Blood drips from the side of his head and Taylar shoves the armrest into his hands. “Hold this and hit the thing if it comes back. I’ll get something to put on your head.”
While Taylar goes back to the other room, I see the pixie’s wings fluttering.
“Watch out, it’s awake,” I say before realizing they can’t hear me.
Lleyton is staring at the doorway in a daze. He hasn’t noticed the pixie getting up and balling her small fists in anger. She shoots up to the ceiling and lets out a high shriek. The whole house creaks and moans as everything in it is lifted. The walls tremble and the dust that falls from it moves to the right instead of down. Lleyton is thrown against the doorpost. The armrest slips from his hands. Blood trickles sideways from his head.
There’s a shout from the other room and Lleyton pushes himself through the doorway.
“Hold on!” he yells to Taylar.
The pixie soars after him and I follow on the ground. It feels strange to walk when everything around me is floating.
The bedroom has turned into a death trap. There are sharp and heavy objects everywhere, and in the middle of it all, the pixie waves her arms.
“We’re sorry!” Lleyton calls out. “We will give everything back to your master.”
“Too late,” the pixie answers in a chirpy tone. “You steal, you get punished.”
Lleyton stretches his arm towards a wooden board that’s stuck against the ceiling.
The pixie tuts. “No, no, no. No more playing around.”
The boys are thrown around the room. Taylar folds his body into a ball, with his arms around his head. He bumps against the walls and ceiling and his shirt is ripped by a nail that’s protruding from what used to be a wardrobe. Something shatters the fish bowl and the goldfish flaps around on the floor.
“Oh no!” the pixie screeches. “Master will not like that.”
Everything in the room comes to a halt as she bends over the fish. “Sorry.” She turns around. Her small head takes on a deep red as she points to the boys. “Your fault.”
She turns and turns and everything turns with her. The house protests loudly. There’s creaking and groaning everywhere.
And then it all falls down. The boys go first and the broken furniture, the garbage, the walls and part of the ceiling collapse on top of them.
The creature zooms out of sight, giggling to itself, while the dust slowly settles.
When I remove my hands, which I’ve clasped over my head, I see only one blond head. It belongs to Taylar. His eyes scan the ruins around him. “Lley?”
Only silence answers him.
He pushes the debris aside, coughs as dust fills up his lungs, and slowly makes his way to where his brother has probably been buried alive. “Lleyton? Are you okay?”
When there’s no answer, he shouts again. “Lleyton!” He grabs board after board and throws it away. Finally, on the other side of the room, a hand becomes visible.
Still coughing, Taylar makes his way to it. Panting heavily, he removes the remains of the house and furniture that covers his brother.
He lets out a heartbreaking scream and in a reflex I hurry over to him.
My chest tightens at the sight of Lleyton lying there like a forgotten doll in a dump. His eyes are wide open in shock and a bone sticks out of his arm.
Taylar drops his head onto his brother’s chest and sobs. “No! Don’t leave me!” Tears stream over his face. “Don’t leave me alone. Please.”
I reach out to comfort him, but suddenly I’m pulled backwards with a jolt. I almost lose my lunch and try to focus on something else.
Before I can, I land on Taylar’s bed. My body tips over, but Taylar grabs my arm. “Are you okay?”
After a couple of deep breaths I nod. “That was…” I don’t even know how to finish that sentence. Horrible? Not even close. Heartbreaking? My throat clogs up at the thought. I can’t say it out loud.
Taylar lets go of my arm and I lean back on my elbows to make sure I don’t tumble off the bed.
The pale face of the young ghost is flushed. “I swore that I would make this man pay. Yes, we were wrong to steal from him, but did we deserve to die because of it?” Grief chases away the anger and he looks away. “I searched for him for years, but I couldn’t find him. And then I died.”
I bite my lip and shake my head. “I am so sorry, Taylar. Life can be so unfair.”
He tilts his head. “Death too.”
I shoot him a reassuring smile. “I understand it can feel that way, but I am confident that everything will work out fine for you. Try to keep faith, I’ll help you as much as I can. Together we will find this man, if he is still alive, and make him pay.”
His eyes tear up. “Thank you so much, master.”
I bump my fist against his shoulder. “We’re all in this gang together. We help each other. I am not just your master, I am your friend.”
Someone in the doorway clears their throat and we all look up. “This is all very touching, and true, but it still leaves Taylar with unfinished business.” Jeep leans against the door post and raises his eyebrows at me. “Which is very dangerous.”
“Really?” I ask. “Why is that?”
“Unfinished business is like poison. It will eat you up if you let it brew for too long.”
I grunt. “So another thing we need to solve quickly? Awesome.”
Fast footsteps approach on the stairs. Mona sticks her head in. “I’ve been calling for minutes. Dinner is ready.” She looks from my pale face to Taylar’s. “Is everyone alright?”
I haul myself onto my feet and hold out my hand to the white-haired boy. “No, but we will be.”
CHAPTER 23
Everyone is lost in their own thoughts at dinner. Except for Mona and D’Maeo, who seem to be lost in each other’s eyes, when I finally look up because it hits me that I forgot to thank her for dinner.
“So how are we going to the boxing match? Visible or invisible?” Jeep asks when we’re cleaning everything up.
I put a clean plate into the cupboard. “I was thinking Vicky and I should go alone.” I make quotation marks around the last word with my fingers. “In case our enemies are there. We should make it look like we’re just checking the place out, nothing special.”
“I’m going, too,” Charlie says. He blushes when all eyes turn to him. “With Gisella.”
My hand shoots up to my forehead. “You’re taking your crush to a magical boxing match, where demons can come to collect a soul any minute?”
He takes a rubber band out of his pocket and ties it around his blond hair. “Gisella can take care of herself. You’ve seen that when you met her.”
I think back to her flying out of a window, and getting back up as if it was normal business. She’s tough alright.
“And she likes a good fight,” my best friend adds.
Jeep puts the last of the plates away. “She likes to watch a good fight, or be part of a good fight?”
Charlie grins. “Both.”
“Well then, I say bring her!”
I hold up my hands. “Wait, wait. Are you serious?”
Jeep shrugs. “Sure.”
“I can’t believe this. Are we really risking the lives of people who aren’t even involved? Isn’t this fight ours? We were chosen to do this. It doesn’t feel good to bring more people into this.”
Maël waves the scouring sponge in her hand around. She looks like a mother getting ready for a dress-up party. “Listen to Dante. He is right. The less people we involve, the better. This task was meant for us. We should only bring in other people if we can’t make it on our own.”
“That won’t take long then,” Jeep mutters.
A second later Maël smacks him around the head with the sponge.
“Yuck! Don’t rub that sauce all over me!” he calls out.
I laugh, happy to see Maël loosen up a bit.
Charlie is pouting and I feel
sorry for him.
“Did you tell Gisella anything about our mission?” I ask my best friend.
“No, I’ll keep my mouth shut for as long as you want.”
Relief washes over me. “Good. Don’t tell her anything yet. Let her think it’s a double date.”
Vicky takes my hand. “It is a double date. And if we’re lucky, we can all kick some butt there, too.”
Charlie’s grin is back and I chuckle. I guess our taste in women isn’t so different.
Jeep taps the rim of his hat. “Sounds fine to me. We’ll be the invisible bodyguards.”
Mona’s sparks clear the kitchen counter. “I’ll stay here in case Quinn comes back,” she says.
I blow her a kiss. “That’s so sweet of you. But you can also go home, if you want. I’m sure Quinn will be fine and the house, too. You’ve helped us so much already. And maybe you want to check on Mrs. Delaney, too?”
Her eyes grow wide. “Oh, right, I almost forgot.” She mumbles a bit to herself and smiles. “I’ll go to her first and then return here to see if everything is okay.”
I shake my head. “I guess I can’t stop you. Thank you for your help.”
“Anytime, Dante.”
Charlie leaves first to pick up Gisella, and I practice conjuring my lightning bolt for a couple of minutes.
Vicky watches me with interest. “You’re getting faster.”
I extinguish the bolt and try to bring it back instantly. I fail. “Not fast enough.”
“You’ll get there. It takes a while to get the hang of it.”
I lean against the kitchen table, panting. “Charlie hasn’t had his power that long and he can shoot grease whenever he wants.”
Her eyes drift to the ceiling thoughtfully. “Well, I guess the stronger the power, the harder it is to harness it? And you’re pretty powerful.”
With a grin I step towards her and pull her close. “Pretty powerful?”
She shrugs. “You’re okay.”
I push her against the wall. “Okay? That’s it?”
She cocks her head. “Yeah, and kind of attractive, too.”
“Really?”
The corner of her mouth twitches. “Sure. You’re like a six on the scale of cuteness.”
I lean over and kiss her neck.
“Or maybe a seven,” she mumbles.
“I can live with that.”
She lets out a soft moan when my hands travel up her side. “Seven-and-a-half.”
“We’re all set to… oops, excuse me.”
I let go of Vicky at the sound of Taylar’s voice.
Vicky quickly pulls down her shirt.
There’s a sigh from the other side of the room. “Oh, why did you have to spoil the show, Taylar?” Jeep slowly fades into view.
My cheeks heat up, while Vicky just grins.
I put my hands on my hips and give Jeep a deathly stare. “I thought you hated it when we kissed or hugged. And you broke my second rule: never go invisible on me.”
He twirls his hat on his finger, but doesn’t take his eyes off me. “I wasn’t going invisible on you, I was about to appear and changed my mind when I saw you two getting it on. And yes, I don’t like all the kissing and stuff around me, but this was about to turn into some fine porn.”
D’Maeo steps into the room, disapproval on his face. “Jeep, really?” he scolds him.
The tattooed ghost detaches himself from the wall and puts his hat on. “Well, I wasn’t exaggerating one bit, was I Taylar?”
Taylar blushes deeply.
Jeep waves his hand at him. “See?”
“Anyway.” I clear my throat. “We should probably go. If everyone is ready.”
The tattooed ghost gives me a once over. “You can finish what you were doing first. We can wait.”
“I think that’s enough,” D’Maeo says sternly, but I just smile.
“No, it’s fine. You know what all work and no play can do.”
Vicky pinches my butt. “Don’t worry, you could never be a dull boy.”
Electricity shoots through my veins. “Okay, it’s definitely time to go.”
Jeep and Vicky laugh out loud when I pace out of the room.
CHAPTER 24
Charlie and Gisella are already waiting for us at the school parking lot. Charlie is munching on something as usual.
“Hey guys!” I greet them cheerily and nod at Gisella. “Nice to see you again. This is Vicky and…” I break off when I remember the ghosts are invisible.
The girls shake hands.
“…and it’s so weird to be here during summer break,” I continue, looking around for a sign of life. “I never thought I’d come here for fun.”
Charlie slaps me on the back. “Oh, so you never have fun with me?”
I take Vicky’s hand and start walking. “You’re the reason I survived school so far, Charlie.” I look over my shoulder. “Aren’t you coming?”
He raises an eyebrow. “I don’t know where you’re going, but I’m going to the fight.”
We turn back and halt before him. “Okay, so where is it?”
He points at his feet.
I bend forward. “It’s in your shoes?”
He chuckles. “You’re so funny.”
I straighten up. “Well, nothing would surprise me anymore.”
Gisella throws back her bright red hair and rolls up the sleeves of her catsuit. “Just wait and see.” Her yellow eyes sparkle as she bends down and pushes her bare arm against the asphalt.
The ground vibrates and I step back.
“Don’t move,” Gisella says without looking up. “And you might want to hold your breath.”
The asphalt turns liquid and starts to swirl like a vortex. Gisella grabs Charlie’s hand just before she’s sucked into it. Soon they’re out of sight.
The vortex wraps around my feet and I have to fight the urge to pull back.
Vicky takes both of my hands in hers. “Don’t be so nervous. It’ll be fine. Just close your eyes for a second.”
After a deep breath I do as she says. The ground is pulled from under my feet. We turn and turn.
Then a hand taps me on the shoulder.
“You can open your eyes now.”
I do, but I can’t believe what I’m seeing. We’re standing in a large hallway leading up to two iron doors, decorated with magical symbols that light up one by one. Cheers and excited shouts seep through them.
“Did they start already?” I ask Gisella.
She walks to the doors and beckons us. “No, they’re just placing their bets.”
I smack myself in the head. “I should’ve brought some money.”
Gisella gives me a mocking look over her shoulder. “Money won’t do you any good here.”
I join her at the doors and try to remember all the symbols she touches. “Then what are they betting with?”
“Oh, the usual.” She grabs my hand and pushes it against the eye in the middle of the right door. “Their souls, their powers, eternal debt, magical weapons, spell books.”
My free hand goes to my waistband where I keep the two spell books.
Gisella follows it with her eyes. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to bet.”
A sharp pain shoots through my hand and I yelp. A green light scans my hand and the pain subsides.
“You can go through.” The yellow-eyed girl lets go of me and beckons Charlie. “Your turn.”
While he and Vicky undergo the same treatment, I examine my hand. There’s a small green dot in the middle, which stings a little when I push it.
When I look up again, the iron doors turn green. Gisella steps through and pulls Charlie along.
Vicky and I follow as soon as D’Maeo lets us know that the rest of the Shield is coming, too.
A giant arena unfolds itself before us. There must be thousands of spectators on the grandstands around the ring. It looks and sounds more like a giant fair tha
n a boxing match. The noise is deafening, and doesn’t only consist of shouting and cheering. There are creatures hissing or slapping their tails, small explosions and fireworks going off everywhere. Balls, strings and specks of light illuminate the ceiling, as Mages and other magical beings release their magic.
“This is crazy.”
Vicky’s mouth has fallen open, too. “Have you seen that ring? It’s huge!”
She’s right. It’s like four times the size of a regular boxing ring and there’s a high fence around it. I can’t wait to see the fight and find out why it’s been made like this.
Gisella starts walking and we follow fast on her heels. I really don’t want to lose my friends in this crowd. I just hope that the rest of the Shield will be able to find us here.
As we pass the rows of spectators, I recognize some people from school and a couple from town. Some of them greet me and I nod at them calmly, as if I’m a regular visitor.
But there are much more people here than in the whole of Blackford. How did they all get here? There weren’t that many cars in the parking lot.
Gisella finds us some seats and shoots us a smile when we have all settled. “So what do you think?”
I see D’Maeo coming our way with the others in tow and let out a sigh of relief.
“I can’t believe this has been under my school all this time. It’s huge and there are so many people,” I say.
Charlie offers us all a bag of chips from his backpack, which I happily accept, while the others decline.
“People from all over the country come to these fights,” Gisella explains.
I try to count the number of people in a row, but they move around too much. “How?” I turn back to Gisella. “How do they get here, I mean. Where did they all park?”
She giggles, which makes Charlie grin like a goofball. “Newbies are so funny. Did you forget that everyone here is magical?”
“Eh…”
“Most of them came through a portal or they flew here.”
“Really? Then why did we drive?”
“Because it can be really crowded at those portals and I don’t like waiting in line.” She points at the top of the fence around the ring. “Look, they’re about to start.”
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