by E. L. Todd
“Is anyone else injured?” he asked.
“I have a small cut but I’ll survive,” Breccan whispered.
Calloway walked to Weston and examined her throat. There were no bruises or markings on the skin. “Are you okay?” he asked.
She stared at him for a long moment. “Where did you get that?” she asked. She stared at the orb in his hand then met his gaze.
Calloway didn’t answer. He wanted to avoid this conversation but he didn’t have a choice—they would have been killed if they didn’t have a light.
“Calloway,” she pressed.
“I found it.”
“Don’t lie to me,” she said. She moved away from him and looked at the bodies on the floor. “We need to hide the bodies—bury them.” Weston grabbed one by the arm and dragged it outside and onto the lawn. The others carried the remaining corpses to the field in the back of the house. They found shovels that were mingled along with the rubble and built a large hole in the ground. They rolled the bodies into the crevasse and covered the corpses with a mound of dirt.
Weston wiped her hands on her pants. “Let’s get out of here,” she said.
They walked down the street back to Breccan’s home in the distance. Calloway could tell how angry Weston was just by looking at her tense frame. The Christmas lights outside the houses twinkled in the night. The snowmen in the yard waved at them with their electronic hands and the deer heads moved up and down. Today was supposed to be a day away from his normal life; one that Calloway could enjoy with his friends and family. For once he didn’t want to be worried about the Hara-Kirs, school, or money, but that day had been ruined. Now he was back to reality.
Crumbled Walls
They returned to their seats by the fireplace. Breccan cleaned Easton’s wound with alcohol then applied pressure to the cut. Calloway watched his cousin attend to Easton with tender care and knew Breccan really did care for her despite their constant battles.
“It’s going to be okay,” Breccan whispered to her. He rubbed her shoulder and comforted her.
Weston was staring at Calloway. He knew how upset she was by the intensity of her look. Every emotion she felt was reflected in her blue eyes, and Calloway could read her thoughts and feelings when he stared directly at them. Even when she was livid with anger she still looked perfect like a painting.
“What the hell is going on, Calloway?” Weston asked.
He met her gaze. “I have no idea what just happened. It was obviously a trap.”
“Obviously,” she spat. “What’s going on with you, Calloway?”
“I don’t understand your meaning.”
Weston eyes lit up in a blaze of anger. “The Hara-Kirs enticed you into a trap but then they don’t lay a finger on you. Not a single creature touched you, Calloway. When you pulled the Hara-Kir off me he let you kill him. He didn’t fight back at all.” She leaned closer to him and Calloway flinched at the hostility in her voice. “And then you have a soul-trapping orb that glows at your command, something I’ve never seen before. Obviously you’ve been hiding a great deal of information and I want to know why.” She grabbed his arm. “Now tell me.”
Easton looked at her sister. “We’re just as clueless as you are,” she said. “The Hara-Kirs are drawn to Calloway but they never hurt him. We’re still unsure why. Calloway is just as clueless as we are, so you can stop yelling at him.”
Weston looked at Calloway. “Where did you get the orb?”
Calloway sighed. He didn’t want to mention his father to Weston. Not because he didn’t trust her with the information but because he was embarrassed that he didn’t know anything about his own father. She would realize his dad never cared for him. “It belonged to my father,” he said. He pulled the picking knife from his pocket and placed it in front of her. “Along with this.”
She grabbed the knife and studied the blade. “What’s its purpose?”
“It can unlock and lock any door.”
She nodded. “And your father gave this to you?”
“I inherited it,” he said. He didn’t want to mention the possibility that his father may still be alive. It was too disturbing to discuss at this moment.
“And the orb as well?” she asked.
Calloway nodded.
“Can I see it?”
Calloway handed her the orb and she squeezed it in her palm, but the light didn’t glow—it remained dark. She stared at the ball for a long moment before she looked at him. “How do you make it shine?”
“Squeeze it,” he said.
Weston clenched it again but nothing happened. She handed it back to him. When Calloway squeezed the orb, it lit the room with its glowing light and highlighted Weston’s face.
“Why does it only respond to you?” she asked.
Calloway shrugged. “I was hoping you knew.”
“How did your father get this?”
“I have no idea,” he said honestly. “I didn’t find them until after he died.”
“These are soul trappers,” she explained. “This is how the Hara-Kirs steal the essence from humans. How could your father get one?”
“He was fighting for our cause,” Calloway said. “He probably took one from a dead Hara-Kir.”
“But this one is different,” Weston said. “It only responds to you. The other orbs we’ve come across do nothing of the sort.”
“I don’t know,” Calloway said. “I really don’t.”
Weston stared at him for a moment. “You obviously do,” she said coldly. “The Hara-Kirs flock to you but do not harm you. Now you have gifts from the Anti-Life that respond only to your touch and your father somehow retrieved these items. The meaning of these events may be unclear but there is no doubt they are covered with malicious intent. Your father is a Hara-Kir or works for their cause—and you are next. I was right not to trust you.”
Calloway felt his heart fall as he listened to her. Even though recent events suggested Calloway was somehow connected to the Hara-Kirs, that didn’t mean he was in league with them or even understood them. The assumption wounded his soul. “Yes, you can,” he said quickly. “I have no idea what’s going on. That’s what we’ve been trying to figure out. But I’m committed to your cause, Weston. Please don’t doubt my loyalty.”
“Every orb we’ve come across has been dark and lifeless because it only responds to the Hara-Kir that possesses it. If this orb glows at your command, you’re connected to the gift, probably because it was your father’s.”
“Are you suggesting that Sven is a Hara-Kir?” Easton asked.
Weston didn’t remove her gaze from Calloway. “Yes.”
“That’s impossible,” Easton said. “Calloway is human. A Hara-Kir can’t father a human child. The idea is ludicrous, Weston.”
“The other possibility is that he traveled to the Anti-Life and retrieved the gifts. In either case, he is a traitor,” Weston said.
“You’re wrong,” Calloway said. “He was fighting for our right to live—nothing else. My father would do nothing less.”
“How did he die?” Weston asked.
“He was mugged and killed,” Calloway answered.
“In Fresno?” she asked. “That sounds like a bogus story.”
“Don’t be rude,” Easton snapped.
Weston turned to her sister. “I don’t want you hanging around him anymore,” she said. “He can’t be trusted. Stay away from him.”
Easton sat up and stared at her sister. “No,” she said. “There’s nothing untrustworthy about him. You’re just overreacting. If you really thought Calloway was dangerous or untrustworthy you wouldn’t have returned to the house to begin with. You wouldn’t be sitting so close to him. And if he was evil, you would have noticed it sooner, Weston.
Weston stood up and stepped toward her sister. “Open your eyes, Easton! The Hara-Kirs follow him and he has Anti-Life gifts. His father was involved with their kind. All the proof is right in front of you. He can’t be trusted, Easton. He’ll kil
l you.”
The insult stung Calloway deeply. He would never hurt any of his friends. He would rather die than let harm come to someone he cared for. Since he’d spent so much time with Weston, he assumed that she understood this—he was wrong.
“Shut up,” Easton snapped. “Calloway would never do that. I trust him more than anyone—even you. He’s my best friend. You aren’t thinking clearly. Even if you’re right, and somehow Calloway’s father was involved with the Anti-Life, that has nothing to do with Calloway. Are you going to assume that he’s evil just because his father was? That’s prejudice and discriminatory. Stop thinking in black and white, Weston. Ignorance isn’t a good color on you.”
“This is serious,” Weston said. “You’re getting involved with something you have no knowledge of. You have no idea what Calloway’s involvement is in this.”
“If you really thought Calloway was a threat, you would just kill him, but I know you won’t because you would have done it already. You just want to avoid him because he might be associated with the Hara-Kirs, even though he clearly isn’t.” Easton crossed her arms over her chest. “So we just abandon him? Stay away from him because we’re unsure?” Easton shook her head. “He’s just as confused as we are and he’s trying to save the Life. He is no different from you and me. I trust him with my life and will stand by him forever. Calloway is a good person—the best I know—and I know where his heart is. I will never stop talking to him or spending time with him. You’re wasting your time.”
Weston sat down and sighed. She looked at Calloway but he was staring at the floor, avoiding her gaze. Calloway was lost in the dark, unsure which way was forward or backward. He wanted to know what was going on with the Hara-Kirs and he wanted to know about his father, but the revelation wouldn’t change his beliefs. He was committed to protecting the Life and he wouldn’t stop until it was saved.
“I’m sorry, Calloway,” Weston said. “It’s—just—hard for me to trust you. You’re a great guy but my devotion is to the White Wing. This information, although unfair and prejudice, changes everything. You will never be accepted into our society because no one will look past these facts. I’m sorry.”
“Do you trust me?” he asked. He met her gaze and stared at her for a moment. Their time together had been brief but he felt connected to her in a special way. He found it hard to believe that she didn’t feel it, too. Calloway knew she trusted him—she should.
Weston was quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I can’t risk it.”
“You can trust me,” he said.
“I know,” she said. “But I can’t.” She turned to Easton. “I think it’s best if you stay away from him.”
“No,” Easton said. “I’ll never do that.”
“Not because Calloway will hurt you, but because danger seems to follow him everywhere,” Weston said.
“That’s even better,” Easton said. “We’ll be right in the fray.”
“Easton—”
“I’m not going to change my mind. You may as well drop it.”
Weston sighed. “I hope you realize what you’re doing.”
“I do,” she said. “You’re the one that doesn’t.”
The room fell silent and Calloway felt the tension in the air. The holiday began with a joyous feeling and now it spiraled into depression and darkness. The lack of belief in him stung Calloway deeply. He admitted he was mixed up with forces he didn’t understand and he was dangerous to be around, but Weston’s abandonment wounded him. Since she was the leader of the White Wing he understood why she had to be cautious, but her outright refusal to trust him hurt. He proved his valor and worth at every step of the way and he was being punished for something out of his control—it wasn’t fair. It also hurt him that Weston severed their relationship as quickly as it began. They were good friends an hour ago and now they were mere acquaintances.
Weston rose from her seat and turned to her sister. “We should leave.”
Easton didn’t stir. After a moment she rose from the couch and followed her sister to the door. Calloway and Breccan walked them to the entryway and Calloway opened the door for Weston. He stared at her for a long moment before she walked out of the house. He could see the reflection of the Christmas lights in her eyes, twinkling like the brightest star in an undiscovered galaxy. He treasured the sight before she walked away, knowing he may never see her again.
“Merry Christmas, Calloway,” she whispered.
Calloway nodded. “Merry Christmas.”
Both girls walked out the door and headed to the car in the driveway. Calloway watched Weston climb into the passenger seat of the vehicle then look at him through the window. They stared at each other for a long moment before Easton drove away.
When Calloway walked back inside he saw the Christmas present he gave her sitting on the floor. Since her other presents were gone he knew she left it behind on purpose. He held it in his hands for a moment and felt the despair flood his body. Calloway was destined to lose all the people he loved—it was inevitable.
Guiding Light
The Christmas tree was exactly where they left it the day before. The ornaments still sparkled on the tree and the blue star on the top still shined like a lit citadel. Calloway stared at it for a moment before he looked back at his two friends.
“Why didn’t you spend Christmas with your family?” Calloway asked.
Easton sighed. “My mom spent it with her boyfriend.”
Calloway nodded. “Well, I’m glad you could spend it with us. You’re always welcome. Aunt Grace likes you more than she likes us anyway.”
“And for good reason.” She smiled. “And I appreciate that. My mom and stepdad fight all the time. I would rather spend the holidays anywhere else—Weston feels the same way.”
Calloway wasn’t sure what to say. He suspected that she didn’t have a good family life and he realized she and he were the same—lonely. Easton missed her father as much as Calloway missed his. Now he understood why she brought the Christmas tree into the library—it was her home.
Calloway recalled how Easton defended him against her sister—he knew it wasn’t easy. There was no doubt about his intent whatsoever and he appreciated her faith in him. “Thank you for standing beside me,” he said quietly.
“You don’t need to thank us, Calloway,” Easton said. “Weston is the one being stupid.”
“No, she isn’t,” Calloway said. “She is the leader of an entire organization. A mistake on her part could be catastrophic.”
“But she should know helping you isn’t a mistake,” Breccan said. “You’re too good to be evil.”
“She knows I’m not evil,” Calloway said. “She just doesn’t want to be involved with someone like me. It’s Beatrice all over again.”
“What?” Easton asked.
Calloway sighed. “Beatrice refuses to acknowledge my existence because I’m a school loser. It makes her look bad.”
“I admit my sister is being stupid but don’t you ever compare her to that dumb girl,” Easton said. “There is no comparison.”
“I’m not comparing them as people,” Calloway said. “I’m saying that the experiences are similar. I wished Weston would trust me. What does she think I’m going to do?”
“I don’t know,” Breccan said. “You wouldn’t kill the Hara-Kirs if you supported their cause—that doesn’t make any sense—and you’ve killed several now.”
Easton sighed. “She’s worried where Calloway’s sympathy lies. What if Sven left the gifts so Calloway would finish his work—helping the Hara-Kirs? And what if Calloway wants to feel connected to his father in some way, so he agrees?”
“Did she tell you this?” Calloway asked.
Easton nodded. “She says you have the potential to slip to the dark side. That’s what she’s concerned about.”
“Don’t we all?” Calloway asked. “Anyone is susceptible. And besides, Hara-Kirs won’t work with humans.”
“I’m not su
re about that anymore,” Easton said. “Why would Weston be so concerned about Calloway turning evil unless humans could work with them? I think it’s a possibility.”
Breccan nodded. “Do you think that’s what that trap was? Was it a heist to kill us and take Calloway? Bring him back to the Anti-Life.”
“It’s possible,” Easton said. “But I don’t understand what they would want with Calloway. He has no special abilities or attributes that make him particularly useful. What is their fascination with him?”
“I don’t know,” Calloway said. “I’m not special.”
“They might want the book,” Breccan said. “Maybe they’re going to torture him for it.”
“That’s possible,” Easton said. “But why don’t they question us? We’re always with Calloway so wouldn’t we know as well? After all, I’m the one who has the book all the time.”
Calloway ran his hands through his hair. “I’m starting to get a headache.” He sighed. “I just wish we knew what was going on.”
“Do you think Weston is going to kill you?” Breccan asked.
“What?” Calloway asked. “Why would she do that?”
Breccan shrugged. “If she really saw you as a threat to humanity wouldn’t she eliminate you? It sounds like something she would do.”
“No,” Easton said quickly. “Calloway is human and she won’t kill one of her own, especially since he hasn’t done anything wrong. However, if Calloway blatantly joined with the Hara-Kirs she would kill him. There has to be no doubt of his allegiance for her to do something so extreme.”
Calloway felt his hands run cold. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” she said. “Don’t worry about it.”
“I’ll try.” He sighed.
“What if they think he is Sven?” Breccan asked. “Maybe they are trying to retrieve him for some reason—either to punish him or bring him back.”
“Why would you think that?” Easton asked.