by Holly Hook
"She's going with us," Brett snaps. "She's my sister and all I've got. We don't take her, I don't lead you to Remus's resting place. And to make sure she comes along, I won't tell you the exact location until we reach Italy."
I should have known the two would have died there. The thought of going across the world terrifies me. There could be Savage territories out there even worse than what we have here. And I'm going on my own, without Aunt May to act as a wall between me and the world. "Thanks for the clue," I say, trying to sound tough.
"We could probably find his resting place ourselves," Cayden says. "Karina is not getting on a plane with us."
"I agree with that," I say. I want to push Cayden out of the way and deal with Brett myself, but I know what will happen if I do.
"Fine. Then she and I will take another plane there. I'll need a few Wolves with me to keep her contained. And I can't guarantee we won't have people following us."
"People? You mean the cult?" I ask. Of course they'll want me. The Savage King could possess and destroy me at any moment. I have that darkness already within me, thanks to my Hunter blood, and--
Stop it, I tell myself. It's Brett doing this.
Brett crosses his arms. "Well, if you're right that she brought our father to you--"
"Two separate flights," I say. "The trouble will be picking who has to go with Karina and keep her under control. And how we're going to get her through security without her alerting the guards we're pretty much kidnapping her."
* * * * *
Allen has taken to juggling--a talent I didn't think the kid had--to distract Karina. Once I get down to the basement and get a nod from Everly, letting me know nothing else has happened, I find him legit juggling three bowling balls in his large hands. I hadn't realized Olivia's family stored bowling balls in the basement. They probably belonged to her father, who ditched her back in junior high. Olivia, who leans against a mop on the other side of the basement, tries not to watch.
"Impressive," I say, trying not to make eye contact with the young witch still chained to the chair. The light bulb continues to cast a pale glow on the walls and the surrounding Colling Wolves.
"Well, I've juggled knives and other dangerous things, so bowling balls is a step down," Allen says. "The girls at school love it." He sounds more mature than I've given him. Like he's older than thirteen or fourteen.
Karina's watching him, I notice, focusing like she wants one of the bowling balls to fall on his toes.
"Don't even think about it," I tell her.
"Shut up."
I turn away from her as Allen gets the drift and stops juggling. "Look," I say, drawing attention from everyone in the room. I can't bear to say these words, but I have to. "My Aunt May is staying here in Breck with a few Hunters so that the Royals have a shot if something happens to me. She has a plan, so she's not going with us across the ocean. But she's safe and that's what matters." My voice wavers on my last sentence. "And when we leave, I want those of you from Colling to stay here with her. You also need to guard the territories from the Savages so they don't take advantage."
"She's not going with you?" Don asks. A bit of hope creeps into his words.
"I'm sure Aunt May will lead you if something happens to me," I say, moving to stand beside Cayden. "To us. You need her. And Karina, you will listen to us."
She snaps her gaze away from Allen as he does drop a bowling ball. At least he dodges. "I don't have to listen to you."
"You just did," I say. "Separate flights. You're going with your brother and two other pack members. The rest of us who are going--those of us from Breck, plus Alex and Callie if they agree to go--will take another plane. Brett said last night the Haydes have plenty of cash in their account, so we'll use it to travel." I listen as Brett paces upstairs. Without direct sight of us, he's not draining me and Cayden as much. "We won't hurt you, Karina. All we need to do is find Remus's grave site, reach him, and stop the Savage King. Trust me, you'll be better off without him."
Karina snorts and looks at her chains. She doesn't need to say a word.
Then Noah, who stands with Olivia, raises his hand.
"You really shouldn't go," I say to him.
Noah, instead of protesting, nods. "I was going to suggest that. Look, after what happened last night, I'll cry uncle on this whole wanting to join in thing. Me and Olivia are fine here and we'll check on your aunt for you. It's not like we won't have company."
My jaw drops. Noah's finally seeing the light and how lucky he is? Of course, he has the love of his life now. He doesn't have to fight to stay with her at every turn.
"Good choice, man," Cayden says to him. "Stay here and have fun." So we're thinking the same thing.
Everly rolls her eyes. "We need to pick two people to go with the Haydes. I think it should be random. And all the Wolves in this room should have to draw. There are more Colling Wolves than there are us."
Everyone in the room tenses. After the display with the water heater, no one wants to board a plane with Karina. But Allen steps forward and says, "That would be fair."
My stomach turns over and I look to Cayden. He bites his lip and pales so that the hazel in his eyes stands out. We have to put other Wolves in danger and it's my decision. No. Ours. I need to keep Cayden in the loop or he's going to rot again.
"I agree with Everly," I say. "Cayden?"
"We do a drawing," he says. "Any two of us could have to go with Karina."
I eye the young witch. Her eyes are hungry for vengeance. Great.
"We can do the straw method," Everly says.
"And once Remo's back with whatever we can use to sedate Karina--" I start.
"I don't need to be sedated," she snaps.
"You've just shown us that yes, you do," I say, advancing at her and pointing to the busted water heater, which still drips water onto the floor.
"Look, I won't crash the plane I'm on. What good what that do me?" she asks.
Brett continues to pace upstairs, so I speak in a low voice. "To get back at your brother? Why do you hate him so much?"
Karina's lip trembles like she wants to say something. She grips the chair and shakes. The tension in the room rises so much and the darkness swirls at the edges of my vision. I expect the light bulb to shatter, but Karina lets out a long breath, releasing all that tension. "It's not your business."
At least she's not spitting at me anymore. "Two separate planes," I say. "Olivia, can you cut us some straws? Two of us with Brett and Karina. The rest of us on another plane, including the Russells if they want to come with us. Callie and Alex should go with them, too--"
"They're in the kitchen," Olivia says. "By the way, we need to call someone about this water heater and Mom won't be back here for a few more days."
"We'll take care of it," Noah says.
I sense Karina's glare on me as I watch Olivia run up the stairs. She exchanges a few words with Brett about having to get to the kitchen. And she's taking her old, snotty tone while she's around him. That's great. He's reverting Olivia to her old self and I hope she gets away from him quickly.
She does, bringing down a pair of scissors and a handful of coffee straws. I count the number of Wolves with us, including myself and Cayden, because it wouldn't be fair to leave myself or him out of the drawing. My heart pounds and I hear everyone else's pulses rising. The room fills with the subtle sound of racing heartbeats. Olivia cuts two short straws on a rickety old table.
"Well, we all just learned the origin of that saying," Noah jokes.
Olivia counts. "Maybe we should wait for Remo to be here?"
Waiting is unbearable. "He's already doing enough."
She nods. "Natalie. Marleen. Allen. Don. Ron. You. Cayden. Everly. Not all of the Colling Wolves are here."
Cayden wraps his hand in mine.
The air thickens with darkness. Olivia tucks two short straws into the stack and ruffles them up. I think I know what's coming and what Karina wants, and even though I know it's n
ot a good idea, it feels better than sending anyone else in this room into danger. So I let the darkness come.
Cayden's palm sweats. Our connection strains again. I know what he's going to do.
Olivia holds the straws and waves us all over to her side of the basement. "Everyone should pick at once just so it's super fair," she says.
I appreciate her effort. Olivia closes her eyes. The Colling Wolves, myself, Cayden, and Everly step forward. But before I can choose, the Colling Wolves descend on her and pluck their straws. Almost as if the darkness wants it to be that way.
Cayden and I reach at the same time.
I know the results before we back away together and look. Hand in hand, Cayden open our palms at the same time as silence falls on the basement.
He audibly gulps beside me. "Well, this is going to be a tense flight."
I do the same. "For both of us."
Chapter Five
It hurts to leave Breckenridge, the place I've called home all my life, behind. The bus rumbles out of the station the next day with me, Cayden, Brett, and Karina in tow. The others, including Leonora, her parents, Callie, and Alex are leaving on the next bus. That's in case our favorite witch decides to start an engine fire.
But the bus stays running despite Brett sitting on one side of Karina, who lets her head fall onto the window. The concoction Remo gave made her drink this morning--I forgot what it was called--is still working. Brett has a vial of it in his pocket, which he swears he can get through airport security with magic. Karina looks awake enough to talk, but we know better. She smells of strange chemicals so I know she's not faking right now.
And the bus is empty except for us. Tourist season is over, which is fortunate for anyone who otherwise would have been riding with us.
"I think I'm keeping things under control," Brett says. "Do you guys feel okay?"
"A little weak, but not bad," Cayden says.
"Then I'm getting better at not draining you," Brett says. "It helps that she's not yelling at me and insulting me all the time." He nods to his sister.
"We still need to take breaks from each other whenever we can," I say. The Savage King is still a risk. Especially a risk when Brett can throw me back in that hole of guilt. "I don't think our favorite dark spirit is going to want to come through and crash the plane. That wouldn't do him much good if I died. But who knows?"
Cayden leans on my shoulder. "Yeah. That would be stupid of him to do."
I look out the window at the passing trees and buildings. The bus drives us past the welcome sign for Breck, and an ache creeps into my chest that has nothing to do with Brett's influence. I'm leaving Aunt May behind. She's knowingly letting me go on my own when she wanted nothing but to protect me before.
I should feel empowered that she's finally treating me like I'm alpha but it feels like abandonment. The world looks dark as I study it now, with shadows under every tree and around each boulder, and I wonder if I've crossed into my night, just as Cayden did when he lost his parents.
"Brie, she trusts you," Cayden whispers in my ear. "She doesn't think you're tainted."
"It's that obvious I'm thinking about it." I face him and our eyes are just a couple inches apart. I could dive into Cayden's hazel.
"I know you. Trust me, your aunt loves you. She did what she did because she knows the Nobles need to be protected. She was just trying to help take the burden off you."
"I hope so." My mind can't get off the deception and the whole working with Edwin thing.
"We're a mess, aren't we?" Cayden asks with a faint smile.
"We can be a mess together."
"Get a room," Brett says.
"Are you secretly dating my sister?" Cayden asks.
Brett snorts and turns away, watching his own sister. Karina's still out and smells of chemicals. A bit more weakness creeps into me. It's still going to be a long ride.
* * * * *
The four of us reach Denver's airport, which I've never visited, a few hours later. Cayden and I are a little weak from being around Brett, but he's getting better and the extra stress is bearable for once. We get off the bus and walk into the busy terminal, rolling our luggage with us. Brett holds Karina's arm and I realize she's still able to walk on her own even if she looks a bit spaced out. Tension rises inside me as we enter the huge building. All Karina has to do is scream and she'll bring the security guards over. One moment of clarity will bring disaster down on us. Cayden and I could outrun them easily, but with security the way it is, we'd never be able to go through another airport. And we might get arrested.
"Hold my hand," Cayden says. "It's more natural looking."
So I do, which I don't mind, but I feel Cayden's tension rolling into me when our skin touches. Brett's, too, but that's in the way he's shuffling his feet just a little and studying the inside of the terminal--and everyone in it--like a hawk.
We cross the large room, which is bustling with people trying to catch flights this late morning, and to the ticket areas. To my shock, Brett steps forward to order for us--we'll have to catch some connector flights--and hands his sister a ticket. She takes it like a zombie and nods her thanks. But the woman behind the counter doesn't notice and waves a couple forward.
I'm glad the two look a lot like each other and it's obvious they're family, or Karina's spaced-out eyes might draw attention. Then Brett asks, as we're walking towards the baggage area, "How's your headache, sis?"
"Fine," she mumbles.
"Um, Brett?" I ask as a horrifying thought hits me. I wait until we're standing away from the lines to finish. "We don't have passports and I'm sure the Roman Empire didn't ever reach Colorado. Or this continent."
"That's a good point," Cayden says.
And then Brett does just what I want. He nods in that cocky way of his and says, "I'll take care of that, and I'm sure Leonora and her family have their own way of taking care of that. They performed pretty well when we cursed Edwin together."
"I'm not sure I like this," Cayden says, very close to my ear.
"What else can we do?" Not only do I feel stupid for not thinking of this sooner--just security--but I'm also dreading what's going to happen to the guards and if Brett will manage to make a magical circle in the airport. But just as the thoughts hit, I see him eyeing the guards, who stand near a row of turnstiles. People step through scanners and guards rummage through purses. I watch one throw out a bottle of perfume.
And Brett has that drug that's keeping Karina under control. Without it, we're not getting on a plane. But if the guards find that, we're not going anywhere.
"Might be tricky," Brett says in a teasing voice.
"Stop being a jerk," I say. "Find a way to get those guards' attention off us so we can sneak through." Though I want to feel the dark spirits around us just this once, there's no trace of them now. Brett hasn't summoned them. Though he can work magic, his expertise doesn't lie in the mental type. Unless it comes to draining the life from others. That's Karina, and she probably wouldn't help us to save her own life.
"There might be a way around this, but it won't be pleasant for the guards," Brett says with a faint evil tone. "Now that I've got sight of these guys, I might be able to make it work. Brie, I'll need someone to grab that donut that guard was eating. His spit will be on it."
"Donut?"
He rolls his eyes. "For the sympathetic magic."
"Can't you lose the attitude?" Cayden asks. "Brie just wants to get us through here."
Brett ignores him. "The guard's spit will work as a link. And I'll need a private bathroom or something to do the rite. It may or may not work, but if it does, we should be able to sneak through his turnstile." Brett's careful not to speak too loud or to look at what he means.
When I check, I find out what he wants me to do. I smell the half-eaten donut before I see it. It sits on the counter just behind an overweight guard who's busy leaning against his desk on the far left and staring at the wall. A metal tray lies beside him for scanning
belongings, but his turnstile doesn't have a full-body scanner--just a glass box off to the side where people must get searched if they dare look suspicious. It's a long shot but Brett's right that it's the best shot we have. Dragging Karina around another way, like across a runway, will be too difficult. And dangerous.
"Are you sure this is going to work?" I ask. "You're not going to kill the guard, are you?"
Brett just grins. "He might wish he'd die if...never mind."
"You have to promise you won't kill any of the guards. They're just doing their jobs," I whisper.
"Brett, where are we?" Karina asks, groggy.
I sniff. The chemicals remain, but not quite as strong.
"Hold on, sis," Brett says. He makes a motion like he's passing her to me and Cayden. Cayden, being the protective guy he is, takes Karina and lets her put her head on his shoulder. He grimaces at me and I smell his adrenaline. Cayden will hate every second of this, but Brett needs to go work some magic. It's my job as the Royal to fetch that donut. What an exalted task. I could order Brett to do it, but I'm faster and probably quieter.
But I'm in luck. Several people walk towards the security turnstiles at once and I join the line, inching forward and snatching the gross half-eaten donut after several minutes. I turn away, sighing like I've forgotten something, and brush past a busy mom with a couple of little kids. No one points out my theft. When I look back, the big guard is texting. Success.
"That will work," Brett says with a sly grin. "Give me about ten minutes tops, and you'll know when it's working. I should be back by then." He hikes up his leather pack and walks down a hallway that looks like it's for the cleaning crew. Brett leaps over a mop bucket and vanishes from view.
"I still don't like this," Cayden says.
Brett breaks the lock to a room down the hall, but I can't see him anymore. I listen as he closes the door behind him, opens his pack, and fishes out candles and...chalk? My hearing can't pick up every detail, but he's working fast.