Reaching Retribution (The Prophesized Series) (22 page)

Though only gone for a few minutes, Dravin walks out of the compound again, much calmer this time, and addresses the crowd. “Settle down. Settle down,” Dravin states as he walks to the center of the platform. The already quiet Gadramicks turn and give Dravin their attention.

“I know many of you are wondering what is going on right now—why I brought all of you out here.”
He claps his hands. “As all of you know, we’ve had a couple guests here this week.” He gives a pointed look to Liam.

“Where’s the girl
?” the Gadramicks shout. “Where is she?”

“Tsk. Tsk. Tsk, all in good time. All will be revealed in good time. First, we have some other things discuss.”

I glance at Natalie. “She’s still alive, Colton. That much is obvious. Be patient.” I look behind me. Tom quietly moves toward me with Vincent directly behind him.

“
We’re all here, but I think we should hear what he is going to say before we act.” I want to save Ryanne and Liam, but Dravin could say something we could use later. He could change everything with just a few words.

“Our goal was to bring Ryanne here and find out the extent of her magic. However, the girl is stubborn.” All the Gadramicks
start mumbling at once. “Her blood samples were inconclusive. Since she refused to use magic when provoked, I had to take matter into my own hands.”

I have a bad feeling about this. I turn
toward Natalie, who’s watching the scene in front of us with wide eyes. “Ryanne’s a threat to everything we stand for. She hasn’t found out about our human experiments, but she knows enough to completely oppose us.”

“They’re testing on humans?” Emma asks Larkin.

Larkin shrugs. “I honestly had no idea about that.” Kyril shakes his head, agreeing with Larkin. How did Dravin test on humans without anyone knowing about it?

“Could those be all the people reported missing recently?” Natalie asks.

“It’s possible,” Tom says as he listens to what Dravin is saying.

“Her magic is strong,” he continues.
“I’ve seen firsthand what she can do, but she’s not strong enough to go against us. I feel a battle brewing. We’re getting close, but we need someone who can stand up against any future threats if necessary.”

The Gadramicks start talking amongst themselves again. They
all thought Dravin was that person. “Yes, yes. I’m in charge,” Dravin yells over them. They quiet and give him his attention again. “However, there’s another mage stronger than me who is ready to lead. Ready to take his rightful place as the head of all Gadramicks.”

Dravin turns and points
toward the door. The compound door slowly opens, and I can see the outline of a large man standing there. Physically, he looks to be the size of Bragden. As he steps out of the compound and the light finally hits him, I see nothing but the small form in his arms. David and Conner both jump over to me and keep me from jumping out from behind the bushes.

“Ezra?” I hear Bragden say as he sits up slightly. Incendia turns and looks him confused. Liam freezes as he looks at the man in front of him.

“That’s Ezra?
The
Ezra?” Incendia asks. Who the heck is Ezra?

Either Bragden does
n’t hear her or he chooses not to reply. He glares up at the stage, body tensed and waiting. Ne needs this fight just as much as the rest of us. We all want this to end.

Zahtri is holding an unconscious Ryanne in his a
rms. I clench my jaw to keep from yelling out, because every fiber in my body wants me to jump up and protect my soulmate. From this distance I can see a bruise on the side of Ryanne’s head. She’s slowly starting to stir in his arms.

“
She’s as fragile as she looks,” Zahtri says as he drops Ryanne onto the platform and steps over her body. The loud thud of her limp body hitting the hard surface causes anger to surge through me. David and Conner put more pressure on me to keep me down while Natalie covers my mouth to keep me from yelling out.

Liam instantly starts fighting against the mages holding him back. “
You son of a—”

“It’s nice to see you again, Liam. How’s Bragden doing?” he asks.
Bragden starts to get up, but Travis and his father stop him.

With a laugh, Zahtri turns around and faces everyone.
“I know none of you know me, but a couple of you have sensed me around. I commend those of you who could do that. I’m Zahtri and I’ve been the one calling all the shots. Dravin’s been listening to my orders and leading you. I haven’t been needed until now. Until that girl,” he points to Ryanne, who is still lying on her side. “came along. She’s stirred up trouble where there was none. That’s why I have to step in.”

Ryanne groans and blinks
her eyes open. “You know dropping someone while they’re unconscious is a little rude. What kind of host are you?” she yells up at him. Ryanne pushes herself up into a seated position and looks at Zahtri with a sweet smile on her face. I hear Incendia and Emma snicker to my left. Ryanne stands up and walks over to Zahtri and points at him with her cuffed hands. She whispers something to him, too quietly for any of us to hear. He looks down at Ryanne amused, but pushes her behind him and steps forward.

A Gadramick walks up behind Ryanne and gr
abs her around the waist. She looks down at his arm around her stomach and then back up at Zahtri, eyebrow quirked. “Just as a precaution, darling. I know you could easily take him down.”

The Gadramick holding Ryanne looks shocked, but keeps his arm around her. Ryanne doesn’t struggle, but looks bored. I see her g
lance over at Liam and Adam and shake her head as she reads one of their thoughts.

“I gave Ryanne two options tonight. One, she could stand by my side
and rule with me. With our combined powers, we’d be unstoppable. I’d give her everything she could ever want, but she didn’t like that option. The second option was that I finally kill her in front of you all. This would solidify my position and get rid of our biggest threat. Ryanne, here,” Zahtri walks over to Ryanne and grabs her from the Gadramick. Keeping a tight grip around her waist, he pulls her against his chest. David and Conner tighten their grip on me. “Well, she chose the second option. Apparently, there’s another man in her life, and she’d never fight amongst the likes of me.”

Zahtri reaches forward pushes her hair off her shoulder. Ryanne flinches away from his touch.
“It’s a shame though,” Zahtri says as he looks toward the Gadramicks. “She’s a beauty, isn’t she?” A chorus of shouts and hoots from the Gadramicks answer. Zahtri lightly trails his hand down Ryanne’s side before resting on her hip. The weight on me increases as everyone tries to hold me down. I notice Liam struggling to get away from the Gadramicks holding him.

Zahtri turns Ryanne around so he is facing him. Ryanne struggles in his arm
s, but Zahtri tightens his grip. Even from here, I can hear Ryanne’s gasp from the pain. She’s not strong enough physically to go up against someone like him. Why isn’t she using her magic?

Zahtri smiles up at the Gadramicks before
he crushes Ryanne up against his chest and kisses her. She squeals against him, causing the Gadramicks to laugh. All the sudden, Zahtri pulls back and forcefully pushes Ryanne onto the ground. She slams into the platform, unable to catch herself because of the handcuffs.

“Sh
e bit me,” Zahtri tells Dravin.

“I warned you,” Dravin says as he walks onto the platform.
Liam and Adam both start fight against the Gadramicks holding them as Zahtri slowly walks toward Ryanne.

Get up
.
Get up. Get up. Get up.
I almost jump up when Ryanne doesn’t move. I can see her breathing so I know that she’s alright. Zahtri crouches down beside her and smiles. Ryanne lifts her head, flipping her hair out of her face, and looks toward him. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you how to treat a girl? Your mother would be ashamed of you.” Laughter rises amongst all the Gadramicks in attendance at Ryanne’s boldness.

“What is she doing?” Natalie asks.

“I’m hoping she has a plan,” I mumble as I watch. I know that Ryanne is not known for having a plan. She usually doesn’t think before she acts. She just goes for it—no matter how dangerous. I look toward Tom. He shakes his head at me. When are we going to make our appearance?

“Still sticking with option two?”

“First is the worst, second is the best,” she sings as she stands up. “Why don’t you tell everyone how you really got your magic, Zahtri? Hmm? Don’t you think that everyone should hear that?” Zahtri tries to walk toward Ryanne, but she apparently has a shield around her because he stumbles back a couple steps. “You’re a mage, yes, but not a very powerful one. Why don’t you tell them about how you acquired your magic?”

“What is she talking about?” David whispers.

“Yeah…didn’t think I caught that, did you?” she asks him. “Why don’t you tell everyone how the witches aren’t really in hiding, Zahtri.” Ryanne takes a step toward him. “You killed them off. You took the extraction process that Dr. Arden perfected and stole their magic. You decimated an entire magical race so you could pretend to be an all-powerful mage. You dabble in dark magic because that’s the only magic you have. You were born into a mage family, but you never came into your powers. Instead of telling anyone, you obtained it in other ways.”

Fuming, Zahtri moves forward until
he’s standing a foot away from Ryanne, at the edge of her shield. “Why don’t you explain to everyone how you were in hiding because you don’t have any magic of your own and needed someone to formulate some for you, because you’re a fake. A phony. A poser.”

Zahtri is seething
. Why is she instigating him? The Gadramicks around us start talking amongst themselves. I look toward the doorway of the compound and see a man standing there, watching the platform. Ryanne gives Zahtri her sweet smile as she drops the shield and swings her leg around to kick Zahtri in the face. He stumbles to the side. Ryanne jumps forward and grabs something around his neck. Taking a few steps backward, she leans forward and pushes her magic out. Zahtri flies back and lands in the grass beside the platform. Dravin runs forward and attempts to grab Ryanne, but she pushes magic toward him as well. Like Zahtri, he flies backward.

The Gadramicks in the grass jump up. Ryanne gets to work on the cuffs. Making quick work, she
unlocks the handcuffs and throws something to Liam. Zahtri must have had the key around his neck. Ryanne runs toward Liam and Adam and starts fighting the men behind them. She easily takes them out with the combination of her magic assaults and physical combat.

Liam unlocks his handcuffs and helps Adam undo his.
Dravin and Zahtri both stand up and slowly walk toward Ryanne, Liam, and Adam.

“Now?” I ask Tom. Tom looks
toward Ryanne. She throws up a shield around them and backs up. Leaning back, she whispers something to Liam who nods and prepares for the fight ahead. I watch as she leans over and kisses Adam on the cheek, causing a surge of jealousy to course through me. He looks surprised but seems prepared to fight with them.

Ryanne turns around and looks at Dravin a small smile on her face. I glance
toward Logan who nods at me, knowing he has to get her. If she’s going to get out of this, she has to be healed. I’m about to stand up when Ryanne starts to raise her arms. Conner and David drag me back down. The wind around us is starting to pick up. Ryanne’s hair is blowing around her crazily as she calls more magic to her. All the Gadramicks trying to break down the shield are having difficulty. Even Zahtri looks stunned at Ryanne’s magic. Dropping the shield, she thrusts her arms forward and sends all the wind out. The Gadramicks, including Dravin, fall backward, landing on the ground in front of the platform. Zahtri stumbles, but remains standing.

“Now.”

“This is it,” I tell Liam as Dravin and Zah
tri start stalking toward us. We are way outnumbered right now and the possibility of coming out of this alive is slim to none. I strengthen the shield around us and look in Adam’s direction to see what he’s doing. He’s in a defensive stance scanning the area around us. Despite everything he’s done in the past, he’s really been there for me this past week. Adam gives me a small, sad smile. He knows what’s about to happen.

“
Thank you, Adam,” I whisper to him. I lean up and kiss him on the cheek. I know Adam has feelings for me, but he never once acted on them because he knows about Colton. That’s all I can give him. A look of shock crosses his face when I step back. I need to give us some time to try and get in a better location.

Magic, I need you.
I don’t want the magic to flow into me like I’ve done previously. I want it to flow around me, creating a single large gust of wind. Zahtri said I wasn’t strong enough because I hadn’t yet released all my magic. Well, he’s about to see how strong I can really be.

While standing on the platform with Zahtri earlier, I attempted something I’d never tri
ed before. I needed the key he had dangling around his neck, but I knew he’d read my mind and figure out my plan. Creating a shield around my mind, I projected false thoughts to him. All the thoughts were things I’d thought about previously, so I’m really surprised he didn’t catch on.

Slowly
raising my arms, I wait for the magic to reach its peak. I know I can do more, but right now I only need a couple seconds to move. Zahtri looks surprised that I’m even attempting to fight against so many of them. However, he should know better than that. He’s been reading my mind, he knows how I think. He also knows there is no way I’m ever going to work for the Gadramicks. Now, I’m going to make sure he regrets not killing me when he had the chance.

I drop the shield and thrust my magic out as I instantly start walking
back. I turn around quickly and push Liam and Adam off the platform. They know what I’m doing and instantly turn around and start running.

When I stop moving, I
see all the Gadramicks lying on the grass seemingly shocked that I was able to do that to all of them at once. A few even look scared. Zahtri is the only one left standing. I throw another shield around Liam, Adam, and myself as we continue moving. Zahtri looks angered, so I know that there is going to be a battle. There’s no turning back now.

I am about to drop the shield when I see Colton and Tom jump up from behind the bushes in the distance and start running
toward us. I can’t help the smile that forms on my face, when I see Colton alive. However, that smile is short lived when I see him making his way into the thick of the Gadramicks. A couple hundred mages jump out from the bushes behind my family and join them.

“How did they get so many?”
Liam asks.

“I told him not to come,” I whisper. “I didn’t want to risk it.
Why doesn’t anyone listen to me?”

“He’s just as stubborn as you are, Ryanne. You just have to accept that,”
Liam says. “And I told him
to
come.”

I whip around and face him, totally forgetting about the fight ensuing around us. “What? Why would
you do that? You know I wouldn’t risk his life like that. There’s a chance we’re not going to come out of this alive and I don’t want that to happen to him either.” I point in Colton’s direction, but I honestly have no idea where he is right now. I lost him when he started fighting all the Gadramicks.

“
Because I want you to get out of this. Do you think he’d be able to live with himself if you died and he didn’t even try to save you? No, he wouldn’t. You have to think about what your death would do to him as well. You’re soulmates. If you can’t survive without him, what makes you think that he could survive without you?”

“Because I’m weak, Liam!
Colton’s not.”

Liam grabs my shoulders and turns me
toward him. Grabbing my chin, he forces me to look up at him. “No, you’re not, Ryanne, and you’re going to prove that to every last one of the Gadramicks here today. Channel their anger and strengthen your magic. Think about everything you’ve felt and heard since you’ve been here. Do whatever it takes to make it out of here alive.” When I don’t say anything, Liam continues, “Ryanne, Colton came out here to save you. I want you to fight so you get that life you imagined afterwards. You deserve that much.”

Colton did come here to save me. The least I can do is fight.
I nod and look at the mess around me. Mages are still running from behind the bushes. Our numbers look evenly matched. “Okay,” I turn and look between Adam and Liam. “I’m going to drop the shield. Are you guys ready? It’s about to get crazy.”

“It’s already crazy, Ryanne. Drop the shield. Let’
s do this,” Liam announces. Both Liam and Adam step on either side of me, preparing for a fight. I see Natasha fighting her way through the chaos. She’s asphyxiating people left and right, both mages and Gadramicks. I need to stop her from hurting anyone else. However my eyes are drawn to the area behind her. Zahtri is fighting multiple mages at once and succeeding. I’m the only one who has a chance of stopping him, but I don’t think I’m strong enough right now.

“Liam,” I say as I drop the shield and start fighting
a Gadramick that jumped in front of me. I block his punch and Adam commands him to walk away. “I need Logan if I’m going to stop Zahtri. I need my full strength.”

Another man runs
toward us. Liam steps in front of me and makes quick work of him—knocking him unconscious before the man even knew what hit him. “You’ve got to teach me that,” I tell him.

“
Maybe someday,” he says without even looking back at me.

The tintinn
abulation of swords hitting each other echoes through the field, and my stomach tightens with each metal-on-metal pang that I hear, because I know that this could very well be the end...for all of us. Every shout and grunt I hear pierces me, weakening me with guilt. This is all because of me. These people are getting hurt because of me. I never wanted any of this to happen. I didn’t want a large battle to ensue. I wanted a quick ending. A simple fight between two people where one comes out victorious. The end.

Nothing can ever be that simple.

I didn’t want to be the prophecy girl. I didn’t want magic. I just wanted a normal life with friends and family—people who loved me as much as I loved them. I guess some things don’t come free. Through this process, I’ve gotten myself into some sticky situations, but I’ve come out of all of them stronger. Everything I’ve been through, everything I’ve done, has brought me to this moment. I gained so much through this whole ordeal.

I have a family now. I have a
soulmate, best friend, and future husband all in one man. I have a dozen people who are willing to risk their life for me tonight and are now fighting with everything they have in them to stop the Gadramicks from wreaking more havoc. Their reign has gone on long enough and it needs to be stopped. All these mages are fighting for me to succeed. Each of them has a different story, a different reason for being here, but a reason nonetheless. I can’t let them down.

I scan the crowd
again, trusting Liam and Adam to protect me if anyone comes near. I see Emma and David fighting off to my right. Seeing fire to the left, I know that Incendia is near there and if my hunch is correct, Bragden will be fighting beside her. Larkin and Kyril are tag-teaming it and creating a lot of confusion on the far right side of the field. Larkin is transporting in and out of different areas, knocking unobservant Gadramicks unconscious. I’d like to think he’s only knocking them unconscious anyway. I see Lily in the middle of a fight. She’s standing back to back with Natalie, Colton, and Logan. Colin, Tom, and a third man are all standing together, fighting. Based on their teamwork, I’d say that they’ve worked together before.

“I see them,” I tell Liam. Liam reaches forward and p
unches a man in the jaw. His body goes slack as he falls to the ground in pain. Liam kicks him in the chest and moves onto the next Gadramick.

She’s just going to let them do all the dirty work, I see.
Simultaneously, I turn around and push my magic out, sending a group of about ten Gadramicks flying into the bases of large oak trees.

“I’m going to try and push my way through everyone. Can you two handle yourself here?” I ask.

“I’m coming with you Ryanne,” Liam announces. I’ve already moved a couple steps forward, before I turn around and face him. I throw a shield up around us again. I knew Liam would make this difficult and pull the protector card.

I look at him for a moment and then realize how much time I’m wasting just standing here. “Fine, but keep up,” I smile at him as I turn around
and the drop the shield. I casually walk forward into the large crowd.

That girl is crazy
, I hear Liam think behind me. I shoot a smile at him over my shoulder and wink, but continue moving. With each step I take, I channel all the anger from everyone into me. Anger fuels my magic, making it more aggressive—stronger.

When someone attempts to run
toward me, I point my arm out and shoot my magic toward him. My liquid lightning cascades from my palm and hits the man in the chest. Without thinking about it, I move on. I hit two more men before I think better of this idea. I stop moving and wait for everyone to come to me.

“Ryanne, what are you doing?”
Liam shouts at me while fighting off another man.

“Don’t worry about me, Liam,” I shout back.
“Just watch my back.”

I bring my arms above my head
all the while calling my magic to me. I don’t know if this is going to work, but it’s worth a shot. I can hear Liam fighting behind me, but that doesn’t faze me. I know that he’s fully capable of defending himself and protecting me. I trust my protector with my life.

I close my eyes and envision th
e scene in front of me freezing—all the Gadramicks stopping mid-motion, frozen in time, while the mages remain as they are. I need to talk to everyone for a moment and this is the only way I can think of accomplishing that feat. Still hearing the fighting around me, I push more magic out, imagining it coating each individual; lining their bodies and slowing their movements until they stop moving all together. The sound slowly decrescendos until all I hear is the breathing of those around me.

“Did you do that?” Liam asks me.
Hearing the awe in his voice, I open my eyes. Everyone has frozen mid-action like someone pushed pause on a movie. It’s just like I imagined.

I ignore his question and slowly weave my way through all the unmoving bodies. I don’t know how long this is going to last, so I need to get to Logan fast. I can hear some people shuffling around me,
but I hope they are the mages. I think some of the mages froze during the process, so I apparently wasn’t as specific as I thought I was.

“Logan?” I call out. They were standing close to this area last time I
saw them. I accidently bump into a Gadramick. His body teeters, but he doesn’t come unfrozen. Huh, Weebles do wobble, but they don’t fall down. I can’t help the tiny giggle that escapes. Adam and Liam step up behind me and give me a questioning look.

“This
is so cool,” Adam says as he waves his hand in front of the man’s face. Obviously, he doesn’t respond.

“Ryanne?” I hear Logan call back to me. I turn to my left and pick up my speed. I know his voice came from this direction.

“I can see him. Keep heading forward. They’re about twenty feet in front of us.”

“It’d nice if I was just a little taller,” I mumble as I duck under someone’s outstretch arm. “Then, I’d be able to see them for myself.”

Liam laughs at me, but doesn’t say anything. I maneuver around all the frozen bodies. This reminds of when I was little and we’d all play freeze tag in the middle of the street—except for the fact that we never actually froze. There’s not a single kid who can remain still for that long.

“So, Zahtri is actually Ezra?” I ask Liam as I duck under an extended arm.