Sacred Bloodlines (21 page)

“Gabe, it’s time for you to meet Mammon,” Anthony’s words were twisted and full of hate.

As the creature bounded across the grassy clearing the earth shook.  Gabe thought of Michael and wished he were there.  Michael would know what to do.  Without thinking Gabe grabbed the locket around his neck, closed his eyes in fear and as Michael’s face flashed in his mind muttered what he assumed would be his last words, “Oh God.”

A huge wind began to blow in off the water and eerie grey clouds gathered and swirled over the beach.  There was a rumbling in the heavens as though the skies were angry and were about to spat all of their rage onto the earth.  Fear overwhelmed Gabe as he realized he was repeatedly mumbling, “Oh God, Oh God, Oh God,” while holding onto the locket, studying the stone intensely with his fingertips.  Without warning, a huge bolt of lightning came down from the sky and hit the beach only a few feet away.  Gabe flinched from the sparks that were flying behind him.

After the sparks cleared Gabe looked over to where the lightening had struck.  The sand was beginning to swirl into a cyclone and he feared what else was about to be unleashed upon him.  He tucked himself into a fetal position and began counting madly in his head.  With his eyes closed tightly his counting turned into praying, something unfamiliar to Gabe.

Behind him, Gabe heard a voice cry out in a bold tone ‘Pius Perculsus’ followed by a huge crash, as if something large had hit the earth with great force.  The ground beneath Gabe began to shake violently as he felt a powerful wave of energy hit his back and push him further into the sand.

“No, it can’t be!”  Gabe heard Anthony cry out as the sounds of a stampede on the beach filled his ears.  Finally Gabe managed to pull his head up and through squinted eyes he saw the twisted demonic figures and their master bounding towards him at full speed, Mammon leading the charge.

Gabe quickly looked up at Anthony just in time to see him raise a sword he had hidden beneath his robes above his head, prepared to bring it down onto Gabe’s torso with all his might.  A moment later, just before Anthony unleashed his energy, he heard the strong voice behind him again.  It bellowed ‘Cinis Cineris’.  Anthony released one hand from the sword and reached out his hands in protest at the man behind Gabe but before he could even speak, his skin turned a light gray color.  Another gust of wind came and Gabe watched as what had been Anthony became a swirling pile of ash.

“We have to go, now!”  Gabe heard Uri’s familiar voice as a set of strong arms wrapped around him.  A moment later he heard the large unknown voice command ‘Concedo Ianus’.  A great blue light encompassed them and the sound of a large electrical shock consumed Gabe’s head.  A moment later they were in Michael’s office.

Gabe felt as though his skull were cracking open.  Uri carried him to the couch in front of the fireplace and laid him down.  “Gabe, are you OK?”  Uri pleaded.

Gabe tried to focus on the figure before him, the encroaching darkness threatening his consciousness.  “Uri?”  Gabe managed a weakened whisper and then quickly relented.  A moment later the darkness consumed him and Gabe was unconscious.

Chapter Eighteen

Gabe opened his eyes, slowly letting the dim light in.  He grasped his aching head, letting out a painful moan.  A moment later he heard Sophie’s sweet voice, “Everyone, Gabe’s awake!”

Sophie grabbed Gabe’s hand and pulled it up to her lips, kissing it repeatedly.  As she replaced his hand to his side, a moment later Gabe heard the sound of water being wrung from a cloth.  Sophie carefully folded the moistened cool towel and placed it across his forehead.  She then scooped his hand back into hers, holding it tightly as she rested next to him on her knees.  Her tenderness made his chest ache with regret.  He tried to sit up but the ache in his head caused him to collapse back onto the bed, depleted.

“Don’t try to move,” she explained.  “Transporting is hard on even the most experienced of Guardians.”  

“Sophie, I’m so sorry.  The things I said, I was…”  Once Gabe heard her voice, all he could think about was how terribly he had treated her before he left.

“Gabe, stop, please” Sophie insisted placing a finger on his lips to hush him.  “We don’t have to talk about any of that.”

The tension between Sophie and Gabe over their relationship had completely disappeared.  Gabe thought about how a near death experience makes you realize what is important in life.  He assumed Sophie was feeling the same way.  

“So our boy is awake?”  Gabe heard Michael’s soft voice behind him.  Gabe shifted in an effort to see him but as the pain overwhelmed him again, he fell back onto the bed with a wince.  “Rest Gabe, you deserve it!”  Michael continued.  “You know you gave us all quite a scare.”

“Uri,” Gabe gasped, remembering the beach.  “Where’s Uri?”

“Don’t worry,”  Sophie said placing a hand on Gabe’s chest, trying to calm him.

“He’s fine. He went to his chambers to rest.”  Michael added.  “Transportation is really hard on the body of a Guardian as young as the two of you.  I wouldn’t have but it was necessary.”

“I’m sorry,” Gabe said, filling up with feelings of guilt for creating a situation that put Uri and Michael in danger.  Michael?  He thought.  Michael had said he didn’t want to cast transportation but he had to.  Gabe realized Michael had been the voice behind him on the beach that he couldn’t recognize.

Michael walked around to face Gabe.  “Don’t be silly, we are just happy you are here and safe.  Sophie said you were very upset when you left.”

“You were the one on the beach!”  Gabe exclaimed.

Michael nodded, a sad look flashing across his face.

“How did you know? ” Gabe asked in disbelief.

“The locket,”  Michael replied.  “I cast a protection spell on it.  You activated the summoning.”

“But I didn’t.”  Gabe insisted as he reached for the locket.  He felt around and realized the locket was gone.

“You must have, dear boy,” Michael added.  “I’ve returned the necklace to my office for safe keeping.  Now you need to rest.”  Without another word, Michael turned and with his head hung low, his smile quickly faded.  Michael exited the room, a cloud of desperation around him.

Gabe thought about the excitement on the beach.  He had never been so scared.  “Anthony,”  The name slipped out from Gabe’s lips.  He remembered the spell and then Anthony being turned to ash.  “He was going to deliver us all to Mammon,”  Gabe said in a panicked voice as everything came rushing back to him.

Sophie glanced over to the door where Michael had just exited.  “I know, Uri told me what happened.  I guess they knew.”

“What do you mean they knew?” Gabe asked, trying to make sense of everything between the pounding noises in his head.

“Uri said when they spoke to the Oracle at Iron Gate she warned them about Anthony and Mammon.  Uri said he tried to warn you, he wasn’t sure if you…”  Sophie began.

“The visions!”  Gabe exclaimed.

“Yeah.  Uri said Michael kept insisting Anthony would never betray us;  that the Oracle must have it wrong.  I’ve never seen Michael like this; he acts like he is alright but…” Sophie stopped, not sure how to even formulate her thoughts into words.

“Sophie, he was willing to deliver me into Mammon’s hands,” Gabe said disgusted.

“You don’t understand,” Sophie insisted.  “Anthony was like a brother to Michael.  They have been fighting this fight side by side since the civil war.  They were like brothers.”  Gabe thought how weird it sounded when Sophie mentioned the civil war; he still had trouble imagining living so long.

“I didn’t even know it was Michael on the beach.”  Gabe whispered, replaying the scene in his head.

“Uri said Michael didn’t hesitate. When he saw you were in danger, he just reacted.”  Sophie’s tale of heroism made Gabe’s stomach twist.  The idea of someone loving him so much that they would kill for him was something Gabe had trouble wrapping his mind around.

“Gabe,” Sophie continued, her tone changing, becoming heavier and smothered in regret.  “I want you to know I wasn’t trying to purposefully hide anything from you.  I honestly thought Michael had told you.”

Gabe remembered how angry he was at everyone.  It all seemed so unimportant at the moment.  Gabe shook his head, “I know you wouldn’t have hidden anything from me Sophie if you had known.  I just don’t understand why Michael…”  Gabe’s head pounded more heavily as the thought of the secrets filled his mind.

“Gabe, I spoke to Michael before you woke,”  Sophie explained.  “He said he was going to tell you at the end of the week about the entire prophecy.  He knew it was a lot to take in and he wanted you to see all the amazing things that happen here without that cloud hanging over you this week.”

As Gabe listened he realized he wasn’t filled with anger about the secrets anymore.  It was odd to imagine, but somehow he suddenly trusted Michael.  Perhaps it was the fact that he had just saved him, he wasn’t sure but he knew deep inside Michael wanted what was best for him.

“He just wanted what was best for you Gabe,” Sophie insisted, not realizing Gabe had just come to the same conclusion on his own.

“I know,” Gabe replied with a subtle smile.

Gabe looked down at his hands and began to fidget, rubbing his thumbs one against the other.  Everything in him wanted to reach out and hold onto Sophie and this place forever.  Sophie reached out and once again holding his hand squeezed it tightly.

Thinking about the kiss and all the unspoken words between them Gabe felt the urge to explain to Sophie exactly how she made him feel,  “Sophie, about that night in the library.”

Gabe’s eyes told Sophie exactly what he wanted to speak about.  She knew she liked Gabe more than she had any other boy but she also knew she did not want Gabe making any choices about their relationship based on being in emotional state.

“Oh,” Sophie gasped as she thought of something she could use to change the subject.  “Raimie mentioned he had planned to work on elementals with you today.  I told him you needed to rest but I wanted to ask, would you still like to meet with him this afternoon after you have rested or put it off until tomorrow?”

“Yes, I’d love to, I mean today.”  Gabe replied raising a hand to his pounding head.  He was in pain but thrilled with the idea of learning elemental spells.

“Well, rest first. The healers should be back around soon.”  Sophie explained.  “When you feel better, we can get you cleaned up and some food in your belly.  There is plenty of time for Raimie.”

Gabe closed his eyes, excited about the promising afternoon.  “Wait!”  Gabe gasped, popping up and eyes opening wide, ignoring the pain in his head.  He looked panicked at Sophie, “What about Mammon!”

“Gabe, calm down.”  Sophie said trying to comfort Gabe and return him to a reclining position.  “The clerics are focusing all their efforts on our boundaries and Michael is working on a plan.”

“But Sophie, he’s only miles away, and his soldiers,”  His eyes filled with terror as he tried to describe them but could not find the words.

“Gabe, please,  Sophie continued, again trying to get him to lie down.  “You have to trust Michael knows what he is doing.”

Gabe nodded, thinking about the beach and how Michael had come to his rescue. While Gabe replayed the event in his mind yet again, Sophie walked over to a nearby table and poured different powders into a glass of water.  She lifted the glass to look at the coloring after she stirred the concoction.  The clanging of the spoon on the sides of the glass grabbed Gabe’s attention and looking over with an inquisitive stare, Sophie smiled.

“An elixir that will help you rest,”  She explained.  Without question, Gabe drank down the chalky liquid and laid back, closed his eyes and before Sophie had even left the room he was fast asleep.

Chapter Nineteen

Gabe sat in silent astonishment for a moment; shocked that only hours ago he had been in utter misery.  When he first awoke, Gabe still felt a slight ache in his head but immediately upon regaining his senses he had drank the tea Sophie left for him. By the end of his shower all pain was gone.

Though the pain in his head had fled, his stomach was now roaring wildly.  Gabe was absolutely famished and hoped he would be able to find something to eat at the dining hall since he had slept right through lunch.  Gabe walked across the courtyard and into the grand kitchen.  He was pleased to find everything he needed to make a robust sandwich.  He poured a tall glass of milk to accompany his Herculean sandwich and casually walked out of the kitchen, a slight kick in his step.

Gabe cheerfully took a seat at the end of one of the tables with his meal.  It felt weird sitting in the huge room when it was empty.  He noted how it made him feel so small and insignificant.  Gabe took a heaping bite from the sandwich and moaned with delight as the flavors exploded in his mouth.  The sandwich didn’t take long to finish off, and soon Gabe was left wishing he had made a second.

Gabe cleared away his dishes and set out on his mission to locate Raimie.  He stepped outside into the crisp afternoon air and took in a deep breath.  His mind had never been clearer, he felt stronger, wiser, and ready to take on anything.  Quickly he amended that thought, anything except Mammon.  He was glad Michael was developing a plan to take care of that situation.  A shiver went down Gabe’s spine as an image of the wolf like man filled his head.

Gabe walked to the center of the courtyard and looked around but didn’t see anyone he recognized.  He pushed the image of Mammon from his mind as he continued searching for a moment more, deciding to look for Raimie in the cleric gardens.  Gabe thought perhaps he was there with Dina.

Entering the sacred grounds, Gabe saw the clerics were all busy casting one thing or another.  Fascinated by the magical energy flying all around him Gabe decided to take a seat on a nearby stone bench, enjoying the show for the moment.  Flowers were being coaxed from hiding by their words.  Grass grew where moments before it had been trampled by an earlier passerby.  The magical harmony amazed Gabe and he was warm with the idea that he got to be part of this world.