by Carey Corp
I wiped my face, trying to shake the image of Vee’s melting hand. It was only a dream, I told myself. You’re okay. Vee’s okay. After all, I continued to reassure myself as I worked to shed the clinging tendrils of my nightmare, she would never do anything as reckless as storming the castle.
CHAPTER 15
Veronica
Go up! Go up!”
Kenna’s voice vibrated with urgency as she shook my shoulder.
Instantly wide awake, I sat up and clutched my right arm. In the low light of the banked fire, I shoved up my sleeve. The skin from my elbow down burned like it’d been drenched in acid. But when I ran my fingers up my arm, the surface appeared unmarred and the ache eased. Just a dream. I blew out a quiet sigh and glanced around the tent to see Sophia, Gabby, and Analisa still asleep in their bedrolls.
My pulse revved up from the nightmare, I pushed back my blanket and began to finger-comb my tangled hair. Ewan would sound the call to wake me any second now. But as hard as I tried to go over the steps of our plan, I couldn’t focus. The dream played over and over. I’d reached out toward a door, something metal clutched in my fist, and a zap ripped up my fingers, melting the flesh from my bones.
I shuttered. What were Kenna’s exact words? Get up? Or go up?
A warbling call, like a cross between a duck and a whippoorwill, echoed through the camp. I sprang to my feet and pulled on the pair of gray-and-blue baseball pants and long-sleeved Royals jersey I’d found among the purchases from the modern world. Somehow, wearing them made me feel closer to Jamie. After plaiting my hair in a long single braid, I stepped into the night.
It was time. An image of a giant, a Spanish swordsman, and a pirate climbing the battlement walls to save the princess made me smile. Just like in The Princess Bride, I had a castle to storm.
Ewan waited by the fire circle, shifting from foot to foot. When I approached he handed me what looked like a leather holster in the shape of an x. “Place this across yer . . . er . . .” His eyes stuck to the cursive writing of my Royals jersey as his hand flapped in the general direction of my chest. Impatient with his modesty, I handed him my cloak and grabbed the holster, then drew it over my head. “I got it, Ewan.” Funny that Jamie had been raised in the same medieval-like kingdom, but never suffered from such old-fashioned propriety.
Ewan cleared his throat and passed me a leather sack. “Thank you, Yer Majesty. Buckle the belt and then place the hatchets, blades down, in the holsters on either side of yer waist.”
I pulled the weapons from the bag, careful of their razor-sharp edges, and tucked two axes into each pouch. Then I straightened and pulled the straps tight. “Where did you get this?”
“I made it.”
My gaze jerked to his red-tinged face. “When?”
The side of his mouth quirked. “Tonight, my queen. I couldna sleep.”
And yet the boy buzzed with barely contained energy as if he’d just downed five cups of espresso. I returned his grin and reached out for my cloak. Ignoring my hand, Ewan shook out the fabric and then swirled the cape around my shoulders.
Unsure if I’d get another chance after the suicide mission we were about to embark on, I whispered, “Thank you.”
He tilted his head. “Fer what?”
“For the holster, for risking your life to find the elixir . . . for always taking care of me.”
His eyes narrowed and latched onto mine. “Somebody’s got to, eh?”
The moment drew out into awkwardness and I realized he stood so close that I could feel his body heat. I stepped back. Had Oliver been right, that Ewan had feelings for me? I hoped not. I valued his friendship, and would never wish to lead him on. But the part of my heart capable of romantic love had died along with Jamie.
“Let’s get this party started, mates!”
I whirled on Oliver as he strode into the circle. “Hush! If you wake my guards, or, heaven forbid, Fergus, this ends now.”
His dark eyes widened. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “Guess I’m a bit nervous.”
The man had weapons fastened all over his body. A broadsword—that I doubted he knew how to use—was strapped to his side, there were knife holsters on both his legs, and various metal objects hung from a leather strap around his waist. “What’s all this?”
“I fashioned a tool belt of sorts.” He lifted a stick, whittled to a point at one end. “A screwdriver. Not exactly a Phillips-head, but it should do the trick.” He showed us a small hammer and a wood-and-metal saw.
“Let me guess. You didn’t sleep either?”
He shook his head. “Not possible.”
Without saying the words, we all knew the likelihood of us coming out of this alive. But we also knew we’d never defeat Addie by playing it safe. “Let’s go over the plan one more time.”
Icy liquid sloshed up toward my mouth and nose, and I strained to draw breath. With the loch freezing and thawing so quickly, water had leached into the bottom of the supply boat. We were halfway to the castle when Ewan cheerfully announced the vessel was leaking; i.e., we were sinking. He claimed that, with the cloudless moon reflecting on the mist-shrouded loch, we were better disguised sitting lower in the water, but the panic tightening my chest didn’t agree with his logic.
Kenna had begged me to take swimming lessons with her during our tenth summer. I’d used cheer and dance as my excuse when, really, I despised water—the communal pool slimy with kiddie pee and too much chlorine; the painful chills puckering my skin when I emerged into the cooler air; and most of all, the deep end.
A surge of panic completely blocked my airway and I lifted up on my hands. The castle loomed, its shadowy turrets stretching into the sky beyond my range of vision. We were close. I glanced behind me and met Oliver’s strained expression. The corners of his mouth rose along with his eyebrows in what could’ve been an encouraging expression had it not melted into a scowl so quickly.
Oddly, the apprehension written on his face gave me strength. As their queen and leader, my mood would dictate whether we faced this impossible mission with courage or cowardice. Stuffing my own fear deep into the recesses of my soul, I shot Oliver a jaunty smile and watched as the crinkles on his forehead smoothed in relief.
Wood scraped against wood, vibrating through my bones as our tiny craft shuddered to a stop. Ewan grabbed the rope attached to the prow and leapt onto the dock. I sat up, ignoring the protest of my overworked arm muscles and the sodden fabric of my cloak chilling my skin, and ran through the steps of our plan. This was it. No mistakes.
Ewan helped me out of the boat with Oliver following quickly behind, tying the second rope to the dock. Ewan disappeared into the scrub of short trees and bushes bordering the lake while Oliver and I searched the area. No sign of Addie’s guards, or anyone else, for that matter. Perhaps Ewan had been right in saying this entrance had been forgotten by all but the servants.
I checked my weapons and noticed the holster on my left side had dislodged, now hanging loose against my hip. Ewan returned holding a ring of ancient-looking keys and eyed me as I struggled to reattach the pouch.
“Here, let me help ye.” He handed the key ring to Oliver and stepped close, soon tying two strips of leather together in triple knots. I swallowed my impatience as he fixed the holster.
“I’ll unlock the door, mate,” Oliver whispered.
“Pull the knob to ye as you turn.” Ewan knelt down to get a better view of his repairs, and as I watched Oliver approach the dark wooden door, apprehension clenched in my chest and rose into my throat—that anxious feeling that I had forgotten something vitally important but couldn’t quite place it. As Oliver struck a match and held it close to the keyhole, something made me look up. Expecting to see zombified minions dropping down on bungee cords, I was relieved to only find the night-darkened stone of the castle and an empty balcony two stories above.
“Go up. Go up!” Kenna’s voice echoed in my head.
Ewan sprang to his feet. “That should do.”
My ring pulsed heat up my arm. Kenna hadn’t been telling me to wake up. Her words had been a warning. I rushed forward, my hand extended. “Oliver, stop!”
But I was too late. Violet sparks exploded from the door. Oliver convulsed like he’d touched a 10,000-volt electric fence, and then flew through the air and landed flat on his back. I rushed to his body and dropped to my knees on the dock. His eyes stared blindly back at me. I didn’t need to touch him to know he was gone.
“No . . . no . . . no!” I leaned in and positioned my locked hands over his chest. Before I could make the first compression, Ewan jerked me back.
“Stop! The magic could still be in him.”
“I don’t care!” I jerked out of his grasp, but his arms locked around me and he tugged me away. That’s when I noticed the flesh of Oliver’s right arm had turned purple, with bloody blisters cracking open all over his skin.
“Ye canna save him now, Yer Majesty.”
I struggled against the cage of his arms as he dragged me down the dock. “The magic shouldn’t have been able to kill him! He pledged fealty to the true throne and the Protector.”
Ewan stopped, but kept his hold on me. His breath was harsh in my ear as we both stared at our friend’s inert body. Tears welled in my eyes. This was my fault. I’d concocted this whole crazy, impossible scheme. And I’d missed Kenna’s warning. Somehow, she’d known about the deadly force field and tried to tell me in my dreams. “I have to try to help him.”
Slowly, Ewan released me. “Let me try. Tell me what to do.”
“You . . .”
Oliver blinked and sat straight up with a gasp.
“Oliver!”
We both ran to his side, and Ewan caught the dazed man from behind as he fell back with a groan. “That was a rush.” His words were mumbled, but after several tries he focused on my face. “What happened?”
I laughed and swiped the moisture from my eyes. “Just a little run-in with the forces of darkness.”
Oliver tried to stand and collapsed with a grimace. Clearly, he was too weak to continue on with the mission. Ewan and I helped him hobble over to a spot behind a stand of pines. I had to trust that he would be okay when we left him behind, just as I trusted Kenna had come to me for a reason. Zombie hedge! Her words made perfect sense to me now. To get into the castle, we would have to go up.
Quickly, we pulled the small boat onto the bank and removed the ropes, tying them into one long cord, and then found a towering yew close to the second-story balcony. Ewan climbed as high as he dared, secured the rope to a branch, and swung over. I held my breath, bracing for his violent collision with Addie’s force field. But he landed on the terrace without mishap. Maybe Addie only had enough power to cover the lower entrances to the castle. The thought that she couldn’t be everywhere at once gave me hope. Maybe we could do this after all.
Ewan threw the line back and I swung across to join him. After knotting the rope to the balcony rail, we slipped along the shadowed corridors.
The air felt thick, like walking through dense fog, but without the visual impairment. The effect was disconcerting to say the least.
“Do ye feel that?” Ewan whispered as we entered a back servants’ staircase.
“Yes, it’s magic. Dark magic.” I stopped at the bottom of the staircase and raised a hand for Ewan to wait. When I didn’t hear anything beyond the threshold, I peeked into the hallway. Torches illuminated the corridor with flickering violet flames, throwing monstrous shadows against the walls. Living in the castle had always felt a little like Hogwarts to me, but the witch had stripped my home of its epic mystery, and replaced it with harsh, unrelenting despair.
Anger buzzed through me as I lowered my hand and Ewan followed me into the hallway. We’d only made it a few feet when voices floated to us from around the corner. I tensed and yanked an axe from my belt, more than ready to fight. But before I could position the handle for throwing, I was jerked sideways into a darkened alcove. I shot Ewan a glare as he leaned in and murmured, “Axed guards will draw unnecessary attention.”
His words skittered across my brain without registering, adrenaline coursed through my veins, filling me with reckless energy. The voices drew closer and I wrapped my fingers around the handle of my axe. Taking out two of the witch’s minions would mean two less people to protect her. Two less people to do her bidding. And it would send a message that we’d been here. That we’d penetrated the witch’s defenses. My hands shook with need and I gripped another axe with my left hand. I could do it—throw the first hatchet before they could react, and the second before the guard could draw his sword.
But these were people who had once been Doonians, possibly guards from my own detail. My chest felt tight, as if I couldn’t get enough air. Steady footfalls drew closer. I sucked in a deep breath. And I knew I couldn’t do it. Couldn’t murder one of our own, even if they’d switched teams mid-game. The patrol passed without even glancing our way. I exhaled long and slow.
My thoughts clear again, I led the rest of the way. We reached the enormous double doors of the royal chapel without meeting anyone else. Half expecting the room to be locked, I breathed a sigh of relief as the handle turned with a soft click.
We stepped inside and moonlight bled through stained glass, washing the stone columns and arching vaults in shades of watered blue, magenta, and gold. Memories assaulted me everywhere I looked. The pew toward the back where I’d been gripped with temporary madness as I’d watched Jamie go through the rituals that would make him a king. The altar, where Aunt Gracie’s cursed journal flamed, and where the surge of the ring’s power had flowed through me for the first time as I destroyed the evil spell.
So much had changed.
With effort, I turned from memories to face the vault door. I reached for the handle, smacked into something hard, and stumbled back. Ewan walked around me, but I yanked him back. “Stop. The door’s guarded by magic.”
I lifted my hand and focused on removing the enchanted barrier. My ring glowed scarlet, and then winked out. I stared down at the dull red stone as a wave of dizziness swept over me. My gaze jerked up to meet Ewan’s. My legs wobbled and I reached out for something to steady myself.
“Yer Majesty?” Ewan grabbed for me, but I toppled, my hip striking the wooden pew as I dropped to my knees.
I focused all my energy on raising my arm, but my limbs were made of lead. My stomach lurched with the sickening realization that the spell guarding the door had latched onto me like a parasite, gnawing away at my strength. My muscles trembled, and I slumped to my bottom.
Ewan knelt beside me. “What is it? Are ye hurt?”
“There’s a spell . . .” I sucked in air. “It’s inside me . . .”
Ewan followed my gaze to the door, his eyes flaring wide as they turned back to me. “What do I do?”
I fell back on my elbows and he cradled my head in his lap. Panting as if I’d sprinted a mile, I stared up at him, panicked. I didn’t know what to tell him. I knew Addie’s magic couldn’t kill me, but could it put me in a coma? Make me a vegetable for the rest of my life? “I don’t . . . I don’t . . . know.” I blinked. What would Jamie do? “Pray . . . just pray.”
I squeezed my eyes closed and focused on my breath.
Deep inhale. Slow exhale.
I reached out with my consciousness to the Protector, but with every breath my throat squeezed tighter and the words wouldn’t come. I heard Ewan pleading above me, “Show us what to do . . . Save her.”
My fingers and toes tingled and then went numb, and that’s when I began to shake, not with fear but with white-hot anger. After every challenge I’d overcome, all the hard-won battles, that witch still had the upper hand. She’d earned my trust as my assistant Emily while killing innocents behind my back. She’d deceived good people—men, women, and children who had become my family—into pledging their lives to her. She’d forced me to send my best friend out of Doon. Then she’d killed countless others with the earthquake, destroyed t
he bridge, and murdered the only boy I would ever love.
And there was no way on God’s green, blessed earth she was getting away with it. I focused all my strength into sitting up and drew in a deep breath. “Help me stand.” Ewan searched my face, but hooked an arm around my waist and complied. My knees buckled and he tightened his hold.
Spreading my feet, I anchored my legs and lifted my clenched fist. This was not how it ended. I would live to make Addie see that taking Jamie had not weakened me, but turned me into a dragon.
The ring sparked and I focused every ounce of power left in my being at the invisible barrier in front of me. Crimson waves shot down my arms and legs and then exploded from the ring, hitting the door like a bazooka. Addie’s spell disintegrated in a burst of violet embers, and the door flew off its hinges and slammed against the wall.
“Holy Saints!” Ewan’s arm tightened around my waist, but as I lowered my arm, I pulled away from his grip, realizing my full strength had returned.
“We need to hurry. Someone may have heard that.” Feeling like I could lift a car with my bare hands, I strode into the vault.
The elixir was mine, and this dragon was about to swallow a witch whole.
CHAPTER 16
Jamie
The moon had set and the sun was yet to rise, but I couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, my dreams were haunted with nightmarish images of Veronica, pale and frozen like a cursed princess from a fairy tale. Danger hovered all around her with fangs and horns and bloody claws.
There is nowhere you can go, nothin’ that can keep us from finding our way back to each other.
It was a vow I intended to keep.
By the flame of a single lantern, I lowered a sliver of wood toward the lock in my ankle cuff. I’d already snapped a dozen shards, but this one was sturdier than the rest. With my elbow propped on the inside of my knee, I inserted the narrow end into the hole and carefully felt around for the lever that would release the latch. I closed my eyes, felt the pressure and slight give of the mechanism as a trail of sweat trickled down the side of my face.