Book One: The Girl (The Sanctum) (29 page)

“Stay here and let her do this,” Ryker held onto him, “she can handle it. Just like we’re meant to be out there, killing rogues, she’s meant to be up there leading us into the fray.”

Wyatt knew Ryker was right, he just could not bear to watch Dev upset, no matter the reason.

“You know I’m right,” Ryker commented.

“Of course I do,” Wyatt agreed with a smile, “you’ve always known more about women than me.”

Ryker released his boom of a laugh and smacked Wyatt on the back. Sanctum and Magicals around them smiled, used to the familiar sight of the boys laughing and joking around with each other. Their ease and confidence affected even Dev who calmed a bit upon hearing their laughter. Wyatt caught her eye again and Dev smiled, letting him know she was okay. As the room finally quieted, Dev began to speak.

“Josiah asked me to address you all tonight,” she began quietly, “and my immediate reaction was to say no, for I don’t know any of you. I barely know the Clayworths, so I hesitated.

“But I looked around the room at all of you, gathered here today, and realized that you don’t know me either and yet, here you are. You've had one day to process and accept Sam and Josiah's revelation about the Book of Prophecy, the role my parents played in perpetrating a falsehood many of you have lived by or lived under for centuries, Sam and Josiah's role in perpetuating that falsehood until my appearance and now, here we are. So I realized the least I can do is overcome whatever fears I have of public speaking and come up here to say thank you.

“Thank you so very much.

"I'm sure, standing here tonight, many of you are doubtful I am the being who is going to right the wrongs of The Sanctum and guide us all towards a brighter and more just future. And to be honest with you, it sounds like a bit of bunk to me as well," Dev laughed and those in the crowd joined her.

"I'm going to have to see that Book in person before I start believing all of that. But trust that since I can remember, I have been training for what we are about to face and I am ready. More ready than you can imagine. Those people planning to attack us tonight, who think they’ve caught us off-guard and are going to easily wipe us out of existence, just like they did my family, those people have another thing coming."

The crowd roared its approval, startling Dev and encouraging her to continue.

"I told Max Breslin, the first time I met him, that I knew exactly who he was," she continued quietly, "and that I was going to kill him. And even though my goal hasn't changed, I still have every intention of laying waste to that useless piece of garbage, my reasons for doing so have evolved.

"Initially, this was nothing more than a revenge mission for me. I was going to find Max and make him and his family pay dearly for what they did to mine. An eye for an eye, so to speak. And don't get me wrong, revenge is still part of what drives me, but now I have a few other reasons as well," she caught Wyatt's eye and smiled.

"Wanting to see The Sanctum, your Sanctum, functioning as the gods intended is not such a bad thing to fight for, I am proud to lead you towards that goal and honored to fight by your side. May the gods bless us on the battlefield."

Wyatt dismissed the
last group of Sanctum and Magicals, setting them up deep within the subway tunnels running under The Academy before turning to join Ryker.

“I know the two of you don’t think you’re running off without seeing me,” Darby called to them from the back row of the war room.

Darby stood up and started walking towards the boys, a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

“Darby Winthrop, wearing pants?” Ryker called out with a laugh, “No Chanel? Someone is about to die.”

Dev watched the trio laugh and joke with one another, Darby wrapping her arms around both boys, Ryker and Wyatt towering over her. She smiled to herself as she sharpened her blade, envying the warm friendship shared between the three.

“Don’t worry, Wyatt’s not in love with her,” Jools commented.

Dev smiled beatifically at Jools.

"I'm not worried, Jools," Dev replied, "Wyatt's welcome to love whoever he pleases."

"He only loves you so it really makes no difference," Jools grumbled.

Dev put away the sword Coco gave her and although it wasn't Daya, it would more than suffice. She then tightened the straps on her back and tested how fast she could unsheathe her weapons. Satisfied she could function at blinding speed, Dev turned back to Jools.

She watched the girl angrily prep her blades and gear up, noting the power Jools exuded as she headed to battle. Similar to her brother, Jools wasn't the least bit nervous and Dev was reminded that the younger Clayworth was herself a renowned, Class A Warrior. Zipping her leather jacket and strapping a bow and arrow to her back, Jools started to move for the door, but Dev stopped her.

"You cannot just leave," Dev stepped in front of Jools, preventing her angry escape.

"Watch me," Jools replied, refusing to make eye contact with Dev, as she tried to step around her.

Dev easily predicted her move and stopped her again, this time gently taking Jools face in her hands and making Jools look at her.

"This is my ballgame now and I command you to stop acting like a child and talk to Ryker before you leave. I don't care what you say, but you must say something. And then you simply must move past your jealousy of Darby. Yes, he slept with her a few times, but that was a long time ago and honestly, Ryker has slept with a lot of girls, Magical and human alike. Get over it.

“Darby is a vampire and will be around forever, especially after that dose of my blood. She’s not going anywhere. And Ryker’s not going to make her. So if you’re going to love Ryker, or whatever it is you’re doing with him, you’re going to have to accept that he comes to you with a very colorful past and that he also loves Darby.

“Start thinking of her as more like Wyatt and less like the gorgeous, petite bundle of blond perfection that she is."

“That makes me feel so much better,” Jools stated dryly, “thanks.”

Jools stepped away from Dev's embrace and studied her for a second.

"When did you get all wise and earth-mothery anyway? Next thing I know, you're going to want me to kiss Darby."

Dev tossed her head back and laughed, drawing the attention of those left in the room, for most had never heard the sound and turned towards it in surprise.

“That, my dear, would never happen,” Dev laughed as she pushed Jools down the steps towards Ryker, Wyatt and Darby, “no matter how much Darby might wish for it.”

She watched Jools join the threesome and Ryker playfully pull her into his arms, planting kisses all over her face until Jools begged him to stop. Wyatt feigned disgust while Darby watched them with a genuine smile on her face.

“You okay?”

Dev turned to find Coco standing next to her.

“God, you’re tall,” Dev blurted out, “and gorgeous. But so freaking tall.”

Coco laughed.

“I’m sorry,” Dev apologized, “I’m just not used to being shorter than another girl.”

“I’m not a girl,” Coco winked.

Dev laughed.

“Nor am I, for that matter.”

“And now you’re going to lead The Sanctum, that bastion of equality and justice for all Magicals,” Coco remarked sarcastically.

“I’m hardly going to lead The Sanctum,” Dev replied with a nervous laugh.

“Keep telling yourself that, girlfriend,” Coco laughed and headed for the door.

Dev watched her depart without a word.

It suddenly hit her that all of this, the preparation, the strategizing, the rallying-the-troops, it was all leading her towards that ultimate goal. That ideal her parents and Sam and Josiah set into motion all those years ago. That whether she wanted to or not, her fate was leading her towards whatever was written in that book. And that was incredibly sobering.

“You ready?” Wyatt came up behind her.

Dev closed her eyes, breathed deeply and felt a certain calm envelope her, a clarity of her mind and spirit, an understanding of purpose.

She was ready.

She turned and held her hand out to him.

Wyatt noticed the change in her immediately. Dev was always determined, stubborn even, but now she appeared to possess an inner strength and calm that wasn’t present earlier. It seemed she was finally at peace with her place in the world, in his world. Wyatt took her hand and together they headed for the door.

“You and Ryker will be under the river?” she asked.

Wyatt shook his head.

"No, Ryker will be with Jools and I’ll be with you."

Dev stopped mid-stride, opened her mouth to say something, then changed her mind and remained silent.

"She heard?" Ryker asked as he approached the couple and noted the tight set of Dev’s mouth.

"She did," Wyatt replied, "and she's not pleased."

Dev dropped Wyatt's hand and continued for the door, then stopped and turned back.

"That’s not fair, Wyatt. You know why I’m not pleased. I just don't understand why you decided that, nor do I appreciate being left out of the whole decision-making process."

"The why is because despite what you like to think, I know you very well and I know you're headed straight for Max," Wyatt replied calmly, "and we didn't discuss it with you because we knew you'd disagree."

Dev turned to leave then whirled back around so fast Wyatt swore he felt a breeze. She was going to give him a piece of her mind, ream him for treating her differently from every other warrior he fought alongside, read him the riot act for his ex parte actions.

Wyatt was ready for her wrath, he expected it even.

But looking at him, standing there expectantly, knowing her reaction and maintaining his ground nonetheless, Dev could not get angry with him; had the tables been turned, she would have done the same. She would treat him differently one hundred percent of the time, no matter what he said or did or desired. Because when it came down it to, Wyatt was different from every other person in her life and she would go above and beyond to protect him.

So she didn’t yell or chastise or even argue the point further. Instead she calmed herself with a little deep breathing and smiled graciously. Wyatt momentarily got lost in her expression, but quickly righted himself, knowing now was neither the time nor the place. He then turned to address the group one last time, suddenly very serious.

“Everyone’s weaponed-up? Holsters and harnesses tight? Blades sharp?”

Ryker, Jools and Dev checked their equipment one more time.

“We’re good,” Ryker responded, then turned to Jools, “let’s do this.”

Jools and Ryker headed for the door.

“We’ll meet you in the park, quadrant 39,” Jools relayed as she exited the room and headed to the tunnels below the Academy, followed closely by Ryker.

Before disappearing, Ryker turned back with a grin.

“Here’s to killing some Breslins.”

“Be careful,” Wyatt could not help but warn his best friend.

“I always am,” Ryker smirked and then was gone.

Wyatt watched the doorway for a few seconds before turning to Dev.

“He’ll be fine,” she stated confidently.

“I hope you’re right,” Wyatt replied quietly, “he has to remain emotionally detached to keep himself alive.”

“You and I both know Ryker understands what he’s doing, better than anyone,” Dev stated as she and Wyatt made their way towards the exit, “he’s just a little excited. I have a feeling though, when it comes time to get down to business, all that joking around and let’s-go-kill-us-some-Breslins will be thrown out the window and he’ll be nothing but precise and professional.”

“I know. I really do. I just worry. We rarely go out separately so all of this just feels a little strange,” Wyatt explained.

Dev wrapped her arm around Wyatt’s waist as they walked.

“He’ll be fine,” she insisted.

Wyatt remained quiet as they walked, deep in thought, his arm draped around Dev’s neck. When they reached the door, Dev turned to him, pulled him close and kissed him long and hard.

“What was that for?” he asked, his head spinning.

“That’s for that moment, when it comes down to me, you and Max, when you remember that he’s all mine and you don’t try to be a hero. You just back off and let me have at him.”

The crisp night
air was exhilarating after spending hours beneath the city, winding through old and abandoned tunnels full of dust and dirt. Max pushed his way out of the tunnel to come aboveground behind some buildings on 73rd street, close to Central Park and his meeting point with the others.

The tunnels were full of Magicals and Max had been forced to stay well hidden, lest word spread he was in town, but street level did not pose the same problems. If necessary, he could glamour himself, but no one was paying attention to him, so Max walked along easily, as if he had not a care in the world. Turning onto Broadway, he headed uptown to the 79th street entrance of the park.

Max checked his watch. He was two minutes early, just like he preferred. He pulled his hood up over his head and waited, catching sight of Julia first, her walk impossible to mistake and Nona soon afterwards. The girls approached cautiously, quietly, only breaking their cover when they spotted him leaning against the wall.

“Max,” Julia greeted him solemnly.

Max nodded then turned and smiled at Nona, his unrequited crush.

“I didn’t see you at the meeting,” he noted.

Nona smiled broadly, knowing Max had scanned the room several times for her, amused by his schoolboy proclivities.

“And hello to you, Max,” she pulled him into an embrace and whispered in his ear, “don’t worry, I was there. I saw you rally the troops.”

Max laughed as he kissed her cheeks in greeting.

“That wasn’t a bad performance,” she smiled in admiration, “good thing Carter didn’t see it.”

“Good thing for you,” Max laughed lightly, “had he been there, Carter would have had the whole lot of you killed.”

“And tortured,” Nona added with a smirk, “you mustn’t forget the torture.”

Max grinned and pulled her close, kissing her forehead affectionately.

“We should get going,” Julia interrupted them, pointing at her watch, “the others will be in position soon.”

Nona frowned at the too-serious warrior, but agreed it was time to make a move.

“I still can’t believe you’re not in the group attacking The Academy,” Nona commented as they entered the park.

“Had I not found the portal, I would have been,” Max explained.

“What portal?” Julia asked.

“The portal the hybrid used when I almost killed her,” Max lied, “it’s how she landed here in the first place and she’ll probably try to use it again to escape once we attack. That’s when I intend to end her very short, worthless life.”

“Assuming she returns,” Nona replied. “Seems a rather obvious escape route, no?”

“No,” Max bristled at Nona’s criticism of his plan, “it’s not obvious at all. It took me months to find this portal, it’s so well-hidden and rarely used. For all I know, she doesn’t even know it exists.”

“Well, let’s not hope that’s the case, Max,” Nona patronized him as she turned on the path and headed for her meeting point, “lest we wait here all night for nothing.”

Max ignored her comment as he watched her head up the hill and away from him.

“Be safe,” he called to her.

Nona turned around and smiled as she pulled her hoodie over her head and disappeared into her surroundings.

“As always, love.”

And then she was gone.

Without a word, Julia started walking in the other direction then turned and disappeared into the woods. Max jogged to catch up to her, checked his watch one last time and then disappeared into the woods as well, leaving behind nothing but the late-night quiet.

“Can you reach out and feel him?” Wyatt whispered to Dev as they crept along the rooftops.

She shook her head.

“I’m not that good at it. It would take me forever to find his energy.”

“Are you picking up anything strange?” he asked.

“Uh-uh. It makes me too tired,” she explained, “so I just tune it out.”

“Some good you are,” Wyatt joked.

“Totally worthless, I know.”

“What about Jools?” he asked, “what’s her deal?”

Dev took a couple of steps and jumped to the next roof across the street.

“Show off,” Wyatt called to her before he followed suit, taking a running start to make the leap, landing next to her.

"Jools' deal," Dev continued as they made their way uptown, "is that she has an overactive sixth sense that she would like to keep hidden from folks."

"Kind of like my dad?" Wyatt asked.

"Far more advanced," Dev corrected, "which is what scares her."

Wyatt walked along quietly, thinking about his little sister's quirks, petty jealousies and outright petulance. It was what made her who she was, or at least so he thought. Never once did Wyatt think to look beneath the surface and see what made Jools tick.

He would bet a million dollars Ryker had known her secret for years.

"Dev," Wyatt suddenly stopped walking.

She turned back to find him standing stock still in the middle of the roof. Each of Dev's senses was suddenly on high alert.

"What?" she asked as she scanned the rooftops.

Wyatt approached her, the wheels of his mind spinning at a frantic pace.

"Jools would be able to sense Max, right? She's powerful enough, isn't she?"

The few times Dev had touched Jools, she had been surprised by the power flowing through her, unchecked and wild.

"Absolutely," Dev replied, "easily."

"Unbelievable!" Wyatt exclaimed.

"What?" Dev asked, unable to follow his train of thought.

"Ryker knows what Jools can do, he's probably known forever. That's why the two of them wanted to be stationed in the park. They're headed straight for Max."

“No,” Dev shook her head, “no way.”

“I know Ryker better than anyone,” Wyatt insisted, “so trust me, this plan has his name written all over it. He used Jools’ abilities to find Max before either of us do to make sure he’s the only one in harm’s way.”

“Your sister would never let him do that.”

“My sister is in on it,” Wyatt shot back.

Dev stood there, thinking through Wyatt’s theory, wondering why she didn’t realize it herself. It made perfect sense: Ryker and Jools would go to extreme lengths to keep Wyatt safe, especially after everything Wyatt had done for Ryker over the years and Wyatt’s recent attack by the werewolf.

"We have to get to the park," Wyatt started running along the rooftops, "now!"

Dev caught up to Wyatt and the two raced uptown, practically flying over the rooftops, quickly forgetting the original plan to scope out attacks as they made their way uptown and report them back to Josiah.

Standing atop the Dakota, looking out over the park, Wyatt caught his breath and waited for Dev.

“Wyatt Clayworth and the pretty thing from the subway tunnels,” an unfamiliar voice whispered in the darkness.

Dev pulled out her blade and searched the night, her eyes finally coming to rest on a vampire seated atop the highest point of the roof, looking down on them with lazy amusement.

“Darvin,” Wyatt hissed, “what the hell?”

"You shouldn't curse, Wyatt," the vampire admonished the warrior, "it's quite beneath you."

"You shouldn't sneak up on people," Wyatt retorted irritatedly, “and you should answer my question."

"The one so pleasantly presented to me?" Darvin asked with a bored look on his face.

"I don't have time for this crap," Wyatt waved off the vampire and headed for the edge of the roof, Dev following close behind.

"I saw Ryker," Darvin trailed off, providing nothing more.

Wyatt quickly scanned the jump from the roof to the park and decided he much preferred scaling down the face of the building over the giant leap.

"I'm sure you did."

Darvin slunk down from his perch, lingering near Dev and Wyatt, but also keeping his distance. Dev sensed he was a bit wary of Wyatt.

“He was with that stunning sister of yours,” Darvin added.

“You shouldn’t be thinking about my sister,” Wyatt warned as he continued scanning the street below, “I won’t tell you that again, Darvin. Next time I’ll just kill you.”

Darvin shook his head sadly.

“Darby would not like you speaking to me in such a manner,” Darvin quietly hissed, almost sounding menacing.

And just like that, Wyatt sprang. One second he was at the edge of the roof, the next he was on top of Darvin, pinning the vampire to the ground, his hands around Darvin’s neck.

“I’ve asked you politely several times not to speak of my sister and each time, you’ve ignored me. I’m starting to feel like you might think I’m a joke or something.”

Dev tapped Wyatt on the shoulder, wondering what exactly he was doing.

“Hold on, Dev,” Wyatt waved her away as he released the vampire, “Darvin and I have some unfinished business, don’t we Darvin?”

Darvin rubbed his neck, looking bored all the while.

“Wyatt, you should just kill me and get it over with,” Darvin suggested as he stood and dusted himself off, “or are you scared of what Darby would do if she knew you hurt her favorite child?”

“You should just stop talking about Jools and we’ll be good,” Wyatt replied as he walked to the edge of the roof and stood next to Dev, ignoring Darvin’s comment about Darby.

“I should,” Darvin agreed, “and I will...one day.”

Wyatt stepped towards Darvin, but Dev pulled him back to her.

“Seriously?” Dev asked irritatedly, “really?”

“At least it has more sense than you do, Wyatt,” Darvin snickered.

Dev spun around and faced the vampire, remembering very quickly the many reasons she hated his kind.

“Shut up, Darvin, before I kill you myself!”

Then they heard it. The unmistakable sound of blade on blade, steel meeting steel. Wyatt flung himself over the side of the roof and began scaling down the front of the building, neither bothering to glamour himself nor caring whether anyone saw him. Dev watched him from the rooftop for a few seconds, saw him land on the sidewalk and head across the street for the park. She took a few steps back to get a running start, only to be stopped by Darvin.

“They’re in the twenty-first quadrant of the park,” he stated flatly.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Dev replied.

“You don’t,” Darvin agreed, “but Wyatt will.”

Darvin returned to his perch while Dev took a running start, leapt into the air and landed in the park. Wyatt came running up behind her and the two headed deeper into the woods, towards the sound of the battle.

“Darvin said they’re in quadrant twenty-one.”

“Darvin is a class A liar,” Wyatt sneered.

“One day you must promise to tell me all about him,” Dev insisted, “he annoys you so.”

“Suffice to say I should have killed him when I had the chance,” Wyatt stated with finality.

“But you didn’t because of Darby?”

“One of the many things I haven’t done because of Darby,” he replied as he turned to head north, “quadrant twenty-one is this way.”

“I thought you said Darvin is a liar?” Dev asked.

“But one obsessed with Jools,” Wyatt replied then brought his finger to his lips for Dev to be quiet.

They moved into the woods as several voices could be heard headed in their direction. Wyatt unsheathed his sword and held Odara in his other hand; Dev held a short Raven blade in each hand. Neither said a word as they waited for the group to near. Inspecting the area around her as she waited, Dev sighted a path towards her right that appeared to loop back and would enable them to attack the group from behind. She kicked Wyatt’s foot and signaled for him to follow her. They walked silently for about thirty feet and as suspected, came out directly behind the group of Sanctum. It was almost too perfect. She and Wyatt crept up behind the group and attacked without warning.

There were seven warriors in total, spread along the path in a loose formation, fresh from a battle, their guard down. Dev and Wyatt decimated them in no time at all. While Dev cleaned her blades, Wyatt inspected the bodies.

“These are Sanctum from all over, not just London,” Wyatt stated with a bit of surprise.

“Breslin must have called in all his favors,” Dev replied as she headed back into the woods, “come on, Wyatt.”

He finished cleaning his sword and ran to catch up to Dev, taking the lead to guide them in the proper direction. Neither spoke as they came upon another group of Sanctum, well-hidden but heard by Dev. She and Wyatt climbed a tree to better see the group and Dev pointed out each of their hiding places. There were five in total, but they were fairly spread apart and attacking them would be an undertaking. Wyatt pointed to a tall warrior with short, dark hair, the apparent leader of the group.

“That’s Nona Gaston,” Wyatt whispered, “Max’s unrequited love. Which means he’s somewhere close by.”

They returned to the ground and spread apart, enabling them to come at the group from two sides. Wyatt counted them down and then they sprang, Dev landing on a warrior and slicing her throat before she even realized what was happening and Wyatt beheading one Sanctum while gutting the other hiding nearby.

Nona caught sight of Dev and smiled as she approached.

“Max will be so disappointed when he learns that I killed you,” Nona laughed.

Dev said nothing, just continued moving towards Nona while out of the corner of her eye, she saw Wyatt battling the last Sanctum of the group.

“Cat got your tongue, love? Or do hybrids not come with one?”

Dev sprang at Nona, slicing her blades through the air, moving with lightning speed. Nona anticipated the strike perfectly and managed to land a blow to Dev’s arm, slicing open her shoulder. Dev screamed in pain and reached back to slice at Nona from the left, but Nona parried the blow with her sword and circled back around to come at Dev with quick, short blows. None of them landed, but she was pushing Dev deeper into the woods. Her arm was bleeding profusely, the blood making her fingers slippery on the blade. Falling backwards over a downed tree, Dev provided Nona the perfect opportunity to pounce and land on top of her. Nona pinned Dev’s arms to the ground, grinding her knee into Dev’s shoulder wound as she sliced Dev’s cheek open and listened to her scream.