by C C Sommerly
“Are you saying, tough, butt-kicking Marty is scared of the dark?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“I think I’d know by now if I was afraid of the dark.”
Light filled the back window of the car.
“Right on time.”
We got out to meet the enforcers. Miles stared at me long enough that Lochlan noticed. He stepped in front of me, blocking Miles’ view.
“We are going to use grethens to track anyone living,” said Miles.
“Stay within an arm’s length of each other. This place can go from safe to dangerous in an instant. The minute you let your guard down is when it gets you.”
Great pep talk buddy.
We’d parked maybe a quarter of a mile from the swamp. The closer we got to it, the darker it became. The smell of the brackish water and decomposing plants and animals hit my nose. Fog clustered around the trees, making it hard to see the water or ground.
“Stay close,” whispered Lochlan.
“I wasn’t about to go tearing through the swamp,” I said.
I had my sword in hand and was scanning the area for obstacles and threats. The swamp could claim your life in any number of ways. That included by its very layout. Murky and dark water you couldn’t see through, obscuring mist, hidden trees to catch your feet on and the poisonous gases. It’s a wonder why this place wasn’t more popular.
The grethens were tugging on their handlers. They scented something. It took all of the handlers’ strength to keep the grethens from running off. Never understood someone’s fondness for animals. Personally, I had no interest in owning an animal.
Lights flared up and died down. The will-o-wisps were active tonight. They were also called “fool’s fire”. They could mislead travelers, who follow the light, into an unending journey or to something sinister that kills them.
Now that we were on the edge of the swamp, a chill filled the air and the humidity was gone. Goosebumps broke out on my skin and my magic sang. Anywhere that my magic liked was not any place to be.
The grethens were leading us straight through the swamp. There were some patches of land, but it looked like we’d be hitting the water. I looked down at my leather pants. They’d never be the same after this, neither would my boots.
Miles halted us.
“We are sending the avian shifters ahead. They will scout an alternative route for us,” he said.
That was a relief. We waited and I impatiently smacked the mosquitoes away from me. A wailing started out from somewhere. I couldn’t see what was making the noise. Several of the enforcers looked around, weapons at the ready, but nothing appeared. At least their reaction told me that the noise wasn’t my imagination.
Finally, the avian shifters came back.
“There is a way around, but it might be even more dangerous than going straight through,” said one of them.
“Fine. Ward, make a boat for us.”
One of the mages started humming and a flat boat appeared in front of us with a long pole. Another mage hummed and made a second flat boat since we couldn’t all fit on one.
Lochlan and I got onto the second one with four of the enforcers. Miles took the lead boat with five enforcers. We had lanterns with us, but they did little to light the area. The boats glided along the swamp. Any obstacle was easily avoided with the poles. The enforcer guiding our boat pushed against the ground and maneuvered us easily through the water. I started relaxing. I hadn’t been on a boat in a while. I’d forgotten how relaxing being on the water could be.
The boat rocked. Did anyone else notice that? No one was reacting, so it must be just me. It rocked again and this time some of the others noticed. One of the enforcers created a flame with his hand. Lochlan blew it out with a gust of wind.
“Are you trying to blow us all up? You can’t use fire in a swamp. It’ll explode.”
“Sorry.”
Another enforcer brought a lantern and held it out. Hundreds of eyes reflected in the light. I shivered. There were a lot of creatures out. It was quiet except for the sound of the boat moving across the water.
“Stay alert,” one of them said.
Something hit the boat hard and it cracked down the middle. The magic users were trying to patch the boat when a giant gator reared out of the water. It slammed its tail on our boat, rendering it to nothing but kindling. We all went flying out of the boat.
I dropped into the water and fought my way to the surface. I spit out the foul water. I looked for the nearest person. I couldn’t see anyone within arm’s reach. The creature tore a tree out of the water and was using it as a club. It swung down towards us, trying to bludgeon us. It shrieked when it didn’t hit anyone. I covered my ears, but that didn’t completely block out the sound. My magic was itching to be used. Maybe using just a little wouldn’t be so bad. I had the bracelet to block it, so it probably also limited the strength of my magic.
The lanterns had gone out and I couldn’t see anything in the dark. Something under the water brushed against my leg. Let it be a fish, let it be a fish. I felt it again and it most definitely didn’t feel like a fish. A twenty-foot long gator reared up out of the water a few feet away, sending a wave crashing into me. When I came up, I saw that the gator had clamped it jaws onto one of the enforcers, who went down screaming. The other boat was coming back for us. If they could get the mage on board that created our boat, we’d have another one made up.
Something grabbed my leg and pulled me under. I heard Lochlan scream out for me. I fought against what had me. It was either an anaconda or a tentacle of something even bigger. I freed my sword and slashed it across the creature, trying to break its hold on my leg. As my breath was running out, I felt the creature loosen up. I swam for the surface. I saw our people were screaming and fighting off snakes and gators. The water churned around us. One of the mages readied up a spell and flames shot out.
“No!” someone screamed and the flames exploded as they merge with the gases. I ducked under the water and the flames raged overhead. How long would they go on and could we all hold our breath that long?
Water shot out from around us, sending the flames shooting into the sky. There went our stealth mission. They would know we were coming from them. Please don’t let them kill their prisoners before we can get there.
Lochlan was concentrating on keeping the flames away from us. He was incredible. My head was woozy from the gases.
“Make a boat,” shouted Miles.
The mage made a boat and we climbed aboard. We were much more wary than before and everyone had their weapons ready. The grethens starting baying.
“They’ve caught the scent. All haste,” said Miles.
Lochlan starting humming and we had a wind at our backs, helping to speed the boats along. The fire still burned behind us, a flaming geyser. At least we didn’t have to worry about the dark with it burning brightly.
My leg was bleeding where the creature got me and it stung. Please don’t let there be venom in my wound from the creature. I doubt the enforcers thought to bring a healer with them.
An agonizing ten minutes later, a concrete building could be seen in the distance. Finally, our destination. We beached the boats and ran for the building, which appeared to be a warehouse of some kind.
The only sound was our breathing and our footsteps. Miles took the lead and kicked in the door. Lochlan took the back and I stayed towards the middle of our group.
Inside was a maze of wooden walls. The stench of body waste, blood and death was overwhelming. I heard soft cries through the wooden walls.
Gun fire rang out, Miles shifted into a tiger and ran for the shooter roaring. The sound was deafening and echoed off the walls. He tore into the shooter, spraying blood across the floor and coating his muzzle with it.
Someone threw fireballs at us and Lochlan used his wind to blow them away from us. Some of the sparks hit the wooden walls.
“They are going to burn,” I shouted.
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br /> The sparks ignited the wooden walls and people started screaming. I ran for them. I didn’t care about the capturers at this point. We didn’t come this far to let these people burn.
“Marty, wait!” shouted Lochlan.
I ran to the gate that was blocking access to the wooden maze. I hit it with my sword, but it was magically enhanced. The cries within grew more frantic. More of the enforcers joined me, none of us could break the lock. There was a ward preventing us from going over the walls and we couldn’t go under.
I really didn’t want to do this, but I had no choice.
“Everyone back up.”
They looked at me, but didn’t move.
“Do as she said,” yelled Miles.
I put my hands out and concentrated on my magic. It latched onto the lock and ate through it, then it worked its way through the gate and created a two-foot deep and four-foot wide crater before I stopped it.
“Dear God,” said someone.
I closed my eyes and concentrated on keeping my magic from coming out. It was a struggle. Once released, my magic didn’t like to be contained, especially when I’d kept it locked up for years. My magic was more like a living entity and didn’t behave like most people’s magic. I’d spent years trying to control it enough to get my magic to do my bidding. I was rusty and the damage done showed just how out of practice I was.
“Hurry, free as many as you can,” said Miles.
We ran into the maze and there were literally dozens of cell. Each cell contained anywhere from five to ten people. So many to get out in such little time. The first people we came to were covered in ragged clothes and filthy. None of them looked to have been fed or watered. Many just laid there, unable or unwilling to move.
“Get them out,” I said.
One of the enforcers got to work. I needed to get the necklace and grimoire if they were here. They were too dangerous to have out.
“I’ll check further down,” I said to no one in particular and took off.
I raced through the main walkway that connected each of the wooden cells. I don’t know what made me stop, but I halted at a cell that contained a single bloodied woman. She was who was rocking and tearing at her skin, opening up holes where her ragged nails hit it.
“Where is my wolf? Why did you leave? Please come back.”
It sent chills down my back. I unlocked her cell. She stopped to stare at me with her vacant eyes.
“Why are you here? Did you find my wolf? She’s missing.”
“Come with me, we’ll see if we can find her.”
I waited for the woman to come to me and I held out my hand for her to take. She placed her bloodied one in mine and I forced myself not to grimace or react. She had peeled off her skin in places, in what I guess was an attempt to dig her wolf out. Her eyes shined with madness.
The smoke was started to pour in, making me and the girl cough. I could hear the enforcers desperate attempts to put it out the flames Others were running and corralling the prisoners.
“Can you tell me where the people are that took you?”
“They are bad men. They hurt my wolf.”
“Can you be brave? I know your wolf would want you to be brave. I’ll be with you the whole time. Can you show me where the bad men are?”
She nodded and pulled me along with her. At first I worried that she was confused and didn’t know where they were. She kept circling around the same cell, but there was nothing inside.
“I don’t understand what you are trying to tell me.”
“Under. It’s hiding.”
“Stay right here, let me check. You will be safe.”
I walked into the cell and dropped onto my hands and knees. We were running out of time. Already the smoke was making it hard to breathe. That was the danger with magic. Once you manipulated something with magic, it could take on a life of its on. That’s probably what happened here.
I knocked on the ground, trying to find one that sounded hallow. The girl was coughing huge, wracking coughs that sounded painful. At this rate we’d either suffocate or burn to death.
I needed to get these bastards and get those artifacts out of their hands. I couldn’t find anything hollow. I didn’t have time for this.
“Stand back at the other cell,” I said to the girl.
I opened myself up to the magic and directed it at the floor. It ate through the floor. Someone underneath cried out. Bingo. Found ya.
I jumped through the opening and found the muzzles of three guns pointed at me. I laughed and flung my magic at them. They screamed as they died.
“You will never get the master,” said the last one before he died.
I had an even harder time keeping my magic at bay. I dug around the office, but I couldn’t find either the grimoire or the necklace. A picture on the wall caught my eyes. No, it can’t be that simple, can it?
I went over to the picture and moved it aside. It revealed a cubby hole. I reached in an pulled out an object. It was a tiny box. I opened it and saw a necklace. I could feel the magic in it. I quickly put it around my neck for safekeeping. I put my hand back in and felt around. My hand hit something hard. I pulled it out and had the grimoire. My satisfaction was short lived when I heard the girl screaming. There was no ladder and I needed to get up there now. I grabbed two of the wooden chairs and placed them on top of the desk. This would have to do. I’d have to jump just right to make it out. I closed my eyes, blocking out all of the noise, and jumped. My feet touched the ground as I barely cleared the hole. I wobbled on the edge before pitching forward.
“There you are. You scared me,” said Lochlan. “What’s wrong with the girl?”
“I’m not sure. How are they doing evacuating everyone?”
Better now. One of the mages was able to create shields. I directed the flames and he formed shields over them. It’s bought us time to get everyone out.”
“Not everyone,” I said as I thought of the men.
In all we pulled out fifty people and twenty bodies. The ones that died might be better off than the living. They were in bad shape. One of the enforcers transported back to get more charms to transport us back. Lochlan’s magic was spent, so he couldn’t create a portal to take us to safety, especially not with so many people.
Once the enforcer returned, we transported in groups of ten. It was a long process. More enforcers would need to come out here to examine the prison and make sure we got everyone out.
We transported to the enforcers’ headquarters, where healers were standing by. I took the girl to them. They could heal her body, but the damage done to her mind was irreparable. How many of these people were damaged beyond repair?
Lochlan had to stay behind, so I went to his house alone. The others didn’t question me. Callie handed me a sandwich and guided me down to the basement, where I ate my sandwich and fell asleep.
24
Lochlan disappeared again. A better person than me would be understanding. I wasn’t. He left me without checking that I’d be okay and not hauled off to jail by the enforcers. They had seen my magic and knew it was dark magic. My kind of magic was forbidden.
Now, it was up to me to tie up the loose ends on this case. I was on my way to return the necklace and grimoire – not something I was looking forward to.
At Julia Huntington’s house, Frank opened the door. He smiled when he saw me.
“We meet again,” he said.
“Indeed we do. I’m here on business, is Julia in?”
“Yes, please come in.”
He led me into a sitting room. Julia sashayed into the room.
“Do you have it?”
I pulled her necklace out from my pocket.
“Perfect.”
I handed it to her.
“You may want to get better protections for this or never take it off.”
“I will take better precautions, you may leave.”
I walked myself to the door.
My next stop was one I dreaded even more
than visiting Julia. I walked up to the Bolden’s door and knocked. Their ancient butler answered.
“Oh, it’s you again. What is it you want?”
“I have something for Mrs. Bolden. Can you get her?”
“Very well, but you’re waiting outside.”
He shut the door and I stood on the chilly door step. I can’t say I blamed him for not wanting me in the house. Every time someone in their family dealt with me, it caused problems. The door opened and Mrs. Bolden stared at me. Her eyes flared with some strong emotion.
“You dare come back here after everything that’s happened to my family.”
“I won’t ever come back. I’ve got something for you.”
I held out the grimoire. She jumped back, nearly falling down.
“No.”
“It’s yours and what your son, daughter, and husband wanted back. It belongs to your family.”
“Don’t speak of them. Getting this back came at too high of a cost. I lost my daughter, son, and husband over it. I don’t want it. Keep it, destroy it, but it will not come back here,” said Mrs. Bolden.
She slammed the door on me and I heard the sound of locks turning from where I stood. I didn’t want this. Maybe Lochlan knew how to destroy a grimoire. And, I couldn’t tell her that her son was still alive since he was under protection. She was right, she had lost everything and all for a stupid book.
25
The next day, someone pounding incessantly on Lochlan’s door woke me. I’d fallen asleep on the couch. The pain in my head was starting to beat in harmony with the knocks against the door. The rest of the household must be deaf this morning.
I marched to the door and flung it open. My mouth dropped open. She was the last person I expected to see.
“Why are you here?”
“That’s no way to treat a friend,” said Julia Huntington.
“We aren’t friends. Saying we’re acquaintances is a stretch. And did you have to bring your Devil Dog?”
“Yes, I did. And we will be friends, Marty.”
She held out a diamond encrusted leash that tied to an equally blinged out collar.