“What happened?” I asked alarmed.
“The taser gun only had two charges. We fought for his gun and I hit him until he passed out. Can you stay quiet now? We have to go.” He carried Lia again and we rushed down the hall.
Bright lights hit me the second I opened the heavy metal door and held it for him to exit. It wasn’t exactly sunlight. Everything was dark around us but military grade lanterns hung from posts all around. We walked out and I looked over my shoulder to find out where we were. I had been right. It was a bunker in the mountain. Felix cursed, bringing my attention back to him.
“What? What is it?”
“They took all the trucks. That means we have to escape on foot. And they are bringing everyone here.”
The panic retuned but I willed my body to move forward.
“Grab one of the lanterns. We are going to need it.”
I jumped reaching for the top of the post and grabbed the lantern. We ran into the forest.
CHAPTER 19. ANGUISHED
CYNWRIG
“Lasadh an t-slighe”—Light the way.
I said out loud when the forest became utterly dark around me. I was getting closer to the side of the mountain where Eisha had seen them. Instantly, I heard the buzzing coming through the trees. Hundreds of fireflies filled the space above and around me, illuminating my surroundings. I still could not fully sense my Goddess’ energy, but I knew she was here. I placed my bow and arrow back in my quiver and felt their weight disappear as it returned to its essence. I could not sense danger around me.
Suddenly, an overflow of sensations rushed through my body. I stopped and closed my eyes welcoming the feeling. The energy ran down my spine like pure lightening, awakening the connection with her essence. It began to stir inside me, calling me to her. My eyes snapped open. I could feel her. I looked at my forearm and the map formed. Her energy pulsated on it like a guiding light. I was close. Calling on my enhanced speed I ran in her direction. I jumped over fallen trees and boulders. Within a minute I came out of the forest to a clearing near a lake. My eyes searched for her frantically. I spotted her several yards away. A bright lantern illuminated the area around her. The fireflies swarmed around me then dispersed and returned to the trees. I thanked them for their guidance and ran towards her, taking in every detail of the scene before me. She was lying on the ground, her back weakly rested on one of trees. My eyes widened in horror at the sight. Fury filled every inch of my body. They had hurt her.
There was blood on her face and clothes and she appeared to have been beaten. Her friend, Lia, lay unconscious by her side. Her legs covered in blood. My gaze shifted to a man walking towards them. My pulse raced matching my steps. It was the man from her office. I should have known. Time slowed to a crawl while I ran to them. A ferocious war cry erupted from my mouth. I positioned my arms to fire, the bow and arrow materialized under my grasp. I pulled my hand back and let my arrow fly towards him.
Bri turned with my cry, and her eyes widened in alarm. “No!”
She cried extending her hand towards the man. The arrow stopped in midair, an inch away from his forehead.
My startled gaze fell on her. Her magic had awakened. The sight of her mangled face tore me apart.
My bow and arrow disappeared when I neared them. The man staggered back seeing me run towards him. Without stopping I jumped and spun in the air. Using the motion to my advantage, I brought my left arm down on his face. My iron bracer connected with his cheek and mouth. The impact whipped him around and threw him onto the ground. Blood shot out from his mouth as he fell and slid on the dry leaves. I advanced towards him.
“No please!” Bri’s rasping voice stopped me.
Concern engulfed me and I turned towards her. “Are you alright?” I asked and saw her scramble up and run into my arms in response. I wrapped my arms around her holding her close to me.
“I thought I would never see you again,” She whispered.
Tears traveled down her cheeks, scarring my soul. Her pain transferred to me. I could not even fathom not having her in my life any longer.
“Please don’t hurt him. He helped us escape.”
My eyes returned to him and I held her tighter. He was getting up from the ground.
“Stay down!” I ordered him. “If you mean them any harm, I will end you without a second thought.”
My attention returned to her. “My Goddess. I am truly sorry I failed to find you earlier.” My eyes went to her friend. Her legs were severely wounded. I shook my head incredulous. “What have they done to you?” My hands held her face gently. It was badly damaged. Her left eye was swollen shut. There was blood everywhere and her lower lip was swollen and ripped. I kissed her forehead. “Stay still, I shall he…” a strange explosive sound reached my ears and I felt something insert itself on to my back. Bri screamed. My vision blurred for a second. I blinked in an attempt to clear it. My insides burned.
“Felix! What the hell is the matter with you? You shot him!”
“You should not trust him!” He replied.
I turned to face him while the magic inside me awakened. Instinctively, it forced the object out of my body and began to heal the wound.
“I know everything about you and your people!” He spat. “You are beasts, using your powers to intimidate people. To have them do your bidding. You abuse the abilities you were given for your own benefit and terrorize anyone that doesn’t agree with you. That is why the Brotherhood of the Dying Moon was founded, to fight against you and your kind. We have to end your cruelty. You kill without reason and you must be stopped!” The hate was clear in his eyes and voice. He gripped the weapon tighter and aimed at me.
I reached for my Goddess and kept her behind me. Covered her with my body.
I shook my head baffled by his accusations. “You are greatly mistaken. We have done nothing to deserve what you people have done to us. Your ancestors were the beasts. They killed entire villages of innocent people. My people. Committed genocide like it was nothing of consequence. They attacked us while we slept, and murdered half my village. Innocent people. Women and children died without cause. And you are an equal beast for continuing that sacrilege. They killed us because they feared what they could not comprehend. They envied the knowledge and power we had and would not share with them because such power must not be put in reckless hands. They failed to realize we were only helping others. We never used our influence or magic for our gain. We only sought to help anyone that needed it. We were peaceful people. We have never killed for pleasure for we value life in all its forms. We revere it. The loss of any life is a loss too great for us. We have only defended ourselves from the hate and evil you carry inside.”
“You are lying!” He yelled and shot once more.
The burning came from my stomach this time.
“Stop! What are you doing?” Bri yelled, crying.
My eyes settled on his weapon while my body healed.
“Sèideadh air falbh”—Blow away.
My vision acquired its gray hue. A strong gust of wind blew at him and swept the weapon from his hand, blowing it several feet away. My vision returned to normal as his eyes widened in fear.
“Phrìosan teine”—Prison of Fire.
My fingers drew a circle and a ring of blue fire was lit following my motion and detaining his efforts. The enchanted fire would not singe the grass or burn the trees, but it would hurt him, if he attempted to cross it.
“What is your endeavor here? Do you wish to kill me?” I asked moving forward.
“Cyn please,” Bri’s voice broke.
I turned looking into her eyes. “I wish him no harm if he ceases to attack, but I will not allow him to hurt you,” I faced him. “You shall believe the lies they have fed you for as long as you wish. I cannot force you to see the truth,” I took a deep breath. “Do you mean us any harm?”
He looked at the fire around him panicked. His gaze went to Bri, who still stood behind me. She peered at him over my side. When hi
s gaze returned to me he seemed confused.
“No.”
I wanted to believe him. “I will set you free, but heed my warning. You will not get a third chance.” He nodded.
“Sgur”—Cease.
The fire around him began to die down until there was nothing left. I turned to Bri and kissed the tears off her cheeks. My hands cupped her face and began to glow.
“Deanar eil pian a ‘tighinn gu aice. Ar ais sláinte”—Let no pain come to her. Restore Health.”
I looked into her eyes while the swelling began to dissipate and the bruises of her skin receded. When her lip was fully healed I crushed my lips to hers, kissing her anxiously. The truth was I too feared I would never see her again. Our connection flared and the calming energy flooded us both. I finally felt relief. She was in my arms and she was safe. My gaze fell on the man who was now standing a few feet from us. His eyes were filled with animosity but he also seemed troubled. My gaze returned to hers.
“I shall heal Lia and then we must leave.” I kissed her once more. She nodded.
I bent down to inspect Lia’s wounds. They were innumerable slashes marring her legs and they were deep. She had lost enough blood to weaken her essence considerably. I could feel her struggling. Every cut on her skin created one inside me. I turned to look at him.
“Your people did this to her. Tell me who the beasts are again.”
I looked away. I had no cares for his answer. Placing my hands on the wounds, I repeated the words I had used, and watched her skin begin to mend. One by one the cuts disappeared until her legs were just as they once were. Nevertheless, the damage her essence and mind had suffered, might never heal.
“She is too weak. She will not awaken yet. The torture has taken a toll on her essence,” I said standing and stepping closer to my Goddess.
“We must a find a place away from him to open the portal. I know he facilitated your escape my Goddess, but you must realize how dangerous he is. When people that are in the wrong believe with such conviction they are right. They will do anything to prove it. He is not on our side. We must leave him, now.”
*
BRIANA
Cyn’s words resounded in my head. I knew he was right but I also knew that Felix wasn’t like the others. His Father and uncle might have manipulated him, the brotherhood but he wasn’t evil. My heart tightened while I looked into Cyn’s eyes. What would they do to Felix when they found him? They probably already knew we had escaped. That he helped us. What would his Father do to him?
“I know,” I whispered not able to say anything more. Cyn was right. I stepped aside and looked straight into Felix’s eyes.
“You can’t… I know they have told you these things your whole life. I know they have ingrained that belief in you. But please take a moment to think for yourself. If Druids were that evil what would stop them from destroying us all? Being as powerful as they are why would they have run, why hide from the brotherhood all these years? What stops him, from killing you now?”
I could see the doubt growing in Felix. His eyes searched Cyn’s face then mine. Hope grew for me. “You helped us escape in spite of everything and I will be eternally grateful. I promise you not him or any Druid will ever do anything against you. I hope you can find your way.”
I turned my back on him against everything I believed. I would not put the Druids in danger. They were my people. My eyes went to Cyn’s. “Let’s go.”
He kissed my lips and bent down carrying Lia in his arms. We began to run towards the other side of the lake. I knew I shouldn’t, but I looked over my shoulder. The image of Felix standing frozen while we left was too much for me to bear. I couldn’t in good conscience leave him behind.
“Stop, please.”
I slowed my pace and Cyn’s eyes searched my face as the incredibly frustrating tears threatened to fall. I was going to have a serious conversation with my tear ducts when this was over. They were pissing me off. “Can’t we just portal him somewhere safe, then go? I’m afraid of what the others will do to him if we…”
The loud roaring of engines stopped me in my tracks. We turned towards the noise to find about ten large trucks coming through the forest and stopping at the lake. Their beds were filled with men and they started pouring out like roaches. The men were dressed with some kind of military uniform. Only it wasn’t US military. They were gray. Military cargo pants and jackets zipped up at the front with the brotherhood’s emblem printed proudly in black and white on their chests. My eyes widened and I couldn’t breathe. There were about a hundred men standing across from us.
A freaking Roman Army.
Marcus, Victor and Cassius stepped out of one of the trucks and walked towards Felix. The soldiers pushed him to the ground, on his knees and held his arms over his head. Marcus stood in front of him. He punched him so hard the sound echoed through the lake causing my skin to crawl. The force pushed him to the floor.
“You are a disgrace! To me, to the brotherhood to yourself,” Marcus bellowed.
Felix spit a mouth full of blood and tried to stand but one of the soldiers held him by the hair and brought him up, only for Marcus to punch him again.
“Where are they? Where did you take them?”
Felix didn’t speak.
My breathing became ragged pants. We were far enough that they hadn’t seen us. They didn’t know we were still here.
“You are not a man. You are a coward. You are a waste of a Son!
He punched him again, and again while guards held him. I was frozen in place by fear, by shock.
What the hell am I doing? We have to help him.
Cassius walked up to him, pulled a gun and place it on his temple.
“Speak! Where did they go?”
“No!” I gasped, covering my mouth.
A whooshing sound pulled me out of my shock. Three arrows flew through the air. Two pierced the arm of the two soldiers holding Felix. Cassius screamed in pain and fell to the ground. The third arrow had gone through his hand. The gun fell on the grass.
“This is your only warning. Let him go!” Cyn’s demanding voice reverberated through the air.
I turned to see him holding a massive bow. The craftsmanship was impressive and intricate. It was made of solid oak wood and carved with Celtic symbols. It was remarkable. A quiver full of arrows that wasn’t there a second ago was strapped to his back in some kind of special harness. He had placed Lia on the floor, a few feet behind us. Suddenly he wasn’t the Cyn I knew. He was the warrior leader. Everything about him demanded respect and obedience. The way he stood, and carried the bow. He looked magnificent.
Yes I’m taking a moment to appreciate my boyfriend’s major hotness. Total panty dropper.
And he was doing the right thing. Sweet mother of all things noble, I loved him.
Felix braced himself on the floor, trying to pull his body up.
“I will not allow you to take another innocent life!” Cyn added.
Cassius laughed bitterly, pulling the arrow from his hand and facing us.
“Innocent? You think he is innocent. Who do you think alerted us of her powers? Who do you think tracked her down and brought her here? She was his first assignment in the organization. He added a younger perspective to our mission. He came up with the idea of placing our unique sensors in metal detectors and placing them in high schools and universities all over the country. My company funded that project. He found her in the university and brought it to my attention. He scouted her and hired her with the sole purpose of studying her and analyzing the true level of her power. He monitored her and alerted us when her energy became stronger. We knew when you showed up in the office. The infrared sensors we placed in her cubicle detected your energy every time you went to her. We know her abilities have not developed yet. Yours however are fully mastered.”
Horror travelled through me. They knew I couldn’t do anything and they still hurt us? Tortured Lia and me? For the first time in my life I feel anger. True anger. One
so strong I could feel it burning me inside.
“But it wasn’t enough to know we had found you. We needed to know how far you would go to save her. Because we wanted you too. You see, you think he helped you escape. But he is one of us. One of the best.”
My eyes widened when Felix stood and smiled. I couldn’t believe it. I shook my head slowly. No. This wasn’t possible. This wasn’t happening. I had seen the pain in his eyes when he looked at Lia’s injuries. I had heard him fighting with his Father. I had noticed the doubt in him. He had helped us… Hadn’t he?
The soldiers began to advance while Cassius laughed.
“We know everything about you Cynwrig Bressall. We know your powers. How they work. You found her even though we blocked her essence from you. Now that is impressive. You were the one to turn them all into immortals and now you will turn us.”
Cyn reached for his quiver and grabbed ten arrows. He held them together in his right hand making a fist. His eyes looked into mine. The urgency in them had me moving before I even realized it.
“Run.”
I nodded and took off towards Lia. I crouched behind her, placed my arms under her armpits and pulled. I dragged her until we got the edge of the forest. I rested her back to a tree and patted her face.
“Wake up Lia. Please wake up,” nothing. I patted harder. “Lia wake up.” The urgency increased in my voice. My head snapped back when Cassius’ voice reached me.
“I would like to know how far you would go to save her Cynwrig,” he asked looking to the soldiers who were half way to us.
Cyn placed his fist on the bow and pulled back. The arrow glided into position from his fist.
“I will do anything for her,” he answered releasing the arrow.
His actions became so fast it was hard for my eyes to follow. He pulled his arm back shooting off the next arrow. As his arm naturally came back from the position the next arrow slipped into place, then his arm pulled back again. The movement was seamless and it repeated over and over, like the chamber of a machine gun loading the next round. Within five seconds the first row of soldiers fell to the ground. Cyn pulled another fist full of arrows from his quiver and placed them in his hand. He began shooting again. While the front soldiers fell dead to the ground, the ones in the back took out their weapons and began shooting at him. Before I could even scream Cyn began running towards them in a zigzag motion avoiding the shots. He continued shooting the arrows while he ran. The last soldier fell from his arrow and he stopped. He stood tall in the middle of the clearing. I was in awe and upset all at the same time. The faces of the dead men would stay with me forever. Why was this truly necessary? Why did they have so much hate?
Hidden Magic: An Ancient Magic Novel Page 37
