Avalon

by Allison Sipe

  Avalon: A Soothsayer Novella

  Magic Is All Around Us

  Allison Sipe

  This book is a word of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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  Text Copyright © 2015 Allison Sipe

  All Right reserved

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  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without the explicit permission of the author.

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  Cover Art Copyright ©

  href='http://www.123rf.com/profile_NejroN'>NejroN / 123RF Stock Photo

  Cover Designer: Alessio Varvarà

  Created with Vellum

  To David, my editor.

  Working with you has been a dream come true.

  You so eloquently help me find the perfect words to tell my story.

  “Our deeds still travel with us from afar,

  and what we have been makes us what we are.”

  - George Eliot

  Contents

  1. Day 1

  2. Day 2

  3. Day 3

  4. Day 7

  5. Day 8

  6. Day 9

  7. Day 10

  8. Day 17

  CTA

  Dear Reader

  Also By Allison Sipe

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Day 1

  My tires squealed against the pavement as I made a sharp right turn, racing toward the coast. I could feel Violet's heart starting to race as I floored the accelerator against the carpeted Tesla floor mat.

  "Hold on, Violet. I'm coming," I said through gritted teeth.

  My phone rang through the car speakers and I answered it on the first ring, effortlessly pressing the Bluetooth button on the steering wheel with my thumb. "Did you find her?" I asked, my words rushed and clipped.

  "Yes. Bethany said she's being held on the beach at Pacifica Pier. Annabel is orbing us now," Brett, my ever-serious sister, said. Normally I'd find her militaristic no-nonsense attitude irritating, but things were different now that Violet's life was on the line.

  "Okay, see you shortly," I said taking another corner faster than I should.

  "Robert, take a deep breath. We'll get her out of this." Brett did her best to sound reassuring.

  "I'll breathe easy once Violet's safe." I pressed the Bluetooth button again, ending the call and quickly typed Pacifica Pier into my phone and hit navigate. I was fifteen minutes away. I could only hope I wouldn't be too late.

  A searing pain shot through me from the bond. My vision blurred and I had to fight the throbbing radiating from my head. Gripping the steering wheel so tightly I thought it might snap, I took a deep breath, gathered my senses and accelerated forward.

  I needed to get to Violet. Now.

  Throwing the gearshift into park the second I arrived, I shoved the door open and sprinted toward the beach. With a quick jump over the railing, I landed on the rocks below and scanned the shoreline.

  "Annabel, get her out of here!" I yelled over the din as my eyes caught Violet's for a brief moment. With the connection spell still active, I could feel her fear ripping through her like a jagged blade. The urge to run to her and shield her from any more pain propelled me forward.

  Quickly I maneuvered across the beach, dodging Cinder orbs and fireballs. Someone released a Galvin spell and green tendrils of electricity crackled across the shore like tentacles, electrocuting anything they came in contact with and causing uncontrollable muscle spasms.

  Annabel ran toward Violet, disappearing and reappearing at intervals, dodging both people and explosions as I took advantage of the fact that most of Aiden's people had their backs turned to me. Running up behind one of them, I quickly snapped his neck before taking my place next to Brett.

  Another wave of Violet's emotions surged through me. I tried to push what she was feeling aside, but she was beginning to panic and the shock of it choked me and left me gasping for air. We needed to get her out of here before it was too late.

  "Annabel!" I yelled again. She was the only one who could get Violet out of here quick enough to survive the firestorm of Magic around us.

  "I can't!" she yelled back, "she's been anchored to this plane."

  "Do something, we can't lose her!" I turned my head just in time to see a massive wall of fire barreling down on Brett and I. My shield materialized on instinct and stopped the flames from engulfing us. Brett dropped to her knees, dug her hands into the wet sand and summoned the ocean water, making it rise high above us and douse the blazing inferno battering against my shield.

  "Stop her!" someone yelled. Searching the beach, I saw green sparks flying toward Annabel while she was mid-orb. Her body blinked for a moment, shimmering as she struggled to stay grounded and then reappeared as she fell to the sand convulsing and screaming. I looked in the direction where the sparks were coming from and recognized Lila's sharp features and long blonde hair. A part of me hoped she wouldn't be here. Our history made things complicated and even though I'd moved on, it would still pain me to kill her.

  Running toward Annabel, I watched her writhe in the sand as the Galvin spell kept her pressed against the ground, when suddenly I found myself gasping for air. No matter how much oxygen I sucked into my lungs, I couldn't breathe. Looking toward the pier, searching for Violet, I realized she was under water. She was suffocating and I could feel the agony of her last breath burning in my own chest and throat. Looking back toward Annabel, I saw her take off toward Violet while Jake was busy fighting off Lila.

  My feet tossed sand into the air as I ran toward Violet. The connection spell was getting stronger the more she struggled to survive. My vision blurred and my throat burned as I made my way across the shore.

  A stout, portly man and a woman who was more limbs than body appeared in front of me out of thin air, blocking my path to Violet. I looked behind me to see if anyone else could get to her, but everyone was busy with their own fight. Brett stood in front of Lila and absorbed the woman's Galvin spell into her body. She was the only person I'd ever known who could withstand the effects of the spell. In fact, it seemed to make her stronger. Jake fought against two guys and Annabel rolled on the ground in a brawling struggle with a red-headed woman.

  "Go help Violet!" Brett yelled at Annabel again.

  My anger and Violet's terror surged through me with a force I'd never felt before. Every nerve in my body pulsed with an energy that begged to be released. The gangly woman ran at me as the man raised his hands above the sand, making each tiny pebble rise from the ground into a twister. I didn't have time for this. Each one of my muscles tensed and the rage pumping through my blood pulsed off of me in a circular formation, sending the two assailants flying backward. The sand twister crumbled, throwing grains of rock and seashells flying in all directions. Taking a fraction of a second to assess myself, I patted my torso. I'd never felt so much Magic course through me before.

  My two opponents rebounded quickly and before I could take more than two steps the woman stood blocking my way again while the stout man circled around me.

  "You know what to do Jo," the heavy man growled and the lanky woman smirked and nodded.

  I looked between Jo and the pier to gauge the distance. Annabel had just orbed next to Violet with Taylor Deardon and they worked together to untie Violet from the pillar.

  Another wave of energy burst out of me but this time they blocked the blow and threw two Cinder orbs my direction. I raised my shield just as the first one hit. It bounced off of me into one of their other men. He froze mid-run then disintegrated into a pile of ash.


  Jo's unnaturally long fingers held her cheeks as she screamed like a wolf in pain. Arms flailing, she made a run for me again. Her partner vanished into thin air and I knew I needed to keep my guard up. She jumped into a spin-kick formation and I ducked out of the way just in time. Landing gracefully back on her feet, I caught her by the waist and tackled her to the ground. A ball of Arcane Magic formed on my palm, ready to take her out when I fell forward with someone on my back. Jo disappeared from underneath me and the Arcane orb in my hand reabsorbed into my palm. Snarling at my missed opportunity, I grabbed the guy on my back and threw him over my shoulder. He landed in the shallows with an audible thud.

  Violet's emotions gripped me again and I doubled over in pain. The air in my lungs burned in concert with Violet's agony. A thousand tiny knives pricked over my skin, forcing another uncontrollable pulse of energy to erupt out of me. The dark-haired man I'd thrown over my shoulder flew backward as the pulse of Magic hit his body.

  "Annabel," Jake's voice tore across the shore with an edge of urgency.

  Looking in Annabel's direction, a stream of Devil's Flame licked across the beach aiming directly for her. Blinding yellow light moved unnaturally, changing directions on a whim and hitting the pillar Violet was strapped to. Annabel and Taylor quickly jumped out of the way, diving into the ocean and out of sight.

  Enough was enough, I put up my shield and made a beeline for Violet. Nothing would stop me from reaching her this time. The cold water stung my legs as I rushed into the surf. The pain in my chest grew the closer I got to her and I had to fight against the overwhelming surge of terror, panic, and anguish coursing through me from the binding spell.

  About fifty yards away, I dove into the waste-deep water and began to swim. When I reached the pillar, I took a deep breath and submerged myself. My hands fell on Violet's shoulders and I quickly found her mouth. Pinching her nose, I placed my mouth on hers. She tensed for a moment and then seemed to understand what I was trying to do. Relaxing against my lips, she let me blow air into her mouth.

  Another wave roared above us and I knew that she would die if we didn't get her out of the water soon.

  The pillar Violet was tied to vibrated as the battle for her life waged on above us. I squeezed her shoulder for reassurance and then resurfaced.

  "Robert, give her this," Annabel said. She threw an oxygen tank and mouthpiece to me. I grabbed it, gave her a quick nod of thanks, and took another deep breath before dunking back below the water line.

  I felt around for Violet's shoulders again and found her body limp under my hands as I placed the mouthpiece between her lips. I put my hand on her chest and gently pushed, telling her to breathe, but she didn't move.

  Resurfacing, I yelled at Taylor and Annabel, "Get her out of here, she's dying."

  "We're trying!" Annabel snapped back. "We just need one more minute."

  "Get back to the fight, they need you," Taylor yelled over the rumble of the ocean as he worked on the ropes tying Violet to this plane.

  As I pushed through the water, I made a run toward Lila and her companion.

  With his back turned toward me, I knew I had a clean shot. Summoning a stunning orb, I aimed it at the center of his spine. The orange orb flew across the beach as I ran toward them, but he turned just in time to deflect the spell. His maneuver, however, allowed me to close the gap and land a clean punch to his jaw. His face swept to the side and then he was back on me in the blink of an eye. A black orb appeared in his hand and I threw up my shield. Instead of throwing the sphere as I expected, he held the ball of Magic against my shield and stared at me with eyes like death.

  My defense crackled under the pressure and darkness spread out from the orb like tentacles where it touched my shield. I couldn't hold the Cinder spell at bay much longer, so I took a gamble. Retracting my Magic, I let my only defense shimmer away, as I ducked down and swung my leg out to throw him off balance.

  He fell to the ground and the Cinder orb disappeared.

  I gathered my fist to take another swing at him, but he jumped up and stepped back toward Lila.

  It was then that I realized a bright light was glowing just behind me. Looking over my shoulder at the source of the light, I saw Brett glowing like the sun, brilliant and terrifying. Lightning erupted from her outstretched arms and crackled down her entire body.

  Lila and the man I'd just been fighting turned their attention toward Brett. That's not good, I thought. I ran in front of my sister and summoned my shield just as Lila's spell flew at us.

  The force of it knocked the wind out of me and I fell to the ground.

  "We need to make sure Robert comes with us!" Lila yelled over the roar of the battle.

  A few of Lila's henchmen shimmered and disappeared. They were retreating.

  Brett swung her arms open and then brought them together as forcefully as she could, sending our attackers flying as a stream of raw electricity arced into each of them.

  "Are you okay?" Brett asked as she knelt next to me.

  "I'm fine, get Violet," I winced as I got to my feet.

  Brett nodded and ran toward the pier where everyone was gathering to help Violet. As she did, Lila approached me with arms raised in surrender while I dusted the sand off of my jeans.

  "Lila," I said through gritted teeth.

  "It's nice to see you again, Robert," she replied and a wicked smile spread across her face.

  In one quick motion, she reached out to me, bound my wrist and said a spell under her breath. The ground disappeared beneath me as the world swirled around me in an array of colors.

  A moment later, my legs hit something solid and gave out beneath me. I lay still for a moment to catch my breath before opening my eyes. We weren't on the beach anymore, that much I knew. I could feel it in the air.

  Rolling onto my side, I pushed myself up and healed all of my wounds. Then I scanned the area, looking for any sign of a threat, but it was just the three of us.

  We had landed on an unnaturally green lawn that had been manicured to perfection. A large stone estate loomed to the right of us, just out of reach of the tree line. Seagulls squawked overhead as dark, ominous clouds pressed down on us, promising rain.

  We must be close to the sea, I thought as I watched a few of the seagulls land on the grass nearby. That was a start. At least there might be boats nearby I could use to escape. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that we had come a very long way from the California coast. There was something familiar about the cold, humid air, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was.

  "Let's go. He'll be waiting for us," Lila said, starting toward the estate.

  I took a hesitant step forward. I could make a run for it, but where would I go? I had no idea where I was or where I could find help.

  "Ian," Lila snapped at him, "Will you please." She smiled and motioned toward me.

  Ian shoved me by the shoulder and I resigned myself to getting more information before trying to escape.

  As we approached the estate, an older gentleman emerged, meeting us at the front of the property.

  "We have a present for you," Lila announced, her deep voice purring with affection.

  Ian walked alongside me looking utterly dejected. I wondered idly what could possibly have made him so distraught. Violet was struggling for her life on the beach and they had me prisoner. What more could he want?

  "Is The Waker dead?" the older gentleman asked. He folded his arms across his chest as we came to a stop in front of him. His slender build did nothing to detract from the unspoken authority emanating off of his presence as his eyes narrowed in an appraising gaze.

  "Of course. We performed the ritual like you said and stole their Healer just to be safe," Lila answered, her voice cracking and her eyes shifting back and forth.

  Ian shoved me down on my knees as realization began to set in as to who this man was. A small tremor of fear settled in the pit of my stomach and I prayed I was wrong.

  "Very nice," he sai
d, eying me up and down. "But what am I supposed to do with him?" He looked at Lila in disgust. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ian smile as he shifted back and forth from one foot to the other in a nervous little dance.

  "I thought you'd be happy, Father," Lila said. Her voice still held an edge of pride but she wrung her hands together with a child-like worry.

  My instincts were correct. The old man was the infamous Aiden Partridge. I looked him over more carefully and measured him against every horror story I'd ever heard. He wasn't what I pictured but he was cold and stiff as if his heart had truly frozen over.

  "You're sure she's dead?" Aiden asked, addressing Ian this time.

  "I wouldn't be here if I thought she was alive," he said with pride. I wanted to punch my fist through someone's skull. How could they speak so casually about someone's death? The hope that Brett and the others had found a way to save her was the only thing keeping me from lunging at Aiden Partridge in a suicidal rage. I tried to reach out through the Connection spell but felt nothing. Ice froze my heart and I rationalized that I must be too far away from her to feel anything. But deep down, I knew the spell wasn't hindered by distance.

  I glared at Aiden with utter disdain and spat at his feet. "Such a big man you are, having your daughter do your dirty work," I said through gritted teeth.

  "How dare you speak to-" Ian erupted, but Aiden cut him off with a simple, silencing raise of his hand.

  Aiden knelt down in front of me, grabbed my face between his thumb and finger and forced me to look him full in the eye, "It must be difficult to know that you failed not only Violet but the prophecy as well," he chided with a wry grin.

  I tried to pull my head free but he tightened his grip and leaned in closer. "Robert must find her before it’s too late," he whispered and let go of my face.