by K.L. Bauman
Ayden was sorry to leave the realm of the fairies in such a hurry. He would have liked to have Arion to teach him how to master branches and vines and other living things of the earth.
He shook his head, trying focus on the path ahead. He had to keep his mind clear of anything but their mission. They were moving at a good pace now, and he didn't want any more surprises deterring them.
Ayden wasn't granted such a wish. Later that day, they ran into Jared for the second time. It seemed as if he'd been expecting them; as they approached, he said casually, "Ah, there you are. Slower than a turtle on a dry day aren't we? No matter. You still have something I want."
Ayden, Volos, and Pax put themselves between Jared and Sabina as they drew their weapons. "Leave them alone, Jared," Ayden said firmly. Couldn't they ever get through a day without trouble rearing its ugly head?
"Very amusing. As if the three of you were any sort of threat," Jared sneered. "I am not here for Sabina just yet," he said as he looked straight at Pax. "Share what you posses with me, and I'll teach you how to become a real sorcerer."
Sabina forced her way between the men. "You said you'd find a cure! What are you doing?" she shouted vehemently.
Ignoring her, the elf-sorcerer continued to stare at Pax. "What do you say? I know you long to have the control that a great sorcerer has. I could teach you how. I could even free you of that speech impediment."
Pax gazed into Jared's eyes as if he could see in them a picture of himself becoming a great sorcerer. He took a tentative step forward. Ayden's stomach turned at the hunger in his friend's eyes.
"Leave him alone," Sabina said in her frighteningly angry sort of whisper. She placed herself firmly in front of Pax so that Jared was forced to look at her. His eyes seemed to soften slightly.
"What can I do to ease your suffering?" he said quietly.
Sabina grew angrier at the tenderness in his voice. "I want you to cure me! I want my life back! I want to be human again!" she screamed, her cheeks flaming.
Jared's shoulders tensed as he looked at Sabina with sincere sorrow; Ayden began to think the elf actually loved her. "You know I can't," he whispered. Then he gave Pax another dark look. "Not yet, anyway."
Sabina looked at Pax in a way that made Ayden's insides tighten. He could almost hear her mind working; if she helped Jared get the map, he'd get the sword; and if he got the sword, he'd have enough power to cure her.
Jared seemed to notice the change. Smirking, he took his focus off Sabina and turned to the others. "I propose a trade. Give me the lad, and I'll give you- him." He swung his arm dramatically and pointed to where Devel appeared, holding onto the arm of an unconscious man. The form flopped to the ground as Devel released the man's arm and disappeared. Nya screamed and Da'ewyn spat ugly names at Jared when they recognized the fallen man as Nya's brother, Devlin.
Jared's lips curled as he held up Devlin's charm. "The boy has a big mouth. He never should have told you how he was avoiding my magic while I was still near enough to hear him."
Nya raced forward toward her brother, her eyes burning. "Uh, uh, uh!" Jared raised his hand and Nya screamed as she was flung backward against a tree. Her staff flew across the ground out of reach. Endia flew furiously at the sorcerer, but was quickly petrified and fell to the ground with a sickening thud.
"NO!" Sabina yelled, but she didn't move.
Da'ewyn shot an arrow and then gasped as it turned into a snake in mid-air and fell to the ground, slithering away into the trees. Ayden fought with all his strength as he felt his arms pulling to his sides. He dropped his sword as his arms and body became rigid. Volos and Da'ewyn were also once again bound by Jared's magic. Pax stood, not bound by Jared's magic, but by his own fear.
"LEAVE THEM ALONE!" Sabina screeched. Her previous expression had dramatically changed. Blood rage was coloring her eyes. As she leapt at Jared, her black cloak flung behind her like giant wings. She her bared her elongated teeth; her rage had forced her transformation.
Jared stepped aside just as she reached him, narrowly avoiding her grasp. Sabina immediately turned to face him again. "Don't touch my friends. If you won't cure me, then you will join me!" she hissed and lunged again at Jared. But she was denied her prey a second time as the cowardly sorcerer disappeared with a blast of gray smoke. Sabina fell to the rocky earth, screaming with fury.
"NO! NO! NO!" she screamed over and over as she clawed at the stones in frenzy. Her fingernails cracked against the rocks. The stone was splattered with blood as the rocky earth ripped away her flesh.
Pax leapt forward and dumped his marbles onto the ground. A horrid silence followed as everyone watched Sabina fall helpless to her weakness. With bloodied, trembling fingers, she picked up one marble after another and counted, her voice a heart-wrenching quaver.
Ayden's body shook with rage. "Show yourself you coward! I know you're still here!" He struggled against restraints that had not weakened. Jared hadn't left the area.
With a shimmering of light, Jared re-appeared behind Sabina, out of her visual range. He stood there, watching her sadly.
Pax shook with a fury that Ayden didn't know his friend was capable of. His eyes were shadowed by furrowed brows, and veins bulged from his temples.
Raising his hands, Pax screamed a curse; light shot from the tip of his fingers toward Jared. Without taking his eyes away from Sabina, Jared flicked his wrist, snuffing out Pax's magic.
The young sorcerer scowled as he breathed heavily with uncontrolled rage. He raised his hands and formed a ball of energy between his palms and threw it at Jared; the ball made forceful contact, throwing the older sorcerer to the ground.
"Yes!" Ayden couldn't help shouting. Jared rose and calmly brushed dust from his shirt.
"Very good, boy. Let that rage help you along. You see? I am teaching you already. I can help you-" he stopped short as the wind was knocked out of him by another curse, courtesy of Pax.
Jared rose from the ground a second time, his face now twisted with hate. "Have it your way, child! I'll have that map from your back, one way or another, even if I have to peel it from your bones!" He shot a curse at Pax as Ayden and the others screamed. The magic hit Pax square in the jaw and sent him flying to the ground. Jared threw another as Sabina's counting droned on through the commotion.
Pax raised his hands and somehow managed to conjure an invisible shield, blocking another of Jared's curses. But the effort weakened him and he wasn't able to hold on to it. He fell to his knees and dropped his arms with exhaustion.
An evil smile darkened Jared's face as he took steps closer to Pax. He glanced down at Sabina on the ground beside him before sneering at Pax. "Pity. I could've made you great, you know. I could've made you someone she might actually tolerate!"
Jared's hands raised as their master readied himself to finish the younger sorcerer; his face was shadowed with evil. Ayden felt helpless as he struggled again to free himself. If he couldn't break free, he would soon watch his friend die!
Suddenly, Jared yelled in pain and his attention was diverted to Sabina. She had sunk her teeth deeply into his leg, causing blood to trickle down her chin. Jared's eyes bulged and his face paled with panic. "NO! You idiot! What have you done?" He raised his arm and struck Sabina hard against the face with the back of his hand. She flipped back from the brutal force and landed unconscious to the ground.
"P-petrifia!" Pax weakly shouted the curse. Jared's body became mildly rigid, but he spoke confidently to his attacker.
"You'll have to do better than that!" He forced his arms upward as if he were breaking through ribbons. Pax fell back to the ground, drained of energy. Jared sauntered to the fallen sorcerer and looked down his nose. "I'll have my map, now," he said with dark calmness.
A knife shot through the air, missing Jared by a hair; it landed on the ground beside Pax. Jared turned sharply to where Devlin rested against his elbow on the ground. "I thoug
ht I'd taken all of those from you!" he said and forced Devlin to lie flat by use of magic. Devlin groaned as he tried unsuccessfully to resist.
The elf turned again to murder Pax. But shock overtook the evil sorcerer as Pax leapt up and thrust Devlin's knife deep into Jared's chest with surprising force. Energy shot from Jared and through Pax like sick lightning. He dropped Devlin's charm to grasp frantically at his chest. "Devel!" he croaked. "Help me!"
Wisps of ugly black smoke curled around Jared's body, and he was gone.
Pax crumpled to the ground as the others were released from their bonds. Sabina had regained consciousness and crawled over to the young sorcerer. Her fangs had receded, but her eyes were still cat-like. Her fingers were still bloodied, but Ayden watched in amazement as the skin closed around the wounds, healing.
Sabina lifted Pax's head onto her lap and stroked his hair from his forehead. Large tears rolled down her cheeks and dropped onto his face. Ayden knelt and tipped his water pouch to Pax's lips. He let a few drops trickle into his friend's mouth and then waited.
The other companions gathered around Pax's form, watching anxiously. "He really fought well. I've never seen him so focused," Da'ewyn said quietly.
"He had something to fight for," Volos said as he looked at Sabina. More tears rolled down her face and she continued to stroke Pax's hair.
"I don't deserve his affection. I've been so stupid. Devlin was right; Jared never cared about me more than he cares about himself. It's all so clear now," Sabina said. Then she spoke softly to Pax, "You deserve better, Pax. You are far more admirable than the greatest sorcerer. Thank you for saving me." Sabina washed her face clean with her tears and then bent down and kissed Pax softly on the lips. When she pulled away, Pax's eyes were still closed, but a smile stretched across his mouth.
"Pax?" Ayden leaned closer to his friend.
Without opening his eyes, Pax smiled broader and whispered, "Y-Ya don't have t-to stop!"
A chorused mixture of cursing and laughter erupted from the group of people surrounding the young sorcerer. Sabina scolded, "You idiot! You had us all scared half to death!" She stood abruptly, letting Pax's head flop to the ground. Ayden chuckled and helped the young man to stand.
"Th-thank you," Pax said after he gained control of his weak legs.
"Do you think he'll be back?" Sabina questioned, her face still serious.
Devlin answered, "I don't think we should worry about it much. Pax gave him a serious blow, and I'm not too certain he'll even survive. But if he does, he'll think twice before messing with this group again."
"Well, there's still a few hours of daylight left. We should keep moving. But let's have some food and water before we continue," Volos said. He seemed slightly agitated and took his time getting out his food. He chewed it with deliberate slowness. Pax attacked his food like a starved animal.
"Are you okay, Volos?" Ayden asked between bites of dry bread.
"Yeah. Just stressed and tired," Volos said as he attempted a smile.
Ayden shoved aside his uncertainty, relying on Volos' word. Everyone finished their food and rose to make the rest of the day's journey. Nya tenderly replaced the charm that Jared had dropped around her brother's neck before they left. "Promise me that you'll be more careful," she said in their language.
"You don't need to worry, sister. I can look after myself," Devlin answered softly and he kissed her on the cheek.
As they walked, Ayden watched Sabina and Pax talking with each other. Pax could finally talk fearlessly to a girl-a vampiress no less. Ayden couldn't help chuckling. Wonders never cease!
At the end of the day, Devlin was once again making plans to leave the group. "Stay with us. You said you've been hunting sorcerers. Why not help us catch the greatest one of our time?" Ayden offered.
In the end, Devlin was convinced by the pleadings of his sister and new friends to 'tag along'. "Sounds like fun!" he finally said and joined Nya on first patrol around their camp before dinner.
Da'ewyn sauntered over to Ayden and looked down her pert little nose at him. He sighed heavily as he raised his eyes to meet hers. "Don't you think we've done enough fighting lately?"
Da'ewyn knelt beside him, her expression serious. Ayden sobered, looking to her with a raised brow. "I want to give you something," Da'ewyn said nervously. She was acting strangely.
Ayden shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat. Thinking the Veela wanted to kiss him, he stupidly replied, "Look, Da'ewyn, I don't really feel that way about you. Besides, I thought you kind of liked Devlin."
Da'ewyn glared. "You are such a stupid human! Even for only being part human. I'm not giving you anything like that," she said, and then her face softened again as she pulled a narrow leather belt from her pouch. Elaborate carvings, similar to the ones on her quiver, decorated the high-quality leather; and small leather straps were staggered evenly around the belt that held shiny black daggers made from Razr bird feathers.
Da'ewyn offered it to Ayden and said proudly, "I made this for you. It is the type of gift a Veela would give to a treasured brother. I mean, all brothers are treasured in my race, but this type of gift would be for an especially treasured brother. And, since I was not gifted with a brother by blood, I wish to have you as my adopted brother, if you will accept." She looked at Ayden anxiously, her ice-blue eyes shining.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Volos' Haunting Past