by Casey Odell
Then suddenly it was over. The real world hit her as hard as the ground. Claire coughed, struggling for air.
“It’s not enough!” Bahkar leaned over her, yelling. “Why isn’t it enough?!”
Claire rolled, feeling disoriented. Her head throbbed. “What is it you want from me?”
“How do I do it?!” The madman grabbed her shirt and flipped her onto her back. He knelt over her, his legs straddling her, trapping her in place. “What is the key?!” He grasped her head with both hands and dived in again.
A wordless, agonized scream tore up her throat as he ravaged her mind. Her head felt like it was going to split open.
The deep notes of Bahkar’s laugh seeped into her mind, echoing, mingling with the flashes of memories. “There’s another,” he said, his voice sounding in her head. A memory of Lin surfaced, lingering for a few moments before disappearing in a haze. “Perhaps I don’t need you after all.”
“You leave him out of this!” she shouted in her head.
Bahkar laughed again. “Or what? What will you do?” He leaned down close to her face, but Claire could only see a blurred outline of his. “Stop me?”
The anger inside her spiked, stoking the fire, the raw magic inside of her. The sting in her right arm grew. She could feel some of her control slip away.
The madman stood suddenly and looking down at her said, “Come stop me, if you can.” Wind began to swirl around him.
“No,” Claire managed to squeeze out as she rolled onto her side. Half her body felt numb, not under her control.
Bahkar started to walk away, the whirlwind picking up.
“Stop!” she cried after him. But his stride didn’t even falter.
And then he was gone.
Panic swept through her. What could she do? She could barely even move. Everyone in that fortress was in danger. The boy, the captain, and his men, her mother. She had to stop him. Somehow.
Slowly, on shaking limbs, she got to her knees. Her heart pounded in her chest. She took a couple steadying breaths, her throat raw.
“Claire!”
Farron’s voice sounded miles away. She turned her head to look for him, but her vision swam. She closed her eyes and fought back the nausea. Deep down, there was a spark of relief. At least she knew he was alright. But it wasn’t over yet.
An explosion sounded, the boom distant but loud and resonating, chilling her to the bone. She opened her eyes and confirmed her worst fear. Orange flames shone between the rooftops of the buildings, engulfing the fortress high on the mountainside.
“No!” she screamed, falling forward on her hands, her control slipping away. Her power surged inside of her. The pain slowly receded. Anger and despair formed in her gut, fueling her hatred, her magic, her revenge. She screamed again as the magic took over her completely. The ground buckled underneath her, cracking, trembling. The air hummed and crackled around her.
“Get away from her!” Razi’s voice shouted from what sounded like so far away.
But he wasn’t. She could feel him. Sense him. He was a presence in her mind, and so was the other one, the madman Bahkar. But where Razi was warm and bright, like the sun, Bahkar’s presence was a crackling thunderstorm, dark and foreboding.
And then there were the centaurs. She couldn’t sense them in the same way, but she could feel their presence, buzzing all around her. An unpleasant energy. One she was going to snuff out before dealing with the storm.
Hooves sounded at the end of the street, followed by the shouts of the beasts. Claire could feel her body move, just like back in the cave so many nights ago, standing on its own accord, her magic taking control. Power raced through her veins. More than she’d ever felt before. And just like back then, only one thing dominated her mind: eradicate the threat.
Claire turned just as the centaurs and elves burst onto the street. She closed her eyes, taking in their energy, counting and locating every single one of them.
“Claire!” Farron’s voice was just a whisper in the background.
The centaurs were almost on her when she dropped to her knees once again and, using all her might and hatred, funneled a massive amount of her magic into the ground. The earth fractured underneath her from the stress. And then the air was filled with screams of the dying. Hundreds of them, all at once.
Her body ducked suddenly and rolled to the side, coming to her feet much more swiftly than she could ever manage when she was in control. A spear struck the ground where she had just been. Claire only caught a glimpse of the destruction she had wreaked before her body spun away, dodging an arrow. The scene was nightmare-inducing, filled with earthen spikes and corpses. And red. Lots of red. Too much red…
Claire lost moments of time, her vision blurring and fading as her mind tried to comprehend what she’d just seen. What she’d done. Her body was already moving when she came back to herself— or as back to herself as she could get. Her body was still under her magic’s control, dodging and moving almost as swiftly and expertly as the dark-haired elf that was attacking her.
Her body jumped to the side as the elf’s sword slashed down. She grabbed his wrist and shoved her magic into him, stunning him. She stepped back and raised her hand to the sky. The air crackled around her, buzzing, sending goose bumps down her skin. A bright flash of lightning descended from the sky and struck the elf. He rocked on his feet before falling limply to the ground.
Two more arrows whisked past her, just barely missing her. Her annoyance spiked. She didn’t have time for this. Every moment she wasted here allowed Bahkar to get further away. She spotted the two elves and formed two orbs in her hands before hurling them. Only one hit its target, however, the elf falling to his knees. The other managed to dodge. With an exasperated yell, she raised both her hands skyward, and with a sickening crack and another bright flash, eliminated the enemy.
“Claire!” This time it was Razi’s voice.
Claire turned away, ignoring the voice, instead focusing on the turbulent energy of the madman. With eyes closed, she searched, pinpointing his location. Visions of trees and sloping ground filled her mind. There. In the forest just on the other side of the mountains. He waited for her.
Wind started to swirl around her. Deep down, panic flared. She’d never flown before. Didn’t even know how. But her body seemed to. She could feel Razi’s presence draw nearer. Her body jerked forward, the winds increasing, whipping her hair. She couldn’t let him touch her. Not yet. Not until she dealt with the madman. Her power wouldn’t let that happen. It was just as much bent on revenge as she was.
With a running leap, she let the wind carry her away, the earth disappearing from under her feet. Dark smoke obscured her view. But she didn’t need to see. She locked onto his presence like a hunter does its prey. The whirlwind faded as tree branches brushed past her, scraping and grabbing at her, and the ground came up faster than her body was prepared for. Her legs crumpled under her as she crashed onto the leaf-strewn earth.
Deep laughter surrounded her. “My flower has finally bloomed!”
Claire clawed her way to her hands and knees. Her breath was labored already, her vision dimming even further. Pain was starting to return to her body. She didn’t have much time.
“How does it feel?” Bahkar’s voice came from behind her.
Claire spun, rising to her feet, forming a large magic ball in her right hand. She threw it at the man, but he dodged, his form dissolving in a black mist. Wood cracked as a tree fell on its side.
“Yes! Show me your anger!”
Her body spun and she formed two more orbs. She launched one at another form, but that one dissolved as well. The magic ball dug into the ground, sending earth and rock flying.
“Show me your hatred!”
She threw the other orb but he countered with one of his own. The explosion threw her back onto the ground. Claire screamed out in frustration, the pain flaring in her arm again. She climbed to her feet to face the madman. A faint whimpering made her pause.
Bahkar held Lin in front of him, his hand grasped around the back of the boy’s neck. Fear showed clear on the boy’s face as tears streamed down smudged cheeks.
“Look, my boy, at what you too can become!” Bahkar shook the boy roughly.
Lin tried to turn away, but the man’s grip tightened and he grabbed the boy’s shoulder with his other hand, holding him in place.
Her anger spiked again at the boy’s distress. She raised her right hand and a bolt of lightning struck down at Bahkar. He managed to dodge it, but it did separate him from the boy. Lin stumbled out of the way just in time as Claire’s body launched forward and crashed into Bahkar’s. A high pitched yelp came from the boy as Claire pinned the madman beneath her and the earth cracked beneath them. Claire drew her fist back, blue magic engulfing her hand. A smile spread onto Bahkar’s face. But before she could land the blow, he caught her by the wrist and sent his own power into her, stunning her enough to throw her off of him. Claire rolled, raising only slightly before Bahkar slammed into her. Wind rushed past them as he carried her deeper into the forest. He slammed her up against a tree, leaving her breathless as a hand encircled her throat.
“With this power, we can destroy them all!” he said, grinning maniacally. His mark glowed brilliantly, purple edged by shadow. But unlike Razi or Lianna’s calming effect, his magic exasperated hers even more, like his madness was spreading into her. “We will be free!”
Claire’s magic surged once again, wild and powerful. She grabbed his arm and shot her magic into him, then kicked out, using the force of wind to send him flying back.
Bahkar landed on his feet, the heels of his boots skidding in the leaves. “To think, that she would be the key…” He straightened, grinning. “A mother you barely knew.”
Quickly she formed another magic orb and launched it at him. He dodged to the left, laughing as leaves fell around him.
“What would happen if I killed the elf?” he asked, his voice like a whisper in her ear. “Would you destroy a whole city? Or what about your other mother, that beautiful redhead?”
Rage ripped up her throat in a wordless, primal yell. She dropped to her knees and slammed her hands on the ground. The earth shook beneath her and all around her massive rock spikes shot up. The madman took to the air, disappearing in a smoky cyclone. But Claire could sense him. She quickly raised both her hands skyward and bolts of lightning rained down around her, the crackling and thunder deafening, the light blinding. The madman grunted and fell just out of range of her spikes. She placed her hand back on the ground, facing the direction of the man, and funneled her power, splitting the rock underneath, parting the great rock spines. A deep chasm opened up and spread rapidly toward Bahkar.
The chasm was just about to swallow the man up when he got to his feet and jumped to the side. He glared at her, his shoulders heaving. A hand held his left side, where his shirt was singed.
“You little—!” he growled. He launched back into the air, stopping above her, forming his own shadowy magic orb in his right hand. Bigger and bigger it grew, until it was almost as big as he was.
Claire’s magic gathered inside of her. So much, it felt like she was going to burst. And her power did just that when Bahkar threw the massive orb at her. Her magic engulfed her as it exploded out all around her, leveling the spikes and trees. An earsplitting boom shook the air as her and Bahkar’s magic collided. The force of the impact drove her to the ground. Claire covered her head with her arms. When the world stilled around her, she peeked up only to find empty sky above her.
There was only a moment of relief before the exhaustion hit her. All of a sudden her body felt like lead. The fire that had burned inside her was snuffed out. Her magic receded, slowly relinquishing her body, leaving a trail of pain behind. Claire gasped as the full wave hit her all at once. A different kind of fire filled her veins. The scar and mark burned along her skin.
“Claire!” Farron’s shout was like a whisper in the back of her mind. She didn’t believe it was real until she felt his hands grasping her shoulders. He turned her over to examine her, a frantic look in his eyes.
Claire looked up at him, his face blurring, her vision darkening. He said something to her but she couldn’t make it out. She reached up to him and he took her hand. He leaned over her, his lips moving but no sound came out. The look on his face became more concerned with each passing moment. But it was alright. It was all over now. The darkness slowly swallowed her up, easing her pain. Her worries. Everything was safe in the darkness, and she relinquished her mind and body to it willingly.
The ceiling was blurry when she first opened her eyes, but she knew she was in a place she’d never been before. It was a familiar feeling of strangeness. She was used to waking up to the unknown. Sort of. There was always a brief moment of panic, as any sane person would have, of not knowing whether or not they were safe. That moment, however, was overshadowed by the overwhelming relief she felt of not being dead. The darkness had stretched on for so long, had consumed her so deeply, she thought she’d never see the light again.
At the moment, though, that light was a little too bright. Late afternoon sunlight streamed in from a small window across the room. Claire closed her eyes again, but when she raised her hands to rub them she was greeted with the first jolt of pain. She winced as it rushed in from every inch of her body. At least she hadn’t felt anything in the darkness.
A quiet groan escaped her mouth and she tried opening her eyes again. The world came into focus slowly. She was alone in a simple but tidy bedroom. Definitely not a palace by any means. Which was another relief in a way. She was surprised she hadn’t woken up in her fancy castle room, or that Razi hadn’t brought her back to that place at all. Did he now have misgivings about the Council as well? Or was there another reason? She doubted Farron had been able to escape him and stay in hiding. Not with him being able to sense her whereabouts. Not without the fancy contraption the Syndicate bound her with.
Slowly, and with much effort, she managed to sit up. The covers slid down, revealing her skin to the cool air. A shiver ran through her. She looked down to examine the damage, and found that instead of her clothes, a voluminous shirt meant for someone at least twice her size hung from her meager frame. Her skin was cleaned and her wounds wrapped. Considering what had happened, she was surprised she was in one piece. Her mind felt foggy, her memory coming back to her in bits and pieces. She would have believed it was all just a terrible dream, but the proof was apparent on her body, the bruises darkening her side, the small cuts on her skin, the ache in her muscles and joints, the sting in her right arm.
She slid the neck of the shirt down over her right shoulder to find that the mark had expanded, its tendrils reaching up toward her neck and starting down her back. The pendant hadn’t been enough to stop it this time. And it was just that much closer to swallowing her up. And for what? The fortress shrouded in flame surfaced in her memory and grief seeped into her heart. As far as she knew, they were all gone. The men that had saved her, the mother she had yet to know, the captain, the guards, Chet, and Zeriod... A stinging started in her eyes, a lump forming in her throat. All because of her.
The door clicked open then and out of the corner of her eye, she saw the elf enter.
“You’re awake,” Farron said softly, but the happy expression he wore faded when he saw her distressed state. He set the metal pitcher he carried on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the bed.
“I couldn’t save them,” she said, peering up at him. A tear escaped to roll down her cheek. “It’s my fault, and I couldn’t save any of them.”
Farron took her in his arms, hugging her tightly. Claire buried her face in his shoulder. “It’s not your job to save everyone, Claire.”
“But it was still my fault. He was after me, trying to get me to lose control. It was my memories that told him about the boy, about the fortress. And it was me that the centaurs were after. I’m the reason so many lives were destroyed. And I’m st
ill so useless, even when I try—”
“Stop it,” Farron said, pulling away. He grasped her shoulders tightly and looked down at her, an intense expression on his face. “You can’t keep blaming yourself for the actions of others. You are not responsible for what they have done. What they do. What they will do. If it weren’t for you, everyone in this town would have been massacred.”
“And I risked your life and Razi’s—”
He cut her off again, only this time with a kiss. He pushed her back onto the bed, pinning her with his weight, the kiss deepening, long and passionate until they were both out of breath. “… reckless, foolish, stactí adamarrí travea,” he whispered as he leaned his forehead against hers. “It was my choice, Claire. And I would do it again.”
“Fare…” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “If I told you not to, you would still do it anyway, wouldn’t you?”
He pulled back and leaned on his elbow above her, a slight grin pulling at the corners of his mouth, his eyebrow cocked. “You’re not the only stubborn one here, Claire.”
“So everything I’ve been doing to keep you away, to keep you safe, has been in vain, hasn’t it?”
“I told you, getting rid of me wouldn’t be easy.” His grin widened.
“Not even facing the centaur horde was enough to deter you?” Claire couldn’t fight the smile that tugged at her own mouth, and given the circumstances, she was grateful for it. A small light in the darkness that surrounded her lately.
“Were they supposed to frighten me? Don’t you know who I am?”
Claire hit him playfully, rolling her eyes. At least his arrogance was intact. Still, she was glad he wasn’t hurt. “The fortress,” she said, sobering. “Were there any survivors?” The prospect didn’t seem promising, but she had to ask anyway.
He was quiet for a moment, his smile fading, and then he shook his head.
“The captain then…”
“He knew the risks, Claire, taking this mission. So did his men.”
“Still…” she said, knotting her hands in his shirt. “I can’t help but feel responsible. And all those other people. My mo—” The word stuck in her throat. She couldn’t quite bring herself to utter the word, as if not saying it meant it hadn’t happened. “Even if they were the Syndicate, they still didn’t deserve to die. Not like that.”