I paled at his mention of the Kala. A chill whipped down my spine at the thought that we weren’t rescued and safe, but rather held hostage, by the Kala now.
Nathan must have seen the fear register on my face. “Don’t worry,” he reassured me. “Micah was very convincing in persuading them to help you. He wouldn’t let them near you until they understood what you did for him, and got them to agree to help.”
The Kala were going to help us? All of us? Belatedly, I realized I hadn’t seen anyone but Nathan yet. What about the others? I knew Micah would be okay, but what about Alec?
“Alec too?” I asked.
Nathan nodded. “Apparently, they realized the advantage of having all three of you on their side.”
That was the most reassuring news I’d heard in a long time. Surely the Kala knew about the Skotadi’s plans. They’d probably been working on stopping them for years, and maybe had some theories about how to prevent the conversions. They had to know more than we did.
“And Callie?” The question hung up in my throat, and I steeled myself for his answer.
“Callie’s fine.”
Oh, thank God. I would have never forgiven myself if anything had happened to her.
“So now what?” I asked Nathan.
“When you’re able, we’ll go to the base, start dissecting the whole conversion process.” Nathan hesitated, and his posture told me that what he had to add wasn’t something I would want to hear. “They got Lillian.”
My brow furrowed. “Got her?”
She wasn’t dead?
“Captured her,” Nathan amended. He eyed me warily as I registered what he’d said, like he knew I wouldn’t be happy about it.
I wasn’t. I sat up a little straighter in the bed. “Why?”
“They’re planning to study her, learn from her, to figure out how the Skotadi changed her and use what they learn to help you and Alec.”
My heart sank. So the Kala didn’t know more than we did. While I couldn’t ignore the value of having her in captivity, knowing she was alive, and near, worried me.
“Security is tight on her, Kris,” Nathan assured me. “She’s already been sent to the base with most of the Kala army. Only a few stayed behind, to escort us to the base once you’re okay to travel.”
I pushed back the covers, but Nathan’s hands on my shoulders prevented me from getting up.
“Not yet, you’re not,” he said.
“We need to get to the base,” I argued.
The sooner we got started the better. My inner demons have been growing stronger by the day. I didn’t have time to spare, and neither did Alec.
“We will, soon. Just get some more rest,” he pleaded. “I’ll tell them you’re awake, and we’ll make the arrangements to leave. But I want you to stay in bed until then.”
I dropped my head to the pillow with a sigh. I was ready to go, but knew better than to argue with Nathan when he had his mind set on something.
“Besides,” he said with a growing smile. “I think there might be someone else who would like to see you.”
Before I could ask, he slid off the bed, crossed the room to the door and stuck his head outside. Muffled voices from the hallway reached my ears, but I couldn’t tell what was being said or who was saying them.
A smile lit his face when he turned back to me. “I’ll be back, okay?”
I nodded and he started to duck outside, but not before he was practically run over by a girl half his size. She practically shoved him out of the way as she hurried toward me. Showing no concern for unseen injuries, she threw herself onto the bed, and me. As her arms encircled my neck, I heard a soft click, and looked up to see the door closed and Nathan gone.
“You’ve got to stop scaring me like this,” Callie said.
“You’ve got to stop squeezing me like this,” I wheezed. Only then, did Callie loosen her hold and leaned back to give me a once over.
“You look like hell,” she said with a teasing smile. “But I’m glad you’re okay.”
“I’m glad you’re okay,” I returned. “You are okay, right?”
She waved a hand dismissively. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. No evil creatures of hell can get me down.”
Despite the flippancy of her words, I detected a hint of unease in her eyes. Something that I rarely saw in Callie.
“What did they do to you, Callie?” I asked softly.
Her eyes skirted away. “Nothing, really.”
“Callie.”
At the warning tone of my voice, she sighed. “Alright, fine. You’ll hear about it eventually anyway.” Callie took a breath, preparing to tell the story that, from her demeanor, I guessed she had repeated several times already. “They put me in this dark room, strapped me down. That Lillian chick came in a few times, and did some weird ritualistic voodoo shit, said some chants, and then that was it.”
“She’s an Incantator,” I said.
“Yeah, I sort of figured that out.”
“What was she doing?”
Callie shrugged. “Not sure. I heard her talking to the others about life forces and immortality, but I was so out of it, I didn’t really understand everything they were talking about.”
“You told the Kala about this?”
“Yeah, like a hundred different times. I think they keep expecting me to suddenly remember something important, but I got nothing.” She shrugged and paused as a wide smile spread across her face. “Some of those Kala guys are hot, by the way.”
I giggled. Good old Callie—boy crazy as always.
“Sure wish I could stay,” she mused offhandedly.
It took me a moment to register what she’d said. When I did, I raised my eyebrows in a silent inquiry.
“I’m going home,” Callie said. Whereas many would have said those words with cheer, Callie was nothing but mournful. “They won’t let me come wherever you’re going. Something to do with rules about humans.”
I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. I was going to miss Callie and the thought of moving on to the unknown without my best friend by my side terrified me, but even that was out shadowed by the relief I felt at knowing she would be safe. As long as the Skotadi didn’t give her any trouble. I would have to talk to Nathan about getting her some Kala protection. Just in case.
“They’re sending me my own private body guard,” she said, as if she’d read my mind. “Actually three of them. Can you believe it?”
“Really?” The Kala were sending three of their own to watch over my best friend? I wondered how much of that had been Micah’s doing.
“Jared, Tony, and Austin are their names,” Callie said. “And Jared?” Callie’s eyes widened as she fanned herself. “Holy hot!”
“I’m going to miss you,” I said, laughing to hide the tears welling in my eyes.
Callie nodded. “And I’m going to be in so much trouble when I come back from Italy early with three hot guys following me around.”
We both laughed at that. Something told me that Callie would be fine. She’d always handled attention from boys just fine. Having three of them around would be more like a dream come true for her. Dealing with her parents, explaining where she’d been the past two months, if not in Italy, would prove to be a bigger problem.
Callie sobered first and fixed me with a fierce look. “You’re in good hands, even without me.”
“I know.”
“I’m not talking about Nathan,” she said. “Well, I am. But not just him. Micah, too. He didn’t leave your side for days. Whatever he did, it drained him, but he wouldn’t give up on you, not until he knew you were going to be okay, and only then did he finally collapse of exhaustion. He’s still sleeping it off.”
I smiled sheepishly. Though I’d expected Micah to wield his diamond-injury healing abilities, the amount of dedication that Callie described surprised me. Especially after the strained direction our friendship had taken. His commitment to saving me was sobering, and I didn’t know if I would ever be able to th
ank him enough.
Callie stayed with me and we chatted and hugged and said goodbye over and over again. Each time, it was too difficult for her to turn and walk away, so she stayed and the cycle repeated itself. We had at least an hour together before the door opened and a Kala that I didn’t recognize entered. From his posture, we both got the message that it was time for her to go.
Before she left, she flashed me a secretive wink and leaned close enough to whisper, “What did I tell you? Hot.”
Callie and I separated in the most fitting way for our friendship—with laughter. Even so, my heart beat a little weaker as she disappeared from my sight. The only thing that soothed the pain was the appearance of Nathan in the doorway in her place.
It took four days to reach the Kala base.
Before we left, I’d asked Nathan where it was. His answer had been so unexpected, I thought he’d been playing a joke on me. As we approached it now, I realized he had been serious.
We’d crossed into Mexico two days ago and had continued south until we reached a small village along the coast of Costa Rica. From there, we’d boarded a boat. Nathan had said that Skotadi knew the Kala were in the area, but didn’t know which island they inhabited. According to him, Skotadi often tried to intercept them on the mainland, but we’d passed through without incident, and now sped toward the island that was to be my new home.
For now. I wasn’t so sure how I felt about island life. Nathan had left the base to live unprotected on his own in Boone. I couldn’t help but wonder what had driven him to choose that over living in what appeared to be paradise.
Surrounded by the bluest water I have ever seen, it looked more like a scene on a postcard than an actual real-life place. Beyond the white sand beach, amongst the palm trees, a community was built, with an assortment of large structures built of wood and stone. It covered the area of a small college campus, and disappeared into what appeared to be nothing short of a jungle that encompassed the rest of the island.
Exotic was the best description I could think of to describe what I saw. Looks could often be misleading.
I figured I would learn soon enough what it was like. As the boat slowed and pulled up to the dock, I felt a pang of anxiety over the unknown.
Nathan took my hand in his as we followed the Kala soldiers off the boat and along a narrow trail into what appeared to be the heart of the village. I still felt uneasy, and a quick glance over my shoulder confirmed that I wasn’t the only one. Alec looked as if he expected them to pull weapons and kill us all before we brushed the sand off our shoes.
The Kala that met us in the village stared, but no one showed aggression. With each step, my nerves settled and I started to look forward to living here with anticipation.
This was where it would all change. I knew this was where we needed to be, where the remaining pieces would fall into place, and the crossroads with the path to a better destiny awaited.
As we followed the wide walking trail through the village, I noticed that several more Kala had assembled to catch a glimpse of us. Being surrounded by so many unfamiliar faces was a little unsettling. I reminded myself that they were merely curious about us—the new arrivals, and the Skotadi stepping onto their shores.
Out of the crowd, I thought I heard my name called. I squeezed Nathan’s hand tightly and his head tipped down to mine. From the blank look on his face, I knew he hadn’t heard it.
I had to have imagined it. No one knew me here.
Then I heard it again, and I saw the recognition flash across Nathan’s face at the same time I realized that I, too, knew that voice. It came again, this time calling Nathan’s name, and we both looked up simultaneously, scanning the faces in the crowd.
It couldn’t be her. It wasn’t possible.
Was it?
We heard her again, closer, and Nathan’s grip on my hand tightened as he pushed our way through the crowd, drawing us closer to the voice still calling our names. I knew it now. I absolutely knew it, but I still braced myself for disappointment.
And then I saw her, dwarfed by Kala who were much bigger and taller, her small frame straining to see around them as she stood on her tip-toes. When she saw us, she pushed through the remaining crowd with a strength unimaginable for her age.
Not until her warm arms were wrapped around both Nathan and I at once did I allow myself to believe it.
“You’re alive,” I breathed. “You’re really alive.”
Gran released me to give Nathan a kiss on the cheek, then she turned and cupped my face between her hands. “It will take more than a few Skotadi punks to get me down, sweetheart.” Turning back to Nathan, she winked. “I told you she was special.”
“How…” Nathan trailed off, at a complete loss for words.
Gran patted her grandson on the back, and I feared that he might fall over. Stunned stupid, only the slightest touch from her caused him to sway unsteadily, forcing me to grab ahold of his arm.
Gran took in our joined hands and the way we stood together, and a knowing smile graced her lips. “Well, then…I see you’ve finally come to your senses, Nathan.” She looked back and forth between the two of us, and I knew that she was happy to see us together.
Perhaps I hadn’t mistaken that conversation I’d had with her last year—when I’d thought she might be trying to hook me up with her grandson. If only I’d known then that it was Nathan, I would have encouraged her.
But then, the way it had all come together had been a hell of a fun ride. One I planned to keep enjoying for a long, long time.
“Come on,” Gran said, placing a hand to each of our backs to guide us through the growing crowd. “Apparently, we have much to catch up on.”
EPILOGUE
The living quarters on the island reminded me of a college dormitory. At least, that was what I told myself as I looked around my room.
It’s not a jail cell. Not a jail cell.
It didn’t look like one, with a nice bed, large closet, and a desk. I even had a balcony overlooking the island. From the fourth floor, it was breathtaking. I’d seen views like the one I had in travel brochures for expensive vacations I knew I could never afford.
No, the room was exquisite. The problem was that it felt like a jail cell. With the Kala guard stationed outside my room, it was hard not to feel imprisoned.
I couldn’t leave my room without her. She reminded me of Gabby, except bigger and scarier. I didn’t doubt they picked the most menacing female Kala they could find to follow me around.
I was told I must have an approved Kala with me at all times—Micah, Nathan, or the formidable Kim. Because boys weren’t allowed in the girls’ sleeping quarters, except for fifteen minute intervals—and they did keep track—I was stuck with her as my shadow almost everywhere I went.
Alec had one too, which I learned when I walked over to the boy’s quarters. I knew exactly which room was his from the muscled Kala standing outside, and knocked on the door.
The door swung open, and Alec’s eyebrows shot up when he saw me. Or it might have been Kim that piqued his curiosity. Whatever it was, he got over it quickly and invited me in.
“Fifteen minutes,” I heard his burly guard grunt just before the door shut.
Alec rolled his eyes when he turned to me.
“Friendly guy?” I asked him.
“He’s not the smartest pick of the litter. More brawn, less brain,” Alec said. “He doesn’t seem to think fifteen minutes is enough time for me—”
“Okay, Casanova,” I interrupted. “Didn’t come here to hear about all that you could do in fifteen minutes.”
He shrugged as he muttered, “I could do a lot. Just saying.”
I watched him as he took a seat on the edge of his bed. His room was identical to mine, except for a different color scheme. His was plain and boyish, while mine was tropical and girly.
“You okay?” I asked him.
His eyes wandered around the room, finally returning to mine. “Why wouldn’t I be?�
�
I sat beside him, close enough that our shoulders touched. Whereas I’d always sought to keep my distance from Alec before, now I needed him close. My head nodded at the door. “The fact that we can’t go anywhere without security, being surrounded by Kala, them apparently doing their best to keep us apart…need I go on?”
“I’m managing,” he muttered. “I’m fine if I just stay in my room.”
I wondered if he felt like a prisoner, too. I took a deep breath, preparing to do what I had come here for. “They want me to resume working with Micah, practicing my skills with him. Gran will be there too, and Nathan sometimes. Just like before. The Kala think we’ll be working on specialties, but we’re going to be doing some incantation work too. I was wondering if you…”
“You want me to?”
I nodded eagerly. Despite the strained relationship between Alec and Micah—and the potential danger to Micah—I did want Alec there. Not only for moral support, but because I wanted to help him too.
And I missed being around him.
“Then I’ll be there.”
I beamed at him. When I heard his breath catch, my smile started to falter.
What was I doing? He was in love with me. I shouldn’t be doing this, asking this of him.
“Kris,” he started, his voice soft as he turned to face me. “Don’t worry about me.”
Oh, shit. Did I say that out loud?
“I’m happy for you. Really happy,” he continued, then grinned. “I don’t even really hate Nathan any more. He’s not that bad.”
My eyebrows shot up and Alec’s grin widened.
“What? You that surprised?” he asked. “I’d rather you be with him than Micah.”
I laughed. When Alec tilted his head at me, I only laughed harder. Finally, after taking a few moments to pull myself together, I said, “Nathan said the same thing about you.”
Now, Alec laughed, and it felt good, being with him like this. Because I’d missed him. And being around him always managed to lift my spirits. I spent my allotted fifteen minutes joking around with Alec. My good mood upon leaving his room gave me the boost I needed to face the next person on my list of people to visit today.
Sacrificed (The Ignited Series) Page 26
