Into the Dark (The Conjurors)

by Kristen Pham

  “Um, mother, father, is it okay if I borrow the car to show Kanti and Val around the island? They want to see the science museum and stuff.”

  “Fine, but no bending any rules this time,” Mr. Burns said sternly. “We have a reputation to protect that’s still recovering from your last visit.”

  “Cara, want to come with us?” Cyrus asked.

  His sister’s mouth fell open in surprise. “Really? Why?”

  “You probably know more about science than I do. You can give a better tour. Plus, I hardly ever get to see you.”

  Valerie saw a grin flash briefly across Cara’s face that she tried to hide. “All right. I’ll go, as a favor.”

  As everyone put on their shoes, Mrs. Burns quietly slipped a few brightly-colored bills that Valerie guess was Messinian money into Cyrus’ hand. “Have fun today. Take your friends somewhere nice to eat for dinner,” she said, and Valerie read the apology in her eyes.

  “Thanks, mother,” Cyrus said, giving her a quick hug and a small smile.

  They started to head out the door, but Mr. Burns suddenly stepped out in front of Cyrus and Valerie, blocking their exit. “You two had better watch what you say around Cara. No talking about magic and making her yearn for things that will ultimately destroy her. The last thing we need is another bad influence in her life.”

  “Fine,” Cyrus retorted through clenched teeth. “Excuse us!” Mr. Burns, with anger flashing in his eyes, silently stepped aside, and Valerie and Cyrus hurried out the door.

  Outside, Valerie briefed Gideon on their plan for the day. Gideon decided that the wolves would scout the island while he accompanied Valerie and her friends on their tour of Messina. The reminder of the possible danger that Gideon and the wolves were protecting her from made her fingers suddenly feel cold.

  “Gideon, has there been any word from Azra?” she asked. Cyrus and Kanti moved closer, curious to hear the answer.

  Gideon’s eyes looked troubled. “I spoke with a messenger from Azra this morning at dawn. New charms have been placed on the fortress where Sanguina lives, making it impossible for enemies to find. Wandering around the mountains of Dunsinane is dangerous, so Azra and the Grand Masters with her have returned to Arden to discuss a new strategy.”

  “Does that mean–” Valerie started to ask, but Mr. Burn’s approach interrupted their conversation.

  “Why are you still standing around? If you’re not going to the museum, there’s plenty of work around the house you can all help with!” Mr. Burns said sternly.

  “We’re going, we’re going!” Cyrus said, hustling everyone toward the car.

  Everyone, including Gideon, breathed a sigh of relief as they climbed into the car. The minute the door slammed closed, Kanti turned to Cara and burst out, “Girl, you must be ready to scream, living in that house. Your parents are so uptight that they could crack walnuts between their butt cheeks!”

  “Tell me about it, and they’re so over-protective,” Cara said with a roll of her eyes. “They have to know where I am every second of the day.”

  Kanti then started asking her questions about her science classes and life on Messina. Their chatter eased the tension that had weighed on them all when Cyrus’ parents were around. Within minutes, they reached the science museum and parked.

  “I’ll be scouting the area to make sure it’s safe,” Gideon said, obviously needing some space from the chattering teenagers.

  Inside, the museum reminded Valerie of the science museum in San Francisco that she had visited once on a field trip. Other than a few differences, such as the advanced use of light energy to power the city, she didn’t learn anything new. But Kanti was completely fascinated by the exhibits, and Cara enjoyed playing teacher and explaining concepts to someone older than she was.

  Valerie and Cyrus hung back, pausing to examine a pool filled with underwater creatures that they could pick up and touch. Valerie cradled a bright purple, spiky creature in her hand. It purred when she pet it, like a cat. She was about to ask Cyrus to tell her about it when a girl with curly blue hair whose arms were covered in glittery tattoos suddenly stopped, staring at Cyrus.

  “Cyrus?!” she squeaked. “You’re back? I have to tell everyone! Give me a huge hug!”

  Without waiting for him to even stand up, the girl sat on his lap and threw her arms around him. “Without you, there has been, like, no excitement. Are you here to stay?”

  “No, I’m only visiting. Val, this is Shelley, an old friend.”

  “Friend? We were a little more than that, weren’t we? As of last summer?” Shelley asked, sounding a little offended.

  “Yeah, um, of course. So what are you doing here, anyway?” Cyrus said, obviously desperate to change the subject.

  “I work here, duh,” she replied, pointing to her shirt, which was stitched with the museum’s logo. “The real question is, what are you doing here, since it’s obviously not to see me?” Shelley pouted.

  Cyrus relented and smiled. “It is really good to see you. I miss everyone. Think your mom will ever let you visit me?”

  “I wish. I bet you have such a rockin’ good time in Arden. Is that where you’re from?” Shelley asked Valerie.

  But before she could reply, Cyrus jumped in, “Yup, she’s an Arden native. So, are there any good parties going on tonight? We could use some fun.”

  “Yeah, there’s one at the Where-o-well. Should be cool – Frankie’s got some new Earth music that he says is pretty good. So if you two are up for dancing, come!” Shelley said, and then scooted off Cyrus’ knee.

  “Definitely. And hey, good to see you, really,” Cyrus said before he and Valerie walked away to find Cara and Kanti.

  After Shelley was out of earshot, Valerie said, “Old girlfriend of yours, player?”

  “What? No. Well, yes, kinda. But now we’re friends. What are you getting on my case for?” Cyrus asked, flustered.

  “Whoa, relax. Shelley seemed cool. I’m excited to go to my first Messinian party and meet your friends.”

  “What party are we talking about?” Kanti asked as she and Cara joined them. Cyrus filled them in, and they were both excited to go, Kanti for the music and dancing, Cara for a chance to hang out with the older crowd.

  Gideon soon joined them, and the group left the museum. The rest of the day flew by as Cyrus and Cara took them around the city, pointing out the major sights, such as a set of giant, 5-story statues of the Globe’s founders, including Azra, and an elaborate garden in the middle of the city where botanists from around the world came to study. Gideon insisted on scouting every location for signs of anything suspicious, but if he saw anything out of the ordinary, he didn’t mention it to Valerie.

  For dinner, they went to a popular restaurant that served Earth food, and Valerie relished her hamburger and fries, which were at least as tasty as any that she had eaten on Earth. It felt good not to feel like such a newbie in Messina, like she did when they were in Arden and every new feat of magic astonished her but didn’t make anyone else look twice.

  After they finished their milkshakes, they headed back toward the car. “It’s a little early, but why don’t we head over to the Where-o-well for the party? It’s less than a mile away,” Cyrus said, pointing.

  “Yes, I ran past it last night when I was scouting the nearby area. Since it’s close, I’ll run over,” Gideon said. “It will give me a chance to make sure the surrounding woods are safe. I’ll meet you there in 15 minutes.”

  With that, Gideon took off at a speed that Valerie would have sworn required magic, if she hadn’t known that he didn’t have a power. She felt a twinge of worry as she watched Gideon race off. Something about having him near made her feel safe. But she forced herself to shake the feeling off as she and the rest of the group piled into the car.

  “Where-o-well is such a funny name. What is it? A park?” Kanti asked.

  “Actually, it’s one of the most famous landmarks on the island. It’s the only magical place on the whole in Messina,
” Cara said importantly. “It looks like a normal stone well, but it’s filled with magic, not water. Eighteenth birthdays here are marked by a special ceremony. The birthday person jumps into the Where-o-well. Instead of hitting the bottom, the well spits the person out at a random location somewhere on the Globe. Then they have to find their way back to Messina with only what is in their pockets. It’s kind of a rite of passage to prove that you’re an adult. By coming back, you’re saying that you accept the rules of Messina and you want to live here. Of course, some people can’t wait until they turn 18 to jump in,” Cara said, giving Cyrus a meaningful look.

  “What does she mean, Cy?” Valerie asked.

  “It wasn’t my fault! When I was 6, I was visiting the Where-o-well on a fieldtrip. When the guards weren’t looking, I sneaked past them so that I could peer down the well because I was curious about what the magic in there looked like. Well, I leaned over the edge, and sort of fell in. I wound up in Arden. Luckily, Azra found me and delivered me to an aunt who lives there. But as soon as I saw Arden, I fell in love and never wanted to leave. My parents finally let me go to school there because I kept trying to run away after I came back.”

  “I can’t wait till it’s my turn!” Cara said excitedly. “You’re supposed to make your mind completely blank, so that the Where-o-well sends you where fate says you’re meant to be or something. But I’m going to think of Arden, and hope it sends me there!”

  “So you can control where it sends you?” Kanti asked. “I thought you said it’s random.”

  “It’s only a theory, but some people say that they concentrated on a certain spot, and they wound up there. But it doesn’t always work. It’s definitely not a reliable way to travel. No matter how hard you concentrate, you could always wind up in the middle of the desert.” Cyrus explained.

  “I totally want to see this weird well,” Kanti exclaimed.

  “Me too,” Valerie said. The idea of the Where-o-well intrigued her. If she made her mind blank, would fate send her to someone who could help her find Henry? Then she shook her head. Even Cyrus didn’t know exactly how the Where-o-well worked, and the last thing Henry needed was for her to wander around a desert or some remote forest where she couldn’t help him at all.

  Cyrus pulled into a parking lot at the edge of a large park with an immense expanse of bright green grass bordered by a dark, dense forest. Valerie could see the Where-o-well in the distance, a cylinder of neatly packed stones about twice the width of her arm span. The park was mostly empty, except for three guards in grey uniforms. They were talking to a group of girls who were having a picnic while another group tossed around an oddly shaped ball nearby.

  They all got out of the car and began walking into the park. Suddenly Valerie had that strange tingling in her stomach. Something wasn’t right. The trees at the edge of the park were full of shadows. It would be easy for someone to hide in there. She hoped that Gideon would join them soon to tell them that there was nothing in there to fear.

  “Guys, I think–” Valerie started to say, when light flared behind her eyes and she felt her mind being pulled away from her body. She knew this feeling – Henry was pulling her into his reality. The urgency of his call seared through her body and she fell to her knees.

  “Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?” Henry’s cry felt as if it were torn from her own throat. Fear coursed through Valerie’s body – it felt as if there was no separation between her own mind and her brother’s. They were inside a dark bedroom, and Valerie tried to absorb every detail, looking for a clue that would help her determine exactly where Henry lived.

  “Shut up or I’ll make sure your daddy doesn’t wake up tomorrow,” a deep voice growled.

  “Don’t you hurt him! Dad! Are you okay? Please be okay!”

  Valerie saw through Henry’s eyes that a large man lay unmoving on the bed in the middle of the room. A sour smell filled her nostrils, and Valerie felt her stomach twist. Venu had found Henry. She was too late to save him.

  “You’ll do exactly what I tell you, or I’ll add one more drop of poison to his skin and he’ll die,” Venu said viciously, pulling a pair of black gloves over his slimy hands. “Now get moving!”

  Valerie felt Henry’s arm being yanked in the darkness, and he was dragged down a long, narrow hallway and through a door. Outside, cold hit them in the face like a stinging slap. Valerie tried to will Henry to look at street signs, landmarks, anything that could tell her where they were. But Henry stared up at Venu, watching his hulking shoulders as he yanked him down the street.

  “Please, I can’t leave my dad like that. When he wakes up, he’ll think I abandoned him. He won’t know what to do without me,” Henry pleaded.

  Sanguina suddenly appeared next to Henry, her black eyes staring into his. Henry jumped backward, away from her. But Venu’s gloved hand was clenched tightly on his wrist, preventing him from going far.

  “Be glad daddy’s waking up at all,” Sanguina said nastily. “Starting now, know this: your father’s life is in my hands. If you make one wrong move, he’s dead. So you’ll do everything Venu and I say, without whining. Got it?”

  Valerie felt a pull on her mind from the Globe. Her friends needed her. But she clung to Henry’s reality, not wanting to leave without knowing where he was going. This could be her last chance to save him. Where could Venu and Sanguina be taking him?

  ‘Please, Henry, tell me where you are!’ Valerie thought, trying to will Henry to help her.

  “Where are you taking me?” Henry asked, his voice trembling. Valerie wondered if he had heard her, somehow.

  “Shut your mouth,” Sanguina said coldly, shooting Henry a look that made him tremble. Venu grinned at his obvious terror.

  ‘Ask them –’ Valerie started to think, and then light flashed behind her eyes again, and Henry’s world disappeared.

  “Wake up! Val, look out!” Cyrus shouted at her.

  Valerie turned and saw a boot coming at top speed toward her head. Her reaction was automatic. Magic rushed through her veins and she caught the boot with one hand and twisted. The Conjuror who was wearing the boot was almost entirely transparent, as if he were made of glass, and when his body hit the ground, hard, with his leg twisted beneath him, she heard the sound of glass shattering. Her attacker screamed and clutched his leg, which was now shattered into a million tiny pieces.

  Alarms started blaring, and Valerie realized that she must have set them off by channeling magic and using her power. She saw that her friends were grappling with two more of the semi-transparent attackers. All three guards lay unconscious but breathing near the Where-o-well, the first victims of these strange attackers. The loud noise of the alarm covered up her voice as she tried to yell advice to her friends. “They’re breakable! Try to shatter them!”

  “What?” Kanti shouted back.

  “Gideon! Cam! Chrome!” Valerie called, searching the horizon for her guardians. Gideon was already emerging from the trees, racing toward her at top speed with Cam and Chrome at his heels.

  Valerie felt a pair of steely arms grab her, pinning her arms against her sides. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn’t break free from his grasp. But she bent and threw her weight forward, flipping her attacker over her back and sending him crashing to the ground in front of her with a crunch.

  The wolves leapt on the creatures who were attacking Kanti and Cyrus. Almost simultaneously, they tried to sink their fangs into the transparent Conjurors, but then they immediately let go, howling in pain. They fell to the ground, and blood gushed from their mouths, which were filled with dozens of cuts made by the sharp, glassy shards that formed their enemies’ flesh. The wolves’ assault gave Kanti and Cyrus the chance to break free, and their attackers fled back to the woods. Cyrus grabbed Cara, who was standing behind Gideon as he sparred with another transparent Conjuror.

  Gideon grunted as he punched her attacker in the chest, and a crack appeared in his almost invisible torso from his heart to his stoma
ch. He groaned and retreated, clutching his heart as he ran toward the woods. “Get out of here,” Gideon commanded. “More are coming.”

  Valerie looked toward the woods and saw the shadows moving. Then she suddenly felt her power weaken, like it had when Shade had turned the power-eater on her. Seconds later, Zunya stepped out of the trees, surrounded by more of the transparent Conjurors. His yellow eyes locked on hers, and he held out his hand toward her and smiled darkly. The last of her power instantly vanished. She felt her panic rise. She was defenseless against her old enemy. The laurel circle, which had been warmer as she had fought, suddenly became cold.

  But even without her powers to defend her, she couldn’t abandon Gideon. Hadn’t she been training for a moment like this, learning to rely on only her own strength and wits? “There is no way that I’m leaving you here to deal with those guys on your own. Zunya is with them! I have to stay and fight.”

  “Zunya can do nothing to me. I have no powers for him to steal. Now listen to me. That Where-o-well – jump in it. They’re after you, Valerie. If you jump in, they’ll follow. With luck, you won’t all come out in the same place. It’s the only solution. There are too many of them. If we’re forced to fight, we’ll lose. Now go – that’s an order.”

  Valerie desperately searched her mind for another solution, but as more transparent figures emerged in the distance, she realized she had to act – now. “Kanti, Cyrus, Cara – run for the police. I’ll distract these breakables.”

  “No, you’re not going alone!” Cyrus said, taking a step toward Valerie. But Cara stood pale and trembling beside him, and his expression changed.

  “Protect her, Cy. She needs you more than I do.” Valerie said, anxiously watching the attackers break begin to break through Gideon and the wolves’ defenses.

  “You’re not going without me,” Kanti said, and Valerie could see from her expression that she wasn’t going to change her mind. She nodded, and they both took off at top speed for the Where-o-well.