Wayward Hope

by L D Greenwood

  I hadn’t wanted to say it like that. I didn’t want Drekvic to mean anything to me, but even without Joy’s feelings, I knew that I cared about him, and his loss would have been devastating. Life and love were too complicated with two souls in my head.

  “I just came to see you,” he replied, looking up at me with a tired smile. “I had to apologize.”

  “I’m the jerk, Chester, not you,” I said, dropping my hand and taking a step back. I’d tell him everything if I wasn’t careful, and I wasn’t willing to do that. No matter how much I loved Chester, I wouldn’t reveal my feelings. “I shouldn’t have sent you away like that. I appreciate you protecting me.”

  He looked like he was going to say something, but instead he sighed and averted his gaze. An awkward silence stretched out between us, and I didn’t know how to cross it. Instead, I thought about the events of the evening as I walked into the kitchen. My plates and glasses were scattered across the ground and crunched underfoot. I almost laughed at the circle of clean floor around the table, where Chester had held his bubble.

  Unable to find any undamaged glasses, I settled on a plastic measuring cup I found in a cupboard and poured myself some waster. Chester moved silently even across a minefield of glass and dishware, and he surveyed the destruction from the counter beside me.

  “I’m not cleaning it right now,” I replied. My thoughts wandered to my mother and how I would have no explanation if she turned up unannounced.

  “I’ll help you,” he said, his arm brushing mine as he readjusted his weight.

  When my water was gone, I threw the cup onto the center island, watching it skid across the empty space. I frowned, remembering my brass bowl with fruit. It was probably somewhere in the debris.

  “I’m really sorry about the mess.” Chester’s voice was sincere, almost pained.

  “I’m not mad about that,” I assured him, crossing my arms. My elbow pushed against him, and I noticed he didn’t pull away. “Lakvas is sending things after Rakshina and Drekvic. That shade told me she was supposed to kill them. Who does he think he is? Does he think he can get away with hurting my friends?”

  “No one has stopped him yet,” Chester replied with a shrug.

  “He’s not getting away with this,” I said, curling my lip into a scowl. Drekvic and Rakshina were mine. He had no right to threaten their lives. I glanced over at Chester remembering the shade had threatened him, too, and my lip curled even more.

  I shoved myself off the counter and back toward my office, striding to my desk. I pulled out the large drawer, revealing my protection spells. I took the ones for personal protection—those that I made after I became the new Fate were extra powerful thanks to Joy’s magic. After some searching, I produced a small, copper disk with an oak tree etched into it, dangling from a thin black band.

  “It’s designed to strengthen magical shields,” I said aloud as I lifted it from the drawer.

  Chester had followed me into the room, and I turned to him, reaching out to take his left hand. He looked confused, but didn’t protest as I put the charm around his wrist, tightening it gently. Sensing the magic in it, he raised an eyebrow in question after giving the charm a once-over.

  “I can’t lose you,” I said, unable to think of anything else. “I can’t lose anyone. This will help protect you.”

  “You won’t lose me,” he promised, flicking the charm and grinning. I couldn’t help but smile back, happy that he liked the gift.

  “I meant to give you something, too,” he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a hair-clip. It was beautiful, with sparkling black stones in the shape of a flower. I took it, smiling.

  “Here,” he said, taking it back from me and clipping it into my hair. “I just…thought of you when I saw it. I meant to give it to you the day of your run, but with all the confusion, I didn’t get a chance.”

  “I love it,” I replied, grinning like an idiot. It was the first gift Chester had given me, and it felt precious. It reinforced my determination to stop Lakvas. I couldn’t allow him to endanger my friends again. If he was responsible for the shade, maybe he was responsible for the open portal in the park, too. If not…well, I didn’t want to think about something else to deal with on top of a crazy siekewa.

  “You look serious,” Chester commented, pushing a stray strand of hair out of my face before finally dropping his hands.

  “I’m going to confront Lakvas,” I said, turning back to my drawer to look for my sneaking charm. I had bought it from Melo an eternity ago, knowing it would come in handy someday.

  “You’re what?” Chester asked, his voice spiking.

  “I just need to find a charm so I can get into the village,” I replied, ignoring his question. Why hadn’t I ever taken the time to organize my charm drawer? I didn’t use them very often, and it was tiresome to pause at each one before remembering what it was meant for. I vowed to put labels on them when everything calmed down.

  I heard Chester take a deep breath to speak, but the words never came. I felt his magic build in response to his anger and I sighed, knowing I’d need to explain myself before he’d let me go. I refused to banish him from my side again—I’d missed having him there.

  I turned around, bracing myself for an angry lecture, but he was turned away from me, his arms crossed tightly and his head lowered. It looked like he was taking deep breaths, trying to calm himself. It didn’t seem to be working—I could still sense the magic coiled around him like a snake waiting to lunge.

  Magic had a powerful reaction to strong emotions, but I’d never known why. Surges of feeling caused magic to be stronger and kept it focused and sharp. I made a mental note to research it later, but for now, I forced myself to concentrate on Chester.

  “I know you want me to sit and do nothing and stay out of danger,” I told him, trying to keep my voice reasonable. He turned back to look at me, his arms still crossed. His lips were a tight, straight line. He didn’t interrupt. “But that’s not possible anymore. I can’t just be a witch who only cleans up her own messes.”

  I took a deep breath and plowed on. “As weird as it is to say, I’m a goddess now. My job is to protect the people under my charge, including you, Drekvic, Rakshina, and the other collectors. Lakvas, and the siekewa with him, are a danger everyone, and I can’t let them continue that way.”

  “And what if that’s what he really wants?” Chester finally choked out. I heard the anger simmering in his voice, but he didn’t shout. “What if his end goal is actually you? You may be our new goddess, but you’re no where near as powerful as Fate yet.”

  “That’s why I’m not going by myself,” I replied, poking him in the chest. “You are coming with me.”

  “I don’t think it’s smart,” he insisted, relaxing when he realized I didn’t plan on being completely reckless.

  “If you have a better plan, I’m willing to listen, but I don’t want to wait around while he creates another shade to send after those two. So, are you going to come with me or not?”

  He looked at me for a moment, an odd expression on his face. His mouth curved into a small smile, and he looked at me like he’d never seen me before. The silence stretched too long, and I worried he’d say he wouldn’t come.

  “You’re determined then?” he asked, still studying my face.

  “Yes,” I said, trying not to break eye contact. I didn’t want to be the one to look away first, but I was certain he could hear how wildly my heart was beating.

  When he spoke again, there was magic in his voice. “I vow to stand with you and protect you no matter what. I promise to do everything in my power to keep you safe and support you in all you do. No matter what happens, Ellie, I promise that you will never have to stand alone.”

  The magic swirled around us, and I felt it press gently against me, binding me to Chester again. The oath surprised me, and my mouth dropped open. The last time Chester had been bound to me, Fate had forced it on him. If he chose to do it now, that had to mean he c
ared about me at least a little bit.

  He said you wouldn’t be alone anymore, Joy whispered, her memory supplying me an image of Drekvic uttering a similar sentiment.

  “Say you accept,” Chester said, stepping close enough to me that I could feel the heat from his skin, burning like a familiar sun.

  “Thank you,” I whispered, smiling. I wouldn’t turn him away again. “I accept your oath, although I will force you to accept one concession.”

  He raised an eyebrow at me as I allowed my own magic to seep into the binding chain, modifying it to my will.

  “You will no longer be required to fulfill this oath if I am an unworthy goddess,” I said, feeling the bond change with my words.

  Chester shook his head. “I accept your concession.”

  Our magic surged for a moment, the power of it making me flinch. When it settled, I could feel Chester’s oath within my soul. If I concentrated, I could feel the magical chain stretched between us. I would always know where he was, and I’d be able to call him whenever I needed him. I wondered if it worked through the gates.

  “You are a worthy goddess,” he said, poking my forehead and making me laugh.

  “Just in case,” I replied, grinning.

  I sobered quickly, knowing we were ready to go.

  I won’t let you down, I promised silently, studying his face. The emotions rocking through me filled me with a quiet fear. I would give my life for Chester, and I didn’t know how to tell him that. Instead, I turned away to keep looking for that charm.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Chester’s brown eyes were thoughtful as he studied the siekewa village from the edge of the forest. His black leather jacket was new, taken from his closet while I washed the make-up and blood off my neck. The wound from Rakshina’s nails weren’t deep, but they stung.

  “We should have taken some time to rest,” he said, turning to meet my gaze.

  “The longer we’re away from Rakshina and Drekvic the more opportunities Lakvas has to get to them,” I replied, feeling the responsibility settle more firmly on my shoulders. What was the point of being a goddess if I couldn’t protect my friends?

  His expression was hesitant, but he had no rebuttal to my claim. I turned back to the village, remembering the route Rakshina and I had taken, wondering if it would work a second time.

  “Let’s get going then,” Chester said, putting his hands in front of him as he pooled magic into his palms. “The sooner I get you out of here, the better I’ll feel.”

  I watched him work, curious. I noticed the charm on his wrist began to glow with an emerald light and I leaned forward, wondering what type of shield he was creating. It wasn’t the simple circle I favored. This seemed more complex, twisting in on itself.

  His legs started to disappear into the night, and I started in amazement as he appeared to be floating in midair. More and more of his body disappeared, and by the time he’d completed casting the spell, all I could sense was the magic that bound us. The sneaking charm I’d bought from Melo wouldn’t be needed after at all.

  I felt his warm hand close over my wrist as he pulled me into the space of his magic, and the world seemed to close off around us. I wanted to tell him how amazing his spell was, but my words caught in my throat at the look of concentration on his face. Apparently, the spell wasn’t finished, so I closed my mouth and watched him work.

  He draped an arm over my shoulder, and I wrapped an arm around his waist, hoping to create some space inside his spell. I studied his face, noticing the faint scratch on his cheek. I felt guilty for not letting him rest. He was moving into another battle still wearing scars from his last one. The fear of Lakvas sending another shade was too strong, and I couldn’t risk endangering anyone else.

  Chester flicked his wrist toward the shield, and with a flash of light I could see outside the weaves of his magic. Everything took on the emerald hue of his power, but nothing was hidden. I could even see a strange wave in the air, along with the veins of the trees. It took me a moment to realize that it was energy. The energy of the wind and the living trees.

  I turned to Chester with a grin.

  “I see the energy through your shield,” I said, happily.

  Chester raised his eyebrows. “The second half of the spell is how I see things; it must be making it easier for you to see the energy, too.”

  I beamed, glad that I could finally see what he did.

  “I’m sorry you have to be so close. I’ve never done this for two people before. I can try again, if you’re uncomfortable,” he said, looking away from me. I couldn’t tell in the dim light, but his face looked red.

  “I’m not uncomfortable,” I replied, suddenly feeling self-conscious about my arm around his waist. He’d pulled me to him, but I had made myself at home.

  “Which way?” he asked, his arm still wrapped around me.

  “There,” I said, pointing in the direction of the large cave. Chester and I moved forward, careful not to let anyone or anything inside the bubble. We’d be noticed for sure if we stepped too close to a tree and part of it vanished.

  Thankfully, we didn’t have to worry too much about being noticed; the only siekewa we saw was entering his home with his head bowed, a hood hiding his face. He opened the door and I heard loud rock music, but the moment he closed the door we were plunged back into silence. I tried not to step on anything noisy, although I was certain that Chester probably had taken sound into account for his shield.

  We made our way to the nook that Rakshina and I had hidden in, checking that it was empty before turning back to each other.

  “What now?” he asked, gesturing to the closed door in the back of the cave.

  I thought about it for a moment and balked when I realized I didn’t really have a plan. Should I threaten Lakvas? Should I try to take his soul to the Beyond like I had with Drekvic? What would happen to his souls once I took him? Would that other siekewa steal them? I sighed, cursing myself for rushing into things so quickly.

  “I’m going to knock,” I replied, looking into my messenger back for the protection charms from my desk. One would block curses and the other would block raw magic from knocking me senseless. I activated each with a drop of power, shoving them into the pockets of my jeans.

  “Really? That’s your plan?” he asked. “After our stealthy entrance, you just want to knock on his door?”

  “How else do you propose we get in?” I retorted, grimacing. He was right, but I didn’t want to tell him that.

  “I’ll follow your lead, but I think this is unnecessarily dangerous. Why don’t we wait for him to come out?”

  My brain didn’t provide me any useful alternative.

  Well, answer him, Joy prompted when thirty seconds of silence passed between us. I felt my skin flush and I looked at the door, forcing my mind to focus on the task at hand.

  “If Lakvas can create a shade inside that door, there’s no way for me to stop him. Drekvic and Rakshina won’t be safe until we take care of him.”

  “You care for them a lot.” His voice went low and contemplative. “Do you…love him?”

  “What?” I asked, certain I’d heard him wrong. Joy recoiled in my mind, trying to become as small as possible. I looked up at Chester, frowning.

  “Bad timing,” he said, chuckling to himself. “Forget I asked.”

  I didn’t know what to say. My heart was heavy in my chest and my throat tightened, making it difficult to breathe. He looked away, and I saw an unfamiliar emotion in his face.

  “So you’re really just going to knock?” he asked, changing the subject.

  “I’m not in love with him,” I said, wondering if my gaze revealed the unspoken truth of those words, feeling sick to think he understood. My face was hot and I looked away, trying to calm my jangling nerves. Jana was the one who knew how to handle men. I was the naive, innocent sister who watched her go out on dates and told her to call me if she needed a ride home. I’d never cared. Why hadn’t I asked her about her
dates when she was alive?

  The quiet buzz of Chester’s voice brought me back to reality, but I didn’t know what he’d just said.

  “What?” I asked, shaking the fog away.

  He gave me a wry smile and asked, “Are you really planning on just knocking?”

  I was sure that wasn’t the original question, but I didn’t want to melt into a puddle of embarrassment.

  “Yes,” I replied. “Stay hidden and back me up.” He nodded and I stepped away from his heat, taking a moment to compose myself.

  The air was cool on my skin and the cave was dark. I was still hidden in the tiny nook, but I needed to move. If I wanted to confront Lakvas, there was no room for hesitation.

  With the single-minded intent that got me through most of my life, I stepped out of my hiding place and stalked forward. The door was taller than I thought, standing several feet above my head. There was a black mesh mat on the ground that was uneven as I walked across it. I hoped it wouldn’t be a problem if I had to make a hasty escape.

  I raised a fist, hesitating only a moment before rapping my knuckles twice against the wood hard enough to sting.

  The silence stretched on, pounding against my ears. I shivered, and the odd sensation made me turn around. Instinct took over as I ducked. There was an impressive thud as whatever flew over my head embedded itself in the door. I didn’t stop to see what it was as I tried to shrink back into the shadows of the cave, weaving to the side of the door.

  The next knife buried itself in my arm. I saw red for a moment before a horrible sucking sensation gripped me as the knife tried to steal my power. Joy’s magic raged forward, throwing a shield up to protect me. When I looked up, I saw a third knife thud against the magic, stabbing through Joy’s shield uncomfortably close to my face.

  Move! she shouted, and I rolled as another knife punched through Joy’s shield, this time near my heart. I still couldn’t see my attacker, annoyed at having been taking by surprise. I threw up a shield of my own, strengthening it with Joy’s magic as I stood up, scanning the area.