This is it, I thought. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard, turning to my mom and tightening my grip. My boots found hard ground as the door sealed behind us.
There was no turning back.
***
Not even seconds after I stepped through, I fell to my knees in pain. I watched my tattoo glow vibrantly as red veins emerged from underneath my skin. I truly felt like I was just lit on fire. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea that I melted the ice protecting me. Stupid, stupid. It felt like a burning snake was swimming inside my core, and my arm was the finish line. I broke into sweats, gasping for air, but I couldn’t call for help, it was impossible to speak. Devon dropped to my side shaking me. I felt the feeling of
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his fingers wrap around my tattoo, but only heard a yell as he cursed in pain. I could hear Annabelle and Mable crying out to me, but blood was pumping in my ears. Screams became whispers.
“Do something! Liz, Lore, do something, mom!”
I caught a glimpse of Ethan’s head, Nate and Marrow’s smooth, similar features above me as I struggled to keep my eyes open. I felt hands underneath me that lifted me up, and the familiarity of Liz’s touch burned into my veins.
I heard her mumble in panic. “I have to re-carve it.”
“Anything, Liz. Please, anything.” I was shaking. If my body remained this way any longer, my insides would explode. I felt ice, painful, striking ice, and then it vanished. The pain on my arm masked Liz’s spell.
“Is it working?” I heard Nate’s voice, shaking.
“Daddy, help her!” Ethan cried.
I was on the brink of blacking out. This is where you die, Kaylin.
Then all the pain stopped.
I saw my surroundings as a kaleidoscope, with mouths moving and pitches of voices I couldn’t make out. All I heard was my father’s voice telling me I was going be okay, accompanied by flashing images of his face. I could hear my own breath as my stomach heaved up and down and the atmosphere became clearer.
Liz was still gripping my arm with eyes closed, as blue glow escaped her hands. Lore was holding on to her fingers, that same blue glow escaping through his hands. I glanced around to my family who looked at me with horror. Liz released my arm and collapsed on to Paul’s lap. The burn was gone, sure, but I felt weak, I couldn’t move.
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Marrow and Nate crouched beside their mother as Ethan crawled towards me, staring at my arm.
“Will she be okay?” Ethan asked his father.
“I believe so.” He said, sitting next to my mother.
Marrow shook his mom, whose eyes were half open in a daze. “Mom, are you all right?” He asked.
She nodded her head. “Yes,” she managed to say. “It drained me. Give me time.”
Marrow released her arm and scrambled through our carry-ons, taking out a pot. I could see his fingers circle the pot when water began to fill up the inside as drops spilled out on the grass that we were sprawled on. He handed the pot to Liz and tipped it to her lip. She sat up with wobbling arms and leaned on Lore. “Love, take everyone to a safe place? I need some time to rest,” she stuttered.
Lore shook his head in disapproval. “I don’t even know what this place is, and I’m not leaving you.” He kissed her forehead. “Paul, take the kids down that way,” he pointed to a curving grey wall. A dead end.
Paul nodded and grabbed Ethan’s hand, waiting for my family and mother. Sage and Beth walked along my sisters before they turned around.
“Kaylin-,” they said, but Beth held their backs. “She’ll be all right,” Beth released, calmly.
Marrow crouched down beside me and slid his arm underneath my back, lifting me high. Nate’s hand slipped away from my fingers.
“Marrow, I-,”
Marrow Interrupted Nate. “Nate, right now isn’t the time to pick a fight. She’s hurting. I’ll take care of her.”
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He began to walk as my head bobbed against his chest, hearing the beat of his heart. His dark blue eyes shimmered as his grip tightened around my back. “You’ll be okay.” He whispered to me, dark blonde hair falling to his face.
I looked over to Nate who was staring at me with crystal blue eyes, his profile getting blurrier the further I went. We turned the corner into the dead end. Everyone let go of the carry-ons and stretched. Marrow set me down and moved my hair away from my face, grabbing a blanket and placing it over me. “Rest.” He spoke softly. Nothing like I ever heard before.
I watched Nate jog towards me, then kneeling down beside me, brushing my head with his lips. His kiss was gentle, his eyelashes fluttered against my skin. As he got up, I felt a warm sensation sizzle inside of me. Don’t face it now, Kaylin.
“Where are we daddy?” I heard Ethan say in the distance.
“I don’t know son,” he replied. “I have no idea.”
Chapter 8
Different noises chimed in my ears as I sat up from my blankets, using one arm to assist me. Annabelle and Mable jumped onto my lap, gripping my arm and pinching my cheeks. “Kaylin,” Mable said as I moved their hands away, smiling. “Are you all right? How’s your arm?”
Geez didn’t even give me time to breathe. Oh well, I was happy to see them. “It’s all better. Where’s Liz?”
They turned their heads, looking around. “I think she’s still sleeping,” spoke Ann.
Liz was the one person I wanted to see. Thank her for saving me for the second time, God knows how. “She is? How long have I been asleep for?”
“A couple of hours, I’d say two. We were just talking about this place. Lore and Paul did some kind of habitat spell, look.” Annabelle pointed to a drawing of a
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swerved line and an X on the grey wall. “Lore thinks that each stage of The Labyrinth has something to do with the four elements.”
“Why would he think that?” I asked.
Mable looked up at me, “Because this place is just air, isn’t it obvious?”
It was only then that I really noticed where we were. I looked at my surroundings. We were sitting in fresh green grass, nothing we ever had back in our sector. The sky was a blanket of white clouds with light blue patches popping out from time to time. Blasts of wind stunned my face over and over again, causing the hair on my skin to rise. The grey stoned walls surrounding us acted like barriers. I look down at the map engraved in my arm, where a bright blue glow overlapped the first black line. Progress, I thought. Mable was right, this place definitely revolved around air.
I got up and moved my blankets to the side, rubbing my arm that no longer burned. “I’m going to see Liz,” I smiled to my sisters. They nodded and waddled away to my mother and Devon.
“Better?” My mother asked me as I passed her.
“Yeah, I’m going to thank Liz.”
She smiled and began a conversation with my sisters. I spotted Liz sitting against the walls with a hand on her arm, and the face of my father. I looked down and continued in her direction, bumping into a heaving chest and a solid build.
“Whoa, sorry.” Marrow was taken off guard, holding my arm to steady himself. When he realized it was me, he stared, the corner of his red lips curving into a
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smile. “Well, well, well,” he began. “Need my mom’s assistance or can I take control now?”
I rolled my eyes taking his grip off my skin. “Be serious for once.”
“No can do,” he tapped the top of my nose and walked away to Sage and Beth.
Nate was sitting in a corner holding Ethan’s arm, a shield in front of him.
“Okay do you see this blue? This is the progress we’ve made, and when we move further, it’ll glow-,” Nate stopped when he noticed me and flashed me a quick smile. “How’s your arm?”
I stood crouched down, rubbing my tattoo. “Survivable,” I looked towards Liz when Ethan jumped up and hugged me.
“Kaylin, you’re alive!” He yelped. “I was so scared you were going to die.”
&
nbsp; I squeezed my hand around his shoulders, closing my eyes. “Hey, I made a promise that we’d find our parents together. How could I keep it if I’m dead?”
He laughed and smiled running back to Nate. I got up and left the two of them, walking towards Liz whose face was turned the opposite way. “Liz,” I called out.
She turned in my direction, her head directed to the ground. Even if she wanted to use a shield, she couldn’t. I could tell she was too weak. “Kaylin darling, are you okay?”
“Thanks to you.” I smiled putting up my shield, “Liz, I can’t thank you enough-,”
She cut me off. “Don’t worry about me, I’m okay and I’m happy you are too.”
“You saved my ass one too many times,” I laughed.
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“And I’ll continue to do so if you ever need it.”
I knelt down and hugged her, feeling her blonde streaks rubbing against my skin. Even though I knew it was my father’s face she wore, I felt familiar to her actual being.
“Thanks again,” I squeezed her tighter, and then released.
“No problem at all,” she sighed. “Now go and see what my crazy husband is up to.”
I laughed and got up, “Will do.”
I walked over to Lore, Marrow, Sage, Beth and Paul who were standing near my mother and sisters, talking amongst themselves quietly.
“Kaylin, how are you doing?” Lore asked with his shield already up from talking to the boys.
I nodded, “Good.”
“Great, would you like to join us? We’re just talking about the exit. The map on our arms shows us the stages of The Labyrinth, not the way out. What we do know is there are stone walls with crescent marks like the one we entered, we just don’t know where yet.”
“What can I do to help?” I asked kneeling down between Lore and Marrow.
“We already drew the habitat mark; we just need your fire to complete it. We think that we can reveal the wall if we know our way around the area.”
I agreed and snapped my fingers, a red flame drifting at my fingertips. I traced the swerved line carefully, but nothing happened. Lore scratched the top of his head, “Okay, well maybe it has something to with thex.”
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I studied hard and examined the curved detail trying to come up with a conclusion when a gust of wind blasted my face.
Four, points...
The voice spoke through the air. I had no time to react. My eyes inspected thex, as I placed my heated fingertip to the point nearest to me.
“What are you doing?” Lore asked, confused.
“Put your finger here,” I pointed to the point closest to him. “Paul, you’re air. Put your finger to the point closest to you, and Sage, do the same.”
I could feel their stares, but they did it anyway. I knew I had to do it. I can’t explain these moments, you know, when it feels like someone else takes over my body. Almost instantly, a white light gleamed through the mark. I yelped, holding my arm down. I noticed that it wasn’t just me that got affected, but everyone else. I stared at my arm which now had a red square on different areas of the map. I looked to everyone’s arms which had blue, white, and brown squares as well.
“How did you know what to do?” Lore asked in amazement.
“Guessed.” I thought about the voice. How much it helped me, even though it crept me out.
“I’m assuming this is the exit.” He pointed to the radiant blue square on his arm. “We should get ready; the sooner, the better. We don’t know what’s out there, but we need to be prepared. I’d rather not fight in darkness.”
We all nodded and moved to our weapons belt, grabbing at our clan daggers. I picked mine up which was placed on top of my brown leather belt, crimson light shining on the brim. I traced my fingers through the
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engraving Desirea, walking back to my family. As soon as I approaching my mother she grabbed hold of me, grasping tightly of my back.
“Mom-,” I began but she acted as if she didn’t hear me.
“This may be the last time we are ever safe together, Kaylin. I need you to know that I love you, just in case anything happens. You know I love you right?”
I swallowed and nodded. She was right. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” I grabbed her wrist, shaking it gently as my mouth curved into a smile.
She pressed her lips together and placed her free hand over mine. Devon walked up to me with hands in his pockets, as I released the grip of my mother.
“What’s up with mom?” He asked. “She kissed my head while I was asleep, asleep.” He repeated. “I’m telling you Kaylin, this family is going nuts.”
I laughed, running my finger over my lip. “Give her a break, she isn’t lying. This could really be the only safe moment we have. We don’t know what’s out there.”
“Thanks tips, but I don’t see anyone else saying goodbye.”
“We’re special.” I grinned.
He chuckled, running his fingers through his hair. “Well if it’s actually the last moment we have, I’ll spare it.”
This was the one of the only things that he said to me seriously in a very long time. I didn’t blame him, tension was rising. I didn’t know what was to come. I bit the inside of my cheeks, wondering if this truly was the only moment I had left with my family. I thought of my father and wondered if I would come across him on this journey. Devon took a step towards me and pulled me in
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for a hug, the first hug we shared since we were kids. I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. He pulled away and I held his arm. “We’ll make it through,” I whispered.
“Only because I’m here,” he replied, walking away with a smile.
Lore slid the last of his knives in a leather belt wrapped around his waist and took Liz by the hand, kissing her palm. “I’d say we’re all ready.”
Lore scratched the top of his head, holding tight of his wife. “Take one last look around you, all of you.” He swallowed and kissed his wife once more. They really did love each other which made me smile. That’s what love looks like. I blushed, I don’t know why, but I did.
I noticed a body shifting towards me, and didn’t need to guess. “Hey,” Nate smiled, his blue eyes gleaming in the light.
“Don’t say goodbye.”
I didn’t realize I said that until I saw his face. I didn’t mean to say it, but it came out naturally. I didn’t want to hear it. Not from him, or anybody. His face softened and my cheeks turned red with embarrassment. I knew I was falling for Nate, but I couldn’t provide myself with a good enough excuse that was worth it. I truly never thought I would admit that to myself, but it felt sort of good.
He smiled, his head facing the ground. “I was never going to.” He said.
“Then why did you come see me?”
“I just wanted to tell you that I won’t let anything happen to you. If this really is the last time I’m going to see you like you are now-,” his eyes trailed my body.
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“Don’t say that,” I interrupted.
“Let me finish.” I could tell that he was hesitant, running his fingers through the blonde waves of his hair. “I don’t know how I feel about you.”
My heart was pounding out of my chest. I didn’t even know how to react, or what to say. “What does that mean?” I managed to stumble out.
He smiled. “This isn’t goodbye right?”
I shook my head and he took one step closer towards me. “You’ll figure it out, maybe even before I do.”
Just like that, he grabbed the side of my waist, gripping onto the back of my shirt and pulled me into his arms. The warmth of his body covered me like a blanket as I dug my fingers into the fabric of his shirt, feeling his muscles tense. I closed my eyes as he pulled tighter, leaning his head on top of mine, squeezing once more before he let me go.
He shot me one last smile before walking over to his mother who handed him his weapons belt with silver knives properly lined in p
lace. Marrow knelt down in front of me, blocking my vision of Nate and handed me a silver object.
“You dropped this,” he said, his deep blue eyes staring into mine.
I turned my attention to him, the knife, and then my weapons belt where every blade had a place. “That isn’t mine.”
“I know.” He smiled as he placed the knife back into his belt.
I rolled my eyes as he kept his focus on me. “Cute,” he joked.
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I didn’t know what to say because I didn’t know what kind of moment Nate and I shared. Did he have feelings for me? I felt selfish that I was even thinking about something so useless right now. “Thanks,” I replied, flatly.
He put his hands over mine, brushing my fingers with a soft kiss. This wasn’t new to me now, but I still never knew why he did what he did when it came to me.
“You always kiss my hand.” I retreated, slowly.
He raised his eyebrows. “What would you rather I kiss?”
I closed my eyes and shook my head, irritated. He coughed and stood up, taking me with him.
“That’s what I thought,” his tone was more serious as he moved away from me. “Kaylin, I don’t care enough. Sorry that I’m not Nate.”
Now that came out of nowhere. I was so confused. Where did that come from? It’s like he was just speaking with no filter, none of what he said made sense.
“That’s a bad thing?” I asked.
“I want to be my own person.”
As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I knew that Marrow was a good person. He only put up an act so he could be identified as cold hearted and uncaring, but really he was just like Nate. I figured this anyway. I felt like I needed to tell him, because I knew he wasn’t told enough. I moved towards him and placed my hand on his arm, “You already are.”
Enchanted: The Labyrinth Page 12
