Colin lifted a finger and swept it across the bodies of the dying Grosvenor, gashes slitting across their throats. Spurting blood muting hideous screams as their life force drained out of them.
A wild laugh grabbed Colin’s attention. His head flitted upwards, staring down the mirrored face of Freyne Rothrock.
“So easy. So easy,” Freyne shrieked in hysterical delight. “As I said before, predictable!”
Colin’s body moved so fast no one saw it until it was suddenly standing in directly in front of Freyne’s mirror.
“Predict this!” Colin’s deadly voice taunted.
He thrust his arm into the glass.
Not a crack or a break.
He enclosed his hand around Freyne’s neck, wrenching his body through the glass.
Meghan wanted Freyne dead, too. But not like this. Not at the cost of her brother’s descent into darkness.
Her vision, in which she killed him, was becoming too real. A possibility she might actually have to face.
She didn’t realize she was shaking uncontrollably.
Ivan jumped in front of her, leaving Sebastien to restrain her.
Ivan wracked his brain trying to think of anything that might give Colin pause. To give him a chance to stop.
Meghan couldn’t watch any more. She turned inside Sebastien’s grasp and looked away. He held her tight, no matter what, he wouldn’t let her turn back.
Colin dragged Freyne’s body across the floor.
Freyne grabbed at the floor, trying to stop himself.
Colin stopped and rolled Freyne over so that he could see his eyes.
Freyne’s palm faced Colin, ready to strike.
Colin sensed the magic starting to emerge and said, “No.”
Freyne’s spell fizzled. His eyes widening in the realization that he was about to lose.
“Apparently,” said Colin, his chest heaving, “you didn’t hear me when I told you not to go back on our agreement.”
Colin grasped Freyne around his neck.
No magic. Just pure adrenaline stoked muscle.
Catrina knew she was losing him. If he allowed himself to kill in a manner so cold and uncaring, he’d forever be taken down a path to darkness. She never see her beloved Colin surface again.
She did the only thing she could do.
She let out a bloodcurdling scream.
It reverberated throughout the barn, shaking what remained of the walls, rattling anything still hanging, hurting their ears to hear.
Colin let go of Freyne, standing, staring into Catrina’s prison cell.
Sebastien lost his grip on Meghan, she twisted around, needing to see what was happening.
Catrina stopped, staring back into Colin’s eyes, searching for any sign that he was still present. “You have to want to be good,” she reminded him, her tone pleading for him to remember what Jasper had taught him.
Colin looked down at his hands and then down at Freyne, now trying to crawl his way out of the barn.
Colin stumbled backwards.
“What... what have I done?” He fell to his knees as if suddenly deflated, with nothing left to give.
He saw the pile of bodies that had once been the Grosvenor.
He didn’t feel sorry they were dead. They deserved it.
But why did they deserve it? Because he decided so?
No, he told himself. They were evil. Not on the side of good.
“What side am I on?” he mumbled. Am I still good?
He stood back up, taking a few disoriented steps towards Catrina.
A spell whizzed by his ear, buzzing as it zinged by, hitting the nearly invisible wall still imprisoning Catrina with a smack. It crackled against the dust-bone wall, spreading like electricity across it, down to the ground and up to the ceiling.
Colin heard a laugh, which he knew at that very moment, would be Freyne Rothrock’s last.
“I’ll teach you to mess with...” Freyne didn’t finish his sentence.
Colin spun around and threw out his arm.
He flung Freyne’s body through the air slamming him against the Immortality Stone. Colin once again activated the Stone.
Streams of light reached out of the Stone like tendrils, ripping into Freyne’s body. He bellowed hideously, kicking and flailing his leathered arms and legs as the light stole away his immortality.
But it wasn’t enough. It wouldn’t kill him.
Colin let the light rip him apart, tearing into Freyne’s very soul, piece by piece until there was nothing left.
The moment Freyne’s life ended, the dust-bone wall surrounding Catrina quivered. It was breaking up. The magic must have been tied to Freyne’s life. It wouldn’t break until his death.
“If it explodes and hits Colin,” said Meghan, stopping as she suddenly could not vocalize what she was thinking. She had to ask herself what she wanted to let happen.
Let the bones hit Colin and maybe, just maybe, they’d take away Colin’s Projectorism? She didn’t think it could actually kill him. Colin was immortal, a true immortal, unlike Jasper Thorndike.
Or was she just kidding herself, thinking these bones could do the job she could not bring herself to accept she might have to do.
No. Colin would always be her brother, no matter what. She had made him that promise. She wouldn’t see him harmed. She refused to accept that her vision might ever come true.
She raised her palm and cast a defensive spell, putting up a shield around the prison. Ivan and Sebastien followed her lead. How would they allow the spell to break, keep Catrina safe, and not hurt Colin in the process?
“Catrina!” shouted Colin behind them.
With all the power he had at his disposal, he was utterly powerless against this one stupid thing. These bones.
Meghan dropped her spell, allowing Ivan and Sebastien to hold theirs.
“I want to try something,” she told them all.
“Meghan,” called out Colin, his tone, pleading.
She just threw him a look that said, trust me.
Meghan stood in front of the nearly invisible wall and placed her hands up to it. She felt a light zap when her hands sank into it.
“What are you doing?” asked Ivan.
“I’m going to burn the bones,” she replied.
A fire spread out from her hands, expanding, almost as if eating the bone as it licked its hot tendrils against the dust-bone wall. Meghan concentrated hard, making sure the fire spread only where she wanted it to.
The fire circled back around to her, the wall completely eaten away. She let go with an exhausted groan.
It had worked. The bones were gone. The prison was no more.
Catrina came rushing out, the prison walls broken.
Colin came rushing forward.
They wrapped themselves around each other.
“I will never, ever, ever let you out of my sight again,” Colin swore to her.
She just whimpered softly, relieved to be back in his arms and out of her cage. Relieved that she had not lost him.
The Grosvenor were dead, except for Fazendiin.
Colin had not completely crossed a line he could not come back from.
And they were all alive.
They were not okay. They were injured, exhausted, battered and in some ways, broken.
But they were alive and it was over.
Someone clapped behind them all.
They turned to see Jurekai Fazendiin sitting on top of the Immortality Stone. “I must say, nicely done.”
They heard what sounded like a growl escape Colin’s lips, followed by Catrina whispering something inaudible in his ear.
“I always knew the Stone would come in handy,” Jurekai continued. “Oh, I always knew where it was. Jasper thought he had me fooled but hey! Why spend my time and energy protecting it? Jasper did all the hard work for me.”
“That seems to be your number one theme,” noted Colin. “Letting others do your work for you.”
“Why mess wi
th a good thing?” he returned. “For example, you just finished off my competition and all I had to do was give up the Stone for a few hours.”
“I won’t let you take it back,” said Meghan insistently.
“Ah. My daughter. Such a pleasure to see you again,” he said with fake enthusiasm.
Ivan and Sebastien took protective stances in front of her.
“Tsk tsk boys! I can’t speak to my own daughter?”
“I have nothing to say to you,” Meghan retorted.
“You know,” started Fazendiin arrogantly, “I always knew you were alive.”
Her face gave away that she was curious as to what he meant, but she refused to ask.
He continued regardless, turning to Colin. “I always knew you were out there somewhere too. I never told anyone, of course. Would have ruined everything. And everything, has gone exactly. As. I. Planned.” He spoke clearly and precisely.
Some part of Meghan rejoiced in the fact that Aloyna had been right. Her son had tried to manipulate the prophecy. Make it work for him instead of for the side of good. Her rejoicing dimmed when she realized that her father was still winning. And that they had helped him do so.
It had been his plan all along. To use them to finish what he could not: to kill off the remaining Grosvenor.
Meghan pounded against the block in Colin’s mind until he opened it. She shared this with him, instantly regretting her choice. Colin put the block back in place and took a menacing step towards Fazendiin.
“Ah ah ah,” warned Fazendiin. “I would not do that if I were you.”
Colin relinquished only slightly.
“You know,” said Fazendiin, “you were an extra surprise the night I set fire to that pathetic human orphanage.”
Meghan’s mouth turned in disgust.
“I knew you were alive,” he added, “but your mother had hidden you from me. What luck, that when I traced my daughter, you just happened to be sleeping in the crib next to her. It should have been obvious I suppose. It was the only orphanage around. Where else would one safely hide a child?” He looked extremely pleased with himself. “And besides, it worked. The fire separated you from your mother,” he aimed at Meghan.
“You,” mustered out Meghan. “You murdered innocent children.” Her thoughts were on the ghost boy Timothy, whom she and Colin had befriended while in Grimble.
She stepped out in front of Ivan and Sebastien, being sure to look her father directly in his eyes.
“Do not ever call me daughter! You will never be my father! Your blood might run through my veins, but you’re not worth the breath to say the word.”
“Fiery,” replied Fazendiin. “There’s hope for you yet.”
Colin leapt forward again, out of Catrina’s grasp.
“Ah yes, get mad! Colin Jacoby... the lost little lamb. Doesn’t know who his mommy and daddy are,” mocked Fazendiin.
Catrina grabbed desperately at Colin, pulling him back.
Ivan and Sebastien did not weaken their stance, forcing Meghan back behind them.
Nona, as usual, was weaving around her master’s legs.
“You will want to think twice about killing me, Colin.”
“Why?”
“I guess that depends on how desperate you are to find out who your parents are.”
“You know?” asked Colin.
Fazendiin’s jeering grin hurled down at them like waves of hate. “Of course I know who they are. You don’t seem to be comprehending what I’m trying to tell you all... I am the one pulling the strings. I am so many steps ahead on this game... you cannot win!”
“You might not think we’re much of a threat to you,” shouted Meghan, “but what about your dear old mummy?”
“My mother,” he laughed again. “She has no power in this world. You know nothing of her.”
“I might know just a little bit more than you’re thinking, Dad,” she added in the most smug tone she could muster.
She had inched her way in front of Ivan and Sebastien again; she heard them both groan when she egged her father on. She realized pissing him off probably wasn’t the smartest idea.
Catrina struggled to keep Colin calm. She didn’t want him killing anyone else today. He’d done enough.
Meghan looked back up at her father.
“You know what? I think you might need to take a little trip home. I think, you’re about to discover you’re not quite as many steps ahead in this game as you might believe.”
The look on her father’s face did not immediately indicate whether he believed anything she said or not. But then she saw it. A glimmer of doubt. A hint of fear.
He didn’t say a word.
In a flash, he and the Immortality Stone vanished.
It took a moment for them to realize they were once again alone.
Meghan let out a long sigh, feeling exhilarated; she had told off her dad. It was followed by dread; she had told off her dad...
What consequences would it all bring? Had she made things more difficult for Colby? Exhilaration degraded into guilt. She had been so worked up and felt such a need to pull one over on her father, she hadn’t even thought about how this might affect Colby.
Ivan leaned against a beam, closing his eyes.
Sebastien slid to the floor, lying onto his back and covered his face for a moment.
“I don’t think we should stay here,” they heard Colin saying.
Meghan looked up to see Catrina agreeing with him.
“No, we should get back to the banished camp,” agreed Meghan.
Ivan seconded the motion and Sebastien threw in a hearty agreement of his own.
Colin sighed.
Meghan realized he had not been speaking of all of them. Just himself and Catrina.
“Do you have to go?” she asked him.
“I don’t see that I have any other choice. Regardless of what’s happened here today, the Grosvenor being dead except your father, I’m still not going to be accepted back into your world. Most of them still want to hunt me down...”
“Even if they did, they can’t kill you,” reminded Meghan.
“No. But it’s not just me. And frankly, I’d rather be in hiding and have some kind of life, than try to live in your world, where I’m despised.”
Meghan didn’t like how he used the term your world. It was so separating. But she did understand.
“Just promise me that you’ll check in now and then. Let me know you guys are okay.”
“We will,” he replied. “Things will be different from now on. I promise.”
“Where will you go?” asked Sebastien.
Colin cast a worried look toward Catrina.
“I have no idea. Somewhere remote, where no one can find us... maybe somewhere in a city? Get lost in the crowd.”
“A city,” mumbled Sebastien, deep in thought. “If you want the city, I know where you can go. Amelia has safe houses set up all over the place, for the banished that were working in the non-magical world. They’re all abandoned now. You’d be safe. The closest one’s in Portland, Maine. Not a real busy city to get lost in, but there’s one right in the heart of Boston.”
Colin and Meghan had been to Boston a few times during travels with their uncle. It was a much busier city. Much easier to get lost in.
Sebastien explained where it was.
Meghan felt a bit of relief come over her. At least she’d know where he was. She knew he’d have the place cloaked and be impossible to find, but at least he’d be somewhere safe.
Ivan came over and wished them luck.
Colin patted Sebastien on the shoulder, thanking him.
Catrina leaned down and pet Nona, thanking her again for her company during her imprisonment. She purred her response in a gracious meow.
Catrina smiled and stood up facing Meghan.
“Thank you,” Meghan told her. “For taking care of my brother.”
“I don’t mind,” she replied with a slight blush in her cheeks.
; “Just the same. Thank you.”
She moved her gaze to Colin, not sure when she’d see him again.
“I will stay in contact,” he promised.
Looking at him, she had a hard time finding what she was searching for; a little piece of the boy she knew. There was a tiny glimmer of it in his eyes. She clung to that glimmer, forcing it to erase all the thoughts that terrified her.
“Be careful,” she told him. “Anything you need, find me.”
He nodded, took hold of Catrina’s hand and in an instant, they were gone. Meghan held back tears trying desperately to escape. She wasn’t going to let the waterworks start.
“Nona,” she said with a shaky voice. “I’d like to get out of here.”
“You light the fire, I’ll take us home.”
Meghan did so and she, Sebastien and Ivan grabbed Nona’s back, disappearing into the flames, leaving the barn and what was left of the Grosvenor’s bodies to fall into decay.
This time, they popped out of a bonfire set in the middle of the banished camp. A few onlookers jumped, startled when three bodies and a Catawitch bounded out of the flames; but after recognizing who it was, they stood down.
The three stepped onto a walkway, odd looks and questioning gazes thrown their way. They realized they hadn’t even thought to use magic to repair their clothes or clean themselves up.
Meghan’s clothes were torn in too many places to count. Her red hair was a tangled mess of knots intermingled with hay and dirt from the barn.
Sebastien had blood running down his arm from a cut he hadn’t even seen until just now. And as he thought about it, he hurt all over. That fall he’d taken suddenly felt like it had bruised his entire body. For the moment, he accepted the pain, like a badge that he’d survived to see another day.
Ivan’s pants were fairly intact, but his jacket and shirt were torn beyond repair. He also had a nasty scratch across his cheek; the bleeding had stopped, but he hadn’t even noticed it.
“Whatever,” said Meghan, in an I don’t care tone. She started towards home, no desire to do anything, say anything, or think about anything. She wanted to sink into a pleasant dream and just vanish for the rest of her life.
Sebastien followed; his home wasn’t too far beyond hers. He wasn’t ready to deal with the wrath of his parents. They’d be thrilled he was home and safe, but angry, none-the-less. No not angry, just worried. He felt guilty knowing what he was putting them through, but it didn’t matter. He was in it until it was finished. He felt responsible for a lot of what Meghan was dealing with, and still had tons to make up for.
Control (Book Seven) (Fated Saga Fantasy Series) Page 23