by Amanda McGee
Blaze extended his hand using his newfound ability to illuminate our path. The once dark figures were now clearly visible and their presence grew to be even more terrifying. Their stares proved they could see us too.
“Or maybe stop dwelling on trivial issues and make a plan,” Blaze said, noticeably annoyed by our irrelevant conversation.
“I’m thinking we fight them,” I said confidently.
Blaze and Tristan’s perplexed stares virtually bored a hole into each side of my face. I paid no attention. My sight was directed on the threat ahead of us. Maybe it was knowing that my injuries would heal at rapid speed or maybe I was tired of running, but either way, I would not go quietly.
“I’m with you, Alex,” Sadie said, emerging from somewhere behind us.
“Sadie? What are you doing here?” I asked. “Does anyone sleep anymore?”
“Relax. I just walked outside a minute ago and saw a commotion so I snuck over. Let’s see what we can do!”
Tristan and Blaze were still speechless. It must have been our display of bravery...or they thought we had lost our minds. I glanced up at Blaze expecting a disconcerting expression but instead received a proud grin.
I winked at him and Tristan, and then started the walk toward our foes.
Where I mustered the confidence to produce a wink much less orchestrate a battle was a mystery. This was a side of me I hoped to see more often.
“We don’t have to beat them we just need to hold them down long enough to get onto my property,” Tristan said. “Just get to my house.”
Full of confidence and enthusiasm, our small army marched in the direction of our opponents. Once the space between our enemies and us was reduced to several feet, my siblings, Tristan, and I spread out, positioning ourselves across the width of the dirt road, several feet apart.
The small sphere of energy hovering in Blaze’s hand grew to three times its original size. I wanted to stare in fascination but somehow managed to keep myself on task. Blaze hurled the blue glow at our attackers like a bolt of lightning.
Three men were thrown back several yards and landed awkwardly on the ground. The remaining men, seemingly unfazed, ran toward us as three more large men, who were hiding in the darkness, joined the fight.
Blaze easily removed one of them with a single punch. Utilizing his quick reflexes, Blaze ducked just as a second attacker leapt at him. Sadie ran to his side, hypnotizing the assailant within seconds. Blaze was now free to pummel the guy’s face.
“Blaze, that’s enough,” she said.
With a wave of her hand, the beaten man was released from Sadie’s spell. He collapsed onto the dirt with a thud.
Tristan fended off two attackers with his own strength and force. Even in battle, I found myself in awe of him. Like a perfectly rehearsed dance routine, Tristan bobbed, jabbed, and swayed. His opponent, unable to predict his next move, floundered and became sloppy. The man threw punches in the air, lunged but never hit, until he had tired himself out and Tristan ended it.
I spent a moment too many in awe and nearly missed one of the men lunging at me. I squatted and rolled across the width of the path hoping to escape long enough to regain my composure. My aggressor somersaulted over to me and was on his feet with no interruption. Before his brain could register what to do next, I heaved a punch with frightening force. Frightening, at least, to me.
“Nice, Alex,” Tristan said, running to my side.
It seemed Tristan found time to notice me, too.
I scanned the area, finding not one man left standing. Sadie and Blaze passed through the dust cloud concealing their position. All of us were intact and nauseatingly impressed with ourselves.
“Now run!” Tristan yelled.
No one challenged his command. We collectively dashed toward Tristan’s house at breathtaking speed. An opportunity for a foot race did not come around often for me these days, so just for kicks, I pushed myself to arrive before Tristan or Blaze.
Our swiftly moving feet hardly made a sound on the ground beneath us. I reached the patio, narrowly avoiding crashing through the glass door, when I heard Sadie’s scream. Twenty or additional men had surrounded us. Positioned several yards away, they did not seem to be moving any closer.
“What are they doing?” I asked. “They are just standing there waving and screaming.”
“They can’t come through,” Tristan said, taking a seat. “My house is protected. We are safe here. They can’t even hear us through the barrier.”
“But what about James?” I asked. “Why isn’t his house protected? Won’t they go after him?”
“I knew you’d worry about that so did a spell while I was upstairs,” he chuckled. “I had started to yesterday but we had to leave before I could finish. James may be too frail to help us against Katerina but threatening him would bring more trouble than she or her minions care to deal with. Trust me, he’s safe.”
Of course, I trusted him. How could I not trust any of the three people next to me? In a few days, we had been through numerous intense situations and each of these people had more than proven themselves.
Tristan went from a stranger in my dreams to a stranger who took us into his home and risked his life for our safety. If he lived in Knox, the thought of him would have really frightened me. There would be no excuse to keep him at arm’s length and no reason to ignore my feelings.
That was almost as scary as the thought that we could die here.
“So can I just brag a bit on the little sis’?” Blaze said. “You two definitely do not fight like girls.”
“Who knew, right?” I said. “I just had a feeling we would win so I figured we should go for it. Not that we had much of a choice.”
A compliment from Blaze was the greatest compliment of all. To do so involved him revealing an actual emotion and meant he stopped brooding long enough to notice you. My ego soared.
“Tristan, you didn’t do so bad yourself,” Blaze said. “Where’d you learn to fight like that?”
“You.”
The celebration came to a confused halt.
“How’s that?” Blaze asked.
Tristan rose from his chair and immediately committed to an angst-ridden pace around the patio. Had Tristan cracked a joke or simply laughed, I would have never thought anything about his remark. Instead, we waited in silence, sensing that this explanation involved contemplation and courage. Plus, now Blaze’s question was the only thing on our minds.
“When we met you asked what I could do,” Tristan explained. “Now that I am comfortable with you all, I can answer that.”
“You don’t have to explain yourself,” I said. “Your abilities are personal, please don’t feel obligated.”
“I don’t mind,” he said, then pausing. “Basically, I can take on abilities of those around me. I cannot use abilities specific to that person such as Alex’s visions or Sadie’s hypnosis but I can feed off your strength and speed.”
“Why were you afraid to tell us?” Sadie asked.
“At first it was because I did not know you but then James and I had a conversation yesterday. The only way to get you all home is with Katerina’s powers.”
“So you have to take her powers?” Sadie asked. “That doesn’t seem so bad, why do you look nervous?”
He resumed pacing back and forth across the bricked patio, one hand in his pocket and one nervously combing through his hair. I already feared the worst.
“Tristan, just tell us,” I said.
“There is a difference between good power and evil power; more so than just the obvious. Good is a genetic gift but evil is obtained through darkness and the two can’t mix.”
“What will happen to you if the power you take on is evil?” I asked.
“Probably nothing,” he said.
“What are you not telling us? Just come out with it, Tristan.”
Blaze's attention spun towards me. He gaped, confused by my outburst. Sadie and Tristan knew my reasoning but Blaze had been t
aken aback by my unashamed irritation. I had no desire to stop and explain it to him.
“I honestly don’t know what could happen,” he responded.
“I don’t believe you. I think you know exactly what will happen but you are afraid to tell us.”
"Lay off him, Alex," Blaze said.
Sadie placed a hand on Blaze's arm. His head whipped around, desperate for clarification. Sadie leaned over and whispered in his ear. Blaze's eyebrows creased and his mouth dropped open yet again. With a simple nod he had accepted the secret and was ready to move on.
Maybe that’s what big brothers do.
“Like I said, Katerina’s power was derived from pure evil," Tristan said. "And to absorb that bad energy will have an effect, I am just not sure what that will be.”
“Katerina’s not the only magic person around here,” Sadie added. “Why can’t we get someone else to open the portal?”
“I’m the only one I know of with the ability to do this. You need to reverse her spell, which means using her powers to do it. I can get them and use them.”
“She wasn’t always evil,” I said. “Just take her good magic.”
“There is no good left in Katerina. Even if there was I can’t pick and choose. This won’t involve me sharing her powers like I did you all; I have to take her powers. I’m just trying to tell you that I don’t know what that will mean.”
Uneasiness pulsed through him like a flashing neon sign. I was sure that Tristan knew more about the consequences of this plan than he was admitting but his resolve to not divulge any further was steady.
No part of the plan was reassuring to any of us but our options were limited. Tristan’s mind was made up. While his determination was honorable, having him risk his life for us was not an arrangement I could easily get on board with.
“Side effects aside,” Blaze said. “Somehow I doubt it will be as simple as finding Katerina and taking her power. I tend to believe she will not be very cooperative.”
“Not to mention them,” Sadie said, pointing at the gang of angry henchmen across the lawn. “Are we sure that barrier will hold?”
“I promise you are safe,” Tristan answered. “Our biggest obstacle is that Katerina knows your abilities and can now anticipate and manipulate them.”
“She had been spying on us,” Sadie said. “We never had a chance to hide them from her. She either overheard us talking about them or saw them for herself. We just never had a chance.”
“She must have moved fast,” Tristan said. “But that's good because now we know that there is an excellent possibility that she will block your powers and you will be forced to rely on strength alone.”
“How is that good?” Sadie asked.
“Because now you can prepare,” Tristan answered.
I was too baffled by the conversation and everyone’s avoidance of the major issue to contribute. Tristan was planning to risk his life to get us home, yet no one wanted to address it. The longer the topic sat on the backburner, the more exasperated I became.
“Hello?” I yelled. “One thing at a time! This plan does not work for me and I’m surprised you all don’t feel the same.”
Tristan hunched over in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees and looking down at his shoes. I stared, willing him to look up and answer me. Frustration turned to anger that made my hands tremble.
“We know, Alex,” Blaze whispered. “We aren’t ignoring the consequences; we are trying to prepare. Regardless of the plan, it will be dangerous. There will be risks to all of our lives.”
I collapsed back into my chair and covered my face with my hands.
“But why risk your life for us?” I asked, unable to let it go. “You don’t know us. You don’t owe us anything.”
“This isn’t about risking my life,” Tristan responded. “It’s about saving yours. I will be fine but you will die if we do nothing.”
“So why not let us go it alone?” Sadie asked. “I figure we don’t have much lose. You have everything to lose.”
“You never asked to be here and the least I can do is help you get home.”
“But it’s not your fault,” I said. “You didn’t bring us here. Don’t feel required to help us especially if it means jeopardizing your life.”
“Everyone has a role in Haliwick,” Tristan said. “Some teach, some guard, some protect. I protect. My ability gives me an edge. Granted, nothing like this has ever happened and probably never will again but it’s my duty.”
“So you are like a soldier!” Sadie screeched.
“I’m just doing my part. I didn’t say I would die, I just said I wasn’t sure. It’s not like this situation presents itself daily!”
“Alex, just because you don’t know the outcome doesn’t mean you don’t try,” Blaze said. “No war has ever been won without taking risks.”
The strict determination in Blaze’s voice rocked me. I knew he was right, again, but it did not make it easier to accept. We found ourselves at a disadvantage from the start. Returning home would require an intense battle, not a simple conversation. The battle would include magic and maneuvers that we could not predict, and an enemy whose powers far surpassed our own.
The only way to leave this world was with Katerina’s capabilities. Killing her was not an option. We needed her abilities so we needed her alive. The only solution was to accept Tristan’s offer. He was the key to the best and lone strategy on the table. Our lives were at risk whether we were sleeping, eating breakfast, or fighting back. At least one of those involved us standing up for ourselves.
“If this is what you want to do, I won’t bother you about it,” I mumbled in Tristan’s direction.
“Thank you,” Tristan said.
Ultimately, it was not about me. Sadie and Blaze should not have to die because I was in love with our way out. Nothing about Haliwick was simple. Life was hard enough without the drama of magic and impossible love.
“Alex, this isn’t easy for any of us,” Blaze said. “But this is what we have to do.”
Tristan playfully poked his index finger into my stomach and arm. Blaze followed his lead by ruffling the already knotted-up hair on my head. Sadie’s giggles echoed throughout the backyard as I was tickled and tousled. I appreciated the diversion from the fear of death and of my psyche that was demanding me to stop ignoring my feelings.
“Alex, will you come help me with something?” Sadie asked, whisking me into the kitchen.
She rushed me past the dining room table causing me to stumble into one of the chairs. I jerked my hand out of hers and followed her the rest of the way at my own speed. As soon as we arrived at the sofa, Sadie shoved me onto it.
“What is wrong with you?” I asked.
“Just loosen up,” she responded.
I couldn’t argue with her strange request. I was certain my body had been oxygen deprived for the last twenty minutes or so. Silently, we sat next to each other. I breathed in. I breathed out. I couldn’t be sure if she was in charge of my emotions or if I had actually managed to calm myself down. Either way, I was grateful.
“I am not as strong as I try to be,” I said finally. “I foolishly believed that I could control my emotions and even my life. Now I have you and Blaze to consider and protect, and it is overwhelming.”
I had worn my independence like a fashionable hat. Now I was wearing several hats—sister, friend, guardian…girlfriend. I could hardly withstand the heaviness.
“The task is not meant for you alone,” Sadie said. “You are not required to fight this by yourself. Stop thinking everything is your responsibility.”
The idea was so simple and obvious, yet I could never have said it to myself. It was only legitimate coming from Sadie.
I was not certain when I became such a martyr. Probably around the time I learned that I was difficult to kill. I had felt protective of Sadie and Blaze from the moment I met them. Facing a battle against an evil witch did not faze me nearly as much as the worry of how I could sav
e my family.
“He loves you too, you know,” she whispered.
Sadie hugged me and then gracefully disappeared from the room, leaving me alone on the couch struggling for words.
****
Chapter Seventeen
I had a great respect, or possibly fear, for Blaze’s strength. The man was a rock and knew much about the art of combat even before you factored in his power.
The sun had barely taken possession of the morning sky when Blaze dragged us from our beds. I didn’t feel the need to change out of the dark gray sweatpants that Tristan had loaned me. Sadie, naturally, appeared inexplicably put together in slim-fitting yoga pants and tunic tank top.
Seriously, is Tristan hiding a boutique in his backyard?
“Well girls,” Blaze said excitedly. “It looks like we have some practicing to do.”
“Practicing of what?” I asked.
“Battle!”
“Why does that scare me?” Sadie asked.
“Probably because of that disturbing look on his face,” I said.
“Yeah, Blaze,” Sadie said. “You are too excited. It’s making you have the crazy eyes.”
Blaze erupted in laughter, hunching over like he was just punched in the stomach. The rest of us joined him in a round of hysterical chuckles. Though, I could not tell if it was genuine or nervous laughter.
“I don’t know about you two but my energy and strength are crashing,” I said. “We don’t have much time to use for practicing.”
“We don’t need much time,” Blaze said. “I’m a good teacher.”
“Why does that scare me too?” Sadie giggled.
“Nothing about this is fair to any of us,” Blaze said. “But sitting here worrying is a waste of time that we don’t have. We know what we have to do so let’s just try to be as prepared as we can.”
“Agreed,” Sadie said.
“Fine,” I responded.
Yawning and half asleep, we all had gathered in the yard for “battle scenarios” as Blaze called it. We, of course, were not happy about it considering he had kept us up late discussing “battle strategy.” Conversation about the art of combat was considered acceptable to Blaze, but conversations about life, love, or the lack-thereof were of no interest to him.