Knights of Light (The Conjurors Series Book 2) (25 page)

“She’s jealous. She’ll
get over it,” Henry said.

Kanti’s jaw dropped at
his words. “Isabelle, jealous of me? But she’s always been the daughter with
the most promise.”

“Until now,” Valerie
said. “It’ll be good for her to see that the Globe doesn’t revolve around her.”

“There’s a new force to be reckoned with, and she’s
more than a pretty face,” Henry said, giving Kanti a peck on her cheek.

That night, Valerie
couldn’t resist visiting Thai. Seeing the love between Kanti and Henry made Valerie’s
heart ache for him. Before she could touch the charm that connected her to
Thai, the mirror lying next to her bed was suddenly filled with Juniper’s face.

“Did you get my message?”
she asked eagerly.

He nodded. “We were
running in circles, and your message was the confirmation. We’re already back
now. I guess we’re back to the drawing board on how to get to the Black Castle,
unless you think Shade will be able to help us.”

She shook her head. “I
don’t think he’ll be able to help anyone for awhile. There has to be another
way.”

Juniper yawned. “Let’s
figure it out tomorrow. Tonight I want to sleep in my own bed with no one
snoring next to me.”

His image disappeared,
and she snuggled into her own bed. She squeezed the charm around her neck and
shut her eyes.

When she opened them,
she was in a room filled with bunk beds—probably a youth hostel, she guessed.
Most of the bunks were empty, and she quickly spotted Thai and Tan. Even though
they were identical, she immediately knew that Thai was resting on the bottom
bunk. She recognized the way he slept, on his side with one hand tucked under
his cheek.

“Valerie,” he breathed. “Don’t
leave me.”

At first she thought he
was awake, but his eyes were closed. He was talking in his sleep. He had done
it before—she’d heard him when they were camping—but never anything that made
sense. A tremendous weight left her shoulders. Worrying that she was losing her
soul mate had haunted her for weeks, but now it was all going to be okay.

She waited for a long
time to see if he would awaken on his own, but his sleep seemed to deepen, and
she decided she’d come again the next day.

“I love you,” she
whispered into his ear.

Her mind returned to the
Globe, and peace settled on her heart. It was almost like what Dasan had given
to her, but better. But the feeling abruptly splintered. Something was very
wrong.

She sat up and opened
her eyes, but all she saw was darkness.

“Henry!” she shouted,
but she heard nothing, not even the sound of her own voice. The silence was as
thick as the darkness, and as impenetrable.

She might as well have
been floating in a void of nothing. But then the emptiness was shaken by the
low rumble of a deep well of magic. It quietly rattled her bones. It was the
dialed down magic of an immensely powerful Conjuror.

The vibrating increased,
making her teeth rattle. An intense pain radiated all over her skin, as if it
were being burned. She was dissolving, she suddenly knew with certainty. This
magic had the power to make her disappear into thin air, dust in the void. She
tried to scream, but like in a nightmare, her voice made no sound. If it
weren’t for the pain, she wouldn’t even know if she existed.

This wasn’t the magic of
a Conjuror. This was the indomitable, dark power of the Fractus.

Valerie’s panic was total. Her magic was
locked and buried inside of her, untouchable because of the depth of her fear.
She couldn’t fight this. Thai, Cyrus, Henry, Kanti—she would never see them
again, never have the chance to say goodbye.

No.

The word was like a
pinprick of light in the darkness. She wasn’t going down without a fight.
Whatever—or whoever—was doing this wouldn’t stop with her. Everyone she loved
would be next.

The dam holding back her
magic burst, and it flooded her to her fingertips. It had been right there all
along, held back by a wall of her own making. She reached out for Henry’s mind.
She shouted with all her power and was surprised by how close he was, as if he was
standing next to her.

His power flowed into
her. She breathed it in, and with every exhale, the darkness receded a little
more. A dim light entered her vision, and she heard shouting, though it sounded
like it was at a very great distance. She knew she was returning to life.

But before the void
vanished altogether, she heard a voice that echoed inside her mind, as if
someone was whispering in her ear.

“Get rid of your friends
and come to the edge of the forest. Keep me waiting, and they’ll all die.”

Reaper, she knew with certainty.

Her vision and hearing
came back the rest of the way in a rush, and everything was chaos. She couldn’t
make sense of the colors and sounds at first. Then she recognized that Henry
was sitting next to her, gripping her shoulders so tightly they ached.

“Come back! I’m here!”
he shouted at her.

“Is she breathing?” Midnight
asked, her usually soothing voice high with fear.

“Yes, but what’s
happening to her?” Henry asked as he leaned down to examine his sister with
terrified eyes.

“I’m okay,” Valerie
croaked. “I’m back.”

“Let’s give her some
room,” Midnight commanded. Henry sat back, and Valerie struggled to sit up.

“What happened to me?”
she asked.

“Henry and I found you
like this an hour ago. At first, it seemed like you were in a deep sleep, and nothing
could wake you,” Midnight explained.

“And you screamed and
screamed…” Henry broke off, his voice cracking.

“I’m sorry,” Valerie
said, Henry’s palpable terror blasted through their mental connection.

“I couldn’t see anything
in your mind but darkness, but I knew you were reaching for me, needing me. I
thought I was going to lose you,” Henry said softly.

“Tell us who did this to
you,” Midnight said, her voice calm but with an undercurrent of rage. “They
will be punished.”

Valerie wasn’t even
remotely tempted to tell them the truth. She knew that Reaper’s threat was one
he was prepared to execute. Normally, lying was something that lay heavy on her
conscience, but guilt didn’t even enter the equation as she crafted her story.

“I’m so sorry for
scaring you. It was only another of my nightmares.”

“The ones that are
linked to your abilities as a vivicus?” Henry asked. “I thought those were
gone. You helped Azra months ago.”

“I didn’t want to worry
you,” she said. At least that was the truth. “I need to clear my head—alone.”

Henry nodded, and he gently tried to see inside her
mind, but she kept it firmly locked against him. He seemed to respect her
desire to keep him out, and the soft hum of magic from him stopped.

Out of sight of the house,
Valerie broke into a flat-out run. She headed straight for the edge of the
forest where she had met Zunya, unsure of how much time Reaper would consider “keeping
him waiting” before someone died. Inside the tree line, she searched
frantically for Reaper. The forest was still.

“Hello? I’m here!” she
called out, trying to keep the desperation from her voice. Was this the wrong
spot after all? Why hadn’t Reaper been more specific?

Something flickered at
the edge of her vision and she spun to the left. She saw a tall man in a dark, heavy
robe and a hood that entirely hid his face standing several yards from her. He
held a weapon of some kind in one hand—a sickle. Her stomach turned. He was
dressed like the grim reaper. She walked toward him, swallowing her fear. She
had made it in time to save her friends, if not herself.

“Do you know who I am?”
Reaper spread his arms, gesturing to his macabre costume.

“Death,” Valerie said,
proud that her voice wasn’t shaking as hard as her knees were.

“More than death—justice.
An impartial razing of the old to make way for the new. Do you understand?”

It was twisted logic,
and her heart and mind rejected it. But she said nothing. He was a madman, and
trading verbal jabs with him wouldn’t save Jet’s life.

“I’m here, as promised.
Now where’s Jet?”

Reaper didn’t reply, but
she didn’t really expect him to. What were promises to such a man? She drew
Pathos slowly from its sheath. At the sight of her sword, Reaper narrowed his
eyes.

“How did you come by
your weapon?” he asked.

“It’s yours for Jet’s
life,” she quickly offered.

He shook his head. “There
will be no more trading today. You came as I asked. A bony, pale hand emerged
from the folds of the robe. He extended one long finger and drew a circle in
the air. Inside she glimpsed Jet in his cell.

“Come,” Reaper
commanded.

Jet wearily raised his
head and trotted through the opening.

“Jet!” Valerie couldn’t
help shouting. “Run, you’re free! Get help!”

But Jet didn’t look at
her. Instead he lay down at Reaper’s feet, like a dog obeying its master. He
was alive, but he wasn’t whole anymore. He had been broken, maybe past repair.

“You want him? Come and
get him,” Reaper said, and he made a vicious sound in the back of his throat.
He raised his hand, and she heard a hum of magic just like she had when she’d
been unconscious and he’d contacted her.

Before she knew what was
happening, Jet began to whine, and his whine turned into the most terrible
scream she had ever heard. Before her eyes, a spot in the middle of Jet’s torso
began to dissolve.

“Stop,” Valerie
shrieked. She ran to Reaper, ready to kill him even if it meant sacrificing her
magic—or her life. The world was better off without this monster.

Reaper dropped his hand,
but it was too late. A hole the size of her hand was in Jet’s chest, and he
bled profusely.

“If you are all they
say, then he isn’t lost yet.” Reaper’s tone was curious.

She suddenly knew why
he’d brought her here. He wanted to see her power in action. The thought gave
her hope. Jet couldn’t be past saving if Reaper wanted a display of her magic.

Her fear vanished; she
knew exactly what to do. An immense amount of power rose in her, ready to rush
forth into Jet. She barely registered that Reaper was beside her, gripping her
shoulder.

“Incredible,” she
thought she heard him murmur, but her mind was far away.

With all of her force,
she unleashed her magic into Jet. It hit a brick wall. Mentally she hurled
herself against it, increasing the flow of her magic impossibly higher, making
the blood pound in her ears.

“Yes,” Reaper breathed.

With his last breath, Jet
turned his head and his eyes connected with hers. An image of the last, dying
flames of a fire being blown out by the wind swept through her mind. With it
came the understanding that Jet was both the flickering fire and the wind—it
was his choice to die now, with honor. To ignore his wish would leave him a
slave to Reaper, and it could possibly kill her in the process. Her death would
be a dishonor that he could never live with.

She let out a choking
sob and stopped attacking Jet’s defenses. An image of a full moon and a long
howl filled her mind—sweet freedom. Then she saw a bright image of Chrome that
faded slowly, slowly, until it was gone, along with Jet’s life.

“You failed.” Reaper’s
voice sounded strange, triumphant but underscored with disappointment. “But it
was an impressive display. You’ll never be able to channel the power you
possess—you’re too weak. But with the right mentor, perhaps…”

Valerie’s magic still
sizzled inside her, begging to be unleashed. Her grief morphed into fury, and
she lashed out with a punch that was so fast that it should have left Reaper
unconscious. But the world seemed to turn on its axis—up was down, left was right.
She was disoriented.

“I can see that before
we can accomplish anything together, you will need to be broken. Only then can
you be remade into something I can use,” Reaper said, unfazed by her attack.

Valerie regained her bearings
and turned on her heel, preparing to execute a jump kick. But gravity seemed to
suddenly increase, pinning her to the ground. Crushed by its invisible hand,
she fell to her knees.

“Exactly where you
belong,” Reaper said. The pain she had experienced when he came to her in her
dream returned, a stinging burn that felt as if she was dissolving, like Jet, molecule
by molecule.

She refused to let him
see how much it hurt, gritting her teeth and struggling against the force that
pinned her down. It had to be in her head—something psychic like Sanguina’s or
Ani’s powers.

In the corner of her eye,
she registered that someone was running toward them, someone with streaming
white hair. Oberon hurled himself against Reaper. Valerie thought the
groundskeeper had lost his mind, but then she realized that the window in the
air Reaper had created to Jet’s cell was still open. The force of the impact
sent both Reaper and Oberon toppling through the opening. How had he even seen
it, blind as he was?

“Run!” Oberon yelled at her. Then the window vanished,
and she was alone.

Valerie raced through
the woods as Oberon had commanded. She burst from the trees and tripped on a
rock, landing face-first onto the ground. The pain was minor, but she couldn’t
stand. Instead she curled into a ball and let out a sob. She began to shake,
realizing the enormity of what had happened. Jet was dead, and she couldn’t
imagine Oberon surviving his encounter with Reaper.

The echoes of Jet’s
scream wouldn’t leave her mind, and she began second-guessing herself. Why had
she let him die? Chrome would never forgive her. She’d never thanked him, never
said she was sorry for being too late to save him.

Valerie was unraveling,
tempted to give in to the grief and pain. Pain was what she deserved, and in a
way, it would be a relief to suffer for her mistakes. But she couldn’t fall
apart yet. There was still a chance that she could save Darling—and maybe even
Oberon—if she acted quickly.

She remembered the box
that Gideon had shown her in her mind to hold her pain, the same way Dasan had
boxed away her worry for a night. She imagined pouring all of her grief and
guilt into that box and locking it tight. Once this was all over, she would let
herself open it.

With a new resolve, she
forced herself to stand and continue away from the forest. She had to find
directions to Dunsinane. As she focused, she saw Sanguina hobbling toward her
as fast as she could with her prosthetic leg, panting from the effort.

“Oberon made it in time,”
Sanguina said, shutting her eyes and taking a deep breath.

“You sent him?” Valerie
asked in disbelief.

Sanguina lowered her
eyes as if she were ashamed. “I know what you’re thinking—I should have
confronted Reaper myself. But without my vampyre powers, without my leg, I knew
I’d be no match and we’d both die. Oberon is the only friend I have left that I
could ask this kind of favor.”

Valerie shook her head. “It’s
not that. I never believed you would do anything to really help me.”

“I would do much more,”
Sanguina replied.

“Oberon’s as good as
dead, isn’t he?” Valerie asked, her voice wobbling.

Sanguina shook her head.
“No. They were allies in the past, and Oberon’s magic is a force to be reckoned
with. Reaper will try to regain his loyalty first. If that fails, he will break
him. But Oberon is strong. We can save him.”

“We?”

“Yes. You’ll never find
the Black Castle without me. I will be your guide.”

Valerie took a
shuddering breath as she examined her old enemy. All she saw was sincerity in
Sanguina’s eyes.

“Thank you,” Valerie
said. “Let’s go. Point the way.”

“We’ll need help. Reaper
has assembled an army. Most of them are scattered around the Globe on missions,
but a core defense remains to protect the Black Castle. Even with all your
power, we won’t even make it through the front door without a team to support
us.”

It went against
everything in her not to immediately set out to rescue Oberon and Darling, but
she couldn’t deny the logic of Sanguina’s words. Was there any chance that this
was a delay tactic? She had to decide right now whether she could trust
Sanguina.