I smiled and knelt down in front of him. “Nope. They’re just nervous about Em and me getting along, that’s all. But they don’t have anything to worry about. Right, Emersyn?”
“Exactly,” Emersyn said with a cheery, high-pitched voice I knew she was faking. She was worried about me for sure, though I was thankful she kept that from our kid brother.
“See. Nothing to worry about. Now why don’t you go on to bed? Tomorrow we’ll explore our new neighborhood and find you kids to play with.”
Bentley smiled a little and nodded. “Okay. Goodnight.”
“Night, kiddo,” I said with a smile.
Emersyn said something to him, but I didn’t try to register the words. My brain was already in motion, working on my crazy plan. I ran over to my duffel bag and swapped out my sandals for my favorite combat boots.
“What are you doing?”
I slid on my favorite black hoodie and glanced over at Emersyn. “Going to Hidden Kingdom.”
“Hidden Kingdom?” She frowned. “The theme park our parents work at now?”
“The theme park both our parents and my Uncle Kessler work at. The one our parents were just talking about.” I walked over to the bay window and slid it open. It was a one-story house on a flat surface, so jumping out shouldn’t be harder here than back in Charleston.
“Seriously? That could’ve been way out of context—”
“At The Gathering,” I said, “when that spirit grabbed me and flew off…it said it had to take me to the hidden kingdom.”
Emersyn paled. She gripped the wall. “That’s what it said to you?”
I nodded. “It made zero sense then. But now? Well, it can’t be a coincidence.”
“Oh…” she whispered. Her jaw dropped. I knew by the flush of pink in her cheeks and her shiver she was remembering The Gathering. “Oh.”
I also knew I was going alone. She was too shell shocked still, too afraid. And I totally understood why. I couldn’t blame her. The Gathering hadn’t left my mind since, and not just because of the guy. Every time I fell asleep or walked into a dark room, the memories of the terror flooded me. But without answers, I feared it’d never go away.
“But…but…”
I climbed onto the window and slid both legs over the edge. I paused and glanced over my shoulder at Emersyn. “My father was right. I do know something isn’t right here. I need to know what that is. Especially after what we just heard. You can stay here. I don’t blame you and I won’t judge you…but I’m going.”
Emersyn stood there frozen. I smiled then pushed off the windowsill and dropped to the ground below. A strong sense of déjà vu washed over me. The night of The Gathering, I’d jumped out of my bedroom window too. Please don’t end the same way.
“Tegan, wait!” Emersyn hissed.
I glanced over my shoulder and found Emersyn leaning out the bay window, her long blonde hair shimmering in the moonlight like fresh snow. “Yeah?”
“Meet me by my mom’s car. I’ll go grab her keys. And don’t make me regret this.”
Chapter Six
Tegan
“We’re climbing the fence?”
“How did you think we were getting inside after hours?” I slid my fingers around the rusty chain-link fence on the side of the Hidden Kingdom theme park and shook it. Looks sturdy enough. I glanced over my shoulder at her and smiled.
“Sadly, I hadn’t gotten that far.” Emersyn narrowed her golden eyes at me. She shuffled from foot to foot, gnawing on her French-manicured fingernail. “Have you done this before? Climb fences and break into places?”
I shook my head and returned my focus to the fence. There was far, far too much adrenaline pumping through my veins than was healthy. Breaking and entering was, in fact, a felony. We could get arrested for this. If that wasn’t enough danger, we had absolutely no idea what we’d find inside. All I knew was I had questions, and they consumed me. The idea I might find my answers made my body tingle.
“Sadly, I haven’t gotten this far before.” I winked at my new stepsister. “C’mon, you ran through the Smoky Mountains…in the dark. You can do this.”
“Right, because mentioning the most terrifying experience of my life is what I need right now.”
She wasn’t wrong, not by a long shot. The Gathering was unlike anything I’d ever been through. The fear of the moment still haunted my dreams and lingered in the back of my mind. But when an evil spirit singles you out of a crowd of hundreds and claims it needs to take you somewhere… Well, who wouldn’t want to know the why behind it? Then, if that same person is moved right down the street from the very place that ghost wanted to take them… Well, hunting down answers was expected. If not required.
The second Emersyn and her mother walked into the house, my spidey senses went haywire. Then with our parents’ odd behavior and the argument I’d overheard, I knew I was onto something. I slid one foot into the chain link and climbed to the top of the fence.
“Okay, Miss Rebel. We’ll do this your way,” Emersyn said. She pushed her shoulders back, then followed my path in her rhinestone-covered cowgirl boots. Her eyebrows were scrunched and her mouth set in a firm line.
I hoisted myself onto the other side of the fence one leg at a time, then dropped down to the ground. Sharp pain shot up my shins from the impact. Ouch. She’s not gonna like that drop in those shoes.
I glanced up to check on Emersyn. “Tell me something. Are you as goody two-shoes as you seem, or is it an act?”
“I plead the fifth,” Emersyn mumbled. Her platinum locks were tied up in a high ponytail, and her white cardigan was buttoned all the way to her neck.
I threw my head back and laughed. “You know, I think I like you.”
“Jury is still out on you,” Emersyn said as she carefully climbed down the fence.
Why did I jump off? I shrugged and turned to face the door I’d seen while driving. The sign on it said crew only, so I prayed it got us inside. I zipped my black hoodie firmly into place. It was my security blanket of sorts. Creeping around in the dark with Emersyn brought back far too many memories for my peace of mind.
I walked up to the door, gripped the handle, and paused to take a deep breath. Please open. I turned the knob and pulled, but the door didn’t budge. C’mon. Open. Open. Open. I turned the knob again, unwilling to give up. Miraculously, it opened quietly. I grinned. Who leaves a theme park unlocked? “Let’s do this.”
I dragged Emersyn inside. Good news was the door led right into the park, just like I’d hoped. Bad news was the entire lack of any light source. Okay, let’s not linger here. I grabbed Emersyn by what I assumed was her elbow and scurried forward until a soft white glow trickled through overhanging tree branches and lit up a brick pathway. “Ah, now this is more like it.”
“You mean dark and creepy?” Emersyn mumbled right behind my ear.
Huge trees hung over our heads and connected with the limbs on the other side, creating a tunnel that had to be spectacular in the sunlight. However, in the low shimmer of moonlight, it was eerie, like something out of a horror film. Like The Gatheri- NO. Don’t say that word. I swallowed down the rush of fear that prickled my throat. I shoved my trembling fingers into the pockets of my hoodie so Emersyn wouldn’t see. We’re here now. No backing out.
Up ahead, the air had a faint orange glow, so I led the way toward it. Over the sound of our footsteps, there was a soft flapping noise. It sounded like wings. It’s not a spirit. It’s not a spirit. Just keep walking. Something gripped my arm, and I gasped, my pulse skyrocketing.
“Just me.”
I cursed. “Scared me half to death.”
“I heard something move…like wings. But birds don’t really fly at night much.”
I froze mid step. She heard it, too, and she had a point. I looked up, but all I saw was the silhouette of tree limbs in the moonlight. There was a bright flash of light and a swooshing noise…and then the flapping was gone. The slight tremble in my hands turned into full-on ear
thquake-worthy shaking. “Let’s just get into the light up there.”
About twenty feet later, our covered walkway opened up into a sprawling courtyard in the middle of a quaint-looking town. I imagined this area was thriving with activity during park hours, with shops and restaurants lining the courtyard. Every few feet, there was a wooden bench under an antique-looking lamppost. Ah, the orange glow. We both stopped and looked around. Now that I was here, I wasn’t sure where to go or what to search for.
Directly in front of us, in the middle of the courtyard, an ornate fountain stood about thirty feet tall. I had to crane my neck back in order to see the top. It looked like something you’d see in Europe. The pool beneath it had to be fifty feet in diameter, at least. It had little spotlights inside the pool of water at the base that pointed up toward the fountain and made it shimmer like solid gold. There was a splash, then a soft trickling began.
I frowned and stared at the structure as water poured out of the top. “Why did that just turn on?”
Emersyn walked up behind me. “Maybe it’s on a timer?” she suggested, but she didn’t sound convinced.
I frowned and eyed the fountain with suspicion. The bright light shining off the lamp behind us cast a dark shadow on the little fairy topper, but the way it hit the little pink wings made them look like they fluttered behind its wild red mane of hair. Water splashed at its fingertips.
I shook my head. Don’t start freaking yourself out. That fairy is NOT moving. Your mind is really playing tricks on you tonight, Bishop.
My stomach tightened like I was on a rollercoaster about to hit a drop. I swallowed through the rush of adrenaline pumping through me. Stay calm, Bishop. I turned in a slow circle, eyeing the area around us for anything suspicious, but nothing looked out of place. The feeling inside me, the sense of alarm and dread, intensified. It was like my body knew something I didn’t. It had been happening to me lately, more and more every day. I’d jokingly called it my spidey senses, but it wasn’t funny. It was this feeling that led us to the park in the first place.
I froze. The colored fairy topper was gone. I moved closer. “There was a fairy…a small one, perched on top of this fountain.”
“Yeah, it has red hair and a yellow…” Emersyn gasped from right beside me. “It’s…gone? It was there, wasn’t it?”
I nodded. I couldn’t find the words to say it out loud. My jaw hung open as I stared. My eyes burned with the need to blink, but I was afraid to let them.
“Tegan, where did the fairy go?” Emersyn’s voice raised to a higher pitch.
I shook my head. Why is it gone? How is it gone?
Emersyn tugged on my sleeve. “Tegan, where did it go?”
I blinked a few times, praying it would somehow reappear. It didn’t. Something isn’t right here. A chill ran down my spine and I shivered. Slowly, I took a few baby steps backward. Maybe we should check this place out in the daytime first. “We need to find an exit door. Now.”
“There’s got to be one in this well-lit area. I mean, the power is obviously o—” Emersyn spun to face me and her words died on her lips. Her eyes bugged out as far as they could, the whites visible all around her canary irises. She breathed so heavy her chest rose and fell. All of the color in her face drained. “Te-Te-Teg-Tegan….”
“What is it?” My pulse quickened and my fingers trembled. I swallowed and it echoed in my ears.
Emersyn shook her head side to side repeatedly without saying a word. I slowly turned around.
In front of us, standing silently and unmoving, were dozens of people. Except they weren’t real people… They were ghosts, transparent and glowing a bright yellowish color. Fairy ghosts with pointed ears and narrow faces full of hatred. The ghosts stood in perfectly formed lines, like an army straight out of Hell itself.
I grabbed Emersyn’s arm without taking my eyes off the transparent figures in front of us. It was The Gathering all over again. Shivers ripped through my entire body. I tightened my grip on Emersyn’s arm as real, genuine fear took over me.
Something moved back behind the rows of ghost-fairies. When I looked, I had to hold back a scream. The little fairy from the small fountain, with fiery red hair and pink wings, hovered in the sky. She cocked her head to the side and looked me dead in the eye. After a second of staring at me, she held up one little finger, then flew off in the other direction.
I licked my lips. “I found the fairy, Em.”
“I…I…I’ve got nothing,” Emersyn cried. Her body trembled as she clung to me. “Get us out of here, Tegan. Now.”
I looked at Emersyn, then to the ghost-fairies in front of us. “Follow me, and don’t stop,” I whispered and tightened my grip on her.
I counted to three, then sprinted forward, right through the middle of the ghost-fairy-army. We ran at full speed through the center of the courtyard, past the massive fountain and through a quaint little town that now just screamed dangerous.
What the hell is this place?
At least I knew why Devon was so terrified of us going here.
Fairies surrounded us from all angles as we ran. They even flew over our heads. Ghost hands reached out and tried to grab me, but I ducked out of their grasp. I was breathing so heavy my chest tightened, but I told Emersyn not to stop so I had to keep going. My feet burned as they hit the pavement, and my legs screamed for relief. The fairies screeched at us and threw little berry-like objects at our faces. One of them clutched my hair and pulled like reins on a horse.
A dark, large object swooped down out of the sky and grabbed one of the fairy ghosts into its mouth. I opened my mouth to scream, but my voice didn’t seem to be working. Another dark form jumped out of nowhere and knocked us to the ground. When we stopped rolling, the black creature ripped a fairy ghost in half and put it in his mouth. This thing was a monster straight out of a horror film. It devoured the ghost then growled and turned shining red eyes at us. Its fangs dripped with yellowish-colored venom.
“My nightmare,” Emersyn whispered. The color drained from her face.
I scrambled to my feet. We gotta get out of here. Emersyn lay frozen on the ground, watching the black creature devour more fairy ghosts.
I pulled her up to her feet and shook her until she looked at me. “We gotta go.”
Her golden eyes were wide…and not looking at me. Her lips trembled. “M-m-more.”
I followed her gaze just in time to see about a dozen more of those black monsters swarm us. We were surrounded. Ghost-fairies and red-eyed creatures fought each other, shrieking and growling.
I spun around and pressed my back to Emersyn’s. We rotated in a circle. “The second you see an opening…take it and run.”
A ghost-fairy swooped down and sliced one of the creatures to pieces with a sword. Neon orange goo sprayed everywhere. I ducked down to miss the splatter.
“My nightmare,” Emersyn repeated.
I had no idea what she was talking about, but the description seemed appropriate. A bright white light shined through the battle, like the spotlight on a cop car. When I turned to see where it came from, it moved. No, it jumped. The light turned into two glowing beams that were brighter than the sun and flying through the air in circular motions, swiping at the oozing creatures. They looked like swords. One of the lighted beams hit a ghost-fairy, and it burst into a firework of colored dust.
It is a sword. With the two lights combined, I saw it was a person holding the weapons.
“RUN!” Emersyn shouted over the madness.
The person fighting off the creatures spun and looked at me before turning toward an oncoming fairy. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Emersyn take off. I knew I needed to follow, to get my feet moving and get the hell out of there, but I was glued in place.
My chest burned. It was too dark to make out any of the person’s features, but they were tall, and I got the impression they had long hair because something dark kept whipping around their face as they fought. I tried to watch, but they moved too fast. Withi
n a minute, all of the ghost-fairies were gone. Our hero jumped up and brought both glowing swords down onto the last red-eyed creature, landing on their knees. They didn’t even appear to be breathing heavy.
In the beat of a second, the person stood facing me. They held one glowing sword up, highlighting dark eyebrows and a strong jawline. It’s a guy. I stood frozen, gawking at the guy in front of me. Part of me knew I should run, that I could be his next victim, but I couldn’t move. Heat scorched the inside of my chest like I’d swallowed fire. I clenched my teeth through the sharp pain. His swords still glowed bright white in his hands as he held them down by his sides. They were the only source of light around us. My eyes were glued to him. He took a step closer to me, and I braced myself…for what? I didn’t know.
His thin V-neck T-shirt strained against his broad shoulders and wrapped tightly around thick biceps. Dark jeans hung low on his hips and were tucked into a pair of beat-up, dark combat boots. He was muscular, yet lean. His chest rose and fell rapidly. The veins in his neck pulsed and throbbed as he moved forward. Something on his chest glowed, like a metal necklace that caught a glare from his swords.
I looked up to his face…
Wait a second…I’ve seen you before…
At The Gathering…
Oh my God.
You.
YOU.
His face haunted me even when I was awake. What are you doing to me? Why are you here now?
I looked up at him and had to hold back a sigh. His jaw was sharp. Full lips parted slightly as he took in large gasps of air. He stood so close I felt his breath on my forehead. He smelled like fresh rain in the mountains. It was intoxicating, and I had the sudden urge to lick the sweat off of his lips. Long, dark hair dangled in front of his face, covering his eyes. Those mismatching eyes that I hadn’t stopped thinking about stared down at me. Before I knew what I was doing, I reached forward and brushed his hair out of his face. His skin was sweltering to the touch. Instead of removing my hand, he allowed me to brush his cheek. He’d saved my life. Possibly twice.
The Lost Witch Page 5