A Fork of Paths
Page 3
Anxious to test how much power I’d lost, I dared to move away from the mast and floated directly over the deck. I didn’t fall, but it was an unsettling struggle to keep myself afloat. I hoped that I still possessed the ability to transport myself to other places, too.
Though Horatio had told me that my family wasn’t dead, who knew how long it would take for Cyrus to get fed up and murder them all? He was an unpredictable man, as unpredictable as an untamed dog.
And Benjamin. Where is he now? If all had gone according to Julie and the Elder’s plan—and I could not imagine why it wouldn’t have—Benjamin would now be completely under the control of Basilius. The vampire would be his puppet, his faithful slave. I hated to think about what was happening to that vampire now, but I knew that I wasn’t strong enough to venture back to Cruor by myself. That place had an aura that drained a jinni’s soul.
I would only be able to do the bare minimum now, like transporting myself. I could practically feel my powers leaving my bones. And it would remain so until I recovered from my grief.
If I ever recover, I thought with a despairing sob.
It was only once a small island came into view and the pale, skeletal creatures began scuttling around on the deck that I snapped back to the present. It became evident after a few seconds that the monsters were indeed headed for this small island. The vessel began to slow.
The sharks that pulled this boat were fast—and it seemed that the pale creatures had enough intelligence to be able to navigate. It wasn’t long before we had arrived at the beach.
The silhouette of the dark island was very small. It took a few moments to realize what this place was. This was a small, restover island for travelers—similar in concept to The Tavern. Except I’d thought that this island was abandoned many, many years ago. A vengeful dragon had burned the whole place down in his fury. I hadn’t known that a new settlement had sprung up in its place. Although the island was nowhere near as developed as it had been before the dragon scorched it, there was still a surprisingly large number of buildings. I wondered how many residents this island sheltered now.
There was a thud. One of the creatures had lowered the gangway and they all swarmed down it onto the beach. They began loping with alarming speed over the sand, swarming together like a pack of wasps. They were heading for the town, or so it seemed.
Soon, there wasn’t a single creature left on the ship, and the last of them disappeared into the line of trees that bordered the beach. My skin tingled as a scream pierced the night several minutes later. Then another scream. And then another. Screams that twisted my gut in knots.
Oh, dear. This is not good.
This is really not good.
River
I ran across the mountain plateau as a wave of fire surged behind me. I’d been running for too long. My legs felt weak. The edge of a cliff came into view. A rickety old rope bridge linked this mountain peak and the next, about half a mile away. I stepped onto the first creaking slat.
The fire was still chasing me. Its heat licked my ankles, sending me hurrying forward. I dared not look down at the terrifying drop. God knew how many thousands of feet were beneath me. I just had to keep forging ahead, and—
One of the slats gave way. I lurched downward in a free fall, stalling myself at the last moment by grabbing hold of one of the ropes that formed the base of the bridge. But my palms were sweaty. I was rapidly losing my grip.
No!
My right hand slipped off, and just as my left began to slide, an arm shot down from nowhere and a hand latched onto my forearm. Then a second hand came down. Strong arms hauled me upward, through the gap and back onto the bridge. Trembling with shock, I found myself standing face to face with… Ben. His green eyes glistened in the glow of the fire, and his skin appeared paler than I’d ever seen it… almost translucent. His hands slid down my arms and he held my hands.
Then he turned around and, keeping me close behind him, began leading me along the bridge, away from the fire and toward the other side. As we reached the lush, grassy plateau, the bridge collapsed behind us and tumbled into the gorge below.
I gazed at Ben in wonderment.
“How did you get here?” I asked breathlessly.
He reached a hand beneath my chin and tilted my head up. His lips brushed against mine in a slow, tender kiss.
“What matters is that I’m here,” he replied, his voice deep.
I didn’t understand where he’d come from, but I didn’t need to. His touch was the only thing I needed, his presence what my soul ached for.
“Will you stay with me now?” I asked.
A flicker of pain crossed his face, and as he looked down at me, there was a sadness in his gaze. A sadness I didn’t understand. A sadness that disturbed me. He dipped down and kissed my cheek before saying:
“I’ll stay with you… for as long as you need me.”
I woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for breath. My eyes shot open, reality returning to me.
I was still in the hunters’ submarine. Still bound by my wrists and ankles. Still trapped.
I wasn’t sure how I’d even managed to fall asleep in the first place. There must’ve been something in the tranquilizer they’d shot me with. And how long had I been sleeping? There were no clocks in this room. How far away am I now from The Shade? The thought sent shivers down my spine. It felt like the submarine was still moving.
Now what?
Gathering my bound ankles and wrists together, I inched closer to the wall until my back was against it. I stared around the bare room. Fluorescent light strips glowed above me. Everything around me appeared to be made of steel—the door, the walls, the bed frame—giving the cabin a pristine feel. As depressing as it looked, I couldn’t fault the hunters for their hygiene. The room almost felt like… an operating room.
Though Horatio had told me that my family wasn’t dead, who knew how long it would take for Cyrus to get fed up and murder them all? He was an unpredictable man, as unpredictable as an untamed dog.
And Benjamin. Where is he now? If all had gone according to Julie and the Elder’s plan—and I could not imagine why it wouldn’t have—Benjamin would now be completely under the control of Basilius. The vampire would be his puppet, his faithful slave. I hated to think about what was happening to that vampire now, but I knew that I wasn’t strong enough to venture back to Cruor by myself. That place had an aura that drained a jinni’s soul.
I would only be able to do the bare minimum now, like transporting myself. I could practically feel my powers leaving my bones. And it would remain so until I recovered from my grief.
If I ever recover, I thought with a despairing sob.
It was only once a small island came into view and the pale, skeletal creatures began scuttling around on the deck that I snapped back to the present. It became evident after a few seconds that the monsters were indeed headed for this small island. The vessel began to slow.
The sharks that pulled this boat were fast—and it seemed that the pale creatures had enough intelligence to be able to navigate. It wasn’t long before we had arrived at the beach.
The silhouette of the dark island was very small. It took a few moments to realize what this place was. This was a small, restover island for travelers—similar in concept to The Tavern. Except I’d thought that this island was abandoned many, many years ago. A vengeful dragon had burned the whole place down in his fury. I hadn’t known that a new settlement had sprung up in its place. Although the island was nowhere near as developed as it had been before the dragon scorched it, there was still a surprisingly large number of buildings. I wondered how many residents this island sheltered now.
There was a thud. One of the creatures had lowered the gangway and they all swarmed down it onto the beach. They began loping with alarming speed over the sand, swarming together like a pack of wasps. They were heading for the town, or so it seemed.
Soon, there wasn’t a single creature left on the ship, and the last of them disappeared into the line of trees that bordered the beach. My skin tingled as a scream pierced the night several minutes later. Then another scream. And then another. Screams that twisted my gut in knots.
Oh, dear. This is not good.
This is really not good.
River
I ran across the mountain plateau as a wave of fire surged behind me. I’d been running for too long. My legs felt weak. The edge of a cliff came into view. A rickety old rope bridge linked this mountain peak and the next, about half a mile away. I stepped onto the first creaking slat.
The fire was still chasing me. Its heat licked my ankles, sending me hurrying forward. I dared not look down at the terrifying drop. God knew how many thousands of feet were beneath me. I just had to keep forging ahead, and—
One of the slats gave way. I lurched downward in a free fall, stalling myself at the last moment by grabbing hold of one of the ropes that formed the base of the bridge. But my palms were sweaty. I was rapidly losing my grip.
No!
My right hand slipped off, and just as my left began to slide, an arm shot down from nowhere and a hand latched onto my forearm. Then a second hand came down. Strong arms hauled me upward, through the gap and back onto the bridge. Trembling with shock, I found myself standing face to face with… Ben. His green eyes glistened in the glow of the fire, and his skin appeared paler than I’d ever seen it… almost translucent. His hands slid down my arms and he held my hands.
Then he turned around and, keeping me close behind him, began leading me along the bridge, away from the fire and toward the other side. As we reached the lush, grassy plateau, the bridge collapsed behind us and tumbled into the gorge below.
I gazed at Ben in wonderment.
“How did you get here?” I asked breathlessly.
He reached a hand beneath my chin and tilted my head up. His lips brushed against mine in a slow, tender kiss.
“What matters is that I’m here,” he replied, his voice deep.
I didn’t understand where he’d come from, but I didn’t need to. His touch was the only thing I needed, his presence what my soul ached for.
“Will you stay with me now?” I asked.
A flicker of pain crossed his face, and as he looked down at me, there was a sadness in his gaze. A sadness I didn’t understand. A sadness that disturbed me. He dipped down and kissed my cheek before saying:
“I’ll stay with you… for as long as you need me.”
I woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for breath. My eyes shot open, reality returning to me.
I was still in the hunters’ submarine. Still bound by my wrists and ankles. Still trapped.
I wasn’t sure how I’d even managed to fall asleep in the first place. There must’ve been something in the tranquilizer they’d shot me with. And how long had I been sleeping? There were no clocks in this room. How far away am I now from The Shade? The thought sent shivers down my spine. It felt like the submarine was still moving.
Now what?
Gathering my bound ankles and wrists together, I inched closer to the wall until my back was against it. I stared around the bare room. Fluorescent light strips glowed above me. Everything around me appeared to be made of steel—the door, the walls, the bed frame—giving the cabin a pristine feel. As depressing as it looked, I couldn’t fault the hunters for their hygiene. The room almost felt like… an operating room.
