Lost Energy

by Lynn Vroman

“Wilma?”

  “Yes?”

  “Please have Tarek come to me.”

  She touched my cheek with a sad smile. “Soon.”

  BROTHER

  The view from my window gave a clear picture of the devastation. Smoke plumes trapped burnt-out villages, claiming victory. The verdant fields I fell in love with the first time Tarek brought me here were now muddy and void of foliage, barren of glowing rocks.

  All those bodies, strewn on the ground like trash…

  They littered the field beyond the drawbridge. Protectors’ bodies, useless without their energy–energy Wilma said had been collected by the Guides whose nest had yet to be found.

  That was where I came into Winston’s plan. Avery and Zander, too. We’d find the nest and burn it. Kill them so our side could collect the Protector energy from the bastards we planned on slaughtering. At first, I had reservations. After the other night, revenge replaced them. They’d die, and I was fine with that.

  By the second morning, my body felt strong enough to leave the room. My mind wasn’t quite there, but hey, some things weren’t fixable with a few hours of sleep and dehydrated food washed down with stale water.

  No visits from Tarek didn’t help my head any, either. Wilma just kept saying, “Soon.”

  Our first stop was Farren’s room. I insisted. Every other problem and person could wait until I saw for myself that he was okay.

  We walked down the hall in silence, Wilma abnormally quiet until she stopped at a door about five away from mine. “He’s in there.” She studied her feet for a second before bringing her eyes to mine. “They killed Teenesee’s daughters. She refuses to speak with anyone. We’re hoping she’ll talk to you.”

  Shock ripped through me, freezing my hand on the knob. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I just did.” She moved to the side, folding her hands in front of her.

  “You–”

  “Hurry up, Lena. This isn’t the time.” Her blue eyes shot daggers, but the sadness creeping in them silenced my retort.

  I nodded instead and pushed open Farren’s door. “Five minutes.”

  When the door shut, I adjusted to the dim light. A thick blanket covered the window. It may have blocked out the sight of destruction, but cries and shots, along with acrid smoke and rot, demanded entry. Forgetting wasn’t possible, but I could ignore it for a few minutes, especially when I spotted Farren on the big floating bed, still asleep.

  I ran to him, snuggling up to his side. As usual, his eyes popped open and he darted up, wincing when he put pressure on his leg. He turned to me and relief replaced the pain filling his eyes. He then fell onto the mattress and gathered me up in his arms, saying nothing. His chest moved erratically, breathing heavy, then not breathing for a few seconds before returning in a rush.

  I cried with him.

  Long after five minutes passed, and surprisingly no interruption from Wilma, Farren’s breathing returned to normal, as did mine.

  I cleared my throat a few times. “You hit me.”

  He laughed, pulling me closer, his voice shaky. “You’re welcome.”

  “Leave it to you to get yourself shot.” I pressed my fingers into his chest, making sure he was there next to me.

  “Yeah, well, you’re not exactly light. Slowed me down.”

  “Something you should never say to any girl.”

  He stroked a finger up and down my arm. “You’re not any girl, kid.”

  My brother. Always. Forever. “Thank you.”

  “Just the truth.”

  I sat up, needing to see his face. “When Wilma told me you got shot…I almost died, right there.”

  He smiled, his eyes a little swollen, and brushed hair from my eyes. “Can’t get rid of me that easy, remember? Besides, I don’t think it’s possible for you to live without me. Who’d teach you how to give a proper right hook?”

  No, I couldn’t live without him and not because of his skills in the ring. So many more reasons why bounced in my head, threatening tears. I swiped at my eyes and pasted on a smile. “I would have a tough time, what with Belva kicking my ass for not protecting you.”

  The mention of my friend caused his face to redden, his smile shining bright. “She’s something, right? A goddamned Arcus ancient. Whatever the hell that means for the future.”

  I hopped off the bed after giving him a hug. “It doesn’t matter because you’ll be by her side.”

  He nodded, adjusting his bandaged leg. “You got that right. We’ll all live happily ever after in Arcus, raising squid and swimming with elephants. One big fucked-up family.”

  I tried not to let Tarek into my mind, but not thinking about him was like asking my heart to stop beating. Neither possible.

  “Guess we’ll see.”

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  The last thing I wanted to do was leave Farren. I left anyway, promising to stop by as soon as I could. Wilma still waited. Miraculously, no irritation marred her round face. “Ready?”

  I swept a hand down the hall. “Lead the way.”

  The walk took longer this time, going past room after room. Silence taking over the huge manse bothered me, so different from the pleasant chatter bouncing off the walls the last two times I’d been here. Like the house mourned Teenesee’s daughters, too.

  By the time we stopped at a set of large marble doors, I wanted to scream to create noise. Before Wilma opened them, she grabbed my shoulders. “I need you to prepare yourself. Teenesee…she’s not the same.”

  “I’ll be gentle.”

  Worry stained Wilma’s cheeks. “That’s not all. All the killing has weakened her, especially since the bastards are taking Empyrean energy too. She’s using what she has left to protect this house.”

  Fear sizzled through my body, making my fingertips numb. “What’re we gonna do? What if–”

  She shook her head, palming my mouth and refusing to open the door. “See, that’s not how I want you to react. Be strong, confident. Make her feel like we have a fighting chance, get her to see past her grief.”

  I swallowed, taking her hand from my mouth but keeping hold of it, needing to steal her strength. “Do we have a chance? Be honest. Can we win?”

  She raised her chin. “Of course, we can. Those fuckers are idiots.” She shrugged. “Idiots with large numbers and a lot of guns, but still idiots. And not one of them is stronger than me or Winston.”

  Man, I hated being a pessimist. “Yeah, but their numbers…”

  “…mean shit. The plan is solid.” She cracked open the door. “Now, go sell that to her. Make her believe her children didn’t die for nothing.”

  I hesitated. “I’m not selling her snake oil, am I?”

  “I wouldn’t agree to any dumbass ideas.”

  “But–”

  “Enough.” She pulled the door wide and thrust me in, closing it behind her.

  “Lena!”

  I turned to find Zander rushing forward. I met him halfway, that familiar static filling my head. This fuzz was welcomed, unlike the potent, hypnotizing effect the authority Guides had. The dull buzz brought back memories–and not all bad. It reminded me of how I used to be a kid with the one goal of getting into college. Funny, how the new goal was trying to stay alive. When his arms wrapped around me, the desire to reverse time before all this and be with him in high school overwhelmed me. The feeling lasted seconds, but the impact, the urge, gave a residual ache.

  I kept my face next to his neck, his familiar scent comforting. “Are you okay? I mean, you’re not like screwed up or anything, right? No brain loss…except for the usual lack of cells?”

  He laughed and pulled away to point to the bandage on his head. “Just a scratch, darlin’. Thanks for the concern.”

  That southern accent, the fake one he used when he tried to help kill me, made me smile now. His presence in my life then might have been an illusion, but it was a good illusion, and I missed it.

  I smoothed a hand over his patched-up forehead. “I’m g
lad you’re not dead.”

  “Likewise.” His voice lost its accent as he guided me to the far corner of a room bigger than my entire apartment. He acknowledged Wilma, who followed us, and spoke in my ear. “She hasn’t left that chair in days…since her daughters…”

  I pulled on his hand, stopping. “You two stay here. Let me talk to her alone.”

  “You sure?” Wilma stepped up, her voice a raspy whisper. “You don’t have to do it alone.”

  “Of course.” I let go of Zander. “Has she eaten?”

  “No, she–”

  “I am in mourning, not deaf.” Teenesee’s honeyed voice, defeated and fragile, had all of us looking at our feet. Even Wilma.

  Treating her like an invalid was stupid, despite her tattered heart. She still exuded power, even in her grief. Something I shouldn’t have forgotten.

  “Um…sorry.” I cleared my throat and stood taller. “Truly, I am so, so sorry.”

  She sat in a high-backed chair, staring out the window, not barricaded like Farren’s or bolted like the windows we passed to get to her room. The cries, shots, smells…everything deplorable, sinful, carried into the room with a breeze thick with the tinge of blood and death. She made sure her seat was as close as it could be without falling out the window. Her torture. Self-induced punishment.

  Without looking behind her, Teenesee held out her hand. “Come, Lena.”

  I stumbled in the rush to her side, kneeling at her feet while taking her hands in mine. I wanted to reassure her, tell her we’d beat these bastards back to hell, and steal their energy. Restore her beautiful dimension.

  None of that left my lips.

  I held her cold hands and said nothing. Her ashen face stayed focused on the mayhem outside her window. She winced every time a scream–a final death scream–floated inside the room. When she winced, I squeezed her hand tighter, as if the pressure had the power to take away the grief.

  She finally spoke, the pain in her voice reaching my soul. “They slaughtered them like lambs. Took them away from me as though they were trash for disposal.”

  I remained silent, squeezing her hands so hard my knuckles turned white.

  “My beautiful daughters, so brave, now ash. Their souls taken.”

  The lump lodged in my throat made it difficult to breathe, but I couldn’t do nothing, say nothing. My grief…specks of dust compared to hers, and it was about goddamn time I remembered that. Her daughters, Cara and her child, they needed to be avenged. Others hiding, hoping not to be next, needed saved. My people were the solution. If the Protectors Winston found hated me, so the fuck what? They’d get over it and help us fight. Exemplar’s time running the universe was over.

  I pulled a chair beside her and sat resting elbows on knees. “Look at me, Teenesee.”

  She refused, acting as though I hadn’t spoken.

  “Please.”

  Her topaz eyes closed as she bowed her head. “I have failed my people.”

  I leaned closer, squeezing her hands again. “No, you haven’t. Those bastards ambushed you. They ambushed all of us. Please, look at me.” When she finally leveled her gaze with mine, I shook my head. “I won’t let them win. We won’t let them win. Tarek’s going to open the lines, suck those bastards right in to play with the squid. And…and we have an ancient. Have you heard?”

  A flicker, the slightest hint of faith lightened her eyes. “I have not.”

  I smiled, trying to transmit my confidence to her. “Well, we do. She controls the animals in Arcus with more precision than Tarek. We also have Winston Candell. You know him, right?” At her nod, I continued, “And I’ve spoken to Earth’s Warden. He’s in too. We’ll find that goddamned nest and burn it to the ground. No more energy will leave here.”

  “How… How have you managed all this in such a short time?” Familiar strength seeped into her face, causing it to shine with that deadly beauty not many could fight against.

  Finally.

  “You believed in me before. Believe in me now because I believe in you. And I believe in your people. We can win, Teenesee.”

  Sadness tinged her eyes. “I am too weak to help you.”

  “That will change soon.”

  “If they kill me…”

  I stood and palmed my heart like a knight in Arthur’s court. Maybe silly, but that was how I felt and I was going with it. “They won’t get a chance, I swear.”

  She breathed in and rose on shaky legs as she exhaled. “My brave Lena.”

  A snort interrupted the moment. “More bravery than brains, that’s for sure.”

  I glared at Wilma, who came up behind us with a smirk. The pride shining on her face was the one reason I didn’t snap.

  Teenesee laughed. Damn, my Protector knew exactly what to say. Sadness had to be over. We needed to work.

  I marched to a side table holding dried fruit and a water carafe. After pouring a glass and snatching a handful of dried apples, I went back to the Warden. “Eat something and we’ll get down to business.”

  She accepted my offering after a hesitation. “To think I’d have you caring for me and not the other way around?”

  “Just don’t ask me to cook.” I turned to Wilma and Zander. “What now?”

  Zander shrugged with his hands out while Wilma crossed her arms over her chest with a grin. “Well, for starters you need to work on your groveling skills.”

  “Uh, what?”

  “Winston’s opening a portal now, right outside the manse drawbridge with thirteen new buddies.” She tapped her head. “Sounds like he kept your presence a neat surprise.”

  Oh, shit.

  DIPLOMACY

  Having to apologize for shit I didn’t do pissed me off. God knew Exemplians could hold a grudge–Mateusz proved that in the spring. I didn’t grovel for him, and I sure as hell didn’t want to bow down to the bad tempers of whomever Winston brought through the portal.

  Fuck him for not warning them I’d be here. Christ, I left Arcus before they got there–he should’ve told them then, given them a choice to either fight or leave. I had to do all the convincing? When they all hated me?

  Yeah, fuck him. No way would I lose sleep if those assholes hated me.

  So why wouldn’t the nerves stop jumping around long enough to confront said assholes?

  Damn, I needed help–of the psychiatric variety.

  Thankfully, I wasn’t alone. Wilma and Farren flanked me with Zander and Teenesee walking ahead of us. Farren’s subtle limp was the only indication his leg burned. After I left Teenesee’s room, Wilma was kind enough to inform me that if the bullet had lodged in his flesh, the compound in it would have dispersed, killing him while pulling his energy inside. Since she told me, my hand hadn’t left his. To think he’d come so close…

  No. Nope. Not gonna go there.

  We all filed into the room, Zander and I sitting on the sofa with Farren standing behind us–after he managed to yank his hand free. He bent down to whisper in my ear. “I ain’t going anywhere, kid. Relax.”

  “Stop getting shot.”

  He chuckled, standing tall. “Stop making me knock you out.”

  “Fine.” I gave Zander a quick reassuring smile that didn’t show the chaos in my stomach. Man, I wanted to throw up.

  Instead, I sat straighter, put on the bitch face, and waited. They weren’t gonna see me scared. So what if my legs shook like leaves in a windstorm?

  Wilma and Teenesee stayed in front of the sofa, as if not seeing me right off the bat would soften the blow. Sitting there, like a damn wuss hiding from the asshole brigade caused anger to eat up the nerves. Not that I wasn’t grateful they decided to come.

  Really.

  But…assholes.

  When heavy footsteps came closer, the nerve/anger cocktail wouldn’t let me cower behind Wilma any longer. Zander tugged on my hand as I went to get up, which accomplished pissing me off more. “Let. Go.”

  “Lena, don’t. These people…they’re not going to react well.”

>   Before I could tell him to shut up, Wilma pulled my hand from his and guided me to stand beside her. “If she wants to stand, let her stand, boy.” She winked at me. “My girl’s no coward.”

  I squeezed her hand, staring forward.

  Footsteps stopped right outside the door, and…nothing. We all watched the thing, waiting for the marble and plaster to swing open. Leave it to Winston to create drama. But when not even the door’s thickness quieted all the yelling coming from the other side, I figured out his reason for all the theatrics.

  Great timing.

  Sweat trickled down my spine and beaded on my upper lip. The sweating got really serious when Wilma bent a knee and balled her fists, while Farren came to stand beside her. Wilma glanced at him long enough to say, “Be ready.”

  Full-on Protector mode, Farren nodded, his attention centered on the door.

  Teenesee, too weak to stand on her own, leaned against the sofa. “I’ll not let petty grudges hinder my people’s freedom.”

  I lifted my chin, even though my legs begged me to run and hide. “They accept the situation, or they leave. Their choice, but when the bastards invade Earth, whoever leaves won’t get help from us.”

  Farren’s voice, more like a growl, answered. “You’re goddamn right.”

  My mouth went dry as soon as the yelling stopped and silence took over. As much as I hated the immediate confrontation, actually having them leave would screw us.

  You got this, Tainted? Winston’s voice, soft and mellow, bounced around in my head.

  I clenched my fists, and whispered, “Yeah.”

  As soon as the word left my mouth, the doors flew open, Winston the first to enter. He gave a slight bow to Teenesee, who nodded, saying nothing. He then moved aside to let everyone else file in, Avery and Nicolette bringing up the rear. The thirteen newbies in the middle had my jaw dropping.

  Like Winston said when I met him, I had a hard time with stereotypes. Another thing I’d need to work on if I lived long enough. Only one or two looked like Abercrombie from the gas station, a guy and girl. Seriously. They could’ve been on those sexy billboards…well…without the present expressions scrunching up their faces. I, for one, would never buy tight jeans from people who looked like they wanted to tear out my throat.