Half Black Soul (28 page)

If anyone comes and finds you, you can move & and just act normal, I said, and that was that.

I turned and began making my way back to the city, just a little too pleased with myself over what I'd just done.

Nelly

I kept my mind stretched out around me until I finally saw the lights of Two Rivers up ahead. When I reached the edge of the trees, I paused. I had to make sure that no one was around to see me coming out of the forest, and for the first time since the daylight ended, I was grateful to have the cover of night. A mental scan of the area told me that no one was near enough to my location to be able to spot me if I stepped out of the woods. Part of me hesitated anyway.

I stood still for a moment, hovering at the brim of the trees, staring at the structures and landscape and richness of Two Rivers, and couldn't help but think of Soraya, returning home to her sorry hut, having her life blood stolen from her slowly but surely, and most of all, the agony of all the souls in that village. The sight of the luxurious city before me had at once seemed to me like a wonderland of sorts with all its beauty. Now, it was something like sickening. I wished I'd never come to this place.

But, I had to return to my dorm. I glanced down at my watch, hitting the little button on the side so that the face would light up. I had thirty minutes before curfew, and since the dormitories were only a five minute walk from the school building by which I was exiting the woods, I had plenty of time to get there. I looked down at my clothing. At least it wasn't torn, but it was really dirty. And wet. It hadn't been pouring while I'd been out here, but the rain had been consistent enough that my clothes clung to my body and my hair dripped at the ends. The knees of my jeans were stained with mud, and even my face and my hands felt grimy. If someone noticed my condition before I made to my dorm, they might ask questions. That was the last thing I wanted right then.

I stepped out of the cover of the trees and began walking briskly in the direction of my dorm. I didn't feel comfortable leaving my mind out to explore while there were certainly many other Searchers around, but I didn't like the idea of not monitoring my surroundings either. I decided it would be wisest of rein in my range and just focus on whoever came within thirty feet of me from any direction. Luckily, most people seemed to have retired for the night. Tomorrow was a school day, after all.

I had almost made it to my dorm room when it happened. I was at a spot where the path I was walking down split off in two different directions; one lead up to the steps of my dorm building, the other toward a row of modest houses. I stopped in my tracks. That muscle in my mind seemed to be insisting that I head down the path toward the houses, even though all I wanted was to return to my dorm and clean up before anyone could see me. Sometimes this happens. Sometimes I get an undeniable feeling that I should, or rather need to do something, and I don't understand what the reason is. That muscle in my mind seemed to be pulling me down that other path, insisting that I follow it and see where it took me.

I paused for a moment, indecisive. I'd been lucky to make it this far without being seen. Wherever this detour would take me, it would undoubtedly increase my chances of being seen. But, I'd learned long ago to trust my instincts, and though I paused, I knew what I was going to do.

I started off down the path toward the houses, growing more and more anxious with every step I took. I suppose I could have just run up to my room and changed my clothes, but the need to follow this path was urgent, as if I didn't have time to stop, because if I did, whatever my mind wanted me to see would be gone. I picked up my pace, forcing myself not to break into a run.

I passed by the houses, hoping that wherever my destination was wasn't too much further. Eventually, the path began to curve, and I noticed that I was heading to the rear of the wolf dormitories. A little exasperation welled up in me. I was tired. I'd run an incredibly long distance already today, and though I was trained for such activity, my muscles were beginning to ache. I cursed in my head. I could have made it to the wolf dorms faster if I had taken the other path. It would have led me to the front of the building, but I could have walked around to the rear. I had almost decided to just go to my room, when that muscle in my mind insisted that I stand behind a large oak tree that was ten feet to my east, and to do so now. I found myself dashing over to the tree and crouching behind it, hoping that this detour had a good reason.

The bench, my mind provided. Pay attention to the bench.

I peeked around the oak tree. The bench I assumed was the important one sat right off the path I'd just come down. It was only about fifteen feet from the tree behind which I stood. And, it was unoccupied. I released a frustrated breath. Then, I felt them.

Two souls, a wolf-born and a Brocken, were slowly approaching the bench from opposite directions. I hadn't been concentrating with my mind, but it seemed to be doing it on its own. I gasped when I realized who its targets were. Tommy's father. And Jackson.

I clutched the bark of the tree, and pulled my head back so that I was fully concealed by it once more. Tommy's father and Jackson were going to sit on the bench and discuss something. I was too horrified to reach out and Search them for the information, so I just put my hand over my mouth and waited. I wasn't meant to hear whatever was about to be said.

I pulled my mind back in, the effort to do so more than I expected. I didn't want to learn anymore secrets right now. I shouldn't be here. I wished I had just returned to my dorm. But, it was too late now. If I left my hiding spot, one of the two would certainly see me, and then what would happen? I closed my eyes and waited.

Tommy's father, whose name was Thomas also, and Jackson both took a seat on the bench. I wondered if I would be able to hear them over the pounding of my chest. And, though they spoke quietly, I am half Lamia, so my hearing is better than most Searcher's as well. Seems I was built for this kind of thing.

The two didn't waste time with pleasantries. I was beginning to think you weren't going to show, said Thomas, and his tone was not kind.

What are you talking about? I'm right on time, replied Jackson.

So you are, said Thomas, and I got the feeling that this man always spoke in a half snarl. The Warrior has left Two Rivers.

Jackson sighed. I know.

And you didn't say anything. You're supposed to be watching her. Why didn't you come to me when you found out she was leaving? His tone was accusing now.

I didn't know she was leaving, Jackson lied. I found out when everyone else did. When she didn't show up for lunch. I figured you already knew by then.

My brow furrowed. Jackson was supposed to be watching Alexa? How had I not detected this when I'd Searched him? I cringed. This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all. Jackson must have something in his mind that had blocked me out of this very important information, but & how? The two continued their secret conversation.

Don't lie to me, boy, snapped Thomas. I've seen the two of you together. I knew it was a mistake to send a boy to watch the Warrior. You seem to have fallen under her spell. William is going to be so disappointed when he hears of this.

Don't call me boy , growled Jackson. And it was no mistake. I've watched her. I've been watching her for the last year. And I've told you everything I know.

So where is the Warrior?

I don't know.

Thomas was quiet for a moment. My heartbeat was pounding in my ears. Perhaps I should pay a visit to that sister of hers. Maybe she would be more forthcoming.

No, Jackson said quickly. She doesn't know anything either. She's not important. Alexa didn't tell anyone why she was leaving or even that she was leaving.

You sound defensive, wolf, replied Thomas, and I could tell that an ugly smirk sat on his face. Could it be that you have fallen for both girls?

Don't be ridiculous, Thomas. It was no mistake to send me. My father knows that he can trust me. Maybe I should tell him that you're questioning his judgment. How do you think he would like that?

Threats do not become you, boy. I'm here to make sure that you still know whose side you're on, said Thomas.

Me? I'm not the one who tried to murder the Queen. Oh, you thought I didn't know that that explosion was your work? A little anxious to ascend to the throne, are we Thomas? Does my father know about your indiscretions here?

Camillia is weak. She hasn't the stomach for what is coming. If the Warrior hadn't pulled her out of the way, I would have been doing her a favor, he snapped. Thomas lowered his voice to a taunting whisper, And William is not your father. You're a pet he found in the woods and decided to take mercy upon.

Jackson voice took on a disturbing wolf-like growl. A favor. Queen Camillia is a favorite of my father s, he made sure to annunciate the word, Always has been, and you know it. And either way you cut it, he calls me his son, and treats me as such, while you on the other hand don't really mean shit to him. You're letting your jealousy cloud your judgment.

And you're letting your infatuation with the Warrior cloud yours, Thomas snapped. I know which side I'll be standing on when the war comes. I believe you are starting to question where your allegiance lies. And the war is going to come sooner than we thought. The Lamias are demanding more blood for the exchange, and if they don't get it, our dealings with them will be off. This means we need more donors. People are suspicious already. Things won't continue as they are. We can't risk having traitors among us, wolves in sheep's clothing. Not now.

I've told you everything I know, Jackson said, between what I was sure was clenched teeth.

Let's hope you have, replied Thomas.

Silence fell. I peeked out around the tree to see both of them standing. Thomas stalked back in the direction he'd come. Jackson stood there for a moment, staring after him. After a shake of his head, he began walking down the path toward his dorm. I waited a moment, then began making my way back to my own, no longer caring if anyone saw me in my disheveled state.

When I made it up to my dorm, I went straight into my bathroom and stripped myself of my dirty clothes. Stepping into the shower stall, I sat down on the floor once again and hugged my knees to my chest. My body began to shake uncontrollably.

I knew why the King needed the blood. I don't know how it had taken me so long to figure out. The King was exchanging the blood, and I knew in my gut what he was exchanging it for. Lamia blood. I also figured that King William was probably a Searcher, and that he was ingesting Lamia blood to increase his powers. Who knew what he was capable of if I was right, which I was pretty sure I was.

Worse, and perhaps more importantly, Jackson was a traitor. He was the King's adopted son, and he had figured out a way to keep even the best of Searchers from some of the secrets of his mind.

God, where the heck was my sister?

Alexa

It started to rain again. The thunder clouds seemed to roll in from out of nowhere, sudden and angry. This was actually lucky. Step one was to take out the generator. With the rain, the guards might think that it was struck by lightning. After that was done, we'd have ten minutes to make it to the surveillance room before the backup generator kicked in, give or take a minute or two.

The plan was simple. First, we go to the spot that Manny told us about. He said it would be on the eastern side of the island where Dangeon sat, which luckily, was on the same side as the other small island where we'd docked the boat. Apparently, there was a downward slope, at the end of which only one guard was positioned. The slope was used to drag dead prisoners bodies down, so that they could be deposited into the ocean. And, more importantly, the edge of it, where the waves met rock, was one of the few blind spots of the cameras. We decided that we would take out the guard that waited there, and then Kayden would don his uniform. I'd protested this, but he'd made the point that I wouldn't be big enough to pass as one of the guards, and I couldn't argue with that. We'd have to move quickly, so that the guard wouldn't have time to radio his buddies, and then Kayden would make his way inside to the camera room, after taking out the generator box that Manny had promised would be about twenty feet above the back door. He would have to use the gun that the guard who manned this door carried, and it was a good thing that the thunder was clapping like gunshots, because we hadn't considered how the actual gunshot might be heard.

According to Manny, only the guards on the docks, towers, and at this back door carried guns; having the guards inside the prison carry guns would be too risky with the types of prisoners the place held. The part that worried me was that Kayden would certainly encounter several guards along the way, and hopefully he would be able to pass by them without calling attention to himself, and they would be too distracted by the power outage to be paying much attention to each other. Manny had told us that there were always a minimum of three hundred guards protecting the prison, and the staff wasn't a talkative bunch, so Kayden stood a chance at passing through if he got a hold of a uniform, but I couldn't help but worry. No matter what Manny said, I knew this plan was a dice-roll with bad odds. Kayden knew this too. If he could get there, Kayden was going to take out the guards in the camera room, then use the walkie-talkie and tell me that it was safe to move in. If we got that far, all we'd have to do was find my Mother and get out. Easy, right? Yeah, right. I would have to come in then, and get past dozens of guards, somehow taking them out before they had a chance to radio others. Kayden would radio me to where my Mother was being held after he got that information from the surveillance room. I would free her, and fight our way back out, then meet Kayden at the docks. Yeah, easy like Sunday fucking morning.