‘What do you want?’ he shouted, trying to make himself heard over the flickering popping noises of the fire. But when he spoke no sound came out. Sophie span past again, regaining the rhythm. Jack had no time to think now, he had to act on instinct and he did so, pulling his sleeves up before Sophie approached again. He held the arm up, the one that she had been staring at and then he realised what it was. The friendship bracelet, red and green and blue and black, stood out sharply against his pale skin. The orange glow from the fire did not seem to touch it. This time when Sophie approached her whole face lit up. She saw the bracelet and stopped. Stopped so suddenly that the dancers behind her bumped into her back, pushing her forwards. She fell and Jack, prepared, caught her. She reached out and gently touched the friendship bracelet.
‘I made this for you,’ she said, her voice ringing over the flickering and popping of the fire. Jack, his throat closed up nodded. She smiled.
Jack woke. It was only a dream, yet somehow, Jack felt better for it; he had discovered something new. There was a sound from outside his prison and he watched as a guard opened the small hatch in the door.
‘What do you want as your last meal?’ the guard asked.
‘My last meal?’
‘You’re to be executed, by order of the Black Prince and his betrothed Sophie Steele. So?’ Jack was too stunned to speak. He had failed. His sister, his own sister, and Auldred were going to execute him.
‘I don’t really care,’ Jack said in a dead voice.
‘Fair enough,’ the guard said ‘I’ll just get you the regular slop then.’ There was no compassion in his voice. Indeed, he sounded thrilled.
‘Wait! What about my friends?’ Jack asked.
‘Oh, don’t worry about them. They’re going to go at the same time as you!’ the guard said happily as he slammed the small opening closed. It was then that Jack realised it was the same guard he and Brayden had locked in Jack’s bathroom.
‘Jack?’ he heard a voice whispering. Jack hesitated for a moment. He was in no mood to trust anyone, but it seemed that he had little other option. The voice whispered again. ‘Jack is that you?’ Jack recognised the voice.
‘Gordy?’ he said, astonished ‘where are you?’
‘I’m in the cell next door,’ Gordy said. He didn’t sound at all defeated, he sounded perfectly cheerful.
‘What are you so happy about?’ Jack asked.
‘We made it in. You’ve seen Sophie, Brayden told us before he got himself caught. We’ve just got to wait for her to break us out. The Black Prince won’t do anything until he gets the Amulet,’ Gordy said, his voice ringing with confidence. Jack felt the familiar icy grip in his stomach. How was he going to tell Gordy?
‘Where are the others?’ Jack asked, deciding that the moment was not right to reveal that he no longer had the Amulet.
‘Loomis and Dax are here with me,’ Gordy said. Loomis and Dax both murmured a greeting. ‘The others are in a cell on the other side of ours.’
‘Is everyone OK?’ Jack asked, fear gripping him at the thought that Cali might be hurt.
‘Yes, they’re all fine. Well, I say they’re all fine, only Cali and Esther are next door. Auldred had Brayden and his family taken somewhere else,’ Gordy said.
‘Where?’ Jack asked, his heart sinking even further.
‘We don’t know,’ Gordy said. Jack looked at the friendship bracelet on his wrist, worrying at it with his other hand, twisting it round and round on his arm.
‘What happened to Cain?’ Jack asked ‘And Five Oakes?’ A long silence followed. He could imagine Loomis’ look of surprise, and Gordy’s face, stiff and a little cold. Jack could not imagine Dax or Doug looking anything but calm and in control.
‘Cain was taken by our own but he’s alright,’ Gordy said.
‘Our own?’
‘Yes. Gnomes,’ Gordy said.
‘Gnomes took Cain? But… why?’ Jack asked.
‘He was collateral. Back up. Aloysius had a tip off and found him, that’s why we couldn’t find him the night we left,’ Gordy said.
‘Convenient timing,’ Jack said.
‘Aloysius was furious when he returned and discovered what had happened.’
‘I still don’t get why they took Cain,’ Jack said.
‘Cain was taken so that they would have a clear run at us,’ Gordy sighed. ‘Apparently it was fairly common knowledge what was going on by the time we left.’
‘What about Five Oakes?’
‘As soon as Aloysius returned he brought calm. He held a meeting with the Earth Elementals. All of us and told us everything.’ Gordy said. ‘There are still a few, a very few, who stand against you but most are satisfied that we are treading the right path.’ Gordy sounded tired.
‘Gordy…’ Jack said.
‘Yes?’
‘I just wanted to say thanks. You know, for coming after me and everything,’ Jack said, wanting to say more but unable to face defeat.
‘Don’t thank me. You did this yourself. You did better than anyone could ever have expected you to do, and you can still win this,’ Gordy said, his voice had warmed now too. Jack opened his mouth to reply but realised there was nothing he could say.
It wasn’t long after the guard returned.
‘Time to go,’ he said, opening the cell door. Jack who had considered making a run for it changed his mind when he saw that the guard was accompanied by two very large, almost man sized lizards. When Jack exited his cell, he saw that the others were being equally well guarded.
‘What’s going on Jack?’ Gordy asked as they were led along the corridor.
‘Quiet!’ a guard shouted, leaving Jack no choice but to leave the others in the dark. He carried on worrying the friendship bracelet, wondering what he was going to do. He had no bargaining chip, no way to escape.
They emerged a short while later in the central atrium. A large crowd had gathered. To Jack they looked the same as everyone else, except their eyes, a deep flickering orange.
‘My friends,’ Jack heard a voice boom out through the atrium and looked up. There was Auldred, sitting side by side with Sophie. She looked pale, drawn, indifferent. Jack watched the people. Some turned to look at Auldred; most continued glaring at Jack and the others. Their eyes lightened as they became excited at the thought of the execution.
‘I stand before you today victorious,’ Auldred continued. Gordy and the others turned to look at Jack, confused. ‘I have the Amulet!’ the Black Prince continued. The others looked stunned, disbelieving. There was a ruckus and before Jack knew what was happening he felt a small warm hand in his. He looked up and saw Cali smiling warmly at him.
‘Whatever happens Jack, it wasn’t your fault,’ she said, her eyes glowed with warmth and that moment stretched like treacle until he was lost in infinity. There was a ripple of anger through the watching crowd.
‘Patience, patience,’ Auldred’s voice rang through the hall again. Jack could feel the eyes of Gordy, Dax, Loomis, Esther, boring into the back of his neck as he gazed up to where Auldred sat. Sophie hadn’t moved; she hadn’t looked up.
‘I must ask the prisoners if they have any last requests,’ the Black Prince continued sounding amused. No one said anything. ‘Right, then lets …’
‘I have a last request,’ Jack said. His hand had ceased worrying at his friendship bracelet. There was a long silence, the crowd looked on expectantly. No one interrupted the Black Prince. Ever.
‘Ahh, Jack. I thought you might,’ the Black Prince said ‘you needn’t ask though, I’ve already dealt with Brayden.’ He waved his arm and Jack looked. Brayden was shackled with his family at the other end of the room. He had been beaten, though his family looked fine – pale, undernourished but unharmed. ‘In case you were interested, he didn’t give you up. I had to torture him for a good long time and he still didn’t say anything. He and his family will be executed too.’ Jack was horrified. He turned back to the Black Prince.
‘That wasn’t wha
t I was going to ask,’ he said, although he was profoundly grateful to know that Brayden had been with him at the end.
‘Well, carry on then,’ the Black Prince said, bored now that his little bit of fun was over.
‘I want to give this to Sophie,’ Jack said quietly, although his voice travelled through the whole atrium. The low buzz that had been underlying the congregation since the prisoners had arrived ceased. The silence was so large that Jack was sure he could hear his own heart beating. The crowd turned to look at Auldred as one. His face was completely expressionless.
‘No. You can’t give it to her.’ A buzz went through the hall. Perhaps the Black Prince was not as sure as he should be. Auldred’s face twitched. He didn’t like the unease he could sense spreading through the hall. ‘She can,’ he said, pointing at Cali. Cali didn’t flinch. She stepped forward as Jack unfastened the friendship bracelet from his wrist and put it gently in her hand.
‘Tell her I forgive her,’ Jack said, his voice choked. Cali nodded and walked towards the plinth on which the Black Prince and Sophie sat.
‘See the gift he gives us, even as we are to execute him,’ Auldred announced to the mob, his voice taking on the fervent tone of an evangelist preacher trying to stir his congregation. It worked. The crowd began to get restless, the buzz intensified as Cali approached the dais and held her hand out to Sophie. Jack saw Cali’s lips move, forming the words he had told her to pass on as Sophie took the bracelet, staring at it.
Jack was the only one now, except Cali who was looking at Sophie, everyone else’s attention was focused on the Black Prince who was speaking about the new world that he would lead now he had the Amulet. Jack watched as she looked intently at the coloured band in her hand and saw a flush of colour creep into her cheeks. He watched as she looked up for the first time, looked up straight into Jack’s eyes. He watched as her small fingers closed tightly of the bracelet and a smile stole softly over her face.
‘No,’ she said. She had spoken very quietly and yet the single word carried through the entire hall. Auldred continued talking, the only person unaffected by Sophie’s declaration.
‘The world will be ours!’ he announced, the smile immeasurably cruel on his handsome face.
‘No,’ Sophie said again and this time he did hear.
‘You dare to contradict me? In front of my people?’ he asked. His voice dangerously low; his pale, perfect face contorted with rage.
‘You will not own the world and nor will I. The world is no ones to own. It needs balance, harmony otherwise there is nothing,’ Sophie said. Auldred laughed
‘You think you can deny me? Seize her!’ the Black Prince said to his guard.
‘No,’ Sophie said raising her arms. The shackles that had bound Jack fell from his wrists. They wound instead around the legs of his captors. He watched in disbelief as the same thing happened to the chains binding Cali, Gordy, Esther, Doug and Dax. They surged forward as one, towards the podium, moving through the unresisting crowd.
‘Get them!’ the Black Prince shrieked, his composure gone as Sophie slipped from the platform, grabbing Cali’s hand and running through the crowd, which parted before her. She laughed.
‘This way!’ she said as she passed Jack and the others. Gordy, looking startled, turned on command and followed Sophie. The others did too. Jack was close behind when he heard a cry and turned to see one of the guards attacking Brayden again. Enraged he ran to where Brayden and his family had been chained. He grabbed the guard by the shoulder, spun him around and punched him roundly in the nose. The guard looked at Jack, stunned and wiped his nose on the back of his hand.
‘Right lad, you want some too do you?’ the guard said. He had no more taken a step towards Jack when he was suddenly thrown back wards through thin air, striking the far wall and sliding down it into an unconscious heap on the floor.
‘Jack?’ Brayden whispered, his face black with bruises and red with blood, eyes swollen almost shut.
‘It’s me Brayden. You’re going to have to get on the Keeper’s back again,’ Jack said and helped Brayden up. His family looked at Jack in terror.
‘You can trust him,’ Brayden said to them leaning gratefully on Jack.
‘Keeper, show yourself,’ Jack commanded and she appeared from thin air. The guards who had been approaching at a run came to a grinding halt. The Keeper turned to them pleasantly.
‘Would you like to hear my riddle?’ the guards backed away slowly watching helplessly as Brayden and his family climbed onto the Keepers back. There was no room for Jack.
‘Keeper I need you to take Brayden and his family to Sophie,’ Jack said.
‘What about you?’ Brayden asked, panic in his voice.
‘I’ll find my own way,’ Jack replied.
‘No,’ Brayden said, beginning to slide off the Keeper’s back.
‘Go. Now,’ Jack said to the Keeper and before Brayden managed to get to the floor the Keeper took off, heading to the corridor that Sophie and the others had taken leaving Jack alone. The guards, seeing that the Keeper had gone approached with more enthusiasm than ever. Jack had no chance of escape. He closed his eyes and wished that he had managed to learn how to blend.
The Black Prince was furious, shouting orders at the top of his lungs. Jack expected to be taken at any moment, thrown into the heart of the volcano - Auldred’s rage was cold and terrifying. A high shriek caused Jack to open his eyes. A Griffin, black and terrible was in the Atrium. The crowd ran desperately seeking shelter, the guards among them. No-one was looking at Jack at all. He ran for the corridor the Keeper had flown through. He was not challenged by a single person – they were too busy trying to escape the flying terror above. He sprinted down the corridor, passing guards as he ran, wondering why they didn’t stop him. Perhaps they thought he too was chasing the escaped prisoners. He laughed and redoubled his efforts.
Soon he had passed all the guards and was running along the corridor alone. He emerged in a large cavern. The Hatchery. He didn’t look up and simply carried on running. It was becoming harder – the heat was beginning to bother him, his breath short as he leapt over small bubbling pools of magma, sprinting around the larger craters. He could see the entrance to the tunnel right ahead. He would be there any moment. Too late he saw the salamanders. Climbing from the pools of lava they began rushing towards him, hot and red, their eye sockets like glowing coals. Jack was still twenty feet from the tunnel entrance when he had to stop. He was surrounded. He turned on the spot, looking each of them in the eye, looking for some weakness but there was none. Their eyes were base and animal; these were a new breed – there was no humanity in them – their bristling black bodies rippled as they moved in as one to attack.
Jack heard rather than saw the Keeper flying towards him. She roared as she swooped low over his head and took him in her great paws. The salamanders hissed and growled but they could do nothing and instead slid back into the lava from which they had emerged. The Keeper took Jack to the tunnel, where the others were waiting anxiously.
‘Jack? Are you OK?’ Cali rushed forwards, looking slightly to the left of where Jack stood.
‘I’m fine,’ Jack answered, confused. Cali turned to where his voice had come from, still not looking him right in the eye.
‘Jack, I can’t see you! You’re blending!’ she said excitedly, throwing her arms up and around him awkwardly. She almost took out his eye. Jack, who couldn’t believe what she was saying looked down and saw it was true.
‘Oh,’ he said, nothing else came to mind. He was grinning like a mad person as he looked around the group, finally his eyes settled on Sophie.
‘Sophie!’ he cried picking her up and hugging her tight. ‘I knew it!’ Sophie hugged him back, tightly.
‘Erm, Jack, do you mind un-blending? It’s kind of odd to be floating around in mid-air.’ Jack laughed, a giddy extraordinary sound in that dark place.
‘I don’t know how!’ he said.
‘Just, kind of push it away
,’ Gordy said helpfully. Jack tried to do as Gordy asked. He felt a little foolish – he had no idea what he was supposed to be pushing away…
‘You’re back,’ Sophie said. Jack opened his mouth to say something when he heard a commotion behind him.
‘We’d best go quickly,’ he said the others nodded in agreement and they hurried up the slope that Jack had descended not so long ago. It was long hard work, going up was much harder than coming down but Jack was buoyed by their success and walked ever faster. They finally reached the top of the slope and the sheer wall of ice. The light show had stopped. Jack was disappointed. He tried to describe it to Cali and Sophie but there were no words. In the end he gave up.
‘Maybe one day you’ll be able to come back and see it for yourself,’ Jack said as they stood by the wall. Cali and Sophie nodded and looked at one another, rolling their eyes. They had already begun to gang up on him.
Elemental: Steele Stolen: Part 1 and 2 Page 20
