The Gathering (69 page)

Sara looked at her sister and shook her head.

"Are you trying to say that Alisha wanted to die?"

"No!
 
She just knew it was coming… I think about all the little things she said and did and I finally figured it out.
 
She told her, Sara."

"Who told her?"

"The goddess."

"The goddess?
 
Are you crazy?
 
The goddess didn't tell her anything."

"She told Alisha through her dreams.
 
Just enough so that she knew it was coming and what would happen if she chose to save herself.
 
She knew she was going to die, Sara."

"Then why didn’t she stop it?"

Tears fell down Sara's red face.
 
Kaley reached out and took her sister's hand.

"Because to save herself, she had to lose someone she loved."

"No, no…"

Kaley pulled Sara to her and held her, as her mother would have done.
 
She smoothed her sister's hair and let her cry.

"Even if Beverly had been right there, Sara, she and Elena… they couldn't have saved her… and… and she was alright with that."

Kaley then felt herself give way to her own tears.
 
They held each other for what seemed like forever.
 
Then they heard footsteps on the stairs.
 
They pulled apart and wiped their faces as they smiled at one another.

"Are you ok?"

Kaley turned around to see Brian looking at them.
 

"Yeah, we're fine."

Brian continued to look at them.
 
Then he walked over to Sara and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Everything's gonna be ok… I know it."

Sara looked at Kaley and then placed her arms around him.

"Thanks, Kid."

The other children soon joined them and they set out for Healer Hall to see Chris.

101

Grant led his group through the trees and terrain, as they looked for anything that might give them a clue that their attackers had come in this direction.
 
The sun was rising through the mist of the morning and the light made them squint slightly as they rode eastward.

"How long have we been out?"

"About 15 minutes."

Sam looked around them and then turned towards San Bernardino.
 
Larry rode up to his son and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

"They won't hurt them, Son."

Sam looked at his father and forced a smile and nodded.
 
Scott slowed his horse and looked down.

"Hey, over here.
 
Look at this."

He jumped off his horse and knelt down.
 
Sam rode over and did the same.
 
Scott picked up a small bit of cloth.
 
It was red, the same red that Chelsea had been wearing when she was taken.

Sam smiled and took it.

"Dad, look!"

Sam ran over to Larry and Grant.
 
Larry took the cloth and Grant nodded.

"Ok, we know they went in this direction.
 
Let's ride back to camp and let the others know."

They all mounted their horses except Scott, who was distracted by a rustling in the brush next to him.
 
He turned back towards the brush and leaned in, but didn't see anything.
 
Then he turned and looked up at Elian.

"Hey, El, did you hear that?"

Elian turned his head and looked down at Scott, but before he could answer, several of the Black Hordesmen charged out of the bushes.
 
Scott reached for his sword, but the one of the Horde soldiers sliced at him.
 
Bright cardinal spread quickly through Scott's cut shirt and he fell.

"Aaaggh!"

"Scott!!"

Sam and Elian jumped off their horses and ran at their attackers.
 
Swords clashed as Larry, Grant and Ian charged in to the fight.

Scott reached for his sword with his other hand and turned just in time to block another blow.
 
Sam let his rage take over and he lunged and hacked at the Hordesman before him.
 
Elian countered and followed.
 

Scott was holding his own, despite his wounded side.
 
Then without warning he had a searing pain in his back.
 
He looked down to see a metal point come through his shoulder.
 
Ian saw this and lunged at the Hordesman who had struck Scott, forcing his blade into the Hordesman's throat.
 
The soldier dropped and Ian turned and pulled the blade out of Scott's shoulder.
 

"Ian!!"

Elian charged at Ian and knocked him sideways.
 
The sword aimed for Ian's heart caught him in the shoulder.

"AARRGGHH!"

Elian engaged the combatant as Sam and Larry came from the rear.
 
The Hordesman slashed at Elian, but Elian moved and thrust upward, connecting with the Hordesman's chin, his sword gliding swiftly through his assailant's head.
 
Elian stared into the eyes of the dying man until they were empty.
 
Then he pulled out his weapon and let the Hordesman's body fall.

Sam was at Scott's side as Grant looked at his wound.
 
Ian looked over at Elian.

"Thanks, El.
 
I'm not doing so good at all this fighting stuff, am I?"

Scott groaned.

"You and me both."

"It's not like we've had any reason to practice, huh?"

They laughed at each other until Grant moved Ian’s shoulder.

"Ow, easy, Dad… Christ."

"Don't start taking the Lord's name in vain now, Ian.
 
It's not funny, you're losing a lot of blood."

Sam looked at Grant and his father.

"Yeah, Scott's looking a little pale."

Grant turned his son over and picked him up.
 

"Larry, a little help please."

The men placed Ian on the horse and then turned around for Scott.

"Just help me up, I can get on my…"

"Shut your mouth, Scott."

Larry grabbed Scott and set him up on his horse.
 
Scott sat quietly with wide eyes.
 
Grant looked at Sam and Elian.

"Ok, let's get back to camp.
 
Alia will probably be able to stop the bleeding… I hope."

They all mounted their horses and rode as quickly as they could for the pond.
 
As they moved farther away, a falcon emerged from a tree.
 
It looked down and screeched, then flew east.

102

Anne Merganser paced nervously in the main throne room.
 
She held a small handkerchief in her hand and wrapped it around her fingers again and again.
 
The Shape moved from his bedroom and looked over the balcony.

He stared at Anne's beauty.
 
She was flawless.
 
Her skin was pale and smooth, almost translucent.
 
Her curves were round and full like an hourglass.
 
He tilted his head as he watched her soft dark hair sway loosely across her back and those eyes, the color of blue topaz.

He glanced behind him and looked at the naked women who were lying in his bed.
 
He smiled under his hood.
 
They adored him and feared him, but none of them were worthy of him, none but her.
 
He turned back to her and watched her again.

Anne stopped pacing and dropped her hands to her waist.
 
It had been three years since she had seen her son, her Albie.
 
She smiled as she thought about him.
  
He was now becoming a man and she hoped she wasn't too late.
 
She hoped he still belonged to her.

"Soon, My Dear.
 
Soon."

Anne jumped as the Shape placed his hands on her shoulders.
 
She felt herself quiver against his touch.
 
She always tried to act as though she was only the doting companion, but her lust grew more and more every day.
 
She smiled as she remembered the day he had sent Rona away.
 
The little bitch was getting too close.

Anne turned and smiled as she looked into the darkness of the hood, her fingers gently caressing the faceless black.

"Thank you, My Lord."

"For what, My Dear?"

"For bringing my son back to me."

He took her hand and led her towards the stairs.

"It is nothing."

They ascended the stairs and walked towards Anne's room.

"Are you not tired, My Lord?"

The Shape turned to see Anne's face.
 
She softly smiled at him.
 
Her coyness was a game they often played.

"Not for you, My Dear.
 
Never for you."

She smiled as she marveled at the wonderful life that lay before her.
 
Then they walked into her room and closed the door.
 
The silence of the castle was soon broken by the sounds of their ecstasy.
 

103

"Alia!!
 
Help!! Quickly!!"

Alia and Myron came running from the center of camp.
 
Larry and Grant pulled the horses to a quick stop and hauled Ian and Scott from their steeds.

They were pale and had lost a lot of blood.
 
Alia knelt down beside the boys.

"Can you stop the bleeding, Alia?"

She looked at Grant and then back at Scott and Ian.
 
She laid a hand over each of the injuries and began to chant.
 
Several of the Fail soldiers appeared around her and joined her.
 
They each touched one of the young men.