Forsake

by Andrea Pearson

Nicole nodded. “Yeah. I still feel bad doing it. Even though I know it will save Lizzie’s life, I did not enjoy drugging her. I’m never doing that again, if I can help it.”

  Alexander chuckled. “I hope you won’t have to.”

  Nicole watched out the window as they took off. “Is this plane big enough to fly all the way to Germany on one tank?”

  “No. We’ll have to touch down somewhere on the East Coast to fill up. But even so, it won’t take us as long as a commercial flight.”

  They fell into a comfortable silence, and Nicole relaxed, dozing off and on during the flight to the East Coast. She tried to figure out where they landed, but the pilot didn’t announce their location, and she didn’t recognize the runway through the window. Once they started to cross the ocean, she finally fell into a deep sleep.

  They landed at just after seven p.m. in Frankfurt. Nicole rubbed her eyes, unable to believe that she was yet again in Europe. She’d been going back and forth so much across the different time zones that she felt she’d probably never recover from jet lag.

  Alexander arranged to have everything ready for them. The stewardess wished them luck and pointed them to the car that was already on the tarmac. Alexander was able to walk on his own, but Nicole could tell that he was still tired. She hoped Conor was doing much worse.

  Once they were inside the car and Alexander had started the engine, he turned to Nicole, saying, “The man we’re seeking is a powerful magician. He’s been alive for thousands of years, taking on different physical appearances and names throughout history.”

  “Would I recognize any of them?”

  “Probably. Paracelsus, da Vinci, Einstein—all the same man. There are other names he went by, but those are his most famous.”

  Einstein was a magician? Holy cow! “Didn’t Paracelsus and da Vinci live around the same time?” Nicole asked.

  Alexander glanced at her, pulling onto the street, eyebrow raised. “He’s a magician, Nicole.” He acted as if that should explain everything.

  She raised her own eyebrow back at him, but chose not to respond. She supposed if somebody was a magician and could manipulate time and other things, the fact that he taken on two different identities at the same time probably wasn’t that big a deal.

  “So, tell me more about this guy,” she said.

  “One of his greatest gifts is the ability to borrow specialized magic from other people. He’ll be borrowing your power to seal items, permanently hiding the prophecy about Lizzie until she’s ready for it.” He glanced at the things Nicole had brought. “Where did you choose to hide it?”

  “I stuck it inside my music box, intending to find a better place later, but later never happened. I brought it with me.”

  Alexander didn’t seem to think that was weird. “Well, if he likes it, he’ll help you seal the chip there.” He focused on driving for a moment, then said, “Once he’s finished with that, we’ll have him activate the effigy for Lizzie.”

  “What if the hounds come first?”

  “We run and hide. If this chip wasn’t more important right now, and if it wasn’t also drawing the hounds, we would start the effigy running first. But the hounds are drawn to the chip, not just Lizzie’s essence. They are seeking it. Once all other distractions have been taken care of, they’ll sense the effigy and will be ready to follow it.”

  Nicole’s thoughts turned back to the magician. “What’s his real name?”

  “Nobody knows. He chooses what he goes by each time he visits, and it changes frequently. From what I understand, he doesn’t have a current role on earth.”

  Nicole nodded, pondering over what they had discussed so far. “So, he lives in this castle we’re heading to?”

  “It’s one of his, well, tethers to earth. Most of them are in Europe. I chose the one that would be most safe from the hounds.”

  “How do we bring him to us?” Nicole asked.

  “It gets a bit complicated. We have to find a pentagram that has been etched into stone in the castle. It can be of any size, and there might be more than one. We have to find his. Once we find it, I’ll speak the proper words.”

  “How do we find the pentagram? Do you have any clues as to its location, any pointers or anything?”

  Alexander shook his head. “The only thing I know is that it can only be found by an Arete.”

  Nicole’s eyes widened. “Are you serious? I can’t even use my magic! How am I supposed to find a pentagram using powers I don’t know how to use?”

  “From what I understand, you just have to be able to sense the magical pulse that the pentagram emits.”

  Nicole snorted. “Right. I can barely sense magical pulses at all, let alone know where one is coming from.”

  “Well, I guess you’re about to figure it out.” Alexander said it like he was irritated or frustrated at Nicole’s lack of experience.

  Nicole rolled her eyes to herself. Why would he be annoyed? He knew she couldn’t use her powers. He told her she wouldn’t be able to for months still. She ground her teeth, staring out the window as the greenery and quaint villages flew by. She couldn’t wait for this whole ordeal to be over, when she no longer held so much responsibility. Obviously, she loved that she was able to help protect her best friend. But this was—and had been—ridiculous.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Alexander grunted. “Anyway, once we get the music box figured out, the magician will be able to work on the effigy.”

  Nicole wasn’t quite ready to talk again, so she didn’t answer.

  The rest of the ride was silent, and they finally arrived at the castle in a city of the same name. It was almost nine p.m., and clouds covered the sky, making it difficult to see. There were a few streetlights here and there, but once Alexander and Nicole had parked and gotten out of the car, they couldn’t see much of anything.

  After getting Nicole’s things, they started up the hill toward the castle. Neither of them were surprised to find it was closed to visitors.

  Nicole looked at Alexander. “Now what?”

  “We break in.”

  She blinked. “You’re serious? How?”

  Alexander looked at her. “You’re an Arete. You tell me.”

  Nicole threw up her hands. “Stop putting everything on my shoulders! You’re the one who told me I wouldn’t be able to use my powers for several more months. You can’t expect me to know exactly what to do now.”

  Alexander looked like he was about to argue with her, but instead, he visibly relaxed, passing a hand across his eyes. “I know. I’m sorry. You’re right. You can’t force your powers to come—like I said, they won’t be ready for several months. The pressure around you hasn’t built up enough.” He looked at Nicole. “But we do need to get into the castle. I’m open for any ideas.”

  Nicole closed her eyes for several moments, breathing deeply to calm down. Alexander had made the first move in apologizing—she appreciated that—and now it was her turn. She took a step back from the gate and looked up at it. Everywhere the metal ended, it was met by stone. She and Alexander wouldn’t be able to climb over it or break through it.

  She took a step farther back and looked left and right, studying the castle. The huge stone walls were impenetrable. Then she spotted a guard coming toward them, making his rounds. She glanced at Alexander. “I’ll do the talking—I have an idea.”

  Alexander looked over, saw the guard, and sent a doubtful expression to Nicole. “You expect him to let us in?”

  Nicole didn’t respond. The guard was too close, and she didn’t want him to feel uncomfortable. “Hi,” she said as he neared.

  The guard obviously had been aware of their presence, and he slowed, standing five paces away.

  “What can I do for you?” His accent was German, but not too thick. “The castle’s closed—we won’t open until the morning.”

  Nicole nodded. “I know, but we can’t wait until the morning. We need access tonight—it’s very urgent.”

  The gu
ard shook his head. “I can’t help you. Visiting hours are over—you have to return tomorrow.”

  Nicole bit her lip. What he said was expected, but it still wasn’t easy to hear. She decided to fling everything at him. “This is clichéd, I know, but it’s a matter of life or death. We have to stop something that is been set in motion by powerful beings that aren’t from this planet.”

  She knew she was taking a risk by bringing up other creatures, especially when she herself hadn’t even known they existed before the last week, but maybe it would help him understand the stakes. And if he did end up letting them in, he would most likely accompany them, which meant he would see upsetting things. She wanted him to be somewhat prepared.

  “I promise, no harm will come to the castle.” It was a promise Nicole wasn’t sure she could keep, but she did know they’d do their absolute best to make things right again if any damage was done. “It won’t take more than an hour, and we’ll be out as quickly as possible.” She had another idea and pulled her backpack down, taking out the rest of the wad of cash she’d removed from her father’s safe. She flipped through it, then handed all of it to him. “That’s over ten thousand dollars. It’s American money, but you could convert it into euros.”

  The guard stared at the wad, an unsure expression on his face. He looked up at her. “I work for the government. If they found out, I would be destroyed. I have a small family—two little kids. Can you absolutely promise that no harm will be done to the castle? I love my job here.”

  Nicole turned to Alexander. He looked slightly annoyed. She wasn’t sure if he didn’t like the promises she was making or if he didn’t like her method of getting into the castle. Maybe it was both.

  He took a breath, closed his eyes, then turned to the guard. “What she says is true. We must gain access to the castle—we will be calling somebody powerful to help us, and he’ll save thousands of lives. If any harm comes to the castle, he will have the power to make restitution. I give you my word.”

  The guard looked at back and forth between the two of them. He hesitated a moment longer, then studied the cash in his hand. He thumbed through it before saying, “If you keep your promise, I will return half this money at the end.”

  “You don’t need to give any back—it’s my father’s, and he has plenty of it.” Nicole wished she hadn’t said the words as soon as they slipped through her mouth. What if the man asked for more? But it was too late—she’d already made the promise.

  He shook his head. “That won’t be necessary. All I expect is for you to allow me to remain with you the entire time you’re here. I will escort you in and I will escort you out. It goes without saying that if I perish this evening, you will be held responsible.” He pointed up at a camera above them. “I have my insurance there.”

  Nicole didn’t think it was important to let him know that the camera had also seen him accept a bribe. If he did die, though, she was sure that she and Alexander would be held responsible. “It’s a deal.”

  The guard nodded, then turned and unlocked the gate, taking them inside. He opened the door to a small closet that held supplies, and looking over his shoulder, he asked, “Do you have any torches?”

  Nicole shook her head. “They’d come in handy if you had some.”

  The guard pulled out several flashlights, passing one to Nicole, one to Alexander, and keeping one for himself.

  Nicole turned to the older man. “What now?”

  Alexander nodded at her. “It’s your turn. I’m not an Arete. The pentagram omits a slight magical pulse, as I told you. We need to find that and go from there.”

  The guard stared at Nicole, an expression of surprise and fear on his face. “You’re . . . you’re . . . an Arete?” he asked.

  Nicole glanced at her feet, her face burning. “Well, yes. But I can’t do magic yet.”

  The guard looked relieved, then probably realized she could tell what he was thinking and quickly wiped the expression from his face.

  Nicole shoved her hands in her back pocket, pushing aside his reaction and looking over the inner courtyard of the castle. It was beautiful, even in the emerging moonlight. The grass was green and well-trimmed, the stone dark and imposing, jutting up into the inky sky. She could almost feel the people who’d lived here before. Given her experience at the abandoned manor, she looked around, half expecting to see spirits. But they were alone.

  She motioned to the right side of the courtyard. “Let’s start there.”

  Alexander nodded, and she led the way to the far wall. Once there, she trailed one hand on the stone of the wall, pushing outward with whatever magical sense she had recognized in herself over the past few days. She wasn’t sure she was doing it right.

  Hoping the pentagram wasn’t up higher, Nicole focused her attention and energies on everything that was within arm’s reach. She and the two men followed the wall around the first of two towers, then entered the tower and searched it. It took twenty minutes to get up and down, with Nicole pushing outward the whole time. She really hoped the pentagram would call or pulse for her. And if it didn’t? Was she leading them around like an idiot?

  Realizing those thoughts wouldn’t get her anywhere, Nicole shoved them away and put her energies on the task at hand.

  After they’d finished the interior of the tower, they did the exterior, then continued searching the outer wall. They entered a sort of chamber area now filled with dirt and grass, and the guard explained that this had been the castle’s great hall. They’d gone maybe thirty feet when Nicole sensed a slight pulsing. She glanced at Alexander.

  “Is that the hounds?”

  He shook his head. “I can’t sense anything. You must have found the pentagram.”

  The two men directed their flashlights to the wall near her. Nicole closed her eyes, trying to pinpoint the exact location of the magical pulses, but was unable to.

  “It’s somewhere around here—that’s all I know.”

  They started searching the stone, looking for anything that might be a pentagram, whether small or big. After several moments, the guard whooped. “I think I found it.” He pointed at a spot Nicole had already been over. The pentagram shape wasn’t noticeable until you were looking at it directly, then it seemed very obvious. It was about as big as the tip of her pinky.

  She frowned, folding her arms. “Wouldn’t it have deteriorated more than that over the years?”

  Alexander examined the near-perfect etching. “Not necessarily. It was created with magic, which means it could have always been like this.” He glanced at her. “Can you tell if this is where the pulse is coming from?”

  Nicole shook her head. She could still sense the power, but not where it originated.

  Alexander got on his knees by the waist-high pentagram and put his hand by it. “There’s only one way to find out if this is it,” he said. He paused, glancing at the others. “I would step back if I were you. No telling what will happen once I summon him.”

  Nicole and the guard obeyed, neither of them wanting to get injured. Alexander held his hands underneath the pentagram in a cupping shape. He began mumbling words and phrases under his breath that Nicole couldn’t understand.

  After he chanted for a while, the pentagram began glowing.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Nicole gasped, and the guard dropped his flashlight. No one said anything, though, and Alexander continued, eyes shut, mumbling.

  The pentagram glowed even brighter and a dark liquid started dripping from the etching. The liquid began glowing until it was brighter than the pentagram itself. It was red in color, like lava. It dripped into Alexander’s hands. He opened his eyes, then closed them and continued chanting.

  The liquid came faster and faster. The stuff began swelling and taking on weird shapes in Alexander’s hands. After several moments, the pentagram dimmed, and liquid stopped seeping from it. At that point, Alexander had a ton of liquid swelling in his hands.

  The mass continued growing until it was t
oo big for Alexander to hold anymore. He set it on the grass, taking several steps away. As the three of them watched, it stretched and stretched, legs, hands, and a head forming. And then the humanoid thing got to its hands and knees, shaking itself, then staggered to its feet. Hair sprouted on the head, and a beard grew on what was now a face with eyes, nose, and ears forming. A hole appeared below the nose, deepening until there was a tongue and teeth.

  Nicole was too disgusted and fascinated to do anything, even though a part of her was screaming at her to run.

  Only a few minutes after the liquid began shaping itself, the redness faded and an old man stood before them, wearing a simple toga. He looked around, his eyes grazing over Nicole, Alexander, and the guard before turning heavenward. He studied the skies, nodding, muttering. Nicole thought she recognized star formations in the words he was saying. She was surprised to see that all of the clouds had receded.

  The man looked at Alexander. “Hello, Alexander. It’s been a long time.”

  Alexander nodded, then stepped forward with his hand outstretched. “It’s nice to see you again, Magician.”

  The magician shook his hand and chuckled. “Please don’t call me that. I’m tired of that nickname.”

  “What would you have us call you?”

  He rubbed his chin, his eyes roaming the inner courtyard of the castle. “Well, seeing as how we are in Germany, you can call me Deutsche Mann.”

  The guard scoffed. “I’m the Deutsche Mann. Choose something else.”

  Nicole raised her eyebrows, surprised the guard had the courage to say anything at all. Maybe he didn’t have a lot of common sense.

  The magician didn’t appear to be offended, though. “Very well. How about . . . no, that won’t work . . . We could go with . . . Okay, fine. Just call me Chuck.”

  Was he serious? “Chuck?”

  Chuck looked at Nicole, and his eyes widened as he stared at her. “A guardian of Shonlin. I’m honored.”

  Nicole felt her face heating up. She wished she understood what her role meant. “Not yet—Alexander says it will come later.”