The Gathering (72 page)

"Sorry, Elian…"

"Oh no, don't be.
 
I realized I never really knew Sara, not like you know her.
 
I just thought I loved her because of her beauty, but I never really knew who she was."

Ian smiled.

"You're right, El, you will someday… someday soon I would guess."

They rode on into the west.
 
Elian smiled, but deep in his heart he prayed that Albie was safe.
 
Then he thought of his mother.
 
He continued to pray for Albie's safety.

108

Blaylock's party rode their horses through the gate of the Black Castle.
 
Albie and the girls stared in shock at the decaying carcass of Monsignor Klaus and then at the immensity of the abode before them.

Coeli stared in horror at the monstrous castle before her.
 
It looked like a terrible stronghold from one her childhood fairy tales, but now it was looming above her.
 
She allowed her gaze to climb to the tallest ramparts and then she saw them, the falcons.
 
Hundreds of them flew above the great fortress, screeching and soaring.
 
She felt her hair stand on end and her blood grow cold.
 

She had become so distracted that she hadn't noticed that they had stopped until the Hordesman grabbed her off the horse.
 
Blaylock looked over as her feet hit the earth.

"Hey, Brainiac!!
 
You hurt her, you deal with him, got it?"

The soldier nodded and held Coeli more loosely.
 
She looked back at Chelsea and Hannah.
 
They were standing not far from her.
 
Albie jumped down from his horse and looked sheepishly over his shoulder at the girls.
 
It was then Coeli realized he wasn't tied up.

"Albie?"

He turned and looked at her with big eyes.

"You helped them?
 
How could you?"

She stared at him with anger and disbelief.

"Albion!!
 
Albie!!!"

Coeli and the others turned to see a beautiful woman come from the main entrance of the castle.
 
She ran to Albie and grabbed him.
 
She stroked his face and held him to her.
 
She was stunning and Coeli recognized her deep blue eyes.

"Mrs. Merganser?"

Anne turned around and saw Coeli and smiled as she stroked Albie's hair.

"My son.
 
My son."

"Mother?"

"It's me, Darling, it's me."

Albie threw his arms around her and held tightly.
 
Hannah and Chelsea walked forward and stood next to Coeli.
 
Chelsea leaned in.

"What the hell is going on?"

Coeli shrugged as the main door opened again.
 
They turned and looked as the Shape moved towards them.
 
All three girls instinctively took a step backward and stared.

They huddled together as he moved his hand through the air, holding it just before their faces.
 
Then he smiled and pointed at Hannah and Chelsea.

"These two young ladies… take them to my chamber and wait there with them until I arrive."

Two Hordesmen grabbed the girls and dragged them away.
 
They tried to hold on to each other, but Blaylock had ahold of Coeli and pulled her back.
 
She was crying as she watched her friends being pulled into the black walls.
 
Then she felt a cold finger on her face.
 
She pulled back, but Blaylock held her in place.

"Don’t worry, Princess, they’ll be unharmed… well, relatively unharmed."

"You won't get away with this."

They all began to laugh.

"Well, of course I will.
 
Thomas, have one of your men put her in a cell… gently… we don’t want to make her mommy mad… yet."

Blaylock motioned for a soldier to take her.
 
He dragged Coeli into the walls as well, as she struggled against him.

The Shape looked back around and smiled.
 
Rona knelt before him and he offered her his hand.
 
She kissed it and held it to her cheek.
 
Anne watched through narrowed eyes.
 
Blaylock folded his arms in front of him and looked at the ground.
 
The Shape touched Rona’s head and gently stroked her hair.

"Rona, Child… welcome home."

"Thank you, Master."

He turned to Blaylock.

"Well, done, Thomas… seeing as how you behaved so… well… I'm inclined to give you access to any of the young women here, all but our new three young ladies of course."

"Of course…"

"Patience, Thomas, patience.
 
But in the meantime, I'm sure you can find at least one that would be a suitable conquest."

Blaylock looked at the dark faceless being before him and smiled then glanced at Anne.
 
The Shape didn't flinch, as Blaylock knew she was off limits, so he shrugged.

"I'll go with what I know."

The Shape laughed and watched as Blaylock grabbed Rona and slung her over his shoulder.
 
She shrugged and smiled.

"I can walk, Tommy."

"For now…"

She giggled as they entered the castle.
 
The Shape turned.

"Thomas?"

Blaylock turned around.

"She'll be here in a few hours… make sure you don't lose track of time."

"Yeah, sure."

Blaylock smiled and entered the castle.
 
Brollen watched and then frowned as he handed the Shape the bag.

"Oh, Gary.
 
What is this?"

"It's what Tommy told me to get.
 
I found one and used it to lure a bigger one out.
 
I did that one."

Brollen reached into the bag and pulled out the head of Ferage.
 
The Shape burst into maniacal laughter and grabbed the head.
 
He held it aloft and then threw it into the air, but it didn't fall, it hung there.
 
Then the Shape moved his hands and the unicorn's head floated along an invisible line and rested on the archway, above the decomposing body of Monsignor Klaus.

"Excellent job, Gary.
 
The leader, well done!"

Gary started to smile.

"I filled every jar and capped it tight like you showed me."

The Shape again reached into the bag and pulled out a glass jar.
 
The silvery liquid was moving with the strands of blue and red.
 
A glint came from the black void that should have been a face.

"Every jar?"

"Every jar."

Anne let go of Albie, but held his hand as she moved towards the Shape.

"Oh, Master, you'll have everything you'll need."

The Shape put the jar back in the bag and turned to Brollen.

"Any one of the concubines you want, Gary."

Gary suddenly looked like a child on Christmas Day, ready to open a present.

"Whichever one I want?"

The Shape nodded as Anne turned away and looked at her son.
 
She forced a smile.

"Can I… can I…?"

"What?"

"Can I hit her?"

The Shape smiled and nodded.

"Of course, but try not to beat her too badly.
 
They take so long to heal."

Gary nodded.

"Then I choose… the little blond with the butterfly on her neck."

The Shape clapped his hands together and several beautiful women appeared and stood silently.
 
As Brollen approached they became visibly afraid, until he put his hand on the petite blond with waist length hair.

She let her eyes roll back and she softly cried as he dragged her back into the castle.
 
The Shape dismissed the other women and picked up the bag.

"My Lord?"

He stopped and turned to Anne.

"Yes, My Dear?"

"My Lord, this is my son, Albie."

Albie stuck out his hand and the Shape looked at it and sighed.

"I suppose this is your home now, Mr. Merganser.
 
Your mother will show you to your room and tomorrow I'm sure she will explain protocol here… won't you, My Dear?"

Anne nodded nervously as she gently forced Albie's hand down.

"And Anne?"

"Yes, My Lord?"

"Once you have shown Albion his quarters, come to my room.
 
I must speak with you on urgent business."

Anne nodded and kneeled, pulling Albie with her.
 
The Shape carried the large bag close to his body as he re-entered the castle.

Anne Merganser smiled and took Albie's hand.

"You must be tired, Darling.
 
Come on, I'll show you your room."

They entered the castle door, which closed slowly behind them.

109

"He said he's fine, but I can feel it, Sean.
 
He's not fine at all."

Sean stood in front of the Fail gates with his arms folded in front of him and several of his soldiers behind him.

"I'm sorry, Sara, the answer is still no.
 
You're not going out there."

"Then you go out there… please, Sean."

Sean looked at her, those soft blue eyes imploring him to go for her.
 
He took a deep breath and lifted his arms.

"Ok, I'll go.
 
Leforge, go get my horse.
 
So, where are they coming from?"

Sara smiled as Kaley came up behind her.

"I think they're close to the old zoo."