Mine to Fear (27 page)

Suddenly, Jack is at my side, taking the
woman from me. “Go get the next one. We’ll pass her outside to
where they can better help her.”

Brilliant idea. I release her, running to
the next prisoner as soon as I know Jack has her. I dodge two
spells on the way, setting up a shield spell as soon as I get
there. As soon as I release the next prisoner, Jack is back at my
side. We're making a line between us, the prisoners, and the
warlocks, passing the prisoners along as I release them. A second
line forms in front of us to help protect them as we pass them
along.

Sooner than I would have thought we could do
it, the prisoners are all free. Now we just need to get ourselves,
and them, away from this place safely. There's not many warlocks
left standing at this point. As long as nothing goes wrong, we'll
make it.

I join Cynthia's side, attacking the last
ten or so warlocks. They are fierce and strong, hence why they are
left. A burgundy spell comes out of nowhere and splices my leg
open. I hiss in pain and throw a sleep spell back. The warlock puts
up a shield spell before it can reach him.

We need another weakness, like the feet from
before, but there's nothing left but hardened warlocks. The only
consolation is that I don't see a single prisoner in sight. I only
hope we don't become the new prisoners.

“
Retreat,” I call out.

Cynthia gives me a quizzical glance but
backs up to the hallway as the rest of them do. Once we're out of
sight of the warlocks, I say, “Why don't we bring the building
down, like we did to the law office before the rest of you joined
us?”

“
That was you?” Theodore
asks.

I shrug, but inside I'm glowing.

“
I think it would work,” Jack
says.

“
It would slow them down at the very
least,” Tawny says. “That may be enough to get everyone out of
here.”

“
Let's get out of here then so we can
bring it down,” I reply.

A dark green spell flies over our heads,
explodes over us, burning us where the sparks hit. It stings my
face and arms.

“
Move it,” I call out.

Cynthia throws a purple spell behind us as
we all file through the hallway. It's too narrow to move fast as we
need to. Another spell, yellow this time, comes sailing at us.
Before I can react, Theodore casts a shield spell, blocking the
attack. It gives the last of us just enough time to escape out into
the open.

It'll do no good to bring the building down.
The others are already fighting off attackers, the rescued
prisoners safely in the middle of them, trying desperately to hold
each other up. I ache from the last fight. I don't know how much I
or anyone else has left for a fight. But I didn't come here just to
be captured. I'll spit on the Grand Chancellor before I'll let the
Chardonians capture me.

I run to the front of the line while using
my battle cry. Before I even reach the front of the line, I blast
out a flurry of sleep spells, trying to hit as many warlocks as I
can. Several fall to the ground by the time I reach the front
lines. Only, the attackers like my idea so much, they're flinging
sleep spells back at us. One hits a warlock next to me, but I don't
stop until I've reached the front line, screaming the entire
way.

My presence seems to re-energize my group.
The rate they fling spells increases enough that the other side is
back off. I turn toward the back and yell, “Bring the building
down!”

I fling several more sleep spells in front
of me, aiming toward the warlocks moving the fastest. There's a
crash behind me. The building is coming down, power lines snapping.
One comes flying our way, landing on the ground between us and the
forest of our escape. I curse under my breath.

“
Get away from it,” I yell. It could
still be live and who knows how many of these people, especially
the women, know about electricity. One more thing to add to the
list to teach them. At least, after we get out of this
mess.

Which gives me an idea. If the two are going
to collide, we might as well make it as full on of a crash as we
can. I siphon my magic toward the downed line. Before my magic
reaches it, I will it to touch the line and shove the energy toward
our attackers, then break off the connections.

“
Run,” I yell.

Some are already doing so, but at the sound
of my voice, the rest join in, many helping the people we rescued.
We go around the crushed building, making our way around the fallen
line, just as I make it to the building, my spell goes off. Or
rather, the current of electricity slams into the remaining
warlocks.

I cringe, wishing it didn't need to come to
this, but for now, we're safe.

Chapter
Forty-Nine

B
ecause the
people are so weak, it takes over a week
to get
everyone back to the cave, but there are no further problems with
being spotted. It's a near miracle we make it without further
delay. Everyone is worn and tired, but I would love to see the
Grand Chancellor's face right now. To know how badly we hit him. We
should meet with Nathaniel soon to find out how much damage we're
really doing, if we're doing any good at all.

Serena and Bethany do a good job of getting
the people we rescued settled. Each of them is paired off into a
smaller cavern room with at least one other person that was here
before. They are weak enough that someone needs to be able to keep
an eye on them. A man comes up to me, the one I remember yelling at
me the first time we came to come back for them.

“
Thank you for saving us.”

My cheeks heat. “It wasn't just me. But I'm
glad you're here and safe.”

“
You are doing more than you
know.”

As he walks off, a voice behind me says,
“He's right, you know.”

I spin around to find Jack watching me,
almost smiling.

“
How long have you been standing
there?” I ask.

“
Long enough to know I'm not the only
one who's had a change of heart because of you.”

“
I've had a lot of help.” But my
cheeks grow warmer. He leans in, and in front of anyone passing by,
kisses my cheek. My face is now flaming, but so is my chest, in the
best possible way.

“
Katherine sent us both a message,” he
says.

“
Oh?” I try to collect
myself.

“
It seems you talked her into
something.”

I grin, knowing exactly what he's talking
about. “There's to be a wedding.”

“
And we're invited.”

***

Everyone who matters is here. Katherine and
Charles, of course. Jack, Serena, Tawny, Cynthia, Lukas, Bethany,
and many tarnished who I don't know. Everyone except Zade.

My heart aches for my brother. I don't just
miss him. I need him. There's no one like a brother, and he's been
gone far too long. I can't even think on what he must be going
through. I have to get him back. No more of this waiting.

At least, not after the wedding.

For now, it's time to celebrate. Time to
give Katherine and Charles the moment they deserve. The moment we
all need.

We're sitting on the ground, with the couple
in the center, a tarnished woman standing next to them. I don't
know if this is customary in Chardonia or not, but it's different
than our ceremonies. Sitting on the dirt could just be because of
the lack of chairs in nature, but the rest I don't know. Or maybe
they like to sit in dirt for weddings.

Then again, I don't know what the engagement
ceremony was like, but Serena despised it so much she would never
talk about it. Just clams up whenever I bring the topic up. I would
think wedding ceremonies would be the same. Maybe here and now they
are beginning a new tradition. A new way of marrying two
people.

Charles and Katherine look so happy, beaming
at each other. They are different too. Never before have I seen a
tarnished get married. Katherine is still shaving her head, tattoos
across both her and Charles’ faces. It's so much a part of them. I
only notice when I stop to think about it. Both are wearing nice
clothes but not spelled like an Envadi's would be. Simple dark
green breeches and white shirts for them both. Elegant material
made up simply, but beautifully.

“
Does anyone have any words of wisdom
for the bride and groom before we start?” the tarnished woman next
to them says, her voice clear. It's harder to tell because of her
tarnished state, but she looks older, like she might have gray hair
if she still had hair. She's dressed in bright colors, an orange
skirt and a bright pink shirt.

No one says anything. Even if I could think
of something, I'd remain silent. All my advice can be given in
private. Not that I have any more to give now that she's taken my
advice to get married. That's the best I could do.

“
Never take advantage of having each
oth
er
,” Serena says, her
voice cracking with emotion. “Enjoy each moment.”

I swipe away the tears that trickle down.
Serena would know better than anyone else just how important those
words are. I scoot closer to Jack, wishing it could be any other
way.

“
Charles,” a male tarnished says,
“Remember that your wife is always right.”

There's a small amount of laughter through
the crowd. Not enough to break the peace of the moment, but enough
to bring back the spirit of happiness.

“
Always say you’re sorry when you've
made a mistake,” a female tarnished says. “No matter how small,
you'll be happier in the long run if you admit your wrong doings
and work to fix them.”

“
Never go to bed angry,” a female
tarnished says.

“
Tell him exactly what you're feeling
and thinking, Katherine,” a male tarnished says. “Us men can be
dull-witted when it comes to guessing. You need to spell it out for
us.”

Katherine's grin grows at this as she gives
him a nod.

Silence follows.

“
Doe anyone else have any words to
add?” the standing tarnished asks.

No one speaks up.

“
Well then, as mother of the groom,”
there are several gasps from the tarnished, “I think it’s only
fitting I do so.”

Katherine's grin beams even brighter as she
looks at her future mother-in-law.

“
Cherish each other,” the tarnished
woman continues. “No matter what's to come, take care of one
another and value each moment you have together. Have you any words
for each other?”

Katherine leans forward and whispers
something in Charles’s ear. He kisses her on the cheek and the
replies in a voice lower than we can hear. The two look so perfect
together, happy and wonderful as they share words meant only for
them.

Jack grabs my hand. I glance up at him,
surprise reverberating through me. Who knew such a tough guy could
be a romantic? I lean toward him, resting my head on his shoulder
as the ceremony continues. Peace settles through me, more than I've
felt in the years since I've come to Chardonia. I'm surprised to
realize, I'm content.

“
May we all remember this day,” the
woman says, “the love of this couple and strive to spread its
warmth throughout all of Chardonia.”

The thought strengthens me, making me want
to do what she says. To share this bright light burning inside me.
To help others see like Jack has seen. We may be making war with
the Grand Chancellor, but we're bringing kindness and love to
everyone else. Like all those we've saved from power plants,
hunger, and torture.

We've all done much more than we
thought we cou
ld
.

Chapt
er Fifty

T
he wedding is
a memory I will always cherish, but we can't linger on it. There's
a war to plan.

“
I think we're ready,” I say to the
core group of leaders. “We need to attack now that we've weakened
key players and places.”

“
Do you really think we can win this?”
Annabelle asks.

“
Maybe,” Theodore says. “If we do it
right.”

“
We will win,” I say, hope a bright
flame inside me.

“
She's right,” Jack says. “I think now
would be the best time to attack the Grand Chancellor's
home.”

“
We need to attack with everything we
have.”

“
Don't you think it's a little
dangerous to be putting everything we have into this one battle? If
we lose—” Bethany says.

“
We won't lose,” Chadwick says. “Not
if we put everything we have into it.”

Serena replies, “But if we do, there's more
than just us at stake.”

I put an arm around her. “Which is why we
have to win.”

“
And we can win,” Tawny says. “It
won't be easy, but we can do it. We will bring down the Grand
Chancellor.”

“
I'm scared,” Bethany says.

I move to her side and slip my arm around
her like I just did to Serena. “I know. I am too. I think we all
are. But this is something we can take on. Something we're past
ready to do. We can't let the Grand Chancellor go on ruling the
country the way he has been.”

She lets out a shaky breath and nods.

“
She's right,” Jack says. “We can win
this if everyone is behind us. We can finally put an end to the
Grand Chancellor's tyranny.”