Broken Spell (21 page)

“Run away. Now!”

“Where?”

“Anywhere but there! They’ll be after you. They might find you. Don’t let them get Mona.”

I hear a loud noise on the phone. Skye hangs up.

Boulder’s father is at the door, agape, looking at me and at Boulder in turns.

Diana appears behind him, crying wildly. “My little boy,” she says, while running to the bed.

Boulder’s eyes move from Jeff to Diana.

Jeff grabs me by the shoulder. “What happened? What did you do? We saw a green light—”

I hold his arms. “Jeff, listen to me. Boulder will get better. This is real. But you cannot tell anyone about this.”

“It’s a miracle,” Jeff whispers.

“Jeff! Please. Listen to me. You saw nothing. No one came here. Do you understand? This is important. These girls will be in trouble if you say anything. Not police trouble. Death trouble.” I look into his eyes, as if trying to drill the message into his brain.

“Why?”

“It doesn’t matter! Just promise me that you, Diana, and Serena will never tell anyone. Never. Please.”

Jeff grabs my arm. “Of course. We won’t tell.”

“Thanks. Now I have to go.”

He goes to the bed to see his son. Diana is hugging Boulder and sobbing.

“Girls, we need to leave. Now!” I say.

“Why?” Yara asks.

“The Sisters are coming.”

***

My car doesn’t start. When I turn the key, it coughs and sputters, but it doesn’t turn over. The next time I try, the only sound it makes is a click.

“What’s going on?” Pain asks.

“I don’t know. It’s not the engine. And it’s got gas. Maybe it’s the battery.”

“What now?”

“Pain, go inside and ask Jeff for a jump start,” I say, imagining how I’m going to go back there and bother the guy who just had his son brought back to life.

She leaves in a hurry.

We hear a motorcycle engine.

“Jane!” Mona yelps.

We look at each other.

“Let’s go,” I say.

We all jump out of the car and run for a block.

“It’s a Sister,” Yara says, trying to catch her breath. “I can sense her.”

I turn to Mona. “Run! Just go! I’ll stop her.”

Mona runs to the next house’s backyard and disappears behind the fence. The bike’s roaring engine is closer. Yara and I brace ourselves.

“We need to split,” I say.

Yara nods. Before we can set off, we hear a whooshing noise and a loud thud behind us. Someone has just shot at us.

It’s getting dark, but I can still see where it came from. A woman riding a bike has a gun trained on us.

I jump in front of Yara, trying to shield her, just as we hear another shot.

A sharp pain traverses through my spine. I scream. My muscles become rigid. I’m still embracing Yara, and my weight is too much for her slight frame. I fall on top of her.

I’m conscious, but I can’t move or speak. The pain is now an intense, dull ache spreading over my body. And I can’t feel my legs. I can’t feel my arms either!

My head is still turned to the street. I can see our attacker.

She accelerates her bike and stops near us. She climbs out of the bike, holsters her pistol, and removes her helmet.

It’s not Jane.

She’s a tall woman in her thirties with dirty blonde hair and a scrawny face.

“Drake, are you okay?” Yara wheezes under me.

The woman answers for me. “He’s paralyzed. I couldn’t shoot to kill, could I? Might damage the Singularity.”

I can hear them. And I hear another engine over the one from the woman’s bike near to me.

“Who are you?” Yara yells at the woman.

The biker woman squats next to us. Her deliberation is unnerving. She is relishing our powerlessness.

“The question is…who are you? You’re the Singularity, aren’t you? I can sense you now.”

Another bike is coming close fast. I see it, coming from behind the skinny witch.

It’s Jane.

She’s approaching crazy fast, driving with one hand, her helmet in her other hand.

The woman notices it too. She stands up in a flash, trying to get out her pistol, but Jane is already too close. The woman tries to get out of the way. Jane brakes, and her bike skids and slows down. She swings her arm back and hits the blonde square in the head with the helmet.

A loud thudding sound later, the woman is on the ground. She doesn’t move.

Jane keeps the motor running, kicks the stand down, and jumps off the bike. She walks over to us. Just like the crazy woman did. “Where’s Mona?” she asks.

Yara says, “She’s not here.”

“Where is she?” Jane growls while dragging me away from Yara.

“I’m here,” my sister says from behind me.

No, no, no. Mona, go away. I make a tremendous effort to move, to talk, but nothing happens.

“Is Drake okay?” Mona’s voice trembles.

“He’s paralyzed,” Jane says. “It’ll go away soon. She shot him with a potion.” She shows me a dart with an empty small flask. “Girl, drag him away from here. Hide him and run. Your energy will attract Sisters nearby. I sensed two of them already on my way here. Mona, let’s go.”

“What? I… I don’t know,” Mona mumbles.

Jane’s voice is stern. “Trust me. I’m your best chance. Stay here, and the Night sisters will get you. Or the other kind. Either way, your life is over.” She pauses and adds
, “And I need your help too.”

“Okay,” my sister replies in a timid voice, her eyes huge.

No, Mona! I shouldn’t have told you about Jane. You’re pitying her. That was Jane’s plan! And I fell for it. I just gifted Mona to Jane.

Jane kneels down next to the woman and injects her with a yellow liquid. “Don’t worry, Drake. It’s Forget. Told you I wouldn’t kill anyone. This is Scythe, a witch assassin. The one who stabbed me.”

Then Jane approaches me and does something behind my back. Neither Yara nor Mona protest.

Yara drags me away. I want to scream. Don’t let my sister go.

It’s no use. Yara leaves me behind the bushes separating two houses. “Sorry, Drake. I wish I had brought a Dispel.”

She kisses me on the lips and runs away.

And I watch in horror as Mona climbs onto Jane’s bike and they disappear into the night.

Connor bangs on my locked door. “Skye! Open it!”

I hang up on Drake and take a deep breath. My mind needs to be sharp. I open the door.

Connor barges in. “Did you feel the wave?”

“Of course!”

“I mean, where did it come from?”

I have a split-second to decide. I need to gamble. “From the general direction of the hospital.”

Connor lets out a loud gasp. “Are you sure? Think hard. Really hard.”

“What are you talking about?”

He steps closer. “It’s not Brianna! The Sisters at the hospital might not have True Sight, but they’re close to Brianna’s room. They can tell the wave didn’t come from there. Where is the Singularity, Skye?”

I’m afraid he might hit me, but he doesn’t threaten me in any way. It helps me to keep my voice down. “I don’t understand, Connor. Brianna is the one.”

Vanessa pops her head in. She holds a cell to her ear. Her voice is tense when she talks to us, “They are saying the source is Greenwood, but not the hospital. One of ours recognized a Night Sister leaving her post near the hospital and moving west. We’ve sent two Sisters over there as scouts.”

Connor tells her, “Okay. Keep me posted.”

Vanessa goes downstairs.

“So? Explain this to me.”

“Do you think there might be a second Singularity?”

He scoffs. “Of course there isn’t!”

“How do we know? Maybe this is a new one. I mean, it’s possible.”

His face darkens. His eyes narrow. “Skye, what are you hiding?”

“Nothing.”

He becomes strangely calm. Despite his anger, he sits down on the worn-out love seat in my room. He glares at me. “There’s only one Singularity, and you know it. Suppose there are two; what are the odds of the second one surfacing in the same town? You know that. And you lied to me. Your True Sight can pinpoint the direction, maybe even the distance, right? My parents study these things. Remember? Only you couldn’t have lied, because right now you’re under a Truth potion.” He leans forward. “Or are you?”

I try to hold his stare, but my lips tremble.

“If you somehow tried to neutralize the Truth potion, it means you intended to lie. In your official interview. Which tells me that you’ve been lying all along. So Skye, potion or not, this is the time to level with me. Who is the Singularity?”

I shake my head.

He looks at the floor. “Skye. You’re throwing your life away.”

Yara left me in a weird position: on the side path between two houses, behind the bushes. At least I’m hidden from the street. My head is still facing the driveway, though. I see Scythe waking up, clearly lost. She looks around and frowns. Her hand goes to where Jane hit her and comes back with a little blood. She looks at her cell and shakes her head. At last, she climbs on her bike and rides away. Good. One less problem.

Movement comes first to my numb fingertips. It’s like coming out of anesthesia after dental work. Soon, I can wiggle my toes. Then my hand responds. Next, my arms and legs. It takes me a while to roll around to a more comfortable position and to regain control of my muscles.

I hate witch stuff.

I need to find Mona right away. Jane might disappear with her for good. Or worse.

Something pokes me near my butt. I reach into my pocket. A cell phone, not mine. Looks like a toy.

Is that what Jane planted in my pocket before leaving? Why would she do that?

I sit on the gravel path and flip open the cell. Its battery is full, and it has a single number in the memory. I dial it.

“Yeah?”

“Jane?”

“Drake, did you leave the area already?” Her voice is muffled by the motorcycle’s noise.

“No. Where’s Mona?”

“With me. Can’t talk now. Leave this place. Remember where we kissed?”

“What?”

“Meet us there at nine. Don’t tell anyone. Make sure you’re not followed.”

Jane hangs up.

She said, “Meet
us
.” Mona will be there. Or Jane wants me to believe that.

I need to leave. I test my legs, and they hold up. I wobble between the two houses to the backyard. It’s dark. I awkwardly climb the fence to the other side and come out a side street.

The traffic looks normal, but then I notice some cars going way too slow. The drivers are looking at the people on the sidewalks. Looking for Mona.

Just remain calm, Drake. You’re not a witch. They can’t tell.

I go a couple of blocks east, then turn left. I’ll circle around to go back to Jeff’s. I need my car. I find it where I left it. When I get close, I see Pain inside. She’s looking at the road. I knock on the window, startling her.

She opens the driver’s door for me, and I climb inside.

“Where’s Mona?” she asks with an anxious voice, her hand grabbing my jacket.

“Jane has her. But I think it’s okay.”

“What?” Pain shakes me. “How is this okay?”

“Pain, get a hold of yourself. Jane has her, but she told me to meet them tonight. Mona is safe.” I could add that we cannot do anything about it anyway, but I don’t. “Now, is the car working?”

She lets go of my jacket. “Yes. Boulder’s father gave me the charger,” she says, pointing to an orange Black & Decker jump-starter on the backseat. “I left the car running for a while.”

Praying silently, I turn the key. The Volvo sputters, but this time, the engine turns over.

“Drake, how can you be sure Jane won’t harm Mona?”

“I just know,” I lie. “I’m positive. Come on, we need to leave. I’ll drop you off and call you as soon as I get her back, okay?”

***

The news announcer says nobody knows the source of the green light. City officials have discarded the possibility of terrorism, but will investigate the matter. Greenwood residents are interviewed on TV, saying they thought a radioactive leak had occurred. The TV shows a quick clip of videos uploaded to YouTube, but there’s nothing more than a flash of green light. The clinking sound isn’t as loud as I experienced it. The witches must be concerned about the Veil. I hope the covens are as influential as they say they are and make this go away soon.

I call Yara.

“Drake!” She sounds relieved. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. You?”

“Got home okay. Nobody stopped me or anything. And Mona?”

“Picking her up in a few.”

“What’s going on?”

“I’ll let you know when I know. Let’s meet and talk tomorrow, okay?”

“Sure. I get it.”

“And Yara? Thank you. Really.”

“My pleasure,
gatinho
.”

I don’t know Portuguese, but I’m pretty sure what she means.

When I’m about to leave to meet Jane, Sean calls.

“Dude! Where are you? Have you heard?”

“That Boulder woke up?”

“Yes! Come on, man! Why aren’t you shouting?”

“I am. Inside. I truly am.”

“They’re doing some tests. Boulder’s responding. It’s too early to say, but it’s looking up. A long recovery period, but he’ll come through. We’ll be the three Musketeers again, huh?”

“Awesome, Sean!” I’m so glad that this mess I put everybody through at least served its purpose.

“So do you want to hang out? We need to celebrate. No beer, though. My vow is strong. Only sodas for me now.”

“I need to pick up my sister.”

“Always the boy scout, huh? Okay, but stop by tomorrow. Let’s go see Boulder together.”

“Sure thing, Sean. I gotta go now.”

***

I hang up. The only time Jane and I kissed was when she slipped me a Fancy Me potion. We were close to Priscilla’s house. The dark road is a great secluded place, actually. I drive there.

My destination is not far from my house, but it feels like it takes forever to get there. What if I’m kidding myself? What if this is just another one of Jane’s elaborate plans?

Right after I pass Priscilla’s house, I see three silhouettes: a motorcycle and two people.

My heart beats fast; my hands sweat. Those two seconds between seeing the dark shapes and identifying them are the most anxiety-ridden of my life.

But Jane comes through. Mona is right by her side.

I stop the car in front of them and get out. The squeezing hug Mona gives me makes it all right.

“Jane needs to talk to you,” my sister says. “I’ll wait in the car.”

I give Mona my cell. “Call Pain. She’s dying to talk to you.”

Jane and I walk a few steps away from our rides. I try not to look at her scarred face. She would resent me for staring.

“I told you to trust me,” Jane says.

I’m so happy to have Mona back that I can’t resist a little joke. “Well, you have a bit of a reputation.”

“Drake!”

“I’m kidding. Thank you, Jane. I mean it. To me, this makes up for everything in the past.”

“It’s no big deal. I told you.”

“Why didn’t you keep Mona? You two together could’ve gone ahead and tried to save him.”

“Something tells me that I’m better off handing Mona over to you,” Jane says.

“Your Intuition Charm?”

“Maybe. But for practical reasons too. I release magical energy. Sooner or later, I’d attract the Night Sisters, and they would find Mona. Besides, I don’t need only Mona to find Jason. I need Skye too.”

“Good luck with that. She’s pissed at me and won’t return my calls.”

“Really?” A pause. “Well, at least she will not draw attention to Mona. Not having a Sister visiting your house is a big advantage now. If she comes back, keep her away from Mona. Use
only
the burner phone I gave you to call me. You have to decide what you’re going to do. The covens are closing in; they’ll find out who Mona is. We need to move fast.”

“Or Mona and I could run,” I offer.

“They’ll monitor anyone close to Skye and the other Sisters. If you run, everybody will know Mona is the one.”

“Or if Brianna tells them.”

Jane raises her eyebrows. “See? We should have killed her when we had the chance.”

“I thought you wouldn’t murder anyone else.”

“I said, ‘if I didn’t have to,’ remember? And I don’t think I do. I just saved your sister and brought her back to you. Can you do the same for my brother?”

“I will.”

“Promise?” Her stare burns into my eyes.

I gaze right back at her damaged face. “I promise, Jane.”