by Allie Burton
I couldn’t wait around to find out. I had to leave. Leave him behind.
Adrenaline pumped through my bloodstream. I jumped to my feet. If I got caught, not only wouldn’t Antony or I have a chance, the world wouldn’t have a chance. Babi and Demetri and the Akh Master would take control of the Knot’s powers and use them for evil.
On my toes, I ran to the edge of the roof. I gaped at the alley below. A dumpster. Concrete poles. The hard ground.
Dizziness overtook me. I couldn’t jump.
I yanked the Knot of Uset from under the collar. Holding onto one end, I tossed the other end toward the roof of the other building. Imagined another rope ladder. A ladder that went not up or down, but straight across. A bridge.
The rope grew as it flew. New knots formed, stretching and pulling. Extending the ten-foot distance.
Babi shouted from the alley below. The puddles glistened on the pavement. His hands were raised. Pointing.
I couldn’t hear what he said. Didn’t want to know.
The pounding in my veins instructed me to move. I put my feet on the rope at the edge of the building and I bent down, reaching out with my hands. Climbing on all fours, I shimmied over the rope bridge to the building next door faster than I’d expected. Super fast? I yanked the bridge and ran to the other side of the building. My feet slipped on the wet roof tiles. The damp scent in the air tickled my nose. Fog swirled in the night sky.
I stood at the edge of the second building and glowered at the next roof. If I kept using the rope as a bridge, it would take me forever to get to the professor’s house. I needed a faster escape route.
Squinting between the buildings, I noted the quietness of Maiden Lane and the cars and buses traveling around Union Square. I picked a bus with a glistening roof driving toward me. I swiveled my gaze to the sidewalk where Babi tracked me from below.
Demetri would gather others to come after me, and going from rooftop to rooftop would limit my ability to get to the professor’s house.
I peered at the bus again. My heart revved. Antony said I had powers. I’d noticed strange things—powerful things—I could do. Could I leap and land on top of the bus and not die?
The bus drove closer. If I was going to try I had exactly five seconds to make my decision. The revving of my heart moved around my chest, creating a buzzing sensation in my midsection.
Four seconds.
I had leapt out of the dumpster, and thrown Olivia across the room.
Three seconds.
Antony believed in my abilities.
Two seconds.
Did I believe in myself?
The buzzing vibrated, louder and stronger. Taking a run, I spread my legs and threw my arms in the air. I jumped off the edge of the building. “I believe in me!”
I hung for a second and then went down.
The buzzing stopped. Falling, my heart flew to my throat, choking me. I opened my mouth to scream. Nothing came out.
The walls of the buildings went by similar to a flickering movie. Roofs, gutters, windows, lights, balconies, and doors. They passed in my blurred vision as I went down, down, down.
The harsh whiteness of the bus roof came closer.
My belly heaved. My brain captured more detail than you’d think possible, falling at a fast rate. The wires connecting the bus to the electrical system. The bus’s identification number. Individual raindrops plopping on the roof.
I scrunched my face and tightened my body, preparing to slam into the metal roof. Already, I could imagine the torture ripping through me as my skin ripped and my bones broke. Bending at the knees, I tried to picture myself landing on my feet.
Bracing myself, I hit the roof. My bare feet slapped the metal, stinging the bottoms. My knees buckled, but didn’t break. No bones broke. Like a new catwalk model, I managed to stand, wobbling with shock and the movement of the bus. The earlier buzzing changed to a roar of success. Maybe I really could fly.
Taking a knee, I glanced back. The dark streets were deserted, late on a rainy evening. A few cars passed the bus. The people inside couldn’t see invisible me on top.
Babi smashed a parked-car window and got inside. He was coming after me.
The roaring stopped. My escape was not free and clear. I still had some running and jumping and flying to accomplish.
The bus stopped at a red light. Between the street lights and the frequent bus stops, Babi would catch me in no time. Plus, he could easily spot the bus from a distance.
I regarded the area. The bus route wasn’t much better than the rooftop route. I needed to find a way to move fast, or disappear. Which was ridiculous, since I was invisible. Except Babi could see me. It seemed everyone who was knowledgeable about magical relics knew the secret to seeing the invisible.
The bus stopped at the corner of a street fair. White tents lined lighted pathways. Loud music blared from speakers. Vendors sold food and finery. Even with the rain, crowds gathered at the hour of ten o’clock.
If I looked similar to everyone else, I could get lost in a crowd. I surveyed my clothes. With this repulsive outfit I wanted to stay invisible.
I easily jumped off the roof of the bus and looked back.
Babi pulled the car to the side of the street. He’d seen me make my move.
I ran into the street fair, mingling with the crowds. Dashing right and left, I tried to lose Babi. The music thudded like my heart. The scent of fried churros made my stomach turn. The people swarmed around, unable to see me.
Knowing Babi would follow, I ducked into a tent selling tie-dyed skirts, tops, scarves, and bags. If I could become visible and change into one of these outfits, I could mix into the festival crowd and scream for help if Babi got too close. If I was visible to others if needed, I could go to the police.
I concentrated on becoming visible. Antony had tried to teach me, but I hadn’t been able to accomplish visibility. Story of my life.
That was the old me. The new me believed in myself. Knew I had powers. I could do this.
Closing my eyes, I focused, blocking thoughts of being chased by Babi, of leaving Antony to possibly die, of never succeeding.
“Can I help you?” A woman’s heavily-accented voice asked. “We’re closing in a few minutes.”
I opened my eyes.
The woman sat behind a counter. Her surprised expression told me she’d suddenly seen me appear in her tent.
Which she probably had.
“I need clothes.” I grabbed a skirt from a rack of tie-dyed items.
“It’s a beautiful costume, although it needs repairs.” The woman, whose gray hair was pulled back in a severe bun, eyed my outfit.
I picked at the hem I’d torn apart to wrap around Antony’s handcuffs. “A few.”
“Where did you get the dress?”
I noted the bizarre sacrificial gown. In a sexy, shimmering way the outfit was beautiful. Demetri definitely had talent. Too bad the only thing he’d be designing in the future would be prison garb. “Would you be willing to trade? I need a skirt, top, and shoes.”
She smiled in a satisfied way. “What size, dear?”
Answering, I slipped into the confined dressing room with the skirt I’d already chose. I checked for special bars that could imprison me. Nothing. I stripped off Demetri’s designer outfit and let it fall to the ground. The woman passed me a long, tie-dyed T-shirt. Quickly, I put on the outfit and tied the Knot of Uset around my waist.
Now that I understood how the invisibility power worked, I had no fear about slipping back into invisibility. I slipped on the black ballet flats the woman had left outside the door.
In the past I wouldn’t have worn this outfit if I’d been dead. Now, being dead was truly an option.
* * *
I jiggled the front door handle of the professor’s house. Locked. I rang the doorbell. Waited. No response. I jammed my finger at the bell again. And again. And again.
Ugh. How could no one be home?
I’d given Babi the slip
at the street fair. My tie-dyed clothes and visibility blended in and out of the other revelers. From there, I’d used my powers—powers—to jump and fly.
Going around to the backyard, I leapt onto the back porch with ease. I pounded on the backdoor. Using my newfound super strength, I used the flat of my palms to hit harder.
No answer. Where was everyone?
Maybe they’d realized Antony was in trouble and had gone to find him. I could lead them to where he was being kept, except I had no way to contact any of the Soul Warriors. Frustration knotted in my gut. I was working with the Soul Warriors, yet I wasn’t part of their team.
If I got inside the professor’s house, I might find a way to contact one of the warriors, or find helpful weapons, or something. Anything.
Untying the rope from my waist, I imagined another rope ladder and tossed it toward the dormer window. The climb to the top didn’t take long because I was more experienced and more confident. I probably should’ve jumped, but didn’t want to get too cocky. Leaning against the window frame, I gathered the rope. I opened the window and landed on the floor of the music room.
The dark room hid the shadows of the big instruments. Piano, guitars on stands, tubas. There seemed to be more than usual.
The instruments moved.
My muscles tensed. Fear slammed me, taking my breath away. My eyes had deceived me.
Not instruments, people. Fighters.
Babi must’ve known I’d come to the professor’s house and he’d waited inside with several people to help.
My fear exploded into movement. I didn’t have time to be afraid. I had to act. Raising my hands, I stiffened my spine, refusing to go without a fight. This is why no one had answered the door. It was an ambush.
Shivers raced across my skin. Were the Soul Warriors dead or captured?
Chapter Twenty-One
Cleo
I slashed the rope forward, similar to a whip. The Knot lengthened and thinned, becoming slim and pliable. The metallic threads sparked and crackled, flashing bits of light into the room. Surrounded, I reeled, deciding on my best move. Seconds seemed like hours. My heart pounded, echoing doom in my head. My scalp pulsed and the ends of my hair tingled with tension.
Counting the dark shapes, I figured my odds.
Not very good. About as good as the man-kini becoming popular.
The tension tamped down with my chances.
I swallowed. Me and the Knot of Uset against seven or eight trained fighters. Antony had said no one would dare attack their headquarters, and yet clearly he’d been wrong.
Sucking in a breath, I raised the hand with the knotted whip. With my super strength, I slapped the rope down. It snapped on the wood floor with a sharp crack. Light flared from the contact.
I swung the rope, brushing a couple of the attackers. Startled screams. Falling bodies. Dark shapes moving forward.
Nausea churned. I wasn’t a killer. To save Antony and protect the Knot of Uset I’d battle with everything I possessed. I raised my arm to whip again.
A ball of fire flew toward me. I ducked behind a cello. Some of the instruments were real.
A ball of fire?
“Piper?” I hunched in a protective position. Antony had mentioned Piper had firepower. If she was slinging the balls of fire she hadn’t been kidnapped or killed. The churning stopped soothing into optimism. “Piper! It’s CC.”
The lights went on.
My eyes took a second to adjust. Piper and Math stood beside each other toward the front of the room. They both wore black leather pants and black shirts. Falcon took a defensive position by the door. He also wore black. Better to hide in the shadows.
Aria stood by the doorway, her hand on the light switch. “CC?”
Blaze picked himself off the floor. He must’ve been the one I’d hit with the knotted whip.
My shoulders relaxed. I started to stand.
A warrior moved behind me, putting a weapon to my throat and yanking me to a standing position.
A buzz went through me. My gaze widened. I thought I was with friends.
“What did you do to Antony?” Ash pressed the rounded, sharp steel closer.
Talking, I tried not to move my neck a millimeter. “He’s been captured. He helped me escape.”
“Who captured him?” Falcon relaxed his stance and took a step forward. “Let her go, Ash.”
Even though Ash loosened his hold, he kept me close. He didn’t trust me, probably never would. I shook off the icky-ness of not being liked. “Why were you guys hiding in the dark behind the instruments?”
“We weren’t hiding.” Ash scoffed.
“Our security’s been breached.” Blaze held a weapon resembling a hot poker. “When we saw someone climbing to the window we took a defensive position, waiting to see who was breaking into the house.”
“Who’s taken Antony?” Falcon repeated his question, ripping me with fear for Antony.
“Demetri, a fashion designer.” Which sounded moronic. A destructive designer. Not one who creates but destroys. “And another guy.”
“Who’s this designer?” Aria held out her hand and signaled to him.
Ash placed the weapon in her hand and stepped away from me.
The steel of the sharp, curved sword glinted. Recognition flashed. I’d seen the sword before, in the frame of the mirror back at Demetri’s shop, when I’d been dazed and possibly dreaming.
I straightened the tie-dyed skirt. “Demetri is a friend of mine. Was a friend.” Realizing that sounded bad, I held up my hand. “I didn’t know he was involved in this Egyptian stuff. He’s working for a guy named Babi.”
“Babi?” Piper’s face went pale. She stumbled back and Math put a supportive arm around her.
My turn to ask about names. “You know who Babi is?”
Math regarded Piper. “Babi was the second in command at the Magical Order of Crucis.”
That part I understood. I’d taunted Babi about someone dying and leaving him in charge.
“He was more muscle than brains.” Piper knew the details of the organization.
Ash flicked his hand at the sickle-shaped knife with distinctive hieroglyphics. “I got a souvenir from the battle.”
“When we retrieved Tut’s Trumpet of Peace.” Falcon’s expression went thoughtful. “The organization was decimated. The museum closed. We believed the few remaining members went underground.”
I didn’t want a history lesson about an organization technically not in existence anymore. Babi was around, and so was that knife. I stared at the glinting, curved metal, remembering the vision and the recognizable knife’s part in the depiction.
Fear spiked higher, knowing time was running out. “We’ve got to save Antony. He couldn’t escape with me because they put these handcuffs on him—”
“Handcuffs can’t stop a Soul Warrior.” Ash crossed his arms and glared, not believing a word I said.
I narrowed my gaze and raised my brows giving him shade for not letting me finish. “Made of meteoric iron.”
The male warriors in the room tilted back, as if leaning away from the black metal. Their eyes widened and chins dropped. Surprised, shocked, and scared. They understood what effects the strange metal had on their powers.
Worry for Antony spiraled. My blood pressure pumped at an increasing rate. The images from the frame appeared in my head again. We couldn’t stand around discussing things. “Where is everyone else? We need to save Antony.”
“The others are searching for him.”
“Call them back. We have to prepare.” I knew even with the Soul Warriors we couldn’t rush out the door and attack. We needed a plan. A plan with power and magic. Magic Babi and Demetri had never seen before. Magic with powers never released until now. “I have an idea how to save Antony.”
* * *
The Knot of Uset lay on the kitchen table with a piece of plain cardboard beneath. The golden threads sparkled, catching the glare from the fluorescent light above. Squeezing
Ash’s curved, sickle-shaped sword, I paused above the rope, trying to calm the racing of my blood.
“Are you sure this will work?” Piper’s question jolted, sitting next to me at the table.
No, I wasn’t sure. I’d been confused when I’d awoken to the images in the framed mirror demonstrating the process. At the time, I thought I’d been hallucinating and then dreaming because Antony had arrived. Only when I’d seen the curved sword in Ash’s hand did I remember the pictures. Remember the process.
Biting my lip, I tried not to show my doubt. “Yes.”
Piper brushed her fingers across the silky threads. “What if you ruin the magic?”
The thought had crossed my mind. If I ruined the magic, I’d no longer have any powers and I’d be unable to assist in rescuing Antony. The Soul Warriors would go after him, but they wouldn’t have the surprise power of the Knot’s magic. “If the magic of the Knot of Uset could be easily destroyed, don’t you think it would’ve been done by now?”
I’d given this deep thought, and I remembered the things Demetri used to say to me when I’d watched him work. I’d thought he’d been referring to clothes. The design is only as good as the cloth it’s made from and the cloth is only as good as the ties that binds.
The Knot of Uset was the tie that binds. It bound me and Antony, making us both invisible. He’d sensed things about me, as if reading my mind. If I could create a similar bond between the Soul Warriors, they’d be a cohesive unit. An unstoppable fighting machine.
Plus, the sickle sword was an ancient Egyptian relic. Ash had insisted it didn’t possess magic, and yet the weapon had come from the leader of the Magical Order of Crucis, who’d kept the weapon close at hand, so it must be ordained. Ash had sworn it was his talisman.
“They didn’t know the push-up bra would work until they tried.” The bravado in my tone conflicted with my nerves. I was gambling with Antony’s life, and with my powers. The first was so much more important.
I pressed the sharp blade into the golden rope and sawed. Trtttt, trtttt, sizzle, sizzle. The saw cut into the rope. My nerves hissed and sputtered. Trtttt, trtttt, sizzle, sizzle. Edges of the rope frayed, each thread separating. I’d fall apart if this didn’t work. Trtttt, trtttt, sizzle, sizzle. The frayed edges sparked and shimmered.