by Donna Grant
“Stay with me,” Mina said as she rode beside Elle.
Elle nodded, her throat unable to make a sound as the harpies flew towards them.
The clank of their wings as they grew closer drowned out the sound of the horses’ hooves as they rode through the bailey and out the gates.
Elle glanced over her shoulder to see the gates closing behind them. At least the people of Stone Crest would be safe, she thought.
Her horse veered to the left as she struggled to hang on. The oak trees where the rope was strung were only a short distance ahead. They could make it. They had to make it.
A man’s terrified scream sounded around them.
Elle glanced back to see one of the harpies had taken a knight off his horse and tore him limb from limb. She choked on her bile and turned to lower herself over the A KIND OF MAGIC
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mare’s neck.
Snow had been falling all day, but the flurries grew larger and heavier, obscuring Elle’s view. She kept Mina in her sights at all times, and a glance to her right showed her Val stayed with her. His horse could easily outrun hers, but he held back, protecting her.
And then she saw them.
She could just make out the giant oaks through the blinding snow. Their small group plunged their horses through the two trees.
* * * *
“Take me back. Now,” Roderick demanded.
Aimery raised his nearly blonde brows. “You are on Thales. Do you not wish to see your father?”
Roderick sighed. “More than anything.”
“You are here, Roderick. See your father.”
But Roderick didn’t budge. “The harpies attacked as we left. I must return.”
For several moments Aimery didn’t speak. “You realize, that if you leave now, there is a chance you might never see your father again.”
“I knew that chance when I left Thales all those years ago. ‘Tis the chance I must take again.”
“All right,” Aimery agreed and started to reach for Roderick.
“Wait,” Roderick stopped him. “I would ask for one thing.”
“Ask. If ‘tis in my power, I will give it.”
Roderick turned his head to look at his beloved city, the home he yearned to return to. “Go to my father. Explain to him why I couldn’t be with him.”
“Is that all?” Aimery asked. “Isn’t there more you would like him to know?”
“Aye,” Roderick nodded sadly. “If he won’t last until I can return … tell him for me.”
“Consider it done,” Aimery said and gave him a sad smile.
Roderick blinked and found himself once again on Earth. He looked around the stables and recognized Stone Crest. “Thank you, Aimery,” he said as he vaulted onto the white stallion. “Ride,” he whispered as he rushed from the stables.
Only to find the gates being shut.
“Open them,” he shouted. “Now! Open them.”
They heard him just before he reached the gates and gave him room enough to ride through. As the stallion’s hooves thundered over the snow covered ground, he heard the boom as the gates closed and locked.
Up ahead, he saw the three harpies flying over the trees of the forest, as if deciding if they should venture down or not. Finally, they swooped down, and Roderick lost them in the trees.
But he knew where they were headed.
The
oaks.
He leaned low over the stallion’s neck, and the horse increased his pace, nearly flying over the ground. And all the while Roderick prayed he reached Elle in time.
* * * *
Elle raced through the two oak trees and didn’t turn around until she heard one of A KIND OF MAGIC
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their screams. Hugh and Mina slowed to look, but she and Val continued on. Elle glanced over her shoulder and saw one of the harpies had fallen for their trick.
And by the screams of rage resonating above them, she knew her terror had just begun.
“Ride,” Val yelled over the drone of the horses’ hooves.
She followed him down the narrow trail to the monastery, her breath burning like ice in her throat. Her heart beat like a drum as her stomach ran with the acid of fear. She wanted to look and see if the remaining two harpies had been separated, but mind numbing fear kept her head straight.
And then, just up ahead through the snow laden branches, she saw it. The monastery.
Val never slowed as he thundered through the low, crumbling gates of the monastery. Elle ducked just in time to keep her head from being removed from her body as she passed through the stone gate.
“Jump,” Val said over his shoulder as they reached the door.
Elle might have gained some confidence from riding, but there was no way she could jump off a moving horse and not break something. She watched in horror as Val did just that and rolled to his feet. Mere seconds was given to her to make a decision.
“Elle. Now,” Val said from the doorway.
He glanced over her, and Elle knew. At least one of the harpies had followed them.
Kicking free of the stirrups, Elle tried to mimic Val’s jump but only managed to get her legs tangled in her skirts and fall in a heap on the ground. At least there was snow to break her fall.
One of the back hooves of her mare grazed her temple as she landed, but she shook off the injury and scrambled to her feet. Val’s hands closed over her arms as he hauled her into the monastery.
“Do you remember the plan?” he asked as he raised his halberd.
Elle stared in horror at the weapons hanging from her saddle.
“What is it?”
“My bow. It’s still attached to my saddle.”
Val cursed. “Wait here,” he told her and slipped out of the monastery.
Elle tried to catch him, but he was out the door before she had even lifted her hand. Luckily for them, her mare had stopped almost immediately after she had fallen.
How Val made it to the mare and back without being attacked, Elle would never know.
He handed her the weapon, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you,” she whispered and stepped back.
His cocky smile nearly brought a laugh from her. “Any time.” Then the smile dropped as a harpy scream reached them. “Do you remember the plan?” he asked again.
She nodded.
“Good. Keep to the plan, Elle. Everything will be fine.”
But she knew it wouldn’t. Roderick wasn’t there. His departure made ragged gnashes on her soul so deep she couldn’t even think about it without bursting into tears, and tears would do her no good now.
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First, she had to live through the harpy attack, then she would face the hollow in her chest.
Her feet stumbled several times over the fallen stones and bookshelves that littered the main room. Even in her haze of fear and glum she managed to recall where the door was that led down to the lower rooms. Through the cold she could smell the mold and mildew from long decades of unuse. She pushed away her growing panic of being alone in the dark of the lower level and grabbed the torch they had made for her.
After several attempts, she managed to light the torch and held it high overhead.
Long, silent shadows met her gaze.
“You’re being silly,” she said to herself and took her first step into the narrow hallway.
* * * *
Roderick heard the startled screams of the harpies and smiled. Elle’s plan must have worked, but just as they expected, the other two hadn’t fallen for the trick.
His eyes darted up to see two of the harpies circling over the trees just as he reached the forest. He tried to keep his eyes on them as he rode, but the snow and trees hindered his view. He reached the fallen harpy and nearly choked on the rancid smell of evil. His stallion pranced and tried to turn away, but he was trained well, and with Roder
ick’s expert handling, the stallion calmed, though his withers twitched to be away.
Roderick didn’t take long to scout the area, but enough time that he saw where Hugh and Mina had nearly stopped and two other horses rode past.
“Elle and Val,” he whispered and looked in the direction of the harpy.
The creatures had grown silent, and even in the stillness of the day, he could barely hear their wings beating. He wished he knew if the second part of their plan had succeeded.
He turned his horse toward the monastery and urged him forward. The stallion lurched into a run, as if sensing Roderick’s urgency. In his mind’s eye he could see Elle’s expression of surprise and anger at his leaving. And she had every right to be. He had given his word he wouldn’t leave her, but he had hoped, nay prayed, that he could go to his father and return before the harpies attacked.
Inwardly, he cringed as he wondered what Elle thought of him now. But he would make it up to her, and explain everything. It was time she knew his dark secret, the secret that had sent him running like a coward from Thales and his beloved family.
Finally, he reached the monastery and spotted Elle’s mare. He raised his eyes and scanned the skies but saw no trace of a harpy, nor heard her.
Which wasn’t a good sign.
He kicked free of the stirrups and pulled back on the reins. The stallion slid to a halt as Roderick landed on his feet.
“Hide,” he whispered to the stallion and slapped him on the rump.
Roderick spared the animal just a glance to make sure he would indeed find a place to hide, and thankfully, Elle’s mare followed him.
He stepped into the monastery and wrinkled his nose at the scent of evil. The harpy was here but where? He knew Val and Elle would stick to the original plan unless something had gone terribly wrong. Silently, Roderick unstrapped his flail, the weight of A KIND OF MAGIC
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the spiked balls tugging at his hand. He yearned to use it on the harpy, to feel the spikes sink into its skin.
With a skill long learned, he picked his way through the large chamber, never making a sound. Not even the chain from his flail clinked as he walked. It was as if he were a spirit, and what better way to sneak up on evil than a spirit? His heart urged him to follow the stairs below to let Elle know he was here, but his head told him to go to his arranged spot and carry out the third part of the plan.
With his back to the stones, Roderick climbed the stairs as if he had all the time in the world, all the while listening for any hint of sound from a harpy or anything else. Just as he stepped onto the landing of the third floor, a soft sound reached him. He ducked to the right as a weapon came at him.
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Chapter Thirty
Elle’s skin began to crawl, but she told herself that it was her imagination running away with her. The harpies were outside. Val would take care of them. All she had to do was stay safe until someone came for her.
She could do that. It was easy. Or, at least, it should be easy. But she had never liked being alone in scary situations, which is why she never watched horror or thriller shows. She was much more comfortable with a drama or a comedy.
“Buck up, Elle,” she told herself and took a deep breath.
She came to the designated room and opened the door. It creaked once, but otherwise was quiet. As far up as Val and the harpy were, she was sure they hadn’t heard that small sound.
After she shut the door behind her, she turned around.
Only to find she wasn’t alone.
* * * *
Roderick ducked just in time to miss being speared by Val’s halberd.
Neither man made a sound as they gawked at each other. Val hastily lowered his weapon and held out his hand. Roderick accepted it and gave a nod to let Val know everything was all right.
Val pointed upwards, and Roderick followed his finger. He signed. Somehow he had known the harpy wouldn’t willingly come inside the monastery. Not because it was a holy place, but because the creature was no a fool. He held his hand for Val to stay in place, then hurried up the stairs to the roof. As he opened the door, he spotted the harpy leaning against the bell tower as if bored.
She perked up at seeing him.
“Ah. My favorite. I had hoped I would see you again,” Kaleno purred as she took a step toward him.
Roderick glared at the black-haired harpy. “I don’t suppose I could talk you into leaving?”
She shook her head. “Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t. You know that. ‘Tis the rules.”
“Then let us begin,” he said and braced his feet apart, his weight evenly distributed.
Just as she attacked he fell backwards and rolled away from her. Kaleno stood in the doorway and eyed him as if she wanted to devour him.
“If you want me, come and get me,” Roderick taunted and ran down the stairs.
* * * *
Elle couldn’t stop the scream that erupted from her. She fell back against the door and eyed Alex.
“Surprised to see me?” he asked, his arms folded over his chest. “I knew they A KIND OF MAGIC
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would bring you here. So very typical. Anything to save an innocent life.”
“Something you wouldn’t understand,” she couldn’t help saying.
He shrugged. “I don’t pretend to. Power has always been my game, Elle. You can have part of that power. It’s a heady thing.”
“I’ll
pass,
thanks.”
He cackled as he pushed away from the wall. “You were never as smart as you pretended to be. Let me put it another way.” The smile vanished as his lips raised in a sneer. “Join me or die.”
She rolled her eyes, feigning courage. “Now that’s not very original. How many movies and TV shows was that in?”
As soon as the words left her mouth she knew she had pushed Alex too far. In two strides he was before her, a knife at her throat.
“I don’t have to be original. I’m the one with the power.” He stared down at her.
“Do you want to live?”
She nodded, hating the feel of the steel against her throat.
“On your knees then.”
He removed the knife, and she slowly sank to her knees. To her astonishment, he rubbed the bulge between his legs.
“I don’t know why I have wanted a taste of you, but I always have. Even from that first day I met you. Now, I think its time you showed me how much you want to continue living,” he said and began to unzip his blue jeans.
Bile rose in her throat. Before he could free himself from his pants, Elle rose up on her feet the same time she elbowed him in the groin. Without looking back, she flung open the door and raced down the darkened hallway.
* * * *
Roderick stopped on the third level, Val still in the shadows, and waited. Kaleno didn’t keep him waiting long as she flew toward him.
“Running from me already?” she asked sweetly as she flexed her massive claws.
Roderick shrugged. “I like to stay conditioned.”
She smiled. “I really am going to hate killing you.”
Just then Roderick heard a very human howl of rage and pain. He looked over his shoulder and spotted Elle running up from the lower level. When Roderick turned back around, he saw Kaleno had also spotted Elle.
“Leave her be,” he warned the harpy. “You want me. Remember?”
Kaleno licked her red lips. “Oh, I want you, Thalean. But my orders were clear.”
When the harpy tried to fly down to Elle, both Roderick and Val attacked.
Roderick swung the flail over his head before burying it in Kaleno’s back. She howled in rage yet yanked free.
Val speared her through the leg with his halberd, but again, she quickly pulled free and flew away from them. Roderick saw Elle look up and spot the harpy.
“Run,” he
yelled at her, but she couldn’t hear him over the loud beating of Kaleno’s wings.
With Val at his back, Roderick raced down the stairs in an attempt to reach Elle in time. Just as he reached the last step, he saw Alex hobble from the stairs that led to the A KIND OF MAGIC
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lower level. He held his groin, which made Roderick smile.
He and Val stood in front of the exit, their weapons poised and ready. When Kaleno moved, he caught Elle’s gaze and wished he could dispel the fear he saw cloud them. Suddenly, Alex had a knife at Elle’s throat as he pressed her back against him and spoke to the harpy. Kaleno had finally stopped beating her wings, but by that time Alex had finished speaking.