Chapter Fourteen
Lilah witnessed Odin’s conversation with Loki as—quite literally—a fly on the wall. Concerned about Odin’s honor, she hung around, hoping to hear anything that might help her free Cameron. Her body, albeit a tiny one, shook with rage as Loki appeared. Just to irritate him, she dodged and darted about his head, buzzing in his ear. Then, not wanting to get squashed, she flew off and landed near Odin’s throne, listening to the men’s conversation.
“Loki, you must let the MacKenzie boy go free. I have made a deal and we must honor it,” Odin began firmly.
“If only I could, your grace.” Loki looked suitably dismayed. “Unfortunately, I cannot break the curse. It must play itself out.”
“Come on, man! There must be some kind of hocus pocus that will fix this. I cannot afford to incur Freya’s wrath. The peace between us has been a long time coming,” Odin argued with Loki earnestly.
Loki leaned forward, curling his fist under his chin and tapped his cheek with his index finger. He was trying to goad Odin into a temper tantrum and enjoying the specter of the old guy’s blustering.
Odin also leaned forward, losing his patience quickly with the conniving sorcerer. “Loki, if you want to stay in my good graces, I suggest that you find a way to stop this and protect the mortal woman. She must be returned home.”
“Well, as a special favor to your grace, I suppose I could help them reach the end goal. Give them a map, so to speak. I just do not know,” Loki sighed, making his next steps appear more difficult than they truly were.
“Quit talking in riddles, you old fool. What is it that you want from me?” Odin asked in exasperation.
“Perhaps…you have a certain necklace—” Loki began, raising his eyebrows in hope.
“Not happening, sorcerer,” Odin said flatly. “And before you try and blackmail me with your trickery again, remember the consequences should you fail. I will not tolerate treason!” Odin’s voice rose in anger.
“Whoa, your grace, treason is a big word. I am only trying to help. There is something else that might work.” Hopefully Loki could see that he needed to cut to the chase quickly.
“I would like to put Fenny in charge of all the spirit realms and give Helena a new life. She desperately wants to be a Valkyrie,” the words tumbled fast from Loki’s wide-lipped mouth.
Lilah was shocked to witness Loki’s obvious love for his only daughter. She had always thought he sent her away to keep her out of his hair. Lilah had spent extra time with Helena during their training, knowing that she had never really had a mother. Maybe Loki was a better father than she thought.
“Well, this is a surprise. You are actually thinking of someone other than yourself for a change.” Odin’s tone was thoughtful.
“Not someone, my daughter. I may not have always been the best parent in the world but I tried. I thought it was best to not separate the twins, but now I can see that it is past time to do so.” Loki looked at his superior in hope.
Odin nodded his agreement, even though Loki never really explained the details of the curse’s release other than promising he would keep Cameron and Amanda safe through their journey to freedom. The rest was up to them. He also said that he would move Cameron from the cave to Hell immediately.
From that conversation, Lilah had a good indication of where Cam was hidden, so she flew off in search of the cave. Seeing guards just inside the circular opening of a particular cave, Lilah changed into a bat to dive bomb the guards just for fun. How she loved to watch these brave warriors shriek in abject terror over such a small harmless creature. She knew her time was limited and, as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she flew steadily along the tunnels.
Seeing flickering lights off to her left, she swooped under the arched opening, following the shining beacon. More guards were stationed ahead so she slowed her flight and watched carefully. Landing on the cave wall just above this set of guards, she listened carefully for any telltale noises of additional men. She would have to dispense with them before entering the cell chamber because she could only talk to Cam in her regular form. Certain that they were the last, she froze them in place. Swooping through the small barred window in the door, she entered the cave.
Cameron had been taken down from the wall shackles. He was propped up in the corner of his cell on a thin sleeping pallet, dozing fitfully. He appeared not to be too badly beaten. A lock of tawny hair lay tangled on his forehead and his arms were wrapped around himself as he curled against the cell wall. Lilah stood watching him sleep for a moment. She envisioned him as he had been as a small child. He was always the more gentle natured of her two boys. She was undeniably proud of the way he always fought for his freedom and the freedom of others.
“Cameron, sweetheart, wake up!” Lilah started toward him but was stopped by an invisible wall. She should have known that Loki would use his magic to prevent his escape.
Cameron shook his head at the sound of her soft, melodic voice. “Mom? I can’t see you. Where are you?”
“I am here, darling. I can see you but Loki has magic between us. I do not have much time so listen to me carefully.”
“I already know Loki’s plan,” he informed her. “He told me himself. You have to try and find Amanda before it is too late. I do not want her to risk her life for me.”
“Son, it is the only way to free you. While I admire your chivalry, I will not let this chance for your freedom pass.” Lilah’s tone was firm with her beloved son.
“There is no guarantee she will make it through Hell to get to me and if she does…” he trailed off hesitantly.
Lilah prompted him somewhat impatiently, “What is it Cam?”
“If you know the conditions of the curse, then surely you also know that we must consummate our relationship,” Cameron finished, his voice sad.
“Yes, what’s wrong with that?” His mother was puzzled by her son’s change of demeanor.
“Mom, I think Amanda is my True One. And I am not sure that she can handle it. Not that I think she will say yes anyway,” he added unhappily.
“Do you love her?” Lilah asked him softly.
“Yes, very much,” he admitted with conviction.
“And does she love you?”
“She has said as much.”
“Well, then I think we should let Amanda make her own decision. She is stronger than you think. She has made it through life without a man to take care of her this far and I do not believe she would appreciate you deciding this for her.”
“What if I cannot control myself?”
“Son, you are the gentlest person I know. You will make the right decision.” Lilah could hear sounds in the corridor outside his cell. “I must go now. I love you.”
“Mother, wait…”
But, it was too late, Lilah was already gone.
****
Fenny leaned over the table closer to Amanda. “So are you seriously considering this?”
“Of course she is! Aren’t you, Amanda?” Helena’s dark eyes seemed to be pleading for some unknown victory. Fenny just sat back and watched, waiting.
Her response stopped them cold. “Will you all please just be quiet? I can’t think straight. Please, Fenny, can you give me a few more details?”
“Why? Will it change your mind? I know you are doing this and so do you,” he replied smugly.
“Amanda, would it help if I played devil’s advocate,” Helena asked in a moment of friendship. “I know that you love him, but if he loves you, he certainly wouldn’t want you to risk your life for him,”
“Tell me what am I supposed to do then? Let him rot in that dreadful place for eternity?” Amanda spat, her eyes flashing in anger.
“Hey now, I can hear you! I run a tight ship down there.” Fenny puffed up like a rooster, pretending his feelings were hurt.
“Gee, sorry. What was I thinking?” Her voice dripped with sarcasm. She knew that making an enemy out of Fenny was probably not a good idea. She would need all the help she c
ould get.
“I guess you have your answer then,” Helena said.
“Any last words of advice?” She felt strong on the outside, but she was trembling within as she looked from Helena to Fenny and back again.
“Do not go anywhere near the Lake of Death,” Fenny added in an off handed manner.
Amanda had no idea why and definitely knew that she didn’t want to. She looked at Helena who just shook her head and bit her bottom lip without comment. “I can face my fears; it’s time I did that anyway,” she said firmly.
Looking at Helena, she tried to think of an adequate way to thank her. She had grown quite fond of her and Helena’s eyes were wet as she gave Amanda a quirky lopsided smile. Not caring about realm protocol, she hugged Helena and, although she felt Helena stiffen briefly, she hugged her back. Pushing Amanda away from her slightly, she smiled brightly at her.
Looking to her brother, Helena vowed, “Fenny, so help me, if anything happens to her or Cameron, you will have me to answer to.”
“Yes, sir!” Fenny gave his sister a mock salute and a teasing smile as he winked affectionately at his sister. Amanda took some comfort in knowing that Helena was on her side. Amanda nodded to Fenny that she was ready.
She took a slow, deep breath and tried to imagine Cam’s smile. She privately hoped the feelings she had for him were not a mistake. He so better be worth it, she thought, forcing a reassuring smile on her face.
“Ready?” Fenny took Amanda’s hand into his own gloved one.
“Yes, let’s get this over with.”
Chapter Fifteen
Cameron found himself outside his cell near the opening to the cave. He could smell the sea and almost felt the warmth of the sunshine on his face. His bare feet slipped on the slick muddy path as he picked up his pace. The tunnels were a maze in complete darkness, but that didn’t slow him down. He moved forward on instinct, determined to save Amanda before it was too late. Relief washed over him as he rounded a curve and saw fingers of light shining ahead. A few more feet and he would be free. Stepping outside, he found only a black void. Too late to step back, he fell, tumbling and spinning through the inky darkness.
Landing on a pile of torn smelly rags, he tried to acclimate himself to this new environment. The smell of sulfur permeated the air and the heat was so oppressive that perspiring wasn’t even possible. Looking for purchase to get to his feet, he grabbed onto the rags and leaned heavily, planting his feet to hoist himself out of the shifting pile.
“Hey, watch it, will ya?” The rags beneath him began to move and a scratchy female voice drifted up from the pile. A rather attractive familiar-looking woman looked up at him. Could she have been one of the women who had released him from the mirror in the past?
“Sorry, I, uh, didn’t see you.” Cam stammered awkwardly. He hadn’t thought about anything but Amanda’s safety since he embarked on this journey. He knew that he was not emotionally prepared for this and what might lie ahead.
“On second thought, you can grab me all you want. Hey, don’t I know you?” The woman’s eyes held a gleam of desperation, a feeling Cam knew well. “It gets pretty lonely down here. I could use a handsome gentleman like you to occupy my time.”
He cringed, repulsed by her lustful glare. “I think that you already have. I have to be going now, maybe some other time.”
The woman reared up, her beauty melting away to be replaced with a ghastly shell. Screeching like a banshee, she reached for him with her long pointed talons. He covered his ears and, dodging her desperate grasp, ran from the noise.
He had to get a grip. Loki was liable to throw anything at him. Cam figured that Loki would use Amanda to taunt him, so he hadn’t expected that last curve ball. Slowing down to conserve energy in the unbearable heat, he tried to get the lay of the land. It was alive, constantly moving and always changing. Other than a few burned out stumps that spewed dirty smoke into the air, the darkness around him was absolute.
While the screams of the dead were almost tolerable, it was the incessant unearthly moaning that drove him wild. Stepping carefully around the writhing bodies was proving to be difficult and, often, someone would grab his leg or foot but he quickly shook them off and kept moving. Their piteous pleas for help were difficult to ignore, but he knew there was nothing that he or anyone else could do for them now. His immortality would protect him from death, but it could not protect Amanda. He had to come up with a plan to save her. His first challenge was to figure out where to begin looking for her.
Geysers of fire shot sparks and steam up from the ground at random intervals and, just like Old Faithful, they spewed their flames into the air. Even though death could not touch him, the flames could inflict painful burns. His flesh singed when he accidently stepped on one of the fiery blowholes. Wincing in pain, he kept moving doggedly forward.
“Cameron! Help me, please. I’m scared.” He heard Amanda’s voice but he couldn’t see her. Wiping the sweat dripping into his eyes, he moved toward the sound of her voice.
“Keep talking, baby. I’m coming.” He surged forward, sounding strong.
Amanda pleaded again, “Please hurry, the fire is getting closer. Please don’t let me die.”
He reached out with his mind to use the connection as a homing device, but could not get through. This could be a trick, but he could not take the chance of being wrong.
Cam saw movement in his periphery vision, a flash of white against the oppressive darkness. Pushing aside the souls blocking his way, he moved faster toward the blur of white. Yet, the closer he came to reaching her, the farther away she appeared. His visual perception was skewed in the darkness and, try as he might, he could not get any closer to her.
Grabbing his hair with both hands, he bellowed with frustration into the smoke-filled air.
“Amanda! Where are you?”
“I’m right here, silly.” He felt her soft body pressing against his bare back. Amanda’s hands were laced together in front of him, holding onto the top of his jeans. He even saw the pearl ring on her right pinky that had been a gift from her father. Yet something about this didn’t feel right. He reached down to pry her hands from his waist, wanting to see her beautiful face for himself.
“Wait, Cam. Let me just hold you for a minute more. Please.” Her voice was husky, reminding him of another time she had screamed the word “please” so persuasively.
Gods, it was good to hear her voice, even if he thought it wasn’t really her. Her hands made quick work of his snap and zipper. “Whoa girl, how ‘bout we wait a minute. Not very romantic here, is it?” He tried with all of his strength to move away or turn his body without success. Whatever held him was supernaturally strong.
He had to stay focused and end this diversion. “Stop this now! I have no idea who you are but, I am not going to—” Mustering all his strength, he wrenched himself away from the tight grip the creature had on him and spun to face his attacker.
My gods, it looked like Amanda and sounded like Amanda, but it couldn’t possibly be her. The sad pouting face looked up at him with tear filled eyes and a silent plea.
“Go away, now,” he commanded forcefully. “I will not fall victim to you. Do you hear me, Loki?” Cam raised his voice and eyes upward as he carefully zipped up his pants.
“Ah, MacKenzie, you are too clever for me.” In a disembodied voice, Loki’s sarcasm was not lost on him as Amanda’s face morphed into that of the woman he’d met on the rag pile earlier. “I guess I’ll have to try harder next time. Harder, get it?” Loki’s laugh filled the air, blessedly drowning out the groans and screams for a moment.
****
Amanda woke up at the base of an old burned out tree. The gnarled roots reached out to clutch at her like tentacles. In the distance, she could see an orange glow illuminating the smoldering sky. The quiet was deafening. The only thing she could hear was her own labored breathing as the dense smoke swirled around her and filled her lungs.
She would not panic, she vowed to he
rself again. This journey was her choice, and she would see it through. Inexplicably, she remembered Peter’s message about trust and love and suddenly wondered how he was involved in all of this. Finding Cameron was all that mattered right now and it wasn’t as though she could turn back anyway.
She grabbed the tree roots, ignoring the slippery black moss covering them, and pushed herself up against the charred bark. She had no idea where to begin. Assuming that the glowing area off in the distance would be where all the action was, she headed in that direction. Stepping away from the gnarled roots of the tree, she was surprised to feel her foot sink deeply into mud, sucking the shoe right off her foot.
Plunging ahead, she moved carefully, on edge for hidden dangers. The uneven mucky ground caused her to stumble frequently. Boulders and rocks were strewn across the landscape as if they had been tossed here and there by a careless giant at play. Climbing a large rock, she slipped as she tried to grab at a craggy weed poking through a crevice.
The oppressive heat tortured her and the humidity clung to her skin. Her hands were covered in sweat and muck, making it difficult to hold on to anything. The salty moisture rolled down her face stinging her eyes. Her pace was slowing and with each step her body felt heavier and dragged a little more.
Reaching the top of the hill, she surveyed the steaming land below. The glowing amber lights didn’t appear to be getting any closer. To her left sat more vast dark emptiness and, to her right, she saw what looked like a pond. Amanda figured it was probably a mirage, but right now she didn’t care. She gazed longingly at the water, wishing for even a drop to wet her parched throat. A large raptor swooped down suddenly, flapping its wings precariously close to her head. Ducking away from the bird, she lost her balance and tumbled down the other side of the hill she had expended so much energy on.
Come To Me Page 15