“Easy, Richard,” said Henry, holding his hands out in front of him.
“Don’t start, Henry,” replied the detective. “I saw officer Clemmens in your house. You brutalized that poor man.”
“It wasn’t what it looked like,” said Henry. “He turned into a horrifying creature. He would have killed me and Lisa. It was self-defense.”
“Bull shit! That is utter bull shit. You’re a murderer, Henry. I never saw it coming. I should just shoot you right now.” He cocked back the hammer of his gun.
“Can you please get this situation under control?” Esme asked, looking past the detective into the trees. Henry squinted but couldn’t see who she was talking to.
Suddenly, as if materializing from thin air, a muscular woman swung down from the trees. She landed directly behind Richard and kicked his legs out from beneath him in one swift motion. He let out a shout as he fell to the ground. His gun flew from his hand. Henry ran over and picked it up before the detective could regain his balance. Detective Stathem began to rise, but the warrior pulled a long blade from behind her back and held it to his throat. “Stay,” she said.
Detective Stathem froze with his hands outstretched in front of his chest.
“Thank you, Jade,” said Esmeralda. “Now, back to the issue at hand. I have been in contact with both your daughter and granddaughter. Unfortunately, due to events entirely out of my control, they both disappeared. Caitlin and my ridiculous moose disappeared yesterday morning. I was able to track them just outside of Maken’s wards. I consulted the fires and was given a vision of scouts. You know how the fires are though, finicky at best. They refused to show me anything beyond that. However, they did show me the arrival of Elise and her companions. I decided my best course of action was to wait for my great grand-niece. After which we could focus on Caitlin and Oscar. They showed up very late last night, and when we awoke in the morning, she and the half-blind one were gone.”
“They weren’t together?” asked Henry thinking about his young daughter travelling alone. His stomach knotted.
“No,” responded Esme. “Oscar found Caitlin in my meadow, and we learned Elise was in the troggle caves. That’s neither here nor there now. They each found their way to Maken and managed to both disappear. You really need to teach those children some accountability.”
“Did you cast a locator spell?” asked Alexander, very seriously.
“Of course, I did. Do you take me for an amateur?” Esme huffed. “It bounced all over the mountains like a skattle in mating season. Something very strong is blocking my attempts to find them.”
“The presence of the scouts really concerns me,” said Alexander. “I had hoped the florean Henry encountered was a fluke, but if scouts are out in enough force to steer Caitlin and Oscar away from the safety of town then more floreans must be waking up.”
“Exactly correct,” said Esme. “My friend over there killed one while she and the girls were traveling.” She nodded her head to indicate the warrior woman.
“We killed another one on our side,” said Henry. “One that changes shapes.”
“That is not good. Not good at all,” said Esme. “A shape changer shouldn’t have enough power on your side to change shape.”
“I believe Daemeon regained his memory. Most likely with the help of traitors among the soldiers. He used Caitlin and Elise to open an unsanctioned doorway that has been leaking magic. The florean must have come through during the last posting rotation already transformed in the officer guise. An influx of magic at the source, combined with the pull of Kerath must have brought on the change. The question is, who has been waking up the floreans for Daemeon and how many have already risen?”
“Aaaaaaarrrrrrr----oooooooonnnnnnn!!” something shrieked in the woods. A four-foot-tall silver blur of fuzz came running toward the group.
“Monster!” Detective Stathem screamed from his position on the ground. “Jesus Christ, kill it!”
The creature ran past the detective and stopped by the warrior woman. “Aaaaarrr---ooonnn…. Argh… aroooon,” he said. He was frantically pointing behind him.
“You,” Jade said to Richard. “Stand up and stay out of my way. If you touch one hair on Aroon’s head I will cut you in half and feed him your entrails.” She pulled her second sword from its sheath just as a horrific beast crashed through the trees. Terror filled Henry. The creature looked like it had crawled from the gates of hell. Jade raised her swords above her head and let out a guttural cry as she ran toward the threat.
“Stop!” yelled Alexander and Esme in unison.
Jade skidded to a stop just in front of the demon.
It looked down at her with an eyebrow cocked. “That’s an interesting way to greet a friend,” he said.
“You are no friend of mine, monster,” said Jade.
“I’ll attempt not to be your enemy, then,” the beast responded. He turned his head toward the rest of the group. “You’ve gotten old, Carey.”
“You’re still a jackass, Lesembo,” replied Alexander. “It’s good to see you, my friend.” He walked over to the creature and put a hand on his shoulder. Just then a moose walked out of the woods. Henry felt his previous hysteria starting to bubble back up. What the actual hell is going on, he thought.
“I was sent by Caitlin,” said Lesembo. “She encountered Shuri, whose scouts severely damaged Halinafforkinitsu. I gave them shelter in one of my caves, and she sang his wounds closed. It was incredible.”
“Sang?” Henry squeaked out. He instantly regretted it when the demon turned to look at him.
“Who are you, human?” he asked.
Henry breathed deeply and took a step toward the beast. “Henry… Henry Kowalski. I’m Caitlin’s husband. I am trying my best to hold it all together, but I’m having a difficult time with it.”
Lesembo huffed. “She doesn’t know how to wield it yet, but your wife holds more power than anyone I have seen in a very long time. Even more than you, Esmeralda.”
“You don’t have to tell me,” said the old woman.
Henry didn’t know how to respond. Lesembo continued, “Shuri revealed in a water vision that Elise is being held by Daemeon at Helenab’s castle. He may have aged, but I would recognize that bastard anywhere. She left my cave with Shuri a couple of hours ago and sent me to find you.”
During the conversation the moose had been slowly inching his way over to the odd collection of companions. He finally made it to Esme and was cropping the grass by her feet. Chase cautiously walked toward him. The moose lowered his head, flattened his ears, and honked aggressively. The dog yipped and ran over to the silver man. Henry finally looked at him closely. He cried out upon seeing its single large eye and long teeth. “Aaarrr---ooonnn?” it said to him in a questioning tone.
“Aroon, this is Elise’s father. Henry, this is Elise’s troggle,” said Esme. “Play nice, so we can figure out our siege.”
“Eeeelll---eeeee,” said Aroon, mournfully. He stroked Chase’s head. The dog leaned heavily against him and sighed.
“I guess if the dog trusts him I should too,” said Henry. “I have to warn you, though. I’m not sure I can mentally handle much more insanity.”
“Insanity is all you get with us,” said Esme, “and if you want to see your wife and child again, you’ll get over your shit and deal with it. It’s going to get a lot more insane before we’re done. Now, any ideas on how to break into that cursed castle?”
Chapter Twenty-One
Elise
Her mother was with her. She still was convinced it was some sort of trick. The evil sorcerer was making her see things that weren’t really there. But her mother felt so real, and she knew Elise. She decided she didn’t even care if it was an illusion. She had so desperately missed her mom while they were separated. She didn’t understand how bad it was until the raw, gnawing ache in her core finally went away.
They sat side by side, with a spread of delicious smelling food covering the entire ten-person table.
Most of the dishes looked familiar. A large turkey-like bird sat buttered and baked in the center of the table. Stuffing overflowed from its core, spilling artfully onto a silver platter. Steam billowed from what looked like yellow mashed potatoes and a bowl of white carrots. Colorful salads peaked their wares above the tops of tan and blue pottery. Elise’s stomach growled; her earlier meal forgotten.
A door opened on the opposite side of the room. Essecks slithered in followed by a large rodent walking on its hind legs. Elise saw the milky eyes of a florean. They were focused on her. She reached for her mother’s hand. It was there waiting, warm and comforting.
She glanced at her mother. She looked more beautiful than Elise could ever remember. Mom had left her hair down and the golden cascade radiated in the light of the lanterns. Her blue eyes connected with Elise’s hazel ones and she smiled. “It’s okay, baby,” she said. “I won’t let anything happen.”
“I know, mom,” she replied.
The two creatures made their way to opposite sides of the room. They stopped in front of their respective walls. Only after they had stilled did the evil sorcerer make his entrance with a wide smile. “Ladies, you look radiant,” he said.
She looked back up at her mom. The smile was erased and replaced with a hard scowl. “What do you want from us, Dave?” her mother asked.
“Please, call me Daemeon. Dave was only a character I played. I played many characters over the years. I’m ready to be who I was meant to be now.” He held his arms out and did a quick twirl. “It suits me, don’t you think?” He was draped in robes that shined. They were almost beautiful to Elise. On his head he wore a thin golden crown with a single black stone affixed to the center.
Mom sighed. “Fine. What do you want from us, Daemeon?”
“Well, well, well,” Daemeon said, “your confidence has grown since we last met face to face. You were a wilting lilac. I wonder who watered you. I like it.” He smiled brilliantly. A chill ran down Elise’s spine. She leaned her head against her mother’s arm.
“I learned not to be scared of bullshit con artists,” said Mom.
“That hurts, Caitlin,” replied Daemeon. “I want nothing but the best for you and your daughter. I mean, isn’t that what family’s for?”
“You are not my family,” her mother said. “You’re a parasite that needs to be eradicated.”
The smile on Daemeon’s face faltered.
“Mom, stop,” whispered Elise. She was terrified of what the sorcerer would do if he got angry.
“Listen to the girl,” said Daemeon. “She’s an exceptionally bright child.” He slapped his hands together. “Now, let’s dig in before the food gets cold. Girl, bring us wine.”
Ashley walked into the room with a pitcher. She was wearing a short, beige, shapeless frock. It resembled a potato sack. Silently, she made her way around the table, pouring a dark red liquid into each of their goblets. Elise stared at it. Her mind flashed back to Chase’s unconscious form on Aroon’s floor. The female troggle’s blood on his jaws had been the same color.
“Take a drink, Elle,” said Daemeon. “There are no silly laws about underage drinking here.”
“You don’t get to call her that,” said her mom, staring coldly at the man across the table.
“It’s okay, Mom,” said Elise. She picked up the goblet. It was heavier than she expected. She brought it up, pressing the cold metal to her lips. She took a small sip. The liquid was bitter, and she nearly gagged as she swallowed it.
“What do you think?” asked Daemeon.
“It’s disgusting,” she said honestly, before thinking about who she was talking to.
Daemeon let out a full-bellied laugh and slapped the table with his hand. “Spoken like a true child. It grows on you over time. What do you think Caitlin?”
“I’ve recently quit drinking,” said her mom.
“You will make an exception,” replied the sorcerer.
Mom glared at him, but after a moment, she lifted the drink up and took a long swallow. “I’ve had better,” she said.
“Once my leadership in Clarensdell has been cemented, my wine cellars will be overflowing with the sweetest flavors in the land,” Daemeon said. “I was unable to cross over until I found you, Carey’s daughter. Your power was so weak when I first encountered you, but now it glows. It’s like a blinding light at the end of a dark tunnel. I’m so happy you escaped Arthur’s house of horrors. That man was absolutely demented. Had I known who you truly were, I would never have employed such a sadist, but I simply thought you were the daughter of my greatest enemy. I wanted him to suffer and what better way than to take away the one person he loves the most.”
“And who am I that you now find relief in my safety?” Mom asked. Elise listened with morbid fascination. Her mom had never talked about the incident with her. She got information from the news and even less from her dad, but she had only ever brought it up to her mother once. The look Mom gave her held so much horror Elise had stammered an apology and never spoke of it again.
“Can’t you see it?” Daemeon asked. “Once I revealed your true power with my knife the resemblance was uncanny. You’re able to work healing magic, correct? I saw your moose through the eyes of my florean. There’s no way he would have healed that much without magical intervention. That type of magic is rare. Extremely rare. I’ve only known one other person, besides myself, who was able to wield it with such precision. And that was my mother. Our mother. You, my dear Caitlin, are my half-sister.”
“That’s not true.” Mom’s words were almost inaudible.
“Now, I admit I did some unfortunate things to Mother’s mind,” Daemeon continued, “but your perverted father took every memory she ever had and brainwashed her into loving him. I loved my mother. She was too weak to stand up for us, so I did what I had to do. No matter how much she gave to the realm, we were always viewed as Homisbidian heretics.”
“Mom?” Elise looked up to her mother.
“Don’t listen to a word her says, baby. It’s not possible.”
“But it is.” Daemeon was thoughtful. “I can see her in the shape of your nose and the curve of your chin.” His finger’s caressed Mom’s cheek. Her hand vibrated in Elise’s.
“With her power, she could have cleansed Clarensdell of its corrupt monarchy. Children from all lands would have been able to reside here without fear. Instead, she remained silent as the king and his ilk allowed refugees of war to be corralled like cattle. They ripped families apart. Children were beaten and starved. The cloying scent of decay was ever present.”
The food on the table no longer appealed to Elise. Images of mud-spattered children being knocked to the ground by boot-clad soldiers flashed through her mind.
Daemeon sat in the chair next to Elise. Mom pulled her into her arms. “You know, your grandma was only thirteen when she had me. She was eighteen when she finally escaped my tyrannical father. You’d think all memories of him would have faded from my mind, but they haven’t. I remember every single mark he left on my body. Your grandfather is evil, just like my father was.”
Mom pushed her chair out forcefully. “Get away from my daughter.” She tried to stand, but something held her in place.
“You will remain seated until I’ve finished.” Daemeon slammed his hand against the table. “We’re having a family reunion, and I have a lot on my mind. You need to understand your history. These atrocities were committed against your blood. Your mother suffered nearly all her life. That should make you angry.”
He waited for a moment, but the girls remained silent.
“It was her power to heal that ultimately saved us. Or at the very least, upgraded our prison. Langdon Dolfson, the king of the time, had a son name Reginald. He was out on a wild cointroil hunt when he was thrown from his horse and impaled by a sturdy branch. It was only a few months after we had sought asylum from Homisbid and were thrown into an internment camp to slave away until we died. His brigade rushed him to our compound, which was
the closest source of medical care. My mother could sense his distress in her sleep. The guards saw her true power that day when she forced them from her path to save the dying man.
“She performed a miracle. She could always sense them, the infirm and dying. They drew her to them with silent pleas. In return for his life, Reginald gave us ours. We were moved to a cottage just outside the castle’s fortifications where the royal family could use her power for their own benefit.
“I was assimilated into their world, but I was never a part of it. I barely spoke the language. I was small from malnourishment, which made me an easy target. But I had a secret even my mother didn’t know. I was given a gift from my bastard father. I could slip into people’s minds and make them think my whispers were their own thoughts. It was a pity to all the day my primary tormentor chose to throw himself from one of the towers. I had to hide away in my rooms, so no one saw my smile.”
Elise was horrified. Her chest hurt.
“I learned to harness my power. I dedicated myself to my studies and made connections. I started slipping into Mother’s mind early on. Just a nudge here and a pull there. I was delicate with her, fearing she may find me lurking in the shadows of her thoughts. I became little whispers. I knew no one would take a revolution seriously if I were at the helm. I was too young. But Mother was exactly what Clarensdell needed. She had everything necessary to become a good, benevolent ruler. And I had the fortitude to complete the dirty tasks necessary to cleanse the land of the unworthy.”
“So, you broke her mind?” Elise asked, unable to quiet her tongue.
“I freed her mind.” Daemeon stood and paced. “She struggled with it for a long time, not understanding why her thoughts turned so dark. My acquisition of the Hiseth Crystal turned the tides in my favor. My mother held so much raw power that once I secured her allegiance, I could use it to gain control of the crystal.
“The crystal is powered by wishes. Mighty creatures of the land came to my mother for guidance. They bared their truest wishes to her, but they spoke to me. You see, our truest wishes, the ones buried deep down inside of us that are only voiced in our dreams, are tied so closely to our souls that to possess one ultimately leads to possessing the other.
A World Divided Page 26
