by K.N. Lee
Raven swallowed. “S-sure.” She craned her neck around. She saw the beast running through the fog, gaining on them. She remembered the night Halston had killed twelve creatures just like the one that chased them. She wished Halston was there.
Alice sucked her teeth. She frowned. “A damned reanimated man. I should have known that guy wasn’t a normal vampire. Those Netherworld vamps are tricky. I don’t think that big guy appreciates that stake I put in his heart.” She reached a hand out and grabbed a pole above her head and catapulted them high into the air. She yelled. “Hold on!”
Raven shrieked as Alice tilted her head up to the heavens and outstretched her arms. Raven clutched to her with all of her strength, her claws firmly embedded into Alice’s shirt. The beast lunged after them, and with a swirl of her arms, Alice turned herself in mid-air to face it.
Raven looked into Alice’s eyes and shuddered. They had turned completely white, as if clouds moved within them. Alice turned out her hands, palms facing the beast and a sudden pop of air exploded from the small girl’s body. It was like thunder, without sound, but Raven could feel her bones tremble and her teeth chatter.
There was a loud howl as the beast was torn limb from limb. Arms disconnected from shoulders, the fibers trailing along like streamers. Legs broke away from knees with a cringe-worthy popping sound. He split into a million pieces that flew out in all directions. Blood sprayed into the air and Alice’s eyes returned to normal. Gray eyes glared at the carnage as she landed on her feet. Her boots made a splash in a puddle as they hit the ground.
Alice didn’t stop. She wrapped her arms around Raven again and ran into the shadows. She breathed heavily then, glancing down at Raven.
“You all right, kitty?”
Raven nodded, staring at Alice’s blood stained face. Pieces of bone and broken teeth were in her pink hair. Raven shivered—not from the cold, but from excitement. She was exhilarated. She looked at Alice in wonder. This was the one who could help them stop Greggan.
25
Koa woke to find Evina staring down at her. She sat up in a panic. Her eyes darted around the room as she tried to catch her breath. The room was small, bare, and cold. A strange collection of candles hung from the ceiling. It was like a chandelier, but the candles were floating and encircling the apparatus that supported them.
“Where am I?” Koa’s throat was dry. She swallowed. She felt hot. Her body was covered in sweat. “What did you do to me?”
Evina sat back in the only chair in the room, rested her elbow on the desk, and put her feet up on the bed, beside Koa. “You’re at the docks. Why… don’t you remember?”
Koa glanced at Evina’s boots and back up to her face. The vampire’s secret smile convinced her that something had indeed happened. Still, Koa could only remember being ushered away from the citadel. Now, she felt oddly at ease around the vampire princess, and she knew that she shouldn’t.
Koa frowned. “What did you do to me?” Her body felt… strange. Her skin was cool and her blood seemed to rush. Her mind was a torrent of questions and memories that she couldn’t make any sense of.
Evina shrugged, feigning ignorance. “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”
Wrong answer. Koa checked her sword and leapt off the bed. Evina was before her in a blink.
Koa glared at her. Her cheeks were hot with rage. “Move out of my way,” she said through clenched teeth.
Evina held her arms out. The black tattoos seemed to move along her skin, like snakes.
Koa stepped away from her. “What are you doing?”
Evina wrapped her arms around Koa. Before Koa could react, she was asleep once more.
Koa was in a black room. The floor was red and Evina was standing in the far corner. Evina’s eyes were closed. The air seemed to move around the vampire princess as she swirled her arms and sent waves of faint light toward Koa.
Koa ran at her and punched her in the face. Evina’s eyes opened in shock. “What are you doing?” She was frantic. She hadn’t expected that. “You’re not supposed to see me in here! You’re supposed to be asleep!”
Koa punched her again. She grabbed her by the hair and flung her across the room. Evina slammed into the black wall and vanished. Koa unclenched her fists. She was stunned. She was alone in the black room.
Her heart started to race.
What is going on! Koa was afraid. She had no idea where she was. She panicked. Her sword was gone.
This isn’t real, Koa assured herself as she started to shake. She looked for an exit. Her hands beat the black walls and they pushed her back into the center each time. This is not real!
Evina reappeared and covered Koa’s face with her hands. She tried to overpower her and push her to the ground, but Koa bit the flesh between her thumb and index finger and Evina pulled her hand back. Koa kicked her in the gut and Evina doubled over.
Evina flashed and appeared behind Koa. She gritted her teeth, pulled Koa’s hair, and forced her to the ground.
“Stop fighting me! I’m trying to help you!”
Koa reached up and grabbed Evina by the throat. She swung a foot above her and kicked Evina in the chin. Evina bled from the lip but held her grip. Her eyes were wild with panic.
“Koa, please, stop fighting me!” Evina smothered Koa’s face with her hands. “I’m trying to wake you up! You’re not supposed to be lucid in this dream!”
Koa continued to fight and gasped. Something jolted into her. Evina’s eyes were closed. Evina was screaming, but Koa could hear nothing but the sound of her own blood rushing to her ears.
Koa woke. She immediately drew her sword and placed the tip at Evina’s throat. Evina was in tears. The vampire princess was breathless as she stared down at Koa’s sword.
Koa was beyond enraged. She was past angry. Not because of what Evina had done to her, but because the Lyrinian sword refused to impale her.
Koa tried. She put force and strength behind it. The sword remained frozen. Koa growled and swirled away, sheathing the sword.
Evina was not evil. The sword would not kill an innocent being. Koa cursed under her breath. Her face was still hot from rage. She could still feel Evina’s blows to her.
Evina rubbed her face, smearing blood. Koa frowned. She hadn’t noticed that before.
Evina pulled her hand back and looked at the blood. Her jaw dropped. There was a look of fear in her eyes when she gazed at Koa.
“I’m sorry, Koa,” Evina said, confusing Koa. “We all have our orders. Mine was to keep you safe, to keep you here, until Halston returns.” Evina put her arms behind her.
Koa was silent, yet her glare was unwavering. It spoke multitudes. She was confused by Evina’s sudden change in attitude. It was as if she dropped the whole, seductive, tough girl act. Maybe Koa was seeing her true self. Maybe this was the act.
Evina continued. “It just happens that I am a tempest. I cannot help what I was born to be.”
Koa narrowed her eyes. “Tempest?”
Evina nodded and her blue eyes met Koa’s. “I can get people to do what I want. I can make them dream what I want. Some call it persuasion down here in the Netherworld.” She shrugged. “It’s what I know. Never in a hundred years has anyone ever been lucid in one of my dreams. Never.”
Koa thought to herself. That dream had felt pretty real.
“Koa, listen,” Evina urged. “I never meant to hurt you. I swear it, on my brother’s life.”
Koa frowned. She didn’t give a damn about her brother’s life. She let out a long, slow, breath. She tried to force all of her rage out with it. It was difficult, but Koa managed to calm herself.
“When will Halston be back?” She couldn’t shake the bitterness she felt. She hated being manipulated.
Evina turned the chair around and sat in it backwards, straddling it. “In an hour or so. We have to get you inside the prison before the third click of the Disc Moon.” She wiped her face with a towel.
Koa cracked her knuckles and started pacing.
“Why don’t you have a seat, Koa?”
Koa continued pacing. “You don’t speak to me unless you have something valuable or important to say.” She paused and gave Evina a look. “My Lyrinian sword may not work on you, but you better believe that my hands will go smoothly around your throat and squeeze the life out of you.”
Evina frowned.
Koa had no regrets from her words.
Evina pursed her lips. She shook her head and murmured. “You always were a little hothead.”
Koa spun around. Her eyes widened. “What did you say?
Evina played with her wavy, red, hair.
Koa stepped closer. “Tell me!” Koa felt her frustration start to overflow. She was tired of the secrets and lies.
Evina rolled her eyes. “I said that you were a hothead. What’s the big deal?”
“You said that I was always a hothead!” Koa felt like she’d just discovered gold. She almost grinned, but her face remained serious. She had to know. “Have we met?”
There was a long stretch of silence, but Koa would not back down.
Evina nodded.
Koa clapped her hands together. “I knew it!” She laughed. She wiped her face with her hands. She knew she had seen Evina before. There was a history between them. She couldn’t remember it, but she knew that something was there.
Evina shot to her feet. “Please, Koa. I cannot say more than that. Don’t ask me. Halston would be furious.”
Koa’s smile faded. She looked at the floor. Her boots were stacked against the wall. “Halston.” She nodded. “Yes, I bet there’re all kinds of things he’s been keeping from me.” She chewed her lip. She didn’t know how to feel. She wished that Raven was there.
Evina put a hand on Koa’s shoulder. Koa shrugged it off.
“Don’t touch me.”
Evina nodded. “All right. But trust me. He kept the worse from you. To protect you. Please tell me you can understand that.”
Koa made a face. “No. I don’t understand that.” She looked away and pictured his face. “We were best friends. We don’t keep secrets.” Koa swallowed. She felt ashamed. She’d kept secrets from him before. Somehow she felt that this was different.
Evina gave Koa a look of disappointment. “You have no idea what he’s done for you. What he’s sacrificed, for you! You ungrateful little girl!”
Koa leaned her back against the door. She felt deflated. Her mind was torn. “I’ll decide for myself. Once I learn the truth.”
Evina gave her a bitter smile. “You’ll regret those words when you get your wish.”
26
Halston followed Tristan to the Alchemist. He lived in a hole in the west borough. They walked straight down into a dark pit where tendrils of vines with minds of their own reached down to them. For somewhere so dark, it was quite green. Vines and flowers grew here, when they grew nowhere else in the entire kingdom.
Discs lit the way, but just barely. These discs were the size of quarters and were spaced apart along the steep stairwell. They were all filled with oil and fire.
Halston held the rusty rail and kept an eye on those vines. Their little black eyes watched him curiously, from snakelike faces. He brushed one off his shoulder and it coiled back with a shriek that made the other vines vibrate.
“How many times do I have to remind you not to touch them?” Tristan scolded.
Halston shrugged. “It touched me.” He watched the other vines huddle and share a steady glare at him.
Tristan shook his head and stopped at the bottom of the staircase. Halston recognized the long, narrow hallway. Vines and moss covered the stone walls. They became thicker and thicker and he had to squint to see the base of the Alchemist’s tree with the wooden door.
Tristan sauntered over to it, ducking down as the ceiling became lower and lower. Halston had to do the same.
Halston let out an annoyed breath. “I do hate this part,” he grumbled.
“Ah,” Tristan said. “It’s not so bad.”
The further they walked. The lower the ceiling became, until they were on their elbows, pulling themselves through.
Halston felt squished. He was sure the big War-Breeder didn’t enjoy it either, despite his comment. They grunted and forced their way through, all while the vines gripped at them and tugged at their legs.
“How much longer?”
“He must be busy. He has to open the gate for us.”
Halston felt smothered. He didn’t have time for this. “What is he doing, anyway? Taking a nap?”
“I told him that we were coming.”
Halston grumbled to himself. The Alchemist had to open the gate in order for them to finally make it to his door. He was clever and not just anyone could approach his lair. This entire hallway was specially designed to keep out intruders and deter unsuspecting loiterers.
Before Halston could blink, he found the ceiling morph back to normal. He looked up as it ascended. He stood and dusted his pants. The Alchemist had accepted their visit and they now stood before the vine-covered door. The vines pulled back and the door swung open.
Music played inside. Drums. Halston had forgotten how… eccentric the Alchemist was.
“How appropriate,” Halston said out of the corner of his mouth.
Tristan grinned. He started bobbing his head to the beat. “I kind of like it. It’s odd, but it sets the mood, right?”
Halston made a face. The drums played fast and strong, in an almost hip hop rhythm. “If that’s what you want to call it.”
“Hey! Halston,” the Alchemist called. “No one asked for your opinion.”
Halston shrugged and the small boy, barely four feet tall, came from a back room and wiggled a finger at him. Halston wasn’t surprised. The Alchemist still had the face of a ten year old. It was odd, being scolded by a child.
“And it’s nice to see you again too, Roderick.”
Roderick folded his arms. He wore black pants, and a white shirt with red suspenders. He was thin and pale, with short, wild, black hair.
“Payment first,” the Alchemist held out his hand. “Then we can be friends again, even though you haven’t visited me in far too long.” He raised an eyebrow when Halston started to speak. “And messages on your little silver pen thingy don’t count.”
Halston gave Tristan a look and walked over to the boy. “I like to buy in bulk,” Halston replied. “What can I say?” He searched his jacket’s inner pocket. He felt around and grabbed an iPod.
Roderick’s face lit up when he saw it.
Halston felt a little silly giving the Alchemist something that anyone could buy in the human world, but the boy was obsessed with human toys and technology. One could tell that just from looking around his front room. There were posters of boy bands, cars, actors and actresses all over the cement walls.
Roderick examined the sleek design of the iPod and a grin stretched across his youthful face. He giggled. The Alchemist, a grand wizard and immortal being, feared by all creatures… giggled.
Halston and Tristan stood back while Roderick put the ear buds into his ear and closed his eyes as the music played. He continued to grin and bounce his head to the music. 90’s rap. That’s what the Alchemist had requested.
Tristan chuckled and gave Halston a sidelong glance. “He’ll never grow up, will he?”
Halston sighed and shook his head. “No. I’m afraid not.”
They watched the boy start dancing. He jumped up and down and slid across the floor. Tristan was in hysterics by the time Roderick started trying to break dance.
“What is he doing?”
Halston was a little impatient. He had to get Koa in and out of the prison before third click. Halston checked his watch. “He’s been observing human culture. He wants so bad to be human.”
Tristan made a face. “Why? I’d rather be immortal than like the weaker race up there?” He nodded his chin up toward the ceiling.
Halston shrugged. “They have a few advantages, I suppose.”
Halston nodded. He was ready. They followed the Alchemist into his laboratory. Wooden bookcases stretched all the way up to the ceiling that was at least a hundred feet high. There were cubbies along the walls that housed vials of ingredients. The equipment looked ancient, it was old and rusted, yet Halston thought that it was probably more efficient than what most humans used in their world. This lab was one that rivaled Halston’s.
Halston wasn’t a chemist or anything of that sort. He created weapons. He dealt with raw materials. Roderick dealt with magic and science. He practiced an ancient art that most creatures had never even heard of. Halston still didn’t know where the boy even came from. He was an anomaly. He didn’t really belong in either world.
“So, you need an advanced varnish of glamour, an orichalcum stone, and a fire stone, correct?” Roderick put on his goggles and looked to Halston with oversized eyes.
Halston nodded. “Yes, if you could make that for me, I’d certainly appreciate it.”
Roderick nodded, his face serious. “Thank you for the music. I will make whatever you ask.” He grabbed flasks of colored smoke and liquids and started mixing in two cauldrons. Then he pulled a black strand of light from the center of his small palm. It stretched and stretched and Roderick continued to swirl his hand so that the light coiled on the silver slab before him.
Halston watched in stunned curiosity. He had no clue where the boy had learned such things. How was it possible?
Roderick’s face was completely focused. His big, brown eyes watched the light until it created a tall, spherical apparatus that he smashed down into the slab. He sprinkled white dust onto it and the light started to sizzle and pop. Roderick nodded and left it to sizzle and bubble. He was pleased with the results and returned to his smoking cauldrons. The first cauldron emitted a blue gas that illuminated Roderick’s pale face.