Tears rolled down her face, and she blinked hard to regain focus. At some point, she had fallen to her knees; she jumped to her feet quickly and spun around. Through the blur, she spotted Brigara with an outstretched hand. It took merely a second to register what was happening as she saw the flash of light from a fast-spinning sphere. It was heading directly toward her. Seneca lifted her arm to cover her face; her wings wrapped around her and enveloped her entire body. She was completely covered in a cocoon of light. She felt the impact but knew she was protected.
“You may have inherited the power of your mother’s wings, but she will know precisely what to do about that!” Brigara yelled.
Who will know? thought Seneca as she braced for impact. Brigara sent two flaming spheres hurling at her. The impact slammed Seneca into the wall, but her wings remained fixed. Another set of spheres appeared; they hovered and spun quickly, ready for launch. Seneca closed her eyes tightly. The overwhelming fear blocked her from reacting. She focused on slowing her breathing, but being wrapped in her wings was like a sauna and was causing her to hyperventilate. What had Wren said to do? Her mind was blank. She released a dreadful scream and braced for impact.
“Back off, you raggedy skank!” shouted Shayna as she stormed across the room. Her eyes were fixed on Brigara. “Get away from her!”
Shayna was winded, but she allowed her adrenaline to propel her into action. She raised her sword in preparation. Just as she began the magic chant to increase her sword’s power, an excruciating blow plowed into her lower back. She was stunned and crumpled to the floor. Before it registered what had happened, the attacker straddled her and started pounding on her chest. Shayna knocked it off with an elbow shot to its head and scrambled to her feet. Before she could get her balance, she was knocked down again. This time, she was prepared and countered by kicking it squarely in the shin. Shayna leaped high and came down hard with the hilt of her sword. It landed solidly between the attacker’s eyes, rocking it back on its heels until it collapsed at Shayna’s feet. Her sword hummed beneath her firm grasp.
Slightly disoriented, Shayna spun around until she spotted Brigara. She was dragging Seneca by her wings through a doorway. “Stop! let her go!”
Shayna darted across the room. It was too late. The door vanished just as the trailing tip of Seneca’s wings crossed the threshold. It was now a blank wall with aged water stains and peeling plaster. Shayna rubbed her hand against the wall, although she knew it had been a portal that only magic could reopen.
“No!” she screamed as she banged her fist against the wall.
Sensing movement, she quickly turned toward the enemy left behind. It was charging directly at her, its sword drawn and aimed directly at her. Shayna didn’t hesitate; she closed her eyes, crouched low, and swung as hard as she could. She shouted the incantation Wren had drilled into her head.
“Strikata escapto novatum!”
She felt the impact as the blade slashed through flesh. She timed her maneuver with precision to avoid injury while striking the exposed area of the assailant. She knew it was a lethal assault. She opened her eyes to survey the results. The attacker, with labored breathing, lay at her feet.
It was the first time Shayna noticed that her attacker was female. The fight had been moving so fast that it hadn’t registered. Shayna swallowed hard as she looked down on the fallen enemy. She had thick waist-length auburn hair. It was matted and twisted in clumps throughout, and the style appeared intentional. Each twisted section was wrapped in gold thread and decorative bands of maroon and black. She was taller than average but extremely gaunt. Shayna figured she was most likely an elf since she resembled Wren slightly. Her ears had the same angular pointed tips, and the clothing was similar. Her eyes might have been just as vibrant at an earlier time, but now they were bloodshot and filled with rage.
The elf held her side, just above her pelvic bone, with both hands. The injury was major. Blood flowed steadily and drenched her clothing. Shayna watched motionlessly. She had never seen so much blood. She needed to contemplate the situation.
Shayna flexed her fingers and tightened her hold around the grip of her sword. The ice-blue blade vibrated in acknowledgment. She positioned the edge a fraction of a millimeter from the elf’s throat. She steadied her hands and looked directly into her enemy’s eyes. “You will tell me where Brigara has taken Seneca, or I will put an end to your wretched existence!” Her voice quivered slightly, but her stance remained fierce.
“I’m passing from this world soon enough,” she groaned. “Your threats are meaningless.”
Although her coloring was deep, her face was somewhat pale, except for the eyelids. They had turned a dark shade of purple and were nearly swollen shut. Shayna assumed the hits to the bridge of her nose and head were the cause.
“You’re not going anywhere until I get some answers!” Shayna raged.
“You may strike at will, as my fate cannot be altered,” she replied. The elf gasped for breath and cringed. “I will be passing soon.” Her eyelids fluttered, and her dark hazel eyes had a cloudy haze across them. She closed them tightly as her body arched slightly, and she muffled a cry of pain. The elf released her grip on the wound and let out a soft sigh.
Shayna slowly realized the full extent of the damage her sword had yielded. Her chest tightened, and her throat was too dry to swallow. She took in a deep breath and positioned the sword above her head as she pulled her shoulders back. She was ready to strike. She looked down at the dying elf, and her eyes filled with tears. There’s no room for pity, she thought. I must find Seneca, no matter what.
“You can die slowly and in pain, or I can offer you mercy with a swift end to your suffering,” said Shayna sternly. She focused on not allowing her tears to flow and sniffed hard to keep them at bay. She wanted to sound convincing, although she was merely quoting a famous line from an action movie she had seen several times.
“You would grant this to me?” her enemy asked. Her voice was barely audible.
The confusion on the elf’s face caught Shayna by surprise. The elf’s eyes locked on hers briefly; the lids fluttered and then closed.
“Well, yeah, I mean, isn’t that the noble thing to do in these situations?” said Shayna.
Her confidence in being able to kill was waning, as was her adrenaline. It was different when the battle was active. It didn’t help that her enemy was trying to have a conversation.
“Look, just tell me where Brigara took Seneca. Then we can figure out the terms of my offer and all that later.” Shayna lowered her sword but kept both hands firmly around the hilt.
“She is not who you believe her to be. She is not…Brigara does not have—”
“Brigara does not have what?” She raised her sword again in a threat to strike. “Spit it out! She doesn’t have Seneca? Is that what you’re trying to say? Huh? Tell me!”
It was too late for any reply. Shayna’s mouth hung open as she watched the elf take her last breath. She resisted the urge to grab hold and shake her. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, but she didn’t have the strength. What did she mean? What was she trying to say? The words kept swirling around in her head. “She is not who you believe her to be.” If Brigara doesn’t have her, who does?
“I’ve got to get back to Rileau,” she mumbled. “He can get Seneca back.”
It had taken them hours to get to there. She needed help now. Shayna knew that teleporting was risky. She’d only tried it in and around the castle. Picturing the dining room or the bedrooms was tough enough. She could still feel the bruises from slamming into the bookcase. Ending up with the sheep wasn’t desirable either, but at least she’d be close.
“Think, Shayna!” she yelled. “Get your butt into gear and do this!”
She closed her eyes and attempted to see the details of the flowers that lined the edge of the stone bridge leading to the castle. She imagined the lave
nder scent that wisped through the breeze and the feeling of it tickling her nose. She recalled the sensation of touching the cool stone wall. She thought of the dark and mysterious water beneath the bridge and the massive archway that framed the entrance to the castle. She was ready. She held her breath. Squeezing her eyelids shut tightly, she swiped a hand across the reflectoire. The familiar vibration and dizziness came in a sudden wave, as before, but something was wrong. It was too late to stop, so she braced herself for impact.
She instinctively held her breath. The dark water was too dense to make out anything around her. Shayna kicked hard and pushed her way until her head bobbed above the surface. The water was surprisingly warm and calm. She swam effortlessly to the closest bank and crawled into the thick grass that lined the water’s edge. It hadn’t been her target, but she was close enough. She stood and looked out at the familiar bridge that led into Rileau’s castle. A brisk wind blew leaves across her soaked boots. She gazed up at the sky to see a mass of ominous dark clouds looming.
“A storm is definitely brewing. I’ve gotta work on this teleporting thing,” she said aloud as she ran as fast as her legs would propel her. She rushed to the massive door and pushed hard. “Brigara’s got Seneca! Help! She’s got Seneca!”
Rileau rounded the corner and nearly crashed into Shayna before putting his arms out to avoid impact. “What are you saying? How is that possible?” he asked skeptically.
“What’s going on?” asked Jake, who had heard the yelling. He and Conner had followed Rileau to the foyer.
“Brigara’s here, and she’s got Seneca!” Shayna shouted as she brushed past Rileau and grabbed on to Jake before quickly pulling away. Her mind was racing, and the words weren’t forming as clearly as she wanted. She was shivering and circled frantically as she tried to slow down and tell them all she knew. “She came without warning, and she wasn’t alone. An elf was helping her.”
It took every ounce of strength she had to stay steady and not collapse. Saying the words out loud gave them truth. She felt sick each time her mind tried to paint a picture of what could potentially be happening to Seneca. It was unbearable.
“Brigara has Seneca? How? What happened? I’ll destroy her!” Conner fumed. He pounded his fist into the palm of his hand.
“Where is she?” Jake asked “What are we waiting for? Let’s get her back!”
“She’s gone. Brigara took her,” said Shayna faintly. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she covered her face.
“Tell me all. Do not forego any detail!” said Rileau as he motioned for Shayna to sit down.
Shayna hesitated as she wrung her hands. She was too keyed up to sit, but she decided not to protest. Her thoughts were jumbled, and she wondered if it was a residual effect from teleporting. She felt a little nauseated and decided that sitting was probably a good idea. She swallowed hard in an attempt to keep anything from rising up. She took a deep breath and wiped her tears. “I can tell you what I know, but I don’t know if it will help any,” she said.
“I can’t believe this. How did she do it?” asked Jake anxiously. He circled around like a caged animal. He feared the worst.
“Let her speak,” said Rileau. His large hand waved through the air to motion for silence.
Jake didn’t argue as he sat down and eased in next to Shayna. Conner hung back. His mind went blank as he mumbled incoherently.
“Are you okay? Did you sustain any injuries?” Rileau asked in a low, steady voice.
“I’m fine,” replied Shayna. She knew she wasn’t, but it was her knee-jerk response. She started to change her answer before Conner bounded across the room like a young kangaroo.
“Really? You look like you’re soaking wet!” said Conner. “Maybe she used some kind of water spell on you—like zap! Hocus-pocus—you’re a sponge!” He wiggled his fingers in the air to simulate casting a spell.
“Shut up, Conner! Pay attention for once. Seneca’s in danger. Don’t you get it?” Jake roared.
“Who cares if I’m fine? She’s not! For your information, when I tried to teleport here, I ended up in the water outside the castle,” said Shayna. “There. I said it. Are you satisfied?” She ran her hands through her hair and whisked away the excess water. She created a small puddle that was quickly absorbed into the area rug.
“What you’re saying is that you have bad aim, and that’s why you’re dripping?” asked Conner.
“Enough! Conner, you must hold your tongue and let her explain what has become of Seneca,” snapped Rileau. His eyes glowed a deep green.
“Brigara disappeared through some kind of portal with Seneca!” Shayna yelled. Her cheeks flushed red as she glared at Conner. He took the hint and stepped back a few feet while eyeing her closely.
“Brigara…” Jake’s voice trailed off. He hadn’t thought they needed to be prepared to battle her already. They were still learning. “What do we do, Rileau?”
They turned to Rileau and searched his face for a reaction and a signal that he had a game plan. He didn’t respond. Instead, he strolled slowly to the window and gazed out into the distance. A swirling cloud of smoke encircled his head and momentarily obscured his face.
“You heard me, right? Brigara took Seneca!” yelled Shayna. “Say something!” She leaped to her feet, ready to charge, and Jake pulled her back to keep her from pouncing. “What are we going to do?” she screamed.
“We’ve got to get her back. Are you listening?” Jake said. He loosened his grip on Shayna as she wrestled free.
“Yeah, I hear you both. Now, tell me exactly what happened, Shayna,” said Rileau as he turned to face them. “I must know the specific details if we are to get her back.”
“If,” Conner muttered to himself.
Rileau fanned the continuous streams of smoke that escaped his flared nostrils. The smoke was filling the room quickly, and Conner joined him in swiping at the air.
“Please sit down, Shayna. Speak of all that happened,” Rileau said sternly. “Time is of the essence. If Brigara has her, it is not likely she will survive for long.” He paced in front of her but kept his head turned in her direction.
Shayna slid to the edge of the enormous velvet upholstered chair. She smoothed a few strands of drenched hair away from her face and tucked them behind her ears. She took a deep breath and began to recount each aspect of the attack. She included as much detail as possible. She described how the elf had looked, the sword she’d used in the attack, and how her nose had been broken in the battle. She tried to be vague about the fatal blow that had ended the elf’s life, but she gave enough details so that they surmised it had been brutal but necessary. Shayna never revealed the incantation she’d cast. She was aware that it was the magic that had ended a life. It was hard for her to fathom the new reality of her life.
“You said this elf you combatted was the one who took Seneca, right? Was it not Brigara?” asked Rileau.
“Not exactly. Well, maybe, sure, but you’ve gotta understand. The elf was dying and mumbling a lot,” replied Shayna. Her mind flashed to the blood that had pooled around the elf. She shook her head to erase the image. “It seemed like she was trying hard to tell me that it wasn’t Brigara, but then again, I can’t be totally positive.”
“But you said you saw her! So, was it or was it not Brigara who took Seneca?” Jake said.
He had made himself a part of the interrogation, although he knew Rileau wouldn’t welcome or tolerate it. Jake heard a low growl as he met Rileau’s eyes. He took a small step sideways as a precaution.
“Allow me to put forth the questions,” said Rileau firmly. Another burst of smoke filled the air. He returned his attention to Shayna.
Shayna was beginning to feel the chill from her damp clothes. She pulled a heavily embroidered wool blanket from the back of the chair and draped it around her shoulders. She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped the blanket around her
shivering body until she was completely covered; only her face remained exposed. “Indeed, it was Brigara. I saw her! And did I mention those fireball things she was hurling at Seneca? Seneca, by the way, did an awesome job protecting herself with her wings. She has some mighty powerful feathers. I guess they’re not really feathers though. I wonder what they’re made of.”
“Shayna! You must focus,” Rileau said. “Tell me if she spoke. Did Brigara actually say anything?” They all watched the stream of smoke jet from his flared nostrils and dissipate in the air above his head. His tail raised and then smacked the ground like thunder. The room shook as they kept all eyes on him.
“Yes. She did talk. Ah, but you know how she’s always ranting. She said something about Seneca’s wings—when those big ole flaming fireballs didn’t hurt her,” said Shayna. Her voice trembled slightly. An image flashed through her head of being clobbered by Rileau’s tail, and it made her shudder. She blinked hard to erase the disturbing picture in her mind. She didn’t want to provide false information, so she concentrated hard to recount all she had witnessed.
“What were the specific words she spoke?” asked Rileau as he released more smoke. It rose slowly and twisted upward before it dissipated high above his head.
Jake followed the trail upward and watched it swirl and evaporate. He was fascinated by the idea of generating smoke from within. He realized that like a steam engine, Rileau needed to release a bit of it as a way to maintain his composure. It made him wonder what would happen if Rileau’s anger reached its peak. He’d been vague about how powerful he was when consuming the platinum elixir. Jake realized he actually wanted to see Rileau rage and reveal his full capabilities. He didn’t know if it would ever come to that, but now that Brigara had Seneca, perhaps under the circumstances, his hopes would be realized.