Inside of their protective cocoons, Arnon and Kanda watched, helpless, speechless. Catrina called out to Colin, but he struggled to hear her over the chaos strangling his mind.
“One thought,” she shouted. “Grab one thought. Be in the moment.”
He closed his eyes. “I don’t want to hurt anyone,” he told himself. He grabbed hold of that thought and threw away all else. “I don’t want to hurt anyone,” he said again and again. “I want everything to be as it was.” He repeated this thought until quite suddenly Magicante caught up with him and he no longer felt like his inner core was about to burst open.
He opened his eyes. He was back in Kanda’s kitchen, as if nothing had happened. As if the explosion had never happened. Even the glass vase was intact, on the counter. The cocoons dissolved and Catrina ran forward.
“I’m sorry,” Colin spouted. “I should have been more careful. I could feel it building. I just didn’t realize it wouldn’t stop.”
“We’re all okay,” Catrina told him.
Colin took a daring gaze into his uncle’s eyes. There it was; what he had expected to see all along. Fear. Doubt. Distrust. Then all of that vanished.
“Wow,” Arnon breathed out.
Kanda did a few bewildered turns around her kitchen, which a moment ago had been blown apart. Everything was exactly as it had been. Not a single thing was out of place.
“I know the theory behind what just happened, but to see it in action is… I’m sorry, I don’t mean this in a bad way, but that was astonishing to witness.”
“That’s what I meant, it just came out as wow,” added Arnon, in a bewildered warble.
“Still think I’m not a freak with a non-fulfill-able death wish? That all of this is just somehow going to miraculously work out?” Colin asked, a part of him almost feeling vindicated. Like he had needed to show this to his uncle, to prove what he was, and what he was capable of doing. His words had come out laden in more bitterness than he had meant, partly because he was angry with himself and partly because there was nothing left to hide.
“I stand by everything I’ve said Colin,” Arnon replied without hesitation. “You didn’t ask for this. And as astonishing as it is to see, you controlled it. You didn’t let it win.”
Colin let out a long sigh. He tried to imagine Jasper and his hundreds of years of living as a Projector. How had he accomplished it? Was he just lucky? Did he have some uncanny ability to remain calm in any circumstance? No matter what?
He suddenly felt very old. And very tired.
And although his uncle sounded confident in what he said, there was still a hint of fear in his eyes. Colin wondered how badly he had frightened them all, and whether they felt safe being around him. Catrina was still at his side. Her smile warmed him. Gave him hope.
Kanda was about to leave and return to her real home, taking his uncle with her. He wondered now if they were questioning the decision to allow him to come.
CHAPTER 5
A brutal truth was revealing itself to all that stood near the cliff’s edge.
Irving Mochrie fell to his knees after seeing his son Jae, jump to his death, after claiming it was Juliska Blackwell who created and controlled the Scratchers. And that his son was one of them. How’d he not known this was happening? How could he have missed such a pivotal thing in his son’s life?
Did this respected and trusted leader of the Svoda really fool them all? Did Jae Mochrie get turned into a monster? And then killed himself because of this?
The gathered group started small, but grew larger with each passing minute as more and more Svoda arrived. Whispers and murmurs spread like wildfire, no one believing what they were being told. Or even what they’d seen, for those who’d witnessed it. Saying things like, “There is no way,” and “This must be a mistake, she would never do this to us,” or “I don’t believe this for one minute, she’s our leader. She protects us.” Denial spread through the group, catching up with the wildfire tale of what those present had witnessed.
Juliska leered over them in eerie silence, like a great calm before a storm.
Why didn’t she deny these horrific claims?
Why did she stand in silence?
Out of those gathered on the cliff, a small few had already known the truth: that she did create the Scratchers. That she did control them. They had not expected, however, for it to be Jae Mochrie sacrificing himself, to be the manner in which this was discovered. His courageous act had taken them instantly down a one-way road.
Juliska could attempt denial, but the seeds had been planted even if she did.
Billie Sadorus nodded curtly at the Jackal sisters, Kalila and Kalida, owners of the Jackal Lantern, and then towards the Flummer family, Noah and his mother Sidra, who had helped Colin and Catrina escape many months before. They stood in front of Noah’s wife and young child, shielding them.
Maura grasped Billie’s hand, silently letting her know she was by her side and then let go, poised to fight if it became necessary. They were just a few, but ready to fight against Juliska Blackwell nonetheless.
They had hoped to increase their numbers before this moment came, to give themselves a better chance at success. Now that the traveling Svoda groups had returned, they had hoped to recruit others to their cause.
Billie frantically searched for the one other person she knew was privy to their cause, the person responsible for her knowing the truth. She caught his eye but found she could barely see as tears stung at her cheeks, blurring her vision. His gaze warned, now. We don’t wait. We do it now. She trembled for just a moment in the meaning of that. Garner returned her unspoken words, mouthing, “Be strong, for me.” Billie wiped her eyes and looked away, steeling herself for what was to come. They had both known it would come to this someday. But somehow, you always think you have another day, before someday arrives.
“The price of truth and freedom,” Garner had told her, years before. “For what better cause could I forfeit my life? When the time comes, be strong. Sacrifice, will be the easy road. It’s you that will have to forge onward. To continue the fight. And live.”
The time for goodbyes passed. Sorrow would have to wait. This was the time to fight! She daringly looked his direction one last time, showing him her resolve. She bowed her head toward Ravana, Garner’s wife, who stood firmly by his side. Billie resolved to make sure their sacrifice would not be in vain.
Garner turned and faced his wife, whispering something. After a moment of embrace, they walked out of the crowd, toward Juliska Blackwell.
The Gypsy Queen remained silent in the furious aura surrounding her.
Perhaps hoping the Svoda would not believe what they had seen, or were being told. Perhaps just biding her time to strike at the right moment. Regardless, after today, no one would doubt the truth of her true nature.
Garner and Ravana took strong steps, splitting apart as they got closer to their target, who did not suspect them of anything other than coming to her aid.
Ravana continued forward, Garner stopped.
His eyes never left Juliska’s as he spoke.
“What is sacrificed today will show all Svoda the truth. No doubts will remain. You are at your end!”
Juliska came back to life.
Her nostrils flared and her eyes bulged with rage.
She had been tricked by her most loyal subjects.
Smoke erupted from her skin.
“You dare attack your creator?” she admitted freely.
Dark inky veins pulsated into fiery lines across her face, neck and arms. She raised those arms into the air, making a motion with her hands to draw in the clouds, darkening the sky and throwing a dreary blanket over the entire island.
Billie motioned for her small army to hold back; they would advance once Garner and Ravana attacked Juliska. Their only chance of success was to catch Juliska off guard.
Billie had only witnessed her brother transform once, it was nearly impossible to watch. She shoved the memory back into th
e recesses of her mind; she needed to remain focused. She could not allow her brother’s inevitable demise to overwhelm her. They had just this one chance to take Juliska Blackwell out of power.
Juliska’s deadly gaze dropped, ignoring Ravana and slicing into Garner.
Horrified gasps erupted from the Svoda as they watched Ravana’s body begin to shift and transform before them.
Garner turned away from Juliska and did the same, contorting into the hideous form of his inner beast. His teeth became long and jagged, his head elongated, dark gray skin replacing his own human skin. His fingernails grew sharply out of his fingertips, his knees bent forward, dropping his height just a few inches as the nails on his toes grew out and bent, clicking against the rock on which he stood. Translucent, web-like wings freed themselves from his back, heaving upwards into the air. As if he needed to drive the point home, he took a short lunge toward the Svoda. He had no intent to harm them, only to frighten. He turned on the spot back to Juliska. She headed toward him, fearlessly, her hand outstretched.
Ravana, now behind Juliska, leapt upward, her wings flapping against the air with a snap. She dove for Juliska, her wings ready to enclose around her Master and creator.
She didn’t make it. Up over the backside of the cliff two Scratchers flew up, landing on Ravana, pinning her to the ground.
Juliska ignored the cries behind her.
Ravana’s body let out a shudder and went limp. She was dead.
Garner let out a single whimper in his wife’s demise, which in his Scratcher form came out as a miserable howl. He lifted off the ground, swung his head to find Billie and let out a ferocious snarl.
It was time. When Juliska and Garner fought, they would attack.
Juliska’s body rose into the air, meeting Garner’s height. Hatred heated her vengeful glare as it lingered downward over the Svoda, basking in their pitiful innocence being stripped away. Layer by layer.
Her head flew up and she threw her arm up in front of her, opening her hand as if grabbing something. Garner began to struggle. His wings thrashed around him. Juliska was pulling him closer to her. He tried to fight it, but there was no winning.
Flames burst forth from her hands, moving up her arms and covering her body.
“How dare you?” she spewed through the flames. “I. Control. You!”
Garner froze mid-air, his wings unable to maintain his height and he plummeted to the ground. His body began to contort and shift again, leaving him in his human form.
His body lifted into the air once again. Juliska reached out her fiery arm and clasped it around his neck.
“Now they shall all see,” he mumbled through the pain of her touch.
“Yes. You will each see,” she bellowed wildly. “You shall see what happens to traitors.”
The fire engulfing her body dissolved.
Juliska closed her eyes and upon opening them they turned a hot, fiery red. She leaned in closer to Garner and opened her mouth, exposing her teeth. She inhaled, sucking deeper and deeper, in one long revealing breath.
Billie shook off this stunning display and shouted, “Now!” Her small army rushed forward, palms outward, facing Juliska. A luminous glow started to emanate from Garner’s body, funneling into Juliska’s mouth.
“She’s a... Vampyre,” someone exclaimed, upon seeing the horrific sight. “She’s Vetala.”
“Vetala, they became the Grosvenor,” someone else said.
The understanding of this truth came quickly to some, and some were so stunned they just collapsed both physically and spiritually under the shock of it all.
Juliska Blackwell was not their savior or their protector. She was their enemy!
A few saw Billie and her small army rushing Juliska and fell in behind her, realizing they were fighting back. Billie ignored the flailing limbs of her dying brother, dangling overhead.
She was first to shoot off a spell, but it bounced off Juliska. It didn’t even faze her.
“We’ll need to do it together,” shouted Billie. They formed a line, raised their palms upwards towards Juliska. Billie opened her mouth to shout the order to release the spell, when she froze.
From behind Juliska, up over the side of the cliff they came.
A great host of Scratchers. Wings dragging through their air, coming to their Master’s call. Juliska’s army had grown. They were outnumbered. They’d not win this battle today.
Billie was shaken back into the moment when the body of her dead brother, Garner, slumped to the ground, landing next to her. His skin was sunken and sallow.
Their brief moment had passed.
This was now a battle they could not win. “Retreat,” she exclaimed to anyone that could hear her. She wasn’t sure who else followed but she ran, Maura at her side.
Many in the crowd were too stunned to do anything, reality still sinking in. Regardless, it was too late for them. They had seen the truth but they would all become Juliska’s prisoners.
Us too, Billie thought. They might escape for now, but they would not be able to hide for long. Not with the army Juliska had at her disposal. She heard footsteps behind her as she and Maura ran, but did not dare look to see who had followed.
Behind them, back at the cliff’s edge, chaos was breaking out. Svoda were running and screaming from the Scratchers flying overhead. Juliska ordered her army to round everyone up. It wasn’t hard to do. No one wanted to get in the way of their deadly wings.
Billie and Maura did not stop running until they were deep in the island’s thick forest. With the sky now black as a starless night, they could not see well at all. But to their advantage, the trees were so thick the Scratchers could not attack.
Billie slowed, allowing everyone to catch up and gather themselves. The Flummer family had made it. Noah’s wife carried their daughter while he carried one of the Jackal sisters. Kalila. Kalida was nowhere in sight.
“Put me down you brute,” she scolded him. He did so, but her foot was injured and she could barely stand. The elderly woman nearly collapsed.
“Your sister?” questioned Billie.
Kalila just shook her disheveled head.
“Scratcher,” explained Noah. “This one was trying to fight it off!”
“Wouldn’t you?” she squawked back.
“There is too much at stake and she was already gone,” he spoke with harsh kindness. “We need you with us.”
She just shook her head and slid to the ground.
“I don’t know how to live without her.”
A few stragglers sauntered in, exhausted and confused. Faces they did not recognize but welcomed anyway. They waited. No one else came. In all, only eleven people had followed and made it safely into the woods.
“We cannot stay here for long, they will be searching for us,” said Maura.
“Yes, you’re right,” agreed Billie. “We need to keep moving. I know a place we can hide.”
A snap of a branch not far away sent them into instant silence. There was someone else approaching. Friend or foe, they did not know.
A young woman stepped out from behind a tree, gasping when she saw numerous palms pointed and ready to cast a spell.
“Maria!” shouted Billie, running forward. “Is there anyone else with you?”
“No,” she whimpered. “No one. I saw you all run and I got caught up. My father...” she stopped. “My father grabbed hold of me and magicked me away. I’m sure it took every ounce of magic he had.” She leaned her head on Billie’s shoulder.
“I’m sure he’s okay,” said Billie. But her voice held no tone of confidence in what she said. She glanced back to the others, the same questions seeping out of their gazes; just how many new orphans would there be today? Would Juliska leave anyone alive?
Maria wiped her face and joined the rest of the group. Billie took the lead and during the arduous walk explained all that she knew to the newcomers. She told them how a small number in her group had discovered Juliska’s secret a few years back. They had d
evised a plan to show everyone the truth, as well as take her out of power.
“Unfortunately,” interjected Noah, “It seems that she was recruiting followers at a much higher rate than we knew, or had been able to for ourselves.”
“We needed more time, just a little more time,” said Billie.
A voice called out, “How could they do it? How could so many join her? Become hunters of their own people?”
Billie and Noah looked at each other, speechless. They could not answer this question.
Noah stepped toward Billie. “I’m sorry about Garner,” he said. “We will make sure he and Ravana didn’t die in vain.”
“Today, it seems like he did,” she spoke in a raspy voice. “Yes, the people know the truth. But we failed in our part.”
“Only for today,” said Maura softly.
Billie nodded in half-hearted agreement.
“For those of you that didn’t know my brother, he was Garner Sadorus, a good and brave man. It was he that learned Juliska’s terrible secret and passed it along to me. He joined her. Allowed himself to be recruited by her. Became the monster you all saw today, carrying out her diabolical orders, all the while learning as much as he could and passing along that information. Every day, putting his life on the line to learn Juliska’s true intentions.”
“Which are?” a nameless voice spoke.
Billie stopped and faced them.
“He never found out. He was close. We needed more time.” She mindlessly turned and continued walking, in silence, the only sound the crunching of leaves under their feet and the occasional rustling of thick pine branches.
Finally, they reached their destination. A tall granite wall. Just over and behind that wall, they could hear the sloshing of the ocean waves crashing onto the shore.
Billie turned left and stopped in front of a small cavern. It wasn’t too deep, but deep enough that they could fit comfortably and take cover.
They used every ounce of magic they could muster to cast protections around the cavern. They were all too tired to address the question of why they were having trouble collecting enough magical energy to produce much magic. Perhaps Juliska could suck that out of the island just as she could suck the life force out of a person.
Taken (The Blood Spell, The Fugitives, and The Firemancer's Son) (A Fated Fantasy Quest Adventure Book 6) Page 4
