Approaching Storm (Alternate Worlds Book 2)

by Taylor Leigh

  The orb was what drew the entity’s attention, not the blank, broken panels and it sent Sam circling it slowly. Nothing about it seems so special to her. Just a foggy ball of crystal that needed a good cleaning. Sam, trance-like, traced her hands over the smooth stone, feeling the entities controlling her breathe a sigh of relief. She was breathing one, too. After her long journey, she would be glad to be free of the whole bloody thing. Whatever happened next, it would be over soon.

  ‘All right,’ she said aloud. ‘I’m at a loss. Now what?’

  ‘Place your hand upon the orb,’ the voice instructed.

  Don’t do it, Sam. A gentle whisper tugged at the back of her mind. It wasn’t like the other voices. This was different, warm, comforting. It was the same spark of hope that she’d thought she’d lost. It was his voice. He was still there; alive. Some small bit of common sense left.

  Sam clenched her jaw and kept her arm tight by her side.

  As expected, a rocket of pain launched through her, causing her to double over with a cry. Red agony blinded her vision and Sam, despite her best efforts, felt her body struggling to comply. When her eyes opened, she could see her arm stretched lifelessly out before her, happily against her will. Enraged tears welled in her eyes. Her hand slapped over the smooth globe.

  ‘Open your mind,’ the thing boomed. ‘We shall do the rest.’

  Sam glowered at her hand, wobbling above the orb, and watched in morbid amazement as, from the jewel on the ring, a dark glow began to pulse. The pulse spread out from the ring, tracing inky red lines over her skin till it touched the surface of the orb, like the fingers of electricity. The shining ball let out an odd, almost mechanical hum, and began to flicker with a reluctant, red light.

  Sam didn’t like the noises it was making, and certainly every instinct in her begged her to run, yet she could not. She was frozen, trapped, as if the orb had slapped a restraint round her wrist.

  The orb was swallowing up the light from the ring, sucking it away with a hungry need that was leaving Sam exhausted. She didn’t know how much more she’d be able to give it till she collapsed from the fatigue. The light began to grow stronger, rippling like water as it thickened and turned red. From the walls, the broken, mechanical moan grew louder and something began to boot up. The branch gave a shudder, and then spidery branches of red light started to arch from one corner to the other, forming a growing web in the centre.

  Sam desperately tried to pull her hand back, swaying with the incredible exhaustion, not wanting the growing light to touch her. To her relief, her hand actually obeyed. Sam doubled over before it completely drained. That couldn’t possibly be it, could it?

  It reminded her of a web, and from the other side that she could hear a mounting roar of noises: desperate. The thing in the ring screeched in Sam’s head, its voice more urgent, more demanding than it had ever been. Sam felt she would be sick.

  ‘Step into the portal!’ it bellowed. ‘Take us to the other side!’

  Sam backed up, whatever control the ring had over her must have slackened with focusing on the opening. She gazed at the sticky light web in growing fear and revulsion. ‘Like hell I will…’ she trailed off.

  ‘You will!’ the voice was enraged now.

  Sam bit her bottom lip; she could feel an invading force fighting once again for control of her limbs. She was fighting a losing battle. In misery, Sam felt herself obediently step back to the red pool. The voice was growing more excited, its emotions shifting from rage to wild eagerness that sent her blood racing.

  Still, she fought.

  ‘Do it!’

  Sam stared into the portal. Something was staring back. Something so inhuman and evil it shook her knees. Sam could not stop herself, she was moving towards the thing. It shimmered beyond the static red, drifting like a shark in a tank. It was waiting for her. She gasped in spiking pain.

  The dark thing pushed against the skin of the portal, hungry, angry. The thing in Sam’s ring was responding, too, breaking free in black tendrils, struggling in inky clouds, frustrated, trapped by the glowing jewel she wore. It tugged her hand closer to the portal in desperation.

  Sam let out a whimper, unable to stop them.

  And then a hand reached out of the gloom and grabbed her wrist, just as her fingertips touched the glow. She jumped in surprise, eyes following the length of skinny arm up to the owner and was met with a dark brown gaze. ‘I wouldn’t do that if I were you,’ the Traveller said in an amused voice.

  His hand clamped round hers and she felt his fingers wind between her own. There was a flare of light and he yanked her away from the red portal, the tendrils attached to the ring writhing back. There was a snap of pain as it broke but she was moving in such a blur now her nerves didn’t give her time to respond to it.

  An enraged scream echoed in Sam’s head, but the portal was already being left far behind as the Traveller pulled her along. Sam staggered after him, too surprised to be afraid and too overjoyed to do anything else.

  ‘I can’t believe you’re actually here!’ she shouted, out of breath, stumbling behind him. ‘You’re really here!’

  ‘What do you think you’re doing?’ the Traveller cried as they ran. ‘Trying to get yourself killed?’

  ‘I was looking for you!’

  The man pulled up short. His boyish face was just as bright and familiar as the first time she’d spoken to him on the shuttle. ‘What?’

  Her heart gave a flutter. She’d been right. She’d been right all along.

  Sam opened her mouth to tell him about the ring, but a blinding pain in her head made her stagger. ‘I’ve been looking all over the city for you!’ was all she could manage. Apparently mentioning the ring was off-limits. And little wonder, after all they’d put her through.

  He blinked, then grinned. ‘Brilliant, you’ve found me! Now come on, we need to get free of here. We’ve got…ah, thirty seconds.’ He grabbed Sam’s hand, flashing her a staggeringly wonderful smile. ‘Time to run!’

  And with that he broke into a gallop, hauling Sam after him down a different hall and towards the light of the desert. Sam’s mind whirled as she stumbled after him. Her muscles were fighting in pain against her, desperately trying to pull her back, but the Traveller was a stronger force and one the creature didn’t seem keen on fighting against.

  They just reached the outside of the temple when the Traveller took a mighty leap, still holding fast to Sam’s hand, and sailed down the impressive flight of stairs with a, ‘Hang on!’

  Sam let out a cry of surprise as she fell through the air. There was a roar, and then a huge explosion of noise and heat and light hit her from behind, throwing both of them forward. Sam hit the ground hard, rolling, covering her head as the boom echoed all around her. She heard her companion let out a satisfied whoop and she pushed herself to her knees dizzily, ears ringing. She was in the desert, outside the city.

  The impressive front of the temple—which Sam could only imagine moments ago, sported large pillars, statues and a huge staircase was now nothing but a giant, smoking pile of rubble and debris. She turned round to gaze at the man in utter shock. He was staring up at his work, mouth hanging open in a look of complete satisfaction. His brown eyes darted over to hers.

  He had done this. He had destroyed the entire terrible place. People did not do this. Normal people never, ever did this.

  ‘Samantha!’ he cried, delighted, as if he had completely forgotten her existence up till this point.

  ‘W—what was that all about?’ Her head spun. The smell of smoke filled her nostrils. All of this was not possible. Simply not possible. Why seeing him in the flesh drove that point so forcefully home she wasn’t sure, but it was so.

  He ran his hands through his hair. Sam scrambled to her feet, dusting red sand from her and hurried after him. The man had begun walking across the desert, no clear destination in sight. He was talking rapidly, puzzling over what they’d just seen. ‘Now, that great black cloud you’ve awoken, what wa
s that all about? Some elemental or insubstantial Daemon I haven’t heard about yet? Could be some new form of evolution.’

  ‘Oi!’ Sam cried. ‘Where are you going?’

  She bit her tongue when she realised he was too distracted to acknowledge her. She immediately wanted to ask him about her ring, but the entity inside of her twisted tightly, threateningly. It was enraged from being pushed back into the ring, furious it had been interrupted with whatever it was trying to do, and it was defensively on guard now.

  ‘Keep your mouth shut! Your body and will are ours, with or without the Traveller. You wouldn’t want anything unfortunate to happen because of your stupidity. Think of your father…’

  The horror of the suggestion made Sam stop dead. She couldn’t mention it to him. As desperately as she wanted to, her mouth couldn’t form the words. Perhaps…perhaps it was possible to gain his help without telling him directly. If he’d only bloody look at her!

  ‘Look, this might be completely mental, but I have to know. I’ve been looking for you everywhere. I know who you are. I didn’t understand at first, but now I do. You…You’re the Traveller, aren’t you?’

  He stopped dead and turned round to her, eyebrows furrowed. His sharp gaze was a little disconcerting. Despite the warning pain inside of her, Sam couldn’t tear her eyes from his. She didn’t want to. There was an ache she felt as she looked at him. He was real and wonderful and so much more than she could have imagined. A little pain seemed a small price to pay for being with this impossible man now. She knew she was right. Still, he didn’t acknowledge it.

  ‘Please, just tell me!’ Sam said, crossing her arms to hide the tremble.

  He was watching her closely, carefully, expression unfathomable. ‘Tell you what?’ His voice was not as it had been before. It was low and dark.

  Sam swallowed. ‘That I’m not crazy.’

  She watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed, mulling over her words. ‘You’re not crazy.’

  His steady tone carried over to his features. The sincerity of it left no room for doubt. She felt a wave of relief crash through her. Not because she knew that she wasn’t going mad, but because she had been desperately hoping he was real. And he was. More than that, standing right before her. He’d just saved her life.

  ‘You’re really the Traveller?’ she couldn’t keep the waver from her voice.

  The man scratched his chin. ‘Yeah,’ he said heavily. ‘I’m afraid so.’ He started to turn away, yet swung back around just as suddenly, growing much more excited. ‘What are you doing out here, anyhow? Bit hard to get out of the city unless you know the way and a newcomer like you certainly would not. I would say most people in general certainly would not! And why so desperate to find me?’

  Sam didn’t know how to answer. Telling him that she’d been drawn, pulled by some compelling force she didn’t understand would come across as completely mental. He’d been her only hope through her entire ordeal. But to him, her desperation to find him, and her relief once she had, was completely uncalled for without telling him about everything else. Completely pointless. For if he didn’t know, how could he help?

  ‘I dunno,’ she said for loss of a better explanation. ‘I just had to find you. Please.’ She stared at him, trying to convey with her eyes that something was wrong. Her insides constricted with pain. Please, please, please just notice it. Her hands slid behind her back and clasped together tightly against her will. Sam widened her eyes as she watched him, willing him to catch on. He gave no sign.

  She struggled for words. Some hint. ‘I’ve seen you everywhere I’ve gone and I just can’t help but feel that there was a reason for it. There’s a reason I see you everywhere I go. A reason I know who you are. I figured it out, all on my own. And…whatever you’re searching for…I want to help.’

  Please, please, please catch on to what I’m saying. PLEASE!

  The Traveller gave her an onceover glance with those dark eyes. It was a piercing look, and it made Sam feel exposed. Her spine straightened in indignation. Sam normally didn’t approve of such things—having a bloke evaluate her body was definitely not something she took kindly to, but his stare…it was somehow different. It was like the Traveller was looking through her, not at her. His eyes were sharp and intelligent. Disarming. Sam didn’t think she’d be able to hide anything from him even if she wanted to.

  Suddenly, crushingly, the whole situation made her feel embarrassed. She could almost imagine what he was thinking. What the hell did she think she was doing? Here he was, the Traveller, a man of myth, fighting evil and living a life she could only dream of, and she actually thought she could—what, exactly? Tag along? Find out what he was all about? It sounded ridiculous.

  But…he’d approached her first.

  And that, to Sam, made all the difference in the world.

  Apparently to the Traveller, it did not. For his gaze grew distant and he said rather flatly, ‘No.’

  Sam blinked in surprise, reality crashing back around her. ‘What? How can you say that? You’re the one who encouraged me to find adventure!’

  He frowned, clearly not taking kindly to her protest. ‘I’m sorry, Samantha. Not with me.’ He glanced back at the smouldering ruins of the temple. He said it all with terrible finality, but gently. He’d said these words before, to others. Those were well practiced.

  Sam bit her bottom lip, trying to fight away the tears forming in her eyes. To be turned away like this was crushing. She had found herself saying out loud what she hadn’t been able to stop thinking and she felt ashamed. ‘But,’ she managed weakly, ‘I need you.’

  He swallowed again, brown eyes compassionate. ‘I’m sorry, I really am.’ He smiled gently. ‘You’re very brave and I’m impressed, but I can’t take you with me. Go back home, Sam. Certain nasty people will be here soon and I’d rather we were not here to explain it.’

  She felt ill. ‘Traveller—’

  He dug in his pocket and tossed a small remote to her. ‘When you get to the energy barrier just press the centre button, it’ll disrupt it long enough to get you inside. It will only work once, however. One time trip, I’m afraid. No more midnight escapades to haunted temples on your own.’

  Sam stared down at it, feeling numb, defeated. She looked back up at him.

  ‘I’m impressed that you were able to figure who I am. Not many do. But you have to forget about me now. Go back home, back to your life. Forget we ever met, forget any of this happened. You’ll be better off if you do.’ He turned away, walking back towards the open desert. ‘Good luck, Sam.’

  She watched him go, sucking in her lips in a desperate fight to keep from crying. In her mind, the voice was rejoicing. Mocking. It had won and it knew it.

  In defeat, Samantha Turner turned her back on her saviour to trudge back towards the city and the new hell she’d have to live with.

  Chapter Seven

  Avery Roth groaned and lifted his head from the desk. The computer console in front of him was flickering patiently. He groped for his glasses and blinked several times at the screen as it came into focus. He read over the information once. Then read it again as a smile pulled at his lips; he hadn’t seen readings like this in twenty years.

  Roth was a solitary, Scottorian man in his late thirties and smart. He wasn’t exactly likeable, but he was what kept the entire agency going, and all his associates at ALRA knew it.

  Though, for someone like him, his line of work was perfect. Working for the ALRA, or Artefact Location and Retrieval Agency, was usually a dull, monotonous line of work. It involved loads of research, studying, digging and waiting, and Roth had been in the work for most of his adult life.

  He’d been fascinated with the archaic artefacts and ruins of Scrabia since he was a small boy. As soon as he’d entered school, he’d enrolled in as many classes that taught on the subject that were available. After acing all his tests, he was teaching the classes before most of his peers were out of school. Being as knowledgeable as he was, i
t wasn’t long before certain important people on Scrabia took an interest in him. By the time he was seventeen he had been offered a job cataloguing which eventually led to him working for the secret organisation of ALRA, and he’d been there ever since.

  To the few who knew, they were nothing more than a dull group of historians, dusting off clay pots and scribbling on labels for catalogues and future museums that would never be built. Amongst themselves, they were the Myrmidons. The Followers. And they had been around for centuries. Marred all through history, to be resurrected with his arrival. Roth had been fascinated with them, and thanks to him, he was bringing the cult back.

  And they weren’t simply looking for dusty, broken pots. Their interests were more concentrated than that. They wanted to know the meaning behind the dark writings on those broken pieces of pottery about the dark gods.

  One object in particular they were feverishly hunting for was a small, powerful stone, part of a set. Sister stones written about on the walls of ancient Denizen caverns. The engravings told of a time when the stars would align and bring objects’ power to its greatest, and the time was now looming before them. One, they had, and they had made great strides with the experiments they’d done. Oh, what Roth would give to leave this dust bowl and work at the Scottorian base, where all those wonderful tests were happening. Instead he was trapped here, searching tirelessly for that little object.

  So, every city on Scrabia was being monitored, and the government was none the wiser. Now, after twenty years a city had finally registered. The city of Layers. It had to be the artefact.