by Rue Volley
William looked at him.
“Please Theodore, it's Grace. Please help me, she needs help. I'm begging you.”
Theodore uncrossed his arms.
“Grace? Here? Oh no, no, no! William, I am under enough scrutiny now, for housing you my boy!”
William dropped the chalk on the floor.
“Listen to me Theodore, I am begging you. I will take responsibility for her coming here, she needs help. I need you to help me pull her here, please!”
Theodore put his hands on his hips.
“What is it about pretty boys? Swear to God, you will be the death of me!”
Theodore picked up the chalk and started to scribble symbols on the mirror, then dropped to the floor chanting, his eyes rolled back in his head. He continued to scratch symbols into the floor at the base of the mirror. He stood up and looked at William. They both leaned forward and placed their hands on the mirror all the symbols started to glow white.
Grace stood in the middle of the room, looking at every mirror.
“Please,” she whispered.
Suddenly the mirror to her right started to vibrate she ran up to it and placed a hand on it.
“William.” she whispered.
She put her chalk to the mirror and started to scribble symbols and the word “liquid” over and over. She started to chant and stepped back. All the symbols started to glow. She waved her hand over it and it started to wave.
She sucked in her breath and jumped through with all hope, that it wasn't another trick by Caine. She came tumbling forward and fell on a stone floor. She looked upward quickly to see where she had ended up and saw William's face.
“Oh William...!” She stood up quickly, “Help me, we have to destroy the mirror now!”
They all concentrated their energy on the mirror and a bright light flashed in the room. The mirror began to crack, they all shielded themselves, as it shattered to the floor.
Grace turned to William. “My love.”
“Gracie.” William grabbed her and held her tightly. He cupped her face and kissed her passionately.
Theodore cleared his throat.
“Well…hello Grace.”
William and Grace looked at him.
“Hello Theodore, sorry for the rude entrance,” Grace said with a smile.
Theodore grinned at her.
“Seems you and your mate have it to a fine art.”
Theodore walked forward reaching his hand out towards her head. She stepped behind William.
“Sorry Theodore…you'll have to talk to me.”
“Ohhhh, sorry I thought we'd just skip the formality.”
“No… ” Grace said, “I would much rather talk to you.”
Theodore tilted his head, “Curious creature you are Grace. Well you must be starving.”
She smiled, “Yes…I am. Food would be wonderful.”
Theodore grabbed a basket, “I will return...”
William and Grace watched him walk to the door.
Theodore turned around. “Behave,” he pointed a finger at both of them.
They both nodded at him and turned back to each other.
Grace looked into William’s eyes.
“I did not know if you would hear me my love,” tears welling up in her eyes.
“I would be able to feel you through the fabric of time Gracie.”
They embraced in silence.
William held her shoulders and pulled her back from him.
“Did that beast harm you Gracie?”
She smiled at him and held his face in her hand.
“I am fine Will, Hungry, but fine. I almost killed him.”
William’s eyes grew wide. “Grace you could have died yourself.”
She hugged him.
“I would kill him a thousand times over and gladly sacrifice myself to protect you and our children.”
“Gracie. Rue is receiving her power, I don't know why.”
Grace pulled back from him.
“I do… ” she whispered.
“Why Gracie?”
“She is special William. We know that. She is going to be more than any of us who have come before her. We knew that when she was born.”
They moved towards the table and sat down.
“Gracie. Caine has a son, and Rue…”
“I know William. How we did not know that…well, I think we have been deceived by Noble.”
William stood up, “That traitor. We should have never allowed him to help us Grace, never should have trusted him!”
“We could not create that glamor on our own William. We needed his help and he begged for us to forgive him, remember Will?” She reached her hand out to him.
William kneeled down and took her hand, kissing her palm.
“I know Grace,” he whispered. “We had no other option at the time but still I will kill him myself for this treachery.”
“First, I have to go to the council and let them know what Caine is planning Will.”
William shot back up. “No, no Gracie, Sophia will see to it that you are killed!”
Grace grinned. “William…listen to me, I am Grace Valon. I am one of the first, they would not dare to destroy me.”
“Gracie, Sophia has hate in her heart for us both. I don't trust that she won't find a way to twist this. It is bad enough that I ended up here, now you are also here. We left long ago, things have changed. The council may be in her favor now.”
“I have to put my trust in my lineage William. I will sway them.”
She stood up and held her hand to him, he came to her and kissed her.
He pulled back from her.
“Always the optimist Grace, you cannot put faith in…”
The door opened and Theodore walked in with two guards.
Both William and Grace looked up, with their eyes wide.
Theodore looked at them both. “Listen…they know you are here Grace. I did not summon them. Please it would be best if we all go to the council now.”
William kept his arm around Grace and they started walking towards the door. Grace stopped and put a hand to her head. “William...”
William lowered his head. Grace leaned toward him and whispered in his ear.
“We cannot enter the council. Sophia will not allow us to leave. I've seen it.”
William stepped in front of her and grinned. They looked into each other’s eyes. William took her hands into his and raised them to his mouth kissing them gently. He lowered them and her hands started to glow. He spun out of her way and she pushed her hands forward. Theodore's eyes went wide and he threw himself out of the way. A flash of light filled the room and the two guards fell where they stood.
“What have you done Grace!”
Theodore pulled himself up from the floor.
Grace held her hands out in front of her and they started to glow. Theodore looked at her with surprise.
“I guess my hospitality is not appreciated Grace.”
“I would suggest that you would allow me to put you down Theodore, for cosmetic purposes only.”
Theodore tilted his head and his eyes squinted.
“And how do you two plan on an escape?”
William stepped towards him. “We will fight our way through this.”
Theodore laughed. “Really? No I think we need a better plan.” Theodore ran into his bedroom.
William looked at Grace. “We?” he asked her.
Theodore came running into the room, “Here!”
He threw white leather at them. William caught the scraps in his hands. He stared at them and grinned at Theodore, “What are doing with hunter’s gear?”
“You can call me many things, but sentimental is the most accurate William.”
William started to shed his clothing. Theodore crossed his arms and smiled.
“Theodore, let me put you to sleep, you don't have to fight. You can tell them we over powered you.”
“Really? And tarnish my reputation…? I think n
ot.”
Theodore ran back to his room and reappeared a few minutes later, fully clothed in white leather. He looked at Grace and William who had changed also.
“I have a plan.” He ran to an old chest sitting against the wall near the same spot that his illegal mirror had stood. He lifted the heavy top and it creaked in protest. He drug out three cloaks and tossed two in their direction. “Put these on, we are going to the council door.”
“We are going to portal at the council’s gate?”
Theodore rubbed his hands together… “A mirror is it not?”
William was throwing his cloak over his shoulders. “True, but they will follow. We will not have time to destroy it behind us.”
“Then we will have to kill whoever follows us through.”
William looked to Grace. “Looks as if we are about to start a war my love.”
Grace put one hand on his face, “It never ended William. We have no choice.”
“We will need an exit Theodore. Contact Samantha.”
“I will send her a bubble now.”
Chapter 8
Mirrors and White Leather
We had all been in the woods for three hours, watching Sam and Josh try to teach us some tricks. Johnathan already had his speed down. I had tried to do it and almost ran into a tree, so I was focusing on centering. I was off to the side in a clearing sitting by myself, just in case I had any accidents.
“Kai…I swear to god, you have to be the worst at this, in the history of our race!”
Kai looked at Sam and shrugged his shoulders.
“Sorry,” he grinned at Sam
Kai got a determined look on his face and started to move. He flashed past Johnathan, half bumped into Josh and then headlong into Sam landing on top of her. He lay there smiling down at her.
“Get off of me,” She said.
Kai leaned down really quick and kissed her and just as quick flashed off of her barely missing the slap coming his way. He flashed behind Josh.
Samantha stood up and put her hands on his hips, “Awesome… now you’re a flashing molester, great… just perfect.”
Sam stared at him for a moment.
“Okay listen Kai, you need to think about it. You can't just flash around, like some half ass super hero wanna be.” Sam just stood still, in disgust.
Kai laughed, “I think a cape would help me, I really do. I could put a big ‘K’ on it for ‘KAI’!” He spread his hand out making his awesome vision of glory even bigger.
Sam looked at Josh and sighed, “I am going back to the house. I am hungry. He…” She pointed a finger at Kai, “Will get one thing down before he is allowed to put one chip in his mouth… understood?”
Josh laughed and realized Sam was in full swing crappy mode.
“Okay… got it,” he winked at her.
Sam called to me, “Rue, come with me. Let the boys play for a while.”
I stood up and came jogging over.
“I think I did it without killing any squirrels,” I smiled at Sam.
She grinned at me, “Of course you did, you’re a girl.” She looked at Kai. “You’re not the amazing ‘KAI’.” She put her hands out in front of her like a magician.
Sam looked back at Josh and Johnathan.
“Learn, then food, got me?” she said.
They all smiled at her.
Kai leaned over to Josh, “She digs me.”
Josh smiled, “Uh huh. You got that locked down.”
Johnathan came up to me and leaned down, giving me a kiss. Josh crossed his arms.
“Don't have time…” Josh said.
Johnathan let his lips leave mine, as he sucked in his breath, “Sorry… d bag here is a drill sergeant.”
I smiled and looked past Johnathan toward Josh.
“Oh he has his moments, he'll warm up to you.”
Johnathan grinned, “Yea, maybe he'll take me to a motel too.”
I smiled and headed towards the house with Sam.
As we entered the house Sam took my hand and led me to the couch. We sat down and I looked at her. Oh god, I hope this isn't a ‘you have to be careful with boys’ conversation.
“Listen Rue, I need to talk to you about something.”
I looked down at my hands. I could feel the blush coming on.
“Johnathan is okay for now Rue, but things could change. Josh and I put the strongest binding spell on him that we could but only Theodore could bind him for good. You set him off.”
I looked up at her.
“Me?”
Sam drew in her breath and looked into my eyes.
“Obviously you and Johnathan are attracted to each other… correct?”
I looked off to the side.
“Well yea, I mean, we ummm, we are really good friends.”
Sam smiled.
“Ohhh… I see. Well sometimes with ‘friends’ things happen and you have to be careful.”
I blushed.
“OMG, Are we having the talk here?” I asked her
“Well seeing that your parents are not here, I guess I am.”
“You are not my mom.”
I felt like I’d just sank through the couch to the core.
She went on, like I wasn't even talking.
“Listen Rue, you and Johnathan… you are both very special.”
“Oh god, here we go,” I said.
“You are both developing earlier than any protectors before you and things.”
“Yeah, ya know we had this class in school.” I pointed to my lower stomach, “I think the uterus is here.”
She smiled at me.
“You know, well, we don't know what would happen if you two…”
I got up. I had to, the thought of something like that had my hands sweating.
“Look Sam, I appreciate the warning but Johnathan and I… we are not going to do that.”
She looked at me, like she knew I was lying.
“Really? I see the way he looks at you and you give that look right back.”
“Ohhhh... the Look. Wow,” I said. “What is this? Would you feel better if I put on a promise ring?” I added.
Sam stood up.
“Listen, this is much bigger than you and your hormones Rue, I'm only asking you to be careful, both of you. Don't let things get out of hand.”
“Listen Sam, I am not, I've never…”
She smiled at me.
“Ohh, I know.”
I crinkled my eyebrows. “What do I have a big neon VIRGIN sign on my head?” I yelled at her.
Sam stood up. I thought I had pissed her off but she stumbled.
“Are you okay?” I asked as I reached towards her.
“It's Theodore. He needs my help,” she muttered.
I looked around the room. “How do you know… what happened?”
“I don't have time to explain it.”
She flashed out the door. I followed, but when I reached her she was already talking to Josh. I had never seen that look on his face. He looked stoic, older, as if in an instant he had transformed.
“We have to find a place with a large enough mirror to match, or at least come close to matching its size,” Josh said. He looked at me. “She stays behind, they all do.”
I ran towards him. “What? No, what is going on?” I asked him.
Sam looked at me, “It seems William and Grace are about to escape Valon or at least attempt it, with our brother.”
“Oh my god... my parents? What do they need?” I was out of breath.
Sam looked at me, “You should stay behind... to be safe.”
“No I will not. I can help, I can!”
Josh started to head for the house.
“You should not have told her Samantha, should have made her sleep.”
“Sleep?” I yelled after him. “I've slept enough. If my parents need help, I am going to be there.”
Josh turned to me, I stopped in my tracks.
“You are a child. You don't have any idea what
you are doing.”
I looked at my hands and something changed in me.
“I am not a child. I am Rue Volley, I am a protector just as you are. I will not stay behind, if my family is in danger. I will put you down myself if you try to stop me.”
He grinned, “You? Put me down?”
I squared my shoulders, “Yes I will.”
Sam came flashing to my side and stared at Josh. “We don't have time for this.” She turned to me “We are going to the library. The ceiling is mirrored. We need it to portal.”
I looked back and Kai and Johnathan were standing side by side. They looked as if they had just aged ten years. I yelled to them, “We are leaving.”
Everyone ran toward the house... well flashed, I was the last to enter. Josh and Sam had ran upstairs and had returned dressed in white leather. I was shocked when they flashed downstairs. They looked like avenging angels, the ones you see in large stain glass windows at church. Josh passed me by and I looked at his back. He had two blades holstered there. They were not too large. You wouldn't even know he had them, unless you looked closely. Sam looked at me. “Go put that dress on. Until we are able to get you dressed properly, it will have to do.”
I ran up to my room and quickly stripped out of my clothing. I reached into my closet and slipped the dress over my head. I knew Sam wanted me to have some protection, so I wasn't going to argue. I was just happy that no one had put me to sleep yet.
***
We reached the library in record time. I looked at it from the car window. It never looked as ominous as it did, placed in front of a gray sky holding back the rain. A storm was coming. I could feel it. I looked down at my hands and a faint glow was building in my palms. I could feel the electricity in the sky, just wanting to make contact with the earth. Maybe it wanted me, I don't know. I looked at Johnathan and he squeezed my hand. I gazed back towards the library.
Josh and Sam jumped out and we followed. Josh turned to Sam, “We have to be quick. We don't know where Noble is.”
Sam nodded and looked back at the three of us, “If at any point you guys become a liability, I will put you down.”
Kai grinned, “You wouldn't kill me.”
Sam sighed. “Not kill you, put you to sleep stupid.”
Josh and Sam flashed to the front doors of the library. They both pulled the blades from their backs and entered. Johnathan grabbed my shoulders. “Stay behind me Rue.” I nodded. No need for argument now.