by Debbie Behan
‘Well, where the bloody hell did they find their new witch? I thought our crack team had executed their entire list of possible people who could have become future Cloud Riders. If we don’t get rid of the damned pests we’ll never get rid of Orion and I’ve had just about as much of him as I can take, Conom.’
‘Aldebaran, I don’t mind the slaughter of any man that gets in our way but I’ll have no part of hurting this one. She seems to be a very young immortal, maybe just evolved, and can be controlled. Zoom in and get a look at her. Maybe she’s from up here and we can deal with the family, frighten them into pulling her out of the team.’
Aldebaran turned the focus on her face. She was sitting quietly now, waiting for the others to return. He zoomed in on her face and felt a flood of emotion flow through him, an emotion he had not felt for years. He had followed this child through her entire life only getting rare glimpses of her from time to time when she went outside in the garden. Why she wasn’t like other children and did not play outside daily was beyond him. It never even gave him time to snatch her up which is what he would have done given the chance. Her powers would have been so much more advanced if he had been able to get his hands on her for even just a short time. She certainly wouldn’t be on the side of Zoren’s sickening bunch of do-gooders.
He swore loudly and kicked over a stool in his way. ‘I won’t kill her just yet, Conom but whether you like it or not I’m taking her now. And she’ll damned well come to me even if I have to bloody drug her, the traitorous little bitch. I’ll show her which side of the fence she should be playing on and she will damned well listen. Not like her wretch of a mother.’
Conom was quiet for a minute and Aldebaran thought he must have gone. That was until he heard his very quiet and controlled voice come over the radio. ‘I can sense you know this female well, Aldebaran but I’m warning you, buddy, I’ll not stand by and let you murder one so young when she has caused no damage other than delay the inevitable. Just send another, Ald. Be very careful how you handle this. I’ll be watching so make sure she’s returned unharmed.’
‘Just great. You can screw with their minds and treat them all like whores and yet with this one you suddenly grow a damned conscience. I really don’t get you, Conom. Why is this one different?’
‘Look at her. So faithful, waiting patiently, not even a movement. She’s like a little doll. Please tell me if that ain’t a quality worth saving. Play nice, Ald.’
Aldebaran threw the headset off him and chucked it up against the wall. ‘Get me my potion book, now!’ he yelled angrily at the servant standing by the door. He was furious Conom was going to make him return her. Aldebaran rubbed his hand through his hair in frustration. He was preparing to give them all a nasty bloody shock. ‘She will come to me,’ he growled so loudly that the walls shook with the intensity of his voice. Aldebaran’s hands were shaking and he knew he had to calm down. He would scare the crap out of her, projecting the emotional energy within him.
Chapter Seventeen
Cassandra and Evil Merge
All Cassie could hear now was the gentle, light swoosh of Starburst’s wings as they gently moved to keep them in position. She finally heard Kayden’s voice as just a whisper. He must have been a long way out still and as he spoke, his words became clearer and she now recognised he was shrieking an order.
Cassie, look out behind you! Get out of there!
She swung around just as black veiling covered her, making everything dark. With great courage she calmed herself, imagining it off her but to no avail. Even striking it with her hand and trying to blow it off did nothing. It was as if it were a black nothingness, except she knew it was something supernatural, more powerful than the magic she possessed. Cassie and Starburst were being transported and she didn’t have a clue where. The best she could hope for was that the others were following.
She was unable to even hear Kayden anymore so the unexplained cover must have blocked him out as well. Starburst and Cassie finally came to a stop. As visibility came back to her she found they were in the middle of a huge room. It was obviously a castle and the realisation that the wizard had just kidnapped them frightened the bejesus out of her. Big strong men twice her size with strange heads and big bones showing through their faces pointed weapons at her. She put her hands up to push the ugly boneheads away and again nothing happened. Her mouth was dry from fear as she panicked, not knowing what she could do to protect her and her horse.
It was then she heard a laugh: a sarcastic, I-have-you-right-where-I-want-you laugh. ‘Your powers are useless here, so don’t bother.’
Cassie looked around for the man behind the laugh but it seemed to flow all around her.
‘I’ve been waiting many years for you to come home to me, Cassandra.’
She spotted movement and swung her head in the direction of the staircase. There, coming down them was a big man in his early thirties with an amused look in his eyes. His clothes were of the finest quality and the smoker’s jacket he wore, he tossed aside as he walked towards her. He had lots of hair around his face and his beard hung down, unruly yet trimmed neatly on the sides. A wizard with a goatee. It almost made her smile. Now closer, she wondered if she knew him. How did he know her? He looked familiar and yet not.
‘You’ve grown up a stunner, Cassandra. No doubt your friends will be frantic with the loss of such beauty.’
‘You seem familiar with me. Nevertheless I’m not sure I’ve had the pleasure,’ she smiled, trying to be polite and friendly so he didn’t wipe her from existence. She figured if she played nice, maybe he’d let her live until at least help arrived.
‘Let me clear up the misunderstanding, Cassandra. My name is Aldebaran. I’m your father.’ If that was not shock enough, he continued. ‘Your mother was my woman until she ran off with a wealthy human, a con-man. By the shocked look on your face I can see Mummy dear never told you who you are. I’m sorry to say the father you grew up with and thought was your dad, was not biologically so.’ His attention was on Cassie’s expressions, watching it change with her thoughts that she had not yet revealed. Even though she tried to come up with a clever retort, nothing seemed appropriate. ‘Your mother, Alexis, she is well?’ Not waiting for an answer and realising she needed time to let it soak in, he waved his hand and the guards put down their weapons. He walked over to her. ‘Dismount, child so I can get a better look at you.’
Closing her mouth that was still open in shock, she slid off and stood leaning closely against Starburst, ever so glad he was there with her. At least he was real. This conversation was not. Maybe it was a joke the wizard was playing to rattle her. Okay, she thought. I’ll play along with this psycho wizard if it keeps him from slitting my throat.
Finally finding her voice, she gave a slight cough before speaking. ‘My mother is someone I care little about. You would have to go ask her yourself,’ she said, glaring at the man who seemed delusional enough to believe that he was her father.
He threw his head back and roared with laughter. ‘She always was a piece of work. It sounds like nothing’s changed. She even has her own daughter hating her.’ He stared at her intensely, looking for an emotion from her but she was a closed book since he had mentioned her mother. He wondered what had conspired between them to cause so much hostility.
‘Hate is a bit mild where she is concerned.’
‘I am glad then that it is she who has driven you back to me. Now you are here I want you to quit this nonsense of fighting against me and come home, Cassandra. You belong here with me and it is about time your ancestry was honoured.’ He stopped and looked her up and down. Making a quick movement too fast for her to pull away from, he took her hands, turning them as if he was studying them. ‘I always wondered if you would take after your old man. These hands are weapons of mass destruction. It looks like you are a real chip off the old block. A very powerful gift you have there, daughter of mine,’ he
said, letting her go and adding an edge to his voice that was grating to Cassie. ‘You probably think you’re very clever foiling my plans against the Cross family.’
Cassie glared at him angrily. This little game had gone on long enough. It was bad enough that he was calling her his daughter but comparing her to him was the last straw. ‘My friends will be looking for me and I don’t need to tell you what they will do to your star if they find it is you who has kidnapped me, never mind held me against my will.’ She stood with her chin jutted out, hands on her hips, eyes dark and dangerous as she spoke.
He shook his head. ‘You have my temper as well I see,’ he smiled. ‘You don’t need to fret, Cassandra. I’m going to send you back to your friends but first I want an hour of your time to get to know you just a little. Come and have a drink. You must be thirsty—you’ve been out there a long time.’ He put out his arm which she took, glad he wasn’t kidnapping her and was going to send her home.
For my freedom, I can be nice for an hour.
‘What’s your poison?’
‘Moonjuice would be nice.’
He had his servant pour them both a goblet full. If she had to stay here she needed something to give her courage. He sat her down near him at the end of the table so he could chat. ‘You’re the prettiest little thing I’ve seen in many years. You must take after my side because although your mother had attributes, one of her finest was not her good looks.’
Cassie thought his voice sounded far away as if he was trying to remember every detail of her. Surely he is dreaming. Or maybe I am. Yet watching his eyes turn a magical blue as thoughts of his past flashed before him she somehow knew he wasn’t lying. Yet she still refused to believe him, even though his eyes were the exact blue that was reflected back at her whenever she glanced in a mirror.
‘How did you know it was me?’ Cassie asked, needing more from this strange man. He seemed so comfortable around her as if they’d been together like this for years.
He turned to face her directly again, his eyes instantly reverting back to the dark indigo or black they had been before.
Those eyes! Could mine have been able to change like that if I had become as evil as him?
‘I’ve been watching you all your life, my dear child. As soon as the close-up shot of you came through and I saw you, I knew who you were. You have changed very little since I saw you last. You have your father’s eyes and that, my dear girl, you cannot hide from me.’
‘You must be some kind of genius to be able to see from such a distance. I just wish I could have taken after you, Pops. Then I could have seen you coming and run,’ she mocked.
Aldebaran put his head back, laughing again making her smile. ‘See, I knew you would have some of my sense of humour. Tell me then, young Cassandra, why did you join up with those thugs?’
She looked at him, wondering what to say and decided the truth was best because if he were that good he would know if she lied anyway. ‘I’m in love with one of them. I was lost and had the spirit knocked out of me when they found me dirty and battered. They dusted me off, took me in, gave me time to heal and have given me a home. For the first time in my miserable existence I am actually very happy.’
Aldebaran moved her hair and searched her face as if he was able to read her every thought.
How is he doing that?
‘Yes, I believe you are telling me the truth as you do look very healthy and happy. That is all a father can ask for his child. However, none of this will change a thing.’ He looked away and breathed deeply, taking a big gulp of his drink. ‘Regardless of you being my daughter, we are on opposite sides. You do know I won’t give up my quest to rule this entire quadrant of stars and we will be coming up against each other more frequently. That’s why I brought you here: to warn you that I have many tricks up my sleeve and you are no match for me, young one. When you realise this is where you belong, Cassandra, I will be waiting for you with open arms. Until then stay alert or you could get hurt or worse. You may be my daughter but to go up against me is ludicrous. May I make a suggestion? Go back and dump your friends and come home to be here, by my side as it should be.’ His mood changed as he slammed his goblet on the table and glared at her. ‘Or stay the hell home next time.’ He glanced over at the Moonjuice she hadn’t touched and calmed down. ‘The least you can do is to have one drink with your father, Cassandra,’ he said soothingly, snapping out of his irritable mood. ‘You would make your old man very happy, sweetheart.’
Not at all scared by his mood swing, Cassie drank it down. ‘Maybe it is you who should stay the hell at home, Pop,’ she said with a sly look and a cheeky grin.
He roared with laughter again. ‘You’re a chip off the old block, I can see that.’ He seemed happy now and stood up, walking her back to Starburst. ‘All is fair in love and war. I guess until we meet again then, daughter of mine.’ He lifted her onto the horse.
She felt darkness start to cover her again and she watched Aldebaran’s eyes as they almost went black. They were unpredictable, as if he didn’t want to let her leave. Maybe she had misread it; nevertheless there was that look. Maybe he was thinking twice about fighting against her. She could only hope so. His magic was very strong. His eyes softened just for a minute and out of reflex Cassie blew him a kiss, grinning sweetly as he disappeared from her sight, his eyes sparkling with a smile in appreciation of her response.
Wow, so that’s my dad. He wasn’t so scary and she had rather liked him when he wasn’t annoying her with his demanding, come-home-now-daughter attitude. Then again it may have all been a trick. Maybe he’s not my father. But deep down that didn’t ring true either; he was someone alright. She felt it. So many thoughts ran through her head as she travelled back to where he had kidnapped her. She hoped the boys were still waiting. When she stopped, the black veiling came off and Conor jumped as Cassie appeared in between him and Woody. Kayden looked relieved and immediately ordered his men to move in close where they put a protective force around her while they travelled back down to the Cross brothers’ home world.
As soon as Starburst’s hooves hit the ground, Kayden lifted Cassie off the horse, hugging her. His arms trembled as he held her. She tried to tell him she was okay but he wasn’t listening. He was so stressed he didn’t seem to be hearing her.
‘Please, Kayden listen to me. I was fine. I was with my dad, my real one. The enemy … he is my father. I’m sure he is not lying.’ She finally got the words out in between kisses.
He finally registered what she was saying and pulled away from her. ‘Aldebaran is your father?’
‘That’s what he claims. However under all that facial hair I couldn’t really tell except for the eyes: they were familiar. He took me to warn me to stay home and keep out of the battle.’
‘And what did you tell him?’ Kayden asked, letting her go and backing away to listen.
‘I threw the same words back at him.’
By this stage, Kayden was gazing through her as if she were a stranger. He was frowning and dropped his hand, not holding on to her at all anymore so she quickly told him everything that they had discussed, trying to ease his mind. Kayden continued to slowly back away from Cassie. He acted as if she was an alien, not really believing anything she was telling him. He even scoffed at her when she said she wasn’t sure if he was really her father. It was almost as if she had been keeping a deep, dark secret that maybe only now, thinking he had caught her out, she had revealed.
Woody, Conor, Ethan and Jason were also acting weird and had the same expressions of disbelief on their faces.
‘I … I’m not sure. None of us having known her long enough … maybe …’ Woody stumbled with his words as he looked from the guys back to Cassie.
‘What, so you all think this was just a setup? That I knew about him and he has planted me in your group to expose you? Well if that’s how you want it, fine, but just remember I made a ne
w life for myself. You came and got me, remember. I can’t believe you all would think that,’ she said, beginning to get ruffled at their reaction to her news that the wizard was possibly her dad.
‘This doesn’t look good, K,’ Jason said, frowning. ‘She didn’t even have a birth certificate, no passport, nothing. We organised all new papers for her and really only had her word on who she really is. Data fed into a computer could have easily been forged to make her story legitimate. Maybe her so-called family overseas aren’t real. We should have checked more thoroughly.’
The Cross boys came out in the middle of their dispute. Seeing the men rattled for the first time ever and knowing it had something to do with Cassie, they broke it up by offering the men a drink. As if she was a poison they couldn’t wait to get away from, they followed the Cross brothers, turning their backs on Cassie and not even gesturing for her to follow. Cassie figured a little time on their own to discuss it privately was all they needed. Then they would come to their senses and apologise. She stayed with Starburst and waited. She doubted if any of them even noticed or cared that she was still outside on her own.
This is ridiculous. How can they believe me to be a spy?
After a very long time, the tall Cross boy came out, handing her a drink. ‘Sometimes saving your friends’ can be a thankless job, hey?’ He sat with her.
‘It’s okay, I’ve been treated like this all my life and there’s no reason for it to stop now.’
‘Your friends think you’re untrustworthy but you see, I read minds and know that isn’t true. Is there something I can do to help?’
Cassie gulped the drink down and passed back the empty glass. ‘Thanks, but like my dad said, what am I doing hanging out with thugs? You know, now I’m not sure either. Sorry to sound ungrateful but only I can fix this,’ she said, standing up and noticing he looked a little dejected. ‘Hey, thanks for the drink and the offer of support but if you don’t mind I’d prefer to be by myself for a while. Honestly, I’m fine. Go back with the others and enjoy the night.’