I jumped to my feet, not so dazed that I couldn’t keep up, but it took me several precious seconds to reach him.
He attacked again, but this time with his paws. I hadn’t been expecting that. They were rough and heavy, scratching my face and my neck. His claws weren’t very sharp, and for that I was grateful, but still, I could tell some of the scratches were deep enough to draw blood. The beast was large and strong, and I was barely keeping up with him.
I searched for his flame again, but again, he dashed away. This time, back toward Abel. Unfortunately, Abel couldn’t see still.
I was up in a flash, racing after the huge dog. I lunged at it, wrapping my arms around its torso and wrestling it to the ground.
“What’s going on?” Abel asked.
I couldn’t respond, but I called out when something sharp scraped me. I jerked back. What the heck? What was that? It was as if the dog had knives in its shoulder blades. But that was impossible, and I couldn’t see anything like that in its outline.
As if sensing my surprise, the hound chuckled. I dodged him when he lunged again—luckily, he couldn’t see at all, while I could see his faint outline.
Quick as a flash, Governor Boggs put his paw next to my leg before whipping it back to him. It took me a moment to realize he was trying to hurt me with the odd action, because yet again, something scraped me. Rather than trying to figure out what he’d stuck me with, I tackled him again, finally getting close enough to sense his fire.
Kill?
Kill.
The hound slumped under me, and I scrambled off him, trying to figure out how he differed from the other hounds. I swear, I felt something sharp near his shoulders. And again on his leg. But as I patted him down, all I felt was the sleek Xolo dog I’d always encountered where hounds were concerned.
“Is he dead?” Abel whispered.
“Yes.”
“What on earth happened? I haven’t felt that helpless in a long, long time.”
Voices sounded down the hall, heading our direction.
“I’ll tell you later,” I breathed.
“Governor Boggs?” someone called out. “I’m positive I heard his voice down here.”
“Me too. Well, I heard something, anyway.”
Abel and I scrambled to our feet, and I commanded the amulet to hide and guide me before grabbing Abel’s hand, leading him into a tiny side closet. I left the door cracked open and listened as the guards found the dog.
“What the heck? I didn’t realize he had one like this.”
“Must be a new dog.”
“Maybe in training?”
“Who knows.”
“How’d it die?”
“Beats me. The darkness probably scared it to death.”
The guards chuckled nervously. They knew something was wrong, but didn’t know exactly what it was or how to handle the situation. I felt bad for them and hoped they wouldn’t be implicated in what happened to the governor.
“So . . . what do we do?”
“I’m not sure. We could leave it here for a while.”
“Or take it out now.”
The two continued discussing their options, and realizing they weren’t leaving anytime soon, I grabbed Abel’s arm and pulled the door open slowly. I edged my way from the closet, relying on the amulet to hide my sounds, and Abel’s skills to hide his. The men continued conversing, trying to decide what to do when they couldn’t see anything.
Abel and I crept away, the amulet and my faint eyesight leading us down the staircase and out of the mansion’s front doors. The amulet continued guiding us around people. I could hear Mrs. Boggs’ panicked voice and the cries of her children, and again, my heart ached as I thought of how they’d react to Governor Boggs’ disappearing on them.
There was no way they’d figure out the dog was the governor.
Instead of having to climb the fence, Abel and I simply walked out onto the street. No one was there anymore. The amulet guided us back to the car, and we got inside and locked the doors, waiting to hear back from Nicole about the magical cane. In the meantime, we’d take turns eating and sleeping. Abel had me rest first while he ate fast food we’d bought on the way to the mansion.
It was only noon or one o’clock from what I could guess, but I’d been so sleep deprived lately and it was so dark outside that I fell asleep almost immediately.
28
Abel awakened me, letting me know it was my turn to eat and stand guard. I did so, listening as his breathing deepened. If we hadn’t been so exhausted and stressed by the eerie blackness, we might’ve taken the opportunity to do some kissing. As it was, I definitely wasn’t in the mood, and I could tell he wasn’t either. I held the flip phone tightly in my hand, hoping Nicole would call soon.
About three hours after Abel had fallen asleep, when I was going absolutely insane with boredom, the phone finally vibrated in my hand.
“Yes?” I answered, my voice breathless.
“I’ve got it,” Nicole said. “It took wrangling, a bit of bargaining, and a lot of harassing, but the cane is now in my possession.”
“Oh, wonderful.” I felt lightheaded with relief. “Thank you so much. How are you going to get it to me?”
“Miraculously, I was able to contact Alexander. He’s going to bring it to wherever you are.”
“Okay. Tell him I’m ready.”
I relayed our whereabouts to Nicole and then settled in to wait for Alexander, trying not to think about what was out there in the blackness. My one consolation was the fact that they definitely couldn’t see me, and the amulet still gave me a faint sense of sight.
I had my window down an inch and wasn’t surprised when I heard Alexander approaching.
“Lizzie?” he whispered, his outline somewhat visible on the other side of the glass.
I quietly opened the door and pressed it shut behind me, not shocked that Abel was still sleeping. The guy could seriously sleep through a tornado.
“Alexander,” I said. “Thanks for your help.”
He pressed the cane into my hand. “Good luck.”
The weight of the wood was solid and good—from what I could tell, it was well constructed and well balanced. I wondered what its magic was and why the globe owner would want it. I couldn’t feel any powers coming from it, but that didn’t surprise me. I’d never been good at sensing magic from objects.
I opened the car door and sat there for a moment, trying to decide what course of action to take next. I needed a ghost to lead me to Koven, but there was no way I was going to wander the streets of Salt Lake City in the blackness, alone, while trying to find one.
And so, I decided to wake up Abel. Together, we could come up with a plan.
It didn’t take long with both our brains working over the problem. We’d find a ghost, then during negotiations for the magical items, I’d arrange to have the old man give us time to return to my car, in the dark. That way, the moment the plague ended, we’d already be in a vehicle and ready to go. I hoped the elderly man would go for it.
We needed to get as far from the governor’s mansion as possible before cops were called and a search started. If we were seen anywhere in the area, they would question us about his disappearance.
And kidnapping was just as illegal as murder.
I asked the amulet to have a ghost find me, and Abel and I ate snacks, then we left the car and headed down the sidewalk. It seemed to take longer than usual for a ghost to find me, but that might’ve also been because the darkness exaggerated everything.
“Sorry it took me so long,” the ghost—a woman—said. “I can barely see anything.”
“I’m surprised you can see at all.” I probably shouldn’t have been, since Sir Christopher had found me in the mansion. Though, maybe he had a way to locate me that didn’t require eyesight.
“Ghosts can see even in absolute blackness, but our sight is diminished significantly with this plague.”
“I’m sorry about that. Would you take m
e to Koven?”
“Of course.”
And we started out. Again, it seemed to take longer to find an entrance, but we finally got there.
Once at our destination, I turned to the ghost and asked, “Would you wait for me and help us find the way back to the car when I’m finished?”
The ghost agreed to do so, and I let myself into Koven. The lightness of the room blinded me. I hadn’t seen anything even a fraction of its brightness for so long that it took much longer than usual for my eyes to adjust.
After I could finally see again, I started walking through the shades, not sure who I was looking for, but hoping someone would be able to help me. A lot of people stared at the cane, and after a few minutes, I kept it behind my back so it wouldn’t distract the right person from talking to me.
I was surprised when the elderly man himself stopped me. He saw the expression of shock on my face and chuckled.
“B—but . . .” I stuttered. “You’re here.”
“Of course I am,” he said. “I’m dead, after all. Where else do you think I spend most of my time?”
“Good point.” I chewed on my lip, surveying him, wondering how to ask my question. “I want to return the device.”
The man nodded. “Very well. Where is it?”
I didn’t move to retrieve it, and I also didn’t show him the cane I still held behind my back. “On one condition.”
The man gave me an amused expression. “Oh? And what is your condition?”
“That you stop the plagues.”
The man snorted. “I won’t be doing that. You missed your deadline. I don’t reward people who don’t take me seriously.”
I nodded. “I figured you’d say that. And so . . .” I paused for dramatic effect. “I’ve got something you’ll be very interested in owning. And I’m prepared to give it to you if you stop the plagues.”
Curiosity crossed the man’s face, and he tried to look behind my back. I refused to let him see what I held.
I held up a finger. “You can have it, but again, on one condition.”
He chuckled. “You’ve already given me that condition.”
I ignored him. “I want you to end the plagues, yes . . . but I also need time to return to my car.”
“So, you give me the object behind your back as long as I end the plagues in say, thirty minutes?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Well, let’s see what you have.” His eyes glittered with anticipation.
Keeping my grip tight on the cane in case he tried to snatch it from me, I slowly pulled it from behind my back. I only let him see it for a split second before hiding it again.
His expression told me it was much, much more than what he’d expected. Absolute and utter glee crossed his face. “Oh, yes, please, yes, give me the cane.”
“Swear an oath,” I said. I’d been working with these people long enough to know they actually stuck to their oaths.
“Yes, of course. Name the oath you want me to make.”
“You stop all plagues in thirty minutes. You do not start any of them ever again. You do your best to undo the damage that has been done.”
The man raised his eyebrows. “I cannot undo damage already done. I don’t hold the power to reverse time.”
I nodded. It was worth a shot. “Okay, that’s fine. In exchange for this cane, you vow to stop the plagues in thirty minutes, and you vow never to start them again.”
The man shook his head. “The first part is fine, but I can’t agree with the second half of your request. As owner of the globe, I need to have the ability to punish any future borrowers.”
I rolled my eyes. “Okay, fine. You vow to stop all the plagues in thirty minutes’ time. And you vow not to start them up again in relation to my use of the globe.”
“And in exchange, you will do what?” the man asked.
“I’ll return the globe and give you this cane I hold behind my back.”
The man nodded eagerly, his eyes brightening. “Dorothy Elizabeth Ashton, I make an oath with you this day. I vow to stop the plagues in thirty minutes’ time, and I vow not to start them up again in relation to your use of the globe. As a bonus, I also vow not to plague you again. Either in person or from afar. Even if someone near you breaks their promise with the globe, you shall not be affected.”
He continued. “And in exchange, you will return the globe and give me the cane you hold.”
Wow. I hadn’t been expecting any bonuses. Apparently not everyone was as cutthroat as Lord Kenan. That probably shouldn’t have surprised me.
“It’s a deal,” I said.
“No, it’s an oath,” he corrected.
He extended his hand, and I knew he didn’t want to shake mine. He wanted what was now his. I pulled the globe from my pocket, giving it one last look, feeling as panic flooded into me. I wouldn’t have a way to tell where the hounds were again.
Hopefully, that wouldn’t be an issue anymore. With only six left, two of whom were Alexander and Omar, I was in a much, much better place than I’d been before the globe.
I took a deep breath and dropped the globe into the man’s hand, feeling as the weight and responsibility of its ownership left my system. Okay, that actually felt really good.
I next handed the cane to him and thanked him. He didn’t even respond—he stared down at the piece of wood now in his hands, his eyes big, round Os. I left Koven grinning.
The complete blackness took my breath away.
“Abel?” I whispered tentatively.
“I’m here,” he said. “Enjoying the company of this very fine woman.”
The ghost who’d guided us to Koven laughed, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“Would you lead us to our car?” I asked her.
“Yes, I shall.”
As the woman took us away from the door, the ground underneath changed from dirt to packed cement. With her guiding, we marched up hills and around corners and down sidewalks until we finally reached what she said was my car. Abel pushed the button on the fob, and the SUV honked. The sound made me jump. Abel apologized.
“Just had to make sure.”
We thanked our guide, and Abel and I got inside to wait for the blackness to leave.
29
We snacked on the rest of the food we’d brought. It consisted of old microwave popcorn and cans of V8.
About five minutes after we’d reached the car, the elderly man’s voice entered my head.
The plagues of Egypt are now lifted from the countryside surrounding thee. Thank you for the cane.
I wasn’t sure what I’d expected with the return of daylight—maybe the sun rising or all light coming back in a huge, bright flash. Instead, pinpricks of light pierced through the blackness around us. Those pricks grew brighter and brighter, tearing at the darkness, lifting and pulling it away.
As the darkness dispersed, so did the stress and depression that had settled over me, replaced with joy and peace. I glanced over at Abel and knew from his smile that he felt the same. He took my hand and kissed it before setting it on his leg and starting the car.
It was still dark, but the headlights worked now, and we turned around and headed home.
The light continued growing, pushing even more of the darkness away. I admired the view, loving how pretty it made the valley look, with the dramatic mountains to the east and the lower, more graceful ones to the west. So beautiful.
The clock on the dash read five p.m. as we pulled down my street. Several of my neighbors were outside, working in their yards. Most of them looked up and smiled when they saw me, waving.
“Don’t they recognize you?” Abel asked.
“I can’t see how they wouldn’t.”
Why was everyone acting so friendly?
We got to the house, and Mindy met us on the porch. She hugged me tightly. When she pulled back, I was surprised to see tears in her eyes.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“The weirdest thing happened while
you were gone. A voice entered my mind, saying the plagues had been ended because of your goodness and love for the citizens of this country. And when the darkness started going away, a peaceful feeling entered my soul, followed immediately with warmth and appreciation for you.”
I glanced at Abel. What the heck?
He shrugged.
“Maybe the owner of the device decided to give me yet another bonus?” I said. Wow. The guy had seriously been generous with me.
Mindy and I followed Abel into the house. It occurred to me then that the elderly man had done his best to right what had happened. He couldn’t undo the damage that had been done, but he could pass on warm fuzzies to everyone about me instead. Oh, if that was true, it would be so wonderful. I’d really love not to lose my job.
We spent some time cleaning up the house and getting rid of dead locusts from my window before retaping it. Once we were finished, Abel took my hand.
“You need to take a break,” he said. “And I mean a real break.”
“No, I don’t. We need to get ready for Lord Kenan. He’ll be here soon.”
I couldn’t remember exactly how much time had passed since Omar said that the demon would be here in a little over a week. Had it been two days or just one or not even a full day? I had no idea.
It didn’t require much for Abel to convince me to take a trip up American Fork Canyon to roast hot dogs and marshmallows together. I really did need some time off. The last few weeks had been the most stressful of my life, including the quests that Lord Kenan had sent me on and all of the hound fighting I’d done.
Abel picked a perfect place not far from a bubbling creek, and we got a fire started and began roasting the hot dogs and marshmallows. The Russells had supplied the marshmallows, and Abel found the hot dogs deep in my freezer.
“What do you plan to do after Lord Kenan is defeated and the hounds are gone?” Abel asked.
“Relax for a bit,” I said. “And then help you find your mom.”
Abel shook his head. “I appreciate you offering, Lizzie, really I do. But your job is very important. We can’t risk any more interruptions. Your reputation has been on the line way too many times since all of this started with the hounds and Lord Kenan.”
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