Cursed
Dedicated to my Joshua, I love you so much.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to my editor Ashley who helped make my book stronger. My cover artist
Claudia Lucia McKinney
for doing an amazing job capturing Sophie. The beautiful Laila for being the model for Sophie, I can't imagine anyone else. And lastly thanks to all my beta readers who helped make this book even better.
Gabe’s stomach twisted, each knot tighter and more agonizing than the last.
He wiped his sweat soaked hands on the legs of his jeans and searched the nearby crowd for a familiar face.
He imagined that if he could just catch a glimpse of Sophie, everything would be alright.
Unfortunately, Sophie was nowhere to be found.
Gabe felt hopeless.
The roar of the crowd began to grow.
He heard them harmoniously stomping their feet in a rhythm that cried out for battle.
Gabe glanced across the arena to several cages that were shielded by large cloaks.
Whatever was inside was clearly becoming agitated by the noise of the crowd.
The captive creatures began beating against the bars.
Random secret shrieks and growls came from their general area.
“Rampart Manor!” Gabe heard Uri’s magically amplified voice shout over the thunderous group.
“Let’s be honest, we all know the reason why we are gathered here today.
Yes, yes, of course we want to support our dear friend, Gabe.
But, let’s get real for a minute.
Day in and day out we learn and train and grow as Guardians.
We do as we are told and follow the rules.
We all work hard.
Now it’s our turn to watch some demons tremble in fear!
It’s our turn to watch the hunters become the hunted.
Who is ready to see some fighting?
Better yet, who wants to see what our great protector is made of?”
The crowd erupted into a frenzy at Uri’s words.
The past summer had been full of blood, sweat, and tears for Gabe, but it was also an experience he would not trade for anything.
He had grown close to Sophie and all of his new friends.
Uri had even become what Gabe would call his best friend; something he had not had in his previous life.
As appreciative as he had grown of Uri’s humor, right now, in this arena, was one of those moments he wished Uri was able to contain himself.
Gabe had felt somewhat confident about his tests when he awoke that morning.
He had spent every free moment studying and practicing for this all summer.
Though it didn’t take long before he realized what Uri had done.
After the tenth or so person wished him luck and expressed how much they were looking forward to seeing him in action, Gabe knew Uri had decided to make this day into a big event for the entire manor, even though Gabe was not comfortable being a spectacle.
Gabe’s confidence quickly disintegrated into rage, conjuring visions in his head of strangling his dear friend Uri for inviting a crowd to watch his tests.
It was hard enough for him to concentrate alone in complete silence knowing what was at stake.
He wasn’t sure how he would be able to do anything with a hundred of his future classmates looking on.
Gabe knew that failing today would not only let down everyone who helped him, but could also have his mentor, Michael, questioning if he had made a mistake in choosing Gabe.
“Get over here, Gabe.”
Uri motioned to his friend to join him in the circle.
Gabe reluctantly walked to his side.
Uri grabbed his hand and raised it high into the air in a triumphant motion.
“Are you ready to kick some demon tail, my friend?”
Gabe glanced over his shoulder at the rattling cages and could only feign a smile for a short moment.
As he looked back to the crowd, he saw Michael standing off to the side with an expressionless face, his arms crossed, watching intensely as the scene unfolded.
For a moment, Gabe thought Michael may step in and stop the side show antics.
When Michael just continued to watch, Gabe knew he was on his own.
“So everyone knows the rules…” Uri shouted.
“Oh yeah, that’s right, there are no rules!
Gabe can showcase anything and everything he has learned to stay alive!”
“I think you’re exaggerating a bit, don’t you?”
Gabe mumbled under his breath to Uri.
He was sure Michael wouldn’t let him die in these tests.
At least, he thought he was sure.
Gabe quickly looked at Michael again for some reassurance.
He still displayed no change in expression or stance.
“Don’t worry,” Uri continued.
“We will all be safe.
There is a protection spell on the arena so the demons won’t be able to escape.
Just you and them!”
Uri patted Gabe on the back heavily.
Then he turned and scurried out of the arena.
Uri’s words made Gabe even more anxious as he stumbled forward.
Gabe turned slowly, his hands feeling like two large boulders hanging from his sides.
He watched in horror as Uri and two other men pulled the draping from the three cages.
Inside the first cage was a smaller creature.
Gabe thought it stood perhaps only three feet high.
Behind it swung a long tail that was adorned with a large round ball on the end of it.
Though it had long fangs, Gabe thought that overall it seemed fairly harmless and did not feel terribly threatened by it.
As the creature spun wildly in the cage, it swung its large tail.
The ball tip came down onto the floor with a great thud and four inch razor-sharp spikes shot out over its entire body, including its tail.
The calmness Gabe had felt about this demon quickly fled...
Gabe closed his mouth, realizing his shock was clear from the expression on his face.
The next cage caught his attention.
It was surrounded by gray smoke.
The creature inside had a large snake like body with dozens of legs.
It looked like a cross between a centipede and a King Cobra.
It stared directly at him as it spit little round balls of fire in the air.
As the balls extinguished into clouds of smoke, Gabe debated which demon was worse.
The third cage, Gabe noticed, was much larger in size than the rest.
Instead of bars, it was composed of tall walls of solid steal.
He heard a pounding from inside and could see the walls vibrating from the thunderous booms.
Whatever was inside of it, Gabe was sure he wanted no part of.
Again Gabe looked back at Michael, hoping he was about to step in, but all he did was give him a nod.
A nod?
Really?
I don’t need a nod.
I need someone to stop this!
Gabe thought.
“Gabe,” Sophie’s voice came from behind him.
He spun around to see her shining face, though it did have a worried look on it.
“You’ve got this!”
Somehow with those words from Sophie, his confidence was restored.
He was ready, or as ready as he was ever going to be.
“A spike monster from the Gorgon underworld.” Uri shouted to the crowd as he used a long rod to unlock the cage before quickly stepping away.
Michael had not come to visit with Gabe much over the summer, but he did grace him with a quick meeting a few days earlier.
It felt, in a way, like he was bringing him a warning.
Michael had expressed to Gabe that it was very important he remember everything he had learned about the underworld.
Gabe had studied alongside his friends all summer, spending many hours with Sophie in the library.
Now that he was face to face with his first test, Gabe wished he had studied the books more, and Sophie’s eyes less.
Gabe had learned that there was a realm between earth and hell called the underworld.
It was the barrier angels and demons could dwell in, but not go beyond.
Angels could not cross into hell.
Demons were not able to pass into the earthly realm.
There were also restrictions on hunting in the underworld, as it was supposed to be considered safe ground for all.
The underworld was split into sections.
Each area was ruled by different races.
A few were indifferent to the battle between angels and demons, happy to stay to themselves.
Most though were on the side of the demons, angry that they were also not allowed to pass into earth’s realm.
This made the underworld into hostile territory for Guardians and not the neutral ground it was supposed to be.
Gabe began to move from side to side in a defensive manner, trying to anticipate the spike monster’s next move.
He frantically tried to remember anything he could about the Gorgons.
He dug through his memory, searching for something about their race or about the underworld that might help him defeat this spike monster.
Gabe recalled reading that the Gorgon territory was desert-like.
He couldn’t imagine how this information could possibly help him defeat the beast, though.
Before another thought could cross Gabe’s mind, the spike monster came bounding into the circle with a snarl and huff.
Its spikes were retracted as its head wobbled.
The monster’s eyes darted from side to side, clearly disoriented and agitated by the presence of the crowd.
Gabe saw under the natural light, away from the cage, that the creature's skin shimmered with a purple glow.
Had it not been trying to kill him he thought he might have actually appreciated it as a remarkably handsome creature.
Its beauty quickly faded for Gabe when the monster locked in on him and focused all its anger and frustration in his direction.
The spike monster swung its tail wildly while stomping one foot into the ground repeatedly.
As it let out another snarl, the monster lowered its eyes, locking its gaze on Gabe before allowing its spikes to emerge from their hiding place beneath its skin with an unsheathing noise.
Catching sight of the steel like spikes glistening in the sun, Gabe felt panic rush over him.
Gabe looked again in Michael’s direction.
He still stood watching, but appeared slightly alarmed.
Glancing back at the crowd, Gabe caught sight of Sophie, who was simply nodding at him in a reassuring way, a smile planted firmly on her face.
He saw her mouth the word, “Focus.”