“We need to bring her out into the open. At the moment she’s cloaked. I don’t know how, but she has managed to conceal herself from my informants.”
“Don’t you mean your witch?” Val continued walking around the cage trying to ignore the fact that Excariot had come to a sharp halt.
“How do you know about her?”
Bingo, Val thought, it’s a woman. “I have my sources and I have been told that she’s extremely powerful, but not as powerful as my Wendy.”
“Wendy, your little guardian, powerful?” Excariot let out a full hearty laugh.
“She’s really good; she’s stopped you getting into the bookshop.”
Excariot stopped laughing. “Yes, she has. I will take off my hat to her for that. But my prized possession is far more powerful.”
“So why doesn’t your prized possession break the spell over the bookshop, if she is so amazing.” Val knew this could potentially aggravate the situation but she needed to draw the witch out.
“Because you have the power of the portal to back up your magic, the same as I had when it was mine.”
“Ok, so say I agree with you. I get Delta, you give me the witches and I let you into the bookshop. Is that the deal? Then you release all the prisoners on Alchany and they take over Earth where I become a princess over a bunch of villains. Oh yes, and they won’t try to kill you or steal everything from you at the first opportunity?”
“Listen to me!” Excariot was starting to breathe heavily again. Val could see the veins in his neck throbbing. She needed to keep this under control for just a little longer. “With your witch and mine we will be able to control them all as we have today.”
“I’m sorry, but I think you’re wrong. No witch is powerful enough to hold all six point eight billion humans under their control. This plan won’t work, and you sound as nutty as Delta. What about the Warden? Do you really think he’s going to let you get away with this?”
“I have answers to all questions, but I don’t have to answer to you.” He seethed, rubbing his hands together in a nervous manner.
“I’m just trying to be realistic here. If I’m going to risk the lot it’s going to have to work, and I’m sorry, but I don’t think you can pull off something this big, Excariot.”
“No, but I can.” A voice echoed into the huge hanger behind them.
Val turned to see Excariot’s witch.
CHAPTER 15
The Judge
Val’s mouth dropped open. It was Eva. Eva was Excariot’s witch! It didn’t make sense. She had been in the house, the shop, everywhere. Val had even seen her visibly scared.
“Hello Val, welcome to our humble abode. It’s so lovely to see you again and so soon. Best if you close your mouth though.” Eva placed herself next to Excariot.
Val shut it. “I would love to say the same, but considering I saved your life, I’m not feeling the love here, Eva.” She was definitely in shock.
“May I remind you that you left my child over four hundred years ago with a blonde bimbo who now wants to destroy us all. So the ‘not feeling the love’ issue is mutual.”
“Fair play, I did dump your child. Almost as fast as you did,” Val said. “So the Brazilian accent and the estate agent act, all fake?”
“Well I’m from Brazil, and I did work as an estate agent once, but yes, I’m sorry it was all an act, although my ancestors were part of your mother’s coven. That’s how I came to belong to Excariot.” She looked at him with the eyes of a loyal Labrador.
“Sorry, did you just say belong?”
Eva ignored Val’s comment and carried on. “From what I hear, you don’t think I can control a world full of criminals with magic.”
“I have my doubts, Eva.” Val needed to keep them talking just a little longer. She expected the guys would have her co-ordinates by now, and she would be able to come back with them to get the prisoners out, as soon as she had told the others who the witch was. They were never going to believe this one.
“Well, let me comfort you with the knowledge that I can.” Eva beamed at Excariot.
“But you can’t get Excariot into my little old bookshop. Is that why you came in? To see if you could crack the spell from the inside and oh no you couldn’t,” Val said proudly.
“Do not mock my witch.” Excariot stormed towards her, his real nature exploding through every pore.
Val had what she needed: a name. Now she wanted out. She grabbed her wrist to teleport.
“Stop her!” Excariot ordered. Eva recited a few simple words and Val’s escape was instantly halted. She found herself falling flat on the floor. Val grabbed her bracelet again, but this time she didn’t even start to teleport. She realised that she was in serious trouble, and so were the others.
“Pathetic creature! Did you think we would trust you? Now you will all pay for your mistakes. You see Val, when Eva was with me before and you went back in time, she was a potent witch, but since you saved her ancestors you made her lineage so much more powerful. You helped me once again.” Excariot let out a laugh. “And now you will stay here like a good little guard and wait for the end, and maybe pray for it to be swifter than last time.”
Excariot grabbed Val by the throat, lifted her clean off the ground and flung her like a doll against the hanger wall. Her body smashed violently into the concrete and she was knocked unconscious.
“Something’s going on out there,” Wendy said. She and Daniel were still standing guard when the crowd started to part. She looked to her mum who was standing at the counter, mirror in hand. “Mum, I’m getting a bad feeling about this.”
“So am I, but if Val has gone, then it’s down to us to keep the portal and our people safe.” Belinda stood straight. Her heritage had taught her to never back down. “Call the others; it’s time.”
Wendy ran to the back of the shop. “Shane they’re here, and it’s not Val.” He nodded and together they all left the cupboard. Jason closed the door behind him, grabbing Fran’s hand and holding it tightly. They were all scared. Surely no one walks towards their end without fear in their hearts he thought. “I love you,” he whispered into Fran’s ear and she turned to kiss him on the cheek.
“I know.”
“I love you son, and you Fran,” Shane said, rubbing Jason’s hair as he placed a kiss on Fran’s head. “Remember that whatever happens here son, your mum and I will always be with you.”
Jason shook his head, unable to speak. As they reached the bookshop window the scale of the problem was apparent. The four hundred had more or less all arrived at once.
“Please let me teleport you out of here,” Zac pleaded with Shane.
“Zac, the portal needs us and if Val has given herself then we owe it to her and everyone else to at least try.”
“It has been a true honour serving with you,” Zac said.
“Son, it’s been fun.” Shane’s huge arm pulled Zac in as he allowed the emotion to flow though him. “Looks like our Val hasn’t made it, so we do what she would have done. We defend the bookshop the best we can until we can’t anymore.” They all chorused their agreement with Shane’s words. “We are the last defence on this planet from that nasty little worm Excariot and his so called witch, no offence ladies.” He raised his hand at Belinda and Wendy, who acknowledged him. “I think Val would be proud of our decision, so let’s kick some alien butts.” They all chorused a war cry. This was it, time for battle.
“Forgive me Wendy,” Daniel turned to her.
“What’s wrong?” She searched his face, but before he could answer there was no more Daniel. A red spark flashed and he was gone.
Wendy didn’t even have time to deal with the shock. As the light from Daniel’s spark faded, the front door cracked under the weight of bodies pilling thuggishly against it. They were in.
“Don’t kill them. We will use them later!” a women voice called over the rabble.
“Eva?” Wendy looked over in confusion.
“Yes me.” She glared
at her. “You and I need a little chat.” She pulled at Wendy’s cheek like she was a five year old. Belinda launched herself at Eva but she didn’t even get close. Two body-builders pulled her away, leaving Wendy standing face to face with Eva, still trying to come to terms with the fact that Daniel had just vanished into thin air. Not that things like that should surprise her any more.
Eva called out over the noise. “Mr Walker, if you would stand still I’m sure you would love to be reunited with your little friend, Val, very soon. We promise to keep you all alive if you stop fighting.”
Shane knew they were totally outnumbered, so he called to the others to stop. Fran was holding a very large book over some odd looking man’s head; Jason had a woman by the neck.
“Good choice. Now take them to the others.” Wendy watched helplessly as they were all dragged out of the bookshop. “Wendy, Wendy, Wendy,” Eva patted her cheek. “Where’s my dellatrax? I have been waiting so patiently for it.”
“Forget it! I’m not telling you anything.” Wendy stood proudly in front of Eva.
“Torture her mother!” Eva called. Within seconds Wendy could hear her mum’s screams from the street.
“Fine. Here. Just stop it.” She pointed to the other side of the counter.
“Emotions make you weak every time. Pity you can’t be on my side, you would have been amazing. Is there anyone else we need to know about?” she asked. Wendy shook her head. “No? Ok, leave a few guards around the place; we’re taking the bookshop back. It’s time to go to your new home.”
Val opened her eyes to find Max looking into them, and he was far too close for Val’s liking. She pulled herself backwards and he mimicked her, also pulling away.
“Are you ok?” he asked from his now safe distance.
“Where am I?” She looked around, realising all too quickly that she was in the cage with them. She raised her hand pulling what seemed to be a ball of fire out of the air.
“Don’t move.” Sarah held up her hand to Val.
“Don’t you want to get out?” Val asked.
“Yes I do, but in one piece. The witch has done something to the cage. We can’t do any type of magic. If we do we get these pleasant little shocks.”
“Fine.” Val let her hand go out. “So what’s the plan? Do you have one?” She searched the empty, tired faces and realised they were in deep trouble. She sat back against the edge of the cage and started to think about what was happening to the others. Had they found her location?
“Get them in, but leave her and her out here with us.” Excariot’s voice echoed out.
“Yes master,” a woman responded. Val turned to look. To her dismay the gang was being led towards her.
Fran spotted Val first and broke free from the woman who was pulling her by the arm. “Val, you’re alive.” She ran at the cage throwing her arms through the gaps and grabbing Val. “We thought you had been killed for definite,” she sobbed.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Miss Tickle.” Val returned the complicated embrace.
“Get up!” The woman was angry that Fran had escaped and pulled her back onto her feet.
“Just do as you’re told. The cage is under a spell, so I can’t help,” Val said and Fran nodded her understanding. Then the cage door was opened and Jason, Shane, Zac and Fran were forced in. They all fell onto Val, hugging her, even Zac.
“I know you thought I was dead, thanks.” Val pulled herself in close to Shane who put one arm around her and the other around Fran.
“Well, what a cosy picture. Don’t you just look like the happy family?” Eva mocked from the other side of the bars.
“Eva, we don’t have time to play. Come and do what you need to with this thing.” Excariot threw Wendy to the ground with one hand and sent Belinda tumbling after with the other.
Wendy was still holding tight onto one of the volumes of the dellatrax. A strange looking figure who had been following her, deposited the other volumes in a pile on the floor next to her. She looked up, tears and dirt streaming down her face. When she spotted Val, the corners of her mouth lifted. “Hi,” she whispered.
“Excariot, if you harm her I swear...” Val screamed across at him.
“What? Will you kill me? Will you send me to prison? They’ve tried all that. So what are you going to do to me?” Excariot made his way to the cage.
“I will make you wish that you had never been born.” Val was up with her face pressed against the metal.
“Pathetic. Next!” he shouted at the others in with her. “No, no one’s got a better threat for me. Bored now. Let’s get this world domination started.” He walked away.
Val needed to stall him. “You can’t; you don’t have all the witches,” she called.
“We don’t need any witches. If you had taken the time to learn anything from your troubled hunter you would know that all I needed was Wendy.”
Val turned to look at him. Zac wore an expression of total confusion. “I don’t understand.” He shook his head.
“Ah yes, you’re not exactly the best catch are you, but you know that when a guard connects with his dellatrax at birth they are sorted. That those who are gifted may be trained for upper levels.”
Zac’s expression started to change, as if a very slow light bulb was starting to glow in his brain.
“So, my little hunter, Wendy here has all the makings of a Judge and you know it!” Excariot said seeming particularly pleased with himself.
“She can’t be a Judge! She’s not from Alchany,” Val called.
“Irrelevant. It’s never about where you’re from; it’s about who you are. She has spent her life perfecting her craft. She has focus and has studied the books, and she has the gift of future sight. With a little help from me and your friends here, Wendy has been able to make a connection with a completely unique dellatrax, which she will now use to rip a doorway through time and get Lailah. How does that sound?” Satisfaction written all over his face, he walked away from them.
Zac’s mouth was open like a goldfish on freeze frame. Everyone could see that Excariot was right. Wendy had spent her whole life dedicated to her people and her mission. They knew she had spent more time than anyone else studying and connecting with the dellatrax and all in theory to help Val. But it wasn’t, it had been to empower Wendy.
“Val, I could have collected up your twelve witches plus you in one night. I never needed them or you. I just needed our little friend to have enough time. And here we all are, so now the light show will begin,” he said as he reached Wendy. Eva pulled her to her feet.
“Before you do whatever it is you think you’re going to do to me, can I ask one question?” Wendy’s frail voice echoed. “Why Daniel?” The tears had now dried and mixed with dirt; she resembled one of those aborigine warriors before a battle.
“Who?” Excariot looked at her with a blank expression. All of a sudden Val realised Daniel wasn’t there. Had they done away with him?
“Why make me fall in love with a guard? Well, I’m guessing he’s a guard or a hunter because he teleported right in front of my face. So why make me fall in love? How does that help you?” Her voice was growing in strength and pain at the same time.
“What is she talking about?” Excariot looked around for Eva.
“I don’t know.” She looked just as foxed as him.
“Are you trying to mess with us?” Excariot reached down for Wendy’s thin arm and pulled her in close.
“He was at the bookshop. A red spark flashed and he was gone, just like Val.”
“What?” Excariot looked at Eva.
Zac pulled in a deep breath and grabbed Val’s arm tightly. “What’s going on?” Val whispered. “You’re hurting me.” Zac seemed uninterested in her complaints.
“That child, the one you took to the past and left with Delta, do you know who it belonged to?” Zac’s face had gone pale.
“Yes, he was Excariot’s and Eva’s child. Oh my God! Daniel is Excariot’s child. But how?” Val coul
dn’t feel the pain any more. Her head was starting to spin. “How could this have happened?”
“You told me he would die!” Excariot dragged Wendy over to Eva. “You said that there was no chance he would survive back then. You lied to me!”
“I saw it in my premonition, I swear to you,” Eva was visibly cowering now.
“I wanted that child dead and now he’s here, and he is the reason why Delta has all this power. You will pay for this, you worthless witch.” His hands struck out and Eva fell to the ground. “Now you.” He shook Wendy. “Open the time portal, before I kill your mother.” He pointed at Belinda who was on the floor. “I will deal with you later,” he spat at Eva.
Wendy looked at the others inside the cage; her eyes filling with tears once again as she picked up one of the volumes. She turned over the top cover and placed her hand on it. The holograms instantly started to skip and dance around her body. Excariot watched with great satisfaction.
Val noticed Eva was still on the ground, looking over at her. She wanted to hate her, but looking at her life, and the fact that Excariot saw her as a possession, made Val feel pity. Eva started to lift herself up and Val saw that she was chanting something. Val understood that Excariot’s outburst was going to work in their favour, that this was the straw that had broken the camel’s back. Excariot had taken it one step too far this time.
Eva’s eyes started to darken. Val tapped Shane with her foot. “I think we might just have got us a ticket out.” The same way Wendy’s eyes went white, Eva’s were now completely black. Her hand rose, moving in the direction of the lock, and then lowered again, and Val knew they were free.
Wendy was in the centre of the hanger. The book she had been holding was starting to levitate under her hands, each hologram growing in size and ferocity. They spun around her increasing in speed and velocity until Wendy was almost invisible.
Excariot watched from the sidelines, holding Belinda at bay with his foot. He looked extremely pleased with himself and Val was going to take great pleasure in removing that look.
The Turncoats (The Thirteenth Series #2) Page 24