Something surged through me and I began to shake. Memories pulled through my mind. Terrible images: Luke and Ellie, Luke and his “dad” working together, my family telling me I couldn’t do things, every time I’d cried, the things Rob had done. I hated them, all of them and wanted to kill them.
Chapter Eighteen
The reinforcements from the shrine arrived faster than Claire had expected. Luke was the first to arrive and everyone else got there about five minutes later.
As soon as he landed he ran to Claire, “Claire, where is she? When can we get her back?”
“Tomorrow night or whenever the First Obliviator leaves.”
The look on Luke’s face said he was about to go in by himself if it would save Leigha, but he went to a tree and sat down by himself instead.
“He thinks it’s his fault,” Cece said as she dropped to the ground behind Claire.
Claire turned around and sighed, “He’s an idiot to think that. She’s thickheaded. She’d rather us leave her than go in after her. She wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt than have people dying to save her.”
“I know. Who’s he?” Cece asked, nodding her head towards Wess.
“Wess, why?”
“He sure seems to have an eye for you and you him. Have you two talked much?”
“Just a little bit, he was pretty much giving condolences about Leigha,” Claire rolled her eyes, “He doesn’t like me. Plus, Leigha doesn’t need condolences. She’ll be fine, knowing her.”
“He at least has a little, tiny crush on you.”
“Whatever,” Claire rolled her eyes again and walked away.
~~~~~
I was barely able to wake up. It took a huge amount of effort just to open my eyes. When I did I saw the First Obliviator standing in the doorway, holding something in his fist.
“I have one more thing to show you, then, I’ll be on my way,” he said.
He uncurled his fist and a silver chain dangled from it. A Light Stone hung from the chain, a moon shaped Light Stone, Allie’s Light Stone.
I tried to scream or move or say something. My throat was too dry and my body too exhausted. I heard the door close and the Obliviator’s evil laughter as he walked away. Violent sobs that I didn’t know I had the strength to create racked my body. No tears fell from my eyes, though.
The only thought I could think was, She’s stuck like that because of him. She’ll be there until this war is over.
I slipped under after a while, but memories kept cutting through my head. Painful memories.
~~~~~
“Tonight around eight or nine we’ll start the attack,” Claire said to Luke, “Don’t worry, unless they have a Hold and she’s in it, she’ll be fine.”
“And if she is in one?” Luke asked.
“Well, if she is...” Claire trailed off.
“She won’t know the difference between her friends and her enemies. Everyone will be her enemy and she’ll be dangerous,” Cece finished for her.
Claire sighed and walked away. Cece turned to Luke.
“As far as I can tell she’s in comatasis or in a Hold. Otherwise, she would have made contact and I don’t think they would have killed her. I’m sorry,” Cece said.
“No, she’s not in a Hold. That can’t happen,” Luke whispered, dropping his head into his hands.
~~~~~
“Claire!” she heard Wess call.
“Yes?” she asked.
“Eight o’clock?” he asked.
“Or as soon as the First Obliviator leaves. Luke wants her out of there.”
“We should start getting people ready.”
“Can you do that for me?” Claire asked hopefully.
“Yeah, any way I can help.”
Claire smiled forcefully at him, “We need to be prepared.”
He nodded and walked away.
As she watched him leave she whispered under her breath, “Prepared for the absolute worst.”
~~~~~
Time dragged on and on. The terrible memories continued to hurt my head and deepen my pain. I was in so much pain it was blinding. I couldn’t sleep anymore because of it, but it was all I could do to stay awake. All of those memories were too strong. Every second I remembered more and more. Every memory made me want to kill everyone I’d ever known. They deserved to die for all of the terrible things they’d done.
I pulled together all the strength I had left and pulled out a knife. The First Obliviator had left it for me. I held it tightly in my hands.
~~~~~
The army started moving in. They’d seen the First Obliviator leave. Luke, Claire, and Cece led the way. Claire signaled for the group to stop.
“Luke, go in and find her. Wess will go with you,” Claire whispered, “Hurry!”
A fairy that hung around Claire, who must’ve been Wess appeared next to Luke.
“You’ll go in first. Avoid trouble and focus on rescuing her. Here’s the map of possible places. Try the office hall, first, it’s most likely for her to be there, so they can keep a close eye on her” Claire told them.
The two snuck into the building. The map Claire had given them had been edited by Alex. She’d circled the possible places especially on the office hall. They thought Leigha’d be under the most protection possible.
Inside they found the office hall lined with guards, some ‘bots, some Dark Siders. Before Wess and Luke were noticed water surged into the hallway, sweeping many of them off their feet before subsiding.
Luke immediately ran into the hall, throwing knife after knife at the downed guards. The ones that were still standing were gathered around a door, refusing to leave even to help the men Luke was killing.
When Luke and Wess reached them, the real fighting began. Just before Luke and Wess got to the guards they were thrown back against a wall. Water swept into the hallway again, forcing the guard to drop his magic hold on Luke and Wess to hold himself up. The two ran at the guards again, Luke throwing knives at the guards who were too distracted to evade them. Three of the guards were taken down before the other two got ahold of themselves and avoided Luke’s knives. One guard held out his hand, spraying fire at Luke and Wess. Wess barely stopped it with his own spray of water as Luke took the other guard down with a sword. Then, with the last guard distracted, Luke took him down as well, leaving the door they’d been guarding accessible.
“Go,” Wess said. “I’ll keep watch while you get her.”
Luke took a deep breath and opened the door. Leigha was curled into a ball in the corner, but her head lifted up a tiny bit when she heard the door. Luke desperately wanted to go to her, but he couldn’t because it could be a Hold, although Luke doubted it. He wasn’t paying attention to the walls, though, the way they glowed.
“Leigha!” He cried to her crumpled body.
When she heard her name she shot up with unrealistic speed for someone who was in a Hold, so Luke decided it certainly wasn’t one. He still wasn’t paying close enough attention, though. She raced towards him and Luke opened his arms ready to hold her. She brandished an knife and had cut a gash in his shoulder, then his throat by the time Wess grabbed her.
Luke could feel the blood trickling down his neck and touched it gently. It was just a scrape, but his shoulder was much worse.
“Wess, take her outside. Make sure she doesn’t see anyone she knows. Find some people who don’t know her to help you,” Luke called as he ran out.
It didn’t matter. The second Wess had pulled Leigha back she’d collapsed and fallen asleep. Wess carried her out after Luke.
~~~~~
It dawned on me that I could have killed Luke. I knew for some reason some part of me was in love with him, but I hated him more. I wrestled against the person holding me back for a moment as I watched Luke. I felt as if I were dreaming and then I fell asleep.
~~~~~
“Claire!” Wess called, “Get me a few people who she doesn’t know to help me bring her back! Maybe a unicorn and she could just
ride of their back? Or, better, a pegasus?”
“I’ll go with you,” she said.
They rounded up a pegasus and a few fairies to fly her back. The fairies would trail behind because pegasi were the fastest of the Lights. The pegasus could have her back in two hours where it would take the fairies four.
~~~~~
“Luke,” Cece said, putting her hand gently on his unhurt shoulder as he bandaged the other, “You can go back with them if you want.”
“No, I just have to clean up these scrapes,” Luke replied, pulling away from her.
“You can lead than.”
Luke nodded and turned his back to her. He was trying to hide his pain, but he was really upset. If they would’ve let him go in before, when he’d first gotten there, just so he could see Leigha, she would be fine right now. He’d been forced to wait, though, and now he may never be able to go in the same room as her again without her trying to kill him.
~~~~~
People were saying my name. They were talking about me. I struggled against metal cuffs around my thin ankles and wrists that held me down on a metal table. I tried to find my knives, but I already knew they were gone.
I was wearing thin white clothing that was too big for me. They’d taken my knives and armor. It didn’t matter, though. I wouldn’t have been able to reach the knives in time. I felt something pierce my skin. The last thing I heard while I was awake was my scream.
~~~~~
Cece had decided to let Luke lead because of his anger. He was in such a rage because of Leigha he could’ve killed the First Obliviator, albeit Luke would’ve suffered near fatal injury.
“Ready?” Luke called out to the army.
“Ready!” They called back.
The group stormed in. Combat began with the cop ‘bots. Fairies and ‘bots fighting in the air. Pegasi and ‘bots fighting in the air. Unicorns and ‘bots fighting on the ground.
Luke was fighting with two ‘bots when a third came up behind him. It clapped it’s hands against his ribs and Luke could hear the loud crack as they broke. He struggled to keep himself in the air. He felt a knife tear across the flesh on his chest all the way up and across his unhurt shoulder.
He felt himself losing altitude when something hit him in the head. He felt warm, sticky blood run into his eyes and slide down his face. Luke began to fall faster. He couldn’t hold himself up anymore and felt the thump and jarring of his body as he landed. People’s voices filled his ears and then a white noise began to drown them out. They faded out of his hearing and everything went black.
~~~~~
“Luke,” someone was shaking him gently, “Luke, wake up.”
He opened his eyes weakly. His mouth felt like cotton and he couldn’t swallow. When he tried he tasted blood.
“You’re the only one who was seriously injured, other than two people in temporary comatasis,” Claire told him, “We got everyone out of there. The two Obliviators who were there weren’t very high ranking, but they got away. We destroyed most of the ‘bots and the building.”
She began gently unwrapping blood soaked bandages from his head. She dabbed at it gently, then wrapped a clean bandage around it. When she was done she peeled off the bandage on his chest and replaced it.
“Luke…” she began.
“I...,” he croaked, “I heal like a human,” he tried to shrug, “Every fairy has a weakness.”
“I know,” she said.
~~~~~
I fought and fought against the cuffs, but no matter what I did I couldn’t get free. I was held down too tightly. I began to scream and talk gibberish. One of the drips in my arm began to flow and I slid back under.
~~~~~
“Are you ready?” Claire asked.
“I guess,” Luke replied.
“Just try not to be disappointed. She’s healthier than she was and that’s all we can ask for.”
Cece helped him up and he used her to steady him as they went to the observation room next to Leigha’s Care Room.
“I know,” he sighed.
~~~~~
A young man walked in the room. I had to crane my head to look at him because I was still strapped on the table. Claire followed him and the man sat down beside the table.
“I’m Wess,” he said.
I payed him no attention and hissed at Claire.
“Does she need to leave?” asked the man named Wess.
“No,” I laughed bitterly, “as long as she’s in here I can get rid of her,” I lunged, trying to claw my way out of the cuffs.
“Leave, Claire,” Wess said, not looking at her.
Claire began to leave her head hung sadly.
“You better be careful, Claire,” I hissed at her back, “I just might steal Wess from you,” I laughed again as Claire’s back went rigid, “You should’ve let her stay,” I said to Wess, “I’ll end up taking care of all of them eventually.”
“No,” Wess growled, “You won’t. You’ll control yourself.”
I scowled, “If I promise to, can I have some freedom? It’s the least you can do.”
“Maybe,” he said as he left, but I heard his thoughts. They didn’t plan on ever letting me out.
~~~~~
Wess walked out to Claire’s near silent sobbing. She had her face buried in her hands, but she heard Wess come out.
“I miss her,” she said without removing her hands.
He took her hands away from her face, “We’ll get her back, I promise.”
He helped her to her feet and hugged her. She buried her face in his shoulder.
“Please, someone, bring her back,” Claire whispered to no one in particular.
~~~~~
The next day Luke was brought to see me. I was allowed to stand this time, but there were guards stationed around the room. When I saw him walk in I gasped and backed against the wall. I was scared and angry, but what really startled me was that he was covered in bandages.
“Leigha,” he whispered, reaching towards me.
“What do you want?” I snapped, plastering myself against the wall, “To hurt me again?”
“Leigha, I would never hurt you.”
“Sure, whatever.”
He mumbled something about Ellie and something in me snapped entirely. I lunged at him. My fingers barely were scraping his neck when I was grabbed and shoved to the ground. I felt a syringe pierce my skin and I passed out.
~~~~~
As I slept memories flowed through my head. These weren’t painful memories, though, these were all the sweet moments I’d forgotten. Luke and I kissing, Claire saving me, my trust and care for my family. All of my memories came back, but I still remembered what I had done while I couldn’t think clearly. I would never be able to forget it.
When I woke I shot up or attempted to because the cuffs were back. I started screaming, shaking, sobbing, and sweating. The screaming finally stopped and sobs shook my body. I cried myself back into restless sleep that didn’t last long.
I woke when someone lightly touched my arm. I knew I hadn’t been asleep long because it was still dark. Luke stood over me. I could see the scrape on his neck from my knife and a bit of the one on his shoulder. I started to cry again.
I started shaking my head, “I’m sorry,” I whispered.
“Leigha,” he said, putting a finger on my lips, “I’m not supposed to be here. I heard you screaming and I had to see you, to see if you were okay.”
“You saw me yesterday and I tried to kill you again. If Wess hadn’t have been there that first time I would have killed you.”
“Leigha, last time I saw you awake was two weeks ago. You’ve had temporary comatasis. They thought it might bring back all of your memories. When you were pushed down they injected you with a fluid that can cause comatasis. I heard you screaming and I had to see if it worked or if you were, well. I’m not supposed to be here because nobody knows if it worked and they might think you’re trying to trick them.
I looked at his neck
, then his shoulder, “Did I really do that?”
He touched his neck, “Yes.”
I looked a bit closer, having to crane my neck, and muttered, “I know your weakness,” I stared at the scabbing over the two cuts that shouldn’t have been there, “You heal at a human rate, maybe less. You still have to be killed like an Light, right?”
“How can you tell?” he asked, ignoring my question and worrying me.
“The scrapes should be going away completely, not scarring,” I shook my head, “I feel like that was made your weakness on purpose. I’ll always have to see what I’ve done.”
I picked up my head when I heard footsteps, “Luke, you should go!” I whispered.
“Why?”
“Just go!”
Luke left just a few seconds before he would have been caught. A guard walked in and looked at me for a few seconds. I stared back with my eyes unnoticeably cracked open.
“I know you’re awake, your highness. I could hear you screaming,” the guard said, “Did the comatasis finally wear off?”
My eyes flew open, “What? I had comatasis! I thought I was asleep for one night,” I exclaimed.
“You’ve been out for about two weeks.”
“Where’s Luke?” I asked, trying to get up, tears streaming down my cheeks, “I need to-,”
I cut off collapsing in pain, screaming. An electric shock coursed through my body continuously. I heard the guard who had been with me shout for help. People rushed in shouting, “What happened?” and “Leigha, are you okay?” Through all the screaming I started to slide into the blackness. The pain and the screaming all started to disappear. I thought maybe I was dying. I let in the peace and calm and quiet, but something tore me away from all of it.
“Leigha!” Luke shouted, tear choked, “Please don’t leave me, not now, not when I just got you back.”
Chapter Nineteen
I woke to the sound of many voices surrounding me. I craned my neck up to look around me. I was in the same Care Room, but there was a new bandage on my arm that hadn’t been there before. My head throbbed painfully and my whole body felt as if it had been electrocuted. Some memories of the night before, or what I thought was the night before, came flooding back to me. I had been electrocuted.
“Luke,” I croaked. My throat was dry from disuse.
“I’m right here,” he said, grabbing my hand.