“Thank you, William.”
“You’re welcome, Hayden.” He started to leave, but stopped at the door. “I changed my mind.”
I frowned. “About what?”
“You look exactly how you should.” He closed the door and I heard his footsteps echo their way up the stairs, leaving me to wonder what in the world had changed his opinion.
*****
I spent the morning in my cell with nothing to do but wonder what would happen later that night. I had the pleasure of William’s company at lunch when he brought me a bowl of stew.
“How many shifters are in here, William?”
He looked at the door and back to me. “Are you a shifter?”
I shook my head.
“Five.”
“Are they Namaels or Majs.”
He looked at me blankly.
“Cats or dogs?”
“Oh. I don’t know.”
“Hmm. Ok. Are they tied like me?”
He shook his head. “They can’t do magic like you.”
“How did you know I did magic?” All magic wielders wore an amulet. I didn’t have one.
“The captain told us. Said that for no reason whatsoever were we to untie your hands.”
I grunted. He fed me a spoonful of stew.
“Were you born here? Or did you cross over?”
He closed his eyes and a pained expression passed over his face. “I crossed.” He opened his eyes. “You?”
“Um, well, both I guess. I was born here, then they shipped me off to your world, and I came back about two years ago.”
“You can go back and forth?”
I nodded.
“God, I would give anything to go back. I’ve been here six years. I had a house, a car, a girlfriend. One day, I’m taking a walk in the park and the next thing I know I’m stuck in this godforsaken place.”
“Do you think the shifters are possessed?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know what they are, but I’ve seen enough of this world to know that there is shit here that will never be explained. If they say they can turn into cats and dogs just for the hell of it, then who am I to argue?”
I noticed that the more he talked, the less dimwitted he sounded. I smiled. “You pretend to be stupid.”
He chuckled. “They don’t send me out of the city if they think I’m slow. I get to stay here where it’s relatively safe.” He offered me another spoonful and I shook my head.
“Thanks.”
“No problem. I’ll bring you supper later.” He frowned. “Do you think you can do what Braw wants you to do?”
“God, I hope not.”
“You don’t think they’re possessed, then?”
I shook my head. “I know they’re not. I’m fated to one.” I felt a lump form in my throat. “If I can do what Braw wants me to do, I’ll kill my own husband.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah.”
We were quiet for a moment.
“Hey, Hayden?”
“Yeah?”
“What do you miss the most?”
I smiled. “Showers.”
He laughed and nodded. “Yeah. That’s high on my list too.”
“What about you? What’s number one on your list?”
He smiled. “Fast food.”
“Ahh. French fries with too much salt!”
“And big greasy burgers with extra pickles.”
Someone behind us cleared his throat and we jumped. I turned and made my glare as uncaring as I could.
“Captain.” William bent to pick up the bowl he had dropped. He glanced at me, his hazel eyes concerned, and I gave him a smile.
“Thanks again, William.”
He gave me a nod before leaving the cell.
Brice watched him leave then turned to me. “Hayden.”
“Brice.”
“I just came by to make sure they were feeding you.”
“William is taking good care of me.”
“Alright.” He took a step toward me. “Hayden…”
“Don’t.”
He growled low in his throat. “But…”
“No. Save your breath, Brice. I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want your excuses or your reasons and I sure as hell don’t want to hear you say you’re sorry.”
“Damn it, Hayden!”
The tears were starting to run down my cheeks. “No, Brice. Damn you.” I sat myself in a corner and closed my eyes. A couple of minutes later, I heard the cell door open and close. I broke down.
“Hayden, dear?” It was the woman I had heard the day before.
I took a few deep breaths. “Yes?”
“I couldn’t help but overhear your conversations. I was just wondering who you fight for. The Namaels or the Majs.”
“Neither. Both.”
“So you don’t think we’re possessed?” That was a man.
“No. I don’t. I’m not sure what Braw wants me to do exactly, but I’m going to try my damnedest to make sure it doesn’t happen. Have you guys tried to escape?”
“No.” This was a younger woman. “We’re chained to the walls. The only one that can get out of the shackles is Jeff because his legs are so small when he’s a fox.”
“I can’t anymore.” Jeff sounded very young. “They put it around my neck. I tried shifting and just about choked myself.”
“Heads up, down there,” William’s voice called down the stairs.
Everyone was quiet. A few minutes later, two guards came down dragging something. They put it in a cell and left.
“William!” I whispered as loudly as I could. “William!”
I heard William come to my door.
“What did they just bring in?”
“Another one. A man.”
My heart thundered in my chest. “What…” I had to swallow. “What does he look like?”
“Dark hair. I didn’t see his eyes. They were closed.”
“No…no…no.” Had they captured Jasper? Was it possible he could have gotten this far in less than a day? “His hair? Is it curly?”
“No. Straight and long. In a ponytail.”
Relief flooded through me and made my knees weak. I sat on the floor.
“Hayden, are you ok?”
A shudder ran through me and I tried not to cry. “I’m fine. I thought it might be Jasper.”
“Hayden?” This was a third man I hadn’t heard before.
“Yes?”
“Why don’t you just burn them all?”
“I can’t. My hands are tied behind my back. I need them in front of me to call the colors.” I frowned. “How did you know I could use the red waves?”
“I was on the ridge the day you threw the wall of fire and killed Ream. I’m part of Jasper’s pack.” He was starting to sound familiar.
“Michael.”
“That’s right.”
“You took an arrow in the arm that day.”
“That’s me.” You could hear the smile in his voice.
“How did you end up here?”
“Same as everybody else. I was out patrolling and they took me by surprise.” He growled low in his throat and I could imagine him shifted into a cheetah. “Is it true? It was Brice that brought you here?”
“Yeah. He’s a captain here! How does that happen?”
“I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense.”
I heard a moan. “William, is he ok? The new guy?”
William moved away from my door and came back. “He’s pretty beat up, but I think he’s ok.”
“I don’t suppose you would untie my hands long enough so that I could heal him?”
“Sorry, Hayden. I don’t have anything against any of you guys, but I don’t feel like being executed for helping you out.”
One of the heavy doors upstairs opened and closed.
“I’d better get back to my post. I’ll be back later.”
I leaned my head back against the wall and closed my eyes. “How the hell am I su
pposed to get out of this mess,” I mumbled to myself.
*****
The sound of my cell door opening roused me from the light sleep I was having. I kept my eyes closed, trying to keep the dream as vivid as possible for as long as I could. Slowly, the feel of Jasper’s arms around me faded away.
“That smells good, William.” Jasper’s blue eyes started to blur. When William didn’t answer, I opened my eyes. “Oh. It’s you.”
Brice was leaning against the opposite wall, holding a plate with scrambled eggs, bread, and fruit. I loved eggs. My stomach rumbled.
“They had stew on the menu again. I thought you might like this better.”
I shrugged and winced at the pain that shot through my shoulders.
“Are you alright?” Brice looked about to take a step toward me, but stopped.
A lump formed in my throat and I swallowed to get it down. He looked so concerned. He looked just like the Brice I loved. I blinked and a tear trailed down my cheek. But he wasn’t the Brice I loved. I had no idea who this man was.
“Where’s William?”
His blue green eyes saddened. “He’s getting supper to the others.”
“Don’t you have better things to do than to keep pestering me?”
“You would think so.”
“Then go do them.” I swallowed and wiped my cheek on my shoulder.
“No. Not until I say what I have to say.”
“Get out.”
“No. Hayden, I am sorry I stole you away from Jasper. I’ll make that right as soon I can. Help Braw tonight, do what he wants, and he’ll let you go. I’ll get you back home after that. But if you don’t help him willingly, he’ll hurt you. By the moons, Hayden! Can’t you stop being stubborn for one minute and just go along with this!”
“What?” I got up and stomped closer to him. “Do you even realize what you’re asking me to do? You’re asking me to kill people! And not just these people in here. You’re asking me to wipe out two entire populations!” I took a few more steps and closed the distance between us. “If I do this, Jasper dies! Luke and Mel, they die! Tyler and Trent! Zane and Dawn!” I was right up to him and yelling. “If I do this, I don’t have a home to go back to because my entire family will be dead!”
The truth of my words struck me and I found it impossible to breathe. I felt my legs go weak and buckle.
Brice dropped the plate he was holding and caught me before I fell to the floor. He pulled me to his chest and held me. Great sobs shook my body.
“Hayden, are you ok?”
Brice turned at the sound of William’s voice. “She’s fine.”
“She doesn’t look fine, sir.”
Brice growled low in his throat. “What is your interest in her, William?”
“I don’t have an interest in her at all, Captain.” William’s voice dripped with sarcasm at the last word. “It seems to me you might be the one with an interest in her.” I heard him step farther into the room.
“I certainly do not! Hayden is like a sister to me.”
William gave a hard laugh. “Is this how you guys treat family around here? You kidnap her from her husband, lock her up in a cell then expect her to wipe out everyone she loves because some quack job who isn’t even from here thinks he can play god?”
I looked up at Brice and wanted to laugh at the shocked look on his face.
“I don’t know about you,” continued William, “but that doesn’t seem very brotherly to me.” He gently took my arm and pulled me away from Brice. “Now. I think I heard the lady ask you to leave.”
Brice looked down at me, his eyes wide. “I…” He frowned, as if confused, gave William a quick glance, and left.
William held me by the arms and looked me over. “Are you ok?”
I nodded and he wiped the tears from my face.
“Why did you do that? They’ll kill you.”
He shrugged. “Maybe. If he cools off before I see him again, I might just get a lashing.” He let go of me and started to pick up the eggs and fruit off of the floor. “Do you want me to get you a bowl of stew?”
“No. I’m not hungry.”
“Alright. Just let me know if you change your mind.”
I nodded. “William?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
He smiled. “Sure thing.”
Once he had closed the door, I sat on the bed. The tears were starting up again with the thought that in a few hours, I was going to try and find a way to save six beings.
*****
When a guard I didn’t recognize came to get me from my cell, I knew the time had come. He marched me up the stairs, out of the castle, to a courtyard. The night was dark and the moons were hidden by the clouds.
There were four men and two women tied to posts on a stage. This was surrounded by a huge crowd. Everybody, tied or not, stared at me. Michael flashed me a smile and I tried to smile back. I noticed Brice and Sonia standing to my left. William stood toward the back of the crowd, a frown on his face. The guard took me to stand in front of the prisoners. My heart was pounding in my chest and my mouth was dry. Surely Braw was wrong. How in the world could he use me to kill these beings?
The crowd parted and Braw made his way to me. He stood a few feet away from me and addressed his people.
“Hayden comes to us, willing and able to aid us on our quest for a pure world.”
I opened my mouth to contradict this statement but changed my mind when the guard dug his fingers into my arm.
Braw closed the distance between us and touched the black staff Brice had talked about to my arm. It didn’t look like stone. It seemed to be made out of black crystal. I felt the magic flow into me in waves. The energy it created caused my muscles to cramp and I fell to the ground as a spasm raked through my body.
My eyes widened as a scream filled the inside of my head. It split through me and my own scream joined into the chorus. I tried to push it out of my mind, but couldn’t. Whatever this magic was, it was stronger than even Ternach.
I felt the energy reach deep inside of me before projecting itself outward. I heard my screams being echoed by the six tied to the posts. I looked around wildly until I focused on Brice, expecting him to be one of the screamers. He was staring at me, his eyes wide. Sonia had a smile on her face. Another spasm shook me and I tried to keep the energy from leaving me. I jerked as it broke through my barriers and I heard a wet ripping noise. A look at the posts showed me six animals, cats and dogs, all of them falling to the ground. An instant later, their human halves joined them.
Braw pulled the staff away from me, the magic sucked away from me and the screaming stopped. I lay on the ground whimpering. I couldn’t catch my breath and my head as about to explode. My escort grabbed me roughly by the hair and hauled me to my feet.
When I tried to get my feet under me but couldn’t he pulled again, then decided it would be easier to drag me back.
“Let go of her!”
I heard Brice’s fist connect with something that crunched in the other guard’s face. Brice’s arms cradled me and lift me up. “Shush, Hayden. I’ve got you.”
I leaned my head against his chest, my eyes closed against the pain in my head. “Why, Brice?”
“I’m not sure anymore.” He started walking back toward the castle.
I started to sob. “Oh, god. They’re all dead. I killed them all!” My whole body shook with shock. “I felt it in my head, and I tried to push it out. But I couldn’t! And then I felt it projecting out of me, so I tried to hold it in. And I couldn’t do that! And now they’re gone.”
Brice opened the door to my cell and stood in the middle of the room for a moment. He turned back to the door, closed it, and sat with his back against the far wall with me still in his arms.
I opened one eye so I could see his face. He was frowning, staring at the door. He glanced down at me, gave me a sad smile, and tucked my hair behind my ear.
“I was thirteen the last time I saw hi
m do that. It made sense at the time.”
“How could you have thought that? You saw them die! And how are you still alive? That thing, it projected everywhere. Why didn’t it get you?”
“I’m not Namael, Hayden. I’m human.”
I frowned. “But I’ve seen you shift. You’re a jaguar.”
He shook his head. “Sometimes, when a Namael or a Maj gets separated, Braw is able to capture the animal spirit. He traps it in a stone. Whoever carries the stone can use it to shift at will.” He pulled a stone out of his pocket to show me. “I got this when I was thirteen. Braw said my orders were to get into the Namael’s guard, find you, and get you back. He said you could help us rid the world of demons.”
The door opened and William looked in. “Hayden?” He glanced at Brice and turned his attention back to me. “Are you alright?”
I tried to look better than I felt. “I’m ok, William.”
“Captain?” The tone wasn’t sarcastic this time. Obviously, Brice had scored some points with him after punching the other guard.
“Close the door and lock it,” Brice ordered. “Go stand guard at the top of the stairs. If anyone comes down, I want to know who it is before this door opens.”
William nodded and did as he was told.
Brice looked back down to me. “I’ve lived among the Namaels for almost seven years. They aren’t evil. But how am I supposed to convince them all of that?”
“You’ve been one of them. Won’t they believe you just because of that?”
He shook his head. “I’m not the first to pretend to be a shifter. The others come back feeling the same as when they left. That all shifters are possessed.”
“So why is it different with you?”
He shrugged. “I’m not sure. Maybe it’s because I was so young. I grew up with them and didn’t have quite as many years of being told otherwise.” He gazed into my eyes and blinked. “No. It’s you. I don’t have bonds to Braw like Jasper has to Melana, or Luke has to Damian, but I can still feel a pull to you.”
His eyes saddened and he wiped a fresh tear off of my cheek. “I’m sorry, Hayden.”
He sounded so sincere that I started to cry again.
“Shush, now. I’ll figure something out.” He kissed me softly and hugged me tightly to his chest. “I made a promise to you, do you remember? The only reason I brought you here was because I was told you wouldn’t be hurt.” He frowned. “I promised to fight for you. Die for you if I must. I’ll get you out of here, Hayden, if it’s the last thing I do.”
Journey 'The Chosen One Trilogy: Book Two' Page 5