Book of Curses (The Renning Chronicles) (23 page)

“Don’t even think about it Raine, you’re not getting through.” He told me, frowning as he stared me down.

“Want to bet on that?”

“Try me.”

I lunged forward at Talon to attempt my escape. Just as I moved Dolphus and Nickel came over, Nickel grabbed my waist right as I moved, and pulled me back. I watched as Talon's whole body tensed and became ready for attack, then slowly but surely calmed down again when they'd grabbed me.

Talon's eyes scanned Nickel and Dolphus as if he was trying to think of how to word something right, but couldn't quiet do it. I heard Dolphus make a chuckling sound, and I just groaned.

“I had it handled.”

“Looked like it.” Nickel sighed, letting me go and I turned back to see him frown.

“Just let me go, you need both me
and
Tom in order to do anything, or save anyone, so why don’t we all just look for him?" I snapped at all three of them, but mainly Talon. “He’s my brother”
And the only family I have left now
. Though I did not say that part aloud.

“We can’t just go out there, if they disappeared what will happen to us?” Nickel asked, looking at me intently.

“But, the guards went out with them, Eyloff and Layre went out at different times, if we go out together maybe we can find out what’s going on and try to stop it!” I started to plead with them, it was the only thing I could think to do, and was praying it'd get through to someone.

Dolphus looked at me, thinking it over in his own mind,
and then
he locked his jaw. Looking up at the other two he let out a sigh and started to speak. “She has a point.”

“Yes if her point is getting us all killed.”

“Don’t be that way Talon, I think they’re right, but we need to actually stick together in a tight formation.” Nickel said to him, frowning deeper than he was before, and this time it was at Talon.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Talon muttered to himself in his own frustration. “Fine.”

“I need to change first, no way in hell I’ll be able to fight if something attacks me in this.” I told the three of them, looking between each of them for a moment. 

“Right, I’ll go in with you incase anything happens, I've seen you naked before, remember.” Dolphus chuckled, winking at me.

I turned so many shades of red from that I didn't even know half of them existed, until that moment. “Yeah ok.” That was the only thing I managed to get out as we started to leave. We got about half way to my room and I asked in a hushed type of voice. “What about everyone in there?”

“Someone will report within the next hour that guards have been missing for longer than normal.” Nickel said to me, smiling as best he could.

***
*
*

We stopped at my
room;
I was letting my thoughts wander as we walked in silence, constantly checking to see if we saw anyone. No one was anywhere to be seen, hell none of the lights were even lit, it was like everyone just disappeared.

Nickel and Talon stood outside of my door, and Dolphus opened the door walking in after I did. I moved to my dresser, pulling out the first shirt and pants I could find, and then flew to the screen in the corner of the room. I began to change my clothes as fast as I
could
and once I was done I pulled my hair up into a tight ponytail.

I walked out from behind the screen, sliding my feet into a pair of boots and laced them as quickly as I could manage. As soon as I was done I looked up at Dolphus, and then walked over to him. He looked bothered, but I just nodded my head, he pursed his lips thoughtfully then spoke.

“Remember that sword I confiscated and gave you?” Dolphus asked me, smiling a little.

I nodded my head at him slowly,
and then
hiked my thumb behind me. “Yeah it’s in the dresser.”

“Now’s the time to get it out and keep it with you.” He told me, nodding his head. “I can sense whatever it is, it may not be here yet, but take no chances.”

I turned and went to the dresser, yanked open the drawer and pulled out the sword. Returning to Dolphus I nodded, he smiled weakly as we headed back out of the
room;
my sword was clutched in my hand tightly.

“Where’d you get that?” Nickel asked me slowly, eyeing my sword.

“I got it almost three weeks ago, and gave it to her for protection.” Dolphus told him bluntly, shrugging his shoulders as if it was nothing.

“And you found it where?”

“Now isn’t the time for questions!” I snapped, trying to keep quiet. “We have to go, now!”

“Right, let’s go. They all went towards the courtyard, so we should head that way, we can take the back route.” Nickel said as if I'd just snapped him out of it. Talon glared daggers at him, Nickel just smiled at him. “Same thing you were thinking, right General?”

Talon just sighed and then headed off. Before we got too far, he turned and looked at us. “Follow me, and stay quiet.”

After that he started forward again, and moved slowly enough that we were all quiet. We could hear a soft murmuring coming from up ahead, and the closer we got the louder and more distinct it became. It was a woman's voice speaking to someone
.
T
hat much I was sure of.

Talon looked over his shoulder at us, signaled for us to stay as close as we could, and to be quiet. All of us did exactly that though, without him even needing to say it. Everything was too quiet and awkward right
now;
I knew something bad was going to happen… I could feel it all over again.

Talon held up one of his hands, it was a signal I'd learned a few weeks ago, it basically meant stay where the hell you are. He looked around the corner, I was the closest one, and didn't care to listen to him. I just wanted to find Tom and know that he was okay.

When I looked around that corner I was shocked. There were all the missing guards, Layre was bound at the woman's feet, and she was no longer Morana. She was a stunningly beautiful woman, so pretty it almost hurt to look at her.
Almost.

Amamai?
I thought to myself guessing.

All of the
men,
who were in there, were frozen in place staring at her, spellbound. Tom was standing next to her, practically throwing himself on her, his eyes were glazed over, making me think of a Zombie's, and Amamai only laughed and leaned into Tom's kisses along her neck.

“We shall wipe these fools from existence.” She announced proudly to the group of people who stood there.

There was a quick roar of agreement following that. Talon even agreed, and I stared at him horrified. Pulling him back and turning him towards me, his eyes went slowly from glazed over to their natural brown color, and he looked confused. Almost as if he didn't know why he was looking at me now.

“What happened?” He demanded in a hushed but harsh voice.

“I think, when you looked at her you were spellbound by her, literally.” I told him, swallowing hard.

“Why weren’t you affected then, obviously you were looking to.”

“Because, I’m not a man, nor am I interested in women.” I replied to him, giving him a slightly dirty look.

He stared at me for a long moment, mulling it over in his mind and then locked his jaw.  “How the hell do we fight someone we can’t look at?”

“By not looking at her.” I spoke instantly. “By listening to what someone tells you, and trusting them with your life.”

“What on earth are you planning in there Raine?” Dolphus asked me.

“Dolphus, come here for a moment.” I told him, motioning him towards me with my hand. 

Dolphus walked over to me as fast and silently as he could, looking at me with the fierce look of a warrior. Something I didn't see in Dolphus a lot of the time. Something I admired in him at times like this.

“I want you to look at her,” I started to explain to him, smiling weakly. “I want to see if you’re affected too.”

He rolled his eyes, showing me what he thought of my plan. He peeked around the corner at Amamai,
and then
went completely rigid for a moment. I wasn't sure whether to panic or not, and was growing worried until he turned his head and looked back at me wide eyed. “She’s so pretty it’s devastating.” He told me in a pained
voice.

Smiling uneasily, I let out a sigh. “Dolphus. Nickel and Talon, they’re going to have to depend on us.” I said to him, frowning just slightly.

“We’re the only ones who can look at her head on, aren’t we?”

I nodded my head to him in return, shifting my eyes slowly towards Talon and Nixon for a moment. Then I looked back around the corner at everyone, there were so many people there that it was insane. This was something she'd planned out…

“So, let’s find Nixon and Fang from here, that way we can go at her three on each side, and then from there we’ll attack and get Layre and Tom back.” Dolphus sounded excited, and ready to go on. “Eyloff’s right there.”

I looked to where he had pointed his finger and saw sure enough, Eyloff. He was
practically
next to us, staring straight at Amamai and agreeing with every word she said.

He would be the easy one to grab, if we could do it fast enough and quietly enough. It'd be bad if we didn't have him, Nixon, or Fang with us. At least one of three meant we stood a better chance. Now the only problem was snatching him.

“So, I take it Talon’s going to step down and make Raine captain for this?” Nickel asked happily, I could hear the smirk in his voice and wanted to shake my head.

Looking back at them, I saw Talon scowl but stay silent before looking over at me. “I suppose so.” I answered him instead, frowning at Talon.

“What’s the plan then, General?” Nickel smiled happily. He was enjoying this all too much, but then again, when did he ever get to screw with Talon like this.

“Nickel you and Talon stay here for a moment, Dolphus and I will grab Eyloff so we can move in with another set of hands. I think this just may turn into a battle against our own comrades.” I grimaced at that thought, fighting the people I loved… I didn't like it one bit.

“Great.” Talon let out a low growl, as he listened to what I was saying. I had to agree with his tone about this one
though;
I didn't want to do it.