
“That is because I didn’t want to be found, dear”
“Why? I didn’t get to tell you about Mom.” Gran needed to know the truth about her daughter and that I had a sister, and she another granddaughter.
“I know about your mother. I still have some connections in the Guild.”
“What the hell is going on, Gran?” My hands rested on my hips and I looked her square in the eye, searching for the kind and concerned Gran I knew.
Nightshade walked up beside me. “I think you o
we her an answer.”
“A lot has happened, Chloe, more than you know.”
“Tell me,” I said.
“This place needs to remain secret. We’ve all been sworn to that.”
“What does that mean?” Nightshade asked.
“It means trouble, young man. The Guild does love its secrets.”
Gran’s gaze hovered over Nightshade for a moment as though she were sizing him up.
“I don’t care about the Guild,” I said, “I came here for you. We need to talk.”
A bell rang as if in the distance, the tolling filtered, and I knew it was meant for us.
“Damn it,” Gran said.
“What now?”
“I was trying to get you out of here before anyone else realized you were here. Now it’s too late.”
“Who else is here?” I asked.
“Never mind that.” Gran turned to Nightshade her jaw tightening. “Are you an upstanding member of the Guild, James Nightshade?”
Nightshade stiffened at the comment. I realized something was going on between them, though I had no idea what it was.
“I am,” he said.
“Very well, I suppose I don’t have much of a choice. Come with me.” She turned on her heels and walked out of the lobby.
I slipped my hand into Nightshade’s, our fingers interlacing as we followed after Gran. I leaned in close so that only he could hear me. “What’s going on?”
“I’m not sure, but I think it involves Guild protocol.”
“How do you know?”
“What she asked me about being upstanding. It’s the start of numerous tests with in the Guild.”
“What tests?”
“You don’t want to know, and whatvever you do stay close,” he warned with a squeeze of my hand.
We followed her down a corridor covered in cherry wood paneling and deep red carpeting. Wall sconces with flickering blue lights illuminated the way. We came to the end of the hall, stopping in front of a set of elevator doors. Gran tapped the up button and the metal panel flipped open revealing a key hole.
She removed a key from her pocket and slipped it in, turning it with a click. The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. The three of us stepped inside. In the place of a panel with floor numbers was a small video screen with a set of dials below. As soon as the doors shut, the screen flickered to life and the face of a wizened old man appeared.
