A Chosen Life

by K. A. Parkinson

  A sob ripped from her throat and she dropped back to her chair.

  Dane resumed rubbing her back as Bastian cupped his hand over Macy’s cheek. “LaUnahi, it is okay.”

  “Okay?” Okay? How is it okay? Macy stared into Bastian’s eyes allowing the thread of the thoughts she wanted to shout get louder and louder.

  First I find out that the Shadows are on the hunt again, and now the Ninth’s father is in the Shadow Prison! I know what you’ll do, Bastian. If the kid’s destiny involves saving his Dad, you as his Watcher will help him!

  “Macy.”

  I can’t do it Bastian, I can’t face the Shadows. It’s not just that I obviously don’t want to—I can’t! I can’t go there! Her chest constricted.

  “Macy we do not yet know the future.”

  “Yes, you do!”

  “Not that far.”

  Dane watched their one-sided conversation with obvious confusion as he continued to rub Areen’s back.

  “LaUnahi, I do not know what is to come; so many factors still need to be sorted out. But I promise, I will protect you. Do you not trust me?”

  Macy shuddered and took a deep breath. “I do trust you. I’m just—”

  “Frightened.” Bastian finished her thought and she felt her cheeks redden.

  “You’re not the only one,” Dane mumbled.

  Macy shook her head. She did trust Bastian to protect her, but—

  “I need you to focus now.” Bastian looked into her eyes until her breathing resumed a normal pace and relative calm filled her, clearing her thoughts.

  She took a shaky breath.

  Bastian smiled sadly. “Go and get Tolen—we must protect the Ninth. He has not gone far. Head south-east and you will find him.”

  “Why can’t you go get him?” Macy’s voice trembled and she clenched her fists.

  Bastian raised an eyebrow.

  “Fine.” She turned and he grabbed her arm.

  “Macy, try to be compassionate. You do not have to like him, but he has done nothing to deserve your animosity. Remember that.”

  Macy gritted her teeth and stalked out the door after the Ninth, her hands tingling.

  She ran swiftly through the underbrush. The hot desert sun baked everything; heat waves rippled up from the ground. The dirt slowly gave way to clumps of sage, a thicket of willow trees appeared, and the rushing sound of the river met her ears.

  She moved into the shade, closed her eyes, and pressed her palms together, focusing on locating Tolen’s life force by the vibrations he unknowingly gave off.

  Her eyes snapped open.

  He was fifty feet down river. She turned and ran; the strength building in the air surrounding his life force had her worried.

  When she broke through the trees, her knees locked and she skidded silently to a stop.

  Tolen knelt in the dirt with his arms wrapped over his head, his body shaking. Occasionally a sob rose above the sound of the river. Suddenly, she no longer saw Tolen, the tall gangly teenager, but someone small and scared, someone like herself at six years old. She knew how it felt to have your life unexpectedly turned upside down; to discover that everything you believed to be real was actually a lie.

  As much as she fought against it, a tiny glimmer of compassion rose in her heart and she stepped forward. Bastian did say I didn’t have to like him . . . You can feel sorry for someone without really liking him.

  She started to step forward, but paused when the tree beside Tolen dropped a thick branch and wrapped it around him in a sort of protective cocoon.

  o o o

  Tolen wiped the tears from his face in frustration and patted the branch. “Thank you Ardia.” His mind rushed through what he’d heard and the anger seemed to be boiling his insides. Uncomfortable heat surrounded his heart, and his hands tingled so much it hurt. The trees surrounding him and Ardia swayed gently, but purposefully, as if only waiting for his command to hurt something or someone. He shivered. He had to control the anger. He had to calm down, but he was so confused! He’d wanted to stay and beg them to explain, but as his frustration grew so did the strange power within him, and he knew if he didn’t run then something would happen and he’d end up hurting someone.

  He looked at his palm wondering at the painful tingle. He turned it toward the tree in front of him and jumped when it shot a branch down and gripped his wrist.

  “Could you stop doing things like that?” Macy stepped out from the trees with her hands on her hips.

  As Tolen spun toward her the tree dropped his wrist and swung its branch around, pointing it menacingly at Macy. Ardia crossed two thick branches in front of him, blocking her approach.

  “What are you doing here?” He spoke through his teeth, working to maintain his anger. He trusted Ardia, but he had no idea what the other tree might do.

  She ignored the question. “You’re leading the Dark right to us you know.” She feinted to the side, but the branch stayed with her every move.

  Tolen’s resolve crumbled and the anger shot from his mouth. “No, I don’t know that. I don’t know anything!”

  The branch swung and Macy barely dodged out of the way.

  She stayed out of the tree’s reach and held her hands up. “My heck dude! Could you call off the tree please? If I light a fire out here, Bastian’ll kill me.”

  Rage rolled off Tolen’s shoulders in heavy waves and suddenly every tree in the tiny thicket around them began to swat at Macy. For a moment, he felt vicious satisfaction seeing her jump around in shock. But then she began dodging every branch perfectly, almost as if she were dancing, and once again he felt that strange longing toward her. A need to get to know her that grew as he watched her move. Curiosity slowed the anger enough for him to think. He looked up into Ardia’s vast branches. Ardia, please tell the other trees to stop.

  Tolen, I do not trust this girl. She was enjoying the dance almost as much as Tolen.

  He pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to rein in his temper. I don’t either. Not yet, but killing her before I figure out what’s going on won’t help anything.

  Ardia swung a thick branch toward the other trees and they became perfectly still, their limbs barely moving in the slight breeze.

  He glanced back at Macy to see awe mingled with resentment in her expression.

  “If you can’t stop doing that you’re going to draw in any Dark servant within a mile of us.” Her chest heaved, but there was satisfaction in her countenance. He’d bet anything she’d enjoyed showing off.

  Macy pulled a sucker from her pocket and held it out to him. “Here. This’ll help.” She barely met his eyes and he was surprised at how green they were. Like emeralds framed with thick black lashes.

  His teeth chattered as he pushed the anger deep and shifted his thoughts to menial things, like how weird it was to be actually talking to a girl. Although Macy was not a normal girl—standing there wearing cargo pants, boots, and a heavy belt loaded with pouches and a menacing looking knife. She was thin, but the muscles in her arms were hard and defined. Her long hair could use a good brushing, but the messy waves suited what he’d gleaned from her personality. Quick, no nonsense, slightly selfish, maybe even a little arrogant.

  He realized his assessment had him staring too long when she cleared her throat uncomfortably. He reached out and took the sucker, barely brushing her fingers. A new kind of tingle ran through his hand, but a more pleasant one that muddled his thoughts, and he replied stupidly, “Help what? Give me cavities?”

  She rolled her eyes. “You’ve been around humans too long.”

  The anger threatened and he opened his mouth to retort, but she interrupted him. “Chill dude, I just mean you react like a human. It’s funny, I guess. I haven’t been around humans for years. I forget.” She shrugged, unconcerned with her insult.

  Tolen continued to glar
e. She had no idea how close he was to losing control. How every sarcastic remark she made felt like fuel poured over his burning heart.

  Her eyes flicked briefly to his again, she seemed to finally sense his frustration and tried to explain. “The sugar in the sucker helps your life force regenerate.”

  By the look on her face he knew his confusion was evident, but she didn’t elaborate and Tolen added it to the list of questions he would demand be answered as soon as he knew he was calm enough to listen without hurting anyone.

  “We need to head back. The Dark can track you by the power you give off.” She started walking back and beckoned him to follow, but he couldn’t move. He couldn’t go back. Not yet.

  He closed his eyes and let the need flow from his mouth without looking at her. “If I go back, I want the truth. All of it. No more secrets.”

  Macy’s voice rose. “Excuse me? You don’t get to make demands. We’re here to save your stinking life!”

  Tolen took a deep shuddering breath and clenched his fists. “Don’t. Don’t talk to me like that. I don’t want to hurt you.” He met her eyes and saw a shimmer of something. Pity, maybe, before she quickly looked away.

  “Okay.” She lowered her voice and took a few deep breaths of her own. “Sorry. I understand there’s a lot you want to know and I promise—Bastian will tell you everything you need to know, but we really do have to get back, like now.”

  Tolen kicked a clump of sagebrush harder than he meant to and scared out a rabbit. It ran off without a backward glance. His heart slowed at the softness of her tone and the anger began to dissipate into embarrassed frustration. “‘Need to know’—there’s a classic phrase.”

  “Sorry.” She mumbled. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

  Tolen’s shoulders sagged. “I’m used to secrets. Sick of them, but used to them.” Though it was the last thing he wanted to do, he fell into step beside her.

  Their shoes crunched in the hard dirt as they walked side by side in silence.

  . . . even talk to this guy . . . weirdo is a legend and doesn’t even know it.

  “What?” Tolen looked over at Macy, certain she’d just insulted him under her breath.

  She turned to him with surprise. “What?”

  “Did you just . . . ?”

  She raised her eyebrow, but there was something in her eyes. She looked . . . guilty.

  His eyes narrowed and he looked away. “Nothing.”

  Macy stopped walking and turned in a slow circle her eyes roving over the desert.

  Tolen mimicked her, saw nothing, but a strange feeling began to come over him. Like they were being watched. “What?”

  Her hands started to shake. “Do you feel that?” Goosebumps rose on her arms.

  Tolen looked at her from the corner of his eye. Could she really feel it too? “Feel what exactly?”

  “Come on.” She took off at a dead run.

  Macy beat him through the door, but only because he let her. The kitchen stood empty, but raised voices echoed from the living room. Tolen shadowed Macy’s steps, grateful she seemed to be in as much of a hurry as he was to find out what was going on now.

  When they turned the corner into the living room the first thing he saw was Bastian pacing—his agitated stride wearing a path in the thin carpet.

  His mother sat on the couch holding a mug in her hands. If possible, she looked even worse. The tingle rolled back into his hands. No one even acknowledged him and Macy now in the room with them.

  “What would you have us do then?” Dane stood at his full height, which still only reached Bastian’s waist, his face determined and not at all intimidated.

  “It is not a good idea.” Bastian threw his hands up. “What if you are captured? What then? When you are under torture will you be able to keep Tolen’s existence a secret?”

  “You were ready to send Tolen in there!” Areen threw the mug across the room. Tolen jumped when it shattered against the far wall and thick brownish tea dripped onto the frayed carpet.

  Bastian didn’t flinch. “That is because it is the will of the Light. You cannot interfere with fate. Look what has happened already as a result of you trying to change his destiny. You may well have affected the outcome of the Final Battle. Do you not recognize what you have done, what you continue to do?”

  Tolen stepped around Macy, no longer willing to be ignored. “What’s going on?”

  Bastian paused and met Macy’s eyes. They were dilating and shifting like Tolen’s did sometimes.

  “We’re not going to escape without a fight.” Macy whispered.

  Tolen glanced between the two, his heart hammering.

  “No.” Bastian met her stare with a worried expression.

  “Someone please tell me what is going on.” Tolen pushed the rocking chair out of the way and stalked over to his mother’s side.

  Macy ignored him, still focused only on Bastian. “The shift is strong . . . What exactly is coming?” Her hands trembled and she shoved them in her pockets.

  Bastian closed his eyes and massaged his temple. “Everything.”

  Chapter Seven

  Run

  Tolen rushed to the kitchen, his packed duffle dangling from his fist, the anger he’d felt earlier now buried beneath purpose. He still wanted answers, but the strange being-watched feeling was getting stronger, closer, and the seriousness he sensed from Bastian had him doing what he was told . . . for the moment.

  His mother stood with her hands on her hips. “This is completely ridiculous!” The scorching afternoon sun beating through the open window couldn’t compete with the heat of her anger. She wasn’t an angry person by nature, unless she was really, really scared. Tolen could feel the fear coming off her in waves.

  Macy wasn’t responding to Areen’s shouts, her movements were harried and her face tight with stress as she pulled out bags of herbs from their spice cupboard and stuffed them into a small leather satchel attached to her belt.

  “What’s going on?” Tolen asked, but Macy ignored him too.

  “I’ll tell you what’s going on. These two,” his mother gestured to Macy, and out the window where Bastian was pacing, “seem to think waiting for the Dark to catch up is a good idea!”

  His own anger smoldered and he spoke without thinking. “Well, maybe if you would have told me what I am we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

  His mother glanced up and the look in her eyes made him regret his words at once. He’d never seen so much pain on her face. Before he could take it back, she swept from the room, angry tears spilling from her eyes.

  Macy paused in her search of the cabinets and cast a half glance over her shoulder, but before he could meet her eyes she went back to what she was doing.

  Dane appeared at Tolen’s elbow, making him jump.

  “Should we take that out to the truck?” Dane pointed to Tolen’s pack, his eyes pleading. Tolen could tell Dane wanted an excuse to talk alone in order to see where their friendship stood. He looked into Dane’s earnest face and found no malice for his friend’s deception. Dane may have kept things from Tolen, but he knew deep inside their friendship had been genuine. No matter what happened, Tolen would always be grateful for Dane’s influence.

  Tolen met Dane’s eyes, nodded with a tiny smile, and followed him out the kitchen door.

  Dane opened the truck door and Tolen threw his bag in the back. “What was my mom talking about? I thought we were in a hurry. We’re not really waiting for the bad guys to catch up, are we?”

  Dane took a deep breath. “It sounds like a nice idea, run as fast as we can, right?”

  “Obviously.”

  “I thought so too, at first. High tail it out of here before the Dark shows up. That’d be great if there was only one group of Dark servants coming. But Bastian said there are legions moving in from every direction. We ar
e literally being surrounded. No matter where we go, we will encounter something evil.” Dane rubbed a hand over his eyes. “I just got back from talking to my father; he knows how to track the Dark. Bastian asked him to check our route and my father saw the evidence. Dark servants are everywhere.

  “I’m sorry Tolen, but the Watcher is right, and whether your mom wants to admit it or not, our safest bet is to allow the weakest legion of creatures to almost catch up and lure them into a place that’s to our advantage. If we escape them, we have a greater chance of getting ahead of the others.”

  Tolen looked over Dane’s head at the horizon, trying to imagine what was coming, but failing. How could you be afraid of monsters when you’d been taught your whole life they weren’t real? What exactly was the Dark anyway? He looked back at Dane. “What makes the group we’re heading toward weaker?”

  “They’re mostly Reconns and Raksasha—scouts and blood-trackers. Raksasha are lethal but they’re also stupid and easily outwitted. The Reconns will be more difficult because they are the ultimate chameleons. When they hold still they’re literally invisible, but get them to move and they flicker, making them easier to pick off.”

  Tolen shook his head. “Okay, that made a lot of no sense.” He rubbed his forehead. He’d given up the hope that he’d wake up from this nightmare in his own bed, but it still felt unreal, unbelievable.

  He looked back at his home and felt the fear and doubt closing in until it seemed as suffocating as the dry desert air. It was so strange. This house, only days before, had felt safer to him than the world outside. Now they were leaving it and heading into an unknown he never could have imagined, and running from something far more sinister than he ever could have dreamed.

  So many places they had packed up and left, but it had never felt like this.

  The posters on the walls, the books on the shelves, his bedding—everything would stay behind. He wondered idly what the owners would think when they finally showed up and found their final rent check stuck to the fridge and the house full of furniture. What would the stories be? The corner of his mouth twitched. The whole town would love the scandal. It’d give them more entertainment than they’d seen in years; add in the story Jeff would likely come up with, and maybe they’d get some news coverage from a desperate local reporter.