by Jamie King
“Good rat.”
I smirk as I walk out of the chamber in which they had planned my torture and possibly my death. The screams of agony follow me down the hallway. I come to a door leading to the stairwell and push it open with my mind. It flies from the hinges and crashes into the wall.
I glide down the dark stairwell until I reach the second floor down. The door has a plaque hanging on it. F421 Traitors to the White. They have a floor dedicated to traitors? I push the door with my mind. The metal door is ripped from its hinges and soars down the long corridor. Guards rush toward me, but terror slowly spreads over their expressions at the sight of me stepping through the threshold of the doorway. Their steps falter and one attempts to run away.
“Burn.” My fire tendrils shoot out at them singeing their skin. They scream and collapse on the cream tile floor. I pass by their crumpled bodies. Gray industrial walls are lined with metal doors. Each with a square window in the center of the door at eye level. I glance in each cell as I make my way down the corridor. At the end of the corridor, a dark corner holds one lone cell door. Someone has painted Betrayer on the door in huge red sloppy letters.
I peer inside to find Luka hunched over on the floor. “Luka?”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
15
Luka’s head lifts and his sad eyes widen in surprise. “Ri? Is that you?” He leans forward. “How did you get here?”
“Stay away from the door.”
“What?”
“Just keep away from the door, okay?” He nods and keeps to the far end of his small cell. There isn’t much space in his cell I’ll have to be gentle. I imagine the hinges slowly coming apart one by one. The metal door groans and hinges drops to the floor. The door thumps to the ground at Luka’s feet. The weight of it landing vibrates through my toes and the tile beneath it shatters producing a light dust cloud. I glance over my shoulder. “People probably heard that one and should be on their way. We should hurry.”
“What did they do to you, Ri?”
“We don’t have time.” I step back into the corridor. “We have to leave. I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up.” The energy I felt originally is starting to fade. I glance over my shoulder to find that he hasn’t moved.
“You’re different.” His brow furrows as his eyes seem to glimpse into my soul.
“We can talk later. How do we get out of here?”
“There are three ways.” He steps into the light of the corridor. His face is crusted in blood and his bare chest is covered in dry scabs. “Down about three hundred stories, up about ten, or a portal.” He looks down at his hands. Cuts and dried blood cake his fingers. “I don’t know if I have the energy to portal us very far or even if I could make a complete one that will allow us to pass through.” He runs his fingers over his face. His usually clean and trimmed beard has grown and looks tangled.
“Then I guess we walk? I think ten floors up and out will be a good way to go at this rate” I head back toward the stairs when a hand grips me firmly. Fear rips through me and I spin around to fight.
“Ri!” Luka’s pained eyes meet mine. “What have they done to you?” He presses his chest into my face as he embraces me in a warm hug. His breath catches. “Are you doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“These flames surrounding us.”
I glance around to find a swirling bubble of hot flames dancing around our bodies. “Yeah, uh,” I avert my eyes from his, “I don’t know how exactly, but yeah.” Somehow my flames aren’t burning him. I guess it feeds on my intent.
His face lights up. “I have an idea and it may hurt.”
“Hurt?”
He nods. “We may be able to portal out of the building.” A smile curls up the side of his mouth. “I alone don’t have the power to create a portal, but if I can borrow some of your energy I could create a portal that would be strong enough to take us both through.”
“Okay, we can try.” How bad could it be? It’s just giving energy, right?
Luka grasps my hand in his. His eyes are filled with sadness as he brings my hand to his lips and places a gentle kiss on my knuckles. “I’m very sorry Ri, but this may be painful due to the state we’re in right now.”
An invisible tug tickles my fingers like a string is attempting to pull my hand toward Luka. “This isn’t too bad.” A moment later the gentle tug feels like the stopper in a bathtub has just been released. The flames that had been swirling around me start to fizzle and burn out. A heavy weight falls over my body and I sink to my knees. My muscles convulse as my energy is lost. The weight presses on my chest and I struggle to breathe. I slump beside Luka in a heap of exhaustion as he sucks my energy from my body. My vision grows dark and cloudy.
Blue and gold light flickers and dances around us. Good. He was able to make the portal. I try to smile, but my face is too heavy. Luka’s arms cradle me against his chest before the familiar feeling of the portal touches my skin.
We’re in a small room with a window covered in familiar purple satin drapes. Sunlight streams through them lighting the familiar space. “My dorm?” I manage to whisper.
“Sure is.” Luka’s deep voice is barely audible as he sets me on the twin size bed covered in lilac sheets.
“How did we get to campus?”
“Ri,” He grins, “You’re very powerful.” A small chuckle escapes him. “Even in the state we’re in, the amount I was able to take from you was enough to take us almost anywhere in a thirty-mile radius. I figured the dorm would be safer than a random place.”
“But this isn’t mine anymore.” I take in my surroundings. “I thought the coven canceled my registration?”
“Well, not exactly. I never officially removed you from school yet, so technically you’re still a student here and this is still your room.” He stares at his toes. “In fact, you are considered missing.”
“Oh.” I glance over at the picture frame sitting on my night stand. I smile at the young Tiffany as she loops her arms around my waist with dirt up to her elbows. My smile is innocent and carefree. I wish we could go back to those day. “Where’s Tiffany?”
“I assume asleep.” He whispers and nods at the alarm clock next to the picture. Seven o’clock. She’s usually asleep until at least nine. I relax a little and lean back on the pillows. A sharp pain shoots through my right wing. I wince and lean forward again. I had forgotten about that.
“You okay?”
“I’m fine. It will heal.” I brush it off. “I guess we should find some clothes and shower.”
“A change of-.” Luka spins to face the door.
The door handle turns and light creeps through the small opening. Sapphire eyes brim with tears beneath her disheveled blond hair.
“Nuri!” Tiffany screeches as she steps into the room. “Where the hell have you been?” She takes another step forward before she notices Luka lurking in front of her. “Who is this giant? Huh? I haven’t seen you since your date with Jake and that was weeks ago!” She crosses her arms. “Now you show up at the ass crack of dawn with some giant man dressed in s-some weird cosplay?” She waves an arm at Luka and her voice quivers as the tears spill over. “Do you even know how scared I was?” She wipes a hand across her cheek. “Jake is missing and no one can find him. What the hell happened?”
“Ri, I don’t think you should say too much.”
“Hey, you,” Tiffany points a deadly finger at him, “You do not get to suggest anything to her!” She squints her eyes. “How do you even know each other? You have to be like thirty or something.”
Luka clicks his tongue at her and crosses his arms over his chest. “Little girl.” He growls under his breath.
“It’s okay, Luka, she needs to know the truth.”
“It’s not a question of that Ri, but can she handle the truth and keep it a secret?”
“What truth?” Tiffany spits as she glances between us.
This is my best friend, practically my sister. “I trust her, L
uka.”
“Fine.” He nods and leaves the room to give us privacy. “I’ll be right outside if you need me.”
“Thanks.” I pick up the small pillow beside me and hug it to my chest. “Come sit next to me, Tiff.”
“Ri?” She slowly sits beside me.
I let out a nervous laugh. “Well you see. It turns out I’m not normal, I’m in fact very special.”
Her brows come together. “What are you trying to say?”
“Well, let’s see. I’m not exactly completely, human and this isn’t cosplay.”
She bursts into laughter. “Are you joking? You have to be joking. This is the worst practical joke I have ever seen. I mean come on. This is a great costume, but come on.” She pokes my wing. Her eyes widen. Her hand opens and strokes over my wing. “Nuri, what the fuck?” Her hand moves to my face and her fingers slide over the scales until they reach my horns. “No way.”
“It’s real.” I smile warmly. “Luka,” I point to the closed door, “He found me after my mom died and offered to help me. A lot has happened, and I didn’t want to involve you.” I gaze down at my hands. “I guess now I have.”
“Involve me in what, Ri?”
“Promise to stay calm?”
“I promise, Ri. Please tell me.”
“Here.” Tiffany hands Luka sweatpants and a t-shirt that Kevin had left in her room. “Although, they’re a bit small, I figured it was better than your tattered ones.”
“Thanks.” He takes the clothes from her and leans into my ear as she enters the kitchen. “Don’t you think she’s a bit too calm?”
“She isn’t calm. She just isn’t willing to freak out in front of us. She has always been this way. She doesn’t want to worry me.” I smile warmly at her as she mashes potatoes. “We’re alike in that way, I guess.”
“Why don’t you go ahead and shower before food is ready?”
His breath caresses my skin and I stop myself from leaning into him. “That sounds like a nice idea.” It’s hard to believe that right now our lives are in complete danger, yet next to him all of my worries feel as if they don’t matter anymore.
I wrap the plush towel around my body. The ache in my wing has calmed and my entire body feels relaxed. My eyes glow bright as I stare back at myself through the steam covered mirror. I gently swipe my hand over the mirror revealing my bruised face from where Timothy had punched me. That Jerk. I slide my fingers over the area and wince at the pain. The swelling is worse and has nearly closed my right eye. I laugh at the girl in the mirror. I’ve never had a black eye or been in a single physical fight in my entire life, but the girl staring back at me right now – she is a warrior. She has killed people. I killed people. I killed. I drop to the floor in tears as the faces of the men and women flash through my mind. I killed them and I enjoyed every minute of it. I enjoyed when my flames licked their skin and their shrill cries filled the air. A shudder runs through me and I shove my face in the towel. I can’t let Luka see me like this. He will think I’m weak or will he be horrified of me. A murderer.
I compose myself and quickly slip into the tank top and sweat pants that I found in my closet. Finding clothes that can accommodate a tail and two large wings seems to be proving difficult. The tank sits uncomfortably over the connecting skin around my shoulder blades and my tail is tucked into the pant leg.
I open the door and a gust of steam flows from the bathroom. I follow the short hallway into the kitchen. My stomach roars in anticipation at the smell of the spices and herbs. When was the last time I ate anything?
“There she is.” Luka smiles, but it quickly fades. He rushes over to me. His hand comes up to my face and anger rolls off of him. “This is much worse than earlier. Who did this to you?”
“Just some goon.”
“What goon?” His tone is harsh and demanding.
“Timothy.” I sigh. “He came in with some woman. When she didn’t like my answer during her interrogation, she had him hit me.”
Anger rages behind his eyes like a swirling vortex. “Describe her to me.”
“She never said her name, but she had long brown hair and cold lifeless brown eyes. She was dressed well and carried herself like a ruler. She was clearly important.”
“Claudia?” He cups my face in his hands. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you Ri.” His eyes are filled with pain and rage. “Why didn’t I just portal us away that night?” His face is filled with pain and regret.
“It wasn’t your fault.” I take a deep breath. “Who is Claudia?”
“The high priestess of the White Coven’s Golden Oak location.”
His thumb strokes my cheek. “She said that Aurora is the one that gave us up.” Tears fill my eyes. “I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault. I got between the two of you and-.”
He pulls me into his chest burying my face. “It's okay, Ri. I made my own choices. I did what I thought was the right thing.”
“But you love her and now-”
“I know. It will be okay.” He breathes heavily and presses his lips to my head before releasing me from his warm embrace. “Go on and eat with your friend. I’m going to get cleaned up.”
“Okay.” I nod as he pulls away from me and continues into the hallway without a second glance.
“You look like hell, girl.”
I laugh and sit at the table. “The food looks amazing.”
She blushes and dismisses me with a wave of her hand. “Never mind that. Tell me about tall and dreamy. I want to know everything.”
“There isn’t much to tell.” I stab my fork in a green bean. “He has a fiancée.”
“Oh, boo.” She leans forward placing her chin on her hands. “But seriously, what I just saw was not someone who cares that he has a fiancée.”
I shift in the chair. “Well she did kind of betray him and all, so I don’t know.”
“You like him, don’t you?” She grins eagerly at me.
“I know that it can never be though.”
“From where I’m sitting, it sounds like he risked everything for you, Ri, what do you mean it can never be?”
“I don’t know. He’s twenty-three and I up and destroyed his life. He wouldn’t want to be with me.”
Tiff scoffs. “Oh please. That man has got the hots for you.”
I finish the last bite of food as the bathroom door opens and Luka walks over to us. His hair falls messily over his shoulders leaving water marks on his borrowed dark gray t-shirt. The low slung black sweat pants are a tad too tight, but they fit well enough.
Tiffany purrs at the sight of him. I glare at her. “What?” she says playfully. “I can appreciate.” She winks and leans back in her seat eyeing Luka like a prize.
“Ri, once it’s dark we should leave.” Luka announces after he clears his plate.
“What, why?” My heart races as I think of the danger that awaits us outside.
“The coven will be looking for us and if they find out that we used Tiffany for sanctuary it will put her in danger.”
Fear sinks in. Did we just risk her life by coming here? How selfish could I be? We should have left as soon as we got here. “What would they do to her?”
“They will learn everything about you and use Tiffany to possibly lure you to them.”
“Lure me? They would kidnap her?”
“There is a high probability that is an option. They could also decide to cause an accident that would result in her death or hospitalization in order to try to bring you into the open.”
I lean into the back of my chair. “They’re so cruel.” I release a sigh and rub my arms. “How can they come close to representing the white dragon when they don’t even have compassion?”
His face contorts. “Not all of them are this way, but they have become no different than the black coven.”
Tiffany shifts uncomfortably in her chair. “You’re saying they would kill me to get to Ri?”
“It’s a very likely possibility, yes.”
“I
s my mom in danger?”
“Yes.” Luka folds his arms. “I recommend you both go on a family vacation.”
“Winter break just started, so we have the time.”
“Don’t tell your mother anything about why.”
“Then what am I supposed to tell her?”
I bite my lip. “How about you say that with everything that’s been going on you need to escape reality and hit the beach or something. Somewhere far away, like a trip to the west coast or even a different country. Tell her that I called you and told you I’m just fine enjoying myself with my new boyfriend.”
“I don’t know, Ri.”
“If she asks just tell her that my mom’s death has been really hard on me and that I ran away with some older man with money. Tell her that I will be back in the spring and will come visit you two as soon as I’m back from my trip.”
“Okay, fine.” She giggles. “An older man with money.” Her eyes meet Luka’s and she giggles again.
“I love you, Ri.” Tiffany whispers in my ear as she embraces me for the third time. “I’ll miss you. Please be careful.”
“I love you too.” I squeeze her tight. “Tell your mom I love her.” I wave to her as she leaves the dorm. “I wish I could go with her.”
Luka wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me close. “I know.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
16
The full moon’s light shines through the clouds as we walk through the town of Pine Hills. We’ve been walking for what feels like hours, hiding in the tree lines and avoiding street lamps. The small town seems to be asleep except for the occasional car that passes by.
I shiver in the brisk air. “Are you okay?” Luka asks.
I’m freezing to death! In order to be somewhat warm, I put a zip up hoodie on backwards and Luka zipped it up until my wings prevented it from closing any further. A tank top and light sweater in twenty-degree weather. On top of that in order to keep my tail from freezing off I tucked it into my sweatpants which is the most uncomfortable feeling I have ever experienced. “I’m fine. Are we close?” My teeth chatter as I follow him down a dark alley way.