by Simone Pond
“No clue,” he said.
I huffed and shoved him and the ladies into my magic shield.
“What if the bloodsuckers trap them in there?” I said.
“They’ll be fine,” said Benjamin.
“Didn’t you just tell us to trust you?” asked one of the kids.
“Yeah. Trust …” Easier said than done, I thought as I looked up at the clear blue sky. As if to prove a point, the guiding star appeared like a ball of glistening gold and aimed a beam of light toward the bottom of a hill a few hundred yards away.
“What’s it doing?” asked Benjamin.
At the bottom of the hill there was an opening to a tunnel.
“I think it’s telling us to go to that hill,” I said.
“Lead the way, boss,” said Benjamin, slapping my back.
I looked around at the group of kids. “Let’s get going. Older ones carry the younger ones. We need to hurry.”
I turned my attention toward the hill and ran forward, leading the group. CeeCee stayed back to steady the rear, and Benjamin and Isabella stuck to the middle to assist some of the younger ones. I charged ahead like a blast from a cannon. I wanted to be ready for Nils the second he and the empress’s prisoners stepped outside so I could get my shield around them before the vampire army came.
When we reached the opening of the tunnel, I started shouting out orders to organize the cavalcade of children into a tighter formation. The less magic I depleted protecting everyone, the better. I still had five remaining charges in the rod, but like Rose had so kindly mentioned, vampires are super fast. We’d need my shield to stay up around us.
CeeCee ushered the last of the procession into the huddle. “You good, CO?”
I nodded, staring at the tunnel with laser focus. They were taking too long. What if the vampires got wind of their escape and attacked them in the passageway? What if they took a wrong turn and went deeper into the lair? My heart raced like the rushing currents of the River Elin. Where had my stalwart faith gone and how was I supposed to be an example to these children when I was freaking out? Why was I freaking out? Nils meant so much to me. I didn’t want to lose him a second time. Especially to the vampire empress. That was a fate far worse than being blasted to bits on a bridge.
“It’s okay,” said Rose, tugging on my shirt.
“You should be with the others.” I was so distracted I hadn’t seen her stationed by my side.
“No, I’m supposed to be here to help you,” she said.
“Help me?”
She nodded and held up her small hand. A pearl-white glow exuded from her tiny fingers.
“Healer?” I asked.
“No. I restore energy. I’m from the left bank of Mysterium.”
An energy healer. Like Matthias. I stroked back her strawberry-blond hair. “Yeah, we’re gonna need a whole bunch of that when this is finished.”
She shook her head and pulled my shirt, forcing me to kneel by her side. “Not when it’s finished, but now.” She placed her hand on the crown of my head the same way Matthias had so many times before. The wave of warmth rolled down from the top of my head and trickled through my neck and spine. My cells began to vibrate and spark as Rose’s light spread through me. The magic inside me jumpstarted to a higher degree and the shield around all of us lit up like a supernova.
She pulled away her hand, grinning proudly. “Much better.”
I stood up, feeling like I could ignite the entire city with one blow. “Well done, Rose. You’re my new right-hand woman.”
“Girl,” she corrected.
I was about to say something when I heard an echo of footsteps rise from the jet-black hole. This was followed by the sounds of panting and labored breathing. Nils and the men were quickly approaching! I waited for his arrival, ready to tell him and the others where to go. But when the men began staggering out into the sunlight, Nils wasn’t among them. Still, I directed them to stand with the children and stay within my shield. They were too weary to ask questions and stumbled over to the expanding group.
“See if you can help them, Rose,” I said.
She ran over and started working to restore their energy levels as I stood guard, directing the flow of men. The last few stragglers practically crawled out of the tunnel, drained and barely alive … but still no Nils.
I grabbed one of them by the shoulders. “Where’s Nils?”
“Who?” he muttered.
“The one who got you out.”
The man collapsed on the ground at my feet, and I called for Rose to assist. Then I started heading into the tunnel.
“Don’t do it, boss!” yelled Benjamin.
He was right. I needed to stay put and keep the shield up around everyone. No flying off the damn handle! I headed over to the pack and started asking the men how they escaped Empress Peninnah’s chambers. Their explanations were hazy and groggy. Some didn’t even remember being in the vampire’s lair.
I squatted next to one of the men and asked, “Do you know where I can find the guy who helped all of you?”
The man stared at me, dumbfounded. “Huh?”
“The guy who helped you escape the Sanctuary … His eyes are the color of aquamarines?”
“It’s vague, miss,” he said.
“He has a quirky, smart-ass smile like he knows something you don’t? About this tall …” I stood up and stretched my hand above my head.
Someone slid their head underneath the palm of my hand.
“You mean him?” asked the man.
“Nils!” I hugged him. “Why didn’t you fill me in on what you were planning?”
“Then neither of our plans would’ve worked out,” he said, raising his brows.
“Touché.”
“How’d you get out?” I asked.
“A little help from the guiding star.” He held up a bag of silver jewelry and chains.
“Where’d you get that?”
“Peninnah had them locked away in a safe. When she was busy, the star guided me to it and ta-da! Right now, she’s chained to her fountain. But her minions will figure it out soon. So we need to vamoose.” He looked over the massive group of children. “Good job, by the way.”
I smiled. “Thanks, but we’ll never outrun the vampires.”
“We need to get as far away as possible as quickly as possible,” he said.
But it was too late. Colossal clouds of black billowed from the chimneys, signaling that the army of vampires was already coming.
“My shield will hold them off for a little while, but then what?” I asked.
“You won’t be able to keep Peninnah out. She’s too powerful,” said Nils.
I held out my hand. “Give me that silver!”
He cocked his head, but tossed over the bag. I knelt down and began tying the chains around the rod. Who knew if it’d actually work, I just knew it had to. The black cloud swooped in on us and the swarm morphed into a legion of vampires. Their pale faces stood out in the bright sunlight and their black eyes burned red. Empress Peninnah stepped forward.
“A fair attempt, Chosen One,” she said.
“It’s over, Empress. You can either repent and come with us, or die. And I mean really die. Your choice.” Though I had a pretty good idea which way she was leaning, I thought I’d give her one more opportunity before her devoted army of vampires.
“Foolish girl.” She sneered and two razor-sharp fangs glinted from under her ruby lips.
“I take it that’s a no?”
She licked her lips.
“And this is true for all of Pyre?” I shouted.
She sighed. “They do as I do.”
“Final answer?” I yelled out.
The answer came in the form of her shooting across the space between us and digging her claws into my shield, resisting the intense shock that scorched through her arm. Her dagger-like red fingernails were inches from my heart, ready to rip it right out of my chest. What the leech didn’t know is that I wasn’t using even
half of my power. With my free hand I grabbed her wrist and yanked her hand away, then threw her back into her brigade of bloodsuckers.
“You bitch!” she shrieked.
I held up the iron rod and aimed it at the empress and her horde, calling on the Ancient One for assistance. This would be the third of seven charges and it was going to be one thousand percent worth unleashing its wrath. It spewed out an arc of silver fire. Empress Peninnah was the first to hit the ground, melting into a pool of molten silvery muck. She didn’t even have time to yelp out an expression of shock. It was gnarly. Her loyal followers began charging in quick blinks, but the rod was faster. I sprayed the silver fire back and forth like a fire house, drenching the vampires. They melted immediately. Then more of the fools ran forward, and I continued firing away. Finally, some of the more self-preserving vampires realized the futility of protecting their non-existent empress and began retreating to the Sanctuary.
“Benjamin!” I shouted.
My eagle shifter friend came swooping down and lifted me up, carrying me into the sky and toward the city. I unleashed the silver fire over the medieval stone buildings and throughout the brick streets until we reached the Sanctuary, where I emptied out every remaining drop that this third charge had. The entire city of Pyre was a melting pot of silver and ash. There was no way a single vampire had survived this blitz.
Benjamin circled back to our people and lowered me to the ground. The men and children cheered and shouted in elation—they were fully free of their enslavement. No more would they be endless food supplies, keeping the parasites alive another day. Their jubilation touched my ears and filled me with a heaping sense of joy that couldn’t be diminished. Or at least that’s what it seemed like at the moment. I hadn’t put much thought into the next stop we had to make on our venture …
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Twilight washed over Pyre in soft hues of lavender and gray. A sense of relief settled over the group as reality sunk in. Not only were they free of their enslavement camps, the entire city of Pyre had been melted to the ground. I watched as the last of the enclaves oozed into a silvery molten lava.
“What should we do, boss?” asked Benjamin as he stood next to me on the hilltop.
“There’s no more threat here, but I’m guessing they’d rather not stick around …”
I glanced over my shoulder to the mass of people we’d freed from the empress’s bondage. Though they were relieved, I sensed post-traumatic shock would soon set in. Who knew how long those children had been separated from their families? And some of the men that Empress Peninnah had captured for her private chambers were barely old enough to be considered men.
We did the democratic thing and took a vote. With the exception of a handful of the younger ones, everyone was eager to get started. They wanted to get as far away as they could from the main hub of Pyre and hike through the night. And since it would be at least a two-day trek to reach the rest of our group at the border of Mysterium, it made the most sense to get started. But my desire to move forward vacillated between “please don’t make me do this” and “okay, I’m ready to face one of my biggest demons.” These thoughts I kept to myself because a leader needs to be solid and firm in their decisions. Not a wishy-washy wavering wimp. Wow …
CeeCee and Isabella organized the children and men into groups and assigned a pack leader for each. Then we headed south over the rolling hills toward the giant silver wall bordering Pyre and Mysterium. I tucked my iron rod into my belt and held my position at the rear just in case any pesky vampires had survived the fall of Pyre. I needed to be alone so I could mentally prepare for my showdown with Prime Master Bachar. Regardless of how much time had passed or the incredible feats I’d accomplished—through the Ancient One, of course—I still felt like that same pathetic stray animal my adopted grandfather had treated me like the first day I’d arrived in Mysterium when I was ten years old. I’d never be good enough for him. I’d always be a burden. And somehow I was supposed to convince him to join us.
Nils came up and nudged my arm. “You good, partner?”
Most of the time I found it irritating that he knew me so well, almost better than I knew myself, but I was glad he could sense my concern about the next stop.
“Eh. I’ve been better,” I muttered.
He stared up to the indigo sky. The moon was full that night and lit up his face in an angelic glow. “CeeCee wanted me to remind you of what you told her before going into Alexandria. She actually used air quotes: forgiveness is the only way to freedom.”
“I knew that’d come back to bite me …” I smirked, not feeling the enthusiasm I’d felt at the time I’d said those words.
“You know it’s not up to you to change anyone,” said Nils.
I sighed. “I know. But I’m still not pumped up to see my grandfather. He’s an intimidating man.”
Nils grinned. “He was never your grandfather. He was a shit example of a male father figure. But look, he’s been under the influence of Counselor Magnus for a long time and that’s eroded the good in him. Did you know he was once friends with your father?”
I stopped in my tracks. “What?”
“Yep. Bachar and John Temple were close. Your father worked for him as a liaison between the right and left banks. This was when there was peace between the Ancients and the Oligarchs. And it was before Magnus came in like a virus and infected the high council.”
A cool breeze passed over my cheeks, bringing the scent of fennel and pine from the Green Mountains on the other side of the giant silver wall. Old feelings funneled through my heart. I remembered hiking in those mountains as a teenager. Always alone. I’d sit for hours high above the city of Mysterium, wondering if I’d ever belong anywhere or to anyone.
We started walking again and Nils continued talking. “Bachar knew what was about to go down with those vaccines and helped your father escape Mysterium. He gave him a pass to leave town with you—which didn’t exactly go as planned. But Charity Bachar found you on the road, and in an ironic twist of fate … or pre-ordained dictate … Prime Master Bachar saved the Chosen One.”
I laughed softly because irony is so perfect sometimes, but also because I was relieved to know my adopted grandfather had once been a semi-decent guy. And that he was friends with my father. They were close enough that he saved his life and mine. That meant somewhere deep within that shell of a tyrant there was a semblance of goodness.
“Life is bizarre and beautiful,” I said.
“Indeed.”
“So, you gonna tell me about that leg?” I asked.
Nils grinned, a beam of moonlight twinkling in his pure blue eyes. “You’re gonna keep asking, huh?”
“Relentlessly.”
He took my hand and intertwined his fingers with mine. Again, with the jolt of currents up my arm. Our relationship was getting more and more confusing, but at the same time becoming more and more clear. I loved Nils the way I loved that moment of sinking into bed and nestling under the covers. I wanted to wrap him around me and slow down. He gave me rest. Or peace. Maybe both. I was starting to see it was a different kind of love than I had for Matthias, which was romantic and passionate and filled with longing. My love for Nils was indescribable, yet made every bit of sense. It had always been with me and it would continue to endure even if I made mistakes or got angry over silly things. Was he my best friend?
“The leg,” he said, “is a reminder of my human side.”
“Okay …” I cocked my head in confusion, waiting for him to explain further but he remained quiet. “And so … you have another side?” I asked.
He glanced at me and grinned. “Let’s just say the human side is only a representation of who I really am.”
I shoved him, laughing. “Oh, so mysterious. Who are you, really?”
Nils returned his focus upward to the dark sky, not saying anything. I looked up to see if the answer was maybe somewhere among the stars. That’s when the guiding star brightened with such an i
ntensity I felt it in my bones. A resounding sense of understanding resonated throughout my entire body, shaking me to my core.
“Oh,” I murmured.
He squeezed by hand and pulled me in for a hug. “Probably best if we just keep this to ourselves.”
“So if you’re—”
Nils shook his head. “Nope. No more questions. Can’t upset the balance, partner. You’re just gonna have to trust me and go with the flow.”
“I loathe going with the flow,” I jeered.
We continued hiking over the rolling hills, but neither one of us spoke another word. Though I had a million questions, nothing more needed to be said.
Hours of trekking through the cool night led to dawn. The sun started coming up behind us, glaring light reflecting off the giant silver wall in a blinding manner. The train of people stopped walking and down the line came word that we were stopping to rest for the day. We set up camps next to a nearby off-flow of water from the River Elin. Soon we’d join my mother and Claudius and the remnant from Alexandria. And soon we’d be heading into Mysterium to meet up with Prime Master Bachar.
CHAPTER TWENTY
During the day while most everyone slept, as few of us gathered fish from the nearby stream and spent the afternoon preparing them. We’d finish the second part of the hike through the night. Once we reached the others, I trusted our food supply would be replenished. We’d be close enough to the docks to stock up and feed the masses. For now, we’d have to survive on trout from the stream.
I was able to squeeze in a power nap before we headed out. Rose—the restorer of energy—stopped by to see me, giving me a boost. The children were in much better spirits as the color came back to their cheeks and hope filled their hearts. They whispered among themselves about legends of the Chosen One, the Infinite, and Golden Wings.
“You hear what they’re calling me?” Benjamin puffed up his broad chest as he bit down into a chunk of cooked trout.
“Good thing it’s not going to your head,” I teased.
Isabella rubbed Benjamin’s cropped hair and kissed his light brown cheek. “He’s my beautiful golden-winged hero.”
