The Traitor's Crux (The Dark Powers Book 1)

by Jessica Prather

  Harlow – suspicious. Leader of camp. My magic teacher

  Bryce – also a leader. Lots of meetings. Says there’s danger

  Delia – nurse

  Nadine –

  My pen pauses in mid-air as loud screams sound from the firework show followed by a gigantic white flash. I look up just in time as a huge flame shoots straight into the air, a massive firework unfolding from its depths. It morphs into a bird, then an elephant, too big and too bright. The people are nervous, slowly backing up. It doesn’t vanish like other fireworks. Instead, it only grows bigger and brighter.

  Intrigued, I stare at the transforming flame as it soars through the sky. Just when it seems to fill the entire sky, it begins barreling towards the crowd of campers.

  I stand, tumbling backwards over the log as I watch in horror. Somewhere in the dust and dirt, I lose track of my notebook. People are scattered everywhere, pushing, shoving, trying to get out.

  The ball of fire hits the ground, making it shake as it explodes amongst the trees, throwing people backwards off their feet.

  More and more flamed fireworks fly into the air, taking only a second before they explode, one by one, falling from the sky. I’m lost in a world of smoke, chaos, and confusion. The crowd of people is too heavy for me to get through or spot anyone I may know.

  What’s happening? Is this an attack?

  “Hey!” someone slams into me with full force, shoving me backwards. They don’t stop, but disappear once again in the trees. Lying on my back, the disorientation hits hardest. I stare at the sky, now covered in a heavy blanket of haze and smoke.

  “Are you stupid?” someone yells over the roar of the people. Harlow comes into view, standing over me with panic in her eyes. She reaches for my hand to help me up. “Go inside!” she orders once I’m on my feet. She begins to turn away as I grab her arm.

  “What’s happening?” I ask loudly, feeling the smoke in my throat.

  “I don’t have time for this!” she yells back, yanking her arm from my grip. I follow, grabbing her shoulder this time. She swings around, her eyes wild with fear.

  “Harlow, what’s happening?” I repeat, holding onto her firmly. For a brief second, her frightened eyes meet mine.

  “I don’t know. Go inside, get people in and we’ll talk.”

  I do as she says, letting go of her shoulder and turn to join the crowd, taking one last glance as her blonde head disappears into the madness and fog.

  15 EVERYONE HEADS FOR THE closest building, which is a raging storm of panic and tears when I enter. I’m forced to shove through, making my way slowly around the throngs of people clumped tightly together. So far, I don’t see any familiar faces. Standing on my tiptoes, I do my best to peer over the sea of swarming bodies and people taller than me, anxiety forming a tight knot in my gut. How will I find them in all of this mess? How do I know they’re okay?

  The sweat, the sounds, the smell of fire still stuck in my nostrils is unbearable. Bile rises in my throat as I clasp a hand to my lips, barely making it in time to the trash can. I clutch its plastic edges, vomit plummeting into its depths. All I want to know is what happened. Is this the danger that Bryce was talking about? Or was it something else? Immediately, an image of Reed appears in my head. I shake it off.

  No, it can’t be. How would it?

  I throw up again into the trash can, wiping my face weakly as my white knuckles clasp the handles. I’m thrown aside as someone slams into me with massive force.

  “Ow! Careful!” I groan. Despite her tiny size, Tess is strong and her hug is even stronger. She hangs onto me tightly, her red braids messy with hairs sticking out every which way, her clothes reeking of smoke.

  “Oh, my god, I was trying to find you but you were gone! Don’t you ever scare me like that again!” she scolds once she finally lets me go to breathe again. She looks to the trash can, taking in my vomit-covered chin. “Are you okay?”

  “Me? Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bit shaken. I’m glad you’re here, though. Where’s Delia?” I ask, looking around. Usually, the pair are inseparable.

  “She’s a doctor so she had to stay behind at the scene, see who she could find. Help the people that got hurt.”

  “Oh, do you know what happened?” I ask, wiping at my chin.

  She shrugs just as lost as I am. “I don’t know, it was crazy. I mean, it looked like this one spell… but the weird thing is that they’re illegal here at camp. If they find you doing it, you get kicked out. It’s that bad,” she says nervously, biting at her lip as she looks around the room.

  The thumping of a mic immediately captures the crowd’s attention. We all turn to the front where Bryce and Harlow stand with weary looks on their faces, waiting for the conversations to die down. Slowly, the voices begin to quiet as all eyes turn to the leaders. I can tell right away from looking at them that whatever this was—it was unexpected.

  “Hey everyone, settle down please,” Bryce starts politely, the usual cheer gone from his tone, “We were all there to witness, and we all know what happened, so I’m going to get right to it. There was an attack on us tonight from unknown sources. As of right now, we have no fatalities from the explosion and only a few are injured. Those that were hurt have already been taken to the hospital and remain under intensive care. We have specially trained forces out searching the grounds as we speak, looking for evidence. We don’t have much information at this moment, but we can assure you that we are doing everything in our power to find the guilty party. Once we do, we promise that they will pay a heavy price for the danger they brought us all tonight.”

  The crowd begins to shout, talking over one another in voices filled with anger and desperation. “Everybody needs to calm down so I can—” Bryce begins, but everyone is too panicked. He’s drowned out by the roar of the crowd.

  Harlow steps up to the plate, grabbing the microphone impatiently from Bryce. “How about you all shut up and listen?” Her voice is low, almost eerily calm, but the people listen immediately, passing around several obnoxious shh as the noise once again dies down.

  “Thanks, Har,” Bryce says, his voice dripping with gratitude as he continues, “Anyway. Since we don’t know who did this or why, we’d like to offer free lessons for all campers in defensive magic. We believe acts like this can be stopped if we stay strong. Come see us for a sign-up sheet if you are interested. We’re adding in a new rule to ensure everyone’s safety here—”

  He’s once again interrupted, his voice drowned by the frightened cries and angry yells of people searching for reason. He begins to talk louder, his voice still lost in all of the confusion, “It’s just for our safety. Just in case!”

  “Hey, people!” Harlow says a little more intensely this time, steering the microphone to her face, “Do you wanna hear this, or not?”

  Once again, the buzz of the crowd dies down, this time, as people glower at the two leaders standing in front of them.

  Bryce continues nervously, his voice unnaturally loud and his green eyes betraying his worry, “Starting tomorrow, we will be having a mandatory curfew. You are all to be inside by nine P.M. You must have special permission from one of us if you have any exceptions or unique circumstances. I’m sorry it has to come to this, but we believe that it’s in everyone’s best interest…”

  This time when the angry crowd picks up, he doesn’t try to fight it. He mumbles something meekly into the microphone before turning to Harlow, worry written in his features.

  I can see how tense they are from here. Like they’re arguing. As if feeling my eyes on them, Harlow turns my way, glowering straight at me. Something in her expression tells me that she believes I’m the one to blame for this. Feeling anxious, I look away, grabbing Tess’s shoulder. “Should we get out of here?”

  I may not have caused this tonight, but I am a spy. I’m causing terror in private as I meet with the president, telling him all of their secrets so he can find them. I’m going to kill them all.

  Reed is a monster,
that’s clear. He may not have done this, but I’m sure he has a lot more planned for them. I wish so badly I could tell them everything. The guilt is eating at me, a burden I feel I can’t bear. I’m already falling apart, taking them with me, deeper and deeper to the pits of despair.

  With no place to hide from myself, the tears threaten to spill.

  I nearly let them.

  “Bryce!” I yell, trying to elbow my way through the crowd, “Bryce!”

  After the speech, everyone left in a mass group, making it hard to breathe. I can see him ahead of me, his head of thick dark hair. I can even hear him, trying to explain the reasons for the new rules to some furious people. I can hear their shouts, wondering why the leaders aren’t sharing more information, accusing them of keeping information from their own people.

  Part of me wonders that too. There was something in the way they seemed to argue after the speech, their tense body language, and Bryce’s nervousness. Were they only frightened from the attacks, or is there more to the story? I remember Bryce saying that there was danger. I shouldn’t even tell you this…

  “Bryce!” My voices strains as I do my best to get his attention. Hearing his name, he turns around, confused. When his eyes meet mine, he gives a weak smile, one that doesn’t reach his eyes.

  “We’ll talk tomorrow once everything calms down a bit. Come see me in my office and I’ll explain!” he offers to the angry woman who he was arguing with. She rolls her eyes, but turns and heads out the door.

  “Hey,” he says making his way to me, exhaustion making his voice husky.

  “What really happened back there?” I ask, not bothering with the niceties. I know something’s up, and I want to know what it is.

  “Well aren’t you just the sweetest little thing?” Harlow appears from behind, sneering as she looks me up and down, “You think you can waltz up here and demand an answer? Who do you think you are?”

  “Har—” warns Bryce, but I don’t back down. Not tonight. I want to know.

  Ignoring her, I turn to Bryce, “I want answers. So does everyone else. We know something’s up. You can’t just lie to us. These are the people that you’re supposed to be protecting, not keeping secrets from.”

  The panic subsides a little. If they were thinking that I was behind it, there’s no doubt that Harlow would be interrogating me right now. They must have other reasons, and I want to know exactly what’s on their minds.

  “You know what, new girl? You just got here and I’m already sick of your attitude. How about you go to bed with everyone else and let us worry about the problems?” Harlow’s up for the fight. We’re both too stubborn for our own good.

  “Will you two please just stop?” Bryce asks, exhaustion betraying his annoyance.

  I ignore him, my temper flaring, “Well, shouldn’t you be telling the people what’s happening? If people are in danger, you should be getting them out of here. They have a right to know if they’re at risk.”

  Because of me. You should get them out because of me.

  “Maybe we should just resign and let you take over,” Harlow spits. She comes closer, a full head taller than me, welcoming me to a fight.

  “Maybe I should,” I snarl back.

  “Stop!” Bryce yells this time, shoving between us. “This is ridiculous. We’re all on the same team here. No offense, Kenadee, but we’re handling it. You’re new here anyways. You know nothing of this camp or the problems we have. I’ve told you several times to drop it.”

  I try not to hit Harlow as a smirk forms on her lips. This is what she’s been waiting for. Me to press too far, to prove to her that I’m not innocent. Now, she definitely won’t back down.

  “Fine.” I spin on my heel to leave, frustration screaming inside me.

  I don’t stop until someone grabs me from behind, forcing me to spin around, “Hey!” Harlow growls.

  “What?” I shout louder than I planned. I’m furious, mainly at myself. How could I be so stupid? She’s onto me, even more now. I was supposed to be getting on her good side, not making enemies.

  Her face is only inches from mine, ice-colored eyes boring into mine. “I warned you, new girl. You’re really that stupid? I’m sure that you’re behind this, and the moment I find out any information about your attack, you’re done. You don’t even know the lengths that I’ll go to.”

  “I’m not afraid of your threats. I’ve done nothing wrong.” I spit back, feigning the confidence I lack.

  Not another word is spoken as I rip my arm from her grip and walk away. I can feel the cool chill of Harlow’s gaze following me, making me tense. My brain sings the same song over and over again, taunting me with the phantoms that I’m about to create. I can’t deny what she said, I can’t hate her for it; it’s the truth.

  I’m the monster that’s about to destroy them.

  16 MY HEART RACES AS I slam the door behind me. Flinging my jacket across the living room in a sudden surge of emotion, I let the hot tears roll freely down my cheeks.

  How will I ever pull this off and get away with it? I’ll either be caught by the people here, or I’ll be arrested and forced to watch my family die. I have nowhere to turn.

  A loud bang makes me yelp in surprise, tripping backwards as the communication device Reed gave me bursts open, unfolding into a large screen before my eyes. A woman appears, typing rapidly on a computer, her eyes hidden behind a pair of square-framed glasses.

  “Miss Coria?” She says briefly, giving me a quick once-over as her fingers fly over the keyboard.

  “Uh, yes?” With tear stains on my cheeks and hair mussed from the ash and smoke, I must look like a complete disaster.

  “Good, I’ll transfer you over to the president,” she says, leaning over to push a button on her desk. I open my mouth to protest, but the woman is already gone. Static waves taking over the image as the screen reappears, revealing the president, another glass of alcohol in hand. He takes in my wild appearance, a slow, cat-like smile spreading across his lips.

  “You look like you’ve been through the ringer,” he says dryly.

  I fume, “Well, if you would’ve seen—”

  He begins to laugh, a shrewd, drunk-induced chuckle, “You don’t have to explain what happened tonight. They were my plans, after all.”

  “What? How?” The president told me that he couldn’t enter the camp.

  He snorts, “Really, Kenadee? You didn’t think I’d be trusting only you for this job, did you? You’re not the only spy there. Who do you think brought you the communicator? I sent them looking after Ms. Creston got the better of you. They tried to find the bug too, but you must have lost it somewhere in that godforsaken forest.”

  I gape. If there’s another spy around here, I have to work extra hard to prove my loyalty. If Reed even believes for a second that I could be taking their side, he won’t hesitate to make me pay.

  “Close your mouth, Miss Coria. You underestimated me. Didn’t think I would do something like this? Need I remind you that this is war? I don’t stop until I get what I want.”

  I shake, whether with fear or anger, I’m not quite sure. “There were children there. You-you… They could’ve died! They haven’t done anything—”

  “You think I care, Miss Coria? They will not stand in the way this time. Justice will be served. I will not cease until they are given to me, do you understand?” The humor is gone from his voice as he challenges me to disobey him. “War isn’t pretty. People die, and that includes children. You can be angry with me, but it doesn’t change anything. The entire population of magic users will be handed over to be at some point. Will you stand with me, or against me? Do remember what I’m capable of; your family’s fragile lives are in my hands.”

  I sniff, remembering Eli getting tortured and trying to control the rage that threatens to come loose. “I’m on your side.”

  “Good, good.” Once again, a slow smile spreads to his lips, “Then tell what you’ve learned so far.”

  I take a few
deep breaths. I have to do this. It’s not about me, it’s about Eli and my mom. I have to look out for them. “Not much. One of the leaders, Bryce, mentioned that there was danger.”

  “Danger?” The president cocks an eyebrow, rocking in his chair as he listens.

  “Mhm. That’s all he said.”

  He leans forward. “Interesting. I want you to find out more. Do whatever you must do to get inside, to find out more about this magic. See what they’re doing with it.”

  I nod in reply, looking down at my feet.

  “Oh, and Kenadee, do try to be happier. Soon, you’ll have everything you’ve ever wanted.”

  Without another word, the screen turns black and Reed is gone, his words haunting me.

  ***

  “AREN’T YOU GOING TO EAT?” Tess looks over at me with visible worry in her puppy dog eyes. She looks miserable. We all are. The entire mess hall seems as if a deep, dark spell has been cast upon it. The threat has scared all of us. No one seems to know what danger lurks beyond the walls of the barrier. Well, expect for me and Reed’s other puppet.

  “No, I’m not hungry,” I mumble into my coffee, slowly churning in a packet of sugar. I expect a fight, or at least a big lecture, but she must decide to spare me today. We’re all in a mood, too tired and scared to hassle each other. Even Tess and Delia, usually so full of conversation and animation, can’t seem to bring themselves to care.

  “So, you begin training today?” Delia asks, trying her best to lighten the mood at the table.

  I nod wretchedly, “In fifteen minutes, actually.”

  “Yikes.” Tess grimaces, “I’m sorry. I’d tell you it was okay, but we all know that it’s not a good thing to be on Harlow’s bad side. People were talking about that argument you two had. Sounded pretty ba—Ouch! Delia!” she sulks and rubs the spot where Delia elbowed her, glaring at her best friend.

  I raise my brows, “She thinks I did the spell. I don’t even know how to use my magic, let alone do that.” My mind drifts to the notebook I’d lost in the disaster. Who knows where it could be now or who could possess it? I make a mental note to search the grounds after training tonight.