Starlight (The Lightning Strike Trilogy Book 1)

by K. A. Rygaard

  “You?” he seethed. “You’re the Keeper?”

  “Leave. . . them,” I gasped.

  “You have given me everything.”

  “You can’t have them,” I said, a fierce defensiveness igniting in me.

  “But I can use you to control them.” He smirked. “You’re mine.”

  A black light came out of both of his hands, creeping onto my skin. I grew colder and colder, and the next second I blacked out.

  This is Seriously Problematic

  I grimaced and rolled over in bed, massaging my

  sore forehead with my fingers. Slowly I opened my eyes, and then my heart sunk. I couldn’t feel Zach; the current was almost completely gone. But I still felt some, so surely he was still—alive?

  It took intense effort, but I finally managed to get into a sitting position. Wherever I was, Zach was nowhere to be seen. I scrunched my hands into fists, suddenly very aware that they were still in pain.

  I knew I had to be in Adler’s place; the room had some similar features as the last one, only this one was larger, with windows and a bed. Why would Lucas put me here, instead of in that small, prison-like room?

  Whatever the reason was I would have to figure it out later. I dropped my feet over the side of the bed and the pins-and-needles started up. Suffer through it, Emma. We have to get out of here.

  I stepped onto the cool wood, stumbling from my disorientation. I used my Magic to change, making sure I had a jacket on. Lucas’s house is like a morgue; it’s freezing.

  I didn’t bother going to the windows. I could feel the storm raging out there. It was intense, powerful. It felt like my pain. I looked at the windows, curious, but before I could appease the curiosity, the door opened.

  “Well, well, well. If it isn’t little Miss Powerful herself. Keeper too, pretty impressive. ‘Member me?” Tess Wilcox asked snidely.

  “Wasn’t that long ago,” I said acrimoniously. “You are a nasty piece of work.”

  “You’re one to talk.”

  The door snapped open again, only to have the

  pain in my scars light up again.

  “Tess, get out of here.”

  Tess didn’t need telling twice, she went without

  another word. I did get a particularly nasty look from her, though, before Lucas moved to her previous spot. “Where’s Zach?” I asked immediately.

  Lucas raised an eyebrow.

  “Alive.”

  “That doesn’t answer my question,” I fumed. “That’s all you’re getting.”

  “Just let him go. He has nothing to do with this.” “I promised you I’d kill him, Emma, and I keep

  my promises.”

  “Your word is worth nothing to me.”

  “I broke out of Bolenvare, didn’t I? Granted, some

  men will be there significantly longer now because they aided me, but once they break free. . .”

  “Can’t do your dirty work by yourself?”

  “It’s called ‘dirty work’ for a reason.” He looked me over, then: “Take a seat.”

  A chair appeared near me.

  “No.”

  “You’re shaking.

  He put his hands on my shoulders and shoved me down into it, before sitting in his own chair before me.

  “Why the sudden concern for my health?”

  “Have to keep you healthy so your Magic works properly, don’t I?”

  “Why bother? You’re just going to kill me.”

  “And kill myself in the process? I’m not stupid, Emma.”

  “So sure about your intelligence?” I snapped.

  His eyes narrowed.

  “That’s only because you’re the Keeper of the Galaxies.” I stiffened without meaning to and he scoffed. “I saw your scars. You can’t lie to me about who you are.” Oh, really? “And that is why I’m not going to kill you.”

  “Why? I’d rather you did than be at your mercy for the rest of eternity.”

  A laugh escaped him.

  “So you’ve realized I’d use you to make me immortal?” I stayed quiet. “Well?”

  “I figured you’d drain all but a drop of my Magic so the Galaxies would still be intact, but I’d be a shell.”

  “Unable to fight me. Yes, I thought about that, but I’m not going to risk the chance of draining all your Magic.” He tilted his head to the side. “I don’t think I could. You would probably just replenish your store, so to speak, if I tried.”

  “You shouldn’t bother then.”

  “No, I don’t think I will. I told you: I’m not stupid. Just because I’m not going to drain your Magic, doesn’t mean I’m not going to use it until you do break. Your emotions are your weakness, Emma. By threatening someone you care about, I can get you to do whatever I want you to do. My threats aren’t empty. Refuse to do what I say, and someone dies.”

  “Leave everyone else out of this!” I demanded.

  “You should know by now, that I won’t. One day soon, you’ll learn to just do what I tell you to without fighting me.”

  “I am always going to fight you. And I do keep my word.”

  The red in his eyes flashed.

  “Don’t be foolish. Don’t think you can fight me and win! You belong to me now. Until the end of time, you’re going to be, shall we say, my little play thing.”

  I felt the Galaxies grow tight at the scars.

  “You’re repulsing!”

  I moved to get out of the chair, but Lucas only shoved me back into it, latching his hands over my wrists.

  “Let’s get this straight. Just because I’m going to keep you healthy doesn’t mean I can’t torture you until you’re begging for me to stop.”

  At that, Lucas picked me up and threw me against the wall. My head snapped back, colliding with the wall so hard I felt blood, and my rib snapped.

  My eyes went wide and I gasped for air, fingers clawing at the area through my shirt. Healing it myself would be too risky, but it hurt. I coughed, only to have the rib stab my lung more.

  Lucas came at me, standing me so perfectly straight that the rib stabbed and stabbed.

  “Well?”

  “Go to hell.”

  His eyes narrowed, and then he was grabbing my wrist, wrenching it back and shoving his thumb onto the scar. I couldn’t contain it any longer: I screamed. I felt like my very soul was on fire and that it was going to destroy me.

  At the resounding crack of thunder, Lucas removed his thumb.

  “It will only get worse if you don’t do as I say.” He snapped the rib more with a flick of his fingers, causing me to scream again. He reached for my hand, and I couldn’t do that again.

  “Fine!” I shrieked.

  Immediately the pain in my chest stopped, but I was still for air.

  Lucas took my chin in his hand, making me look at him.

  “I am capable of much worse, Emma Fitch. I will make the pain so severe that you will beg for death.”

  “I’ll kill myself first.”

  His eyes narrowed.

  “You wouldn’t.”

  “Want to try that bet?”

  “Want to try my threat against Stone?”

  At that, my hand shot out and hit him, hard, across the face. He moved so fast I hadn’t time to blink. My back was against the bed, and he was hovering over me, holding my arms at the level of my eyes.

  “Get off of me!” I shrieked. I started kicking at him.

  “There are consequences for hitting me, Emma.”

  I kicked at him again, but he didn’t move. Instead, he stared at me.

  “You’re lucky I still hate you.”

  And then he was gone. He was away from me and out of the room, and I flew off the bed, curling into a ball in the corner. I shook with tears, my nails digging in my skin near the shoulders where I was holding myself together.

  I have to get out of here.

  ****

  Each day started off with me asking how, and

  where, Zach was, and ended with Lucas
telling me we’d “continue this tomorrow.” He seemed to grow more hostile with each passing day, breaking different bones in more crucial places, only to heal them when I admitted defeat. That only ever came after he touched my scar. I knew it was because he was evil, that he was the opposite of what my Galaxies are, but whenever he touched the scar, fire would burst through me.

  I refused the food he brought in, not knowing what he put into it. He tried to make me eat, but I wouldn’t give in. I could last long enough without nutrition; I could feel it. But that only made him angrier.

  Lucas knew nothing of personal space. He never stopped invading mine, and after four days, I craved privacy desperately. He made me feel. . . violated. That only got worse when he demanded I stop the brutal, aggressive storm outside at the drop of a hat—literally. I was able to do it, but that only made him seem. . . like he had won.

  “You see?” he questioned, his fingers pressing into my elbow. “You’re not stronger than me, Emma. You can’t stop me.” He smirked at me. “You and your Magic aren’t going anywhere.”

  “You can’t keep me here forever,” I wheezed.

  In seconds, I found my back against the wall again. Lucas had his hand on my wrist, holding my arm between us, but the other—he slipped his fingers through my hair near my temple, pressing his thumb firmly against the spot. I squirmed, lifted my free hand—only for him to pin it against the wall with his Magic.

  “We’ve been through this, Emma. You fight me, I touch your scars, you scream, the air gets tight—and then you give in. Even your damn Galaxies aren’t strong enough to keep me away from you, so don’t press your luck.”

  I kept quiet, knowing that if I said what I was thinking, it wouldn’t end well for me tonight.

  Lucas smirked at me, moving his hands so he was cupping my cheek and so his hand wasn’t so close to my scar.

  “See? Isn’t that better?” He turned to leave, but my hand was pinned to the wall right up to the second his hand was on the doorknob. “Sleep well, Keeper.”

  I nearly collapsed as soon as the door was shut behind him, gasping for the air the room provided now he wasn’t in it. With him here—it was always less.

  ****

  After five days—I only knew because I could

  feel the sun—he came in earlier than usual.

  “We’re leaving.”

  I crossed my arms.

  “Where?”

  He huffed and grabbed my arm instead of

  answering. I lost the ability to breathe and see, and then it all came back, and we were standing alone in the middle of a great, empty room.

  “Where are we?”

  “Still in my house. I just have some. . . friends who want to meet the Keeper.”

  I stared at him in shock.

  “You told someone?” I whispered.

  He touched my face, causing me to flinch.

  “Don’t worry. You’re mine and mine alone. Besides, they work for me.”

  “That doesn’t matter! You have no right to tell someone I’m the Keeper!”

  “And why’s that?”

  “Because they’re , not yours!”

  “Yes, but belong to me, Emma. Nothing is going to change that.”

  He left me alone in the room then, and I looked around, trying to find some other way out. I can’t believe he told someone! Lucas knowing is bad enough, but then he had to go and tell someone else! But who—?

  I flinched again as the doors burst open. Lucas walked in, coming to stand near me again.

  “Who did—?”

  An unpleasant chill washed over me as Abarims

  walked in the door. They are a particularly nasty group of Beings, banished from Quan over a century ago. They were our enemies, so why would Lucas work with them?

  The Abarims were leaning over like they had a back problem, almost hunchback-like, and their feet were pointed at odd angles. They were all bulky, and their skin looks grimy.

  “Emma Fitch, allow me to introduce the

  Abarims,” said Lucas.

  “How could you tell them?” I demanded. “How

  could you tell every Quan’s mortal enemy?”

  “I told you: They work for me.”

  “So? They have no right to know this!”

  “You were right, Adler. She does have an

  attitude. Mind your manners, Fitch; you need to respect

  your elders. And superiors,” growled one of the Abarims

  in the front.

  “You might be my elders but you are not my

  superiors.”

  “Don’t try and make her be respectful, Esdid. She

  won’t listen,” said Lucas, moving over to stand between

  me and the Abarims.

  “Maybe we can try and make her. . .” hissed

  another.

  “No, Buqdid, you’re here for one reason and one

  reason only. Her being the Keeper.”

  The one named Esdid stalked toward me and

  quickly took my right hand in his; I never even saw his

  hand coming. They have a feeling like they are covered

  in dirt and haven’t been washed in years.

  He looked at my scar and was about to touch it

  when I pulled my hand out of his. He was pushed back

  with an invisible force and hit the wall, taking a few

  other Abarims with him. He growled angrily and Lucas

  looked at me, almost amused.

  “That wasn’t very nice,” he cautioned.

  “Go to hell,” I snapped.

  “Not for a long, long time.”

  “Adler, let’s finish this,” Esdid growled, jumping

  up and limping over to Lucas’s side.

  “Let’s. Now, Emma, I know you know how, so

  don’t try and weasel your way out of it.”

  “Out of what?”

  “Open the Galaxies.”

  He has officially lost it. . .

  “That’s never going to happen, Lucas.”

  “Open them, Witch Faerie, or we shall make

  you,” one hissed.

  I rolled my eyes.

  “Right. With what Magic?”

  All of the Abarims glared at me, but Lucas came

  and stood before me.

  “We’ve been at this for a week.”

  “Go ahead: Torture me. I’m not opening them!” His eyes narrowed, and he moved to stand behind

  me, his hands tight on my arms. He must have made

  some sort of gesture, for an Abarim limped out of the

  room.

  “What are you doing?” I questioned.

  “Resorting to keeping my word.”

  Then I felt him, felt the current. It was stronger

  than it has been this entire week, and then he was here.

  The Abarim threw Zach to the ground before me and I

  made to go to him, only to have Lucas wrap one arm

  around my shoulders, the other around my stomach. He

  lowered his lips to my ear, whispering: “Do it or I’ll kill

  him.”

  Lucas dropped me, which allowed me to be by

  Zach’s side a second later. He was awake but completely

  out of it, looking like I did when Lucas tortured me, but unhealed. He was bleeding out of his shoulder, which was surely dislocated, and there were bruises all up his arms.

  He had a black eye. My heart dropped into my stomach. I put my hands on either side of his face, and he

  looked at me weakly. His eyes changed when he saw me,

  they got lighter. And my soul—it felt like weights had

  been lifted off of it to be near Zach again.

  “You— ‘kay?” he gasped.

  My eyes watered.

  “Don’t worry about me,” I whispered, stroking

  his head. “Let me worry about you.”

  I moved my hand to his arm to heal it, but Lucas

  moved over to us
and grabbed my arm, pulling me away

  from Zach. Two Abarims came and snatched him up.

  My heart felt like it was going to shatter.

  “Don’t touch him!” I shrieked, fighting against

  Lucas.

  But they continued to drag him further away

  from me. I kept fighting against Lucas, but he was

  physically stronger than me. I knew from all his attacks

  this week that I wouldn’t be able to fight him off. “Open the Galaxies,” Lucas ordered lowly,

  leaning over closer to me. I tore my eyes from Zach and

  glowered at Lucas.

  “I did everything you asked. You weren’t

  supposed to hurt him,” I quaked.

  “Emma, Emma, Emma. You did what I told you

  to because otherwise I’d touch those precious little scars

  of yours.” I flinched at the thought, and he flipped me

  around. “I will torture him far more than your precious

  little Galaxies could ever heal him. Then he’s dead.” “Don’t you dare,” I gasped.

  He tilted his head to the side, studying me again,

  before he reached up and fiddled with my hair that hung

  about my face. I tried to shove him off, but just like

  always, he was stronger.

  “Final chance, Keeper. How broken will you be—” “If you’d let me talk,” I snapped, suddenly being

  strong enough to push him off me. “I’ll Open them, but

  if you harm another hair on his head, I’ll kill myself and

  blow you all to hell. Don’t think I won’t.”

  Lucas walked backwards, his hands raised in

  mock surrender.

  “You have my word.” He stopped back with the

  Abarims.

  “Tell them,” I demanded.

  He scowled and then looked at the Abarims. “You’re not to injure him.” They looked let down,

  but moved away from my love. “Well?” Lucas prompted. I took a breath and put my hands together. Zach’s

  voice shot out at me.

  “Emma, don’t!”

  “Epilia Galaxa.”

  It was slow, which only made it more

  overwhelming on my system. A blue light, almost black,

  started emitting from me. Once the room was filled with

  it, a star flew from my hands, only to be followed by

  billions more. The constellations formed, and planets