Unleashed: The Deepest Fears Lie Within (Secrets of the Makai) (38 page)

“Then, it is revenge you seek?” Donovan asked.

“For a time, perhaps.” The shadow engulfed a tree. “So long as one dragon lives, the contract is binding. The gems will continue cursing those who come into contact with them. There is no freedom.” The shadow gathered loose leaves as it spiraled into the shape of the leaf monster. “You will pay for the crimes of your ancestors, for taking my life and trapping my soul to this wretched spot of nothing. Every last one of you will pay!”

More of the forest fell to ruin. Tristan held back his screams and glanced at Landon, who appeared to be fighting against Victor’s hold.

“How are you trapped? I saw you with the sapphire.”

“I have many traps throughout the world. How else would the Slayers know where to find new targets?”

“There are other dragons? Like—” He still had a hard time admitting it, even to himself.

“All dragons hear the call, and if I am not freed upon your death, then I will continue waiting patiently for others. I have all the time in the world.”

“So, you can’t kill people who hear the call of your trap, and that’s why you have the Slayers?” asked Donovan.

“Everyone has limitations. But I think I’m onto something here.” The shadow expanded like a net to round up a flock of red and blue birds.

Tristan squeezed his eyes against the agonizing explosion in his chest.

Tristan,
Donovan hissed.
Unmake him.

“The funny thing is,” continued the voice, “I think it will kill him to try. Not only am I already dead, but only a small portion of my awareness is in this room. So yes! I am anxious to see if he is the last of his kind!”

The shadow flew through every flower, every last leaf, filling the room with piercing screams until nothing but white walls and a white ceiling remained. It swooped toward Victor and Landon like a freight train.

Tristan did the only thing he could think of.

An explosion of lightning and thunder filled the room as a black hole materialized in the shadow’s path; it had no time to change direction. Waves of ash, all light and sound...Tristan snapped the gateway shut, suddenly unsure if Landon and Victor were safe on the back side. Did it pull from both directions? Where was Donovan?

Tristan lay in the silent blackness, alone on solid bedrock. His body wouldn’t move, bound by something he couldn’t see. He cringed at the thought of what he’d done; how easy it would be to destroy the entire world. The universe.

All it would take is a simple thought.

Maybe that was exactly what had happened.

40
-
S
AMARA
-

TRISTAN REMEMBERED brief pieces of time. Donovan shouting demands to be released. Himself being chiseled out of the floor. The darkness.

The room around him was empty, but for the camping cot he was resting on and a whisper hovering nearby, calling his name.

Is everyone okay?
thought Tristan.

To my knowledge, yes.

It wasn’t a voice he recognized, though it seemed familiar.
All he could think about was Lazaro, and getting the map back.
Who are you?

I was once called Samara. But now, they call me The Room. Rather dull if you ask me, but Donovan has a rare sense of humor.

Tristan smiled at the thought.
Are you trapped in this place?

I
am
this place. Though I wasn’t always. I am a creator, like you. Only these days, it seems they call it composing.

Tristan noticed the staff lying beside him and used it to pull himself upright.
Donovan asked where I got this, did you make it?

I did. It will keep your thoughts subdued.

What if I don’t want my thoughts subdued?

Are you up for a challenge so soon?

Tristan shook his head.

Beware a power like this, one you can’t control.

Maybe he should ask for another staff, for double protection. He shuffled toward the doorway leading out, taking in the empty, white dome. “What happened to the trees?”

Donovan requested I remove environmental decor, which in his mind means a blank, white room with no corners. Sometimes he likes the outdoors...sometimes he likes Paris. I try not to bore him.

Do you have to do what he says?
Tristan started toward the doorway, anxious to get the map back, desperate to get home.

I can be stubborn, but I do value his attention. He’s been with me for a very long time. Longer than anyone.

Did you make me face a dragon, or was that Donovan’s doing?

Oh, he was angry,
Samara said.
But he wanted you tested, and it’s been so long since I’ve trained a dragon. He’s very clear with his instructions, but problems escalated and I could no longer control the elements.

Problems?
“Understatement of the century,” he muttered.

It can happen when there are two creators at odds with each other.

There was no knob on the door. Tristan laid a hand against the cool surface and pushed, with no luck.
May I leave?

Donovan does not wish it.

Tristan shut his eyes and took a breath, willing a doorknob of his own. He turned the knob, stepped over the threshold, and peered up at the long staircase of stone.

Please stay,
Samara said.
It isn’t safe for you out there and I do want you to survive.

There’s something I have to do. I have no choice.

Please?
pleaded the woman. Tristan turned to face the blank room, confused by her obvious stress over him leaving.
Donovan entrusted me to keep you safe. If you leave....

Promise you won’t use dragons against me, and I’ll come back to train with you.

You won’t come willingly?

Tristan turned from the room and took a step up.
You can’t keep me here.

He climbed the stone staircase one step at a time, leaning heavily on the staff. He almost turned around, thinking Samara might be tricking him with stairs that never ended. But he finally came to an arching tunnel and leaned against the wall.

“Tristan?” called Landon, followed by Victor. “What are you doing up here?”

Tristan clung to the staff, startled when the little pixie girl fluttered a few inches from his face. “You survived? I thought for sure—”

“She was hiding in my pocket.” Landon grinned, holding out his hand so she could land. “She doesn’t remember her name, but we’ve been calling her Pink.”

Better than Sapphire, or Blue, to go with the hair. “Why Pink?” It better not be because it rhymed with Tink....

“Alvi thought it matched her personality,” Victor said. “We can change it if you don’t like it.”

“I like it!” The tiny girl leaped into a backwards summersault, leaving a trail of silver-blue sparkles.

Tristan smiled at the pure joy of it. But he had no time to think about her existence.

Now.
It wasn’t so much a voice in his head, but a need. He pushed away from the wall and started walking again.

“Where are we going?” Victor asked.

“I don’t know, but I think Lazaro is about to break something. I’m supposed to be there.”

“Where?”

Tristan shrugged. “Where’s the door?”

Landon and Victor exchanged a glance, then led the way with the little pixie flying in zigzags, exploring all the dark crevices of the rounded stone ceiling.

“I thought she was made up,” Tristan whispered, accepting Landon’s help to walk steady.

“She’s as real as we are. We’ve been feeding her all morning and she laughs at the silliest things.”

“I hate to ask, but, can you get Donovan in on this? I don’t know what I’m doing, and I’m sure he’ll be furious when he finds out I left.”

“I’ve already called him.”

Tristan nodded. “Tell him they’re making me.”

“Who?”

“The Council.”

“Are you sure?”

Tristan nodded again, half asleep by the time they came to the enormous doors.

“You aren’t ready for this. Can’t it wait?”

“No. Can you follow me? Just until Donovan gets there?”

Victor opened the towering doors. The little pixie darted outside with squeals of delight. The surrounding trees and shrubs seemed rejuvenated by her presence—more vibrant in color, emitting a type of essence he’d never felt before.

“This isn’t a good idea,” Landon said. “We should wait.”

Tristan closed his eyes and let the rush of fresh air fill his lungs. “No time.”

Salty, ocean water blasted his face in the freezing wind. Tristan clung to the staff and studied the coastal inlet. The sun would be down in an hour or less. The beacon of lighthouse shined brightly on the distant cliff.

“You have the right spot,” Donovan said, focused on the same rock Tristan had his eyes on. It sat in the ocean about 100 yards offshore. “Lazaro’s been chiseling for a few weeks now. He’s lost eleven men, and I’d say the nearest town has lost about seven in freak accidents.”

“He’s getting close.”

“What does the council expect you to do?”

“Move it somewhere else.”

“I see.”

“The curse will radiate at full strength if Lazaro exposes it to the air. I don’t know what sort of accidents will happen then, but it’ll be bad. Maybe a tsunami, maybe an earthquake, I really don’t know.”

Donovan nodded. “I’ll do what I can to make it a smooth transition.”

“Lazaro will probably think he destroyed it. Do you think I should leave some sort of proof?”

“I think you’ll need all the strength you have just to transport it elsewhere. I assume you know where you’re taking it?”

“No idea. If I don’t come back right away, it’s because I’m tired. But I plan to go to my cabin when I’m done.”

“Landon and Victor will—”

Tristan smiled as they appeared beside him. The pixie yelped in fright at the sight of Donovan and dove under Landon’s ponytail.

“You didn’t.” Donovan scowled, glaring at Tristan with narrowed eyes.

“She survived,” Landon said quickly. “We’ll take care of her, I promise.”

“She’s really no trouble,” Victor added.

“We’ll discuss it later.”

“Her!” Landon and Victor said together.

“Fine. Her. Right now, go to the cabin and triple the security. I don’t care how, but get it done fast. Tell Alpheus to give you that fang; Tristan needs to hide more than we do.” Donovan pointed his finger at Tristan. “And before you object, if you want to stay in your own home, there’s going to be some changes. Deal with it.”

Tristan shrugged. Landon and Victor vanished with Pink.

“I promised Samara I’d train with her, but I want time. If we take care of this, there’s no hurry, right?”

“Samara?”

“The Room. The training place?”

“It has a name?”

“You seriously didn’t know that?” Tristan eyed Donovan suspiciously. “She—” Tristan paused for a moment. If Donovan didn’t even know the woman’s name...he didn’t dare shove a wedge in whatever sort of relationship they had. “She wouldn’t let me out, so I made myself a doorknob and let myself out. And then I promised I’d be willing to come back, but only if she’d promise not to put me against dragons.”

“Interesting.” Donovan looked at the rock with the hint of amusement in his expression, seeming content to drop the subject. “So, you are to reseal the gem in a new location?”

Sounded about right. “Whatever I end up doing, don’t follow me. It will be in the open and I don’t know what this bad luck is. I’m only guessing it won’t harm me, but I can’t speak for anyone else.”

“It doesn’t have to be exposed.”

“I just want to keep it as simple as possible.”

“I’d advise you not to touch this one. It’s the first gem I’ve heard of that has an effect without actual contact.”

Tristan agreed, though he couldn’t actually say what curses the other gems produced. How many gems were still out there? Was he going to have to move all of them?

Donovan gripped Tristan’s shoulders, shaking him until he opened his eyes. “I don’t like how this is going.”

“I haven’t started.”

“You’re in no condition to be out here.”

“Did I miss something?”

“I would never put Landon or Victor in this much risk.”

“No one will know I’m here. All I have to do is...take the thing and leave. From here.”

Donovan fumed, facial muscles twitching with anger. “I’ll stay for a few minutes to take care of any backlash.”

“What do you expect him to do, throw a fit? Claim it’s not fair?”

Donovan clenched his jaw. “If you’re not home within an hour, I’m coming after you.”

“Give me a day.”

“Hell no. Do whatever you need to do and get home. End of story.”