Mine to Fear

by Janeal Falor

  “How can a tarnished possibly help?”

  “This tarnished can do more things with clothes than you could ever think of.”

  “Clothes? Truly? We're supposed to be happy about something less than a shadow to help us with a bunch of silly clothes?”

  Heat boils in me, but before I can snap a reply, Katherine puts a hand on my arm. She gives them a withering look. “I can camouflage you so you can hide in a forest or get close to a house or party. I can make slots for you to easily carry weapons. I can disguise you so you look like you fit with any group, including the upper class. I can keep you alive with a bunch of silly clothes.”

  I want to tell her how majorly impressed I am but not in front of everyone

  Those gathered aren't so easily swayed, though. It's enough that the hassling stops, but they still keep a close eye on her, watching her every move. I hurry to get her out of sight, toward the cavern Serena is staying in.

  “Sorry,” I tell Katherine. “They're very mistrustful.”

  “I know what you went through to gain their trust. Ridiculous rumors. I had been hoping they'd be more open to me since I'm a Chardonian woman just like many of them, just like Serena and Cynthia. Seems it was wrong to hope.”

  “Give them time. They should come around without anything drastic having to happen. You're much less abrasive and blunt than I am. People like you.”

  She bites her lip. “Maybe, yet there's too many things dependent on a good relationship here. If they can't trust me, I can't give them my full help.”

  “I wish we could change it faster for you,” I say.

  “Posh. For now, I'll still help how I can without interfering too much. I'll send clothes at least.” She turns to Serena. “And this whole debacle has turned me rude. Serena, do you remember Charles?”

  She smiles. “I do, yes.”

  “We are trying to find a way to be married.”

  Serena squeals with delight. We spend the next hour lost in a world of love and weddings. Only, no matter how long we're distracted, there's still the real world out there waiting to destroy us.

  ***

  Once she's had a chance to talk with everyone she wanted to, I bring Katherine to my room to chat. I wish Jack was here to introduce her to, but he's away getting more food. It's just as well. There's much to discuss without introducing her to a man I'm not certain how I feel toward exactly.

  “How have things really been?”

  “It's been difficult not being able to go anywhere in public. My whole store was broken into. A warlock stole all of my clothes, material, and designs—after which he destroyed the shop.”

  “Oh, Katherine.” I give her a hug. “I'm so sorry. These warlocks are going to get what's coming to them. I'll make sure of that.”

  “I have no doubt you would show them exactly how you feel about it.”

  I guess I'm not very good at hiding my spells or my feelings. “Can I unspell your tattoos to no longer glow?” I ask her.

  “You can try. A few others have tried and haven't been able to take the color out.”

  “Let me see what I can do.” Though hearing others have tried and haven't gotten anywhere with it is discouraging.

  I try to study the spell, see what exactly it's doing. It appears simple enough, just light glowing from her tattoos. There has to be more to it, though. I know there's some sort of tracking system related to it, but she shouldn't have that piece. Not with Zade taking care of it for her.

  I focus in on the colors, taking them out, and cast the spell. The spell is clear except for some light gray streaks. It moves over her face in light waves, covering the redness glowing from her tattoos. The redness seems to fade under the spell, and my hopes rise. I pull the spell back only to have my hopes dashed again. They are as red as ever.

  “I'm sorry,” I say. “I thought I had them.”

  “Don't worry about it.”

  “Wait, maybe Tawny can do it. She's dealt with invasive spells before.”

  “I'm willing to try anything at this point.”

  I hurry to get Tawny, who wants to try. Serena comes over to chat with Katherine by the time Tawny and I return.

  “No promises,” Tawny says. “But I will do my best.”

  Tawny takes her time studying the spell. While she tries to discover how to counter the spell, I glance at Serena. She is twisting her hands but otherwise appears calm. Why is she so stressed about this? Even if Tawny can't counter the spell, Katherine has been living with this for a long time. Things will be all right. Unless, of course Katherine, isn't the problem. It's Tawny. I should have never brought her here, given not only how volatile things are, but also how rough her being here is on Serena.

  I move to Serena and give her a quick squeeze, letting her know I'm there for her. We wait a few more moments, and Tawny finally tries her counter-spell. It's clearer than mine was, with just some faint yellow sparks. It focuses in on Katherine's tattoos, covering them all. Just like my spell did, the red fades as the spell covers over them. Unlike mine, it stays faded when the spell pulls back.

  “You did it,” I say.

  “Really?” Katherine reaches up to touch her face. “They're really gone.”

  “Let me run and grab a mirror,” Serena says.

  She returns quickly with a small mirror in tow. I don't bother telling her we could have spelled one easily enough. She may have accepted magic, and even wants to learn it, but she can't seem to remember how much it can really help in everyday life.

  Serena holds up the mirror, and Katherine's entire face transforms, lighting up with joy at the sight of her unglowing face. If only it was so easy to get rid of her tattoos so she didn't have to continue life as a tarnished.

  “Thank you,” Katherine tells Tawny.

  “Of course.”

  “Maybe at some point, I'll let my hair grow out.”

  “What color is it?” I ask.

  “Dark brown. I haven't missed it, though, other than when I'm cold.”

  Chardonia feels cold to me, at least in my heart. I hope we're changing that.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  The time to attack the power plant has come, and I'm not at all ready for it. I don't even know what to expect this dark night. Katherine made us all a fabric drape to go over our clothes that looks like camouflage. It helps us blend in even though there's no forest to hide in. The building up ahead doesn't look sinister. Not at all like I'd expect one to look like that's using people for their magic to power a mad man's dreams.

  It's plain brick with one wooden door in the front. The only thing odd about it besides the wires coming out of it is the lack of windows. I can't imagine staying in a place with no sunlight streaming in.

  “Is everyone in position?” Jack asks. He's such a natural leader. I can't imagine anyone else taking his place except maybe Chadwick. But of course the Chardonians are ever stubborn. They may have become more accepting toward us, but that doesn't mean they're ready to let us lead. No matter, as long as we can help.

  When Jack gets affirmations all around, he motions for us to head out. From here on, there won't be any talking unless absolutely necessary.

  The first spell we come to is like a simple brick wall. It's like even red rectangles with white lined between them, only this wall is transparent. Cynthia hits it with a dark gray spell, plunging a hole big enough that the ten of us can get through.

  Chadwick takes our rear while Jack and Cynthia head us up. They get through three more spells similar to the first, the last one leaving Cynthia panting. But there's no more spells between us and the building.

  I motion Cynthia to take my spot while I watch Jack's back. The door of the building is unguarded. Probably due to a mixture of having the spells guarding it and being too far out here. Jack motions all of us to move flat against the wall. As soon as we're all hiding, as best we can, Jack knocks on the door.

  Several moments later, a burly warlock with a stench I can smell all the way over where I
'm at, answers.

  “You my replacement?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “It's about time you got here. Get in here.”

  “Of course. Sorry about being late.” Behind his back, Jack slams one fist on the other, indicating one of us should take this guy out.

  I cast a sleep spell, knocking him to the floor. We hesitate a moment, just long enough to see if anyone is coming. When no one does, Cynthia strengthens the spell for him to sleep even more, and we drag him across the ground to the other side of the building out of sight. He's so heavy, it takes all of us pulling and shoving to get him there. The fact that he sleeps through it all is a good sign.

  “I'm going to go through first,” Jack whispers. “If this warlock mistook me for his replacement, perhaps the others will as well.”

  I nod. If only we knew how many others there are for certain. We don't know exactly what we're walking into.

  Jack heads in first. As the rest of us wait outside, I can't help but imagine a plethora of horrid things that could happen to him. What if he never comes back? What if I never see him again? What if he's badly injured? Or worse?

  I shake my head in the direction of the door. Chadwick firmly shakes his head and holds up two fingers, indicating we should wait two more minutes. Which maybe we should, but what if he's in there being hexed to death? Waiting is only going to make that worse.

  Each second of those two minutes is torture, to stand there and do nothing. When they're finally up, I reach for the doorknob.

  “Give him another minute,” Chadwick whispers.

  I shake my head, but before I can turn the knob, the door bursts open.

  I jump back, but it's only Jack.

  He gives me a small grin but tainted with something I fear. “There's no other guards in here. That guy was the only one.”

  “Don't tell me that means we need to drag him inside,” I say.

  “Let's leave him out here.” He gives me a look. “I think it might be best if you girls stay out here.”

  “I don't think so,” I retort.

  “What she said,” Cynthia adds.

  “It's up to you,” Jack says. “But it's not a pleasant sight in there.”

  A chill grips me, pricking my whole body with its iciness. “We can't help if we can't see it.”

  Lukas takes a hold of Cynthia's hand. The action makes me want to hold someone’s hand as well. But whose would it be? Chadwick or Jack? Why are either of them even on that list? Chadwick is what's expected of me, and Jack is—now isn't the time to think about this.

  Jack leads us in the building. At first it's nothing more than a hallway. Nothing on the walls, just fresh white paint and bright lights on the ceiling. Too bright. Glaring.

  We walk into a big, open room, the middle of which is a bright purple spell around some sort of machine that goes up into the ceiling. I don't spend much time trying to figure it out, though, because of what's surrounding it.

  Lying on the floor all around it are bodies. Unmoving bodies. Too many of them. Women and men alike, all with one arm tied up to the machine. As I get a closer look, each arm tied to the machine has a cut on it where the purple spell is pulling at it, taking their blood. Their magic.

  This is what the Grand Chancellor meant by using people to make electricity? I want to retch. My heart aches in a way it never has before. It’s heavy to the point it physically hurts, the pain overriding my senses.

  One of the people on the floor's foot moves. I jump, grabbing onto Jack's arm. He gives my hand a pat and then walks over to the person who just moved. He whispers something I can't hear.

  “All is well,” he says louder. “We're here to help.”

  More people begin to stir. It's a good thing. They need to be able to move to get out of here, but seeing how alive these people are, what they are going through, is almost more than I can take.

  Jack unhooks the machine attached to the foot mover’s arm. The spell releases with the detachment. It spurs me into action. I fly to the machine and unhook as many of the people as quickly as I can. The others help, but it doesn't feel fast enough. We can't get away from this place soon enough.

  Hoarse whispers of thanks are mingled with exhausted looks. The people are weak from their ordeal. Seeing them try and do something as simple as walking, seeing them struggle to put one foot in front of the other, to not fall to the ground, all of it makes my stomach sick.

  I feel a torrent of rage at the Grand Chancellor for putting these people in this situation. It should never, ever have come about. He should have stuck to his trade routes with Chryos instead of ruining these people.

  “How are we going to get them home?” I whisper to Jack.

  He shakes his head. “One step at a time.”

  “And not get caught?” It's a formidable task. But one we have to succeed at.

  We let them rest, giving them what food and water we have, though it's not nearly enough. They have been well fed, but with the strain of giving up so much magic and blood, it's not enough. Half an hour later, we decide that we can't wait any longer, no matter how much these people need rest. Here is not the place to let them have it.

  Chadwick checks out front, then says, “It's clear.”

  Jack leads the way, herding the group of twenty-five people out of the building and through the expanse of nothing but dirt and weeds toward the forest. I help a woman in the middle who, despite the rest, can barely walk. Chadwick brings up the back, and the others are scattered throughout.

  My heart is breaking as I try to help the woman while watching the others around me. What type of madman is the Grand Chancellor? Why would anyone help him do this?

  We're about halfway to the forest when Jack calls out, “Run!”

  He turns toward the right where a warlock is coming out of the forest opposite of where we're going. I pick up the woman I was helping and sprint to the forest. As soon as we're safely in the trees, I set her down. “Ask the first person who comes through here to give you a hand.”

  And I'm off, trying not to worry about her. There isn't time.

  Cynthia, Lukas, and Chadwick are spelling the warlock who's now attacking them, while Jack is hurrying the people to the forest.

  I rush toward the back of the group where two people have fallen behind. A burst of dark blue mixed with purple zips through the guarding spells and passes a few feet in front of me.

  That was too close. I make it to the two stragglers. Both are thin, but with two of them I can't do any carrying. I put an arm under each of them, wincing at how scrawny they feel beneath my arms.

  We take off running, the two are able to go faster now that I'm helping, but it’s still not fast enough. A second spell slams into the woman on my left. She collapses to the ground, gasping. The other person I was helping yells for me to take care of the woman and does their best trotting toward the forest.

  Drat my being too focused on the end goal. I dive toward the woman, doing my best to protect her from any more incoming spells. She coughs several times. No more spells come our way, but the others have a flurry flying around them. It looks as though a second warlock has joined our attacker.

  “I'm fine,” the woman gasps out.

  She doesn't sound well at all, but I scoop her up in my arms and hustle toward the protection the forest offers. Jack is coming for the other person I was helping. We're the last four to make it to the forest.

  Cynthia casts a spell so bright it's blinding. I can't see at all where I'm going, but I keep on running. As my vision comes back, I'm almost to the forest. I say a silent thanks that I didn't trip on the way over. As soon as I think that, I go flying toward the ground.

  Time seems to slow. All I can think is curse my luck. I roll my body and the women I'm carrying so I'll land on my back with her on top. My back hits a sharp rock, and time speeds back up.

  “Ow.” Nothing wants to move. None of my body seems to understand the danger we're in, only pain. Sharp, jagged pain. The woman stands
and tries to help me up. Her feeble attempts aren't nearly enough to get me off the ground, but they are enough to get my body to remember the urgency we're under.

  “I'm fine. Get to the forest.” She hesitates only a moment before following my direction.

  Those we saved are all in the forest. Jack comes back, grabs my hand, and yanks me off the ground. “Don't you dare fall again.”

  As we run, I huff back, “I don't plan on it.”

  He puts a hand on my back, helping me toward the trees. As soon as we make it, I turn toward the fight. Only, there is no more fight. The warlocks are both on the ground and the others are running toward us. But not all are well. Chadwick is cradling his left arm like it's been injured.

  “Keep them going,” Cynthia yells.

  Jack races into action. It takes me a moment longer. My instinct says to check on Chadwick, to see how injured he is. But he's a grown man. He can take care of himself for the moment while I help others who need my help more than he does. I turn and follow Jack, helping him to get the people moving.

  Behind us, Cynthia calls out. I turn toward her. She's running toward us, two forms on the ground behind her.

  “Go!” she yells.

  The lumps on the ground don't get up to follow. Jack slows to cover our tracks, and Cynthia helps him. I stay where I am, helping the people move on. It's going to be a very long journey back to the cave, especially if we're avoiding capture.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  It takes several days to return to the cave, but we eventually make it in the end. Whether it's due to not being chased or Cynthia and Jack's excellent track-covering skills, we aren't followed. Chadwick's arm is tender, but not as badly injured as I first suspected and easily fixed. All in all, it was a fairly successful, if not what I was expecting, break out.

  The hardest trick is not thinking on what I saw. My dreams are nothing but nightmares now. Me locked up to that horrid machine. Or worse yet, those I care about locked up to the machine and being unable to help them.