“Wess!” I called when I saw him leaving the Training Hall.
He turned toward me. He looked as though he’d been up all night. He had bags under his blue-green eyes and he looked about to fall asleep. He didn’t look very happy either.
“Hey, Leigha,” he said, walking slowly up to me.
“Are you okay?” I asked. “You look terrible.
Wess shrugged, “I’m alright.”
“No,” I stated, “you’re not. Tell me what happened. You and Claire both seem so...sad, I guess. Both of you are acting so strange.”
He shrugged again, “I think all of us were wrong about Claire and me, you know, being soul mates. It just doesn’t seem right.”
“I don’t think we were wrong about you two. I still think we’re right. Maybe if you told me what happened I could help,” I said.
“You and I both disagree with Claire. She seems to think we were wrong.”
“No, I think you’re wrong about what she thinks. Tell me what happened. I think you’re avoiding talking about this.”
“Claire came out to me after she tried to get you to tell her your plan. She seemed so upset; she was crying. I asked her what happened and she just shook her head and started to sob. When I tried to comfort her she pushed me away and ran from me. I swear she said ‘I’m sorry.’”
“She’s frustrated, worried, stressed, and upset. Most of it’s my fault. I’m her problem not you. Don’t push her and don’t ask her about it.”
He sighed heavily, “What should I do now?”
“Don’t push her, like I said, but make sure she knows you won’t leave her. Make sure she knows you’re there for her and don’t leave her behind. Let her know you love her.”
“Thanks,” he said, smiling weakly.
I turned and headed back to my room. Now that I’d dealt with Claire’s problem all of my other ones came back to me. The Call of the Dark came back into my head, a constant echo. I had completely convinced myself that I was the daughter in the song. Claire was whole-hearted and good; the kind of person who never did anything wrong, while I was wild and uncontrollable. Claire never broke rules, never pushed people, never had angry outbursts, and never hurt someone unless it was her very last choice. I did what I thought was right, but I was still bad in some ways. I’d killed countless Dark Siders and a few humans without remorse and the worst thing Claire had ever done was runn away from Wess.
I had to be the one. There was no way it was Claire. There was no way I’d let it be Claire.
I was half Dark.
I was a Dark fairy.
I collapsed onto my bed and used my mind to close the door. I realized how exhausted I was when my head hit the pillow. I had too much to deal with.
I would wake up the next morning with all of my injuries, but I would be permitted to fly and walk without crutches a little. I was going to rescue Luke. We’d been apart too long and I wouldn’t leave him in prison any longer. I knew where he was and I could find him. I would leave the next night when everyone was sound asleep and Joseph’s, Ellie’s, and Marie’s punishments were taken care of.
~~~~~
Luke was barely alive anymore. He couldn’t take the beatings. They were slowly killing him. They wanted to know whether Leigha had lived, the idiots. They wanted to know where the shrine was and how to get in. He refused to speak. They’d killed Leigha. Killed her! Now, they expected him to talk. He’d die first. He’d die for her. He wouldn’t let the dark girl get into his head. He wouldn’t let them turn him.
~~~~~
Claire shook me awake around ten o’clock and I was glad to be woken. I couldn’t take seeing Luke like that and hearing what he was thinking.
I had to eat and get dressed before we left. The only thing I had to do was go to the place where the punishments were being given and open and close the portal to Abaddon. I didn’t want or have to stay and watch Marie’s death, so I would happily leave once Joseph and Ellie were taken care of.
When Claire was done wrestling me into a blue gown and I had finished eating toast, it was an hour until the Punishment Hour. The twelve o’clock hour was always the Punishment Hour along with the Dark Hour. Punishments were taken out then and the Dark Siders were at their strongest.
I spent the next hour sitting on my couch, chewing a hole through my lip, and thinking. The Call of the Dark played through my head over and over again while I analyzed it for proof of my being a Dark fairy, but there was nothing in the song itself. Only what I knew about mine and Claire’s personality could aid me in the answer to the question.
There was no possible way for it to be Claire.
It had to be me.
What would Luke think?
He though I was dead.
I was dangerous.
Luke was going to die.
I covered my face with my hands, but I refused to sink into the weakness of crying. If I truly was a Dark fairy I was stronger than that, fiercer than that.
After a while Claire came and knocked on my door. She opened it and leaned inside without waiting for an answer. One look at me and she came running to me.
“What’s wrong?” She asked, seating herself next to me.
I pushed her away and she stood, “I’m a Dark fairy,” I growled.
She laughed. She actually laughed and said, “No, you aren’t.”
“Well, you most definitely aren’t and we’re our mother’s only daughters. There’s no one else it could be.”
“That we know about. Think, Leigha. If she’d had a Dark child she wouldn’t have told anyone. It would’ve been a huge secret. No one would’ve known.”
Suddenly, I had a moment of clarity. “Claire, the song talks about a Dark King. I thought about it before, but I was too messed up to really question it, but…a Dark King. We didn’t know about it, but Mother did, she had to. Unless...unless it was like Rob and I. Or if the Dark King has tons of power.”
Claire nodded thoughtfully, “We’ve heard quite a bit of talk about this Dark King, but haven’t asked about it. There have been a lot of other things on our mind, but I think it’s time we look into it a little more. Shall we?”
“Yes, but for now we should go. It’s almost time.”
She nodded and took my hand, “It’ll be okay,” she whispered as we walked out the door, “It’ll all be fine. I promise.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Claire and I walked to the dungeon where the punishments would be taken out. It was nothing special because no one liked to watch it happen, therefore, there were only a few people there to witness. Me, Claire, Alex, the executioner, and a few witnesses from the jury to make sure the punishments happened.
Ellie, Joseph, and Marie were brought out of their cells. Each were held between two guards and their hands were bound with cuffs that not only bound their hands, but their powers, as well.
Ellie and Joseph were brought to stand to the right of me while Claire and Alex stood on my left. I lifted my hands and closed me eyes in concentration. I felt the portal open and I opened my eyes still holding out my hands. The portal to Abaddon was different than the light colored swirls of every other portal. This one was a swirling black and grey vortex that seemed to be pulling everything in the room towards it.
Ellie and Joseph were marched up to stand in front of me, but still to the side so I could keep the portal open. Ellie sent one last piercing glare at me, which I returned, before she was shoved into the vortex. Joseph, on the other hand, put up a bit more of a fight.
“Leigha, where did we go? What happened to us?” He asked me, a pleading look on his face, “I love you and I know you love me even if you won’t admit it. I can be better to you than Luke can. I can love you more. At least you know I’m alive.”
Tears threatened; I could feel them pricking at the back of my eyes. “No,” I whispered. “He’s alive.”
“So maybe he is alive,” Joseph said, his tone turning dark. “But would he really take you back if he knew what you are?”
I
turned my face away from Joseph and didn’t turn around until I heard him the “whoosh” sound made when he was shoved into the portal. I dropped my arms and turned back around. It was done. Joseph and Ellie were gone forever into Abaddon.
Claire put her arm around me, “You okay?”
I nodded. My strength was returning, so I didn’t feel as exhausted anymore. I had healed some, so there wasn’t such a huge toll on me anymore from using magic.
She shook her head, “I meant about what he said. Leigha, Luke’s not dead, I promise. You and I both know he’s stronger than that…and you’re not Dark. Remember what I said, Mother would’ve kept it a secret. Joseph’s just trying to shake you up.”
“We don’t know that Luke’s still out there. They could’ve killed him by now. We’ve waited too long,” I replied, ignoring what she’d said about our mother. Joseph had confirmed what I’d thought about myself and I knew Claire was wrong.
“They wouldn’t have killed him. They want the First Obliviator back and that’s why they have him. And Leigha, I don’t care if you think we’ve waited too long; we’re waiting longer. You need to finish healing.”
I sighed and turned to go back to my room, “Or it could all be a trap.”
As I walked away I knew the unspoken words that had traveled between us after I’d said that. If this was a trap, it was a trap I was walking straight into.
~~~~~
I dressed myself in my black, light armor. No one was watching me because they thought I was very weak. I’d managed to fake being so weak just for this. The fainting had been real, but I hadn’t needed all the sleep I’d gotten. It had built up, though, and now I was wide awake.
Around midnight I made one of my window panes dissapear. I took a deep breath and jumped, letting my wings catch the air. I looked back only to make sure my window pane was back as if it had never left.
My powerful wings carried me to the Dark Base in only thirty minutes. I had to wait until one to enter since twelve was the Dark Hour and it was much too dangerous. I didn’t know what would work for me though, the Light Hour (one) or the Dark Hour. If I were a Dark fairy did both make me more powerful? Did neither? Did one or the other? Or did I have a completely different hour?
I landed down in the shadows of the trees and hid among them. I closed my eyes and let the beautiful meadow melt into the Dark Base. I opened my eyes and almost gasped in the surprise. The large building was tall and pitch black. It was so tall and blended so well with the overcast sky I couldn’t see the top. The building had a kind of terrifyingly majestic feel. It was beautiful, but you could tell it was evil.
While searching for the top of the building I heard voices. Two people were quarrelling as they exited the building and they weren’t worried about keeping quiet. Even though I knew I blended with the shadows perfectly I made myself disappear and slipped deeper into the trees. I knew some Darks could see through the invisibility shield like all Lights, even though it was very rare.
I saw a flash of golden hair the exact color of mine, but straight and cut only a little longer than chin length. Then, I heard the voice that went with the hair.
“I said to get rid of him,” hissed a heavily accented female voice. It wasn’t a human accent. It sounded more snakelike; the way you’d imagine a talking snake would sound.
“But he could help-” a male voice. Spanish. Did everyone here have accents?
The girl, or more of a young woman, really, snapped her fingers and the man went silent immediately, “We have no need for him if he won’t turn Dark. She’ll think he’s alive and come anyways. You know how Lights are with their sappy love.”
“How do you know she’s still alive?”
The girl said nothing, but after a few seconds the man replied.
“Oh, yeah. Sorry.”
Their conversation faded as they walked away. I pondered who “he” and “she” could be. It could easily have been Luke and I, but how would she have known if I were alive?
I snapped myself out of my stupor; it was almost one. I had to save Luke now. If they had been talking about us I would have no other chance. He could be dead by morning.
I slipped as close to the building as I dared and waited the last few minutes. A clock ticked in my head counting down the seconds until one. Until I could see Luke. Five minutes.
Four minutes.
Three.
Two.
One.
I took a deep breath. It was time.
Keeping my shroud of invisibility I walked up to stand by the door. The idiot Darks had no one standing guard. They probably thought no Lights knew about their base. I waited a minute or two with my ear pressed against the door. Hearing nothing, I opened the door a tiny bit and slipped inside.
Inside there was barely any light and it appeared as though everything was painted black. To go with the already dark and dismal theme there were no window and there were chains everywhere. I noticed doors lining the hallway where I could still see and it appeared that there were a few other hallways and staircases.
At the first staircase I found I began walking up. After three more staircases I realized it was hopeless to get myself lost. It was a huge building. I quickly came up with a Plan B and just in time, too, because a Dark happened to be walking up.
First, I tried to infiltrate his mind, but hit a block. I’d expected that so I continued with my plan. I lost my shroud of invisibility as I stepped in front of him. When he saw me his face hardened instantly and he reached for a knife. I froze his body with magic.
“Wait,” my hand was held out as if telling him to stop, but it was really to hold the spell. “I’m here for a trade.”
“What kind of trade?” He growled, still frozen in place.
I took a deep, steadying breath, “I’ll give you my wings,” I told him, “if you lead me to Luke and tell no one about you seeing me.”
“What’s in it for us?”
“It’ll make me weak, could kill me even, and will make all the other Lights weak until there’s a new queen. I can’t rule without wings,” I lied. It would only bind some of my powers and my Light form for three to four weeks until my wings grew back.
“If you die, won’t a new queen take your place? You have a sister, do you not?”
I laughed bitterly, “Impossible. First of all, I’m the most powerful queen Lights have ever seen or probably will ever see. Second of all, no other Light of my generation can rule. There has to be a child from my sister or I to carry on. The Lights would have to wait until that child is of age,” I said, only partially lying. The first part was true.
“And how do I know you’re not lying?” As he said that I realized he was the same man I’d heard talking earlier.
“Because I would do anything for Luke.”
He nodded and I released him. He finished the task of pulling out his knife.
I closed my eyes and release my wings from their tight hold against my back. I felt the knife begin to slice through my left wing. I bit my lip to keep from crying out in pain. Silent tears made rivers on my cheeks and my wing fell to the floor. I fought to breath and struggled against sobs.
He started on the second one. I waited in agony for what felt like hours before I finally heard it hit the floor.
I turned to him, pulling together all the composure I had left, “Take me to Luke.”
He walked past me and I followed. He led me up three more flights of stairs and down twisting hallways. We stopped at an absolutely pitch black hallway.
“His cell’s on the left. I can’t take you further.
Once he was gone I cupped my hands and blew in them. An orb of light that only I could see glowed between them. I began to walk slowly, only looking at the cells on my left, but what I saw was terrible. I saw Darks themselves covered in filth and cowering in corners looking terrified and beaten. There were Lights in the exact same position in the same cells as the Darks. Everything was so terrible. Did the Dark King do this to disobedient follo
wers? I didn’t think even Darks could be so cruel.
I sighed slightly in relief when I saw black hair. I crouched in front of the bars. Luke was alone in his cell. His face was haggard and he looked absolutely horrible. I knew he couldn’t see my light, but everything I’d walked past had noticed me and I guess my footsteps had given me away. Or my hair because it was so light it would show even in this dark
Luke could see me, too, but I didn’t get the reaction I’d expected. He cowered away from me as if he couldn’t get far enough away.
“I won’t,” he growled, struggling to his feet, “I’d never betray her. Even if you looked and talked exactly like her I’d still know it was you!”
“Who?” I asked softly.
“This is cruel,” he said, staggering to the bars and grabbing onto them. He pressed his face against them in front of me, “You are a cruel person, though,” he growled.
“Luke! What are you talking about?” We were both still whispering.
Luke laughed bitterly, “Why are you asking me that, J. J.? You know perfectly well what you’ve done and what you’re doing!”
The snake-like voice I’d heard earlier came from behind me and I spun, “Yes, I do, Luke.”
There was a glow coming from her hands and I made mine visible as well. I could see the vampire who’d cut off my wings standing slightly behind her. His eyes glowed a vibrant red.
“I gave you a choice, Luke!” She cried, “Turn Dark, or, well, now look what you’ve done!” She cackled, “Would you like to show him your wings, sister?”
Luke was shaking his head with his hand over his ears as he muttered, “No!” over and over again, “No!” He finally screamed, “You can’t do this! Leave her alone!”
“Oh, but I can! I can do whatever I want to,” she mocked and looked at me, “Shall I tell him, mute girl?”
I looked closely at her as she slunk closer to Luke’s cell taunting him with her pet Dark Sider in tow. She looked almost exactly like me except for a few differences. She looked to be about my age, her hair was straight and shorter, and her irises were a bright, glowing red just like the other Dark Sider’s.
I slid my hand down my leg to the hilt of a sword I’d strapped there. Luckily, all of the girl’s focus was on Luke along with the vampire. They were so busy taunting him they didn’t notice me behind them. Once I was squared behind the male Dark Sider I pulled out the sword and plunged it through his back, into his rib cage. The girl turned as I was about to do the same to her and I felt her mind reach out to mine. I threw up a wall that sent her stumbling back before she tried again. We stared each other down, both of us trying to hold our power over the other, but we seemed very evenly matched. My energy was beginning to drain from the effort of healing and trying to push her mind away and I could feel the girl gaining ground.