The Final Link_The Gateway Saga

by Erin Thornton

  As she came within distance of touching the invisible structure, a hand appeared from inside the cloak. She waved it in front of the building and then froze. Eyes glowing red, she floated her hand back and forth until the walls began to appear. The house was large and bordering on mansion status. Several stories tall and a square distance around. This house was almost half as wide as a football field. It was unbelievable. Why is a house this large sitting out here in the middle of nowhere?

  Before stepping inside the front door which opened again with her magic, the woman lowered the cloak on her head to reveal a familiar silhouette. “Yavari,” the name was said on a whisper, but Mathius’s voice dripped with disdain. While Aggie didn’t think it carried across the field, Yavari’s head swiveled around to take in her surroundings before stepping inside. As her feet planted on the floor inside, the image of the house faded with her and the door closed behind her.

  “Well now we know how to get in, and we know who is waiting inside to greet us. What would you like to do?” Gryson was no longer flustered by the magic and ready to go, but he was letting someone else make the call.

  “This is going to sound completely unlike me but given the fact that she has such a sweet spot for you, Mathius, you’re going in first.” Aggie wasn’t using him as bait, but more like getting even. She was mad that he let her use her royal status to play him for so long and get her way. Even if they weren’t ever an actual thing, Aggie hated that he never actually told her no. This way he could show her what side of things he was actually on.

  Xavier, who stood behind her, actually chuckled at her decision. Gryson just nodded, while Mathius growled his disapproval, but didn’t say a single word.

  “Once you are inside, you can leave the door open just a hair. One of us will catch it and wait for you to distract Yavari and try to get her into another room. The goal being to remove her from the direct line of site of the door. If you can’t do that then try and remove her from the room completely no matter what you have to do. Getting five more of us into the room while you attempt this will be tricky enough. There is no room for error.

  Approaching the house, Aggie flagged down the wolves and they fell in line behind the group. A surge of power and Aggie realized they had shifted back to human form.

  “Is Mathius really going to play to her heartstrings to get us in?” Ren’s words were unexpected, but not startling.

  “You don’t think I can handle this? If I can take on an opponent on the battlefield, what makes you think this would be any different?” Mathius grumbled and Aggie felt a little remorse for making him do this, but she could think of no other way to get them in the door. Not much time had passed and there was a chance she was still close to the entrance.

  Feeling the wall for a door, Mathius found the entrance quickly. He reached for the handle and they all held their breaths. Given the fact that the house was hidden from view, the chances it had a magical locking system were slim. Why else would they hide it from view? Seconds later the latch clicked and Mathius was on his way inside. Aggie reached up quickly and placed her hand in the crack of the door preventing it from sealing. They all gathered in close to hear for their cue to enter.

  “Mathius, what a surprise to see you here.” Yavari always the politician never faltered once.

  “I saw you leave the castle this evening and given the late hour, I was worried about you.” If Aggie didn’t know Mathius’s true feelings for Yavari, she would have assumed he were actually worried.

  “Oh, you need not worry about me. I started taking late walks years ago, while still in my youth. I find they are calming to my nerves.” She never anything away, causing Aggie wondered what Mathius would try next.

  “What is this place, Yavari? I haven’t come across it before on scouting trips. I would think you would steer clear of strange places given your status. Had I not seen it change upon you entering I never would have given it a second glance. How did you happen upon it?” Mathius was using her name more and she preened under his watchful eye. She was lapping up the attention like a two-dollar whore. Aggie wanted to throw up or at least gag at the display if it wouldn’t have drawn unwanted attention to them standing outside. Given the darkness no one had noticed the door being left ajar.

  “This is my thinking space. I found it abandoned years ago and claimed it for my own. I come here when life in the castle gets to be too much.” Aggie couldn’t believe how she didn’t even flinch or quiver in the slightest. Then Mathius reached for her shoulder and guided her toward another room.

  “Surely this is too much space for just yourself. Don’t you get lonely here?” Yavari leaned into his touch and he gently pulled her from the room. That was their moment, Aggie threw the door open and they all creeped in and Xavier silently latched the door behind them. Aggie heard Mathius one room over, “I’d love for you to show me around since I’m here. I feel like we never get to speak alone anymore with your guards always around and my team listening in no matter where we are.” That was their clue to look around.

  Aggie took in the space, it was once a polished regal space. Perhaps one of an upper-class citizen, if Ahael had such a thing. She still didn’t have a good grasp on society. The furniture didn’t scream poverty but not quite the same as the rooms in the palace either. It seemed those who lived there weren’t lacking for anything. All of their needs were met.

  Hearing the sound of Mathius’s voice get a bit farther, she motioned for Xavier to stay close to him. While she couldn’t speak to him to instruct him, Xavier nodded and headed off in the direction of Mathius’s fading voice.

  Feeling a bit more at ease knowing that her team was at least in groups, Aggie motioned for the remaining three to follow her. They roamed through the house and she tried to let herself think like an insane person. Where would I hide a bunch of children? Didn’t Navian say they were in utter darkness?

  They had traveled a distance from the front entrance when they came across what she thought at one time might have been the servant’s quarters. While they were empty now, Aggie felt it would be a good place to investigate farther. If she was right, there would be a back entrance to some of the places the owner might not want just anyone to see upon walking around.

  Chapter 21

  Just when Aggie was about to give up hope she found a tiny door located behind the kitchen. At first, she thought it was just a pantry, but she decided it was worth a look. Wrapping her hand around the knob, she jerked her hand back instantly as a scalding heat flooded through her body. Looking at her hand, she sighed in relief, it only appeared red and not blistered as she feared.

  Gryson was right there to grab her hand and inspect it. “What was that?” He smoothed his hand over hers and whispered an incantation. Immediately, the burning ceased and her hand no longer was in pain.

  “I’m not sure, it just burned me instantly. I don’t think that is just a pantry as I originally thought. Anyone have an idea?” Aggie glanced around the three men and waited but Mitchell had his own plan.

  Walking around Aggie, he placed his hand around the knob and gritted his teeth through the pain. Twisting slowly his face contorted as the burning worked its way through his palm. Finally, he made it full circle and the latch released. Never once did Mitchell make a sound, but Aggie knew from his facial expressions that it had hurt.

  “What was that? Now we are down a man because you couldn’t stop being macho for five seconds to let us come up with a plan.” Aggie was fuming and yet still trying to keep her voice low to remain hidden from any other dwellers.

  Mitchell took a cleansing breath and then flipped his hand over to show Aggie the damage. To Aggie’s surprise, what should have been first degree burns for as long as he held on to that knob, was barely red. As she watched, the redness quickly faded to his normal white coloring. Shocked and a little sheepish over her previous reaction, Aggie just stood there gaping at him.

  “I was the best choice. Ren would have been the second choice, but as A
lpha I heal a touch faster than he does. This way, the door is open and no one is damaged for the long haul.” Proud of himself and as cocky as ever, he motioned for Ren and they both walked through the doorway first. It led to a narrow staircase that they had to travel single file. The wolves could see in the dark so it was their best option to let them go first, but Ren held back and brought up the rear.

  It was a short set of stairs, as they reached the bottom rather quickly. Gryson whispered softly and a glow built in his hand much like that of a dim flashlight. Aggie was thankful not to have to rely on following Mitchell and the walls to keep from falling down.

  Walking a few feet, Aggie nearly shouted with joy. There strapped to the wall was a tiny little boy. He looked sickly and barely conscience but he was still breathing and that made Aggie happier than words could express. He was leaning against the wall and his body sagged with the strain of holding his arm aloft. Some invisible power was holding it up in the air and his hand was slightly discolored as though the blood hadn’t been in it for a long while.

  Unable to control herself and knowing that the guys were there and not distracted, Aggie ran to the little boy. As she got closer she realized he was only about five years old and her heart broke. No one should have to go through any trauma like this, much less a child. The guys circled around her, facing out to watch for any unknown threats while she tried to figure out how to break this child free.

  Reaching for his arm, the boy startled and started to breathe heavily, “Shhh, little one. I’m here to help. I want to take you home to your mama. Let me just get you loose.” She felt up his wrist and she realized there was a shackle attached to a chain holding him to the wall. None of this could she see with her own two eyes, only feel it with her hands.

  “What do you think you are doing?” A voice sounded like it came from everywhere, of an unknown woman. Everyone froze and instantly went on guard. “That is one of my pets and you won’t take him without my permission. That is something you will never get from me.” Her words scraped across Aggie’s senses and she sounded more like Cruella de Vil and the epitome of villains than just some crazy cat lady. Just then she appeared from the stairwell and startled them because no one heard exactly where she was approaching from. She could have been appearing like the Cheshire Cat for all they knew.

  “Who are you and why are you holding these children hostage?” Aggie’s words were a bit shaky but she was trying her best to portray bravery and stand up to this bitch.

  “I’m Alentra, and you are inside my family home. It was removed from my view, so I couldn’t return here many years ago. When I found it I decided to keep it hidden and stay here comfortably. Soon I discovered a child that had wandered a little too close to my property and trespassing is a sin I take very seriously. So, they were taken captive and I am using them for my various purposes.” While she wasn’t clear on her purpose for keeping the children, she did give them more than Aggie asked for, but that gave her something to go on.

  “You’re ‘The Wanderer’, aren’t you?” Matter of fact was usually the best approach when you are grasping at straws. Own your answer and if you are wrong at least you gave it all you had.

  Alentra screamed so loud Aggie had to cover her ears and she noticed the guys wincing in pain but held their ground between Aggie and this woman. “I hate that name and I refuse to answer to it. You will refer to me by my given name or I will end you now.” With that a ball of lightening filled Alentra’s hand and it crackled and bounced in a tiny ball contained, for the moment. What she didn’t know is Aggie was prepared and two could play at that game.

  “Oh really? Did you want to play catch? I brought my own ball.” Aggie’s fingers quickly caught in her own ball of lightening with only the thought. She imagined that same glass she trapped the tornado inside to contain the storm building.

  “I know who you are, and you don’t have a clue what you are doing. I know you only just came to Ahael days ago. I have been wielding this power my entire life, while you are a baby compared to my skills.” Alentra threw the ball between her hands showing off. Aggie got tired of the game and threw her feelers out to figure out what this room was made of and she was in luck. The edges of the floor had a wood base which meant Aggie could reach for her powers. The stones had cracks in them just like the castle and Aggie had done this before and successfully held back two strong ass shifters. Still keeping the ball dancing under her invisible glass, Aggie summoned the vines again and added a level of thickness just for good measure. Never once giving a clue that she was adding to her ploy, Aggie faced off with Alentra as the guys stood vigilant.

  Without warning the vines struck out and wrapped and grew and knotted until Alentra was successfully entangled amongst the briars. Aggie did in this case, add the thorns. She was unconcerned with how much damage was done. She wasn’t protecting this source of evil who kidnapped kids and tortured them. Thrashing and throwing a fit, Alentra screamed at the top of her lungs to be released. Aggie only hoped she hadn’t come into her full powers with the help of these children or she might be able to sift right through the vines and into their space to attack unbeknownst to anyone.

  Not letting a second lapse, “Quick, Gry, we need to figure out how to get these kids free.” Gryson shown his light at a higher lumen and they counted the remaining four children as expected. She said a silent thank you that there weren’t any extra kids unaccounted for without parents to claim them.

  “I don’t know this spell, I’m not sure how to decipher it if I can’t see it. Whoever put the invisibility on these things has hidden the secondary power. It might even be what she is using to syphon the powers from these kids.” Aggie’s heart sunk immediately.

  “Tell us how to free these kids and we will spare your life.” Aggie pleaded with Alentra. Knowing that it would take a miracle to bring her back from this evil.

  “I’ll never help you. The Master promised me powers beyond compare if I could succeed in my plan. I won’t let him down.” Alentra sounded like a crazy cult follower. Aggie had no clue what she was talking about.

  “Master? Who is the Master?” Aggie was lost but at least if she kept this nut talking it might result in her giving something away that was useful.

  “He came to find me when I was lost. He wanted me to be whole again and told me how to find my power. I am almost there I can feel the power inside me. It completes me and I need to finish the transfer. You won’t take them from me. They are mine I have taken them fair and square. If their parents even loved them a little they would have protected them better. It was so easy to get to them. My favorite was the little prince. He was just sleeping and his wonderful aunt simply picked him up and cradled him until he was safe in my custody.” Well that at least gave them reason to believe Yavari’s hand in all of this, but there had to be more.

  At that moment, Alentra began to scream again piercing to the ears and louder than before. Aggie closed her eyes and covered her ears. When the screaming stopped Aggie opened her eyes and was startled to find Yavari standing there with Mathius in her grasp a knife to his neck. Aggie was in denial, there was no way Mathius was overtaken by this bumbling idiot. Then had she not been looking right at him with confusion, she would have missed his subtle wink. Aggie then knew he meant to be taken.

  “Let her go or I’ll take care of this one myself. I’d hate for you to lose one of your sacred harem, human.” The last word was spoken with such disdain Aggie realized something. It hit her like a ton of bricks.

  “It was you! You destroyed my room. Why would you frame ‘The Wanderer’ if you did it all along? You would have been better off not leaving a clue for us to find.” Aggie lifted her hand and another bolt of lightning just hovered there, no need for a glass because she intended to throw this one.

  “Don’t call me that! I said I hate that name!” Alentra screeched.

  “I framed her because I don’t want my nephew to die, but I am willing to let you two battle it out and see who wins. I
won’t, however, let you kill my Mathius in the process.” Yavari gently scraped the blade across Mathius’s jaw in almost a loving way that was on edge of sick.

  “Your Mathius? I think you have some wires crossed there.” With that she let the bolt fly and envisioned it flying faster than the speed of light. Yavari unable to react fast enough took the blow to the shoulder, knocking the blade from her hand. Mathius kicked it out of the way and moved to stand between Yavari and Alentra.

  “Do you think that will stop us? Those children are still spelled under my magic. Even killing me won’t free them.” Yavari was so proud of herself. “The Master will be pleased with me.” There it was again, that name of some unknown person. Aggie assumed it was a man the way the two of them went doe-eye on mentioning it.

  Without warning a bolt of lightening grazed Aggie’s head, she shrieked and ducked away. Feeling her face, it felt wet and she realized she was bleeding. Not wanting the kids to get caught in the crossfire, Aggie imagined a shield of wind surrounding them all. It was all she could think of and hoped it would be enough. Though that took a lot of concentration to hold, Aggie wasn’t going to give up the fight. She looked back to Alentra and realized she had gotten one hand free. It was slow for her and Aggie assumed it was because she hadn’t regained all of her magic. Just then a child cried out in pain. “I’ll take what I need and I will win this.” Alentra was reaching toward the child that was screaming and Aggie could feel the power transfer as though it was palpable.

  A growl echoed through the room and Aggie saw both shifters change form. Gryson was glowing with balls of magic in his hands and Mathius’s eyes were full on red as he channeled his demonic energy. Aggie realized his power was stronger than the other two demons in the room, but Alentra was still pulling from the children.