He looked back to where Macy had disappeared. Why couldn’t his weird abilities work when he wanted them to? He tried to see in the dark, get his eye to let in more light, but it wouldn’t. He tried to search his mind for any trees nearby, but all he could feel was a growing sense of dread. His lips started to go numb.
How was he supposed to know when both Raksasha were dead if he couldn’t see? He swallowed back bile, deciding that he was just going to run. What else could he possibly do?
Nothing.
He poised to run.
Macy appeared suddenly, struggling with what seemed to be some kind of man-sized skeletal black ape. It shrieked like a bat and clawed at the air. She danced just out of its reach, dodging its every move. The sight horrified him—worse than any of his nightmares. It was nearly as frightening to watch Macy as the monster. He hadn’t been one to watch many real fights on TV, but even he could tell a master when he saw one.
Macy was lethal.
She twisted out of the way of the Raksasha’s long, disgusting fingernails and lunged. The creature began to fall forward and she ran up its back as it fell, launched herself from its shoulders, spun in the air, and came to land just in front of it. She reached down and pulled her knife from the back of its skull.
The two were dead. That was the signal, but now Tolen couldn’t make his legs move; instead he leaned over and threw up.
Macy ran toward him, her knife dripping black blood. She jumped in the air and his first thought was she’s going to kill me, but she soared over his head. He could hear her feet land on the rock above. Pebbles rained down from the edge, another shriek split the night, and a huge body fell at Tolen’s feet.
The Raksasha’s legs were still twitching. Macy jumped down and tugged her knife from between its eyes.
She shouted in Tolen’s face and pulled on his arm, but he couldn’t hear her, he couldn’t hear anything but a strange buzzing sound. He felt the sensation of someone dragging him forward and then being flung over something moving—someone’s shoulder? He was vaguely aware of his mother’s voice. She kept asking him if he was okay, but a fog had started to settle over his brain.
o o o
“How the H are we supposed to outrun this legion if we have to carry Tolen the whole freakin’ way?” Macy leaned against a pile of boulders with her hands on her knees. She used her life force to aid her eyes in the dark, but not to help her run—she needed all her strength for the Kuna.
Bastian lowered Tolen to the ground as they all tried to catch their breath, but it had to be a short breather. The Raksasha’s shrieks were getting louder.
Macy could see hundreds of them through the darkness, crawling over the mountainside like an army of disgusting black ants. They would be here in minutes. The last firebomb she’d thrown into the mountainside hadn’t slowed the creatures as much as she’d hoped.
Bastian opened his mouth, but Areen interrupted him from where she sat panting on the ground. “I will stay behind and distract them.”
“I’ll stay with you.” Dane clutched his side—blood seeped between his fingers.
Macy rounded on them. “That’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard.” She turned to Bastian. “They’re crazy! It’s suicide!”
Bastian wasn’t listening—the look on his face said he was considering their options—his eyes were dilating again. “Areen, I cannot tell if you will be able to get away after the three of us escape. You may both be captured or killed.”
Areen’s determined glare pierced the darkness. “That’s a risk I’m willing to take to save my son.”
“And I’ll take to save my friend,” Dane added with a grimace.
Areen struggled to her feet. “Can you see that you will escape?”
Bastian helped her stand and stepped back, his face reluctant. “Yes. The diversion will work. Ten Reconn and three Raksasha, will notice us and follow, but Macy will ensure our escape.”
Macy raised her eyebrows. I will?
Areen’s lips trembled as she leaned over to brush a strand of hair from Tolen’s forehead. “We’ll hold them off long enough for you to get out of the canyon. I should be able to shield Tolen at least that far. Then you’ll be on your own.”
This would likely be the last time Areen would ever see Tolen. Her final goodbye to her son, and he wasn’t even awake to hear it. Macy looked at the woman’s pale face. No way. This lady who looked like death twenty-four hours ago couldn’t hold off an entire legion of Dark servants, even with the Doogar’s help. But her jaw was set and her eyes held a look of determination that was all too familiar; Macy’s father’s face had worn the same look the last time she’d seen him—a look that haunted her to this day.
Macy clenched her teeth and balled her fists.
Dane bowed humbly to Bastian and turned to Macy. “Tolen is my best friend. Please help him learn the ways of the Chosen.”
Macy shuffled her feet in the dirt, shoved her fists in her pockets, and nodded.
Areen touched Bastian’s arm. “Please, please protect my son.”
“With my life.” Bastian ran his hand through the air above Areen’s head. “By my blood and my oath, he will be safe in my care.” He placed his hand over his heart.
Macy shook her head. You’re all insane.
Bastian’s eyes flashed in her direction and back to Dane. “Good luck Master Dane. I shall pass along your great acts to the Elders at the Binithan.”
“Liosladon,” Dane whispered.
“Liosladon.” Bastian bowed his head briefly.
Areen nodded once in their direction as silent tears ran down her cheeks.
Once they were out of earshot, Macy looked up at him. “So, how exactly am I supposed to ensure our escape?”
Bastian hefted Tolen higher on his shoulder. “You are going to send fire to that location.” He pointed to a high perch of rock, covered with dry brush and rocks, in front of Areen and Dane’s hiding spot.
“It will startle the Raksasha and blind them to us. There are Reconn and Raksasha high enough above to notice us escape, but I can see that once Areen and Dane engage the advancement they will be too distracted to hear the Reconn call the alert. You will send one bomb at them, enhanced with your Kuna. It will take them all out at the same time.”
“That big an explosion is going to freak out any humans around, especially if they’ve already discovered the truck.”
“We have no other choice. We can hope that they will not choose to investigate until dawn. By then, the Dark will have retreated.”
“If I use that much of my Kuna, and we use our life forces to run the rest of the way out of here, I’ll be too weak to move for days. They’ll catch up.” Already she could feel the drain.
“On the other side of that hill, the Bureau of Land Management has stashed a truck we can borrow.” Bastian’s brow furrowed as he stared into the darkness at things only he could see.
“I love the way you justify grand theft auto.” Macy sighed. “Okay, tell me when to go.” She rubbed her palms together until she could smell eucalyptus and roses, and pulled the last Glockshaw from her pocket. Smoke rose slowly from her fingertips.
“Now!” Bastian shouted.
Macy took aim. “To’ inreedo mig’nata!” The other side of the canyon came into clear focus and strength surged down her arms. She threw the Glockshaw as hard as she could and marked it as it soared through the air.
Just before it hit the ledge, she thrust her hands toward it. “Mi’no ha!” Huge balls of fire shot from her hands. She twisted her fingers and the fireballs combined, forming into one gigantic flaming boulder. It slammed into the ledge with a deafening crash. White-hot flame burst into the air, lighting the canyon as if it were high noon. She bent over gasping for air.
“Good job, Macy.” Bastian patted her on the back. “Now run!”
Chapter Nin
e
Into
Shadow
Not a flicker of yellow light pierced the heavy darkness.
Something thick, black, and blood-like, trickled down the stone walls.
The Ookra shivered. The servants of the demons were not known for bravery. A single blue-flame candle, clutched in his clawed hands, barely revealed the way down the frigid passageway.
A loud wail, followed by a pain-filled scream, echoed through the blackness, and the Ookra shivered again.
The Tormentors were extracting.
A door opened on the left and the servant shuffled through it. Daemon, the Demon Master, stood in front of the stone fireplace, his massive figure filling most of the small room.
“Speak, slave.” Daemon’s deep, cold, voice reverberated through the room and the Ookra fell to his knees.
He gulped loudly from his supine position—the tips of Daemon’s black boots were the only thing he could see. “They have escaped, Master.”
“How?” Daemon circled the Ookra who began panting nervously.
“They split up. A diversion. We know which direction they are headed. We will catch them.”
The room fell silent for several minutes. The Ookra chanced a look up. Daemon stared into the fireplace, his horrid face eerily lit by the strange blue flames.
“The prisoner?” He asked softly.
The servant’s eyes moved back to the floor. “Weakening, Master. It will not be long before you have the information you seek.”
Daemon circled again and his blood-red cloak swept across the Ookra’s fingers.
“We do not have time to waste relying on the stupidity of the Raksasha, or the slow pace of the Shadows. The Watcher must be eliminated if we are to proceed. Release the DéHool.”
His shadow, cast by the dim light of the ice blue flames, covered the Ookra like black fog.
Chapter Ten
Real or
Dream?
Tolen’s eyelids fluttered and a girl’s voice filtered into his ears.
“Hey, Bastian, the kid’s waking up.”
He knew this voice. Macy. Macy killed the Raksasha. He was supposed to run but he couldn’t make his legs move. He’d lost his dinner all over the desert floor and . . . he couldn’t remember what came next.
Where was he? He struggled to open his eyelids.
A loud motor rumbled beneath him and he realized they were moving—fast. Something hard and uncomfortable poked into his back; his legs were twisted at a painful angle. He wanted to sit up and find out what was going on, but his body felt so heavy.
“Tolen?” Bastian whispered.
He cringed at the sound of this voice. It scared him. Why?
He remembered now. His mom had been talking to him, wanting him to wake up, but he hadn’t been able to get out of the fog. A little voice told him he could have if he’d chosen to, but what he’d really wanted was to stay there. There were no monsters in the fog. He was a coward. Guilt rushed over him as he realized they’d had to drag his unconscious body through the desert until they’d reached this vehicle. How much more danger had he put them in?
He slowly opened his eyes. “Mom?” He swallowed hard wanting to apologize, but not knowing what to say. It was dark; the only thing clearly visible were the outlines of two people and two sets of eyes, one blue, one green—both filled with worry. He was such an idiot.
He looked around for two more sets of eyes and realized he was squished in the cab of an unfamiliar truck. His long legs were half on the seat and half off, his big feet wedged against Macy’s tiny ones. His head rested on the seat next to Bastian, who held a foul smelling rag on Tolen’s forehead. There was no one else.
He swallowed again as his heart raced and dread crawled up his spine. “Where’s my mother?” he licked his lips. “Where’s Dane?”
Bastian glanced down from the road and shook his head sadly.
Tolen sat up so fast his head spun and he bumped into Macy. “Where are they?”
“Your mother and best friend stayed behind as a diversion. We could not have made it out without them. They saved our lives.” Bastian’s voice broke at the end.
Anger and remorse more powerful than anything he had ever felt flooded through Tolen’s veins like a drug. He could feel the strength of his emotions building within him. The heat was back in his chest and his hands burned with power. “You’re lying!”
“Tolen, I am not lying. Please, calm down.” The Watcher spoke softly but there was an edge of nervousness in his tone.
Tolen shook his head as the heat rushed to his palms. “Go back.”
“We cannot.” His calm tone only enraged Tolen further.
“GO BACK! NOW!” The truck’s engine stuttered and smoke billowed from beneath the hood.
“Stop it!” Macy screamed and grabbed Tolen’s arm.
He twisted out of her grip and one part of his mind registered her gasp. “Pull over.” To his surprise, Bastian did as he asked.
Once the truck rolled to a stop, Tolen reached past Macy and unlocked the door. “Move.” He spoke through his teeth.
“Excuse me?” Macy huffed.
Tolen squeezed his eyes shut, feeling the build of heat that would release soon without his control. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he would if she didn’t get out of his way.
“Macy, let Tolen out.” Bastian’s voice was low and commanding. Macy slid back against the seat and pulled her knees to her chest.
Tolen pushed past her without looking at her face. He heard Bastian climb out and shut his door.
“Tolen, wait.”
Tolen spun on his heel and looked at the strange man, feeling a hatred grow within him so powerfully it was as if a living monster had taken resident in his chest. “You made her STAY!” The voice that issued out of his mouth was not his own. It was low, like the growl of an animal, and in no way human.
“You are letting your subconscious take over—you are not accepting reality.”
“They’re not dead!” Tolen brought his hands up and flame shot out of them toward Bastian who ducked out of the way just in time. The burst of flame hit a spread of dry grass and it lit up at once.
Macy jumped out, twisted her hands in the air and the flame went out.
Tolen turned into the night and ran. He ran from the two people who should have stayed behind and protected his mother, and who refused to help him now. He ran from the possibility that the Watcher was telling the truth. He ran from his shame.
He would go back to the canyon. Retrace their steps. He would find the truth for himself. And if his mother and Dane were still alive, he would find them. If they were captured, he would save them. He ignored the voice in his head telling him he had no idea how.
The anger swelled within him and he felt the heat in his palms again. He raised his hands above his head and let the flame release toward the sky. He hadn’t created flame in his hands since he was six and accidentally lit the neighbor’s house on fire. He remembered the horror and guilt he’d felt as he’d watched their house burn while his mother packed their bags. He’d practiced hard to control this power, to never let it out again. He knew what the heat meant as his anger rose in the truck, but it had never been so hot, so impossible to contain.
His foot caught on something in the darkness and he fell forward on his face. He spit sand out of his mouth and turned his head to look behind him. He could just make out the truck’s headlights, nearly a mile in the distance. How fast had he run?
While he stared, his eye shifted and he could see Macy standing on the front bumper bent under the hood as if she were fixing the truck. Bastian stood beside her holding a flashlight, but he was facing Tolen, his bright eyes fixated on Tolen’s face as if he could see him perfectly.
Tolen didn’t see his lips move, but he heard Bastian’s voice as if he were standing
beside him. I am sorry.
Tolen could feel the Watcher’s sadness, but his own anger overruled. He stood up and looked back toward home. He took three steps and heard the Watcher’s voice again.
Your mother is very gifted, as is Dane. Doogar have a very special alliance with the Earth. It is possible that they managed to escape.
Bastian was not convinced of this, it showed in his tone.
Even if you make it back there without something killing you, and they actually survived, you will never find them without my help.
The fury licked at Tolen’s heart. For the first time in his life he wanted to use his curse to hurt someone. He wanted the Watcher to pay for leaving his mom and Dane behind. He wanted him to suffer the way Tolen suffered now.
Tolen, come back. Let me help you.
He’d never forgive this man for leaving his mother and best friend behind and he’d never forgive himself for choosing to stay unconscious. The two were connected. He knew it. And he’d never stop trying to find a way to make it right.
Tolen, it is not safe for you to be alone. Let us take you to the Binithan. Dane’s people are expecting you. Come with us that far. I will do what I can to discover what happened to them. I will try to help you, but if you stay out here, you will die.
Get out of my head! Tolen’s jaw clenched and he pushed venom into the thought, I’ll never forgive you.
I will never expect you to . . . The Watcher’s voice trailed off and Tolen felt his presence leave his mind.
His hands shook, his whole body felt weak, and his head spun. He hated the Watcher and his ward more than he’d ever hated anyone, even more than Jeff Macro and or any other bully he’d ever dealt with. But he knew he was being stupid if he thought he could walk all the way back to the canyon and try to go after his mother and Dane. After what he’d seen this night he knew he had no real idea what he was going up against. This rekindled the anger, but this time it only drained him. He’d lost and he knew it. For this single thing he needed their help. But once they reached the Doogar, he never wanted to see them again. If the Doogar people were as amazing as Dane was, is, then he would ask their help. His mother had trusted them and in that he knew that he could too.
A Chosen Life Page 11
