Playing with Magic (Elemental Trilogy Book 2) (7 page)

“Maybe we shouldn’t stop,” Jaime said.

A man dressed in ragged jeans and a torn shirt flagged them down. Rowan pulled over, and Drake rolled his window down.

“Hello, good souls,” the man said. “I see you have a drivable vehicle. Where, may I ask, are you heading?” He leaned in a little to see the other faces peeking from the back. Drake moved his head away because the man stunk like road kill.

“We’re heading to Florida,” River said over Drake’s shoulder.

“Florida,” the man said.  He went still, as if thinking. “Would you all like to come be dinner guests? We don’t get many people for dinner.”

“Sure, sounds good. We haven’t had a good meal since we left,” River said as Rowan elbowed him, frowning.

So, yes, here was finally a living, uninfected person, but the world had changed. They couldn’t be sure of many people. A crazy army had swept through the mall they had lived in, breaking River’s arm but not killing anyone.  They had found the body of a young girl in the funhouse, which disturbed them, but otherwise their time in the mall had been fairly uneventful.  The people who had survived the infected without a safe house had to be a little off. Something about this man didn’t feel right to Rowan.

“How many people do you have in here so we can prepare for you all?” the man asked. Rowan was getting a very creepy vibe from this man. Maybe it was the airy way he spoke, his torn clothes, and the sunken eyes. He just didn’t look healthy.

“Six adults and two babies,” Drake said.

“Babies, hmm,” the man said to himself. He turned his hazel eyes to Rowan. “You park right up there at the town hall. We will be waiting in the building for you.” He smiled and walked off.

Rowan turned in his seat. “I don’t know, guys. Something doesn’t feel right.”

Linden smacked his shoulder, hard. “Come on. They’re only some friendly people who haven’t seen other people in a while and are excited. We can totally understand that, right?”

“Maybe Rowan’s right,” Jaime said, looking at the town hall.

River gave them all a hostile look. “He’s not. Let’s go,” he told them between gritted teeth. He opened the door, jumped down to the ground, and then slammed the door hard enough to shatter something in the back. One of the babies woke up screaming, waking the other baby who joined in the crying.

The town looked like it had seen better days. Windows were boarded up and a few of the buildings down the street looked charred. The road looked worn, and River saw no signs of cars around. He heard only the sound of a rusty metal wind chime. No children’s laughter like back home, no sounds of people living. It made him homesick. He would give anything to be at home at that moment with Rowan and Autumn, having dinner and talking about what they had done throughout the day.

“Look, maybe we should check it out. Just in case, leave the ladies in here with the babies,” Drake said.

“I can stay right here with them,” Rowan said.

“If I’m going, you’re going,” River replied at his window.

Linden tapped his foot impatiently on the sidewalk, waiting for the others to come out. When they got out, he looked back in the Winnebago. “Where are the others?”

“They’re not really hungry,” Drake said. 

River shook his head and reached for the doorknob to the town hall and pulled it open. If he thought the heat was bad outside, the inside was five times as bad. And the smell.

“What is that awful smell? Hopefully not dinner,” Linden said behind him, holding his nose.

There were twenty people sitting before a platform. The man who greeted them smiled. “Welcome to our home,” he said, shouting at them. “We’ve been waiting for dinner.”

Rowan’s eyebrows went up. “Umm,” he said.
That so did not sound right
, his brain screamed. One thing he had learned in the past six years was that you are allowed to be scared, but showing it could cause the wrong people to notice.

Linden removed his fingers from his nose and clapped his hands together. “Great, so have I,” he said. The people were getting out of their seats and walking closer.

River started to feel a little nervous. “So, what are we having?” The people all smiled at him as they walked closer. “Okay, maybe its outside,” he said, walking backwards to the door, brushing against Rowan.

“See,” Rowan said in a whisper, “this is not right.”

“No, it’s outside,” River said, unsure. “Maybe a nice barbeque.”

“That is right, my brother. A barbeque; southern style,” The man said. They backed out the door as the town’s people slowly made their way to them.

Outside, Linden looked around, sniffing the air. “I don’t smell anything. What is it? Ribs, steak, a roast?”

As the people got closer, Rowan grabbed River’s wrist. The town’s people’s eyes were glazed and unfocused, and they were practically drooling on themselves. His heart sped up as he saw some of them lick their dried cracked lips. It reminded him of hungry dogs; or rather it reminded him of the way Stefan looked at River when he tried to eat him. Silver sparkled to his right, catching his attention. He turned his head, looking at the people who were pulling out small knifes. Without thinking, he turned, walking to the Winnebago, dragging River along with him.

“That’s not polite,” River said in a low voice.

He shrugged. “I don’t care; this is wrong.”

“So where are we going to eat?” River asked over his shoulder as the man pulled out a corroded knife. “You know, that’s not sanitary.”

“We are going to eat,” the man finally said. His eyes were now totally glazed over like a junky. A nerve on the left side of his mouth twitched.

“Hopefully not with that,” River said.

The man flashed his teeth, but not in a happy way. Rowan grabbed River’s arm tighter as he saw the man smile. “Come on. NOW!” he said, dragging him away faster.

“Can’t you see we are going to eat?” Linden told the two as they got closer to the Winnebago.

“Yes. Eat. We are going to eat you,” the man said, licking his lips.

“See, we are going to eat,” River said, trying to get his arm out of Rowan’s death grip and turned his head to the man. “Excuse me. What did you say? It sounded like you said you were going to eat me?”

The man smiled. “Yes,” he said, “Eat!” he shouted. The town’s people began to advance on the guys.

“Oh shit!” Envy cried in the driver’s seat. She hit the horn briefly, stunning the people. Rowan pulled River along with him, and the others followed. He got the door open and pushed River inside, falling in right after.

“Start the engine!” Rowan shouted. The people were attacking the Winnebago, but everyone had gotten in. Her hands fumbled, not getting a grip on the key. She turned the key, but it wouldn’t start. “Get out of the way,” he told her. She got to her feet and screamed as something big and heavy hit the side door.

Rowan sat down. He reached down and found she hadn’t turned the key all the way. He started the Winnebago and stepped on the gas. There was a shout of pain as he drove out of town as fast as he could. When he was sure they were far enough away, he pulled over to the side and went back to see if anyone was hurt.

River had been sitting on the floor and jumped to his feet. He walked past Rowan to the front. They all watched him. He swung around. “Go on … say it!” he shouted.

“We told you so,” Drake said.

Letting out a scream of rage, he flung himself on Drake. River pummeled him with his fists as hard as he could. He got in another three hits before four hands pulled him off of the bloody man. “What is your problem?” Drake demanded, spitting blood at him.

River looked around and then down at the ground. Rowan’s hand was comforting on his hot skin. “I’m … I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I am just so angry.” He helped Drake to his feet and went up front.

Rowan came up behind him, wrapping his arms around him, holding him tight. “Maybe you should do some driving. I find it rather soothing when I think of home.”

River looked up at him. “Which home?”

“Home with Autumn and Anatha, and all the others.”

“Do you really want to go to Florida, our real home?”

Rowan thought it over as they switched seats. River got them on the road again and looked out at the sand. “It’s not really my home anymore. But I have to see what happened to my son. I have to know.”

River nodded. “I’m afraid of what we might find.”

****

Arawen sat on his throne. One of the hounds came bounding up, scaring his slaves and making him laugh. It made a weird noise, like it was trying to talk, making his laughter fade. He stood up, full of malice. “What do you mean, he lived?”

The hound put its head to the ground, whining. Arawen looked down at the meager pathetic being. “That is not what I wanted!” He shouted, his anger whipped around the room like a miniature storm. He walked over to one of his slave faeries. Grabbing her by the hair, he lifted her so he was eye to eye with her. “Do you wish to live?”

“Yes,” she said in her soft elfin language.

He bared his teeth. “How much do you want to live?”

She looked at him pleadingly, not answering. It gave him pleasure. He could not feel physical pleasure down here in his prison, so he had to live with only his emotional pleasure. If used enough, it could almost make up for the physical, but still, it was not the same. Still holding her hair with one hand, he put his other hand under her chin. He held her that way for a while, enjoying her fear. The things he was going to do when he got back to the mortal realm. His hand in her hair went to the top of her head. He twisted his hands quickly, breaking her neck.

He dropped her small body to the ground, where it made a sickly sound as her skull cracked open. It only fired his aggression. “Orran!”

Orran ran over, bowing deeply to the ground. “Yes, Master.”

“Refreshments in my room, now!” He shouted, stalking in the direction of his room.

Orran looked over his people.
How many will suit him tonight?
He thought as his eyes stopped on a group of fairies in the back. They looked back at him with pleading eyes. He pointed. “You five, come with me!”

They came to him. They couldn’t fight and knew the punishment would be the same. The same as being refreshments; death, always the same. Orran led them to Arawen’s room. He had let go of the guilt many years ago. He tried to live with the way things were. He secretly hoped his master would go back to the mortal realm and leave them all alone in peace. And while up there, he hoped he would be killed but first feel pain and fear like he and his people have felt under his power.

Chapter 8

“Hey,” Aarawn said, walking into the room. Autumn was holding a cotton ball to her arm. He grimaced. “How much blood did doctor doom take?”

“A lot,” she said. “Why are you here?”

“Pyrus took Anatha and Mabon with her, somewhere, and I was bored, so I thought I’d come over and see what you were doing.”

She picked up her arm. “I’m doing blood.”

“I see.”

The doctor came in. “Hi there, Aarawn. Autumn, you can go.”

“Hey, Doc, have any cool episodes lately?”

The doctor smiled. “Fortunately, this week has been quiet. No soap opera weird stuff in my office yet.”

Aarawn mocked a frown. “That sucks.”

The doctor made as if to hit him. Thora ran in, her hands black. “Mrs. Ethel put a flame spell on her yard, and Mr. Neper had his dog crap in her flower bed.”

The doctor shook his head. “I’ll get hold of you when your lab work comes in,” he said and rushed off to another room.

Aarawn gave Autumn an evil look. “Come on, I found something.”

She got to her feet. “Really? What?”

He looked around. “Can’t tell you in here,” he whispered to her.

She followed him out. Both smiling to Thora as she scowled at them. Aarawn led her down the street. Two men, who appeared to be cops, were talking to an elderly lady dressed in a pink housedress with her grey hair pinned in a tight bun on top of her head. Every so often they had to halt the conversation as she turned into someone else. After a few moments, she would be back to her normal self.

“That’s Mrs. Ethel. Her glamour spell doesn’t work properly anymore.”

“Look, his dog wouldn’t have turned into a ball of flames if he would have heeded my warning!” she shouted to the police officers.

“But you know you can’t go around doing spells like that. The elders will get angry,” one of the policemen tried to tell her.

“My husband is an elder, so don’t be threatening me!” She poked her finger into the man’s chest.  He stood there taking her pointing.

“Hello, Mrs. Ethel,” Aarawn said as they walked by.

She put on a bright smile, turning around. “Hello, dear. Who is that pretty girl behind you?”

Autumn smiled shyly. “This is my cousin, Autumn,” he told her.

Mrs. Ethel became still, her smile faltered for just a moment, and the policemen turned to look at them. “I heard the girls were back in town, and I’m glad you found your calling, boy. The stars never lie. You all stop by for some cake and tea.”

Aarawn nodded, but Autumn could feel something change in his mood. “People have been doing this to me since I was a boy,” he whispered to her. “We are finally going to find out what the stars said at our births.”

“What?” Autumn asked as they entered the forest line. She looked back at the houses, and then back at the forest. In town, it was hard to think they were nestled inside a forest. But here she was. The trees buzzed around her with their own energies, making her smile. They whispered her secrets as she passed. Some she didn’t understand, and others made her nervous.

“When you are born, your stars are read. See, we all have a defined star map in our birth records. It is hidden from everyone except the elders. For the past fifteen years, as soon as I found out who, or rather what, I am, I have been searching for this place.” He stopped by the mouth of a cave. He picked up a stick, pulling out matches from his pocket. “If Anatha were here she would have been able to light the stick but since she’s not, I always carry around my handy little pocket junk.” He lit the stick and walked in. “Come on.”

She followed him into the dark cave. Fear crashed around her, making it hard to breathe as her nightmares came back to her. She watched as the wind threatened to blow out the flame. Panic tightened her chest. She had never been afraid of the dark or small spaces, but the fear of the cave and what it held sucked at her brain. She thought about her dreams and how they were imprisoned in a cave, and the idea sent a cold chill down her spine, making her shiver.

Aarawn held out his left hand. “Calm,” he said, and the wind in the cave died. He looked at her with a stunning smile. “They created a wind spell so no one could come in with fire.”

“What about a lantern?”

“I’ve tried; they’ve all died on me.”

“Weird,” she said softly.

“Come on,” he told her as he continued to walk towards the back. A giant boulder sat in their way. Autumn looked at her cousin, confused. “Touch it.”

She reached out and touched the boulder. The magic hit her instantly. “Oh,” she whispered. She closed her eyes as her hand touched the rough surface of the rock. Her magic found the link of magic in the boulder. She reached out with her own magic and touched that link. “Down.”

The rock crumbled to sand at their feet. “We are amazing,” Aarawn said. “How long until it reforms?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

He tilted his head. “Well, let’s check it out. I can’t believe I am finally here!”

The cave opened into a giant room lined with shelves and stacks of books and papers. Beside the entranceway, a table held candles and matchsticks. Aarawn lit a candle, handing it over to Autumn, and then lit another for him. Holding their candles, he went down one aisle as Autumn went down another.

“So how does this star thing work?”

“Well, when you’re born you have the oracle and the elders. They have the sky charts, moon chart, and sun chart. They interpret what they see, and then the oracle writes it down.”

“Can’t someone just, you know, make things up?” She scanned the shelves and names. Some older ones were done in runes and others in symbols.

“Yes. But we are supposed to believe that they are doing the good thing and telling the truth.” She could hear the doubt in his voice.

“You don’t believe it?”

“I believe that we can control our own lives.”

“Is that why you have been searching to get in here?”

He looked around at the shelf. “You aren’t curious? To know what this town has planned for you?”

Her chest contracted. What did this place hold for her? Would this mean she would never see her guys anymore? “I don’t want to know the real future.” She came across a name she recognized. She reached out and ran a finger over the leather spine.

“Aarawn, who is Ginjay?”

He walked over and stood next to her, staring at the book. “That is the last oracle … your mother.”

“My mother?” Autumn gripped the leather binding and pulled it out. She flipped it open.

Ginjay StCloud.
Her fingers traced over the inked lettering.

She flipped the page and ran her finger over the words. The pages were yellowed and the words faded in some places.

“Why keep them and not take care of them?”

“The elders and the new oracle are only allowed in.”

She looked away from the book in her hand and looked at the other books on the shelves. “Where is my father?”

He scanned the names and pulled another from the shelves. “It’s weird, you know?” Autumn said, hugging the books to her chest. “The only things I have of them are these old books.” She turned to the old table and sat down. She opened her mother’s book first and read through it. Tears escaped her eyes as she read about the short life her mother had lived.

“Did she know?”

“She was oracle. She knew all about them, even ours.”

She finished her mother’s. Aarawn sat next to her, reading a book. “Odd,” he murmured.

“How so?”

“Here,” he pointed to the smudge and what looked like new ink.  “This says my mother would disappear with two girls of her blood.”

“Maybe our parents changed it, since my mother was the oracle to hide us.”

“But you can’t change the stars.”

“Clearly, someone did,” she said and went back to reading her father’s book. “This says that my father had big boots to fill. Is it because of Pyrus?”

Aarawn shrugged. “We come from a very ancient line of witches. It is rumored the line is so old, we are related to the ancients.”

“Like the gods and goddesses?”

“That’s what they whisper about us. Well, when they aren’t whispering about other things.”

Autumn reached out and touched his arm. And all his fear and pain slammed into her. She saw him as a young boy playing with a group of kids.

“Aarawn says you and him can make bubbles,” a little girl with crystal blue eyes said. They had to have been around seven.

“Bubbles, yes.”

“Show us!” A chubby little kid, with what she hoped was chocolate smearing his face, pleaded.

“We aren’t allowed. The adults said we can’t play with magic for fun.”

“Mabon is right,” the little girl said. “We have to treat our magic properly.”

“Show us!” the other kids cried out.

“Oh, come on,” Aarawn said. Autumn watched as the two boys closed their eyes, concentrating. Mabon opened his fist, water appearing. Aarawn snatched it, blowing it into a large bubble. He pushed it towards the little chubby kid. He screamed as the bubble ate him. Inside the bubble, the kid screamed.

“That was not cool,” the girl said. She suddenly had a small icicle in her hand and punctured the bubble. “You know they didn’t mean it, Dack.”

“I’m telling my mother!” He ran off, screaming.

The scene changed, and they were sitting in the formal living room of the bed and breakfast. “Pyrus, we warned you to keep a leash on those two.”

“They’re children. They don’t know better.”

“They are going to kill someone. They are monsters and should be treated like what they are.”

“What?  You think I should lock them away like all your other experiments?” Pyrus said coolly.

“Maybe, but that Storm of yours will get in enough trouble, and then we will have to do something about them.”

“You threaten these children in this house again, and so help me, the curse that I wreak will destroy this town. Now get out.”

Autumn was slammed into her own body. “Pyrus was the only one who didn’t treat us like we were different. She treated us like
  
”

“Children.” She stared at the cave wall. “Once, we were playing tag, and this girl grabbed my friend’s coat. She made him fall, hurting him. I remember hearing him cry, and I got so angry. The Earth shook and made her fall.  A branch from the tree we were under fell on her foot. It wasn’t very big, but it still broke it. At least you had someone who knew what was going on.  Anatha and I, we had each other, and even though we weren’t close, we shared this magic. We tried to control it enough so others wouldn’t get hurt.”

“It would have been different if we had been all together.”

“I doubt it. We would have been caught by Moorgun and raised to be monsters.”

“Do you ever wonder though?”

“I do. Sometimes I think how it would have been different. Having my parents raise me here with you, Anatha, and Mabon. I would have been a different person.”

“Maybe we all would have.”

“The stars said my mother would die a year after her first child’s birth, as does my father’s. This means the elders knew my mother was going to die. Why would they not help them?” She looked angrily at the yellowed pages.

“Grand purpose. We are a wheel, ever-moving forward to the next cycle. If they change something, it could affect everything.”

“Then why the charts? I mean, why would you want to know that someone knows what’s going to happen to you, but they won’t help change it? It’s not fair. They should have been ready for the fight, and maybe my mother would still be alive. My life would be different, and maybe we wouldn’t have to worry about Moorgun.”

“Yes, but think of it this way: if they would have had time to prepare, had been ready, and your life had turned out totally different, you wouldn’t have found the men in your life or your friends, because the infection wouldn’t have happened.”

She thought about Rowan and River. The thought of never meeting them made her ill. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.  Still, knowing people know what will go down in my life sucks, and I don’t like it.”

“Neither do I. That’s why we are here, so we can see what our star charts say.” He looked down on the shelf. “Here are ours!” He pulled out the books and went over to the table with all four. Autumn put back her parents’ charts and went over to the table.

“This stuff is long and boring.” His eyes scanned over the pages. “Blah-Blah-element. Blah-blah- element. Blah-blah-Arawen.” His eyes continued down the page. “Blah-Blah-eeewwwwwwe!” He looked up. “I believe one of the elders is a perv.”

“Let me see,” she said, scooting in, reading along the page. She finally found what he had eeewwwed about. “Pervy is right.”

“Well, what does your say?”

She scanned the pages, some of it sounded right, and some sounded like riddles. She fell on one line about three hearts and smiled. “Did my mother have to write this thing out?”

“Yeah.”