“What...happened?”
“Something internal electrocuted you. We traced it back to a chip in your arm and Claire and her team cut it out when you passed out last night. You’ll be fine, soon, but do you remember getting a chip in your arm?”
I tried to think, but exhaustion took over before I could answer. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
All I could think was, I’ll survive this. I’ll survive this, over and over again in my head.
~~~~~
When I woke again I felt much better and most of the pain had gone away. Luke was asleep in a chair beside the bed I’d been moved to when they’d decided I was safe. I removed my hand carefully from his and stood. I stretched out my unused muscles and looked around. It had to have been around midnight.
I slipped out of the room and down the hall. I needed to see the sky.
The first window was perfect and not too far away from my Care Room. It was pitch black outside, but the stars sparkled. There was no moon, though, making everything dark and quiet.
“It’s been a long time since you’ve seen the sky,” I jumped slightly when I heard Luke’s voice.
“You scared me,” I said turning, “I tried not to wake you.”
“I was pretending and trying to sleep. When you left, I followed you.”
We both stood there silently for a moment, staring at the sky.
Luke broke the silence, staring at me intently, “Leigha, it’s okay.”
“No, Luke, its not, and it never will be. I tried to kill you. I can never take that back. If I ever do that again...” kill me, I sent the thought to him instead of saying it out loud.
“You know I can’t do that. You won’t do it again and even if you do I won’t kill you.”
“I can’t let you get hurt because of me. I just can’t let that happen. Promise me, please. If you really believe I won’t harm you, you can promise me this.”
He sighed, “I promise, but I won’t get hurt, so I can’t do that to you.”
He hugged me to him and we stood like that in silence for a while. I could hear his heartbeat through his shirt. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply.
“We’ll get through this, I promise,” Luke whispered in my ear.
We were still standing there like that, Luke with his arm around me, me with my face buried in his chest, when I started violently convulsing.
~~~~~
I woke up back in the Care Room with Luke standing over me, looking haggard.
“The chip was more complicated that we thought. Something’s gone seriously wrong. It’s like... It’s like it’s gotten inside of you. Like the properties of the chip began to spread throughout you,” he told me with a look of absolute despair on his face.
I closed my eyes tightly as if I could just wish it all away, “Is there any way to get rid of it?”
“We don’t know, but we’ll do everything we can.”
He turned around to say something to Cece. I noticed she’d been around him a lot. It was odd. Then, suddenly, an unseen force hit him and he keeled over, screaming. I immediately knew it had to do with me; I could feel it.
“Luke, do it! Do it now!” I screamed.
“No!” He gasped.
“Please, Luke, please.”
He struggled to pull his knife from a hidden sheath. He threw it weakly towards me and I managed to catch it. I had it poised over my heart and was about to finish the act when something stopped me. A glowing, sparkling, blue orb had risen from my chest. Then, something even stranged happened: the orb started talking.
The voice didn’t come from any known mouth or speaker, the orb just...produced it. It was one of the most unusual things I’d ever seen.
“The Chip must leave,” it spoke metallically, like you’d expect a robot to speak, “As long as the Chip is here you will have a desire to destroy. That is no one but the Dark King’s job. Not even the First Obliviator could be allowed that pleasure.”
The Chip, as it called itself, disintegrated. I sat there in shock for a moment, then, I screamed. After that, I began to worry about Luke.
“Are you okay?” I asked, finally, when I calmed down.
“Surprisingly better,” he replied, righting himself, “What was that?”
Cece was the only other person in the room and she was shaking her head slowly. Claire walked in during the brief silence.
“Whatever was hurting you is gone now. It can’t get to you anymore,” Claire said.
“I’m so sorry, Claire,” I said. I’d been apologizing a lot, lately. I needed to shape up my act.
“It wasn’t your fault,” she replied, “We have to move you out of here. Down into the basement,” she hesitated, “into the Comatasis Care Rooms.”
I knew the look that was on my face: grief and fear, “Wh-Why?”
“Because you’ll be safe there if they’re tracking you with that-that thing,” Luke said.
Claire pulled me to my feet, “We have to hurry, assuming they are coming for you.”
I was jostled out of the room as fast as the guards could manage. They hustled me down halls toward the Comatasis Care Rooms. We stopped in front of the open door.
“Come on, Luke,” Claire said, starting to turn away.
“No,” I begged, “please.”
“They know he’d be wherever you are,” Claire said simply.
“Luke!” I complained, although I knew I wouldn’t get my way.
“She’s right, Leigha, and you know I won’t risk that,” he said.
I hugged him, “Please, don’t get hurt if something happens,” I whispered.
He tilted my face up and kissed me. Then, he reached behind him and gently unlinked my arms.
“We have to go,” Claire said, annoyed.
The guards began to shuffle me into the Comatasis Care Rooms while Luke and Claire began to walk away, back to my Care Room.
“Wait!” Luke called out.
I whipped around immediately, “Is something wrong?”
He came back over to me and took my hands in his. His face was full of nervousness and he looked like he might throw up. “Leigha,” he said softly, getting down on his knees, “Will you be Bound to me?” He took off silver ring he wore on his pinky.
“Yes,” I breathed and he slid the ring onto my finger, standing up.
“It’s not much.”
I kissed him gently. “It doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter,” I told him, smiling, “You forgot something, though.”
A look of puzzlement crossed his face, “I did?” he pulled back, “What?”
I shook my head. “You’re smart enough to figure it out,” I said, and I turned and walked into the Comatasis Care Rooms.
~~~~~
Confusion was the only expression in Luke’s face as they walked back to Leigha’s Care Room. It was obvious he didn’t understand what Leigha meant, at least, it was to Claire.
He followed Claire and Wess up to the Care Room silently and took his position inside with Cece, who was already there, while Wess helped Claire.
“You don’t have to do this, Claire,” Wess said, “Anyone else could.”
“I’m sorry, but you don’t understand. It has to be me. There will be almost no flaws if I’m the one who changes,” Claire’s voice dropped, “It’s because I’m her sister.”
Wess took her face between his hands before either of them said anything else and kissed her.
“Wess-,”
“I-I-I’m sorry. You have to go.”
Luke wasn’t the only one in a state of confusion anymore. Claire walked into the room she could die in, if the Dark Siders really did come, with a troubled look on her face. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she covered herself in magic and took Leigha’s place. She was almost exactly identical to Leigha except for a few tiny flaws that no one would’ve been able to notice.
~~~~~
I sat next to Allie, unmoving in her bed. I held her hand. I got up and moved around. I sat back down.
I paced. I couldn’t seem to decide what to do with myself.
An hour passed, no news. Two hours, I still knew nothing. Three hours, frustration from being stuck in one place for so long filled me and struggled not to throw things.
~~~~~
Luke, the fake Leigha, Cece, and Wess sat in the room for hours that dragged on and on. Nothing happened at all. No scouts returned or sent messengers with news and, no Darks arrived.
After about six hours, Luke sighed and said, “I don’t think they’re coming now. We could just keep Leigha inside and make it so no one can see her for a few days. If nothing happens she can have her freedom.”
“That sounds like a plan,” said Claire, about to let her hold on the magic making her look like Leigha slip away when the window in the room shattered.
Dark Siders spilled into the room, immediately going after Claire. Luke interrupted a few with his knives as a swirling column of water surrounded Claire, holding the Dark Siders who got past Luke at bay. Once they realized they weren’t getting past Wess’ column of water, the Darks headed for Luke, Wess, and Cece. As they approached, a strong wind hit them from Cece, forcing them back while Luke took two more down with his knives.
Suddenly, Cece screamed and collapsed onto the ground. The wind she’d been using against three Dark Siders subsided and they rushed at Luke and Wess. Luke whipped out his sword, and, in that same motion, beheaded one of the Dark Siders before going after the other two. Once he’d taken care of them, he turned to Cece’s crumpled form.
“Cece, are you okay?” he asked, bending down and turning her to examine the damage. Her neck was broken.
“Do you like my trick?” asked a man standing in the window. “Stop,” he said to the two Dark Siders left in the room advancing on Luke and Wess. “She’s not here.”
The two stopped, looking back at the man.
“So, Luke and Wess… Oh, Wess, do you mind taking down the barrier? I’d like a word with Claire, too.”
Wess slowly lowered the arm holding up the column and the water subsided, leaving Claire, still disguised as Leigha, exposed. As soon as she realized there were still Dark Siders in the room, she rushed to the protection of Luke and Wess.
“I want Leigha,” the man said, stepping all the way into the room. “But you must already know that. You don’t have to give her to me, I’ll do that on my own one day, but this is a warning.” He looked at Luke and said, “I will take her someday, after she is Bound, to you no doubt, but before she has her first child and the best part is you’ll never know.”
~~~~~
Something was wrong, I could feel it. As soon as the feeling hit me every guard in the room passed out. I flew from Allie’s side to the Care Room and found chaos. Luke, Wess, and Claire stood with their backs ot me, Dark Siders lay dead everywhere, and Cece…Cece was gone, dead, too. I clenched my jaw and looked up, my eyes meeting a man’s I’d never seen. He smiled at me, a smile that sent chills over my skin and made me grind my teeth more.
“And there she is,” he said, smiling wider. “You will be mine, Leigha,” he told me, then disappeared into thin air.
Power exploded from me, knocking the two living Dark Siders in the room off their feet, dead. As my power surged through the room, I felt the remnants of the strange man’s power. It was like nothing I’d ever felt before and I stumbled back, clutching my throbbing head. The essence of the man’s power burned like fire, but something in me wanted to touch it again.
“I swear, if you ever refuse to let me fight again...” I trailed off as Luke, Wess, and Claire turned, all of them with worn, worried looks on their faces.
“Let’s go,” Claire said quietly, probably to get away from Cece.
“We weren’t refusing to let you fight,” Luke said gently, steering me out with a hand on my back. “We just needed something to lure them in that wasn’t you, so you could stay out of immediate trouble for once. We hoped when Claire changed back into herself she would be less important and they would abandon their efforts with her.”
“I still think you should’ve let me stay,” I said, crossing my arms, “Claire could’ve gotten hurt and I’d rather have been the one doing that.” If I’d have stayed Cece would still be alive, was what I didn’t say.
“I don’t care. I won’t and I wouldn’t have let you. I would’ve done it instead.”
I sighed, knowing I would lose this fight. Everyone would side against me despite what had happened.
“I’m sorry,” Luke said, stepping towards me.
I breathed in the scent of him deeply: earth and leather. I shook my head, “It’s fine, I get it.”
He tugged on a strand of my hair, rapping it around his finger, “You don’t sound like it.” His eyes were dark and sad with the weight of Cece’s death.
I forced a smile. “I swear, I understand. I have to be able to lead and fight, but since I’m a danger magnet I also have to be held on a tight leash. Either way, it still shouldn’t be Claire’s job to take my place.” Especially when she can’t protect you.
“I know, I tried to convince her not to. She was insistent. Apparently, she feels like she owes you?”
“Dang it,” I muttered. She thought she owed me for trying to protect her when we were getting arrested and then for getting them out of prison.
When Luke realized I didn’t plan on explaining he leaned down and kissed me, the kind of kiss that was to make sure I was still real. He pulled away and I looked at Claire.
She smiled weakly, “I owe you, you owe me.”
“That rule doesn’t apply, Claire,” I growled. “This isn’t some never ending cycle where you can just risk your life for me!”
“Leigha,” Luke said softly.
I nodded and looked back at him, “Can I go back to my room, now?”
He smiled, “Just so you know, no opening windows and all the glass is one way now. You can see out, but no one outside can see in.”
“I don’t care. I just want to move.”
Claire put her hands on her hips, falling back into herself. “Well, you can move inside the shrine. Don’t leave, Leigha.”
I rolled my eyes, “Okay.”
I walked out and headed to my room. All of them were idiots. Did they really think I wouldn’t leave?
I changed into my normal clothes: a t-shirt, jeans, and my combat boots. The knife I normally hid in them wasn’t in it’s sheath, but I found it on my bathroom counter. I slipped it into my boot and walked out.
There was no way I was staying cooped up inside the building. I’d already been inside way too long. I knew there was an empty room with floor to ceiling French doors that opened into the empty air on one wall. I found it and went in, closing the door to the room behind me
I walked over to the door and found a rock to prop open one of the double doors. I opened it and stepped onto the large ledge outside. I set the rock down and closed the door on it, so I could get back in.
I spread my wings and leapt. I looked back over my shoulder once. Luke hadn’t lied. The windows looked black from the outside. I kept flying, but had only gotten about half a mile away when I heard Luke’s voice.
“Leigha!” He cried and I cursed to myself.
I turned back, sighing when I got to where he was hovering, waiting for me, “My wings were sore and I needed to fly. A few minutes was all I needed.”
“I wish you would’ve told someone, preferably me.”
“You know why I didn’t, you wouldn’t have let me go,” I snapped back.
“You’re right, which is exactly why I wish you would’ve told.”
I noticed the door I had left through was standing wide open. Luke wouldn’t be that careless, would he?
“You left-,” I began, but cut off when I noticed Claire and Wess standing in the doorway. I was in trouble now, “Never mind.”
“Left what?” he asked.
“I didn’t notice Claire and Wess when I saw the door.”
We landed in the doorway and
Luke grabbed my arm to steady me as I tipped slightly.
“You really did need some movement,” he said, smiling. Good to know one person wouldn’t be mad at me.
I smiled back, “Told you.”
“Leigha,” Claire said angrily.
“I know, I know. I’ve already been through it with Luke.”
“No, I don’t think you have. He probably let it go. You should not have done that, Leigha. What were you thinking?”
“You know exactly what I was thinking!” I snapped back. “I can take care of myself, you know! I’m a big girl!”
“You shouldn’t have,” she repeated.
“I had to. You know how it is for me. Being inside was just to...to,” I left my sentence unfinished without a word to finish it.
“There are open rooms, Leigha.”
“Really, Claire! You’ve lived with me your whole life and we’re sisters and you still said that?”
“It was worth a try,” she muttered.
I rolled my eyes.
“But, what if they saw you?” she still wasn’t finished with me.
“Well, they already know where we are. Where I am. And, like I said, I can take care of myself!”
“What if they were waiting for you?” Luke asked.
“I would’ve killed them,” I replied.
“What if they killed you?” Wess tried to help.
Claire and I both gave him, “Really?” looks. I mean, that was just not me. I’d never let death stop me before. Of course, I’d never been dead.
Chapter Twenty
I was watched a bit more carefully after I snuck out. The only time I was left alone was when I was changing or bathing. I still craved the outdoors, though, so I figured out a plan.
I decided to “take a bath.” Claire left, trusting I was being true to my word. After she was long gone I got dressed in my regular clothes. I slipped silently out of my room and began making my way to the room I had used to get out before. I had almost reached the room when I ran into Luke.
“Leigha,” he sighed, knowing I was up to something, “What are you doing?”
“Flying,” I replied happily.
“I don’t believe you.”
“Well, I’m not lying, so...”
“So, you’re twisting your words. Where were you planning on flying?”
I laughed, “Wow, you’re getting good at this.”
“Leigha, where were you planning on flying?”
I became serious, “The Open Rooms.”
“Why did you go in the opposite direction, then?”
The Last Light Page 10