WINDOWS: A BROKEN FAIRY TALE

by Bramble, Casey

  The sun hung like a burning eye just barely over the horizon when Raven told Bryson to pull up. Sarah’s trail had led the three rescuers to a small, secluded building 20 miles west of Vestavia ringed by thick forest. Bryson hovered in the air, waiting for Raven’s instructions.

  “Set down over there.” Raven said, pointing to the front door. “If they haven’t set off alarms yet, they’re not going to.”

  Felicity expressed her confusion. “The prison is on the other side of Vestavia. Why are we stopping here?”

  Raven’s voice sounded oddly distant. “This is where Sarah is.”

  “Why would she be here, and how do you know?” Felicity was getting a little nervous. She knew Raven was angry and scared, but her little sister was showing no signs of emotion.

  “I don’t know why she’s here but I know she is because of the tracking magic in the tattoo. It shines like a beacon in the night to me.”

  “That can only be tracked with the crystal, and only within 30 miles. How can you see it?”

  Raven didn’t answer as Bryson landed, the strength of his wings stirring up a small cloud of dust. The two passengers slid off his back.

  “Stay here and keep watch. Roar if anybody comes.” Felicity told him.

  “If anybody comes, kill them.” Raven ordered. The dragon nodded, his yellow eyes narrowed with undisguised worry.

  Felicity tried to open the door but it was locked. “Sealed with magic.” She exclaimed. “We’ll find another way in.”

  Raven ignored her. She caressed the door searchingly with her fingers and whispered, “Show me.” After finding what she was looking for she slammed an open palm against the door. Light flared for a second and then faded as the redhead drew out her sword.

  “Stand back.” Raven plunged the blade into the heavy wood. For a brief moment nothing happened. Felicity was about to say something when the door imploded with enough force to rock the ground they were standing on. Even Bryson, who had his back to them, jumped a little. After the smoke cleared, Felicity saw the door had been left a smoldering wreck and their way in was clear.

  “Raven, they’re going to hear us!” Felicity couldn’t tell if she was shouting over the ringing in her ears.

  Raven shook her head as she stepped over the charred remains.

  Felicity followed, brushing stray bits of ash off her shirt. “How did you do that?” She asked, slightly calmer since no alarms were going off.

  “That was a rune on the door. I found the keystone rune and destroyed it.” Raven wasn’t really interested in conversation. She walked into the darkened building.

  “That’s why there are no guards. Nobody can get in or out.” She followed Raven who seemed to know where they were going. “Whoever inscribed that rune must be pretty strong.”

  Raven shrugged her shoulders and slid the sword back into its scabbard. “I’m stronger.”

  Sarah floated in the stygian darkness, thinking that death wasn’t as bad as she feared. The pain was subsiding and comforting warmth enveloped her. It was peaceful and gentle. She could even hear voices now, telling her to come on. Just wait, she thought dreamily, I have all eternity.

  The voices were growing louder, more insistent as a pair of firm hands grasped her shoulders, shaking her. Sarah hadn’t contemplated death before the last couple of days but that didn’t seem quite right. Cautiously she opened an eye and saw two blurry images peering down at her. One seemed to be holding a fireball… Raven!

  Sarah tried to sit up but the days of abuse had left her body stiff and unwieldy. Her joints felt like they were full of metal shavings off the shop floor. Another shadow, the one gently brushing her wounds with a sweet smelling ointment, pushed her back down and held a flask to her lips. Sarah drank it greedily, the cooling mixture chasing away the dryness in her throat. Take it easy the second shadow told her. Sarah recognized the voice at once. Felicity had come too.

  Seeing Sarah awake, Raven let the fireball disperse and brushed Felicity aside. “I’m so sorry, Lil’bit.” Raven choked back the tears as she gently wrapped her arms around Sarah.

  “Raven,” Felicity’s voice was rushed, “we have to get her to a doctor soon.”

  After a final hug, Raven conjured another fireball. Sarah squinted at the sudden brightness and tried to stand herself but was too weak. Quickly Felicity bent forward to help.

  The three girls walked up the steps, every sound magnified by the echoing stone. They had broken into-- and were now trying to break out of-- a Protectorate prison. The going was slow because although Sarah’s wounds were somewhat healed she was still weak from lack of food and water. They climbed halfway up stairs when the door above hammered open. Two large men stood silhouetted in the door way, blocking their escape. One muttered something and torches blazed into life.

  Felicity recognized the two men, William Rodgers and Jeff Lewis, as members of the Protectorate squad assigned to bringing in rogue magic users.

  “Raven we have to do something those two are…”

  “I know who they are. Just hold Sarah and we’ll be out of here soon.” Raven eyed the men with a mixture of revulsion and rage. The Protectorate had known she’d try to rescue Sarah and set a trap.

  The two men began walking down the steps with steady deliberation, stopping ten stairs above the trio.

  “Well look what we have here.” Jeff sneered, “Richard was right about setting that one up for bait but damned if we ain’t caught two Valentria gals breaking in.”

  William laughed, “Yeah, three for the price of one is a pretty sweet deal. Say do you think these two will scream as pretty as the blonde did?”

  Jeff chortled loudly, sending fresh chills down Sarah’s spine. She remembered that same laughter in the interrogation chamber.

  Raven shook, barely able to contain her rage. Shadows cast by the torches darkened her eyes. “You two are responsible for Sarah’s injuries?”

  Even through the pain induced stupor, Sarah heard death in Raven’s words.

  The two men cackled again, secure in the knowledge that they could handle three girls, one of which was already near death. “We sure are.”

  A muscle throbbed in Raven’s jaw and her eyes grew a shade darker. Fights were one thing, but these two had tortured an innocent person just to get to her. There would be no forgiveness.

  Felicity, who didn’t dare take her eyes off the two men, felt something like a breeze brush against her cheek. Raven was gathering energy for something and although she had seen Raven cast hundreds of spells in the past she’d never felt anything like this. This magic felt dark and heavy, almost like it wasn’t really her sister’s. It made her physically ill as it swirled around them in invisible eddies. It was evil. She started to say something but Raven’s oddly mechanical voice stopped her.

  “Felicity, Sarah, close your eyes.” She didn’t bother checking if her instructions were followed. Muttering under her breath, Raven’s eyes rolled back in their sockets. A dark gray mist coiled snakelike around her body. Other voices, dozens, or possibly more, joined that of the sorceress. Finally, with an audible hiss, Raven shot her arms out straight and the mist streamed from them, surrounding the two men. Felicity closed her eyes tightly.

  Jeff and William grinned like jackals. They had never seen anything like this but weren’t exactly afraid of talking smoke. Jeff tried to take a step. Something tugged at his foot. William tried to free his sword. A vice like grip held his arm in place. They both tried desperately to move but were immobilized by some unseen force, except their mouths.

  When the screaming began, Felicity urgently fought the urge to cry out herself. Grown men should not make that noise; a horrible, keening wail that pierced through the hands over her ears and drove itself deep into her brain. Like a maggot through rotten flesh it burrowed ever closer to her soul. She thought she would go crazy. Another voice joined in the unholy chorus of shrieks and it was only after an eternity that Felicity realized it was hers.

  As quickly as it
began, the screaming stopped. Immediately Felicity wished it would return. A damp ripping noise, worse than the screams, filled the vacuum followed by a dull plop.

  Rip.

  Plop.

  Rip.

  Plop.

  Felicity thought it would go on forever before a smell joined the terrible sounds. Damp and coppery it forced its way into her nose and down into her stomach which cramped in protest. She fought a wave of nausea. Finally even the terrible noise stopped though the stench remained. With her ears still covered Felicity could hear mumbled words as Raven held a conversation with someone she didn’t dare open her eyes to see.

  Raven barely acknowledged the carnage. She never knew precisely how much blood the human body could hold and wasn’t really interested in making a through examination. “Keep your eyes closed.”

  Felicity had no intention of arguing. Her other senses were enough to tell her that something terrible had happened, something her little sister was at least partially responsible for. The smell of blood, Felicity recognized it now, was making her gag. Once she stepped in something soft and pliable, almost falling as it wrapped itself wetly around the toe of her boot but she didn’t look to see what it was. No, Felicity Chandlish had no intentions of opening her eyes.

  She felt Raven grab her hand and they moved hastily to the top of the stairs. The door slammed and she risked peeking with one eye.

  “What happened?” Liz realized she had been holding her breath and let out a loud gasp, opening both eyes since she couldn’t see anything really appalling. There were crimson footprints smearing the floor but she studiously ignored them.

  Raven paid her no attention, instead focusing on the rune she was inscribing. Something was coming from the lower levels, something she couldn’t fight. They had to get out of here before it reached the top of the stairs and that blockade rune wouldn’t hold very long.

  The flames from the prison were slowly dying out, though bright red embers still floated on the crisp morning breeze, when Richard DeGuire stepped off of his airship followed by a figure wrapped in a flowing black cloak. Casting an appraising look over the smoking ruins, Richard turned to his companion and nodded. The figure walked calmly to the ruins and placed one of its hands in the charred remains.

  “Powerful magic my lord. Ancient magic.”

  “Are you certain?”

  The cloaked figure held a gloved hand to where Richard assumed its nose was. “Even with the dragon’s breath, there is still a trace of it in the air.”

  “Is it her? Is she the one we’ve been looking for?”

  “There can be no mistake, my lord. The flames of a dragon will consume anything they touch, save for the most powerful of magics. No mere sorceress possesses the kind of energy needed to cast the spells used here. She is the one.”

  Richard smiled. What were two lost soldiers and a building when they had finally discovered what they had searched so long for? The trap had worked perfectly.

  Sarah was fast asleep, held tight in Raven’s arms with Liz sitting behind them as they headed back towards Valentria. Bryson flew without hurry, not wanting to jar Sarah awake until they could get home.

  “Raven,” Felicity started cautiously, “what exactly happened back there?” After they were free, Raven had whispered something to Bryson and the dragon torched the prison. It fell in on itself shortly after the first spout of fire but he kept the flames blazing, scorching the area left by the building’s collapse until all that remained was a charred and blackened hole. Felicity thought she had seen something moving briefly in the inferno but Bryson’s flame intensified so she never got a clear look. Now the normally gregarious Raven was as pale and silent as the marble bust that decorated the castle, only occasionally leaning her face forward into Sarah’s blonde hair. For a moment Liz thought she would be ignored but Raven responded.

  “There was something else in that prison. They planned to feed Sarah to it.”

  Raven’s monotone chilled her almost as much at the words did, but Felicity still asked the question she didn’t really want an answer to.

  “How did you know that?”

  “They told me.”

  “Who told you? Branwyen, what did you do?”

  Raven finally turned and Felicity almost cried. Her sister’s sparkling emerald eyes were washed out, lifeless looking. Looking into those dull orbs was the hardest thing Felicity ever had to do.

  “Never ask me that again.”

  The rest of the flight home was silent.

  CHAPTER 16: THE EYES HAVE IT

  Raven and Felicity carefully slid Sarah down from Bryson, trying their best not to jerk the injured girl. At once the doors to the castle flew open and a swarm of people rushed outside, Elspeth in the lead.

  Not even bothering to look at Raven or the unconscious Sarah, Elspeth hugged Felicity and asked if she were alright.

  “I’m fine Mom, but Sarah needs medical attention right away.” Felicity said, still supporting Sarah on one arm. Elspeth appeared for a moment as if she were going to refuse but the look in her oldest daughter’s eye changed her mind. With a curt nod from the Duchess, Daniel and two guards emerged from the shadows and carried Sarah to the medical rooms. Raven started to follow but Elspeth stood in front of her.

  “Move.” An unmistakable threat carried in the single word.

  A sharp crack split the chilly autumn air as Elspeth’s open hand slapped Raven’s cheek. “Don’t you dare tell me what to do Branwyen.”

  Raven glowered for a second, her frayed nerves tensing. The rest of the small gathering, Bekah, Stephen and Amanda among them, felt the tension intensifying. With a deep breath Raven stepped around Elspeth.

  “I’m not done with… ARGH!” Elspeth grabbed Raven but a bright flame enveloped the redhead’s entire arm. Elspeth drew her hand back quickly, pain and shock flashing across her face.

  “I’m going to check on Sarah.” Raven’s voice didn’t rise above a whisper. Nobody else tried to stop her.

  In the medical quarters, Daniel checked over Sarah’s various injuries, thankful to find that they weren’t as severe as he thought at first. She was dehydrated and starving but nothing really life threatening. Unexpectedly, gray eyes fluttered open and a raspy voice breathed past cracked lips. Daniel leaned closer to hear what Sarah wanted.

  “Raven… Liz.” She whispered with a dry cough. Brushing her head with a damp towel, Daniel assured her that they were alright. Appearing to relax, Sarah sank back into unconsciousness.

  “Is she going to be okay?” Daniel wasn’t surprised to hear Raven behind him.

  “We’ll have to hook up to a saline drip to rehydrate her and another to get her some vitamins, but she’ll be fine.” Daniel turned to Raven and wiped a trembling hand over his brow. “Is there any chance you’re going to tell me what happened out there?” He asked as the grim faced girl glided past him and perched on the hospital bed.

  “They tortured her.”

  “I can see that. How did you escape?”

  Raven eyed him for a moment and for the first time after all the practical jokes involving magic and weapons, Daniel was terrified of her.

  “I killed them.”

  An hour later Raven was still holding Sarah’s hand as Daniel checked the IVs when one of the castle guards arrived; informing them that Branwyen’s presence was required.

  “I’m busy.” Raven told the man, her eyes never leaving Sarah.

  “I’m sorry, Lady Branwyen, but this is an order. I was told to make you come with me.”

  Raven reached for the hilt of her sword, “How are you going to MAKE me?” The man took an instinctive step backwards but before Raven could move, Daniel grabbed her arm.

  “Go.” He whispered firmly, “If you fight in here you’ll only put Sarah in more danger. I’m watching her, so go.”

  Raven looked for a moment as if she were going to be difficult but instead leaned over and kissed Sarah on the forehead, “I’ll be back soon, Lil’bit.”


  Marching purposefully through the doors of the Sanctum Inquisitor, Raven’s jaw clenched tightly and a small muscle throbbed in her cheek. She stopped in a small patch of bright light that shone down from a hidden alcove in the ceiling. Having been on the giving end of these interrogations before, Raven didn’t need to see into the shadows that lay just out of the light’s reach to know where everybody was. Elspeth was sitting straight ahead of her, and to the Duchess’s right was an empty chair, symbolic of her late husband, followed by Felicity, Stephen and Mike, the head of the castle guards. To Elspeth’s left was Bekah, the chair Raven normally sat in which would be filled by Brian now, and then Mandy.

  “Sis, are you alright?” Bekah sounded like she desperately wanted to give her Sis a hug. Raven felt like she really needed one but maintained eye contact with where Elspeth would be sitting. If the whole family was gathered together, this was going to be unpleasant.

  “Branwyen, we’ve already heard Felicity’s version of what happened. Now we would like you to fill in some holes.” Elspeth’s voice was almost conversational from the darkness. Raven knew that the shadows were meant to make the person being questioned nervous. It wasn’t working on her, though if that was because she knew what was supposed to happen or was just too tired to care, she couldn’t say.

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Tell me everything.” A subtle movement of dark on black meant that Elspeth was getting comfortable.

  “We flew to the prison. We rescued Sarah, killed the guards, and then burned the place down.”

  “Do you mind telling me why?”

  Under normal circumstances, Raven’s first response would have been to say because flying was a lot faster than walking but she wanted to get back to Sarah quickly as possible.

  “The guards tortured Sarah and were using her as a trap for me and Felicity. I had to kill them to protect us.”

  “I do not care about them, Branwyen. I meant, why did you go rescue Sarah? I remember distinctly telling you not to.”