by Brea Essex
“Then it’s highly likely that she has some latent necromancer powers as well. She may not have triggered hers yet, since she hasn’t had any head trauma like you have. Hers probably won’t show up until she’s at least thirty.”
“O-kay. So, what does this have to do with me being unable to concentrate?”
“She’s probably trying to contact you.”
“How?” I checked the clock on the wall. “It’s late. She’s probably asleep.”
He nodded as if he had expected me to say that. “Yes. She’s trying to contact you through her dreams.”
“How the hell did you jump to that conclusion?”
“When you’ve studied as much history, mythology, and different religions as I have, you’ll understand.” He paused, raking a hand through his hair. “You and Aislinn are twins, so you’re automatically connected. It’s a proven psychological fact that twins have a stronger bond than regular siblings. Have you ever felt like you two could read each others' thoughts?”
I shrugged. “I guess so. Well, not really read each others' thoughts so much, but sometimes I feel as though I know what she might be thinking.”
“Then is it such a stretch that you might be able to talk to her through her dreams, or vice versa?”
“I guess not…” This was all getting way too weird. So my sister was a necromancer too, but hadn’t come into her power yet? My head spun. I felt as though I was going crazy.
“Concentrate on her. Reassure her that you’re okay. That’s probably all she wants.”
Closing my eyes, I thought about my sister. Physically, we were identical in every way, except that her hair was a few shades darker than mine, and my eyes were a more vibrant blue. Personality-wise, we couldn’t have been more different. Always the girly-girl, it drove Ash crazy that I enjoyed things like rock-climbing. To her, shopping was a sport. With her image firmly in mind, I reached out a tentative thought. I wasn’t sure I was doing it right until I felt a questioning reply. Don’t worry, I’m okay, I tried to send.
Where are you?
I jumped, my eyes flying open and looking around. It had sounded as though her voice was right next to me.
“She’s not here,” Zac reminded me.
Nodding, I closed my eyes again. I had lost the train of Aislinn’s thought, so I had to reach out again. It’s okay, I reassured her. I’m safe. I’m actually at a library at the moment, I told her.
You? At a library? Even her thought sounded amused. I wasn’t known for my studying, a fact that had nearly kept me from graduating high school.
Yep! It’s some sort of witches’ library.
I didn’t have to listen for an answer to know she was confused. She had no idea what was going on—even less than I did. I’ll explain everything when I get back. Just don’t worry.
I broke off the connection before she could say anything. Zac was staring at me. “Did it work?”
“Uh-huh.”
He rolled his eyes. “You gotta give me more than that.”
“What do you want me to say? Yes, I made contact with her—or whatever you want to call it. I told her I was okay and where we were. Everything’s fine.”
Panic filled his face. “What do you mean you told her where we were?”
“I said we were at some sort of witches’ library. What’s wrong with that?”
He grabbed my shoulders. “No one can know where we are! No one can know what we’re doing.”
“Why?”
“Because if The Necrovorst is real, he can’t get wind of what we’re doing. We have to figure out whatever he’s looking for and get to it before he does. He’s already one step ahead of us—we have no idea what he’s after. We can’t risk anyone finding out what we’re doing.”
“It’s not like Ash is going to figure out anything. She’s too flighty. Even if she knew, she wouldn’t care. And even if she did care, who would she tell? It’s not like she and The Necrovorst are friends—there’s no way she could possibly know about him. Besides, she probably didn’t believe me about the witches’ library. She’ll think the whole thing was a dream.”
“Which it was. I think you’re underestimating your sister’s connection and devotion to you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I mean: what if she shows up here?”
“I know my sister. She’ll probably brush it off as some joke, even if she believes she was talking to me. If she doesn’t brush it off, she wouldn’t even know where to look for this place. She won’t show up. Besides, we probably won’t be here if she did.”
Zac seemed pacified for the moment. We went back to our research, but found nothing. At last, he stood and stretched. “Let’s call it a night.”
“We’re giving up?”
“No, not giving up. We can come back tomorrow night. Let’s go find somewhere to sleep.”
“Do you even sleep?” I asked.
“Yes, I sleep. But if you don’t want to...”
“Of course I want to sleep. I’m exhausted. I just got out of the hospital, remember? I’m still supposed to be there... I think. Wait, is today the same day that you showed up at the hospital and dragged me into all this craziness?”
He looked worried. “You shouldn’t be forgetting what day it is. Let’s go.” He took my arm and walked me outside.
Once we stepped over the threshold of the library doors, I was assaulted by the cold. I didn’t get a chance to shiver though, because Zac transported us without any warning. I didn’t know where he had taken us, but I could feel my eyelids getting heavy. All I wanted to do was sleep.
Zac picked me up and my arms automatically encircled his neck. “You’re trembling,” he told me. He lay me down on some sort of makeshift bed and pulled the blankets over me. “We need to warm you up.”
I didn’t want to admit that I was shivering because I was cold—it was because of him being near. With half-lidded eyes, I watched as he yanked his shirt off before sitting down on the bed next to me. A tattoo graced his back, just next to his left shoulder blade. It looked like some sort of snake chasing its tail. I lazily reached up and began tracing it with one finger. “What does it mean?”
“It’s called an Ouroboros, meaning: ‘he who eats the tail,’ or something like that. It represents renewal and eternity. It functions as our means of projecting ourselves into the spirit world. Also, the tattoo serves as our beacon back to our bodies—as long as our bodies remain where we left them.”
“How did you lose your body, anyway?” I had to ask him. It had remained unspoken between us for far too long—wait, how long had it been again?
He took a deep breath and released a mournful sigh. “I was foolish. I went on a mission on my own. We always take someone with us to guard our bodies. This time, I ran out without a guard. I didn’t feel that there was enough time to search someone out. So, I left my body in what I assumed was a safe place. When I completed my mission and attempted to return to my body, it was no longer where I had left it. I’ve been searching for it, or someone who could help me find it, ever since.”
Still I trailed my fingers around and around his tattoo, enjoying the warm feeling of his soft, sun-bronzed skin. I noticed he was the one shivering now. I wondered what was wrong. Removing my hand, I tucked it beneath the blankets again. “Sorry,” I whispered.
He turned to look at me. “Don’t ever be sorry, Rhiannon. There’s no need to apologize. I enjoy your touch. Like I said, it’s our own personal magick.” Smiling, he lay down on top of the blankets.
“Are you going to be cold?”
“Not when I’m lying next to you.”
“Get under the covers.”
He gave me a sad look. “I may not be in my body, but I can still touch you somehow. I don’t want to give into any sort of temptation. I’d sleep across the room on the floor, but I don’t want you to be cold.” He reached over and turned off the only light in the room. He kissed my forehead, saying, “Try to get some sleep.”
<
br /> Temptation? My face flamed when his meaning became clear. I had only just met him, but I certainly had thoughts. I chose to remain silent and curl up on my side. I faced Zac, unable to see more than his outline in the sudden darkness. Maybe I really did love him, even though it didn't make sense. I had just met him, but it was as though some unseen force had pulled us together. Neither one of us could control it. Hopefully, he would still want to be around me once we had completed our “mission.”
I contemplated the ramifications of losing him, as I drifted off into a light, troubled sleep.
Five
A house appeared in front of me, a beacon in the darkness. Was this my new home? I found myself wondering if they had kids. They would be my new siblings! I hoped everyone would fit in my car. Wait... where was my car? Then I saw it, already sitting in the driveway. How had it beaten me there?
All the questions left my mind as my new family started spilling out of the house. Everyone would definitely not fit in my car. Oh well, maybe I could get a bigger one. They all smiled and called to each other enthusiastically. I got swept up in their animated conversation and joined them at the picnic tables in the front yard that were already laden with food. I sat down on a bench and looked around at my new family. Seven other children sat around the table with me. Having siblings had always been a dream of mine, and now I had a lot!
Something nagged at the back of my mind, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what I was missing. The thought quickly evaporated as an SUV pulled up and more people started pouring out. Apparently, my new family had invited their friends over to welcome me! There were two boys who looked to be about my age, and a couple of younger children too. The boys were both really cute and I hoped they would notice me.
I sat around and listened to everyone’s conversations for a while. The two boys from the other family had yet to talk to me, so I decided it was time to try and find my room and go to bed. Excusing myself, I wandered into the house.
I had no idea which room was supposed to be mine, but my things would probably be in there. I walked through room after room, but found nothing that belonged to me. There seemed to be beds everywhere, but none were mine.
I felt as though I was walking in circles, and the beginning of something like panic started to lick at my mind. Had they forgotten I was coming? Had they not prepared a place for me? I began to run through the house. The walls seemed like they were closing in on me. The ceiling was dropping lower and lower. The halls were becoming narrower. Everything was shrinking, shrinking, shrinking.
By now, the ceiling was too low for me to stand. I ceased running—there was no room. Crouching down, I continued my search. What was I looking for? I had forgotten. All I knew was that I needed to find something.
Now I was crawling on my hands and knees. The walls and ceiling were all so close together at this point, that I couldn’t go any further. I was completely trapped. Maybe I could turn around and try to trace my way back.
I backed up until I could finally turn around. When I turned, there was a boy standing there. I stifled a scream. He had appeared so quietly! There was something familiar about him. His slightly wavy, messy brown hair reminded me of someone. Where had I seen him before? A movie? Was he someone I knew?
“I can help you find your way out,” he intoned quietly.
I stared at him for some time, unsure whether I should accept his help or not. Although I really did want out of this seeming maze, there was something about him that didn’t sit quite right with me. I opened my mouth to agree to his help, but instead watched in shock as a blade appeared, glinting in the middle of his chest. The boy’s eyes opened wide, and he slumped to the floor. I began to scream shrilly, my shrieks reverberating through my head as they bounced around the narrow enclosure behind me. Another boy stood behind him, his sandy brown hair gleaming even in the poor lighting. He twisted the blade in the fallen boy’s body, and then cruelly jerked it out. He calmly pulled a cloth from his pocket and cleaned the sharp edge that was now dull from a dark substance. Blood? No, it seemed darker than that.
“Stop screaming, Rhi,” he ordered me.
How did this boy know my name? My curiosity got the best of me, and I fell silent.
“Good. Now, you must listen to me. We have to get out of here, immediately.”
“Why did you kill that boy?” I asked shakily.
“He’s not dead.”
“He certainly looks dead!” I shrieked.
“Well, he will be fine. We, however, won’t be. Not if we don’t get out of here now.”
“Why should I trust you?” I demanded to know.
He grabbed my chin and forced me to look straight at him. “Listen to me,” he commanded. “You’re caught in a nightmare. We have to escape before it implodes.”
I stared at him, confused. He sighed, and started again. “Rhiannon, a wraith has pulled you into a nightmare. This is your nightmare. I’ve banished the wraith; now we need to get out of here, or we will be trapped forever.” He held out his hand toward me. “Come with me.”
“I don’t even know you!” I wailed.
“Yes, you do. I’m Zac. You will remember everything once we are out of this house. Now, let’s go!” He grabbed my arm and pulled me after him as he ran through the twisting halls.
When we reached the kitchen, I skidded to a stop. My new family had cooked breakfast for me! I frowned. Had morning come while I wandered the halls? The whole night was gone.
“Come on, Rhi,” Zac insisted.
“But they’ve made me breakfast.”
It may have been my imagination, but it seemed as though a sad look crossed Zac’s face. He took my hand again and tugged me toward the door. I fought and pulled, but he was much stronger than I. He dragged me down the front steps, and as soon as our feet alighted on the ground, he hollered, “Run!”
I stumbled and tripped as he towed me across the uneven ground. I felt a shaking beneath my feet, and Zac shoved me roughly to the ground, covering my body with his. I started screaming again and felt as though something was trying to rip my very soul out. Zac kept his arms around me, ignoring my struggling. I felt a strong sucking sensation, and then we were both tossed across a rolling, grassy knoll. Finally, the rumbling stopped and everything went black.
I looked up cautiously. Zac’s face was pressed close to mine, and I could feel his weight on my back.
“Zac?” I whispered. “I can’t breathe.”
His laugh echoed faintly in my ear. He rolled and fell off of me.
I turned to face him. “What just happened?”
“Do you remember who I am now?” he asked.
“Yes, of course.”
He looked relieved. “You were caught in a nightmare, Rhi. I had a really hard time getting you out. Even after I banished the wraith, the nightmare continued. You were so confused and wanted to stay. I barely got you out before the nightmare imploded.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
He kissed me fiercely, stealing the remainder of my breath away. “Oh, Rhi, it’s not your fault. Wraiths will attack anyone. You would have to be extremely well shielded to protect your mind from their powers. I guess it’s time for you to learn.”
Six
“Here it is!” I exclaimed. “At least, I think.”
We had returned to the witches’ library. It turned out that it was open twenty-four hours a day. In the aftermath of my nightmare and Zac fighting to drag me out of it, neither of us could sleep. So we returned to our search, haunting the library. Since we remained invisible, it was almost as though we were real ghosts. I supposed that if you looked at it a certain way, Zac technically was a ghost.
He came over and stood behind me and looked over my shoulder. “The Helmet of Hades?”
“Makes the wearer invisible, according to this.”
“It makes sense,” he admitted. “He would think complete invisibility would be good. I mean, a glamour isn’t foolproof. With this helmet, he would be
invisible to everyone. No one would see him coming. To me, that confirms that he’s looking for the Seven Relics. This is one of them, although I don’t remember all of the others.” He leaned closer to the book. “Does it say where is it now?”
“It doesn’t say. Apparently, it disappeared.”
“My guess is that it’s in the Underworld.”
“That really exists?” I asked incredulously.
He sat down in a chair next to me. “Well, if The Helm of Hades exists, it’s logical to think that the Underworld exists, right?”
I thought about that for a moment. “I thought maybe they just called it that. I didn’t really think that the Underworld and Hades himself existed.”
“Apparently so. Now we have to find the entrance to the Underworld.”
“Wouldn’t it be somewhere in Greece?” I asked.
“Logically.”
“Then we start there. Can you teleport us that far?”
“I don’t know. But I guess we could take a flight.”
“Sit in a plane for that long?”
“We have no choice, Rhiannon. I wouldn’t want us to end up in the middle of the ocean. That would be a long swim.”
I hated flying. “Are you sure there’s no way around it?”
“I’m afraid not. If I can’t transport us all that way and we do land in the middle of the ocean, I don’t know if I can get us out of there.”
I sighed, resigned. “Fine. But are you just going to stow away?”
He offered me a wicked grin. “Basically. As are you.”
“What?”
“We’re going to leave your glamour on. Or rather, we’re going to renew it so we won’t risk the spell wearing off in the middle of the flight.”
“I can’t go without paying for it.”
“Rhiannon, this is dire. If The Necrovorst manages to gather the Seven Relics, who knows what will happen. He could raise an army of wraiths or something.”
“Fine, I’ll do it. When do we leave?”
“Leave for what?” Ty’s voice sounded behind me.
We both jumped. I slammed the book closed. “Ty, I didn’t hear you come up,” I said, my voice so high it sounded like a squeak to me.