T*Witches 3: Seeing Is Deceiving

by H. B. Gilmour

  “My role?” Beth asked nervously. “Of service? What are you talking about?”

  “They used you,” Alex spat out bitterly, “to get to me.”

  Beth’s dark eyes flashed angrily — at Alex. “The apple never falls far from the twin tree. At the core, you both think everything’s about you!”

  Shane slipped his arm around Beth’s waist and began to lead her toward the door.

  Thantos boomed, “You are correct. She has fulfilled her role. Now dispose of her.”

  Alex’s heart began to pound.

  Beth’s knees buckled. She would have fallen, had Shane not been holding her.

  Shane was stunned. “What?”

  “What part of ‘dispose of her’ don’t you understand?” Thantos said matter-of-factly. “Knock her out with the prescribed herbs, take her somewhere, and dispose of her. It’s quite simple, really. Quite doable, as you young people say.”

  Shane turned ashen. “With all due respect, my lord, you never said anything about that. She’s an innocent bystander. She’s nothing to you.”

  “Exactly! She’s served her purpose. She brought Aron’s daughter to me. I don’t need her anymore.”

  Alex frantically looked around the room. The plant! She closed her eyes — but Fredo grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her around. “Don’t even think about it, little niece,” he warned. “Your kiddie-pool powers are no match for us. You’re playing in the grown-up pool now. The deep end — and you can’t swim.”

  Beth’s body began to wrack with sobs. Alex threw Fredo’s hands off her and dashed over, positioning herself between the frightened girl and Thantos. “Let her go. It’s me you want.”

  Thantos’s thick eyebrows went up. “How selfless.”

  “I mean it,” Alex declared. “Spare her, take me.”

  The hulking warlock shot her a twisted smile. “Maybe I will — but it’s not you alone I want.” And then he winked!

  “Never!” Alex fought to not think the words, but she couldn’t stop herself. Don’t communicate with Cam. Don’t tell her where we are.

  Thantos deftly read her mind. “You won’t have to. Where you go, your sister will follow. She’s probably on her way now.”

  She had to warn Cam. Don’t come! It’s a trap!

  “Too late.”

  She heard him, but the sound of his evil laughter now came at her as if through earmuffs. The room started to get fuzzy. Shane, lightning quick, bolted out the door. Coward!

  And that horrible freaky Fredo came toward her, tossing some powder in her face.

  That was the last thing Alex saw before her world went black. Her last thought, screamed as loudly as she could, was to her sister. Don’t come! It’s a trap!

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  FRIENDS TILL THE END

  Cam bolted upright in bed, drenched in sweat. Her head was pounding; an icy chill swirled around her, making her teeth chatter. She’d been dreaming. First she was flying, then she was falling. And something was gone, missing. She felt for her sun necklace, but no — she knew where that was.

  Alex!

  In a panic, she threw off the covers and leaped over to the other bed. It was empty, but for a lump of crunched-up covers. She ran to the bathroom, although she knew she wouldn’t find her twin there — or downstairs in the kitchen, either. She just knew. Alex wasn’t home. And Alex was in trouble.

  Where are you? Where did you go?

  She opened the window and stared directly into the full moon. Her eyes started to sting. She saw a dark room, a mass of people, flashing neon lights. The rave? Was Alex at the rave?

  Closing the window quietly, she quickly dressed in the outfit she’d tossed on the floor from yesterday. Think! Think! Als was at the rave, but where was it? Why’d she go without me? And how could I have slept through Alex’s hasty exit?

  Would she ever be able to hear as well as Alex could?

  Thump! Was she hearing things now? She spun around. The window had opened! By itself? Cam thought she was going crazy, until she saw what had made the sound: A pair of legs swung over the sill into her room, then arms, a torso, attached to … Shane?

  “What are you doing here?” she demanded anxiously.

  “Shhh … you’ll wake everyone up. Hurry — we’ve got to go.”

  And Cam knew. Bad guy or good guy or whatever he was, Shane was here to take her to Alex. For better or for worse.

  He explained little on the way there. And later, Cam couldn’t be sure of exactly how they’d gotten there. Had they really flown? Or was that part of her dream?

  She was completely clear about everything that happened the minute Shane led her into the warehouse. Together, they’d pushed through the mass of people, who all seemed to move to one beat. They blasted past the guard, through the door in the far corner of the room.

  Slumped on the couch were the limp bodies of two people Cam loved.

  Alex. Her other half.

  And Beth. Her best friend.

  Her friend till the end. But the end wasn’t supposed to come now.

  Her hand flew to her mouth. She spun, enraged — now face-to-face with both of them. Fredo and Thantos. Her uncles. In the Olympics of family dysfunction, did they not get the gold?

  Thantos, black-bearded, hulking, and massive, was sitting at a desk, arms clasped behind his head, long legs propped up on it. He’d been waiting for her.

  Fredo hadn’t. Or at least, he seemed surprised to see her with Shane. Still, he took the credit. “The other one has come. Delivered. You see, brother, I emerge triumphant. You doubted me, but I prevailed in the end.”

  “Indeed you did.” Thantos’s stare bore into Cam and she began to feel dizzy. “But it was I who commissioned the boy. Shane.” Thantos eyed him warily. “I see you’ve fulfilled your duty in spite of doubting me. You will be rewarded. Go now, back to Coventry Island.”

  But Shane stood rooted.

  Thantos turned his attention back to Cam. “Apolla, my dear. I’m thrilled you’ve decided to join us. It’s the right thing to do.”

  But Cam was no longer looking at him. Trembling with fear, she walked slowly over to Alex. Was she breathing? Was Beth?

  A sudden knock at the door startled her. It seemed to surprise Thantos, Fredo, and Shane, too, who jumped.

  “Expecting anyone?” Thantos boomed at the two of them.

  “Of course not!” Fredo insisted. Shane shook his head.

  The door opened, and the bodyguard walked in, carrying a three-foot-high brass statue, an elaborate sculpture of a winged cat.

  “What is that?” Thantos demanded. “I said, no interruptions.”

  The bodyguard shrugged. “I’m sorry, Mr. Sot Naht, but the owners of this warehouse, or whatever, ordered this. I wouldn’t let the delivery guys bring it in. But it looks like it might be worth big bucks. I wouldn’t want it to be stolen.”

  “Oh, just put it down and get out!” Thantos boomed, with a wave of his massive arm.

  The bodyguard gingerly put the statue on the floor, ducked out quickly, and closed the door.

  “Now, where were we? Oh, yes, I was telling you how pleased I am that you showed up for our family reunion. I knew you would.”

  “What did you do to them? Are they … okay?” Cam asked shakily, her back still to him.

  Thantos sounded exasperated. “The friend is of no use to me. But why would I harm your sister? Or you? I merely want to return you to the family you’ve been stolen from. To give you, to share with you, what is rightfully yours.”

  Cam turned slowly around. She felt herself soothed by his voice. And she wanted to know more. “Where’s my mother —?”

  Turn away! Don’t let him connect with your eyes! Have I taught you nothing? The voice — was it Ileana’s?

  A sudden blast of wind banged the window above the desk shut, breaking her connection with Thantos. Cam instantly felt clearheaded. She yelled, “Shane! Hurry — get Beth!”

  The boy bounded into action. Before Thant
os or Fredo could react, he lifted the sleeping Beth off the couch, and bolted out the door with her.

  “Get Apolla!” Thantos thundered at Fredo.

  Instead of reciting a spell, turning her into a stone or a pebble, Fredo lunged toward her. Flashback! Just as he had during the dance. Cam almost laughed, it was so déjà vu all over again. Could she? Would he fall for it again?

  She faked to the left, then spun to the right — ducking under his arm! She dashed toward the door, frantically looking for some weapon, something she could use against him.

  A hand clamped onto her shoulder hard. “Come, come, Apolla,” Thantos warned. “You can’t possibly think you can win against the two of us. We’re much more powerful than you. Alone as you seem to be.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong. On two counts. She’s not helpless. And she’s not alone.”

  Thantos’s powerful hand dropped from Cam’s shoulder. He turned slowly. The statue of the cat was moving somehow, stretching upward and outward, its features reforming into a woman. Shape-shifting into Ileana. There was fire in her eyes. And a look of sweet satisfaction on her face.

  Fredo took a step toward her, but Thantos reached out to stop him. “I’ll handle this.”

  “Well, well. So you managed to get free. Very clever. I’m proud of you. And shape-shifting into a statue, getting yourself delivered into my lair! So much more clever than that paltry pigeon morph you did earlier. I’m practically bursting with pride.”

  “It’s your ego that needs bursting,” Ileana sniped. “Let the twins go.”

  “Go? Away from me? They don’t want to, right, Apolla? Look at me.”

  A part of Cam wanted to. She looked up, about to lock eyes with the one who had such power over her, who could take her to her —

  She heard Karsh. Don’t be lured. Remember who you are. Aron’s daughter would not fall into this trap. Keep your eyes on Ileana.

  Cam swung around — just in time to see it come flying her way. Her sun necklace, Ileana had tossed it to her. Her hand closed around it. And she felt the familiar tingle, the warmth radiating from it, heard the humming. She focused on Ileana, whose delicate hand wrapped around Alex’s moon charm.

  Could this work? For her and Ileana?

  Thantos threw his head back and snickered. “You’re going to try and use magick against me? Against… us? Wait, allow me to sit down. This should be quite the show.” He backed into the chair behind the desk.

  Ileana walked over to Cam and opened her palm. Turning toward the unconscious Alex, she began the incantation.

  Arise, Artemis, stand and fight!

  Succumb not to the herb that closes your eyes to light.

  Cam unfisted her hand. She held on to the chain — and watched, entranced, as her sun charm moved on its own, as if magnetized, toward Alex’s moon charm. If the two fused, as they did when she and Alex used them, would they have a chance against Thantos?

  Together we three against evil prevail, Ileana was still chanting.

  Together, the forces of good cannot fail.

  It happened! The amulets found each other and fused together.

  Thantos sat back, amused. Cam thought she saw Alex’s eyelids flutter. Was it working? And then it happened. The plant from the table, the big potted ficus tree, suddenly went careening across the room, bopping the shocked Fredo on the head.

  It didn’t knock him out. It only enraged him.

  Ooops.

  It didn’t take a premonition for Cam and Alex to know what was about to happen. Fredo was going to do what he’d done before — even though it hadn’t worked then and probably wouldn’t now. Cam almost wanted to say, “Fangs for the memories.”

  The shape of the goatlike man stretched up and out, his thin skin popping into scales, sharp teeth growing into long fangs — turning into the giant lizard again! Its sharp, yellow talons lunged for them. Only Ileana blocked his path, kicking him in his scaly stomach, stopping him.

  Thantos bolted up furiously and pushed his face into Cam’s. “You dare defy me?” Cam’s eyes began to sting as his glittering black eyes pinned her. She thought she’d pass out.

  Ileana, trying to hold Fredo back, shouted, “Turn away! Cover your eyes!”

  Alex had been waiting for her moment. Now! Fully awake and powered up, she dove onto the floor and grabbed Thantos’s ankle with both hands, intent on tripping him. She did it — but just before the great warlock went down, he sent another bolt of eye-lightning at Cam, who was flung backward just as Fredo was advancing.

  The impact of Cam flying through the air knocked the giant lizard off balance. Eight hundred pounds of ugly, scaly monster fell on top of Thantos. Pinning him to the floor.

  Ileana yelled at the twins, “Go now! Get away from here.”

  Cam stood firm. “Not without you.”

  Ileana whirled around. “Don’t argue with me! I am your guardian and I command you to leave. This instant!”

  But the twins ignored her command. “Did you free Karsh?” Cam had to know.

  “Did the necklaces help?” Alex hoped they had.

  “Is he okay?”

  “Where is he?”

  Exasperated, Ileana shouted, “You ask too many questions! But…” She softened. “If you must know. Yes, I did free him.” She stopped, bit her lip, and focused her amazing gray eyes on them. “But I didn’t do it alone. You helped. The necklaces helped.”

  “And?” Cam was only half teasing.

  “And what?” Ileana, annoyed again, demanded.

  “And don’t you want to say, ‘Thank you, Alexandra and Camryn’? ‘I couldn’t have done it without —’”

  Fed up, Ileana grabbed both twins by their elbows and forced them through the door. “We are out of here! Now!”

  The T*Witches and their guardian raced through the crowd. They were almost to the exit when they heard it. A groundswell of screams and shrieks filled the warehouse and then, “Lizard boy! Go! Lizard boy, go!”

  What the —?? They whirled around. The sight that met their eyes was one they’d never forget. Thantos, who’d obviously managed to free himself, wildly searching the dance floor for them. And Fredo — caught midmorph between species, the top half a man, the bottom half still a lizard — being hoisted up by the crowd and tossed around, like a cucumber in a salad. Fredo was in the mosh pit. The ravers thought he was the coolest thing they’d ever seen.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  WHERE WE BELONG

  Shane was waiting for them when they got home. The fierce young warlock was in their room, sitting cross-legged on the carpet, noodling with Alex’s guitar.

  He’d left the window open. Cam let a small smile escape. “We have to stop meeting like this. Someone’s going to suspect something.”

  Alex plopped down on the floor next to him and gently took the guitar away. “Waking the family is probably not the move.”

  He smiled sheepishly. “Right. I forgot — it’s still dark outside.”

  “Beth — is she okay?” Cam settled into the swivel chair and hugged her knees.

  Shane looked up at her. “She’s fine — sorry, I should have said that right away. I took her home; she’s sleeping now. The skullcap herbs wear off after a while —”

  “Even without a counter spell,” Alex said.

  Shane asked, “That’s how you came out of it so quickly?”

  “That and a little help from our parents.” Alex’s hand closed around her moon necklace, now safely back on her neck. “Did you know them?”

  Shane shook his head. “No. I was only a kid when … well, it happened. But I heard about it, of course. It was the talk of Coventry Island.”

  Alex touched his arm. “If you knew Lord Thantos was responsible for their deaths, why would you work for him?”

  Shane took his time before responding, keenly aware of the unnerving stares of both twins. “Like many warlocks of my age, I grew up believing Lord Thantos had been unfairly accused. When he asked for my help, I was honored. He s
aid you’d been stolen when you were infants, and he wanted to bring you back. After tonight, I don’t know what to think. Except what a fool I’ve been. I was so easily duped.”

  “But in the clutch, you came through. You saved Beth’s life,” Cam reminded him gently.

  “You did a one-eighty. We owe you,” Alex added.

  He grinned, and Cam couldn’t help it. Her tummy actually did a flip-flop. “I think it’s the other way around,” the washboard-ab boy said. “No, I owe you — at least an explanation.”

  Alex sprang up. “Wait! We have a rule. No confession sessions without —”

  “Snacks!” Cam finished her twin’s thought. “There’s munchies and juice, or iced tea in the —”

  Alex waved her off. “I know where everything is. I live here, too, you know.”

  They stayed up until dawn. Shane told them what he knew. The most crucial fact: Thantos had told him to capture Cam, knowing Alex would follow.

  “And the Helping Scam-o-rama, where’d that fit in?” Alex wanted to know.

  “Dumb luck,” Shane said, munching on Emily’s homemade trail mix. “I needed a way to lure Cam. I started at the mall. Your hangout.”

  Alex playfully punched her sis. “I told you being a mall crawler would come to no good.”

  Cam rolled her eyes. “Continue.”

  “I came across the Helping Hands cart and looked into it. I found out right away it was a scam, but it was a convincing scam. So I signed up, figuring I’d use it to make contact with you, get you to trust me.”

  “And if I hadn’t crashed into you that day?” Cam asked.

  “I’d have gotten your attention somehow.” He winked. He had a curious mix of self-confidence and modesty that was hard to resist.

  Alex held up her hand. “Back up. Why’d you target her with the Helping Hands thing? Why not me? Or whichever one you met first?”

  Shane shrugged. “She’s idealistic, more likely to be drawn to a cause like that.”

  “And what am I, cynical twin?” Alex was only half-kidding.

  “You’re more suspicious. It’s your nature,” Shane said. “It would have been harder to lure you.”