The Box Omnibus #1 (The Box, The Journal, The Sword)

by Gaudet, Christina G.

  “The portal. Your grandmother was the guardian and she passed the title to you. Now, where is it?”

  His voice is too calm and his cruel smile never wavers. His fingers tighten more as I shake my head and tell him I have no idea what he’s talking about.

  “Want me to break her legs?” trench coat guy offers.

  Stewart’s smile widens. “Is that what you want? To never walk or dance again?”

  “Please.” It’s all I can manage.

  “Let go of her right now,” Cindy says, clearly regaining a bit of courage.

  “I have a better idea.”

  Stewart releases me and steps away to pull something seemingly out of thin air. At first I have no idea what I’m looking at, especially since my eyes are blurred with unshed tears. Slowly the colors and shapes start to fit together until I recognize he holds a blue silk bag, smaller than his fist. It takes a couple more seconds for me to realize it’s not the first time I’ve seen the bag.

  “Where did you get that?” I ask.

  “It’s amazing what your grandmother kept in her house.” He casually tosses the bag up and down a few times. “It wasn’t hard to find this or figure out exactly what it is.”

  With Cindy at my back, she’s unable to see what I can. “What is it?” she asks. “What’s he got?”

  “It’s nothing,” I say to both of them. “It’s a bag Gran used to keep some toenail clippings in. Weird, yeah, but I don’t see—“

  “I’m going to give you an option,” Stewart interrupts. “A very good deal, which I suggest you take. I’m going to give you this bag and allow you to open it. In exchange, you will tell me where the portal is.”

  “No,” Cindy says firmly before I can say anything. “Do not open the bag, Lou.”

  “I don’t plan to. I don’t know why I’d want to.”

  “You don’t know?” Stewart says, fake charming smile replacing the cruel one from earlier. Somehow, seeing him more like how I had every day around Mom makes the whole situation so much worse. “Has no one ever explained to you what’s inside this bag?”

  “Leave her alone,” Cindy says.

  “It’s gross old toenails,” I say again, though this time I feel a lot less sure. Why is he dangling it in front of me like a prize to be won, and why is Cindy so afraid I’ll take it?

  “Those might be the physical contents,” Stewart says, “But not all it holds. You, much like your sweet old grandmother before you, were born a sorceress.”

  “Don’t,” Cindy warns, though this time she’s speaking to Stewart rather than me.

  “What?” I laugh since the very idea is ridiculous. “I don’t have magic. I didn’t know magic existed until tonight.”

  His smile widens and he moves half way around the post to get a better look at Cindy, and so both of us have a perfect view of him.

  “Of course you don’t,” he says. “Your family has done a particularly good job keeping it from you. They went so far as to strip the power from you before you were able to wield it. Ooh, not what loving family members are supposed to do, is it?”

  Nothing he’s saying makes sense. Born with magic? Me? “I don’t understand.”

  “They took your magic, child,” he says slowly, face revealing his frustration. “They took a part of you and they bound it inside this bag.”

  I stare at the object he dangles in front of me.

  Cindy starts in on another string of swear words and warnings I ignore, while focusing on the object in his hand. There is something about it I can’t quite figure out. It’s almost like being a kid again and seeing someone else with my favorite toy. The bag is mine, and I need it back, right now.

  “Why doesn’t he take the magic?”

  I almost jump out of my skin at the sound of Al’s hushed voice. He’s alive! I haven’t killed him. But I’m also not sure where he is. His words seem to be coming from inside my own head, not from my necklace. I can’t look for him without drawing attention, and worse, I can’t ask him any questions.

  I want to know where he’s been or if he has any ideas about how we can free ourselves. And while it’s the least of my concerns, I want to know what he means by taking the magic. Is it possible?

  While it might not be on the top of the list of things I want to know, it is the only one I can ask aloud.

  “I don’t understand,” I say again to Stewart while my voice quivers with nerves. “If it’s full of magic, why don’t you take it for yourself?”

  “Unfortunately, it’s not so easy,” he says with his usual false smile. “This magic is connected directly to you. You’re the only one who can use it in its current state.”

  “And you’re offering it to me?” I’m starting to realize what’s made Cindy so mad. He’s too determined for me to open the bag. There must be some benefit to him, and he’s just using me to get what he wants. “Why? What’s the catch?”

  Stewart looks all too pleased with the way our conversation is going, and I feel like he’s playing me with every single word flowing from his lips. “No catch. You tell me the location of the portal you’re protecting and the bag is yours.”

  Even though I know better, part of me still believes he’ll actually help once I give him what he wants. It’s that part of me which blurts out, “I don’t know about any portal.”

  His amusement starts to fade. “This is your one chance to regain your magic. Without it, you will have no way of stopping Borin here from killing your sister. Painfully. In front of your eyes. Do you understand?”

  “Don’t listen to him,” Cindy says. “He’s messing with you. Don’t let him.”

  “If I had any idea what you’re talking about, I’d tell you,” I say. “Please believe me.”

  Stewart takes a step back and rubs his eyes with two fingers. “We’ll do it your way. Borin, if you would.”

  “She’s telling the truth,” Cindy says. “You think Gran would have taken away her magic, but then leave her with the responsibility of looking after something as important as a portal?”

  “I think that’s exactly what happened,” Stewart says and walks to the other side of the post to direct all of his attention to Cindy. “She probably thought she had more time. Thought she could find another sorceress to become the guardian so she wouldn’t have to place her poor, precious granddaughter in danger. But her time was up the moment I found your mother.”

  No. No he couldn’t have...

  But when had Gran started to get sick? Only weeks after Mom met Stewart. It came on so suddenly, and no doctor was able to figure out what was wrong.

  Knowing what Stewart did causes something in me to switch. My fear is shoved aside by an anger I’ve never felt before. My mind becomes unusually clear and calculating and I start to scan the room a little more closely. It’s still dark, but I can see through the cracks in the door that the sun’s starting to rise. Between it, the lanterns, and the constant low glow coming from the chimera’s noses and mouths, I can see pretty much everything in the room.

  My eyes pass over my purse sitting on the table for the third time. I’d thought nothing of it at first. And then I remember what’s in there. The whole reason why we’re here. The box. It brought Al here like a portal would, hadn’t it? Could it be what Stewart’s looking for?

  I don’t notice Borin watching me until it’s too late. He follows my gaze and strides over to grab the bag. After rummaging around for a moment, he pulls out the box and shows it to Stewart.

  “Look at the symbols.”

  He tosses it to Stewart who carefully examines it, running his grimy fingers over every section of the wood

  “Amazing,” he says. “The magic is so well disguised. It’s no wonder I didn’t sense it before. It’s almost as invisible as your sister’s silly little spells.”

  “Silly?” Cindy chokes out the word. “My spells are not ‘silly.’”

  “Tell me what you know of it,” he says. “How does it work?”

  “My silly spells are a lo
t more powerful than you’re giving them credit.”

  I can feel her tug at the ropes and I know she’s struggling to get her hand into her pocket full of magic dust. Stewart doesn’t appear to notice as he focuses on me, his face twisted into a snarl.

  “Tell me about the box and I’ll consider killing your sister quickly.”

  I should be frightened by his words. Be terrified by the way he stares at me as though my life is in the palm of his hand, but all I can think about is the loose ropes and the fact that I can feel Cindy shifting, as if she’s ready to act.

  “You have no idea what I’m capable of!” Cindy shouts. Her anger is emphasized by whatever power she possesses.

  This time, since her back is to everyone in the room, the magic isn’t focused on anyone in particular. Instead it affects the very walls of the barn. Everything seems to be brought to life. Warped faces and limbs appear and pull themselves away from the walls and stall doors, creating shadow creatures that twist and bend forward and back at the same time. Every piece of wood, every strand of hay melds together in strange, horrifying ways to become creatures bent on attacking every living thing in the room.

  Stewart and Borin barely acknowledge the spell; their attention focuses entirely on the chimera. With rolling eyes and skittering feet, it tries to attack every vision Cindy’s created at once. Both heads snap and hiss while its snake tail whips out, knocking everything nearby to the floor.

  “Calm it down,” Stewart says.

  The creature snaps at Borin as he tries to walk toward it with his arms open. At first I’m too concerned about using the opportunity to attempt to squirm out of the slackened ropes to think about why they are so worried about the chimera’s freak out.

  Then it starts to spit fire.

  Once the old dry hay catches, there’s no chance of getting the fire under control. Flames rise and lick at the old wood of the barn walls and smoke fills the air. I can’t pry my eyes away. It’s beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

  “Let’s go,” Cindy growls at me while pulling at my arm.

  She’s already gotten herself free, leaving the ropes to dangle off me. I push them aside and let her pull me to my feet.

  “Al?” I ask while desperately looking around. If he was on my shoulder, the movement of me standing up could have easily knocked him off.

  “Don’t stand around,” he warns while sliding down the chain to my necklace. “Go.”

  I see movement out of the corner of my eye and turn to find the chimera has gone completely mad, charging at Cindy. Even Stewart and Borin seem desperate to get out of the thing’s way. I call out, but my voice is lost in the roar of the fire and the shouts and growls of the others. Somehow, Cindy sees Farah in time and spins to face it. I don’t notice her put her hand in her pocket, but I do see the dust as she blows it into one of the creature’s faces. The offended head hisses and yelps as the powder flutters around. Both heads now in agreement, it runs.

  Not just runs, but frigging bolts it out of there, tail between its legs. It doesn’t hesitate at the door as it smashes through the wood, splintering beams as though they are nothing more than cellophane.

  With her back turned to the rest of us, proudly watching the chimera flee, Cindy doesn’t see Borin and Stewart turn their attention to us.

  Chapter Seven

  Borin is the first to move. He tries to step around me either in an attempt to block our escape or attack Cindy directly. Neither is going to happen, not if I can help it.

  The guy is bigger and heavier than I and it makes me wish I’d taken more self defense classes, but there’s nothing to be done about it now. I move two steps to bring me face to face with him, knowing a direct bit of confrontation like this is going to set him on edge. I can only hope he swings at me rather than use some sort of crazy mind-melting magic.

  He swings. With his weight and strength fully behind the punch, I know if it lands, I’m out cold. But it also means all of his balance shifts forward, making it easy to duck under the swing and grab hold of his arm. As I straighten from my dip, I push the arm further to throw his balance completely off.

  Before he has a chance to right himself, I use our combined momentum to spin all of the way around and land a hard kick to the back of his knee. Not hard enough. He doesn’t go down as I hope and so my next kick lands lower than I expect. Worse, when I realize it won’t hit where I want, I end up pulling the kick and it strikes with less strength than I’m capable.

  Even though I know I should attack again while he’s still somewhat disoriented, my focus is pulled to Stewart. There’s no reason why I need to pay attention to him right now. He’s not an immediate threat, but my gut screams to watch out.

  The weird thing is he’s not paying attention to us, not really. His eyes are on the box in his hands while the fire inches ever closer behind him.

  Borin’s arm wraps around my chest and throw me at the barn wall. It’s far enough away the impact isn’t particularly painful; still, I feel the wall shift as I hit. The building weakens every second, and if we don’t get out, there’s no doubt the whole place is going to collapse on us.

  With my focus split between the fire and Stewart, I don’t have enough attention to spare for Borin. Luckily Cindy is watching him. As Borin comes after me to finish what he started, she manages to wrap the rope he used on us around him. It catches his neck, and when he rushes forward, he chokes himself.

  His eyes bulge both from the lack of air and from anger as he turns to Cindy. The second he does, my attention is back on Stewart. It’s as if my disgust from him touching the box earlier has increased to a point where if I don’t stop him, I’ll never forgive myself. I have no idea why, but he can’t hold it for one more second.

  When I see he’s already flicked the latch and lifting the lid, I snap forward. He notices me only as my foot flies up to knock the box out of his hands. It lands hard on the ground and I cringe as it teeters upside down with its lid wide open. If there’s another mini-man in there, there’s no way he would have survived the fall.

  Stewart’s and my eyes lock for half a second before he raises a hand as though to throw something at me. In the same moment, I fling myself to the ground and into a somersault, grabbing the box as I roll. I don’t know how quick Stewart will be with his magic, and I’m sure he’s going to use it against me since brute force seems to be more Borin’s specialty, so I keep moving and give him no chance of an easy target.

  When I move several feet closer to the door, I glance back at him. He’s not looking at me. He’s staring at something on the ground, more or less where the box landed. I glance back at the door and escape, but something about him draws my attention again. Another peek and he hasn’t moved. At all. It doesn’t even look like he’s blinked.

  I drag my eyes away from him and turn to Cindy for answers. She’s the same. And Borin. It’s like they’ve been frozen, mid-step, as they stare at the same spot. My instinct is to follow their gaze, but I manage to stop myself.

  The fire is getting worse, the smoke irritating my lungs. I crouch in order to keep out of the worst of the heat. Why aren’t the others doing the same? I want to run, but there’s no way I’m going anywhere without Cindy. So, why isn’t she coming?

  “What’s happening?” Al asks. “Why’ve you stopped?”

  “No one’s moving.” Speaking comes with uncontrollable coughing.

  Al on the other hand doesn’t seem to have any trouble with the smoke. “Why?”

  “They’re staring at something,” I croak. The heat’s getting to be too much. “I don’t know what.”

  “Don’t look!”

  “Guessed that,” I say while forcing myself to gaze everywhere except where my eyes are drawn. “What do I do?”

  Everyone is still completely motionless. The fire is so close to Stewart, it’s starting to char the bottom of his pant legs. Bits of flaming pieces of old hay and boards crumble from the loft and fall around all of us, causing sparks to spread and
the fire to grow. I duck instinctively as a piece comes within inches of hitting Stewart in the head.

  “Get out.”

  “Not without Cindy.”

  He sighs. “She’s not moving either I take it.”

  I answer with another coughing bout.

  “There must be some sort of spell capturing them. Probably something requiring the target to maintain eye contact with an object. Whatever you do, don’t get between the wizards and the object.”

  “An object?” I ask, with another glance around the room.

  This time when my eyes pass over the others I notice the keys on the table. Fire is already eating away at the table’s legs, and I’m betting the shiny metal is going to be extremely hot. Unfortunately, it’s also our only way of escape.

  “It probably came out of the box.”

  “What did?” I ask while distracted by the keys.

  “The object.” Another chunk of wood falls, the largest yet. The smash and spray of flames causes Al to pause for a second. When he speaks again, it’s in a rush. “You knocked the box to the ground, did you not? When it fell, it must have dropped out.”

  “You were the only thing in there.”

  His frustration at my slow understanding and the fact that I’m not getting out of the crumbling barn as quick as he’d like causes his voice to be tight.

  “Yes, that time.”

  The heat and smoke is making an already messed up situation much more confusing.

  “Explain later.” The smoke is so thick the space between the others and me has become blurred. Even with the spell capturing her, I have no idea how Cindy hasn’t passed out yet. There’s no more time. “You said to stop the spell I need to break their eye contact, right?”

  “Correct.”

  “Perfect.”

  I dash forward, grab the keys and instantly shove them into my purse, which I also grab off the table. The heat’s done its number on it, turning the off white leather a dirty brown and making the metal clasp next to impossible to touch, but it’s better than holding the keys directly. Plus my cell’s in there. When I turn to face Borin and Cindy, I know there’s no way I can block the view of one but not the other. I’m going to have to make this quick.