by Kiel Nichols
“We have to find another way out. Let me ask Raina if she sees anything.”
“Raina?” Bryce asked, pushed to the limit of credulity.
“Look.” Gideon grabbed Bryce’s shoulders. “Just do all of us a favor, hold all your questions until after this is done and we’re all safe, okay? I’m your brother, and you can trust me.”
Bryce thought about what happened with Raina. “Yeah?”
“Yes. I’ll explain everything later.”
Bryce was silent so long that Gideon thought he wasn’t going to answer. “OK, bro. I’ll trust you.”
“Thank you.”
Raina. Raina, honey, where are you?
“She’s not answering.”
* * * *
Raina swung around to see Adder picking under his fingernails with a letter opener.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t know about your little rescue attempt? I planned on it. I’ll have to admit, though. You took me by surprise when you came into my office earlier today. I wasn’t expecting that.”
Raina’s heart beat rapidly in her chest.
You didn’t know I was there.
“Of course I knew,” Adder got out of his seat and walked toward the wall. He ran his finger along it, making blue sparks appear in its wake. “As soon as I saw you I figured out what was happening. You were able to manifest your conscious mind outside of your body. Remarkable.”
Raina wasn’t sure what he was talking about.
“Now, now, don’t be shy. I’m not afraid to give compliments when they’re due. I’m very impressed with you. You’re so new to the power, and the ability to mind walk is not usually found among the Water tribe. Actually, only the Three and then the guardians get that ability. Frankly, I have no idea where you got it from.”
Raina was terrified. She knew she should be paying close attention to what he was saying, but it was hard to focus when all she wanted was to get away.
I don’t know what you’re talking about.
“No? Well, no matter. It may sound melodramatic to say, but I’ve got you now.” Adder laughed again, a surprisingly carefree sound. “Actually, I’ve got us both now, because I can’t get through the barrier any more than you can. The difference is that I have the magic to fashion a more permanent prison.”
Adder walked to the wall and flicked a hand. A panel slid back, revealing a decanter, highball glasses, and a tall, thin perfume bottle.
“When you were little, did you ever pretend you were a genie in a bottle?”
* * * *
“I can’t reach her.”
Gideon was ready to panic. He knew better. After all, strange things happened all the time. Nonetheless, he could feel his breathing becoming choppy.
“I can’t get her either,” said Kristano. “I can’t even feel her presence.”
“Maybe she woke up,” Eric said. He didn’t even try calling out to her. Since she’d been in a coma, he’d had the hardest time of all of them communicating with her.
“I’d better check,” Kristano said, and then disappeared.
“In the meantime, we have to find another way out,” Eric said. He stood in front of the door and weaved a pattern with his hands and muttering under his breath.
“All set. I think that will hold them out.” There was a sudden plinking sound as bullets struck the door. He gave it a sidelong look. “I hope.”
“How do we get out of here?” Bryce asked.
“How about the front door?” Eric suggested.
Kristano reappeared. “We can’t leave yet. Raina’s body was still in the hospital, but I think Adder has her soul.”
* * * *
Adder walked behind his desk again and looked at the screen. The men appeared to be standing around talking. “Well, well. They’re not dead. I’m impressed. Of course, they’re not out yet.”
“See, without Earth, you’re all physically vulnerable. Look at what happened to you,” Adder gestured to her, still holding the pretty, blue perfume bottle. “If the shot had been a little to the right, we wouldn’t be here right now. Of course, you’re not really here right now, are you?”
Raina wasn’t going to be the one to inform him that they had Earth. As soon as she woke up, they would be able to complete the ritual.
Cascaval looked up at the screen. “Looks like they’re on the move.” He picked up a walkie-talkie. “Jensen, they’re moving toward the front door.”
“Got ‘em, boss,” Jensen’s voice came back.
“You’d better.” It was all he said. It was all he needed to say.
* * * *
“What the hell do you mean, he has her soul!” Gideon cried, grabbing Kristano by the shirtfront.
“When I touched her body, I could feel that her soul was trapped. I’m not sure where, but it has to be giving off a lot of magical energy. I can’t sense it. I need to feed, now.” Kristano didn’t shake off Gideon’s hand. He felt as frantic about it as Gideon did. He wasn’t just worried about the prophecy. He’d grown to love Raina. It was impossible for anyone to be around her and not love her. He couldn’t imagine the world without her in it.
“I can find her,” Eric said. Eric held his hand out in front of him. He began walking down a long corridor. “I can feel something…” He trailed off and touched his belly. “It makes my stomach churn.”
“Where is she?” Gideon reached for Eric as if to shake him. Kristano stopped him.
Eric tilted his head back as though scenting the air. “I think they’re this way,” he said, pointing down the hall.
Gideon’s eyes flashed red. “I’m going to get her.”
“Wait,” Kristano said. “If he’s holding her through magic, you’ll need both of us to help you. I’ll be right back.”
“Hurry, or you’ll miss it. I’m not waiting.”
* * * *
Raina was pushing against the barrier, screaming Gideon’s name.
Adder had gone to the refrigerator to pull out different ingredients for the spell that would put her into the bottle. “I’ve got to brew a little potion.” He gave her a little smile. “Unless you’d like to just jump in here for me.”
When she just continued to punch at the shield, he just shrugged. “I didn’t think so, but it was worth the try.”
Raina couldn’t believe it, but she felt his humor. He was enjoying her frantic attempts to get out. As soon as she realized that her terror was feeding him, she stopped.
She stopped so abruptly that he stilled his actions and looked at her. “Oh, ready to give up already, hum.”
Raina knew he was trying to goad her into continuing her panicked frenzy. She stood in front of the door and just looked at it, not once looking over her shoulder.
Adder threw another glance at the computer screen. Just as he said, “Now where have they gone?” the door flew open.
* * * *
Eric and Gideon arrived outside Adder’s office with Bryce in tow. Gideon’s eyes were red and his hands glowed. They walked right past the astonished secretary and pulled on the door. It didn’t budge.
“You can’t go in there,” the secretary shouted.
Gideon turned his scarlet eyes on her and said, “If you want to make it out of this, don’t get in the way.”
She let out a little squeak and ran down the hallway they just came from.
“She’s going to get help,” Eric said.
“Let them come.”
Fire began to swirl at Gideon’s fingertips.
“Before you light the building on fire, let me try to get it open,” Eric said as he positioned himself in front of the door. He was making patterns in the air and muttering to himself. He could feel Gideon getting more impatient and hoped he wouldn’t be accidentally lit on fire. He wasn’t sure how good Gideon’s control of the Waterfire was.
Finally the door swung open.
* * * *
Raina couldn’t believe it. She was just standing there, looking at a closed door and it opened. Eric was jus
t on the other side of it with Gideon standing just behind him. She’d never seen Gideon look like that. He looked as though the devil himself had come calling.
Gideon! She shouted.
He didn’t hear her.
* * * *
Gideon looked beyond Eric into Adder’s office. It looked as though there was a sheer panel of fabric in front of the door. It shimmered like liquid silk.
“Get out of the way.”
Eric jumped back just in time. Gideon flung his hands toward the door. A stream of fire shot out and hit the panel. It didn’t budge. “Are we sure she’s in there?”
“I’m sure.”
“You need magic to get through that,” Kristano said as Gideon shot another stream at the opening. Gideon looked at him and saw him rosy cheeked and ready to go. He pulled his hands back.
“What are you waiting for?”
* * * *
“If you’re expecting them to be able to get through the barrier, don’t hold your breath,” Adder said, leaning back in his chair and crossing his feet on the desk.
“Without having found Earth, they don’t have enough power.”
Raina watched the two men outside the room. Kristano held his hands, palms toward the barrier. It didn’t move. A moment later, Eric began making patterns with his hands. The wall began to expand and withdraw.
As though it was breathing.
Adder’s feet thumped onto the floor, and he threw his own hands up. Sweat began to bead on his forehead.
* * * *
“It’s not working,” Kristano said through gritted teeth. He felt like he was holding up a boulder. “We don’t have enough power.”
“Who’s more powerful here, you or me?” Eric asked.
“Who the hell cares,” Gideon nearly yelled. “It’s not a pissing contest.”
“Right now, I am, but soon you will be. My power comes from blood. It’s finite. Yours is a birthright. It is infinite. Besides that, now that all the keepers have been found, your power feeds each other.” Kristano felt the power on the other side increasing. “This barrier has the power of the guardian and he’s of the Air tribe. I can’t beat that.”
“Maybe not, but if you flow your power through me, maybe I can,” Eric said.
“It could destroy you.”
“All we have to do is make a hole, and then Gideon can shoot through it. We have to do this.”
The three of them stood shoulder to shoulder. “Are you sure?” Gideon asked. “As long as we have her body safe, we can come back for her soul if we have to.”
Eric knew what a concession that was, even more so because he could see the Waterfire still raging in Gideon’s red eyes.
“We can do this. One final push together, when he pushes back, let go. If he doesn’t punch his own hole through it, then on the count of three we’ll give it everything we have.”
The two men surged their power forward and felt the immediate push back. They stopped abruptly and watched Adder stagger. He looked cocky.
“Yeah, go ahead and celebrate, you cocksucker,” Gideon said. “On the count of three, one...two...” When he said three, Kristano laid his hands on Eric while Eric threw everything he had at the barrier. Immediately a hole opened up.
It was exactly what Gideon was looking for. He threw up his hands and shot a stream of blue flame through the opening and right at Adder.
Adder pitched a high scream of pain, and the barrier dropped.
Chapter 19
Raina saw her prison open. Gideon! she shouted.
“Raina! Run.” It was all he said, then hell broke loose.
Raina didn’t wait to see. She ran down the hallway. When she got clear of the office area, she concentrated hard on the hospital. When she opened her eyes, she was looking at her body lying on the bed.
She breathed long, deep breaths, trying to imagine the feeling of air being pulled into and out of her lungs. She closed her eyes and pictured herself waking up. A moment later, she felt pain radiating down her shoulder.
When she opened her eyes again, everything was dark.
“You’re back with us, young lady. We were worried that you’d be lost in the ether for awhile.” A low gentle voice spoke softly by her ear. Raina closed her eyes in relief.
“All the way back now. No going back to sleep.”
“I wasn’t sleeping.” Raina’s voice sounded rusty.
“I want to call Gideon and let him know you’re awake, but I don’t want to distract him. He’s getting his brother out.” Asia’s strong soft hand rubbed her forearm.
“He knows,” Kristano’s voice chimed in.
“Did you win?” Raina asked.
“The fire caught on, and the warehouse went up. They left before the fire department could show up. The last thing Gideon needs is to be caught at the site of another fire.” Kristano touched her uninjured arm. Raina hadn’t fully realized the lack of tactile sensation when she was separated from her body. His heavy hand on her shoulder felt good.
It was also strange for Raina to once again be without her sight, and her body felt heavy and painful. “Did everyone make it out all right?”
“Gideon, Eric, and Bryce made it out. They had to carry Eric. I’ve never seen a more powerful wizard. I thank God he’s a good guy. There were a few casualties, however. Apparently Adder had ‘programmed’ his people to save him with no regard to their safety. A few of his men ran willingly into the conflagration.”
“I’m sorry innocent people died. At least we’re free of Adder,” Asia said.
“Get me some water,” Raina demanded, reaching her hand out into the air.
Asia tried to hold the straw up to her mouth so she could sip.
“No,” she said and grabbed the cup. She pushed the straw to the side and closed her eyes. “Show me Adder, show me Adder.”
When she opened her eyes she could see in the water. Adder’s body was lying on a gurney. He looked very, very dead. Raina smiled. “I think we got him.”
In a wink, the vision ended.
“She just had a vision? Now?” Asia asked, excited. “She can just request them.”
“She never could before. I think her powers have grown,” Kristano said. He sat on the edge of the mattress. “Isn’t that right?”
“I just woke up and knew how to do it,” Raina said, willing herself to see Adder again. When nothing happened, she sighed. “Too bad it’s not reliable.”
“It will take practice to get it right.” Kristano took the cup from her.
For the first time in thousands of years, Kristano felt hope.
* * * *
Gideon had known the moment Raina woke up. He could feel her presence back in his mind. Gideon was driving through town, rushing to get Eric back to Raina’s house. He wanted to go see Raina, but he knew he had to get Eric settled first.
It’s OK. I’ll still be here. Take care of Eric. Raina, always aware of what Gideon was feeling, comforted him.
I love you. He wanted to say it again and again.
I love you back.
When they parked in Raina’s driveway, Gideon went around the car to help Eric up the driveway. Bryce was there to support Eric’s other side.
Surprisingly, Bryce had said nothing since they ran out of the warehouse. The sight of the men running into the fire had startled him mute.
“‘S OK,” Eric said, trying to force his body to help. “I can do it.”
By the time they got to the front door, Gideon was limping because of the strain on his injured leg. “I don’t think so, buddy.”
Gideon used his key to open the door. He turned and reset the alarm. Looking shamefaced, he said, “I think we’re going to have to put you on the couch, Eric.” He rubbed his leg. “I can’t help get you up the stairs.”
“I’ll do it,” Bryce said. He was still under Eric’s arm, supporting him.
“Thirsty,” Eric said, trying to walk toward the kitchen.
“No, I’ll get it,” Gideon said. He glanced
back to see Bryce almost carrying Eric upstairs.
In the kitchen, Gideon took an extra minute to massage his screaming leg muscle. He hadn’t felt the pain when he was fighting, but the adrenaline had worn off, and he was tired. Actually, he didn’t have any pain at all until he got out of the car in front of the house. He briefly wondered if his power blocked the pain when he needed it to.
Gideon took three bottles of water out of the fridge, and slugged one down. He took the other two and pulled himself carefully up the stairs. He went into the guest room and found Eric snoring on the bed. His shoes were off, and he was on the floor by the bed, and he was covered in a quilt.
Bryce was nowhere to be seen.
Gideon put the bottle of water on the nightstand and turned out the light. He left the door to the lit hallway open so that there would be enough light in the room for Eric to see when he awoke.
He had no idea where Bryce went. He didn’t see him leave, so there were only so many places he could be. Seeing the door to the upstairs bathroom closed, Gideon headed toward the bedroom to change his sooty shirt. Ironically, it was only the sleeves of his shirt that were tarnished. The rest of him was clean. The other guys didn’t even get dirty. He figured it must have been because the fire was coming from his hands. He was surprised the sleeve didn’t catch on fire.
“That’s magical fire for ya,” he said to himself as he stripped his shirt off and pulled another from the closet. He was in the act of putting the shirt on when he turned and saw Bryce standing in the doorway.
Gideon jerked in surprise then put his hand over his heart. “Give me a heart attack, why don’t ya?”
Bryce looked at him quietly for a minute then he gestured to the closet. “Move all the way in yet?”
Gideon stiffened. He had forgotten that Bryce was angry.
“I still have my place. I’m guessing that will change since we have a baby coming.” He figured he’d lance the wound instead of dancing around the facts. He wanted his brother back without an issue festering between them.