by Eliza Tilton
Running fatigued every muscle, and my head spun, but I kept pushing myself until I reached his house.
Darkness blanketed the preacher’s home. I peeked in the window but couldn’t see past the drawn shades.
Here we go.
I knocked on the door.
Nothing.
I knocked again, and this time a light shined inside. A moment later, a sleeping Father opened the door, holding a candle.
“Leonardo?”
“Hi, Father. Sorry about the time, but can we talk?”
He wiped his eyes, yawning. “Of course.”
“Thank you.” I dropped the hood of my cloak and walked in.
Father Henry placed the light on a side table. “You’re sweating.”
“Yeah. I ran here.”
He nodded. “Sit, sit.”
I found a spot on the old patchwork couch, rubbing my hands. Father Henry returned with a cup of water, which I gulped in three sips.
“What is it that has sent you to my door this late at night?” He leaned back in the black chair across from me. Pillow lines etched the left side of his face, and his gray-speckled hair stood up on one side.
“I’m afraid.” It wasn’t a lie. Gut-wrenching fear invaded every fiber of my being.
“A lot has happened. Many of us are afraid.”
“Yeah, but it’s causing me and my sister to fight. Do you know she’s getting married?”
He gave a slight smile and leaned forward. “Yes, and soon.”
“Do you know this Mr. Capetain? Why have we never met him before?”
The smile disappeared, and Father’s brow showed my own suspicions. “It’s been many years since I’ve seen any of Mr. Owens’ family, but I did hear of his nephew coming to visit last week.”
“Francesca shouldn’t marry a stranger. We don’t know anything about him.”
“I’m afraid your sister is more stubborn than you, and the idea of marrying someone younger than her previous suitor is a bit of a relief.”
If only she knew the truth.
“Don’t you agree?” Father waited for my response.
I bit the inside of my mouth to stop myself from spilling everything. “I guess. We fought, and she won’t even tell me when the ceremony is.” I sighed and shook my head, pretending to be distraught over not being invited.
“I have to be there,” I said, “no matter how much I disagree with her choice.”
He touched my shoulder with a firm grip. “She’ll need you there.”
“Need and want are two different things,” I grumbled.
“In three days’ time, right before the sun sets, at the pavilion. She’ll want you. You’ll see.”
Three days. Three days to raise an army that can kill Shifty.
“Thank you, Father.” I patted his hand as I stood. “I better go sleep.”
“Take care, son.” He escorted me to the door.
When I went back out into the night, I pulled the hood over my head and left the main street. If controlling a group of zombies made me weak, how could I possibly control an army?
I won’t be much help if I don’t sleep, but before I can do that, one last thing.
Nausea twisted my gut at the next task on my list. The whole way to the mines, I thought of changing my plans, but if Pa taught me anything, it was to take responsibility. A man needed to stand up for what was right.
That started with facing my mistake.
While I walked, Arabella’s face drifted in and out my head. She was the first girl to show any care for me. Though we didn’t have much time together, those moments we shared would always be my best. We may never have gotten married due to her status, but we could’ve had an unforgettable summer.
If only the explosion hadn’t happened.
No one in port knew the cause of that day. There had been a few explosions in the past years, mainly why the town fought to have the mines closed, but no one would shut down our biggest source of profit. Still, there was no one digging that deep. Something else caused the massacre.
I had followed this path so many times my feet knew the way to the hidden room. Musty rot stung the hairs in my nose. Groans echoed through the various chambers. With Shifty gone, I assumed the dead would wander out, but they had stayed since I had ordered them to.
My palm throbbed where I’d cut it. I hadn’t had time to bandage it properly, another task for me to complete. My own pain would have to wait. The red tomes in the mine room might have information on how to destroy Shifty. I remembered the day Shifty made me steal them from a passing caravan of knights—never been so scared. I waited all night, scrunched in a trunk until I heard them snoring. When I had the satchel, I ran all the way to the mines and didn’t come out for a day.
Now, when I entered the room, Pa lunged forward. I coughed as his decay slapped me in the face. The astringent odor burned my eyes. Another piece of his skin had fallen off, showing more of his broken jaw. The broadness of his chest was caved in, part from the accident and part from the decay.
“You don’t deserve the curse I’ve given you.”
He groaned and swayed, arms stretched out to grab my shirt.
I took the blade off my belt.
“I wasn’t strong enough to let you go, and because of that, I’ve caused far worse.”
Another lunge, and this time, I let him grab my arms. He chomped at the air, hissing, going into a hunger frenzy now that he had me in his grasp.
“I’m sorry, Pa.” I jammed the blade into his forehead. “May you finally rest in peace.”
He slumped forward, and I yanked the knife out. Calmness settled in my mind. Pa would finally be able to rest. I already had a spot by the cliffs ready for him to be buried. After I dealt with Shifty, I would bring Momma there and let her know I found Pa’s body in the mines and gave him a proper burial. Now when she visited his grave, it wouldn’t be filled with an empty coffin. After laying Pa on the ground, I draped a piece of burlap over him and gently moved him to the side.
With Shifty roaming the port, I had an opportunity to find the one thing that could stop him: his phylactery gem. On the bookshelf sat a myriad of tomes, ones I had stolen, collected from passing merchants, and ones the warlocks left. Shifty didn’t know where his gem was, only that it was hidden in this room. I had spent the past few days, searching, but I never got far. Shifty always appeared when I started digging, but now . . . now he was busy walking around in human skin.
Think. If I had to hide an item from a demon, where would I put it?
There wasn’t much in this room besides dusty books, my sketches, and melted candles. I sat in the center, staring at the black walls and getting nowhere. If I didn’t find this gem, I’d have nothing over Shifty. Yeah, I could kill him, but then he’d possess another body. The only reason he hadn’t taken mine was because my will was too strong.
I fell back. My head hit the dirt and thumped. There were wood planks on the floor, but this sounded hollow. I pounded on the spot, and for sure, something was buried. Using my knife, I dug around, revealing a wooden box.
Carefully, I lifted the box and placed it on the ground next to me. I gazed at the door, half expecting Shifty to fly into the room. When nothing happened, I pried the box open. A black tome with a silver emblem rested inside. I dusted off the top, revealing the words Book of Nine engraved into the leather.
But it was what was under the book that caught my attention.
A sparkling green gem.
Chapter 25
Arabella
For the past few days, I had thought of nothing but Leo and the danger he had put himself and everyone else in. If I told my family about the necromancy, there was no chance of saving him. My father and brother both swore an oath to the queen and their country. No evil shall befall the throne.
They would never u
nderstand, and for all my father’s empathy, he must still uphold the law. The law stated that any person utilizing the dark arts would be arrested and, depending on the severity, have a fair trial before being condemned to execution. There had been stories in the past of warlocks, witches, and black priests, but not a necromancer—at least none in the past hundred years.
How did he learn such a dark art?
Rufus laid on my bed, snuggled against me. I had been awake for hours, terrified about today, and needed comfort.
Leonardo’s sister was marrying the nephew of the owner of the mines. Apparently he was rich and darkishly handsome. Almost everyone in the port was going to see the wedding. The mayor believed a wedding would lighten everyone’s spirits after so much heartache and offered the pavilion to have it. Leo would be there; he had to be. I was going to give him until today before I made him decide: confess or I would turn him in.
My heart clenched at the idea of betraying Leo—the boy who’d protected me and opened my heart—but how could I not? Was I wrong? Should I let him go free?
I thought back to the day in the woods where that animated skeleton almost killed Edgard. No matter how much I cared for Leo, he was too dangerous. My hope was that his heart would change. Wouldn’t Leo want his family to be happy and safe? If I could convince Leo to stop, this would all end.
Nan entered the room. “Are you ready, miss?” She carried my royal-blue dress in her arms.
“Yes.” I stood and took off my bed robe.
Nan held the silky satin gown for me to step into. The sleeves slid onto my arms, and Nan pulled the corset bodice tight. Out of all my dresses, this was my favorite. The front of the dress had beautifully threaded flowers from the bottom up to the bodice. The balloon sleeves had three rows of cream lace separating the satin fabric. It hugged my body in all the right places, yet showed none of my skin except right below my collarbone.
Once Nan had the bodice tied, I sat in front of the vanity and let her style my hair. “Can you leave it down?”
“It’s supposed to be hot today.”
“That’s fine. I like it down.”
She twisted the pieces of hair around my face into tiny braids and pulled them back into a crown, allowing the rest of my hair to hang by my shoulders. “I do say, miss, you may be the prettiest lady in the port.”
“Thank you.” I held in the tears while she patted my face with a dash of powder and rouge. I had to be strong, for what I had to say to Leo and what I had to do.
If God gave me the ability to stop the dead, couldn’t he also give me the gift to heal the living? Whether it be from physical or mental pain? Didn’t we all deserve redemption?
Father talked about God’s forgiving spirit, but the church would never allow a necromancer to live. Leo was a danger, and from what Father said, one that hadn’t been seen in ages. I kept replaying the day of the explosion over in my mind, wondering if I hadn’t followed Leo into the mines, if Leo’s father would’ve survived then Leo would never have been forced to become a monster.
No matter what happened today, I had to be strong. For myself, my family, and my home.
Mother waited in the parlor, talking with Father and Edgard. I could hear the excitement in her voice. I walked down the stairs, and my father looked up.
“Stunning,” he said as he met me by the banister.
“Thank you,” I replied with a smile.
“Oh, sweetie, you’re going to outdo the bride today.” Mother wrapped me in a hug. Her curls tucked under a ruby bonnet that matched the tiny roses on her cream dress.
“Should I change?” Running my hands along the sides of my dress, I wondered if I’d picked the wrong outfit.
Mother scoffed at the idea. She slung her arm through mine and patted it. “Of course not. Let’s go.”
Edgard held the carriage door open for us. He and Father looked like twins in their black tapestry tailcoats and silver vests. I thought of telling Edgard about Leo but couldn’t find the courage. Edgard would cause a commotion and most certainly ruin the wedding.
It’s only for another few hours. What could possibly happen?
Father prepared me for the hour of the wedding—right before dusk. He insisted I needn’t go, but I told him a silly thing like sunset didn’t bother me anymore, though it still did. But resolving this issue of the dead was more important than my own personal fears.
I wanted to talk to Leo, and going to the ceremony would give me a chance to. With the whole port in attendance, I had nothing to fear.
The pavilion was arrayed with white lilac and baby-blue forget-me-nots. I couldn’t help but be swept away in the decorated beauty. A quartet of violinists played a sweet song pairing romantically with the scene. Lower-class citizens stood around the giant pavilion while the rest of us milled inside to the seating area.
“Get us to the front,” Mother whispered to Father in a giddy voice.
Back in London, Mother loved any type of fancy reception, mostly for the dresses. She was a bit sad when we missed my Of Age ceremony, but with the kidnapping, none of us could wholeheartedly agree to the idea of primping me for marriage.
Mother grasped my hand and pulled me closer, a smile wide on her face. We found a spot to sit, three rows from the front. The priest waited at the podium while the rest of the crowd eagerly waited for the ceremony to start.
“Where’s the groom?” I whispered.
“He should be here soon.” Mother patted my knee. “One day this will be you.”
One day seems very far away.
Edgard sat at the end near the aisle, separated from me by Father and Mother. For once, I was grateful my brother wasn’t by my side. I didn’t need his protectiveness today.
The quartet changed to a slow, gentle tune.
Whispers and hushes sounded from the people behind us. I turned and craned my neck to see what they were fussing about. A man dressed in a finely tailored black suit with a deep-red brocade vest walked down the aisle. His black hair was slicked back, and his face was free of any facial hair.
“Oh my,” Mother said softly.
The man glanced our way, and when I saw his face, my heart skipped.
The stranger from the beach?
“Isn’t he darling? Oh, the bride is one lucky girl. Much better than the uncle. Don’t you think?” Mother took out a fan from her purse and fanned herself, mostly to hide the grin she wore.
“Yes,” I managed to say.
Is that why he was by the shore that day? If he planned to marry Leo’s sister, perhaps this man knew about the mines.
I scrunched the fabric of my dress in my hands.
I don’t like this.
And where is Leo? Shouldn’t he be here?
Anticipation sent my leg into a jaunt, and I couldn’t stop shaking. Mother eyed me and put a hand on my shaking knee.
“Sorry, I’m just excited.”
She frowned, but only for a moment before returning to her fawning.
The melody changed pitch to the normal wedding song. We all rose in honor of the bride who walked the aisle, alone.
The white dress trailed behind her in gorgeous lace. The bodice was elegant with tiny reflective beads and a pearl necklace that must have cost hundreds of coins. Her olive skin was brushed with the simplest rouge, and her full lips were a blushing pink.
She’s so pretty.
Orange-and-pink light haloed behind her, and it reminded me of how a sunset could be beautiful. Using my mother for strength, I leaned into her side and admired the bride, ignoring the pitter-patter of fear hitting my chest.
The groom took Francesca’s hand. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. Whatever he said made her happy, because her smile widened.
We all sat, and the ceremony began.
The priest read scriptures, talked about God, and the whole while I
searched the crowd for Leo’s face. How could he miss such an important moment? Even if he had done inexcusable things, he should have been here, walking his sister down the aisle and giving her away.
I glanced at Edgard, thankful that for all his overbearingness he would never leave me alone at such an important time. Wasn’t there anyone else from Leo’s family here?
A lady walked to the podium to read a note from the mother of the bride who couldn’t attend due to illness. Instantly, my anger faded to sorrow. The poor family. The bride sniffled, and her soon-to-be-husband placed a hand on her lower back. The sweet gesture made me yearn for my own happy ending.
“I now pronounce you man and wife,” the priest said. “You may kiss the bride.”
The crowd clapped and roared as the groom pulled his wife into a sweet kiss. I clapped along, happy that at least Leo’s sister would be taken care of. All a girl could hope for was a kind man that was younger than her father to wed.
As everyone cheered for the newlyweds, dark clouds covered the fading sun, blocking out the sparkling light. A crow cawed behind me, sitting on the edge of the pavilion. I followed the direction of the crow’s attention, which seemed to be on the groom. He scowled, and a shadow crossed his face.
“It seems the weather is turning,” the priest shouted in an attempt to keep order. “No need to panic.”
But it wasn’t just the storm clouds or the drop in temperature. The hairs on my arms rose as if electrified, and a foreboding sense of dread threatened to consume me.
Someone screamed, and we all turned. Before I could see what caused the outburst, the mass scattered and jumped out of the chairs, stumbling over one another to escape the pavilion. Parents grabbed their children, and everyone acted as if the world was ending.
“Oh, dear God. What is that?” Mother held a shaking hand to her mouth.
“Go, now, run!” Edgard dragged me alongside him.
Father took Mother’s hand, and they ran to the exit. I kept craning my neck and looking back to see what was happening behind us. The crowd scattered, leaving a window into the terror behind us.