by Mia Fox
“Find something in there,” he said pointing to the salon.
I ran down the hall while James kept watch, although it wasn’t necessary as everyone was occupied with the morbid festivities.
“Bingo,” I said returning having found a pair of ballet flats. “Let’s hurry.”
* * *
Charlotte struggled to keep up with Daniel, who after having years in the Romani Realms was experienced at dodging the human soul obstacles that lashed out at unexpected moments. Even Samantha had learned to ignore the disturbing pleas that could be heard in the surrounding forests and marshes.
“Just focus on something pretty,” Daniel yelled over his shoulder. “It’s all about your perception.”
Charlotte screamed as a hand reached out from the marshy mud and skimmed her ankle.
“And keep it quiet,” Samantha urged.
“I need to stop.”
“No!” Daniel and Samantha both spat out simultaneously.
But it was too late and the air was too thin for Charlotte to catch her breath. She sat down in an open trail.
“At least come over here,” Daniel called to her from behind a large, beaver lodge made of logs and sticks, just off from the lake.
Charlotte felt a blast of cold air, urging her forward. Go, don’t stop. You’re stronger than you realize. She looked up as if questioning whether she really heard me. My voice sounded close, but it was just so cold. Charlotte willed herself to stand and met Samantha and Daniel behind their hiding place.
They could hear the cry of the wolves in the distance. “We’ve only got a mile at best on them,” Daniel said. “We have to keep going,” he said lightly touching Samantha’s arm.
She shivered at his touch. It was warm and yet, it sent chills down her spine reminding her of the pleasure of jumping into a pool on a hot summer day, cold glasses of lemonade after running, and her first high school crush. In short, better times.
“Where?” Samantha asked.
“To my place. It’s safe...and hidden. Do you trust me?”
Samantha looked at Daniel and using her special gift, she innately knew that he wouldn’t lead her astray. “Yes. I’ll go with you.”
He smiled in spite of their circumstances. “Well then, let’s keep on.”
“Come on, Charlotte. You’ve had enough time to rest. Charlotte?”
She was no where to be found. “Where is she?” Samantha’s voice rose in a panic.
“There!” Daniel pointed to a fallen tree just three hundred feet in the distance. Charlotte leaned up against it, deep in conversation with a small, blonde girl. “I don’t like this.”
You can help her.
“Did you hear that?” Samantha looked all around her. “I recognized a voice. It was so familiar.”
“It doesn’t matter. We have bigger issues,” he said pointing toward Charlotte, who was now walking closer to the shores of the lake with the little girl.
“Charlotte!”
Charlotte turned toward Samantha, but didn’t meet her stare head on. Her eyes seemed unfocused, unseeing. “I need to go now.”
Daniel stepped forward, but the girl who appeared quiet and meek, held up her hand in warning. “Stay away from her.”
Samantha and Daniel looked at each other, unsure how to react. Finally, Daniel whispered to Samantha, “The little girl -- she’s not what she appears. She’s an Encantado and this newcomer...your friend, if that’s what you believe, is in serious danger.”
“She’s mine. You can’t have her.”
“Shadow, don’t be rude,” Charlotte answered the Encantado, whose hair turned from blonde ringlets into writhing snakes before their eyes.
An involuntary gasp escaped Samantha, who took a step backwards, but Charlotte, unaware of the change, lovingly ran her hand over the small girls’ head. Within seconds of receiving her touch, the Encantado’s appearance returned to normal.
“She’s really quite sweet. This is Shadow. She found me when I arrived. Just give me a minute,” Charlotte indicated that she wanted some time alone with the creature that was sending warning daggers with her eyes at Samantha.
The Encantado smiled at Samantha and Daniel, her grin changing from pearly white teeth to a gaping hole of black.
Charlotte moved out of earshot and Daniel gripped Samantha’s arm firmly. “Your friend is falling for the traps of the Romani Realms. The others will be here soon. We need to leave.”
“What will become of her?”
Daniel shook his head and looked to where the Encantado was laughing and whispering with Charlotte. “I don’t know. Maybe that...that thing will give her a hiding place.”
“She is my friend,” Samantha said firmly as if only now believing the statement. “Just as I know that you are of pure heart, I know this to be true about her as well. You believe me?”
Daniel gathered Samantha up in his arms. Although she had never spent time in a man’s arms before, she didn’t feel nervous. Instead, she exhaled and felt her body relax against his strength, feeling stronger herself because of him. “I’ve lived in this hell for over a decade, waiting for something. I know now that it’s you. I don’t want to lose you.”
Samantha didn’t move from his arms, nor did she raise her head from its resting spot against his broad chest. There had been days when she was hungry, cold and so terribly alone that she didn’t relish experiencing that again, but when she thought about turning her back on Charlotte, she just couldn’t. Something innately told her that they had a history.
“I can’t ask you to sacrifice yourself, but for me there is no choice. I can’t explain why I know this, but I think the fact that I can see what people really are deep inside is how I’ve survived here before I met you. It won’t be easy, but I could continue on my own.”
“What are you saying?” he asked, placing a hand under her chin so that their eyes met.
“I can’t leave her to...to them,” she said glancing toward the muddy ground that bubbled and brewed, threatening to take over one’s emotions and sense of reality. “Samantha, what they do during the Reckoning ceremony...you don’t want to witness that. Ever.”
I’ll be there soon. She heard a voice speaking directly to her. My voice. It gave her strength.
“I’m going to get her away from them. I’m sorry, Daniel. I’ll do it with or without your help.”
He wrapped his arms around her again. Holding onto her tightly as if his very soul depended on her. He twirled a lock of her red hair around his finger and smiled. “You are a spit fire. I need you.”
Samantha shimmied her body from her shoulders to her hips, smiling as if she had just been told that she was being given a new puppy. “I knew it!”
“Confident, aren’t we?”
She gave a defiant nod and stretched her arms out widely, inviting him toward her once again. As he held onto her waist, Daniel whispered in her ear. “I admit that I need you. I might even admit something more...one day...if you’re lucky.”
“Oh really?”
“Mmm Hmm. But, you’re sure going to need me to pull this off.”
Matching his now serious tone, Samantha whispered back. “Thank you.”
Feeling decisive about her need to help Charlotte fueled a need within herself as well. She turned her chin upward and met Daniel’s gaze without wavering. Up until now, their longing looks had always ended with Samantha changing the subject or pointing out something about the ever changing scenery, but this time...she waited.
Daniel’s warm brown eyes smiled as they met hers. He didn’t let another moment lapse to confirm their shared intention. Placing one hand under Charlotte’s chin, he moved her face slowly toward his own. His eyes stared at her lips, which she bit with anticipation.
“Daniel...,” nerves were beginning to take over, but he wouldn’t allow her to break the spell between them.
“Shhh...just be,” he said, his words barely above a whisper.
And then, taking his message to heart, Samanth
a closed her eyes, forgetting all fears, all memories of what she had been through over the past months or weeks or however long each god forsaken day would play out in her mind, and she just allowed herself to be...resting in his arms. She closed her eyes and felt his lips ever so gently touch her own.
A warmth spread throughout her body. For the first time that her memory served, she wasn’t cold. Daniel’s hand stayed under her chin, guiding her mouth more firmly onto his, before he dared remove his hand for fear of this moment ending. Instinct took over inexperience and Samantha wrapped her arms around Daniel’s neck and held on as if her very life depended on it.
When their mouths separated, their arms still held each other tightly. Daniel let his head lean forward to rest on Samantha’s forehead. For a moment, they stood like that in silence, until a woman’s voice interrupted them.
“Samantha, looking at you is like taking a long sip of sweet tea. I never want it to end.”
Samantha looked up and unlike the experience she had with Charlotte, when she laid eyes on me the recognition was instantaneous. “Suki?”
“It’s me, honey plum,” I held out my arms and Samantha ran into them. “I can’t believe we found you.”
“We?” Samantha turned to see James standing to the side.
“You remember James?” I asked.
Samantha stared at James, who smiled easily.
“Come on everyone, let’s get Charlotte and get outta here,” I indicated the docks where Charlotte still sat next to Shadow.
James and Daniel introduced themselves while also refilling canteens from the stream that ran through the woods. Everyone was suddenly bustling about, but Samantha remained quiet. The fact that she hadn’t answered my seemingly rhetorical question went unnoticed by everyone, except James, who turned his head over his shoulder and met Samantha’s gaze head on.
* * *
Chapter Twelve
The sun was strong as it beat down on our little group that was already weary from the rough terrain. “If we can get to the woods it will help camouflage us,” Daniel spoke more to Samantha than the others. “We can head to my cottage. We’ll travel by night and if we’re lucky, we’ll get there by morning.”
James picked up his pace, taking me by the hand, and moving easily in front of Samantha and Daniel. “We stick with the plan. Follow us.”
“Umm, Sugar? We’ve already veered from the plan,” I reminded him, and indicated the end of our line where Charlotte was trailing, still holding Shadow’s hand.
James stopped and ran his hand through his hair. “It’s not going to work. Not with all this extra...,” he held his hands out in front of him, searching for the right word, “baggage.”
Daniel faced him and standing as tall as James at six feet, he looked him straight in the eye, placed his hands on his hips, his legs planted apart. But he said not a word. Samantha and I eyed each other, knowing that few packs had more than one alpha dog. One would have to back down.
Finally, Daniel spoke. “Did I mishear you?”
James shook his head, more at himself than Daniel. It wasn’t like a Shade to lose his temper and it gave credence to the fact that the Romani Realms affected every inhabitant. He whipped off his t-shirt, revealing his tight and toned abs, and mopped his brow with the fabric. Then, he held his hand out to Daniel.
“New plan,” James finally said.
“What’s this plan?” Daniel asked.
“It’s not totally unlike the first, which was to find the wormhole back to the present. As long as we are all in our right minds, we can get back safely. But if any of us are dealing with a false reality, and we were to be pulled away, the fears and paranoia would always remain -- regardless of where we end up here or back home.”
Daniel nodded, now understanding what set off James. “It would be impossible for a group this large to be sane at the same time. Not here.”
As if proving the point, Charlotte’s voice could be heard although she was still quite a few meters aways. “You are so good to me, Shadow. I’ll never leave you.” They turned to watch in disgust as Shadow dug in the ground for beetles and mealworms, and then offered them to Charlotte, who happily popped them into her mouth.
“Eww Charlotte, no,” I called out.
Daniel placed a hand on my shoulder and I immediately calmed. “It’s okay, Suki. I mean, it’s gross, but it’s the red beetles that cause dangerous hallucinations. The black ones? At least she’ll get her protein.”
I turned my mouth downwards and shuddered, but willed my mind to leave Charlotte for the time being. “Daniel, what are you? Samantha sees the good and I can feel your calming nature. Are you...a wizard?”
“No, that’s not the source of my powers,” he said looking downward, ashamed. “I was a practicing voodoo priest and I was good at it. But I never used my abilities to erupt evil onto others, only goodness. Primarily, I saw paths where evil could crawl and I would block it. Sometimes they were love spells...” he said, his eyes going to Samantha.
I nodded, satisfied that some good might be on the horizon. “You are good, Daniel. Remember that, always.”
James held out his hand, which Daniel accepted. “We haven’t seen Raven or Phineas, the demon gypsies who placed Samantha here, but they’re near,” James explained. “Phineas is supposed to be working to help us, but who knows...”
“You don’t know that he’s betrayed us,” I answered.
“No, but it’s no coincidence that they’re hanging around,” he said lifting his eyes to the treetops.
Samantha gasped and grabbed a hold of Daniel’s arm, while I instinctively summoned the element of wind to envelope our party in a private whirlwind. Hundreds of blackbirds lined the branches of the trees. They sat still and quiet as if listening in on the conversation, which of course they were.
“What has she done?” I asked.
Samantha instinctively bowed her head into her shoulder. Although she had no recollection of the tragedy that took her life from the present, somewhere in the recesses of her mind, she knew to fear the birds. “Who? Why are there so many?”
“They’re disciples,” James answered.
I nodded, knowing that he was right. “Raven’s followers. She attempted this once before, many years ago. It was during the second world war and she saw the power of fascism and wanted it for herself. She went all the way to Greece where she could work her evil without prying eyes of the world leaders and concocted the National Youth Organization, there known as Ethnikí Orgánosis Neoléas, or EON. Fortunately, it was a failed attempt.”
Samantha took a deep breath and raised her eyes to the birds in a show of defiance. And then, to show she couldn’t be intimidated, she bravely turned her back to them and walked toward the edge of the forest.
“Sam, where are you going?” I called to her, still controlling the wind that whisked Samantha’s red mane around her face.
“I’m going down there to get Charlotte and then we’re getting out of here.”
“What about Shadow? The Encantado?” Daniel asked.
“What is she?” Samantha asked, suddenly turning around.
“It doesn’t matter,” James said forcefully. “She’s coming too. We’re going to need her.”
* * *
Appearing in bird form, Raven glided easily over the tree tops, reveling in the sheer number of followers gathered. She soared higher feeling the exhilaration that comes from weightlessness and the freedom from emotions that plague humanity. Noticing that Phineas had already returned to his body and was lying on the ground staring up at her, she returned and shifted before his eyes.
“Do you feel better?” she asked, stroking his cheek.
“Much,” he said turning on his side to face her. “It’s been awhile since I’ve flown; the air is so pure here.”
Raven smiled to herself. “Purity isn’t easy to come by -- especially here.”
“What’s with them?” Phineas asked, indicating the throngs of black birds that stil
l perched above them, hovering closely together.
“You know how animals can sense changes in energy? Whether it’s a hurricane or earthquake...domesticated animals can even sense heartache or happiness on the part of their owner. They’re excited. Waiting to see what I’ll do with the Amulet of Pollox, once it’s mine.”
Phineas stared up at the birds his anger causing the branches to bend and sway. Raven reached for him. “Easy tiger. Looks like you need another dose of happy.”
He knew she was right...somehow she had made him happy, and it wasn’t welcome, not from her. He turned his head, struggling not to give into whatever influence Raven was dishing out.
“Phin! I never expected Charlotte to do something so crazy as to enter the Romani Realms on her own. Believe me. I knew you had your little infatuation growing.”
He turned back to her, and shot out, “An infatuation that you encouraged and built in order to get to Samantha.”
“I know,” she said, her eyes trained on him, concentrating on calming him. “But it is exciting. It’s proof that the Amulet of Pollox has given her the power and insight to do so much more than an ordinary human could. She even harnessed the mind of Charles Babbage, Suki’s greatest Releasor ever.”
“I’m not so sure he was her greatest Releasor,” Phineas said.
“Well, he may not have Charlotte’s legs, but he did invent the first computer and used it to develop the principles of time travel.”
At the mention of Charlotte’s name, the Celtic Knot that Phineas wore around his neck grew warm against his skin, giving him hope that there was still a connection between them. He put his hand to it, hoping. Knowing that Raven was watching him, he did his best to empty his mind of thoughts for her.
“Phin, would you do anything for me?”
“Yes.”
“I want things to be back the way they were.”
Phineas rolled onto his side once again and pulled Raven in closely. He nuzzled her neck and she turned and relished in the feel of his kisses along her collarbone. “Isn’t this better?”
“Hmm? Better than what?”