Seventh (The Hafling Chronicles Book 1)

by Abigail McGovern

  “Good riddance.” A third voice growls.

  With that voice all my memories come rushing back, and I blink to clear my vision. Dillon. I think. What happened to Dillon? I push away from the person holding me and turn around, wobbling for a second as vertigo rushes back, but then steadying myself. “Kellen!”

  “Liv!” He says, the relief apparent in his voice. “Are you ok?”

  “Fine.” I say tersely. “What happened?”

  “You finished the barrier.” Kira interrupts. “But you used too much power doing it. You’ll probably feel a little drained for a while.”

  “What are you, a doctor?” Kellen teases. I frown at him, then nod at Kira.

  “Thanks.” I tell her. Kellen frowns back.

  “What did I do?” He asks.

  “Take this seriously.” I say. “We might have gotten rid of the demons, but we’re not done yet. There’s still someone I have to find.”

  “You mean-” Kira starts.

  “Lukas.” Dillon’s voice finishes.

  I look up and meet his eyes . He stands on the other side of the silvery barrier, his face calm, but his eyes panicked. I’m in front of him in a second, Kira and Kellen flanking me. “Where is he?” We say in unison.

  He grins. “What if I told you that he’s out here?”

  “I wouldn't believe you.” I'm about to continue when another voice interrupts me.

  “No. She's smarter than that, isn't she Dillon? I doubt she's going to be so easy to trick now.”

  I spin around, and gasp when I see him. His black hair is a little longer now than it used to be, and that ridiculous curl that always sticks up in the back is waving in the breeze. He’s even paler than usual (which is saying something). His clothes are the same thing he was wearing the last time I saw him, but are torn and bloodstained. But he’s alive. He’s alive.

  Before I can stop myself I’m moving toward him. “Lukas.” I say. Much less excited than I meant it, but given the circumstances…..I think it’s warranted.

  He smiles, (ish. A smile for Lukas anyway), one corner of his mouth turning up so he looks kind of sheepish. “Hey.” He says curtly.

  Kenzie appears behind him, a scowl on her face. “Luke, you ruined my big surprise!” She moans, then she smiles at me. “We did it Liv!” I smile back.

  “Thank god.” Kellen says. “I don’t know how much more of that I could take! Not to mention you two, that was the most anti-climatic reunion I’ve ever seen! Where are the tearful hello’s, the hugs, the ” A sly glance in my direction. “kisses?”

  I glare at him and Lukas scowls. I smile at that familiar scowl, and Kenzie flashes me a grin. Kellen laughs at me, then at his brother, then steps forward and gives him a high five handshake thing.

  “Talk about anti-climatic.” I grumble. Kellen laughs and the corner of Lukas’ mouth twitches up, the closest thing he has to a laugh. I look down and smile faintly.

  “Luke!” Kira shouts, pushing past me, and leaping forward and wrapping her arms around him in a huge hug. He stiffens, and his eyes widen, a petrified, deer caught in headlights look coming over his face. I laugh silently at him over Kira’s shoulder, and he glares at me.

  When Kira finally lets go, we turn to Kenzie. “How did you find him?” Kira asks.

  “Where did you find him?” I ask.

  “He was in the square, coming out of the palace.” She explains. “That's all I know. I brought him straight over here.”

  “Brought me?” He grumbles under his breath, and I suppress another smile. He straightens up, and starts explaining. “Dillon had to keep me close, to maintain his disguise for so long, so he kept me in the palace dungeons. I-”

  “You were in the dungeons the whole time?” Kellen interrupts, sounding disgusted. “How could we not have noticed?”

  “Well you weren’t exactly looking, were you?” Lukas asks coldly. Kellen visibly winces.

  “Lukas……” I say.

  “It’s fine Liv.” He says, then he continues. “I sensed his magical hold on me break when you put up the barrier, so I was finally able to break out. I was looking for you, Liv, when Kenzie found me.”

  “Good to know your family was your first thought Lukas.” Kellen says harshly.

  Lukas doesn’t flinch, but his expression changes for a fraction of a second, before it flickers back to normal. “It is my job as a guard to protect her.”

  “Yeah…...and maybe something more?” He jibes. This isn’t the same teasing he was giving me. This is meaner, colder.

  I exchange a glance with Kira, and she presses her lips together with concern. “Kenzie, Kellen, don’t you think we should head back to the castle, make sure everything is alright?”

  They nod, and head off in the direction of the Palace. I start to follow them, but Kenzie turns around and shakes her head. “I think you two have some catching up to do, and you are not leaving until you do it.”

  I smile at her. “Well, we’ll try not to be too long.” I say.

  When they are gone I turn to face him, all the relief at seeing him safe I had been holding back washing over me in a torrent of emotion. It takes everything I have not to hug him. Which he would hate. “What happened to you?” I ask. “The day you disappeared I mean.”

  “I knew Dillon was up to something, he wasn’t in school, so I went looking for him, and confronted him, but I was outnumbered. I….didn’t expect there to be so many demons. Needless to say, I lost that fight, and I didn’t stop Dillon’s plan…...and look what happened.” He gestures around as if to say ‘all of this’.

  “This wasn’t your fault Lukas.” I say. “You couldn’t have stopped it.”

  He looks away, and changes the subject. “How did you do this?” He gestures at the barrier. “You couldn’t have had enough necklaces, enough power.”

  I look down at the crushed remains of mine, reluctant to touch it in case it’s important to the barrier, and Lukas follows my gaze. “That’s your grandmother’s. How did you get it?”

  I smile. “Bree and Mer. They opened a portal, and sent a letter through.”

  “They opened a portal?” He says, sounding truly surprised.

  “Yeah.” I say. “They really came through.”

  Lukas looks down, and I mentally berate myself for not being more careful with my words. Clearly Lukas feels like he failed somehow by not defeating Dillon. “I didn’t mean it like that Luke.” I say. “What happened here was not your fault. In fact, I could never have done all this without you, and all the training you gave me.”

  “Liv.” He says. “You weren’t ready. You’re the Seventh yes, but it was never the plan for you to come to the Halfling world before you mastered all your gifts. You weren’t strong enough. You could have died, and it would have been my fault.”

  I bite my lip, then I tilt my head back and look him straight in the eye. “Lukas, if you don’t know by now that things almost never go as planned, then you’re never going to learn.” He laughs, short and sharp, but a laugh nevertheless, and for a second I’m so startled I can’t go on, but then I smile, and take my small victory. “I think I’m stronger now than I would have been before because of all this, not in spite of it. I’ve gotten pretty good at invisibility, flying, and phasing, and let’s face it, I’m the best at all those gifts out of everyone in the whole city!”

  His lips twitch into an almost smile, but his eyes sparkle with laughter. (Who are you and what have you done with Lukas? (Which is also a totally ironic statement, all things considered.)) “Liv.” He says. “I’ve missed you.”

  I smile, a genuine one this time. “I’ve missed you too Lukas.” I say.

  I swear the expression on his face says ‘not as much’, but I don’t have time to think about it because he leans down, and brushes his lips softly against mine. I freeze, startled, but heart pounding with excitement. (Not that I would admit that to Kenzie, Kellen, or Kira.

  When I don’t move, he pulls away. He looks like he wasn’t expecting
anything else, but his face falls nevertheless. My heart squeezes, and I reach forward and catch his hand as he turns to go. He stops and turns around, looking at me questioningly. I lace my fingers through his, and start walking towards the palace.

  “Liv…….” He starts.

  “Lukas.” I say confidently, giving him a big smile.

  He bites the inside of his cheek, the way I’ve noticed that he does, and looks worried, but he closes his fingers around mine anyway, and follows me back to the castle.

  “You haven’t chosen the Heir yet have you, Liv?” Lukas asks me, and I freeze in my steps, forcing him to stop too.

  Dang it. I’d forgotten about that. I still really don’t want to choose, though I think I’m ready. “We didn’t get a chance.” I say. “The party was kind of interrupted.”

  He tilts his head. “I didn’t realize the attack was the night of the party.” He shrugs. Then he looks over at me, his eyes wide. “You do at least have someone picked out, right?”

  “I think so.” I say. “It’s just that I don’t want to disappoint anyone. Hurt their feelings or anything.”

  The corner of his mouth twitches. “They’re not that petty. Being that we’re hundreds of years old and all.”

  I give him an ‘oh really?’ stare, and he sighs and closes his eyes. “Should’ve known you weren’t going to pick Kellen.”

  “It was close.” I say. “Do you think he’ll hold a grudge?”

  “Yes.” He says. “But not for very long. Who did you choose?”

  “I’m not telling.” I say. “You’ll just have to wait and see like everyone else.”

  Worry spreads over his face. “You didn’t choose-”

  “Of course not!” I say, cutting him off. “Why would you think I would choose Titus? Especially after everything that happened these past couple days!?”

  His lips twitch again. “Just making sure.” He says. I glare at him, and stomp up the palace steps but don’t untwine our hands, so I drag him behind me.

  “You’re going to yank my arm right out of the socket.” He says, without an exclamation point, because Lukas doesn’t use exclamation points, but I can hear a hint of laughter in his voice.

  “Lukas, are you smiling?!” A voice exclaims. “Like actually smiling?”

  I look up and grin at Kenzie, who is leaning against the wall, holding a glass of an amber liquid. She grins back, her one good eye sparkling. “Look! He’s actually smiling! I’m sure we’ll never see it again.” I spin around quickly but Lukas’ face has already smoothed back into it’s stoic mask. His dark eyes still hold a gleam though, and I can’t help smiling at that.

  “So.” Kenzie says in a falsely nonchalant way. “When did that happen?” She nods at out still linked hands.

  I let go immediately. “Um…….nothing’s happening!” I can feel my face getting hot though, and I know I’m caught.

  “I knew it!” She crows. “I should have put money on it!”

  I frown at her. “You never even said anything about it! How could you have ‘known’?”

  She shrugs. “Money’s money.”

  “That doesn’t even make sense!” I argue.

  Lukas frowns, looking a bit confused. “Don’t we have somewhere to be?” He asks.

  “Right.” I say nervously. “Let’s go.” Kenzie leads the way into the ballroom, looking almost as nervous as me. I get the feeling she doesn’t want to be Queen.

  When we enter, I wince. The ballroom is completely destroyed, tables and chairs broken and shoved against the walls, windows shattered, and curtains shredded. Right in the middle of the room, the king’s throne sits empty, and I remember with a rush of sadness.

  I look up quickly and meet Lukas’ eyes. He is staring at the throne with wide eyes, his face pale.

  “Luke…….” I say. “I'm sorry.” I say it like I mean it. Like its my fault. Maybe it is.

  He shakes his head. “We weren't close.” Then he sees the expression on my face. “It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have done anything to stop it.” Then his eyes darken, and he looks past me. “Though it appears not everyone feels the same way.”

  I turn around and see the queen standing next to the throne, eyes filled with tears, glaring straight at me. I blink, surprised. “She can't actually blame me. Can she? She knows I didn’t do this, at least not on purpose!”

  He sets his jaw. “She’s just blaming you because it’s easier than facing the truth. Come on, I’ll talk to her.” Before I can say anything in protest, he grabs my hand and pulls me over to the Queen.

  “Mother.” He says tightly.

  “Lukas.” She says in return, equally as tightly.

  “I guess you two aren’t very close either.” I say.

  His lips twitch again, but not like he’s holding in a laugh, more like that’s how he’s laughing. “No.” he says. “Not very.”

  The Queen frowns at him, then down at our joined hands. I defiantly squeeze tighter, and he squeezes back. The Queen scowls. Lukas scowls. I think about how much Lukas’ scowl matches his mother’s. Then Lukas says. “This is not her fault Mother. None of it. She is the Seventh, and it is only because of her that our city survived this. As her guard I’m going to ask you not to try any of your usual tricks, and to leave her reputation alone.”

  She opens her mouth to respond and he cuts her off. “Since I know you are going to say that you are Queen and you don’t have to listen to me, I am going to say that, while you may be Queen, you do not rule over anything anymore. I’m going to ask the soon-to -be- appointed ruler to tell you the same thing, and you have to listen to them.”

  I blink. She blinks. Lukas glowers. Then she dips her head, her eyes flashing with anger. “But of course son.” She says, putting emphasis on the last word. Then she turns to me. “Don't you have something to do Seventh?” She says, venom under her pleasant tone.

  I meet her gaze steadily. “I do don't I? Let me just get that out of the way.” I move towards the front of the ballroom, feeling her stare burning holes in my back, and climb onto the raised podium holding the thrones.

  I take a deep breath. “Um…….attention everybody!” I call. No need. The crowd of bedraggled Halflings, all still in the bloody and torn clothes from the battle, are already staring up at me expectantly.

  “As you know” I say. “I'm here to choose the new ruler, especially now that the king has passed away” I pause and bow my head, because it feels right to honor his memory, and the crowd bows with me. “And I’ve thought long and hard on this and I've come to a decision. The person I’ve chosen is someone who showed exceptional courage during our battle, fighting as well as anyone else. They also never lost hope, and made sure no one else did either, even when things started to get really dark. They showed cleverness, and loyalty, getting out of tight spots, and even saving a whole mass of people when no one else would. It’s these traits that have convinced me they will make a good leader. So, without further ado, the new ruler will be….” Nerves twist my stomach suddenly, and I don't want to let anyone down. Disappoint them.

  “Hey.” Someone whispers. I look up and see Kellen standing a few feet away. “Show no fear. The rabid beasts” he nods at the crowd. “they can smell it.” Then he adds in a softer voice. “We have faith in you.” He gestures around him, Kira, Kenzie, and Lukas are all smiling encouragingly at me. I smile slightly, and take a deep breath.

  “The new ruler will be Princess……” Kellen’s face darkens. “Kira.”

  Acknowledgments

  There are so many people I need to thank, because without them Seventh wouldn’t have been possible. First off, I need to thank my Dad and siblings, Rachel and Joe, for their immense patience while waiting for me to finish this book. I know it took a year of talking about it for me to finally get it done, but they supported me through it anyway. I also need to thank my friends Katie Lass and Paisley Ashland for enthusiastically supporting the story by reading it, commenting on it, and even making the characters more
real by drawing them out (Though I’m not sure the picture of Lukas with a pac-man head is quite accurate…..). Huge thanks to my Aunt Sarah, for all her work editing, and all her helpful comments and compliments. Also, thanks again to Katie for her constructive criticism, and for designing the cover. And, a massive thanks to all the people at Camp NaNoWriMo, which gave me the motivation I needed to write. I couldn’t have done it without any of you!

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Abigail is an aspiring author living at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains , with her father, two siblings, and too many pets. Among her many influences is the time she spends in the great outdoors. When not hiking or floating down a river she is exploring the many worlds provided by the plethora of science fiction, fantasy, and dystopic books she reads. Abigail combines these aspects with her keen eye for detail, to fuel her exciting and imaginative storytelling.