by Jessa Ford
“Fight?” Cora began laughing and shook her head, “I don’t want to ruin any illusions you may have of me, but I can scarcely lift the heavy bags of flour in your mother’s kitchen. I don’t think I’ll be defending her home any time soon.” Xave rolled his eyes and motioned for Cora to stand, “You don’t have to overpower anyone, Cora. You just need to know how to keep someone from overpowering you.” Before Cora could respond, Xave was behind her, and her she felt as if he’d made her freeze, though she knew he wasn’t using his magic. She was suddenly overwhelmed with the scent of mint, and she forgot how accustomed she’d grown to it over the past few months. It was suddenly agonizing being this close to him.
“I’m going to walk you through what to do in the event you’re in a similar situation,” Xave’s voice was just above a whisper at Cora’s ear. He wrapped one arm around her waist and held her hands at her sides with the other, pulling her against him with a firm grip. Cora willed her heartbeat to quiet in her chest. “Now, if someone has your arms constricted, you’re going to stomp on their foot as hard as you can, like you want to break it.” Cora simply nodded. She was afraid to turn her head to look up at him. She knew his eyes would be intense and focused through his dark lashes.
“Move your foot as if you were going to step on mine. You’ll probably only have one chance to do it, so you want to make sure you can judge the distance without drawing too much attention to what you’re doing.” Luckily, her magic gave her the ability to feel the space around her. She only needed to glance at something to know exactly how to interact with or avoid it. Cora wiggled in Xave’s hold slightly, as if she was trying to break free. It gave her the vantage point she needed to see where his legs stood behind hers. She lifted her right foot and eased it backward in a swift motion to hover over Xave’s, stopping just before she made contact.
“Good,” he breathed, “now when that happens you’re hopefully going to cause enough pain or surprise your attacker enough that their grip on you loosens. That’s all you need to turn around quickly. Once you get out of their grip, take the palm of your hand facing up and slam it into their nose.” Xave took Cora’s hand in his and twirled her around to face him almost as if they were dancing. He wrapped his fingers loosely around hers to turn her palm face up. “Just like this,” he said, and took his other hand to guide her elbow and move her hand toward his nose. “Do it is as fast and as hard as you can. Then use your magic to escape. If you have a head start you may be able to evade them for some time.”
Xave’s hand continued to hold her arm just below her elbow, as if he wanted to pull her close to him. Cora just looked past, unable to focus or make eye contact. They stood inches apart, but said nothing. Cora wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but she realized she didn’t care. Xave cleared his throat and Cora was sure he would say something when Malen’s voice drifted over the silence, calling them down to the bakery. Xave dropped her arm in an instant and turned to leave. “I’ll be right after you,” Cora said quietly. She stood frozen in place until her head and her heart stopped spinning.
✽✽✽
A world away, Soph walked swiftly past the library in Starbury. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around herself both to brace herself from the cold wind that had moved in, but also to comfort the voice that forced its way into her thoughts when she passed the building. She blinked away tears in her eyes when she thought of Cora. She hadn’t seen or heard from her friend since the explosion.
Starbury’s headmaster had assured students and families that all students were accounted for, and anyone not at school had either been called home by their families, or were being treated at a local healing house for their injuries. Soph didn’t believe for a second that Cora wouldn’t contact her. She knew her parents wouldn’t call her home, either. They had no reason to believe any part of the city was any safer than Starbury, and they supported her schooling.
The Time Bender had left, so there was no reason for anyone to return to Starbury a second time. The only logical conclusion was that Cora wasn’t accounted for. Soph felt in her bones that something wasn’t adding up. She certainly couldn’t be the Time Bender, she thought to herself. But then again, Cora was often rushing off at odd hours, while somehow not missing a beat in her school work. It wasn’t the most farfetched answer Soph could think of. She wanted to believe, however, that if Cora was safe she would have contacted someone. Maybe their friendship wasn’t what she thought.
Soph’s mind was cycling through multiple possibilities when a woman suddenly blocked her path. “Sorry,” Soph mumbled, stepping aside to get out of her way. The woman caught her arm and held tightly. “Woah, I said--” Soph’s voice caught in her throat. It was like crossing paths with a wild animal; Soph didn’t have to know anything about her to see she was dangerous. “I hear you’ve been asking about Cora Vaunderly.” The woman’s voice was like a siren’s call, and Soph discovered she wanted to answer her. She wanted it more than anything in that moment. Soph merely nodded eagerly. “In that case, I think you’ll be very useful to my employer,” the woman sneered.
Soph tried to wring her arm free, but the woman pressed down on her arm and suddenly Soph’s mind felt fuzzy. It was as if she was in a dream, but she couldn’t wake up. She wanted to yell, or call for help, but her mouth wouldn’t form words. She just kept walking behind the woman, and her sluggish legs wouldn’t cooperate with her except in the direction the woman led them. They went straight through the gates to the city beyond Starbury. No one looked at them twice. A large man was waiting for them near the gate, and immediately Soph knew something was very, very wrong. “This one should draw the girl’s attention.” The woman placed her hand on Soph’s head and her vision went black. A cold smile from the man near the gate was the last thing she saw.
✽✽✽
Cora regained her composure and slowly crept down the stairs to find Xave shaking his head and Malen whispering to him. She wanted to pause and give them privacy, but the stairs betrayed her and groaned under her weight when she took another tentative step. “Perfect,” Malen looked in Cora’s direction, “like I said, we’ll ask her what her opinion on the matter is.” “I just don’t know if it’s safe now. Shouldn’t we wait until the threat has passed in case someone can connect you to her?” Xave crossed his arms and looked at his mother with concern painted across his face. “I understand that it’s a risk, but honestly, Xavier, anything you two do is a risk right now. This may be our only chance.”
Cora stood leaning against the wall. “What exactly are we considering?” Her voice was small as she joined in the conversation. “My mother wants to test your blood to see if there are any anomalies that would explain why you failed your Reading,” Xave shook his head, as if it was the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard. “It stands to reason there may be something worth knowing. I’ve never heard of a blood test showing an Unreadable result for magical blood. Even when the blood tests were relatively new they always detected magical blood.” “It’s your choice, Cora,” Xave sighed. “I’ll do it.” Cora spoke immediately. There was nothing to consider. She had been wondering the very same thing since she learned she had a magical gift. She wanted, needed to know exactly what she was made of.
TWENTY-ONE
Soph sat and tried to rub her eyes, but found her arms were limited in their movement. It caused her to focus instantly and her blood ran cold as her surroundings came into view. She was very clearly chained to a wall. After adapting to the weight of the metal holding her hostage, she breathed a sigh of relief that she was able to move her arms around after all. Her eyes began to grow more accustomed to the light, and she noticed someone else was in the cave with her. A boy near her age with blond hair sat slumped over close to her. Soph inched closer to him and attempted to wake him up with a nudge of her foot. Finally, a pair of brown eyes looked back at her with confusion.
“What am I...where are…” “Hi,” Soph’s voice was a lot more cheerful than it should have been, given the
circumstances. “I’m Sophia--Soph. It appears as if we’ve been kidnapped.” She almost laughed as she said it; it sounded too absurd to be true. The person next to her rubbed his wrists where the metal cut into his skin. “Kidnapped and trapped from the looks of it.” He attempted to stand to get a better look at their location. “I’m Willem,” he held out his own shackled hand. Soph’s eyes doubled in size at the mention of his name. “Willem...Cora’s Willem?” Willem’s face echoed Soph’s expression. “Er…yes? How do you know Cora?”
Despite their circumstances, Soph couldn’t help but smile. “She’s a friend from school. I figured I don’t know many Willems, but she’d mentioned you name before, so there was a chance…” her voice trailed off as she tried to determine what she, Willem, and Cora had to do with their current situation. She hoped Cora wasn’t in a similar situation. She didn’t have much time to consider anything, because no sooner had they made each other’s acquaintance did they hear footsteps echoing in the distance.
Upon hearing the footsteps grow louder, Soph’s breathing sped up. Willem clasped her shaking hands in an attempt to calm her and it worked, if only for a moment. Suddenly, it felt as if the air had been sucked out of the room when a familiar figure stood above them. Nikol Delmarno entered the cell. Any child who grew up in Telgria would recognize the dark features of the infamous villain. He didn’t stop and greet them, nor did he have to explain who he was. “If you’re wondering what you’re doing here, I’ve come to answer any questions you may have,” he began, “of course, that all depends on how well you answer my questions first.”
He was every bit as chilling as the stories. His dark eyes held no sign of humanity in them. His hair, though graying, was once dark. He wore silver framed glasses that somehow made him seem more sinister. He was tall, but not nearly as large as the man standing behind him in the doorway. That man blocked the entrance to the small cell entirely and glared and Soph and Willem as if they were nothing more than dirt on his boots. Neither Soph nor Willem spoke. It was like they were in a nightmare. It was also very unclear as to why anyone would think they could help with whatever Nikol Delmarno was a part of.
Willem stood taller and spoke first. “I’m sure we don’t know anything that could be of use to you,” he challenged. Nikol simply laughed, “Then you don’t know a girl by the name of Cora Vaunderly?” Their facial expressions gave them away, so Nikol continued, “That’s what I thought. I have no further use for you two if you’ll tell me where to find Cora.” “What do you want with Cora?” Soph was not sure where her bravery was coming from, but she attempted to look Nikol in the eyes. “She’s a Time Bender. I need her magic. I’ve been waiting a long time for what she has,” Nikol had the disposition of a snake. It took both Soph and Willem a moment to realize what he had said, as they were cautious to watch his every move. “Cora isn’t a Time Bender. She goes to Starbury Academy. She’s unreadable,” Soph protested. Nikol simply jeered, “Her blood test would say otherwise.”
Willem shook his head, “That’s impossible, and even if it was, we would never help you.” Despite how they’d left things, Willem would not let this man get to Cora if he could help it. Nikol, clearly losing patience, motioned for one of the men standing behind him. The man smiled in the way only a truly evil man can. In seconds, the air around them became thick, the way it feels before a summer storm. The man pointed to Willem and suddenly a white-hot bolt of lightning hit Willem in the arm, causing both a burn and a cut. Willem cried out and crumpled to the ground as the man cackled. “I think you’ll find I’m rather easy to assist after some convincing,” Nikol turned to leave, “I’ll send some of my men back later to speak with you both separately, but first I’ll give you some time to rethink your positions, lest anyone try to say I’m not reasonable.” He closed the cell door behind him, but neither prisoner dared move.
Willem winced as he finally attempted to stand and it forced Soph’s gaze away from the door. Noticing his bleeding, she ordered him to stay still. “I’m going to cut off the blood flow so you don't lose too much. You don’t know how deep that cut is,” she instantly ripped the bottom of her skirt, but Willem stopped her. “I have a belt,” he looked down at his pants. Soph quickly unlatched his belt and moved it through the loops. Hooking it around his arm, she pulled with all her might to make a tourniquet. “There’s a knife in my pocket, too,” he wiggled his left side indicating its location. Soph shoved her hand in his pocket and pulled out the knife which, she used to make a new notch in the belt. When it was secure she allowed Willem to put his arm down and she began to inspect the skin around the cut.
Pink from the burn, it would hurt but not cause any major damage. The cut was deep, and she hoped the bleeding would stop. “Where did you learn to do that?” Willem’s watched Soph, her brow furrowed as she inspected his injuries. “I have six younger brothers and sisters,” she stated matter of factly, “we’ve had our fair share of bumps and bruises.” Willem realized he felt less panicked. It was easy to feel at ease around Cora’s new friend. “What about you? Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Soph figured small talk would both calm him and keep his mind off his injuries. “A sister,” Willem began to talk about his family, his home, and what he was going to do when they got out. Soph listened, but her mind was preoccupied with thoughts about whether or not either of the would even have a future.
The next day or night--Soph couldn’t be sure how much time had passed--Willem’s arm began to look better. There was no swelling or discoloring around the wound, so she hoped he wasn’t going to suffer from infection. “What’s the damage?” Willem grimaced as she gingerly poked the skin around his cut again. “So far so good. Let me look a little closer,” she said awkwardly, “to make sure there’s no infection. Sometimes you’ll know by smell.” She offered him a sympathetic look and put her nose close to him and breathed in. She smelled sweat and burned flesh, but nothing concerning. “Um…you’ll live for now,” Soph shrugged and stepped back the little space her chains allowed.
No one had returned to their cell, not even to offer food or water, which wasn’t a good sign. They could not stay in their cell like this for long. “Do you think she’s really a Time Bender?” Willem looked to Soph. He was starting to think he didn’t know his oldest friend at all. “I don’t know,” Soph answered honestly, “Cora was always so serious about leaving Starbury. If there was any chance she could, I don’t’ see how she wouldn’t have taken it.” They sat in silence until exhaustion overtook them both again. Willem fell asleep easily, and Soph counted the freckles on his arm to keep herself composed. Every echo and creak made her jump with fear someone was returning as Nikol had promised. She refused to let her eyes close. She was afraid if she slept Willem wouldn’t be there when she woke up.
✽✽✽
Cora found herself sitting at Malen’s table after the bakery had closed for the day. She realized it would take many, many more days before she would tire of the delicious smells that filled the air. The topic of conversation, unfortunately, was nowhere near as comforting. “We know Nikol is still in pursuit of a Time Bender. It seems you will be the latest test subject.” “I don’t understand,” Cora started, and Malen explained. “After my mother died, my father became a different person. He was obsessed with magical gifts. He’d already studied them extensively for work and had a theory it was possible to obtain someone’s magic through their blood. The magic would filter out as magic blood mixed with nonmagical blood, but with enough blood you may be able to control it for a short time. He was certain if he could obtain the ability to time bend that he could go back and save her.” Cora listened intently. It all made sense; the disappearances, the lack of magic, everything.
“We heard rumors that he started experimenting with magical blood, so I asked him, begged him to stop, but he just pushed me away,” Malen paused, and it was obvious she was remembering a very painful memory of her past. “After his first break in for the Arvendry Register, I had enough. He murdered three
people to get to the Register. He said it was for our family. I told him as long as he was obsessed with finding a way to bring back my mother he wasn’t welcome in her bakery.” “And he didn’t stop then?” Cora felt such sorrow for the woman seated across from her. “He told me I’d thank him when it was over, and it’s the last I’ve spoken to him to this day. If only I’d known then how bad it would get…after it was all over, some of his followers were arrested we learned more of the truth. I’ve always felt I should have done more to intervene.”
Cora nodded. Many of Nikol’s followers recounted stories of his ability to combine science and magic, though none could be corroborated for sure. Nikol had found a way to use magical blood and harness magical gifts. The problem was, he needed a constant supply in order to use the gifts; it didn’t take long for the magic to wear out. Anyone with magical blood didn’t have to worry; their magic always regenerated. Supposedly, many of Nikol’s followers offered their own blood in order to help his cause. They were attracted to the power he could bring them. He needed as much help as he could find in order to gain and maintain power.
