Elemental Reality (24 page)

30

Walk of Death

A knock on my bedroom door jarred me awake. I opened my eyes, startled and confused as they adjusted to the dim light of the early morning that flooded through my windows. There was that knocking sound again. I sleepily got out of bed and fumbled to the door. When I opened it, Oli stood there in all his disheveled, sexy, shirtless glory wearing only a pair of sweatpants. I was about to go all Pepé Le Pew with cartoon hearts floating around my head. Minus the stink, I hoped. Oli looked illegally tantalizing. Lickable.
Mmm
, does a body good. This must be a dream.
I ran my finger down his hard chest. He shuddered, and his skin heated under my touch when our elements connected.

“Kitten,” he breathed, his voice rough.

I placed my finger on his lips so he’d know not to speak, then grabbed his hand and pulled him into my room. I stopped when I heard footsteps coming down the hall. This was my dream. No one was allowed to interrupt it. Someone obviously didn’t get the memo.

Dad appeared behind Oli, popping every single one of those proverbial cartoon hearts. “Oh good, you’re up. Start getting ready so we’re not rushing around when the guards arrive.” He didn’t give Oli a second glance before he turned and walked down the stairs.

My face heated instantly. “This isn’t a dream, is it?” I asked.

“Afraid not.” He sounded just as disappointed as I felt.

“Why didn’t you say something? I was nearly about ready to ravage you.” As teasing as I sounded, he knew I wasn’t.

He gave me a playful I-want-to-sex-you-up twitch of his lips. “And I’d complain why?” His voice was like a purring cat. Me-ow.

I snorted. “You’re such a typical guy. Get out of here,” I joked and swatted his butt. Buns of steel, baby. He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and headed down the stairs.

I grabbed my girly supplies and went to shower. As I stood under the water, I let the refreshing spray wash away any and all fear that had built up inside. But for some reason an image of mass chaos flickered into my mind and refused to leave. Crumpled bodies of the ones I loved lay at my feet while I was alive and well. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake that image. My subconscious was eating me alive with the one thing I feared the most. My stomach churned, making me nauseous.

After my shower I dressed, dried my hair and threw it into a ponytail, and made my way downstairs to eat. Everyone was already eating and having a lighthearted conversation. I took a seat next to Oli and stayed silent as I picked at my food. Oli squeezed my knee, letting me know he was there for me. I glanced into his green eyes and saw concern staring back.

I gave him a forced smile and went back to maneuvering my food. I wasn’t hungry thanks to the bloody image ruining my appetite. Silence fell in the room, dead and suffocating. All eyes landed on me, and I suddenly felt claustrophobic. I had to get out of the kitchen. I rose too fast and knocked my chair backwards. I bolted to my room and closed the door behind me. My chest heaved with each intake of air as I leaned against the wall and slid down it. Why was this terror consuming me now? It was like toxic venom slithering through my veins, and I desperately wanted it out of me. I hugged my knees to my chest and bit back tears. Please go away. It was like a live thing, writhing and curling inside me. Choking me.

There was a soft rap on the door. When I didn’t answer Lola let herself in. I turned my head away so she wouldn’t see the trepidation written all over my face like a blinking neon sign in a moonless night. She sat next to me and rubbed my back, not saying a word. She didn’t pressure me, and I loved her for it. How was I supposed to admit the fear I had? Admitting it showed defeat, and that was the last thing I wanted. Letting the emotion overpower me was not an option. I would not be defeated.

Tell her. Everyone will understand; they’re just as afraid as you are. You know this.
I released a heavy sigh and whispered, “I’m scared.” And that was putting it mildly.

Lola thought for a minute. “Do you need a stiff drink?”

I gave her a this-is-not-the-time-to-joke look.

“It’ll get rid of the tension,” she said, unperturbed. “I bet we could find the supplies to make a Tequila Sunrise.” Her tone went all singsong like she was dangling a raw steak in front of a caged lion’s salivating jaws.

I grimaced. “Do you want me to get drunk so I’m a stumbling, slurring mess?” Maybe I should have a drink.

She shrugged nonchalantly. “I’ve seen what you’re like drunk. It might scare off any Demons, and then we’ll be home free.” She mocked cheered.

“Hah Hah. I’m being serious, Lola. I’m terrified. I know what I want to do, what is right, but now that it’s facing me . . . I just want to run away. My badass attitude is all witty puns and not a single menacing bite. It’s a farce. You know it. I know it.” I wanted to cry all over again at the truth in my words.

“I know it’s hard, Callie,” she said soothingly.

“Hard?” I barked out a humorousless laugh. “This is tougher than an industrial strength diamond suit of armor. Who would have thought my little sister would have more cojones than me?”

Lola stared at me for a minute, pondering. “I’m going to tell you a secret—and I swear to God if you tell a single soul I will deny it until the day I die—but I’m scared stiff too. But you know what? We’ll be together, and we’ll rescue Mom. We’re sticking together no matter what.”

She was right. “Thanks, Lola.” Some of my fear and tension subsided. I knew it wasn’t completely gone, but for the moment it was hidden away. I had to somehow overcome this plaguing emotion but wasn’t sure how to go about it.

“Anytime,” she said, smiling wryly. “Ready to come back downstairs and actually eat?” She poked my bicep and mimicked Popeye the Sailor. “Gotta keep those muscles strengthened so we can kick the big baddies behinds. Just eat one can of spinach and you’ll look just like Timber.”

“I’m ready. Please stop that awful impersonation,” I pleaded.

She pulled me to my feet, and we headed to the kitchen. The talking stopped as soon as we entered. All eyes focused on me. Again. Was there something on my face? Who was I? Sir William Wallace? Did they expect me to give them some heroic, heart-warming speech that would make this battle easier? If so, they were barking up the wrong tree. They needed to go three trees down and one tree to the left. As I stared back at those I cared about, the image of their crumpled bodies tried desperately to creep back into my thoughts. The only way to stop it was to face it head-on. I took a deep breath and exhaled in a rush.

“I’m scared,” I admitted. “Okay?” Way to start the epic speech, Sir Wallace. “My fear is eating me alive, and I don’t know why it has come on all of a sudden. But it’s here, and I don’t think it’s going to leave anytime soon. I need to face it, and the only way for me to do that is to tell you about it.” Pause. Another deep breath. Exhale slowly.
Braveheart
, be still my heart. “My biggest fear is that all of you will die, and I’ll be left alone. Worse? I’m petrified that your deaths will be my fault. There’s a possibility I might fail, and it’ll cost you your lives. And if I survive, that might cost the lives of who knows how many Faeries and Conjurers.”

Dad stood from the table and approached me. He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me close. “Don’t think that if we fail it’ll all be on you,” he said into my hair. “We’re in this together no matter the outcome.”

“Thanks, Dad.” I knew we were in this together, but hearing it from Lola and Dad made me feel like someone had dumped me in a cooling bath of relief.

“Sure thing, kiddo,” he said, holding me at arms length. “Now sit down and eat, you’re starting to look all skin and bones.”

Lola and I took our seats while Dad warmed up breakfast for me. Conversations started up again. There was no pressure from the fear anymore. Telling everyone how I felt helped. Yes, I was still afraid to a degree, but it was no longer debilitating.

“So how do you plan on taking out the guards?” Lola asked.

“Yeah,” I said, leaning forward. “How do you expect to take down two Conjurers whose mildest thoughts are most likely about snapping necks until everyone is dead?”

“And she ain’t kidding,” Lola said, shaking her head. “They’re about as tame as a three-hundred pound Bengal Tiger.”

Joey and Lucy exchanged mischievous grins before they turned back to Lola. “We’d rather not say,” Joey replied carefully.

“Why not?”

“Because we don’t want you lot to get involved. We want to take those blokes out ourselves. And we want it to be a surprise.”

“All right, fine,” she huffed. “But can you at least give us a hint as to what you’re going to do?”

“Let’s just say we’ll have some help with our plan,” Lucy said.

Help?
I wondered if the trainers had any part in this, but probably not considering how we’d left things. They were pissed at me for my accusation, and to a degree I could understand. Still, they should have considered the evidence I brought to them. They had their minds made up long before I pointed a condemning finger in the Elders’ direction.

After breakfast we waited in the living room for Incredible Hulk one and two to show up.

“Do we have any idea when the Steroid Boys will be here?” I asked.

“Not a clue,” Dad said. “They’re probably skulking around the house, watching us squirm. I hope they quit playing games soon so we can get a move on. Apryll didn’t tell us how long it would take to get there.”

“What if we don’t get there before dark?” Lola asked. “Are we taking any camping gear?”

“Nothing besides food and water,” he said. “We’ll just have to keep trekking until we find a decent place to rest. Joey, Lucy, and I will take turns being the lookout until dawn, then we’ll continue.”

“Yay for first-time camping,” Lola said sarcastically. “And I swear if I freeze to death I will haunt you for the rest of your life.”

Two loud bangs, like logs being thrown against the front door, echoed through the house. It startled me so completely I nearly soiled myself. “I guess the guards are here,” I said, recovering.

“Jeez, why didn’t they just break the door down instead?” Lola asked dryly. “Could have saved Callie some panties.”

I glared. “You do not want me to bring up that one time you went all Saturday Night Fever,” I warned.

“Girls,” Dad chided. “This isn’t the time.”

It took every ounce of my self-control to not reply with “she started it.” Lola, Oli, and I lingered behind the others as they made their way to the door. Dad opened it to reveal Nevaeh and Mace with Thane and Timber on either side of them.

“Whoa, hello puberty on steroids,” Oli said under his breath low enough that only I could hear. I hid a smile.

“Good morning, all,” Nevaeh sang, all cheery and let’s start a musical number with the animals in the forest.

Yeah. I didn’t believe her innocent Snow White number for one second; her tone of voice just didn’t sit right with me. And I surely didn’t see any woodland animals coming out to play.

“I hope you’re all ready. I know Thane and Timber have been talking non-stop about it.” Thane and Timber didn’t look like they ever talked, let alone non-stop. Maybe some caveman grunting here or there.

“We’ve been ready since we first got here,” I said, my confidence finding a backbone.

“Wonderful,” Nevaeh said, overly cheerful. “Off you go then.” She motioned with her hands for us to move like we were marionettes for her to direct. The sick feeling was back with a vengeance, and it brought a few friends.

Thane and Timber led us down the path and to the gates. My mind played Chopin’s Funeral March on repeat with each step we took. Faeries and Conjurers stood off to the side of the road and watched us with a Technicolor of emotions: fear, awe, anger, and resentment. I bet the Elders had made up a story to scare everyone into not acting out. They probably thought we were going out to be shot execution style. Where’s the bag to put over my head when I needed it? Though I had a feeling the Steroid Boys didn’t even know how to work a gun. One flick of their finger would probably break a baby penguin’s neck. Yeah, it was a horrific thought, but I could totally imagine them doing such a heinous act.
I shuddered. Oli grabbed my hand and ran his thumb over my knuckles.

“You okay?” he whispered.

I nodded. “Just peachy. I’ve got the Funeral March stuck in my head. Chopin has talent, but he’s not exactly my favorite classical artist at the moment.”

“Things will be fine,” he whispered. “It could be a lot worse; you could have
It’s the Song that Never Ends
repeating in your head. And, well, it never ends.”

“Or
It’s a Small World After All
,” Lola added from behind us. Then she started to hum it.

I groaned and gave Oli a weak smile. We finally passed through the gates. I took a deep breath. There was no turning back.

31

Journey

We took an immediate right at exactly the right angle according to Dad’s compass. Thane and Timber fell back, letting us take over. They still hadn’t said a single word to each other. Maybe they used muscle sign language? Wiggling the right pectoral twice means “yes,” and wiggling the left pectoral twice means “no”? Perhaps they even communicate via throbbing veins. Ten throbs a second means “I’m hungry,” while eight throbs a second means “I’m tired.” Ah, the simplistic life of the Steroid Boys.

“Girls, you take the lead,” Dad said. “We need you to warn us when you feel a slight change with your fire.”

Oli tried to loosen his grip on my hand, but I refused to let go. I pulled him to the front of the group with me and made it a point that he better stay. If he hadn’t listened I would have gone all Dog Whisperer on him. Psychology worked both ways.

The walk was so boring that watching water evaporate from an entire swimming pool seemed more exciting. All there was around us were trees, trees, and—you guessed it—more trees. It was a never-ending maze of yellow and red leaves fluttering down from infinite rows of trees and spindly shrubbery bushes aching to stretch out and snatch at my clothes. I glanced over my shoulder to see Timber and Thane using their silent muscle sign language to communicate and wondered when the hell we were going to drop those Steroid Boys like a bad habit. I could no longer see Tehokas City. It was only a matter of time before two thuds sounding like massive trees colliding with the ground would greet my ears like a loud, obnoxious tribal drum.

What seemed like hours later, but was really only minutes, Lola skipped and danced next to me. Her beverage of choice was most likely Red Bull. Not the most nutritious drink, but one that would keep her doing the Pee Ballet regardless if she had to go.

“What are you doing?” I asked, amused.

“I can’t stand this,” she complained. “Nothing is happening, and I’m going insane. I’m so bored I’m considering going all fourteenth century monk and flagellating myself with a plank of wood.” She mimicked holding a piece of board and hitting it against her head.

“Calm down. It’s only been—” I glanced at my watch “—fifteen minutes.”

“I’m too antsy, Callie.” Lola was whining like someone had stolen her Red Bull. “And you know I’m not a very patient person.”

I snorted. “You have no patience, my dear sister. I’m pretty sure you delivered yourself and cut your own umbilical chord. And then you probably demanded the doctor show you to the nearest nipple.” Oli and I giggled. “What are you talking about anyway?”

She glared at me, eyes wide. “I’m. Not. Patient,” she said while slightly motioning with her head towards the Steroid Boys.

“Ooh.
Uh, Yeah. You’re about as patient as horny teenage boys on prom night,” I agreed.

I let go of Oli’s hand and moonwalked backwards. Michael Jackson is turning over in his grave. “Hey Stero— Uh, Thane, Timber, can you guys switch with us for a bit?”

They looked at each other then back at me. They both stared holes into my head. Though I tried—really, really tried—I couldn’t keep the goofy grin off my face as I watched their muscles bulge and contract. Muscle sign language at its best. Their laser beam eyes turned all seek-and-destroy for a minute. That effectively wiped the smirk off my face, making me go all deer-in-headlights. Talk about adding a dramatic effect to their rather simple answer. I swore if Lola’s impatience got me killed I would come back as a ghost and hide her Red Bull for the rest of eternity. Finally, Thane—at least I thought it was him; they both looked the same—gave me a tight nod and strode forward in his bicycle-tight shorts. Oh dear Lord. Even his butt had throbby veins. It just wasn’t natural.

After peeling my eyes away from the unorthodox site of butt veins, I shook my head in disbelief. I couldn’t believe they accepted the switch. They didn’t even ask why. Well they might have, but I was proudly not fluent in muscle sign language (and for good reason). Steroid Boys were dumber than I thought. I knew the affects of such drugs shrunk their manly bits, but I had never heard of their muscles growing so big and, well, pulsating that it affected the part of the brain where common sense was located. Except for that one, er, um, pulsating member. But that was beside the point and way off topic.

As I sauntered past the group, Joey whispered, “Good job, Callie.”

I gave him a thumbs up and took my new place at the back of the group. I still couldn’t fathom how thick the Steroid Boys were. They had no idea what was coming to them. Well, neither did I. Joey and Lucy continued to keep their lips sealed, refusing to divulge their secret plan. It was probably a good decision because the part of the brain that gave you patience was missing from Lola, and if I found out they were going to use a clown, a caged monkey, and a roll of gorilla tape I would flee for my own life. Not that those items would be practical in knocking the Steroid Boys out, but you never knew with Faeries.

Oli slid his warm hand back in mine, and we walked in silence, though his thrumming pulse echoed my own. I couldn’t even tell you how long we walked before Joey cleared his throat to gain our attention. I glanced in his direction. He nodded tightly, and he and Lucy sped up. They both clutched something in their hands. If they started slinging monkey poo I was out of there. Monkeys gave me the creeps, and there was only one other thing that freaked me out more: excrement. Dad slowed to let Joey and Lucy pass.

They were right behind the Steroid Boys. I was curious to see how they were going to execute their plan without the guards attacking first. In answer to my question, Joey and Lucy jumped on their backs and connected whatever was in their hands to the back of the guards’ heads. The four of them went down with a thud that rivaled an oak tree slamming to the earth. The ground shook from their impact. Lucy and Joey stood, brushed themselves off, and high-fived each other while walking back to us. I peered over at the bodies on the ground. I saw something red. Was that blood? Yeah, that was going to hurt. I automatically rubbed my own head as if the site made my head ache too.

“What did you guys hit them with?” I asked, dumbfounded.

“Rocks,” Lucy said proudly.

“Rocks?” Was it bad I was grateful other less pleasant elements weren’t involved? “Are they dead?” I squeaked.

“No,” Joey assured.

I pointed at them, stuttering like it was thirty below. “They’re, uh, uh, they’re bleeding.”

“Not even bleach will wash out those blood stains,” Lola said as if this was normal.

Joey looked over, eyes widening. “Ah, bugger me.” He jogged toward them and crouched down so he could check their pulses. In a flash one of them had their hand around Joey’s throat as the other shakily stood up.

“Joey,” Lucy screeched so high-pitched it bordered on banshee. She stared after him, but Oli held her back with a torn expression.

“Kitten,” Oli cried. “You have to use your power on them. Please. Make them stop.” His voice choked off, and my heart plummeted into my stomach.

Please work.

Lola grabbed my hand. “We’ll do it together.”

A dam broke in my veins as my elements rushed through me. Joey dropped to the ground as Thane and Timber realized what we were doing. They squared their shoulders and stared us down, those same laser eyes narrowing in our direction. A sharp pain coursed throughout my body, almost as if there were pins and needles flowing through me. Picking, poking, stabbing me over and over again. I was in the worst physical pain I had ever experienced. I used every ounce of energy to push that feeling from inside me and back into them. A calming ease spread through me as the pain drained away. The Steroid Boys’ veins bulged until they were doubled in size—which I honestly didn’t think was possible—as our elements came in contact with them. Their bodies went into spasms. Bright white light shot out of them until they were completely engulfed by the whiteness. My elements rushed back into me as the light broke down into particles and blew away like pixie dust. There was nothing left of Thane and Timber, not even a pile of ash.

Lucy ran over to Joey who lay on the ground. She helped him sit up and cupped his face in her hands. “Are you okay, baby?”

He nodded. “Did you see what they did?”

“It was too bright to see anything from where we stood. What happened?”

“They just disintegrated right before my eyes. It was unreal.” His tone was wonderstruck and rightfully terrified.

Lola shrugged, and said in her best Scarface impersonation, “You wanna play rough? Say hello to our new power.”

“Imagine what you could do if you learned to control and manipulate that power,” Dad said, slightly awed.

“Whoa, Dad. Put on the brakes. Can we discuss the fact that two more people are dead because of this power?” I shouted. “Is no one else worried about this?” My playful mood had all but vanished.

“Of course we are,” Dad said consolingly, “but you did this to protect Joey. And the time before that with Lola was self-defense. We can’t worry about it right now. Let’s get to Palon and rescue Mom
then
worry about the moral complications. Okay?”

“Fine,” I relented, knowing he was right.

We continued on, Lola and I in the lead again. This time I paid close attention to the shift in my body temperature. There was nothing too drastic to report, so I brushed it off as my normal body heat. We walked for hours. Darkness was upon us, and my feet and legs were killing me. I wanted to stop and rest, but I also wanted to push forward and get there faster. I was torn. Luckily Lola spoke up for me.

“Can we please stop? I’m so tired,” she whined. “My legs are about to fall off and take a nap without me.”

“I think it’d be a good idea, mate,” Joey said to Dad. “We can take shifts as a lookout until dawn.”

“Sounds good,” Dad agreed. “I’ll take the first shift. Everyone get settled and stay close.”

We settled under a canopy of trees just off the path we’d taken. Dad stayed at the edge and surveyed the scene. I sat down and rested against a tree. Lola laid on my right and Oli took refuge on my left. I placed my head on his shoulder, he kissed my hair, and I fell asleep.