“You sure?” Harlow asked.
“Believe me, I have a lot of experience running through the woods to and from that damn orphanage,” I said. We took off on foot and ran as fast as we could through the trees, not stopping to catch our breath. Above us, the birds cawed their lonely cry.
Hundreds of ghost birds were swirling above the Dexter Orphanage when we arrived. A procession of hooded figures was walking inside the entrance. The few stragglers that were left from our opposition were standing at the iron gate, watching. I didn’t see my father among them. Panic twitched inside of me, but I quashed it so it couldn’t grow.
Shadows were rustling all over the lawn. I could see what looked like black, bear-like beasts running in the trees. Lightning shot from the sky and hit the ground in front of us with a deafening crack.
Our trio ran up and joined the others at the gate. “We need to get inside,” I said to Madison’s father. “Where’s my dad?”
“He went in first,” he replied, “with most of our group. He didn’t come back and we haven’t heard anything.”
Harlow squeezed my shoulder, surprising me with the gesture.
Stauner looked up at the sky. “I don’t like the looks of those birds.”
“Don’t worry, they’re on our side,” I said.
“How can you be sure?”
“My grandmother told me. We need to get inside. They are probably going in through the fireplace in the dining room. That is what Dexter and his group did. But we need to look for a grandfather clock in another part of the house. There is another tunnel behind there.”
We ran across the lawn, waiting for spies, weapons pulled up in case we had to attack anyone. But there wasn’t anyone. The burnt shell of the orphanage stood surprisingly innocent looking considering what undoubtedly was going on beneath. I just hoped we weren’t too late. I took it as a promising sign as we reached the house that we met no opposition.
Inside the house, ashes still fluttered in the air. The smell of fire was thick and cloying, and the throbbing feeling and sound was so intense we could physically feel it with every beat.
“It doesn’t look safe in here,” Harlow said, eying the burnt spots in the ceiling.
“It never has been,” I muttered.
I suddenly felt a strong pulling feeling that made me gasp. It was familiar but still nothing one could get used to.
“What’s going on?” Stauner asked me in concern. I held my hand up to silence him, shut my eyes, and followed where the feeling was telling me to go. I kept walking until I abruptly felt it dissipate. I opened my eyes, and found that I’d walked down a narrow side hallway. I peered into the room at the end of the hall and saw the tall shape of a grandfather clock, covered with a dusty sheet.
Running in, I ripped off the sheet. Stauner and Harlow were close at my heels with the others.
I turned the hands to six o’clock, just like in my Dark vision, and the clock itself slid away with a mechanical grinding.
“Just a stupid old contraption,” I muttered to myself, thinking of the first time I’d come to this wretched place―the haunted house that had seemed so frightening at the time. I took a shaky breath and stepped forward.
It was a rough passageway made out of boards and dirt. Crudely fashioned and obviously hadn’t been used in many decades. Thick cobwebs covered our faces and Harlow groaned. I didn’t want to think about what creatures were scurrying around us, but I could hear them shifting on the dirt. We followed it down, the only light from farther down the tunnel.
“Crouch and keep low to the ground,” Stauner instructed in a whisper as we heard noise from our destination. We did as he said.
We came out behind a short wall of loosely piled rocks. Across the way, there was the huge dais I’d seen in my vision of the original Umbra Regnum ritual. Hugh and the others were being held by Phillip’s henchmen. All of the Thornhill people, dressed in their ceremonial black robes, were gathered around the room. Nearly all of them had ditched their masks. We crouched behind the rock wall, looking up just enough to see.
The people who had given sacrifices, and those that were about to come, were gathered together: Jenna’s mother, Rachel, Theo’s father, the woman I recognized as running the dress shop in town, with long-claw like nails. There was another man and woman there, and I guessed they had something to do with Susan and Alyssa.
Henry was tied to a long post right behind the symbol, his hands behind his back. His head drooped against his chest like he had been knocked out. I felt a wave of sickness worm through my stomach. Theo, Madison, and another girl were tied up on the seal, their hands roped together. They weren’t wearing dresses like in my dream, but otherwise their positioning was the same. I had to stop myself from running across the room and untying them.
Three thick veins of green light snaking through the ground to the seal. It didn’t take much to realize they must be from the other seals beneath the high school, library, and caretaker’s shed.
“We have gathered in service to Umbra Regnum,” Phillip said. “You have all done well by your posts. Ariel Donovan? Where is she?”
Callie stepped forward, now wearing a robe as well, her hair in a braid that fell across her shoulder. “We pushed her into one of the tombs in the graveyard. She’s not going anywhere. That way if you end up needing her, the men and I can go snatch her up.”
Theo and my father seemed to be upset by this. I wished I could comfort them as I crouched behind the rocks.
“Good work, Callie,” Phillip said. “You’ve really impressed me over the years.”
She flushed with pleasure and took a step back. I took a moment to really look at Phillip Rhodes. He didn’t look good at all. Fluid was leaking out of both of his eyes and his mouth was set in a disturbing rictus grin. His own robe, red unlike the black robes the others were wearing, was drenched in sweat. He seemed to be struggling for air, wheezing with every breath. Lainey still gazed at him like he was handsome.
“I didn’t know so many people were going to die,” Cheryl commented, staring vacantly across the room. “There’s so much blood everywhere.
“There are always necessary casualties,” Phillip said. It didn’t seem like they had lost many of their members, though.
Lainey stepped forward, wrapping her arm around Phillip’s. “Didn’t I do a good job, telling you where their hiding place was?” she purred, looking jealous at Callie. My stomach did a flip. So Lainey was with him? Cheryl didn’t even seem to notice. I wondered perhaps if she missed Roger.
I pushed against the rock wall to get a better look. One of the stones shifted, and I stepped back, but the damage was done. Several heavy rocks crashed to the dirt floor, exposing us. All of the hooded faces turned in our direction.
“It seems we have more guests,” Phillip said merrily.
Harlow stepped out and walked confidently over to where he and her father stood. “I caught you some spies, master,” she said in an even voice. “Special delivery.” She looked her father in the eye, straightening her shoulders. “Are you proud of me? I led them right to your door.”
“Yes, good job, Harlow,” Dr. Briggs said approvingly.
Two goons had already picked up Stauner and the other man and carried them over. Lainey saw me and with a wickedly gleeful smile of her bow lips, came and snatched me up, dragging me over by my arm. I saw a flicker of hope in my father’s eyes as he watched me come over.
“Ariel!” Theo shouted, but someone stuffed a gag in her mouth. I squirmed with discomfort at seeing her tied up, her pleading eyes bulging out.
“I thought you said she was taken care of,” Phillip barked, suddenly furious, at Callie. She cowered back into her hood.
“She was! I don’t know what happened!” Callie protested.
Phillip slapped her hard across the face and pushed her back into the onlookers.
I opened my mouth in horror. On the iron plates in the corners of the room, I could see the spirits of those already sacrificed―A
lyssa, Jenna, Susan, and Charlotte. They were gray and see-through, not all there, staring at the ground with their black eyes and totally still. I wanted to call out to Jenna, but I knew it was just a shadow of herself
Lainey grasped me hard, digging her nails into my arms, and forced me over towards Phillip.
“Welcome to the party,” Phillip said, clapping his hands together and smiling grotesquely. “So good to have you here.”
CHAPTER 31
I RECOGNIZED SO many of the pale, enraptured faces around us―Lainey and Cliff Ford, Ambrose’s parents, Jenna’s mother, some of my teachers, many of my classmates. Some of them were holding weapons―blunt objects, knives. It was a small relief to see no guns.
“Should we kill her, boss?” Bruce Slaughter asked, fondling the baseball bat in his hands. Phillip held his hand up to decline.
“I talked to your son,” I spoke up. Bruce’s unfocused eyes met mine.
“What are you, a witch?”
“No, but he came to me. To help me. I told him that you missed him.”
“Don’t listen to her,” Phillip said with laughter in his voice. “Your son would never betray us, even in death.”
“How did you get so many people on your side?” I asked aloud, having wondered that since this may day started.
“Civil unrest. People were getting anxious, nervous, worried about money. We were just hometown folks helping each other out. And we brought them to our meetings and showed them our way, bit by bit.”
“You brainwashed them,” I cried out.
“Eh, same difference,” Phillip said, rolling his eyes. “You have to make change slowly, otherwise the body rejects it.”
Harlow stepped next to her father, avoiding my gaze. Standing there, staring, I felt like all hope was lost. I had to fight off the impending sense of failure.
Lainey whispered in my ear, “I’m the one who cut your wrists. I thought everyone would think you killed yourself because you’re such a loser.”
It stung and I tried to wriggle away from her. She held fast to both of the backs of my arms. I swung back my head to head-butt her but she dodged out of the way, giggling. I never knew she’d be capable of such evil.
“You’re so damaged, Lainey.”
She didn’t answer me.
“Why do you need Henry?” I shouted. “Why can’t somebody else be your vessel?”
“Because this body is giving out, and he is made of my blood and bones. If I’d known more in high school, known how much more complicated the rituals and all the seals were, I would have stuck to my original plan of just using my own body. But we don’t stay young forever. Time is an ugly demon that plunges its claws into you and refuses to let go until its ruined you. Being genetically tied to me, it’s most likely to stick. It will be good to be young again, to move fast, to get this disease out of me. Maybe I’ll even keep you around to taste you.”
“You’re just kidding right?” Lainey barked.
“Well, she is her mother’s daughter…” Phillip said with a disgusting grin.
“That’s not funny,” Lainey said, gritting her teeth.
“Relax, doll,” he said, rolling his leaky eyes. “I’m only messing around. She’ll be long dead by then and you can use her corpse as a pet. I’ve only been saving her all this time in case I need her blood to shut up Luminos.”
His words made me shiver, but I was still trying to work on Lainey. “You’re just acting like his mistress to get with Henry after all, is that it? That’s seriously sick, Lainey! He’s just using you. I can’t believe that even you would be that blind.”
She pinched me harder, digging her fingernails into my flesh as I squirmed. “Shut your mouth, Ariel, or I’ll end you right here!”
“Now, now, girls―don’t fight,” Phillip said. His right eye seemed to be leaking fluid more rapidly. His once handsome face had turned green and garish, like the monster was finally showing through the mask.
The heart beat around us seemed to grow louder, reverberating through my chest. Phillip looked up at the ceiling. “It’s time for us to begin. Harlow, take over rat duty.”
Lainey shoved me in Harlow’s direction, and she held my arms as she pulled me back. Lainey went over and kissed Phillip hard on the lips, and I had to suppress my gag reflex. He suddenly brought out the ceremonial knife, He held it out, and for one second I was sure I was going to die.
Harlow gripped my wrists and twisted them behind my back. I winced. The sides were so twisted now, I had no idea who had ever been good.
Phillip began speaking the familiar words of the ceremony. He must have practiced quite a bit in the years since his high school days, because he no longer needed a book. “Oh Dark Master, we call to thee, to bring us your power. Fill our minds and bodies with your power here in our unholy sanctum. We give you this sacrificial offering of precious blood so you may know the seriousness of our intent.”
Lainey grasped the carved handle of the dagger. She didn’t look happy about it.
“Now, you need to cut your friend,” said Phillip softly. “Shallow, long cuts, to make the blood flow on the seal.”
Madison struggled against her bonds, her tears starting anew, as she screeched in fear. She twisted her wrists, but couldn’t free them. The gag in her mouth cut off most of the sounds she was making.
I struggled against Harlow, but she was holding me even tighter than Lainey had. It seemed like they were all in an unbreakable trance.
Lainey stared down at Madison, the dagger clenched in her hand. Her gaze went to Phillip, and I could tell that she was having second thoughts.
“You need to do it, Lainey,” he coaxed in a soft, hypnotic voice. His voice could have been Henry’s, and it made my stomach twist. “When this is over, you’ll have everything you ever wanted.”
She nodded at him, visibly bolstered. Her hand wrapped tighter around the dagger’s handle. As she approached Madison, the girl on the ground began twisting and struggling furiously. She screamed against her gag, but Lainey kept approaching. Her horribly scared eyes pleaded up at Lainey as she knelt beside her.
“Lainey, come on! You can’t do this! Mr. Ford, don’t you think this is wrong?” I shouted.
Mr. Ford was drooling quite a bit and he looked far gone. “Good, good,” he muttered, then dropped his head again.
“You’re not doing what you think you’re doing, you can’t just control Dark . Luminos will come in too, and all of you will be destroyed,” I said to the rest of them.
“We can control it,” Phillip said. “We have you now if we need to close it up.”
He glared in my direction, then raised his hand. He muttered some words and a blue light shot out. Suddenly I felt as though my lips were zipped together. I couldn’t part my mouth.
“Shallow cuts, remember? Shallow cuts all over,” Phillip coached. Lainey nodded, her eyes wide and scared like a deer.
She raised the blade to Madison’s flesh, and drew a straight line across her arm. Madison screamed in pain and terror, scrunching her eyes up. I tried pulling away from Harlow again, but I couldn’t budge, and I couldn’t make a sound.
Lainey didn’t seem to want to go on. Cliff Ford seemed to snap out of it for a second. With a petulant glare, he stomped up beside her. “Cut her, Lainey. She’s your something precious. Don’t disappoint me!”
Whimpering, Lainey began slicing at her friend, flinching away so that she wasn’t looking at where the blade was going. Madison cried out. I squeezed my eyes shut. When next I knew, all sounds had stopped except for the orphanage’s heartbeat. I looked at the seal. A bright, glowing green light was emanating from beneath the girls on the seal. Thornhill’s members appeared to be in awe. Phillip had a smug smile of satisfaction twisted onto his sweaty face.
Henry had swum to awareness, and I could see him staring fearfully at me. His cracked lips formed my name. “Ariel…”
Green veins of light glowed in the ground as more blood fell on the seal. Three thicker ropes of li
ght connected to the seal and ran all the way across the ground. Those must have been from the other seals, making a connection.
I locked eyes with Theo. I could see by the way the knife passed to her father, she was next.
I couldn’t let it end this way.
Not without trying.
“If you’re going to do something, now is the time,” Harlow whispered into my ear. I felt a sudden, impossible surge of hope. Her grasp on my arms suddenly went slack, and I freed my one hand to slide into my pocket. The others’ attention was fixed on the scene playing out on the seal. Without much hesitation, Theo’s father raised the blade in the air.
I pulled the stone up and pressed it to my heart. I didn’t even have to try, I just let myself fall through space. My eyes were still open, and I watched time slow to a crawl as I tumbled down into blackness.
Then colors dimly swirled around me. The world was spinning, and then I was staring at the same seal I’d just left, only it was many years in the past. John Dexter stood right where I’d left him in the last vision, poised over Ruby. It reminded me of Madison.
The others were waiting for Dexter to begin. And they were not patient.
“What are you waiting for, sire?” Rhodes hissed. “Finish the task!”
“Cut the girl!” Doctor Slaughter barked from beside Dexter, who was clutching the same dagger they were using back in my time. Dexter’s head whipped around, his long hair spinning, and he slapped Slaughter across the face.
“Hold your tongue, dog! You do not speak to me that way!”
Chastened, holding his reddened face that had split cleanly from the force of Dexter’s blow, Slaughter retreated. But he wasn’t the only one impatient. Mr. Rhodes was practically hopping from foot to foot. I got closer, right by where Ruby was sitting on the floor. The white dress was puddled around her feet, and I remembered the weight of it.
Dexter slowly drew the blade across Ruby’s pale cheek. She didn’t even wince, staring up at him with angry, hateful eyes, as blood began to trickle down her face. Rhodes was practically breathing down his neck, his eyes gleaming.
Velocity (The Gravity Series) Page 24