by Lisa E Parry
I stood and noticed every one of the local patrons watching us - studying Warwick mostly. Something clicked into place, and I reached out to clutch his sleeve. “Warwick,” I whispered urgently and he leaned down to hear me. Through his shaggy brown hair, I murmured shakily: “What if it was a trap and they have been told to look out for us? What if they were told that one of our group would try to feed from them, but that they were protected from you? They would know if you tried to feed and rejected the blood that we are the ones Anarch wants?”
Warwick turned those now sinfully green eyes on me and I saw realisation gleam in them. We both drew power in ready for an attack and he grabbed my arm protectively, pulling me closer. We stopped the others from moving so I could inform them of my theory.
The others glanced around to find every pair of eyes watching us and I realised I was shaking. “They don’t look particularly threatening…” I leaned closer to Warwick all the same.
“A small party can be overcome, but an angry mob …” Aidan said quietly.
“I wish they would stop looking at us!” I whined and cringed away from their vacant stares.
I heard the heavy thundering of hooves on the dirt packed road outside and panic threatened to consume me. It all happened so quickly after that, I barely took it in. Every person in the room made a sudden dive for us with swords and daggers drawn. We made for the back of the tavern with Aidan, Neil and Warwick already engaged in battle. A light-ball from Cheri fizzed past my face into an oncoming attacker. There were simply too many. My friends would surely die … Where was Oliver? He should have warned us they were coming!
I had no time to think about Oliver. Fright and anger fuelled my temper. These people were attacking us and they didn’t even know us. We will not die here! My vision turned green and my aura billowed out, followed by green fire that exploded from my hands and licked my arms. Those within closest vicinity faltered and flinched from the rage that began to fill me. Black magic and disgusting, dark spells rose from my buried past through layers of memory and shot through my mind. “Melissa, no!” someone yelled. Who were they to tell me what to do? Screw them!
I was peering around for my first victim when about ten men entered the tavern to join the fray. As though in slow motion, I saw four men run at me. Aidan and Warwick tried to get to me, but the sheer volume of people prevented them. I chose a quick, simple spell and stood serenely still. My hair began to float about me as though under water … then I screamed an ear-piercing shriek and brought my hands together. A booming shockwave surged through the room and drove everyone into the air to hit the walls and collapse on top of one another.
I was left standing isolated in the centre of the room, with splintered floorboards beneath my feet. Silence followed as everyone slowly recovered their equilibrium. The only sound was that of the crackling fire - the fire still burning at my hands. With every eye drawn to me, the fighting had momentarily ceased. When I spoke, the voice that came out was level and cold. One I didn’t recognise.
“If the fighting starts again, I will kill you all.” One sentence delivered in a cool threatening tone. “Everyone out.” I knew I wasn’t thinking coherently, but so help me, if someone made a move, then I would do it. Someone had to test me out, of course, and he paid for it: I stopped his heart. He fell like a dead weight to the ruined floor.
There was a shocked silence – it had happened so quickly. Someone else moved towards me and he met with the same fate. “Out!” I shrieked, and everyone with at least one brain cell fled the tavern - all but my party. Adhelm approached me.
“Let it go child, we need to leave immediately.”
***
I still wasn’t used to seeing Melissa’s anger overwhelm her, and in that moment I feared her. I felt I couldn’t approach her for fear of my own safety. Would she recognise friend from foe? Her eyes were green embers, her face free of emotion - a cold-hearted killer. I hadn’t seen a way out when we were set upon, but I hadn’t bargained on what had just transpired.
Adhelm tried coaxing the girl into letting go of the abundance of power she still had dammed up, ready to unleash. He was regrettably unsuccessful. Warwick stepped intimately close to her and turned her chin up in order to lock those tantalising eyes upon hers. Melissa’s face turned dreamy with absolute adoration for the vampire. I knew what he was doing, so I walked over to the pair more confidently.
“Just release the power for me please? Will you do that for me?” he said it with a voice so smooth and seductive that it should have dripped honey. I tried to ignore the allurement of that voice. Melissa nodded emphatically and returned to normal with a spreading smile. She reached a hand out to him, but he grabbed it before she could caress his face.
“Thank you for that.” He let go of her hand and stepped away from her, the connection lost. His entrancement lifted and she blinked stupidly. Realisation crashed down on her and remorse marred her face. She looked at the dead people strewn across the floor and tears filled her eyes. A breakdown was imminent. Time to act fast.
“We have no time, we must go!” I urged everyone. Adhelm took Melissa by the elbow and guided her out, followed by Aidan. I caught Warwick’s arm and he looked down at me, “If Dorian were here, I don’t think you would have survived your intervention.”
“Yeah, well he’s not here is he? He abandoned Melissa and he abandoned us.” He pulled away from me and I wondered what he meant by that. Could he be hurt that Dorian had left us? Or was it that Dorian had left Melissa unprotected? Dorian would have known Warwick would step up to protect her, and he wouldn’t have left, had he thought the vampire not up to the job. Perhaps the thought hadn’t occurred to him?
We were back on the road and looking for somewhere to camp out the remainder of the night. We had few food supplies, nowhere safe to sleep and I was becoming progressively concerned for Warwick’s appetite. Melissa had warned me that he was hungry and he had now gone four or five days with no one to drink from. Under the moonlight his skin tone resembled white marble and it was the first time I thought he looked inhumanly unwell.
We found a small clearing to camp in. It was off the road where the trees became a little sparse. I spoke of my concern to the other men whilst Warwick tucked Melissa into blankets near the fire and then dragged a large log close to her so he could keep watch.
“We have nothing to fear from the vampire,” Adhelm said confidently.
“How can you be so sure?” I queried with a raised eyebrow. “I have seen him in battle, my Lord, and he is fearless. We could not stop him, should he decide to feed from us if bloodlust took over him.”
“I think it is apparent that he would never betray the girl. I trust him.” The old man averred and Aidan agreed. I sighed, and with one last lingering look at the pair by the fire, I walked over to my horse to take blankets out for the night. Perhaps years of prejudice against vampires meant I would never trust Warwick. It was blindingly obvious that the order of things was changing. I decided then and there that I would try to change with the world or I feared I would be left behind. Neil joined me.
“I share your concern.”
He placed his hands on his hips and shook his head. I waited for him to continue. He began to speak, stopped and then started again with a change of subject that surprised me. “Do you think Dorian will survive this place alone?” He turned hazel eyes on me and rubbed the back of his neck, his unease shamefully obvious. I wasn’t used to having a bodyguard feel uneasy. Dorian would follow orders to the letter, regardless of his personal feelings about any situation. Any conversation with Dorian was tactical and strategic. Neil had a tendency to become too emotionally compromised. It clouded his vision and was a character trait I could do without in any bodyguard of mine.
Those thoughts aside, I didn’t want him asking that question because I didn’t know the answer. Dorian had visited this world with me before - he knew its dangers. I also knew that the probability of him surviving on his own were slim to none. “Doria
n can take care of himself,” I answered with implied belief in my own words.
Neil searched my face, but decided not to take the conversation further and tended to his own horse. In truth, I hadn’t wanted to say there was a higher probability of him dying than surviving. If I said it out loud then I would be admitting it, and I didn’t want to believe it myself. I didn’t have the heart to tell Melissa, either.
Aidan approached me before I lay down near the fire with Neil close to me. “In the morning we are going hunting; but we need water, Cheri. I was wondering if you could make it? There are no rivers near here, to my knowledge. I’m sorry to have to ask you, but it is a last resort.” His face was apologetic and I saw him quickly glance at the girl and then back to me. I understood that he didn’t want to ask Melissa.
“I can’t create water,” I replied to his dismay. “However, I know how to detect underground rivers and springs. I’ll search in the morning.” Aidan looked a little hopeful and nodded his thanks before leaving to take the first watch of the night.
I was awoken with the breaking of dawn, the fire now glowing embers. A gentle light broke through the trees in shafts of sparkling yellow. I sat up and looked around for whoever had woken me up, but everyone was sound asleep, apart from Neil on watch.
I heard moaning. Melissa was tossing and turning, having thrown her blankets off. She was mumbling, and I thought I heard her mention Henrik once or twice. I rubbed my eyes then saw a glimmer of something out of the corner of my eye. Oliver. “Oliver,” I called to the ghost and stood up.
He was at the edge of the camp watching Melissa closely. I repeated his name when I was practically in front of him and he looked surprised to see me there. “Where have you been? Were you with Dorian?”
“Err…yeah I was.” He sounded unsure and I frowned.
“Where is he? How is he doing?”
“I’m sorry, Cheri. He’s been captured by some of those men branded with a star.” My heart dropped into my stomach at his words. “He’s not far from here, I can show you where he is.”
“He’s that close? Can we help him?” I tried in vain not to sound frantic. We needed him in our arsenal once again - I needed him.
“Hopefully. He asked me not to send for you, but hey, when do I ever listen?” He smiled, returning to his normal self. The muscles in my shoulders relaxed slightly. There is hope for him yet.
I rounded everyone up and broke the news to them over a breakfast of rationed porridge.
“Let’s go then.” Melissa was eager to get moving.
“We can’t get him out of a camp we know nothing about. We need more information,” Aidan replied gently. He turned dark blue eyes on me, “Where is the ghost? He needs to tell us more.” I looked around to find Oliver missing yet again. Normally, he was glued to the girl’s side.
“Oliver?” Melissa’s voice rang out into the sudden silence. “Oliver!” She shouted and he finally decided to grace us with his presence. I noticed Adhelm eye the ghost warily.
“Where have you been, friend?” It was almost a suspicious question from the sorcerer…almost.
Oliver looked around us. He seemed different: his stance, his glare, his mannerisms and even those bright, blue eyes looked dull. “I was with Dorian. I told him you were coming, and let’s just say he didn’t take the news well.”
“What can you tell us of the camp? Is Etheldreda present or is it only her minions?” Aidan asked.
“She is there. She has been sent to intercept you,” the ghost replied. He turned to Melissa, “I’m sorry but Etheldreda has taken a particular liking to him and keeps him in her tent at all times. It will be difficult to get him out unnoticed.”
I felt Melissa draw in an insurmountable volume of power as her face turned cold. Her spoon melted in her hand to plop into her breakfast. I rolled my eyes. What disturbed me the most was that Oliver had implied Etheldreda had made him her personal plaything - knowing how much that implication would hurt Melissa. The tactless ghost then turned his attention to Warwick. “You don’t look too good.” The vampire just grunted.
I listened as Oliver described the camp and its location. Aidan took up a stick and drew in the dirt following Oliver’s descriptions. He pointed out all the areas her men stood sentry, the structure of the camp itself and Dorian’s location within it.
“Thirty miles east, you say?” Aidan asked.
“South,” Oliver corrected and both Aidan and Adhelm stared at him.
“You couldn’t have mentioned this earlier?” the King demanded, becoming irate.
“What is the problem?” I asked.
“Thirty miles south takes us to the top edge of Black Mountain’s Bluff. It’s at least a thousand feet drop, and I’m guessing they are not camped on the cliff top?” He directed that at Oliver.
“No. They are a little further south.”
Aidan looked dryly at me. “So how do we go about descending a sheer cliff face?” He stood and paced. “To avoid it we will have to go at least fifty miles out of the way. I fear we would not make it to the camp in time. They may move on, or they may torture Dorian to death trying to extract information.” His eyes flickered to Melissa with pity.
“This is our chance to take out Etheldreda,” Adhelm urged. “How strong would Anarch be without his underling? His influence would be considerably curtailed without her to do his bidding far and wide.”
“Etheldreda set the trap with those villagers,” I pointed out and everyone looked at me. “It makes sense if you think about it. Anarch can’t be in two places at once, so he sends her out to do his dirty work in the field. Anarch plots from his castle - for what reason I don’t know - but I think it’s clear that Etheldreda is the one causing us all the trouble. If we kill her, then Anarch will struggle to find someone else at short notice and he will have difficulty knowing where we are.”
“You have a point,” Aidan agreed.
“There has to be a way down that cliff, we can’t pass up an opportunity to take her out of the equation.” I stood and dusted myself off. “We must go.”
“And save Dorian, right?” came Melissa’s stern voice. “Let’s not forget about Dorian.”
I resisted the urge to give the girl an exasperated glare, so I gave her a cool level stare instead and replied, “Of course.”
I didn’t want to tell her that it was more important to kill Etheldreda, and if Dorian were killed then that would be a sacrifice I was willing to make. If Etheldreda lived, more innocent people would die, and that I would not allow - even if I lost my friend in the process.
***
Chapter 14
Cheri melted into the dense trees in search of water. In order to channel my thoughts elsewhere, I industriously set about packing. My woollen dress was filthy and creased like hell, but with a lack of means to wash it, I had to leave the damned thing on. I creased my nose and longed for the luxury of perfume to conceal the slightly damp smell that emanated from me. Actually, if I were to wish for anything, then it would be a washing machine and a damn toilet. My mobile phone wouldn’t have gone amiss either - I could have kept in touch with Dorian, Viola, Dayna and Nick, and maybe added GPS tracking to all their devices.
At times, I dwelled on the technology the Otherworld inescapably lacked. Beyond measure, I craved my camera. All the creatures, cities and landscapes I had witnessed would have to be consigned to memory. However, memories fade - minor details forgotten. Time would erase clarity like vibrant paint dumped into a stream, only to be watered down and then forgotten. If I get out of this alive and find a way home, then I’ll be back with my camera, I promised myself fervently. Cheri’s assured objections would fall on deaf ears.
Oliver watched us pack with an uncharacteristic look of detachment. I beckoned him closer. It was time I extracted some answers. “So, what’s the deal with these long disappearances? You’ve been with Dorian the whole time?” I had been a little annoyed lately by Oliver’s lack of presence, and truth be told I missed him.
<
br /> “Yeah, checking in on him,” he replied indifferently, with a glance to his left. I gritted my teeth, and drew in power from the earth beneath me in order to separate my spirit from my body. The task required a great deal of power and I sagged under the weight of it. Reaching out for my friend, I grasped his shoulder. That brought his sole attention to me, and his unusually hard expression noticeably - and thankfully - softened.
“What’s wrong? Something is different about you, there’s something you’re not telling me.” I gave his shoulder a squeeze. “You can tell me anything,” I added softly. Oliver’s dismissive behaviour irked me, but I had the feeling he was at war with himself. Unsure as to why, I had to find out.
His shoulders slumped considerably before he pulled me into a hug. With my cheek pressed against his neck, his warmth soaked into me and his soft blond hair tickled my nose. I felt protected in that moment - something I had missed and ached for from Dorian since his departure. My spirits lifted with the closeness I thought I had lost from my usually ever-present companion.
I felt his chest expand with a useless sigh and I rubbed his back in response. “What’s the matter? Can I help?” He pulled away to look at me with a calculating gaze and I added in a quiet voice: “I’ve missed you. Don’t leave me like Dorian has, I need you too. My heart is shattering into pieces right now.” It was evident my words tore at him. What on earth could be upsetting him to this extent?
“Look Mel, I don’t want to upset you, but … I’m jealous that Warwick can turn human.” His eyes slid to mine, and he must have seen disbelief. “Yes, I’m a ghost, but that doesn’t mean I’m dead to the full spectrum of human emotions.” He backed out of my arms, which felt empty without him. I hadn’t realised how cold I had been until he had embraced me. “He’s dead too, but he can change into what I would do anything for. Literally anything.” With desperation written across his face, he balled up his fists. I didn’t like where the conversation was headed. His face reflected his hopelessness. I hugged myself; it hurt to see it.