The Grasp of Nighttide (34 page)

A few years later, they had John. He was a fine boy with bright future in the Grasp until he met Rosalie, a normal poor human with nothing to spare. John instantly fell for Rosalie and wanted to quit the Grasp. The Queen was furious with John’s decision as the boy was a vital member of the Grasp. John made a deal with the Queen that he will help them to kill in exchange of his freedom. In some years, John finally succumbed with cancer and died. Stephanie, John’s daughter went off track and died too. Diane had no idea what weakness they inherited that none of them were truly loyal to the Grasp.

“What you did was to save Stephanie,” Andy sensed her thoughts when she was examining her phone.

“She didn’t listen… She didn’t listen to me. She could’ve been here, alive.” Diane muttered and covered her face with both of her hands. In her years as Grasp, remorse and guilt was in her heart. Diane was a total failure as a mother. 

“The queen wants you back in.” Shnell Gorthe, the English guard opened the conference room door and called out the two. Her waist- long black ponytail swayed for a moment and then she stood still again. Diane had also been offered a choice to stay with the queen and be her guard, and Diane was glad she didn’t accept it. Defenders - who could only control demons and had no control over summoning and suppressing them- were offered chances for the role. If they were considered fit, they were offered the guard job, instead of being a protector for the Grasp demons in the world. Being a guard meant no personal life- wearing old men-in-black attires round the clock, sleep for no more than just four hours at a time, no life outside and the worst of all standing by for a lady who didn’t even need protection. The only upside to it was the end of the lifelong struggle of earning in the world.

Andy and Diane curiously headed back in the room. The queen was busy directing everyone who had an active assignment to finish with it and not to summon any more demons until further orders. 

“I almost forgot, I have an active assignment too,” Andy butted in. 

 “Zebiar will handle it.” The queen said. “Won’t you Monsieur Zebiar?” she sneered. 

 The man quickly stopped from playing on his phone and sprang up from his seat. He nodded, hiding his confused look.

“So, tell me Monsieur Zebiar. Do you even have any idea on the factors to be considered before possessing a subject?”

 Zebair nodded again. 

“Tell me, then.” There was her evil grin. 

 “Err…the area, the family, if there is too much risk of our exposure, and if the type of killing the demon should undertake is possible, and if the subject is strong willed, Your Majesty.” Zebiar quickly replied and was praying so hard that the Queen would let him off the hook. The Queen was not really impressed by his answer but chose to just let the man go. She turned towards Honada, an eighteen year old Grasp who looked a tad younger again.

“You have field experience. Don’t you, Honada?” she asked.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Honada replied.

Not just the two of them but all were flashing expressions of concern. “Brilliant. Go with him. We can’t afford any mess-ups” The Queen diverted her attention to Diane and Andy. “What I wanted to tell you is to stay in your thirties, do not come lower than that. However tempting the magic may feel but do not accept more than what is needed to keep that age, until I figure out how can we get the miracle.” She commanded. 

“Have no worries, Your Majesty. We have everything under control!” Andy chuckled and winked at the Queen. He started trying to sweet talk to her again but was stopped by a tight squeeze on his shoulder by Diane. 

“We all depend on this. We will be free of this daily struggle of shadowing our victims for years,” she stressed. “We can be immortals. It all counts on you. Do not fail me, understand?” she growled. 

Shnell came towards Diane and Andy. She led them back outside under the orders of the Queen. As Andy turned the knob of the door, their hearts raced. It was the time they had been waiting for years.

The door opened and there, stood a boy. He was slightly chubby with fair complexion and freckles on his cheeks. His ash brown hair was neatly combed to the side with a few strands jotting out. The boy who she had guessed right of looking more like Andy, stifled a yawn and cutely rubbed his eyes. 

He quickly froze when he spotted Diane and Andy standing right in front of him. He glanced at Marco who was beside him, with a gasp. “Go now.” Marco patted his head. Marco was dressed up as always, with a long antique sword at his side, a leather tunic with a hood, and his long red hair combed back. He always looked handsome pulling off the look, no matter whether he looked sixteen- as of now- or older. A smile formed on his face. “You are lucky that you have the honors to help us though you are this young, little Tory. Remember Grasp will prevail.”

“Is this for real?!” Tory blurted out. He eyed Diane and Andy with widened eyes, like they were his role models, some action heroes.

“Ahem,” Marco glared at him.

Tory gulped, as he looked at Marco. He knew that he was wrong. He knew the drill, and no excuse was acceptable. “The Grasp will prevail.”

“Good.” He said to him, before looking at Diane and Andy. “I have work to do. I guess I’ll see you soon.” With that Marco headed back to the dorm.

In just a blink of eye, the boy leapt at both of his parents. Andy and Diane led Tory, walking hand in hand. Diane kissed her child repeatedly on his cheeks and was whispering on how much she missed him in his ears.

“Mom, Dad! I love you!” Tory cried. Andy ruffled the boy’s hair and pinched his nose. “We know, Tory.” Andy eyed at Diane and wrapped his arm around her. “We love you too,” they both said and kissed Tory’s cheeks. 

Both of the parents knew how hard it was to stay under orders for a kid, they had felt the same growing up. But as Tory was with them, and they were together, they could live like a happy family like they had dreamt of- for now. 

With each step, the Queen’s residence faded away from sight and trees flourished. Long ago Mortegath was nothing but a barren land- like anyone would imagine a dead land to be, but the queen wanted a change in scenery and transformed Mortegrath into something more than lifeless. Paths, gardens, lakes were set up filling for a quarter of the enormous space. It wasn’t always dark like it was said to be once. The sky matched that of the outside world, giving Mortegrath both day time and night. It had become more like an enormous kingdom, a protected one-without any guards to watch over the entrances or monitor intruders, as only the Grasp could lead anyone in, but Grasp were careful and even if a member dared show betrayal... Of course they knew better than even thinking of such a thing.

The three of them passed the memorial where there had stood cabins once, a tribute to all Grasp who had died when the witches invaded Mortegrath. Diane stood there in silence praying to the spirits while Andy did too. In the battle her grandparents and the whole family that came down from generations before them had met their end. She was sure Andy’s family had been destroyed at the time too, while he was sheltered from that battle as a little kid. But whenever she tried to get details out of him, he only said one sentence –
Everything I had was taken away that day
.

“Let our ancestors be at peace,” Tory spoke up, shifting their attention to him. “Can we go now?”

A blanket of bright stars hovered upon the three of them, as if they were celebrating the union of Diane, Andy and Tory. Even a distance away from the portal’s opening; the howling of wolves could be heard. Diane glanced at Tory who looked at her, grinning at the sound. Andy lifted him up and patted his back.

“We will never leave your side, Tory. As long as we are together, we can decorate each moment we share. Just me, you and daddy.” Diane said in excitement. Her dream had finally come true. She would be a good mother now at any cost. 

Lanra woke up again and looked around the room.

 Quietly she hopped out of bed and stood in the middle square of the tic tac toe board on the floor. The cushion shaped Xs and Os rested on the small chairs. She didn’t know a lot of strategies to win the game but had understood to always go first and take the center square. 

 She picked up her teddy bear from the pink nightstand and asked “Do you think I should sleep with mommy? The movie shoot scared me. It was strange.” 

 ‘Mist’-the teddy bear just stared blankly at her with its black eyes, leaving Lanra to decide for herself. 

 “I think there’s nothing scary out now. Let’s check.” Lanra went to the window, where she saw what looked like an accident. There was a crowd of people, blue and red lights flashing. Mom was right; it had to be a movie shoot. That would explain the crowd anyway. A tiny bit of movement caught her eye and she saw a man, apart from the rest of the crowd. There was nothing special about him, he was trying to get a better view, but he was crossing the road. 

 She stood stiff
 
and felt what she had before. Suddenly, her sleepy eyes snapped open. They were no longer soft, but now almost glowed with a red that was inhuman. Her childish face smiled evilly, and she felt the wrath from before. Another one was coming, and she knew subconsciously just what to do to him. 

*****

The Darklit Sky (Grasp, #2)

How much longer will Diane’s and Andy’s happiness last? Will Tory be loyal to the Grasp unlike their other kids, or will it come down to choosing between their kid and their loyalty to the Grasp once again?

Rave and Lance were content with their lives, until they realize that the past is back, and that this time Lanra is in danger from the demon. Standing against the powerful Grasp trying to take their kid, will they be able to protect Lanra, or will she be taken?

With the queen relying on the miracle, she can’t let Lanra slip from her. And she can destroy everyone that come in the way. What price will Diane, Andy, Rave and Lance have to pay to keep their kids away from the queen’s evil grasp?

It will all be answered. The next of the Grasp series, ‘The Darklit Sky’ coming 2016.

The Chloetia Series (26 days left)

Do you remember Ritchie Maxer from this novel? If you said it was the author appearing in Chapter 24 in hotel ‘Splendor’, you are right! Ritchie Maxer is the protagonist in ‘The Chloetia Series (26 days left)’

Here is the extract-

                         Writing the series had never been so deadly

When author Juni Rodith finishes writing the book- ‘The Chloetia Series (39 days left)’- in thirteen days, she takes her life by bleeding to death by carving Chloetia all over her body. It is uncertain what made Juni take the drastic step- but Juni’s family blames it on Chloetia.

As the book becomes a hit worldwide, Ritchie Maxer is called in to write the next of the series ‘The Chloetia Series (26 days left)’. Ritchie pushes the theory away that Chloetia had anything to do with Juni’s death- mainly as Chloetia died long ago. His only goal is to complete the next installment of the best-selling book, and bask in the fame that would come to him afterward. But will it be so easy, or will Ritchie experience what Juni had?

You Broke My Heart… Not ME
!

A heartbreak is inevitable when you are let down by the one you love. But will you let that set you back or will you stand up and express that you deserve better? And it isn’t about proving to the world, it is about proving it to yourself.

You Broke my heart.. Not ME! Is my collection of poetry on heartbreak- most of them written to tell a story, with each one revolving around the idea of this haiku-

YOU DID BREAK MY HEART

BUT LET ME MAKE IT CLEAR THAT

YOU DIDN’T BREAK ME!

To stay updated with Sadaf Zulfikar, you can follow and participate on her new blog
http://graspedbystories.blogspot.in/
or she could be reached at [email protected]

First I’d like to thank my mom and dad without whom I wouldn’t come so far to complete this, my loving husband Zeeshan, my brother Shariq, and a special thanks to my sister Shehzeen who put up with me, from the time this whole novel was just a sentence in my head. She listened again and again- to each new twist and change I thought about. You’re the best sister ever. And I also extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone in my family who always loved me and were so supportive.

I’d next like to mention my friends who are an inseparable part of my life. Hitu- with whom I first gained interest in writing books back in school. Chandrika- my insanely good friend who always has my back no matter what, love you. Lekha- who gave me a lot of confidence being one of the first readers of my book. Your support meant a lot. Ifrah and Shifa- My buddies who always believed I could do it, even when I wasn’t so sure myself. I couldn’t do this without special friends like you all.

I don’t remember myself how many drafts it took before I published this. With each draft, I’d relax thinking I was done, but ideas kept crawling in my head, begging to be included. Then it was back to the writing desk and well, changes in chapters.

Thanks to Margaret Wood and Stephen Cooper who were the first ones to help me in the editing process. I thank Brian Boon and Sara Hassan for helping to edit those chapters in which I made changes later. And then finally I thank Naomi Holloway who helped me give its final shape with her suggestions and edits. The credit for the cover design goes to Ahmed Emad. I couldn’t possibly miss out mentioning my beta readers Heather Gilbert, Norhan Jamal and Umme Hani for being ever so helpful.

And last but not the least I thank each and every reader of my book. There is no place for a novel in the world if not for readers like you.

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