by Simone Pond
“Hello, dear cousin,” we said in unison.
“Clever,” he said, nodding. “A fascinating approach to befuddle and distract me. But you will never get the Red Ruby, dear cousin.”
From behind, the real Glendora came out of the maintenance closet and stepped between us, destroying the illusion of me.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to fall for their parlor tricks,” she said to Magnus. “I’m the real Glendora.”
“No, I’m the real Glendora,” said Isabella.
“They’re both lying!” I spat. “I’m your cousin. Don’t listen to these scoundrels!”
Magnus stood back, stroking his jaw while he concentrated on the three High Witches before him.
“You’ll pay for this,” said Glendora, turning to both versions of herself.
“No, it’s you who will pay for this, sweetness,” I said.
“I’ll see to it that both of you pay for the rest of your lives locked up in the real Endor,” sneered Isabella.
The illusion was working so well, I was starting to get confused. Magnus was losing his patience, not that he had much to begin with. He slammed his cane onto the deck, making the wood under everyone’s feet tremor.
“Men, contain them all!” he ordered.
I lifted my hands and used something Glendora might say. “Come near me and I’ll wrap you in a tar cocoon and toss you into the river!”
Isabella followed suit. “I’ll blind you with blackness and rip out your heart!”
When the real Glendora lifted her hands, she registered slight shock upon noticing she held a golden star. Isabella had created the illusion to throw off Magnus: he knew only Jordan Temple would use a golden star to defend herself. He shot forth a blast of red lightning from the Red Ruby. Glendora shrieked and dropped to her knees, crying out for mercy to Magnus. But he kept firing. Her body began to rapidly shrivel and melt into a puddle of oily black tar.
I grabbed Isabella’s hands, and before Magnus’s operatives could touch either of us, we teleported back to the Jericho.
Chapter 26
Isabella and I landed safely on the Jericho, and we went directly to Matthias’s room. I knocked on the door, holding my breath as I waited for Matthias to open it. Isabella paced back and forth along the railing, scanning the sky for Benjamin. My heart pounded viciously in my chest until finally I released an exhale. Where was Matthias? Our ships were just outside the border of the Rankin Canal and I needed all my people close by when Isabella opened the wall.
Though Magnus had killed Glendora, thinking it was me, and no longer had the power of the Red Ruby, he had a slew of other magical resources. He’d definitely come after us. I was sure he’d conjure up a myriad of other horrible things.
“Matthias, it’s me,” I said, knocking on the door again.
The door creaked open, and Chloe poked her head out. I’d been hit by many things in my years of training at the Academy and even been knocked down by all sorts of black magic. But when I saw Chloe’s pretty blue eyes peering out at me, the punch that slammed into my gut outdid them all. I stumbled back a few inches.
“Oh, um … is Matthias here?” I asked, sounding like a buffoon of the worst sort. Jealousy sounds so ugly as it pinches your words and chokes the air from your lungs.
“He’s resting,” she said, tilting her head off to the side as if I should know better than to disturb him at this time.
“Can you let him know I have Isabella and she’s opening the canal. I’ll need him on deck.” I tried to keep my tone professional.
She smiled, then shut the door in my face. I held back the urge to punch a hole through the metal. It wouldn’t have done any good; Chloe would’ve enjoyed it though. With my heart sagging in my chest, I turned to Isabella.
“It’s time to open the canal and head north,” I told her.
“What about Benjamin?” She continued scoping the blue skies.
“Can’t he just fly over it?” I asked.
She shook her head. “Doesn’t work that way. The wall is charged with so much magic, the radius goes far and wide and deep and high.”
I took her hand and started heading toward the helm. “Come on, let’s get to the captain and start opening the canal. I’m giving Benjamin another minute, and then our ships must pass through. You can stay behind and wait for him and come after us later.”
The captain gave me a genuine smile of relief when I walked into the wheelhouse with Isabella.
“Top of the mornin’ to ya,” he said.
“The Overseer’s going to open the wall, so get the ship ready and let the Sinai know,” I told him.
He gave a curt nod, then got to work preparing for our departure and alerting his second at the helm of the Sinai.
“Do you need anything?” I asked Isabella.
“Just space. Lots of space.”
“Well, you ain’t gonna get that here,” said the captain with a grunt. “Get down to the bow of the ship—that’s the front—plenty of room there. Passengers know to stay in their quarters.”
I started to follow Isabella, but she stopped me. “You must stay here.”
A familiar twinge of panic shot through me. Was she planning to betray me? My ability to trust anyone had reached a point of almost non-existence. Isabella had just helped me get rid of Glendora and destroy the Red Ruby. But was it for her personal gain? No. She had changed. I felt it earlier and if I couldn’t trust that she had turned her back on Endor and was on our side, then I was acting just like the paranoid leaders of the Confederated Six. Backstabbers with zero credence. Isabella had proven herself. She wasn’t going to double-cross any of us.
“That’s right,” she said. “I told you, I’m with you and the Ancients. I just need to be alone when I’m opening the wall.”
“What did I tell you about reading my thoughts?!” I shoved her playfully.
She laughed, then craned her head over the side of the railing, and her face beamed even brighter. Beautiful golden wings glistened in the sunlight. Benjamin came gliding back toward our ship. He landed, then quickly shifted into his human form.
“Magnus is about ten klicks south of our location,” he said.
“What’s that mean?” asked Isabella, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him.
I pulled her away from Benjamin. “That means he’s six miles away. You need to hurry.”
Isabella gave Benjamin a quick kiss on the cheek and ran down to the bow of the ship. We stood by the railing overhead and watched as she began to do some bizarre dance ritual. It looked like she was drawing symbols with her movements, similar to what she had done earlier to create the portal out of the real Endor.
“What’s going on down there?” Matthias came up from behind.
I wanted to wrap my arms around him the same way Isabella had done with Benjamin, but I held back. His gray eyes were red from crying. Did he hate me now? Had Chloe turned him against me? I started to reach for his hand, but he sidled up next to Benjamin and peered over the side down to Isabella.
A thunderous crack sounded from the enormous marble wall in front of the ship, and the water began splashing tumultuously. Lightning shot across the blue sky in jagged streaks and thunder rumbled. In the middle of the massive wall, a sliver appeared like a fissure. The more Isabella spun and danced, the wider the gap grew.
“It’s … working,” I said.
The three of us remained quiet as we stared at the widening space that opened to the canal. I expected the water to burst through the opening, but somehow it stayed contained within the channel. Off in the distance ahead, a glorious golden waterfall illuminated the horizon. That had to be the portal to Shteim'esrei! We were so close my skin shivered. Isabella collapsed to the deck and lay still, but the Overseer had completed her job—the Rankin Canal had been opened. We were almost home!
The captain sounded his loud horn and the Jericho proceeded forward. The Sinai replied with two blows and followed behind. We were down a ship and a good portion of Ancien
ts, but we were actually heading through the canal. I dropped to my knees and praised the Ancient One over and over. I’d always trusted the day would come, but getting here had been grueling.
From behind, a sonic boom warped across the ship, knocking over Benjamin and Matthias.
“Magnus,” I said, jumping up and running to the stern of the ship.
The guys followed close behind. We scanned our ship along the way, but didn’t see any damage. None on the other vessel either. The convoy continued moving forward into the waterway at a rapid pace.
“Maybe it was the canal?” I said.
“Maybe,” said Matthias. Then he pointed down the river. “Either way, Magnus is on our heels. We need to get to the Sinai and help Levi hold him back before he makes it to the canal.”
To Benjamin I asked, “Can you find CeeCee and help get Isabella back up? She needs to close the canal as soon as the Sinai is safely through.”
He ran off, leaving just Matthias and me. I reached for his hands so we could teleport to the other ship, still unable to look him in the eye. Still wondering if he had replaced me with Chloe because she wasn’t the one who had given Magnus the go-ahead to kill his father …
He reached down and touched my cheek. “I know it wasn’t your fault, J. But I’m hurting.”
I gazed up into his eyes and tried to smile, but it came out like a pained grimace. “I’m … sorry.”
“I love you,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss me.
I wasn’t expecting that—at all. When I hugged him and told him I loved him too, it felt like every star in the universe came to life inside my chest. I took his hands and we teleported to Levi and his men.
“They’ve got their shields around the cruiser,” said Levi. “Nothing’s getting through.”
“And it’s going at speeds I’ve never seen,” added his sidekick, Binx.
“We need to close the wall,” I said. “While we’re waiting for Isabella, I’ll put up a shield of our own.”
I ran to the edge of the ship and called on my magic, lifting it up from my core and lobbing it forward so the iridescent violet light shimmered all around the Sinai, then made its way around the Jericho up front. The golden star in my pocket pulsed as though calling me. I removed it and held it up to the sunlight.
It’s not time …
I placed it back in my pocket and continued holding up the shield of protection. Magnus’s cruiser came darting up the river at breakneck speed, foregoing its cloaking at this point. I figured it was being fueled with decades worth of stolen magic and Ashtar’s assistance. Good luck with that, warlock. We have the Ancient One with us.
Benjamin flew overhead with CeeCee and Isabella in the grip of his talons and let them drop onto the deck before landing and shifting back.
“Can you close it?” I asked Isabella.
“I’ll need room,” she said.
I shouted to the guys, “Move out! Give her space.” Then to Isabella, I said, “I have to stay here to maintain the shield. I’ll stay out of your way.”
“No, you’ll interfere with it. You must relocate.”
If I moved from my position, I might risk losing the shield. Even if it was for a few moments, that could’ve given Magnus an opening. We could allow no chances.
“I can’t move,” I told her.
But then I had an idea.
“Benjamin,” I said. “Can you shift back and carry me above the deck so I’m not in the way?”
He gave me the thumbs-up, quickly shifted, flew into the air, then came around for me. His talons gripped my jacket and hoisted me high above the deck. The shield stayed locked around us. I released a huge sigh. We were still protected.
Below, Isabella began her dance ritual. Magnus’s cruiser was closing in tight. The eagle kept a close circumference around our ships. With both vessels already safely passing through the canal, the hardest part was over. But I couldn’t let Magnus enter—I had to stop him.
The star in my pocket began to pulse again. It was time to use the last golden star—the seventh.
I called up to Benjamin, “Fly closer to the cruiser!”
For a moment, he ignored this request. I didn’t blame him. It was extremely risky getting within a close proximity of Magnus, or the closing wall.
“We can’t let him pass, Benjamin. We can’t!”
We began to rise up higher and with a swift move, he began to go southward toward the southern part of the channel. The shield continued to hold around the two ships, but then a sudden tugging pulled at my back. I glanced over my shoulder to see the Jericho enter into the golden waterfall and disappear. They had reached the portal! The Sinai soon followed, leaving behind an empty blue waterway that stretched for endless miles. The golden waterfall remained—we still had time to stop Magnus and join the others.
“Hurry!”
Benjamin picked up his speed, getting us closer to the closing wall. I took the golden star from my pocket and kept my eyes on Magnus’s cruiser. It was so close. And there was still plenty of room for him to squeeze through the opening and make it into the canal. I lifted the star, aiming for the cruiser, but I couldn’t get a direct point of impact. Everything was moving too fast.
“Closer,” I yelled.
We breezed closer to the wall. Once again, I took aim and waited for the perfect opportunity to wing the golden star right into the heart of Magnus’s cruiser. The vessel came zipping through the rough waters of the river like a berserker. Benjamin swept lower, skimming the wall. I steadied myself and pitched the star with all my might. The glimmering gold shot across the sky, picking up speed as it careened toward Magnus’s cruiser. When it hit the shield surrounding the vessel, it penetrated in slow motion, but a shockwave ricocheted off of it, sending Benjamin and me fluttering and smacking into the marble wall.
We fell from the sky as the sound of explosions and blasts filled the space around us. Our bodies plunged into the icy river and we were sucked down with its currents. I bobbed up for air, clasping Benjamin’s talons so I wouldn’t lose him. He was out cold and in bad shape. One of his wings was dangling from his body as if every bone had been shattered. We needed to get out of the river ASAP. I called on my magic, visualizing the golden waterfall so we could teleport to our people. We flashed out of the river …
Chapter 27
I landed on my knees in shallow water, still clutching the broken eagle. I crawled up to the riverbank and collapsed on my side, cradling my friend. As I gasped for air, choking up the water clogging my lungs, I watched the titanic marble wall seal shut. Benjamin and I were trapped inside the Confederated Six … in the Madlands territory. I sat there too stunned to speak.
Benjamin shifted back into his human form—his right arm was severely damaged from smashing against the wall. I used strips of my jacket to make a sling. It was broken in at least four places and would take a few days to fully heal. The power of flight was off the table.
Benjamin stared at the marble wall barricading the Rankin Canal. “What happened?”
“Explosion. We hit the wall. I tried to teleport us to the portal, but we ended up here,” I explained.
“That sucks.”
“I saw both ships go through. At least they made it to Shteim'esrei,” I said.
“Well, that sucks even harder. We’re all alone.”
A multitude of conflicting emotions ripped me apart. I was elated for fulfilling the prophecy and getting the Ancients back to their original city, but utterly bummed we weren’t with them. And not only were we not with our friends, Benjamin and I were sitting on the banks of the worst territory in the Confederated Six. Although … after visiting Endor … No. The Madlands was still the worst. Matthias was gone and my heart ached to be with him. I’d hoped once we got settled in the new city we could finally be together …
“Isabella,” muttered Benjamin.
I felt his pain. Not only for the loss of a close companion, but she was the key. The only one who was able to open the wall,
and she had gone through the portal with the others.
Benjamin groaned and lay back on the sandy bank. I joined him, gazing up at the blue sky. The good news was Magnus’s cruiser had been obliterated by the seventh golden star, so that immediate threat had been extinguished for the time being. I didn’t believe for one second the warlock was dead. He’d survived the explosion somehow. I was sure of it.
“What’s next?” asked Benjamin.
“I’m thinking we get to the safe place, wait for that arm to heal, stock up on some heavy artillery, and head out to the Red Mountains to see my father.”
“You gonna try to chat with the Ancient One?” he asked.
“Yeah. I’d like to know why we got left behind,” I said, sitting up and staring out at the River Elin and its powerful currents. How did the water flow with the massive wall blocking the northern route? The mysteries of the Ancient One might never be known to me. Why was I chosen to lead the Ancients to freedom? Why did children have to die along the way? So many unanswered questions that might never be resolved. And I’d have to live with that for now.
“We didn’t get left behind,” said Benjamin, grunting in pain as he sat up next to me. “You made the choice to go after Magnus. If we had stayed with the ship, we would’ve gone with the others.”
His words stung like the lash of a whip. But he was right. And I wouldn’t have had to make that choice if I had just killed Magnus instead of giving him Isabella. Haggai might even be alive. Was it fear? Or was it not the right time? Maybe both. But that moment had passed. Now we were sitting on the riverbank of the Madlands, Benjamin’s arm too busted up to fly us to safety and my magic spent from getting us out of the river. We were a pathetic duo. But we would regain our strength and our resolve. We’d get to the safe place and restore ourselves back to our former glory. Then we’d fly to that cave in the Red Mountains to see my father. To commune with the Ancient One and get some guidance on what to do next.
Author’s Note
Thanks for reading the second book in the Mysterium Chronicles. I hope you’re ready for the next adventure, Wrath of Magic … I truly appreciate your support and commitment. Writing is my favorite thing in the world and to be able to share my words with others is a true gift. I write a lot, so if you’d like to be notified with exclusive updates on when my next novel will be released, sign up for my newsletter: http://www.subscribepage.com/h8q0b0.
