by Kristen Pham
“You don’t have to ask me twice!” Dulcea said, following him into the water with a splash.
“I guess you’ve found your inner child,” Valerie laughed.
“Come on, Val!”
“I can’t swim,” she said. But then she spotted a small dirt path that wound down the side of the waterfall to the bottom, and she hurried down it. When she was almost at the bottom, she saw that behind the rushing waterfall was a small cavern. Carefully, she inched closer, and slid past the waterfall without falling in, getting thoroughly drenched with spray in the process.
Inside, the cavern was dim, the only light coming through the pounding water that rushed past. At first, she thought it was empty, but then she noticed someone standing at the back. Her heart pounded.
“Hi, I’m Valerie. Sorry to bother you.”
The person didn’t move a muscle. Valerie stepped closer and realized that it wasn’t a person, but a statue of a woman warrior, looking as if she was about to draw her sword from the sheath that hung at her side. Looking closer, Valerie noticed that the sheath was empty, and the woman’s hand was closing around air. Had the statue’s sword been stolen? The woman’s face had a fierce expression, her eyes narrowed and her body tense, ready to fight.
Valerie wondered why someone would put such an intricate statue behind a waterfall where no one would see it. She touched the statue’s hand, and a strange feeling ran through her, reminding her of when she touched the face at Stonehenge and the Sphinx’s paw. Did this statue guard a secret too?
“Valerie, where are you?” Dulcea called, worry in her voice.
Valerie hurried out from behind the waterfall. In the bright sunshine, she recalled her goal for the day, and felt a little ashamed of being so distracted from her quest. Every day that went by was another chance for Sanguina to find Thai and tell Venu where he was. Or worse, Sanguina could create a charm of her own and she would never see Thai again.
“Hey guys, we should go find the caves. Didn’t you say it could take days to find the right kind of crystal, Cyrus?”
“Yeah,” Cyrus said, reluctantly getting out of the water and wringing out his clothes. “But when we come back here, I’m teaching you to swim.”
It was only after they were tramping through the woods that Valerie thought of the statue behind the waterfall. But neither Cyrus nor Dulcea had heard anything about any statues or art in Babylon. Something about the woman tugged at her mind, and Valerie promised herself that after this was all over, she would go back and discover what secrets the statue guarded.
When they reached the caves, tucked inside of a rocky hill, Cyrus and Dulcea explained what kind of crystal they needed to make the charm. It had to be at least the size of a walnut, and perfectly clear, without a single speck or deformity that could twist the spell to make it do something that it shouldn’t.
Inside, the caves were dark and damp. Valerie had imagined that they would be beautiful, covered wall to wall with glittering crystals, but instead it was eerie inside, the crystals sending light slanting in strange ways, sometimes blinding her. The work was tedious. They had to gently wipe away a layer of muck on top of each crystal to see if it looked promising. If it seemed to be clear from deformities, they gently pried it free with their fingers and took it outside to examine it more closely.
After hours of searching, they still hadn’t found any perfect crystals, and they decided to split up, each taking a different cave. The caves were close enough that they could call to each other if they ran into trouble.
Valerie worked quickly and methodically in the mouth of the caves. The repetitive nature of the task allowed her mind to finally relax for the first time since she had heard her prophecy from Pythia. Without realizing why, she wandered out of the cave into the woods. At first, she didn’t think about where she was going, but after she had walked for several minutes, a part of her mind pestered her, questioning where she was going and insisting that she shouldn’t leave without telling Dulcea and Cyrus.
She knew she had to turn back, but somehow she couldn’t make her body obey her directions. It felt as if someone had seized control of her mind and was forcing her to body to do things that she didn’t want it to. She felt panic rise inside of her as she struggled to regain control of herself. Her breathing became rapid, and she started to shake. Something was very wrong.
Her feet led her farther and farther away from her friends, and Valerie worried that they would never find her now. Finally, her body slowed down, stopping at the entrance to a crystal cave much like the one she had left. Dread made her stomach sink, and she struggled with all of her mental might to stop herself from entering the cave. But it was a fight she lost, as her body entered the dark cave against her will. As she waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, she felt herself fall to her knees.
“You were warned what would happen if you came here,” Sanguina said, advancing closer and closer to Valerie. Sanguina glared down at Valerie, her face filled with contempt. “You dared to suggest when we last met that I was afraid of you. But I could never fear someone so pathetic and weak. You can’t even protect yourself, much less your friends.”
Anger flared up in Valerie, giving her a burst of energy that enabled her to break free of the mental restraint that had stopped her from controlling her body. “You’re wrong!” she shouted, surprising Sanguina by hitting her squarely in the knees with a sweep kick, sending her crashing to the ground.
Sanguina’s shriek echoed off the walls of the cavern, and Valerie covered her ears to block out the terrible sound. But Sanguina wasn’t down for long, and seconds later she attacked, her punches and kicks coming so rapidly that Valerie couldn’t stop some of her blows from coming into painful contact with her neck, arm, and finally her stomach, knocking the wind out of her.
It was different from any other fight that Valerie had ever had – even though she was using her power to its fullest, she was hopelessly out of her league. Sanguina was stronger and faster, and she couldn’t even defend herself, much less go on the offense. No sooner had Valerie realized this than Sanguina grabbed hold of her mind and she was unable to control her body, again. Sanguina forced her to fall to her knees against her will.
“Really? That’s all there is to your magic?” Sanguina sneered. “Now it’s time for you to feel the full force of my power. I will make you crawl, grovel, and beg for me to end your life.” Sanguina smacked Valerie across the face so hard that her ears rang and blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth. She didn’t even have enough power over her own body to wipe the blood away.
The horror that Valerie experienced at that moment was beyond anything that she had ever felt before. She felt broken inside, completely at Sanguina’s mercy. She had failed them all – Henry, Thai, Cyrus, Azra. She was no match for Sanguina. How could she have ever wanted to fight her? Somewhere deep inside, hadn’t she known that defeat was inevitable? She was nobody, just a little girl that no one wanted, and for good reason. She brought nothing to those she loved except misery.
“Never. Cross. Me.” After each word, Sanguina hit Valerie across the face again and again. The last of Valerie’s mental defenses crumbled, and she felt her hold on her consciousness start to slip. She looked forward to the oblivion that unconsciousness would bring.
But before she succumbed, the cave filled with a bright light that reflected off of all the crystals. Through her blurry eyes, Valerie saw Sanguina’s shriveled lips open wide as she shrieked and retreated into the dark depths of the cave.
“Val, are you ok?” Cyrus asked, his voice seeming very far away.
“Grab her and let’s get out of here!” Dulcea said, and Valerie felt herself lifted into Cyrus’ arms before she gave in to the blackness tugging on her mind.
Chapter Fourteen
“Is she awake yet?” Valerie heard Cyrus’ voice ask.
“Not yet,” Dulcea said, sounding worried and exhausted. “But I think she’s stirring.”
Not yet ready
to face the waking world, Valerie reached for unconsciousness, hoping for the relief of oblivion for a little longer. But no such luck. With every passing second, she felt herself becoming more and more awake as the pain radiating through her body refused to let her slip away. She struggled to open her eyes, which felt swollen. Her entire face felt as if it was twice its normal size.
When she opened her eyes part way, the world looked hazy, as if everything was slightly out of focus. She was in a long room filled with beds, reminding her of the Oakland Children’s Hospital, but without the insistent beeping of machines. She had never felt so tired and beaten down in her life. This was even worse than the many times she had awakened, weak and alone, after one of her fainting episodes back on Earth. Her eyes filled with tears as she remembered Dr. Freeman’s calm voice telling her that everything would be okay. A tear slipped free of her lashes.
Cyrus hurried to her side. “Val! At last! You scared us. You’ve been out for more than a day.”
Dulcea bent down to briefly cup Valerie’s face, her wide eyes filled with worry. “We were worried Sanguina put you under some kind of spell to make you sleep.”
“I knew you guys shouldn’t have gone without me!” Kanti’s voice said indignantly. Valerie assumed she was the blurry shape sitting on the end of the bed. “I would have been on the lookout and none of this would have happened.”
The weight that lay heavy on Valerie’s heart lifted a little. It was nice to awaken from unconsciousness surrounded by friends instead of machines. She tried to tell them she was glad that they were there, but the insides of her mouth were so bruised and swollen that the effort made her wince. Hadn’t they heard of pain medication on the Globe yet?
“Don’t try to talk until you’re healed,” Cyrus said, bending close. Seeing his intense blue eyes up close comforted her.
The smell of lilies filled the room, and Valerie heard the gentle clop of Azra’s hooves against the floor. Oh, Valerie, I am so sorry that this has happened to you. But you’ll feel better soon; I’m here to heal you. I couldn’t do it until you were conscious again. Then she turned to a shadowy figure standing at the edge of the room. Oberon, you know what to do.
Oberon stepped forward, his eyes staring blankly at a spot above Valerie’s head. Up close, she realized how tall he was. His presence was overpowering, and she shrank away from him. Azra lowered her head, and Oberon touched her mane, feeling for her horn. When he found it, he said some words in a strange language. For a moment, Azra’s horn vibrated, and Valerie felt the hum of magic fill the room. Then he grasped the horn and pulled it free from Azra’s forehead, leaving no mark behind. Valerie was horrified, and she wondered why none of the others moved to stop him. What was wrong with them?
“Get away from her!” Valerie said, her mouth filling with blood. She struggled to sit up, but Cyrus held her back.
“Don’t hurt yourself! It’s okay, that’s supposed to happen,” Cyrus explained.
Don’t be afraid; I’m not hurt. Azra said, and her soothing voice in Valerie’s mind calmed her. My healing power is in my horn, but I need help to call it forth. Oberon has helped me heal many times. He’s a friend.
In Oberon’s hand, the horn looked like a cone-shaped cup, completely hollow inside. Valerie watched, mystified, as he held Azra’s horn in one hand and held his other hand over the top of it. The room hummed with magic, and condensation formed on his palm. The droplets of water increased in number, creating a pool of water that he channeled down his finger and into the empty horn.
“Here,” Oberon said gruffly, and held out the horn. Dulcea took it and gently put it to Valerie’s lips.
It’s okay. Let us help you.
Valerie shut her eyes and sipped the warm, sweet liquid. Like when Darling had healed her after her fight with Shade and his gang, she felt warmth spread through her body, and her pain eased, leaving only a dull ache behind. Dulcea gave the horn to Oberon, who gently placed it back on Azra’s forehead. A shudder passed through Azra’s body, and she sighed softly as if it were a relief to be whole again.
I’m sorry. I can’t completely erase your pain the way Darling can. But I hope I have brought you some relief. Thank you, Oberon.
He nodded in acknowledgement. “You know where I am if you need me,” he said, and then left without another word.
“I gotta ask – why do you trust that guy?” Cyrus asked Azra. “We know there’s a spy in Arden, watching the Knights and who knows what else. What if it’s Oberon? It wouldn’t be the first time that he’s spied on us for the Fractus.”
Azra’s gentle eyes became stern. It’s true, his past is dark. But he’s a changed man.
“How do you know?” Kanti asked.
Because I witnessed his change. He was never cruel or evil, only proud. And that pride made him believe that his immense powers entitled him to rule over others. But then he fell in love with a woman, a grand master of the Contego, and she taught him to embrace justice. She’s gone now, but for her sake I know that he would never betray her ideals.
“That’s so sad, but beautiful,” Dulcea said softly.
“I hope you’re right about him,” Kanti added.
If he were going to betray us, he would have done it long ago, when the Fractus captured him and tortured him to discover what secrets he had learned from the Contego. What he endured in order to protect those secrets is unspeakable. Even after they blinded him, he didn’t give in. He would have been executed for his lack of cooperation and betrayal of the Fractus if it were not for a daring rescue by the Knights.
“Poor Oberon. Now he’s free, but he’s blind and alone, without his love to comfort him,” Dulcea said with tears in her eyes. Valerie’s heart softened toward him. Oberon had known what it was to be truly alone, just as she did. Even Kanti looked moved by his story.
But Cyrus shifted impatiently, bored. “Enough about him, I want to tell Val what happened after we left the cave.”
With that, Cyrus explained how Sanguina had retreated deep into the cave, and how he would have pursued her if it hadn’t been for the fact that Valerie was so hurt. Instead, he had carried her to the Healers’ guild, with Dulcea’s help.
“What I realized last night is that my light can destroy her! I’ll find her and defeat her myself,” Cyrus said proudly.
But Azra shook her head. She won’t expose herself by leaving her fortress again. And wherever she is hiding, I am certain there are spells to extinguish any light inside. As a vampyre, it is the first precaution she would take. Our only hope is to draw her out of her fortress again, where we may have a chance to talk with her, or if we must, fight her.
Listening, Valerie couldn’t help letting her attention wander as the memory of her encounter with Sanguina overwhelmed her. Azra, seeing Valerie’s distress, gently sent her friends home. After many protestations, they finally left, promising to be back the next day. When they were alone, Valerie let herself fall back on her bed, giving in to her emotions with a sob.
“How will I ever save Henry now? Sanguina crushed me; I never stood a chance against her. I was such an idiot to think I could fight her and win!”
Tell me what happened.
Valerie told her story through her tears, and in telling Azra what she had endured, she gradually felt some of her despair lift.
Sanguina is very powerful. To stand against her, as you did, and fight back, is an incredible feat of strength. Almost no one can resist when a vampyre controls their mind. What you did, pushing her out of your head, shows how great your power truly is.
“I feel like such a loser. I must have seemed so pathetic to her, like a fly that she could swat with a flick of her wrist.”
That is the most terrible power that a vampyre can wield – robbing people of their hope and their belief in themselves. You can’t give in to that. Fight it, like you fought Sanguina’s control of your mind.
“It’s only a matter of time before she finds me again. And next time, she’ll finish what she started.
But if I don’t face her, she’ll keep torturing Henry!” Valerie said. She felt torn apart inside at the memory of his haunted face.
We’ll find a way to stop Sanguina, I promise. I’ve been working with the leaders of the guilds, and even if it means attacking her fortress ourselves, we will stop her. We believe that she lives in the mountains of Dunsinane to the south, and I don’t think she’ll leave the safety of her fortress in the near future. She will try to find a way to have you brought to her, but we won’t let that happen. Trust in me, Valerie.
“I do,” Valerie said, and felt slightly relieved. For now, she had to let Henry’s fate rest in more capable hands than her own. She couldn’t help Henry by getting herself killed.
Now rest, because tomorrow you will need all of your strength.
Before Valerie allowed herself to sleep, she decided to quickly visit Thai. The healing seemed to have sucked her strength away, so it took a greater effort than usual to muster the concentration she needed to find him.
Finally, the world around her vanished and she found herself standing in his tent. He leapt to his feet. “Where have you been? Do you know how scared I was? You were supposed to come yesterday! What were you–” he stopped short, examining her face. “What happened? Who did this to you? I’ll kill them,” he said, his voice turning rough and his eyes glittering dangerously.
Seeing how protective he was made her smile a little for the first time since she had encountered Sanguina. Despite how hopeless her situation seemed, she couldn’t help thinking how strange and wonderful it was to know that so many people cared about what happened to her.
“Does it look that bad?” she asked, self-consciously touching her face.
“Don’t leave me in suspense!” Thai exclaimed, ignoring her question.
“I met Sanguina, we fought, and she defeated me,” Valerie said simply, not having the energy to go into detail again. “I don’t know how to save Henry now.”