by Jen L. Grey
"So, we came up with a plan." Brad's face has an eerie look to it as the purple reflects off of his skin. It's as if the moon is pouring all of its glow onto him.
Or at least it seems that way to me, but maybe it's because he's the one delivering the plan. "Okay, let's have it."
"Since we have a surprise attack, we're going to use the darkness to our advantage." He steps toward me and lowers his voice almost as if he thinks someone will overhear. "Then..." A large wave gains momentum behind him, and it barrels toward us. The wave has to be at least ten feet tall.
Shit, there is no way we can get away fast enough. I push past him so I'm closer to the water than everyone else and throw my hands out to the side. My power flares to life inside me, and I ask the wind for help holding off the wave.
"What the..." Luke's eyes widen, and his mouth partially gapes open. "We need to move." He stumbles back, and the rest follow suit.
Yeah, something big is happening. I've never seen waves like this here before. Maybe there is something wonky going on. The wind swirls around me and pushes out the tether that's tied to me. The wind changes direction and instead of blowing toward us, it presses against the waves.
"How is that possible?" One of the younger guys from Brad's group stops moving and watches, motionless, as the wave stands stationary and then begins to drop in size. "Is she doing that?"
Wow, he's a smart one. "Yeah, I am, and you need to back up." I'm still not in full control over these powers, and I don't want to hurt anyone. When the ocean returns to its normal cadence, I lower my hands to my side and try to calm the storm growing within.
The artifacts are beginning to fight and separate from one another once more. Oh, no. This is how I begin imploding.
"You're freaking amazing." The boy hasn't moved, and his eyes are full of adoration.
Why hasn't he moved back? There's a reason I told him to get away. What is it with men? Just because I don't have balls doesn't mean I shouldn't be listened to.
All of a sudden, it feels as if sandpaper is being rubbed against my skin. I glance at my arms, and there's a coat of thin water appearing all over me, but it's not making my clothes wet. The power of the Water Artifact causes friction as it assaults me.
Of course, the elements inside me respond and begin clawing me from the inside to get out. All four artifacts want to meet and become one. The ground shakes, and lightning strikes right beside me.
"Josh, get away from her." Brad's tone is frantic, and I can hear footsteps as the others rush to gain distance between me and them.
Now, this is what smart people do. But the kid hasn't moved. It's like he's transfixed. Shit, I've got to get a handle on this. Each time I try to rein in my magic, it rebels. I try putting the blanket on it like last time, but I can’t concentrate to hold the blanket in place because of the irritation of the water.
The ground shakes under my feet so hard I feel like I'm on an old rickety rollercoaster. Not even two feet away from me, the ground begins cracking under the boy's feet. He’s frozen to the spot.
I want to tell him to go, but I can't get the words to form in my mouth. Before I can rush to push him out of the way, the ground begins to crumble and breaks out wide.
"What the…" The boy finally begins to move and pivots toward the others, but the ground cracks faster than he can run. It opens up beneath him and swallows him whole. His screams ring in my ears even after he's gone.
My God. I killed someone on my own team. How many others am I going to hurt before I die? The flame inside me flashes like the bulb of an old-fashioned camera. It's so bright and warm. That's when something clicks. Ria knows we're here. Shit, she's using the Water Artifact against me to make me implode.
Dammit, I'm tired of being everyone's toy. She won't get what she's looking for any longer. Forcing myself to concentrate, I grab the blanket once more and cover my disjointed and chaotic power. I embrace the pain that's attacking me and use it to fuel me instead of fighting against it like I've always done.
Taking the blanket, I wrap it around the three elemental threads and the natural reaper and healing power that's always been inside me. Tugging it down, I make sure it's firmly captured and nothing is leaking out. The power fights against it, and it's hard to clamp down, but I manage.
"Hey, are you okay?" Dax's voice startles me.
Damn, I hadn't even realized my eyes were closed. The power isn't coursing as hard, and it takes a second for me to realize I'm no longer shaking. "Uh... yeah." Shit, I killed another innocent person. "But I..."
"Don't." He touches my arm and squeezes ever so lightly. "You told him to move. We all knew what was going on. That wasn't your fault."
"No, it's the smart lady who rules this place." Damien's smile stretches almost his entire face, and he winks. "If I didn't want the Water Artifact so damn bad, I'd get to know her a little better."
Gross. Of course someone causing havoc would attract him. He's a freaking demon. "Just stop." But Dax and Damien are right. This wasn't entirely my fault, and blaming myself allows Ria to have control over me. "We need to get moving. She knows we are here."
"How do you know this?" Luke jerks his head back and narrows his eyes.
"Did you feel all of the magic in the air?" Damien turns to face him and swivels his hand. "Someone used the Water Artifact to attack her and throw her off balance."
"If she knows we’re here, we need to get moving." Brad steps up, and his eyes are red as if he'd been crying. "We can't let Josh's life be lost in vain. She expects this to throw us off kilter and maybe even force us to retreat. We have to show her our strength."
The longer we wait, the more likely I'll have another episode and endanger someone else. "This ends tonight."
"Yes, but we need to stay close and coordinate our efforts." Dax stands in between Luke and me. The muscle in his jaw ticks.
The three boys and Brad nod, and Damien grins.
This is all fun and games for him. One day soon, I'm going to wipe that smug look off of his face, but that'll be after I get the Water Artifact. I need all hands on deck right now. "Let's get moving."
We all take off at a slow jogging pace. Dax leads us toward the fortress, and Damien hangs in the very back. I'm not sure why that makes me uneasy, but there is one thing I've learned; never trust a demon.
When we hit the last block of houses before the fortress, Melody and six other people are waiting for us.
Shit, has she decided to turn against me after all? I stop in my tracks, not sure how to proceed. However, I refuse to hide behind anyone, so I step in front of Dax and meet her head on. "What's going on?"
"Well, I told you I had your back." Melody glances behind her and nods. "I've found more people who are willing to fight alongside you."
"Are you serious?" I appreciate her efforts, but I don't want to cause any problems for them. They live here after all. "I can't ask that of you all."
An older man steps next to Melody and raises his chin. "You aren't. We volunteered and would be honored to fight amongst you."
"But why?" I'm threatening to take their livelihoods from them. I don't understand how they are okay with all this.
"Does it matter why?" Luke frowns, and his sounds tone disapproving. "We shouldn't turn down any fighters."
"It does to me." Times like these are the very ones I realize that Luke isn't the best leader. He only thinks of his people or his own agenda, not all of the realms or species. "These people live here and will have to deal with all the repercussions. I don't want to ask something of them that will make their life harder when this is all said and done."
"Don't be a fool." Damien cackles as he catches up to us. "This is why you're weak."
"No, it's why we want to fight with her." A lady I had seen several times in the market steps up front and glares at the two men. "We've been ruled by people who dictate to us what to do without concern for our wellbeing. The whole market is a ruse. Most of the money we receive from sales go to them. It's hard to make ends meet
." The lady points her worn finger at me. "She's different. I've seen her kind spirit and willingness to help. This is the type of leader we need. Someone who cares for everyone."
"Oh, please." Damien pretends to gag and rolls his eyes.
"Well, I for one am not going to turn down help either." Brad scans the new arrivals and rubs his fingers over his lips. "Do you guys by chance know any other way Chris can sneak inside?"
"Yes, in fact we do." The older man rubs his hand along the loose skin right under his chin. "I've served Ria for many years. There is a secret entryway that only the people who work for her know about. Luckily, I'm one of them."
"And how do we get there?" Luke arches an eyebrow and rubs his fingertips together.
"It's a tunnel that leads from the living room and takes her to this house right here at the end. It's vacant, and there is a reason for it. It's a way to escape or smuggle things in without anyone seeing since all eyes are on the fortress."
"Okay, Luke, Damien, Brad, and the crew go attack the fortress similar to last time. That's what she'll be expecting." Dax pulls out a knife and glances around. "That will give the rest of us the opportunity to sneak in undetected."
"Don't you think I should go with her?" Damien's eyes flash red, and his shadows creep out, one brushing my skin.
Damn, why are those things so freaking cold? "No, you can cause a lot of damage with your powers. You are one of the best ones to keep Ria distracted." Maybe if I stroke his ego, he'll relent faster.
"Hmmm..." He runs his fingers through his hair and chuckles. "Well played and true. That's fine. Let's get going."
Brad throws his arms around me and pulls me into a hug. "Be safe."
Wow, maybe he does still care about me a little.
The six of them walk off, leaving me with the Water people and Dax. "All right, let's go. There's no time like the present."
"Fine, but we can't go into the fortress until we know the other ones are in place and causing the distraction." Dax bites his bottom lip and sighs.
"We can hear it from the tunnel. It isn't deep, and you can hear what's going on above." The old man cringes. "That's one way she finds out stuff."
Why am I not surprised she eavesdrops? We just need to go. "Show us the way."
The old man pulls out the key and walks to the door at the back of the house. He has it open within moments and walks in, not turning on any of the lights.
I grab Melody's arm and lower my voice. "Are you sure all these people can be trusted?"
"Yes, I would never put you in danger." She reaches out and pulls me into her side. "None of the citizens here are happy, and these are the ones who've had enough and are willing to make a stand."
"Okay, let's do this." I walk through the door, following the man with Dax and Melody right behind me and the remaining six following after them. We follow the old man into the pantry that is off the kitchen, and he presses a button that's hidden at the bottom of the last shelf. A door creaks open, causing dust to fly over everyone, and cool, stale air from the tunnel hits my nose.
Great this is going to be fun.
"Don't worry. It's not a long tunnel." The old man enters the tunnel, and we are immersed in darkness.
I'm so glad that my eyesight is great, or I would be hurting. The others stumble behind me, and Dax grumbles. "Don't run into me. You're going to knock me over."
"Everyone calm down." Hell, I don't want to use my powers, but right now, I don't have a choice. Otherwise, someone is going to get hurt on the way over. I loosen the hold on the blanket and pull at the vibrant purple strand. Soon, my hand lights up, illuminating the tunnel.
"Oh, thank God." The old man sags with relief. "I thought we were going to have to find our way in the dark." He begins moving again, and I hold my hand high so everyone's path is lit. It's not long before shouts echo in the tunnel.
Something above us crashes, and the walls around us begin to vibrate.
"Get moving and quick. They've started fighting, so we need to get in." Dax's voice is loud, and he places his hand on the small of my back. "Let's get this done."
"Here we are." The old man stops when he comes to the door, and his hands shake as he puts his key into the lock.
"Walter, are you okay?" Melody places her hand on top of his.
"Yes." He sucks in a deep breath and opens the door.
Holy shit, we're in.
Chapter Twenty-Three
We step into a dark hallway, and there is no one to be seen. Our distraction must be working, and everyone is focused on our guys outside.
"Where do we go now?" The old man looks at me, his eyes full of worry.
I'm about to answer ‘how the hell would I know,’ when something comes over me. It's a pull that can't be ignored. I don't know what it is, but I'm at its mercy. I follow it and find that it's leading me toward stairs. There is a ghost of light there and something damp; almost as if the water is thicker here than the rest of the island.
"Where are you going?" Dax follows close behind me, holding two knives in his hands now.
"I'm not sure." The steps are made of a brown tile, and the railings are metal. Intricate circles weave in and out of the railing giving it an elegant feel. This fortress reminds me of the mansion back on Earth. I take each step slow, making sure that I'm as quiet as possible.
"Dammit, Chris." Dax glances behind us and huffs out a sigh. "We've lost everyone."
That might be a good thing. That way, they can all deny helping us if caught even though they'd have to explain why they're here. But those answers would be easier to come up with when I'm nowhere in sight.
When we reach the top of the stairs, the tugging becomes more of a jerk, leading me down the hallway on the side that has three doors. The room at the end of the hall stands wide open. There is a soft turquoise glow shining out of the room.
Holy shit, it's the artifact. My heart skips a beat. There is where she's kept it all along. The light begins to pulse just like a strobe light, and my feet begin moving faster.
"Stop. This could be a trap." Dax's tone is harsh and full of frustration.
If I could, I would, but there is no turning back now. "I can't." It's so hard to even get those two words out let alone anything else.
He turns to watch my back. "I'll be glad when this whole thing is over. Protecting you is a full-time job."
Even being preoccupied with the artifact, I find his lame attempt at humor irks me. When I get to the doorway, I discover the three bubbles of water hovering in the air, being held in a glass container. It's similar to how the Angel's Breath was held, but for some reason, this artifact radiates the most power. It slams into me so hard I almost lose my balance.
"Something strange is going on." Ria's voice is so loud I can clearly hear her upstairs. "The water isn't responding to me like it normally does. Go check the house, and leave no stone unturned."
Oh no. I better get the damn artifact before she gets up here. As I approach it, something slams into me, and my brain goes hazy and off balance.
"Come on, we need to hide." Dax scans the area, but her footsteps are already echoing up the stairs.
"Huh?" What is he talking about? Why would we need to hide, and for that matter, where are we? "How did we get here?"
Dax stills then turns to face me. "Are you playing some kind of joke?"
Why would I be joking? "Uh... no." I glance around the room and take in the crystal cylinder hanging in the middle of the room and the decadent crown molding that sets this room apart from anything else I've ever seen.
"Is it possible?" Dax grabs my arm and pulls me close to him.
"What the..." Then everything crashes back in. I had the artifact within grabbing distance, and I didn't take it. What the hell’s wrong with me? "I couldn't remember why we were here or even about the artifact."
"She must have traps spelled around the artifact so no one can get to it." Dax shakes his head and then scans the room. "We've got to hide before it's too late.
"
"Well, well." Ria enters the room. Her hair is pulled back into a ponytail which makes her lavender eyes stand out more. Blood stains cover her clothing, and she stands in the doorway. "Look what we have here."
"I thought you were better than this." When I first met her, she seemed sane. Now she's unhinged.
"Oh, I tried the nice way, but that didn't work." She glances at the artifact and then back at me. "And now you've been able to cause havoc because of the present I gave you. I should have let you combust."
Talking her down won't be possible. She's ready for blood. The amulet warms on my chest and my magic begins moving. Adrenaline courses through me, but I won't be the first one moving.
"That was you being nice?" Dax moves so he's in between us. "You killed someone in cold blood."
Charlie pops to the forefront of my mind even though he didn't say the name. He's right, there is no redemption for her. She manipulates just like most everyone I've had in my life. "You didn't have to do that. I was going to leave." My voice almost cracks at the end, but somehow, I keep it together.
"Oh, please. Like he would have let you give up on the artifact knowing you'd die without it." Ria lifts her hand so fast it almost blurs, and suddenly the air in the room becomes thick with moisture.
"What the hell is happening?" Dax begins sweating, and wipes the back of his hand against his forehead.
"She's using her connection." What is she trying to do? The air is thick but doesn't bother me like it does him. "You're going to make all of us uncomfortable."
"No, just him." She squeezes her fingers together forming a tight fist, and he falls to the ground. "The elements don't affect us as much since we both are connected to it." She almost spits as she says the few words.
Hell, I'd rather not be connected to it and have a normal life. This isn’t something I chose. "I wish that it wasn't the case."
"That's why you don't deserve it." She pulls out her sword and steps toward me. "Why you were chosen is beyond me, but it doesn't matter. You'll never get the last artifact. It all ends now."
This girl is freaking psycho. My power surges and the Water Artifact flashes in sync with them. I'm being tugged toward it once again, but if I want to survive, I'm going to have to contend with Ria for a minute.
