by D. J. Dalton
Her vision blurred as she staggered backward into Briggs. She grabbed his arm, shouting, “Hold on to me,“ as she pressed her fingers to the spiral on her palm.
As if struck by an electric shock, her heart exploded in her chest. She let herself collapse into Briggs. As her body convulsed, she felt his arms wrap around her.
Chapter Forty-One
Quinlin
“Now, hit me,” Quinlin said to his lieutenant as he pointed to his cheek. “Right here, hard enough to draw blood.”
For the first time, Quinlin saw fear in the newly appointed lieutenant’s eyes.
“Hit you?”
“Yes, it’s part of the plan. And if you see me with a puca and I’m acting strange, play along.” He held his arms wide. “I don’t have all day.”
The lieutenant balled his hand into a fist, then slammed it into Quinlin’s face. His head jerked to the side as stars danced in front of his eyes. While moving his jaw from side to side, he touched the impact point on his cheek. After pulling his hand away, he rubbed his bloodied fingertips together.
“Nice right hook.”
The lieutenant’s face paled while he forced a swallow. Quinlin smirked, finishing his look by messing his hair and untucking part of his shirt.
Then he left the lab in search of Ordell. First, he ran through the exhibit halls. With just enough light from the exit signs, he wove in and out of the staged wax figures while calling out for Ordell in a hushed tone.
After the third exhibit hall with no luck, Quinlin thought the puca simply got frightened and ran away. But he still had one more place to search.
As he opened his office door, Ordell let out a yell, dropping the book he had in his hand. Heat flared in Quinlin’s chest as his pulse raced. A pile of books lay in a heap at the puca’s feet. He stood on them as though they were worthless trash. Before he reacted, he caught himself. Right now, the books didn’t matter. Only getting Keren here mattered.
“Quinlin, thank goodness it’s you.” Ordell let out a long breath. “I thought you were an arcanum.” His eyes drifted to Quinlin’s bleeding cheek. “What happened to you?”
“Ordell, where have you been?”
“I’ve been going through these books. Do you know what a Book of Shadows looks like?” He pointed to a pile of four books on the desk. “I’ve set these aside thinking they could be what we’re looking for.”
Quinlin clenched his hands into fists, trying to add a tone of fear and panic to his voice.
“Arcanum attacked us and they captured Nadria. Ms. Stewart and I got separated. We need Keren.” Quinlin’s body shuddered as he watched Ordell trample over the pile of books while running over to him. He grabbed Quinlin’s arm, his face contorted with worry.
“Where’s Nadria?”
“This way.” Quinlin led Ordell to the lab. After entering, he pointed to the shifter cage on the platform. “There she is.”
“Nadria!” he screamed, running to the platform. He pounded on the cage and pulled on the lock as tears streamed down his face. “She’s bleeding!” He reached into the cage, tenderly examining her forehead where the fire extinguisher had struck.
“Ordell, get Keren. One of her creatures can open the cage.”
“But I don’t know where she is.” He clenched Nadria’s hand. “She’s so cold.”
“Keren’s outside with the strike team. Go out and find her.”
“Why me?”
“Because you can change into a tiny animal and make it through to her without being noticed.”
He stood, wiping the tears from his face. “Alright, I’ll go.”
“This way.” Quinlin led him out of the lab and down the hall to the back door, even though he actually wanted him and Keren to use the front. He knew two cursed wolves and eight arcanum guarded the rear of the building. And in a few minutes, his lieutenant would start their evacuation to the trucks waiting on Universal Boulevard.
“Let’s check to see if anyone’s out there.” Quinlin cracked the door wide enough for Ordell to peek out. Once he heard Ordell’s gasp, he shut the door.
“There are two cursed wolfs and arcanum. We can’t go out there.” Ordell’s hands trembled.
“Then we’ll use the front.” Quinlin grabbed his hand, yanking him away from the door.
They ran through the exhibit halls, skidding to a stop in the lobby. The glass front door rattled from the battle raging outside.
“Find Keren and bring her back here.”
“You’re not coming with me?”
“No, I’ll stay here and keep the arcanum away from the door.”
“Where do you think she is?”
“Probably with the inquisitors.” Quinlin opened the door, pushing Ordell outside. “I suggest you change into something less human.”
Before his eyes, Ordell shrunk into a black cat. He ran a few steps, then looked back, his green eyes staring but not really focusing. When Quinlin motioned with his hands for Ordell to move, he snapped out of his daze, then turned and ran into the courtyard.
Chapter Forty-Two
Briggs
Briggs embraced Keren’s convulsing body, confused by what had happened to her. When he had turned back to help her after she had tripped, those few seconds had saved both their lives. But now her creatures were gone, and he didn’t know how to help. After glancing back, he saw the cursed wolf’s handlers moving the creature toward the courtyard entrance. His thoughts went only to protecting Keren.
While still clinging to her, he threw himself to the ground, doing his best to cover her twitching body with his own. He held his breath, hoping the arcanum wouldn’t notice the two they had left alive.
Once the wolf and arcanum had passed by, he released his breath and gained his feet. While gritting his teeth, he pulled his lips back in a snarl as the smell of charred flesh invaded his nostrils. As his pulse raced, he looked out over the devastating attack on his strike team, trying to absorb the tragic loss.
Eleven bodies, three inquisitors and eight warrior pack shifters lay in a scorched heap. While shifters’ blood, three inquisitors, and five warriors the foul monster had ripped in half, seeped under his feet, his eyes darted across the carnage. He paused on Officer Howard’s body. Her lifeless, accusing eyes stared at Briggs, asking why he had let this happen. While letting out a guttural roar, he swore the arcanum would pay for their crimes. Tabitha’s voice broke through his bloodthirsty thoughts.
“Briggs.”
His heart raced. Tabitha had survived. He whipped his head around, searching for the bear shifter.
“Up and to your left.”
He looked in the direction she indicated, spotting Tabitha’s waving arm. She stood on a restaurant balcony across the courtyard. Then she pointed down to the fountain.
The arcanum controlling the cursed crab had repositioned it, turning its attention to Faraday’s group of wolf shifters.
“They’re changing formation. Warrior Pack Bravo, there are two cursed creatures ready to attack. Retreat.”
“No,” snarled Faraday. “We’ll climb to the roof and attack from above.”
“Faraday, retreat. That’s an order.”
Briggs watched in horror as shifters attempted to scale the building on their right. Arcanum energy blasts picked off the first two climbers, sending a rain of blood and body parts onto the others below.
“This is Warrior Pack Charlie, the arcanum pinning us down have retreated, we’re advancing.”
Something about that statement bothered Briggs. The arcanum doesn’t retreat. He looked at the cursed wolf. It wasn’t moving toward the Bravo Pack. It moved in the opposite direction. In a few minutes, it would be out of sight.
Over the top of ICON Park’s main building, Briggs saw ten shifters scaling the four-hundred-foot wheel. They positioned themselves on a half dozen of the thirty stabilized passenger capsules, sending sniping shots at the arcanum that were assaulting Warrior Pack Bravo. Tabitha’s voice growled through the earpiece.
>
“Faraday, move your team now while Charlie has the arcanum distracted. And don’t get yourself killed because I’m going to kill you myself.”
Eleven shifters, including Faraday, scrambled up the side of the building, but not quickly enough to escape the cursed crab. It pulled its giant pincer back, preparing to strike down the Bravo Pack.
Then Keren jolted out of his arms and another one of her creatures appeared. This one resembled a fox in the upper body and an eel in the lower. It twirled in a circle, letting its tail whip out at the cursed crab, severing an eye stalk from its body. It stumbled, abandoning the attack on Bravo.
Keren glowed brighter as she stood with her feet wide, fists clenched at her sides. Briggs put his hand on her shoulder.
“Are you alright? What happened?”
“I super-charged myself with the artifact’s potion so I could summon Four. It incapacitates me for a few minutes.”
Briggs watched Four’s water jet tear through one of the crab’s leg joints. The crab crashed back into the fountain, causing the water to spill over the fountain’s rim. Water mixed with the charred remains and blood, causing a deep maroon-colored wave to wash over their feet.
“Where’s the cursed wolf?” Keren asked as she scanned the courtyard.
Briggs shook his head, then spoke to the strike team. “Charlie leader, we need eyes on the cursed wolf.”
“I see three, all clustered around the back entrance of the museum. And I see ten arcanum with them. There may be more.”
Three? He hadn’t realized there were so many. A crash drew Briggs’ attention back to the fountain. Four had severed all but one of the cursed crab’s legs. As the crab shot a water jet at Four, it diverted the blast with a swipe of its tail. One more spin and Four’s tail whip separated the crustacean’s last eye from its stalk.
The three arcanum handlers abandoned the crab, running across the courtyard to join the other arcanum defending themselves from Warrior Pack Charlie’s attack.
With a sweep of its arms, Four commanded the fountain’s water to lift in the air, forming like a cloud over the cursed crab. Four spun, and the water mimicked the motion, creating a whirlpool in the air. After coming to an abrupt halt with its arms raised, Four then threw its arms down. The whirlpool crashed into the crustacean, boring an enormous hole through its body. The cursed crab let out a shriek then fell, for the last time, into the fountain’s base.
As Faraday’s Bravo Pack made it to the rooftop of the main building, fifteen arcanum climbed up the other side. He heard Keren’s voice.
“Should I send One out to help?”
“No,” Tabitha responded. “It looks like we have the arcanum outnumbered two to one, so it’s only a matter of time before we finish this fight. We need you to find and destroy the rest of the cursed creatures.”
“The leader of Charlie said they were behind the wax museum,” added Briggs.
Then from the left came a whooshing sound as three fire blasts sailed from the rear of the wax museum toward The Wheel. Tabitha screamed orders over the earpiece.
“Charlie Pack, get out of there!”
The three fire blasts landed one after the other onto The Wheel. The metal supports groaned as they engulfed the entire structure in flames. None of the ten members of Warrior Pack Charlie had enough time to jump to safety.
Briggs felt a chilling cold hit his gut. As he took deep breaths through clenched teeth, he balled his hands into fists. Both arcanum and shifters on the rooftop continued their battle under the four-hundred-foot tall torch.
Chapter Forty-Three
Keren
Keren screamed as she watched The Wheel ignite in flames, engulfing all the shifters from Warrior Pack Charlie. Her heart pounded in her ears while she struggled for breath. She turned to Four.
“Put out the fire!”
With a wave of its hand, Four commanded the fountain’s blood-red water to rise. Then Four spun, and the water sailed through the air to The Wheel. When the water struck the wheel, some flames smoldered into black smoke, then quickly reignited.
“No, this can’t be happening.” She covered her face with her hands, turning and staggering away from the hideous scene. Those fire blasts had come from the cursed wolves. They had to be stopped.
Then an eerie calm passed through her. She took her hands from her face, revealing a savage scowl. They would pay for what they’ve done. Her breathing changed to loud, low breaths as she turned toward the fountain.
While looking at the dead crustacean in the dry fountain, she lifted her chin, taking a deep breath, letting her chest fully expand before exhaling. Four had defeated the cursed crab and saved Warrior Pack Bravo. Now, she would find and kill the other cursed creatures, crushing them to stop their devastating rampage. She spoke in a clear, determined voice.
“I’m going after the cursed creatures.”
Briggs nodded, hearing her through the earpiece, then motioned for her to follow as he headed to the rear of the wax museum. When something moved to her left, she stopped, preparing to summon another of her creatures. Then a figure stepped into the light. Her eyes widened, staring in disbelief. When she tried to move, her body refused, remaining frozen in place. This couldn’t be happening. He should have been at the safe house.
“Ordell?”
Keren released her magic, and Four disappeared. While forcing her body to respond, she dashed across the courtyard to Ordell. His wide, green eyes and twitching horse’s ears signaled something was seriously wrong. Her head pounded, thinking he had been out here during the battle. He could have been killed. Once she reached him, she slid to a stop, wrapping her arms around him.
“What are you doing here?”
She felt him tremble against her body. Briggs ran up beside her.
“Nadria,” Ordell stammered, “she’s hurt and needs your help.”
Keren blinked. Had her best friend, Nadria, been injured during the battle? No, this can’t be real, she thought. They had left her back at the safe house. The fog in her mind caused Briggs’ voice to sound muffled, even though he stood next to her.
“How did you get here? Where is Officer Jordon?”
Ordell took her hand, pulling her toward the museum. “Please, help.”
She squeezed her eyes shut and gave her head a slight shake to push her thoughts away and focus on helping Ordell. Keren allowed him to guide them down a path between the two buildings that led to the wax museum’s front door so they had better cover. Then she stopped so she could question him.
“Where’s Mom and Quinlin?”
“Quinlin said the arcanum attacked them and they got separated. He sent me to get you.”
Briggs pulled out his phone, trying to call Officer Jordon. When there was no answer, he called for backup to the safe house. Then he squatted down so his eyes were level with Ordell’s.
“Why did you come here?”
“Ms. Stewart thought if she could get the Book of Shadows, she could stop the cursed creatures. We came here to find it.”
Briggs’ face turned a bright shade of red. “I specifically told you to stay put.”
Ordell hung his head. “We just wanted to help.”
Briggs tipped his head back, forcing out a quick breath. Then he looked at Ordell, putting his hand on his shoulder, speaking in a soft tone. “Let’s go find Nadria.”
As they drew near the front door, she saw Quinlin had his face pressed against the glass. Blood dripped down his left swollen cheek, and his hair and clothes looked as though he’d been in a fight. He pushed the door open as they approached.
“Thank goodness you’re here.” He took Keren into his arms.
She wrapped her arms around him, relieved he was alive. As she pressed against him, she thought it odd that, even though they were in a life and death situation, his body felt relaxed, and his heartbeat was steady and strong. He whispered into her ear.
“They captured Nadria.”
She pulled away from him, staring i
nto his brown eyes. “Ordell told me. Where’s my mom?” Keren’s breathing shallowed as her stomach twisted into a knot, waiting for his response.
“I don’t know, but we’ll find her.”
Ordell grabbed her hand, tugging her away from the door. “Come on, Nadria’s hurt. We have to get her out.”
Keren ran down the hall after Quinlin and Ordell, with Briggs following behind them. Quinlin shouted over his shoulder at Briggs.
“Maybe you and Ordell should search for Ms. Stewart.”
“I’m staying with Keren.”
Keren startled at the sharpness in his tone. He must still be angry they had escaped from the safe house. Then they stopped at the lab door.
Keren turned to Briggs. “Please. I need you to find Mom.”
“I don’t want to leave you.” He brushed the back of his fingers across her cheek. She tenderly removed his hand from her face, its warmth soothing her icy, wet hands. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.
“I’ll be fine with Quinlin.”
A sour look passed over his face as his eyes flicked to Quinlin, then back to her.
“If that’s what you want.”
Ordell spoke up, “But I want to be with Nadria.”
Keren put her hand on his shoulder. “We’ll take care of Nadria. I need you to help find my mom. Briggs shouldn’t go alone.”
Ordell looked at Briggs, then back at Keren. His shoulders slumped as he let out a long breath. “Alright.”
After Briggs and Ordell trotted down the hall, Quinlin took Keren’s hand.