Fractured Truth

by Rachel McClellan

  “Grab her!” he said.

  I glanced around in all directions as Vykens approached. There was no way I could fight my way out of this. I looked up, searching for Liam. Wind was blowing in all directions, and I had no idea if any of it was him. At least he was safe. Two Vykens with cold hands seized my arms roughly.

  “How about I make a deal with you?” I asked Ax.

  He chuckled. “You’re hardly in a position to be making deals.”

  “Here’s the thing. I’m pretty sure if you take me to Cyrus that you’ll get some kind of reward, praise—a ham even. I suspect Cyrus really wants to see me.” I smirked, trying to look as confident as possible, figuring if I could convince him to do this it would at least buy me some time. Maybe even give Liam and the others a chance to save me.

  Ax came next to me and traced his long finger down my cheek. “I like that plan, but I was already going to do that. I know exactly who you are, Llona Reese. It’s all he ever talks about.”

  This surprised me. “Cyrus?”

  He sniffed my neck. “I hear you taste delicious.”

  I butted my head in his direction, smacking him in the nose.

  “Ow! Settle down, girlie. I wasn’t going to hurt you. Just taste. You see, around here, we share with each other.”

  He approached me again. I squirmed, but this only made the Vykens behind me squeeze harder. My bones felt like they were going to break. If only I could get them to let go of me, I could turn invisible and find a way out.

  From behind, a Vyken I couldn’t see grabbed my head and jerked it toward my shoulder, straining the chords in my neck until it hurt. Ax came up close, his breath steaming my neck. I closed my eyes tight and waited for the pain.

  “Stop!” a voice rang out.

  Ax pulled back and turned around.

  I opened my eyes. The group of Vykens in front of me parted. A head bobbed among the group as it moved toward us.

  And then I saw who it was.

  Christian.

  I almost cried out, relief flooding over me. I was safe.

  He came to me, a tight smile on his lips. He didn’t say anything, but he did inspect my neck for fresh bite marks. When he didn’t find any, he turned to Ax. “You’re lucky you didn’t bite her,” he said.

  Before Ax could respond, Christian decked him hard with a closed fist. Blood spurted from his nose, spraying me in the face.

  But Christian wasn’t done.

  He punched him three more times until Ax fell over. Christian went with him, continuing his blows at an alarming pace, and my earlier relief turned to horror. Tears fell from my eyes when Christian took hold of Ax’s head and twisted hard. A few seconds later, Ax’s head was ripped from his body. Ash exploded everywhere.

  This was not my Christian.

  He stood and faced the crowd, his face a mixture of ash and sweat. “Llona is mine!”

  The others looked around nervously. Christian breathed deeply a few times before he turned around to face me, his twisted face barely recognizable.

  “What’s wrong with you?” I asked.

  He raised his thumb to my cheek and smeared blood and tears to the side. “I would do anything to protect you.”

  “Not this way. This isn’t you.”

  Vykens around us laughed.

  “Actually, Llona, this isn’t you.”

  I struggled again to get away. If only I could touch him, use my Light perhaps, maybe he’d be reminded. Of us.

  “Hold her tight, boys,” Christian said.

  I kept struggling. “Tell them to let me go, and we’ll get out of here. Together.”

  “I wish I could. Really I do, but not until I know you’re with me.”

  “But I am with you!”

  “No, Llona. Really with me.”

  I didn’t like how he was looking at me, his eyes cruel and demanding. “What are you talking about?”

  “The only way you’re going to embrace your true self is if you get rid of all things Auran. Starting with Loser Liam.” He glanced up and around, searching the shadows above us.

  “Stop this, Christian. You don’t know what you’re saying. You need to fight the poison inside you!”

  He ignored me and yelled, “Liam! I know you’re up there! Come down now or I’ll start breaking her bones.”

  “What? No. You don’t mean it,” I said. “Don’t listen to him, Liam! He’s bluffing.” At least I hoped he was, but he sounded so serious.

  Faster than I could blink, Christian appeared directly in front of me, his eyes burning into mine. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I will do what is necessary to make sure you are with me. Do you understand?”

  My chest tightened. “This isn’t you,” I said, but wondered if it was for my benefit or his.

  Christian again looked up. “I mean it, Liam! Get down here or I swear I’ll break her leg!”

  There was no response, only the whisperings of Vykens who probably didn’t think Christian would do it either.

  “One!” he yelled and waited.

  “Two!” Another few seconds. I continued to stare at Christian, searching for any signs of the man I once loved.

  “Three.”

  Christian whirled around and kicked at my lower leg. I heard the snap before I felt the pain, but it came soon enough. I cried out and slumped to the ground, held up only by the Vykens behind me.

  A second later there was a terrible roar and a fierce wind blew. Liam appeared next to me. His eyes blazed into Christian’s. “I’m going to kill you.”

  “You try and my friends will continue to break her bones.”

  It was difficult to focus on what they were saying. The pain was biting, radiating up my body, but what hurt worse was the fact that Christian was the one who had caused it.

  Christian shoved Liam’s shoulder. “You’ve been angling for Llona the moment you met her, and for that you’re going to pay.”

  This got my attention, and I looked up. “Stop! Christian, let him go.”

  Christian nodded his head toward two nearby Vykens. They came forward and clutched Liam, who didn’t struggle.

  “I hate the way you look at her,” Christian said. “I hate the way you speak to her.”

  “Please,” I said. I moved my hands, trying to get Light to appear, but I was in so much pain, only flickering lights, like sparks, appeared. Focus!

  Christian raised his hands and took hold of Liam’s head.

  “No!” I cried. “Don’t do this!”

  Liam was staring directly at Christian. “No matter what you do to me, just let her live.”

  Christian laughed. “Don’t pretend to love her the way I do. No one does. But don’t worry. She’s not going to die—neither will you. Not just yet anyway. I have plans for you, starting with those stupid eyes that can’t stop staring at my property.”

  He placed his thumbs over Liam’s eyes and began to press. Liam’s jaw flexed tight, but he didn’t say a word.

  “Stop this, Christian! Please. I’ll stay with you—just let him go!”

  His hands let up and he looked back at me. “That reminds me. I forgot to thank you.”

  The change in conversation confused me. “What?”

  Liam’s eyes were clenched tight; the right one had blood starting to come out of his closed eyelids.

  “You helped me kill two birds with one stone.”

  “I don’t understand.” I had to keep him talking so I could find a way to help Liam. I glanced all around. Vykens, hungry and anxious for violence, watched us like it was the premiere of the year’s most anticipated film. There was no salvation in this place.

  “First, you helped us to finally get rid of that pompous, greedy fool Jackson.”

  This got my attention. “How did I do that?”

  He tucked my hair behind my ear and let his finger linger on my jaw line. I shivered. “By telling us where to find the witches—your second gift to me.”

  I shook my head slowly, my eyes wide. “No. I didn’t say�
��”

  He lightly slapped my cheek. “You didn’t tell us everything, but enough that Jackson thought we already knew, and he told us the rest.” He shifted his weight and tilted his head. “Really, Llona. That meant a lot to me. You’re a special girl.” He turned back around and continued to press Liam’s eyes until Liam finally cried out, a great and terrible scream that I’d never heard from him before.

  I struggled as hard as I could, even trying to kick up, but anytime I put weight on my broken leg, a pain coursed through my body as though an ice pick were being hammered up through the bottom of my foot.

  “No, Christian, please!” I yelled. “I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll—”

  Just then fire exploded at the back of the room. Another explosion followed a second later, making Christian stop. The other Vykens circled around us backed away and looked around. Off to our side, a ball of fire burned bright, capturing all of our attention. It hovered for just a second before racing toward us.

  Vykens scattered in all directions, including the ones holding me. I didn’t waste any time and hobbled over to Liam, ignoring the pain in my leg as best I could. The fireball exploded into the ground only ten feet away, knocking Liam and me to the ground.

  “Llona!” he called, his eyes closed tight.

  I crawled over to him. “I’m here. We have to go.”

  “I can’t see.”

  “And I can barely walk.”

  He stood up and pulled me with him. “We’ll help each other.”

  I leaned all my weight into him. “Straight ahead,” I said. I glanced around, searching for Christian, but didn’t see him through the chaos.

  Liam moved fast, practically carrying me on his side. Vykens were scattering everywhere, unsure of where the next fireball might land. More exploded around us. I glanced around for the source. An open doorway revealed the dark silhouette of a person, or more appropriately, a Fury. May’s father?

  “In five steps, turn right,” I said. This would get us through the door and into the small office we’d come through. Of course there wasn’t a door now; just a gaping hole where fire had exploded into it, its edges still burning.

  I glanced back one more time at the Fury. A fireball was ignited in the Fury’s hand, the light illuminating a strange face. Strange because it wasn’t who I expected.

  It was May, her face tight with anger.

  EIGHTEEN

  I looked again to be sure it really was May who had caused all this damage. Another fireball formed in her hands, giving me a clear visual. What was she doing here? I was about to call out to her when Christian’s voice broke through the chaos.

  “Stop them! They’re getting away!”

  “We have to go faster,” I said.

  “You’ll have to guide me.” Liam didn’t wait for a response. He burst into a windstorm and shot through the garage door, smashing it to pieces. I don’t know how I wasn’t knocked unconscious, but thank goodness I wasn’t, because without my vision, Liam would’ve crashed into every building. As it was now, he was weaving back and forth, coming dangerously close to solid objects.

  “In three seconds turn right,” I said.

  He counted to three, but when he turned, he over corrected, sending us careening into an old billboard. I was torn from his grip and fell to the ground hard, further injuring my leg. I bit my hand to keep from screaming, to prevent us from being discovered.

  Liam wasn’t far from me, struggling to get up. “Llona? Are you okay?”

  “I’m okay,” I said, trying to keep my voice even.

  “They’re coming,” he said. “We have to try again.”

  Because of my pain, I had missed the clear sounds of dozens of Vykens racing after us. I glanced around. We were at least three blocks from Liam’s car. We’d never make it. Up ahead I spotted the back of the white van. The Council’s “spy.”

  I hobbled over to Liam. “We’re hitching a ride. Twenty long steps to your right.”

  He wrapped his arm around my waist and hurried in that direction.

  “We’re almost there,” I said. The van drew closer. I really hoped the guy was awake. I don’t know how he could’ve slept through the explosions. “Stop,” I said and opened the back doors of the van. There were no other seats except for the front two. “Get in.” I gently, yet quickly, guided Liam into the vehicle.

  The older man behind the steering wheel turned around. His face was pale and his eyes were big. “What’s happening?”

  “Just drive. Now! Before Vykens kill us all!” I crawled in after Liam and closed the doors behind me.

  The man didn’t hesitate. He pressed on the gas and swung the car around in the opposite direction. Through the back window, I saw Vykens sprinting toward us; some of them were racing along the side of the buildings. It was an image I wouldn’t soon forget.

  After a minute, when I couldn’t see them anymore, I glanced down at Liam. Both eyes were bleeding, and he was inhaling short, quick breaths, reminding me of the time my dog got run over by the school bus when I was ten—he barely survived.

  “Want to tell me who you are, and what happened back there?” the man called back.

  “I’m Llona, an Aura, and this is Liam. He’s with the Deific. We were investigating the warehouse when we were overrun by Vykens. We need to go to Lucent Academy and fast. I think Vykens know the location of the witches.” I almost choked on the last words. How could I have been so foolish?

  He pressed on the gas harder, lurching the van forward. “How bad are you two hurt?”

  “I’ll live,” Liam said, but he kept squirming and arching his back. “How’s your leg?” he asked me.

  “I’m already healing,” I lied right back. I pressed my palm to his face. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve listened to you. About Christian, about the warehouse.”

  “You didn’t know. You were doing what you thought was best.”

  His words didn’t ease my guilt.

  “There’s a first-aid kit under my seat if you can reach it,” the man said. “And my name’s Steven.”

  I slid forward and stretched my arm. Under the seat I felt a small box and withdrew it. “Thanks, Steven.”

  “There should be some bandages for his eyes.”

  I opened it up and removed a roll of gauze. There was nothing that might’ve helped my leg. I was about to wrap the soft white material around Liam’s head, when Light sparked under my hand. “What the?” I said, turning my palm over to examine it.

  “What’s wrong?” Liam asked.

  I stared at his face, a memory surfacing. “Remember when you taught me how to use Light for reasons other than a weapon?”

  He managed a tight smile.

  “I’m going to try something,” I said, thinking specifically of a butterfly I had healed. “Try to hold still, okay? And let me know if anything hurts too bad.”

  Mindful of my leg, I maneuvered myself into a position where I could use both hands on his eyes. I placed them gently over each eye and concentrated, imagining his eyes healing. Light warmed my palms. I kept the strength of it down, afraid I might fry his brain, especially since he was half Vyken.

  At first he grimaced, and I almost pulled back, but after several seconds, he exhaled and every part of him seemed to relax. I continued to let soft Light shine over his eyes, until he reached up and took both of my hands in his and lowered them. His eyes were open—caked with blood, but open.

  “Remarkable!” Steven said. He was continually looking back and forth between the road and the back of the van.

  “Can you see?” I asked Liam.

  His green eyes focused on mine. “I can.”

  “The witches,” I said and lay back down to relieve the pressure on my leg.

  “What did you tell Christian?”

  I expected to hear an accusatory tone in his voice, but heard none. “Not much. Just that we had discovered that the witches’ powers were being concealed by the Auras’ Light. I would’ve told him more, but he was acting s
o strange on the phone. I guess it doesn’t matter now.”

  He squeezed my hand. “It’s hard to give up on the people we love.”

  “I just hope my stupidity doesn’t ruin everything.” The car turned a sharp corner. I placed my hand against the side of the van to brace myself.

  “Sorry,” Steven said from the front.

  Liam sat up and rummaged through the first-aid kit. “If anything, living several lifetimes has taught me that things have a way of working out. Maybe not the way you wanted, but they do work out.” He tore open a few alcohol wipes and blotted them gently at something on my forehead. Probably a cut from hitting the billboard. I didn’t feel it—the pain from my leg made my entire body numb.

  I thought of the witches. If any harm came to them it would be my fault.

  “The fire,” Liam said. “Who—”

  “May!” I sat up and clenched my jaw from the sharp sting in my leg. So much had happened that I had forgotten.

  He lowered the wipes. “It was May? Are you sure?”

  “Oh no, Liam. Vykens aren’t going to be kind to her after they find out she helped us escape.” This thought made me ill, and I clutched his arm. My breaths came out short and fast. “We have to go back,” I said, gasping for air between words.

  “Breathe, Llona. Deep breaths.”

  I couldn’t think. They would kill her!

  “We’ll go back when we can, but we need more help. Besides, May’s father is probably there too. He may be working with Vykens, but I doubt he’d let anything happen to his daughter.”

  “You can’t know that.”

  “He just found her. May will be fine.” He tried to smile.

  This simple action was proof enough that he wasn’t sure at all, but I chose to believe him. I didn’t know what else to do. I lowered myself back to the van’s floor and focused on my broken bone. It kept me from thinking about everything else.

  As if reading my thoughts, Liam shifted his position where he could get a better look at my leg. I tried hard not to flinch when he began to wrap it tightly with gauze. “We’ll have to set it better when we get back.”

  I nodded and clawed at the bottom of the van floor.