Текст книги "The Promise"
Автор книги: Jessica Sorensen
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Текущая страница: 14 (всего у книги 15 страниц)
Chapter 44
(Alex)
Aislin dropped us in front of the house, letting out a shiver, as the cold air encircled her.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” she asked again, wrapping her arms around herself.
“Because maybe there’s another way. We still have a little time left.” I shook my head, opening the gate. “There’s no other way, Aislin. Time’s up. This is it.”
“Well, I’m waiting here.” She refused to step onto the sidewalk.
“That’s fine.” I walked for the front steps. “I’d rather do this on my own, anyway.” I banged on the door, causing an eruption of howls from the neighborhood dogs. “Open up! I know you’re in there.”
Next door, an old woman stepped out onto her porch. “Keep it down. We don’t want any nonsense.”
I banged on the door again, this time louder.
“No one lives there,” the old woman hissed, tying her robe. “Now leave or I’ll call the police.” I shook my head, giving the door a good hard kick, and then I stomped down the stairs, grabbing Aislin by the arm and headed down the street.
“Where are we going?” Aislin trotted to keep up.
“Just keep walking.” I glanced over my shoulder at the old woman who was still watching us. I turned the corner, rounding the back, and hopped over the fence to the back door. “Wait here,” I instructed and left Aislin on the bottom steps.
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I checked the back door and the window, but both were locked. I kicked the house. “Dammit! I don’t have time for this crap.” I punched my fist through the window, cutting my knuckles.
“Alex!” Aislin cried over the howl of the dogs, but I was already diving headfirst through the window.
Her wail blasted my ears as soon as I hit the floor. I didn’t bother taking out my knife, because I was already giving her what she wanted. I ran up the stairs and kicked down the door.
“Way to make an entrance,” the Banshee sung from the windowsill, her blond hair white in the pale moonlight. “But you could have just knocked.”
I took a deep breath, ready to make my offer, but she held up her hand.
“Let me guess,” she said, whisking from the window. “You found your mother, but now she’s trapped in the Afterlife, paying her debt until Helena will let her walk the world again.” I started to nod, but then shook my head. “But that’s not why I m here.” Her eyes were curious, her smile malicious. “Then tell me, what do you want from me?” She circled, tracing her finger across my shoulder. “I can be very giving if asked the right question.”
I clutched my hands into fists, knowing this wasn’t easy. But it was right. And that was all that matter. “I’m ready to make a bargain with you.”
A few minutes later, I returned outside, this time using the door. Aislin was waiting for me on the steps, in the crisp snow, shivering and chattering. “Can we go now? I m freezing my butt off.”
“You should have worn a jacket,” I handed her mine.
“I didn’t even think about it.” She put the jacket on and zipped it up. “All I could think about 217
was you saying you’re going to die.”
I rubbed my hands across my face, taking in what I’d just done. I felt different, sacred, but less burdened. “It’ll be okay. You’ll be okay.”
She kicked her boots at the snow. “I know you think this is how this is supposed to work, but why can’t someone save you too?”
“Because I’m not worth it.” I stared at the sky. “I’ve lived my life, did a lot of crappy things, and now it’s time to make up for it.”
She sucked back the tears and sniffled. “You’re not as bad as you think you are, Alex. And I think Gemma would agree with me.”
I realized this was probably the last time I’d see her. When I returned home, it would be time.
And even though she bugged the heck out of me most days, I’d still miss her. So I pulled her in for one last hug.
“Take care of yourself.” I gave her a pat on the back.
She nodded, sobbing, just like she always did. Then she pushed back, dabbing the tears from her eyes.
“Can we make one stop before we go back to the house?” I asked. “There’s something I need to get.”
“Where do you want to go?” she asked. “Hopefully somewhere easy.” I shook my head. “Sorry, but this is anything but easy.”
She crossed her arms defiantly. “Then I’m not going. I’m so sick of this. I just want to go back and all of us live normal lives.”
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“That’s not going to happen,” I said with honesty. “At least not for everyone.” She pressed her face into her hands. “Fine. Where to you want to go?” My breath puffed out in front of me. “To the Keeper’s Castle.”
“Are you insane?” Her hands fell to her side. “You do understand that’s where Stephan is, right?”
“Well, we’re not going there to pay him a visit,” I said. “We’re going to sneak into my room.”
“Why? That seems like the last thing you should be doing right now.”
“You want your power for your shield spell?” The neighbors lights clicked on and I scooted us into the shadows. “You remember how Gemma and I use to steal crap from Stephan all the time, just to piss him off.”
“Yeah, I always thought you guys were stupid.” She laughed her eyes wide as she stared off into empty space.
“Not stupid,” I said. “Smart. I have quite the collection hidden in my room.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t give it all back to him,” she said. “I mean, after she left you seemed to just do what he asked.”
I motioned my hand, stirring the falling snow. “Everything happens for a reason. Now can we go? We’re running low on time.”
She glanced at the sky and nodded. Then she chanted under her breath as the snow sped us away.
When we hit my bedroom floor, both our feet slipped out from under us. I braced myself with the bedpost but Aislin fell to the floor, her elbow cracking against the ice.
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My eyes did a quick scan of the room, making sure it was empty. There was ice everywhere, coating the walls and the floor. Icicles hung from the ceiling.
Aislin winced, cupping her elbow as she sat up. “What? Are they just living here now? He’s really lost it, hasn’t he?”
“I don’t think he ever had anything to lose.” I stood, getting my balance and headed for the trapdoor. But it was frozen shut by ice. “You got your knife on you?”
“Yeah.” She regained her steadiness with her hands extended to the side. “Why?”
“Because we’re going to have to chip some ice away to get to the stuff.” She took her knife out of her snow boot, knelt down, and stabbed at the ice.
“Quietly.” I sat down with my knife in my hand and shaved a layer of ice away. Aislin followed my lead and it seemed like we worked for hours, before we removed enough that I could snap the door open. Finally I glided inside, remembering the time Gemma and I hid in the space. It was one of the most unbearable moments of my life; hours seemed like days and I was surprised we even made it out alive.
Hidden at the farthest wall was a bag. I snatched it up, rolled over, and heaved myself back up.
Aislin grabbed it from me and untied it.
Her eyes sparkled. “Holy crap.” She blinked at me. “How did you get all this?” Inside the bag were many things that contained a lot of power; The Flower of Malina, The Box of Aurora, The Dust of The Burning Bridge. To me, it had always been a bunch of useless stuff.
But maybe Aislin could use the power for her spell.
“Dad’s always been power crazy,” I said. “I just hope they’ll work for you.”
“So do I,” she said enthusiastically. “But there’s only one way to find out for sure.” 220
We scared them with our sudden appearance in the middle of the living room.
Gemma hopped to her feet, her violet eyes stormy and anxious. “Where were you?” She tried to sound calm, but failed.
“I had something to do before we headed to the lake.” My hands longed to touch her, like they did last night.
She bit at her lip, her expression loosening from wrath to uncertainty. “So where did you go?”
“Aislin and I just wanted to say our good-byes.” I glanced at Aislin, warning her not to say anything.
Aislin sighed and flopped down on the sofa dramatically. “This is the most depressing day ever.”
Gemma stared at Aislin for a second, like she sensed something was up. “So you’re okay with this?” She turned her head to me. “You’re totally on board with this plan now?” I pressed my lips together, giving a slow nod. “If it means saving the world… then yeah.” She struggled not to cry as she took everything in. “Aislin, I need you to do something.”
“What’s up?” Aislin twirled her hair around her finger, her foot tapping against the floor as she tried to act normal.
“I found out how you got the shield spell and mark off Stephan,” she said, absentmindedly touching the Foreseer mark on the back of her neck.
“You went into another vision?” I asked. “Gemma, I —”
“There’s no point in arguing.” She cut me off. “Now let me tell her what she needs to do.” 221
I wondered if this was how people felt when they went into battle. If their hearts drummed, their insides shook, and their minds begged them not to go.
I’d spent so much time not really getting to know the good things in life. I’d carried my father’s negative energy, but I was finally shedding it.
“So we have to go to the Castle?” Aislin asked, eyes wide as she hugged the bag. “And all of them will be there.”
“You’ll be fine,” Gemma said as I sat down on the armrest behind her, feeling the static, but not caring anymore. “I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”
Aislin reached for her herb box on the table. “Well, let’s get going, I guess.”
“Don’t you still need more power?” Laylen leaned forward and picked up a baggy.
Aislin took it from his fingers and handed him the bag we d picked up. “Look inside.” Laylen gave her a warily look, untied the bag, and peered in. “Where did you get this?”
“Alex had it,” she said. “He used to steal all kinds of stuff from Stephan when he was a kid.”
“When we were kids.” I brushed Gemma’s hair with my fingers, letting her know I meant her.
She tipped her head back and I could tell in her violet eyes she still couldn’t remember.
Aislin opened her spell book and flipped through the pages until she landed on one titled: Potentia Aufero. “Everybody ready for this?” she asked and no one spoke a word. “Okay then.” She stretched her hands and dumped the bag onto the table. Gemma gasped as strange items piled out. “Pretty amazing, huh?” Then Aislin s face grew serious as she hovered her hand over the pile. “Ego hanc vim solummodo bonum. Hoc opus auxilium. Da me potestatem.” A red diamond, shaped like a bleeding heart, flickered first. Then all the others harmonized, 222
producing a collection of flaring colors so intense it was hard to look at it. But all four of us didn’t look away, watching as the colors looped for Aislin, slipping across her hands and making her skin blaze bright. She sucked in a breath and her head rolled back. “It’s wonderful,” she breathed, staring at her hands. “Like…”
“Electricity,” Gemma said quietly.
Aislin nodded. “Is this how you guys feel all the time?”
Gemma didn’t reply, staring out the window, the sun breaking against the horizon and lighting up the world. “Do you think it’s time?” she asked to no one in particular. “Or do you think we need to wait until later today.”
“It’s December 21st,” I said. “I’m sure that’s all that matters.” I paused. “Is that it? Do you have everything for your spell?”
“Yeah, I have more than enough.” She was still beaming over her new power.
“Then I guess we should all get going,” Gemma said, the electricity picking up with her anxiousness.
We all sat there, afraid to move. It was a moment of silence that could be felt around the world, as if time actually stopped for a brief second to take it all in.
Aislin stood first and Laylen followed her lead. “Do we go all at once?” Laylen asked.
“Alex and I were outside in the vision, so yeah, I think we go all at once.” Gemma trailed over to the corner armoire and took a cellphone out of the drawer.
“Where did you get that?” I asked.
“We found it in the house after you left. I think it was Sophia’s.” She opened it and held the power button down. “We kept it around in case of an emergency.” 223
“And this is an emergency?” I took the phone from her as it clicked on.
“It’s how we’re going to bring Stephan out of the house,” she replied, staring off into emptiness.
“With a phone?” I cocked an eyebrow and then shrugged, stuffing the phone into my pocket.
“You ready?”
She nodded, squeezing her eyes tight as if she were trying to crush this moment from her mind. She began to cry as Laylen stood up and hugged her tight.
“Bye,” she whispered, her hands unsteady as she clutched onto him for dear life. “And remember what I said.”
Laylen’s expression was raw pain. But when they broke away from each other, the look was gone. Gemma turned to Aislin, not sure what to do. But I knew what would happen, because Aislin was Aislin. She grabbed Gemma, crying like she always did, even though she knew the outcome.
Gemma looked awkward with the whole thing, but gave it her best. Aislin finally released her and Gemma took my hand, our fingers intertwining, sparks going crazy, begging us not to touch. But we didn’t care anymore. Our time together was up. The star would soon be dead.
And the world would move on.
“Ready for this?” she asked.
“I’ve been ready for this for forever.”
She didn’t catch my meaning, grasping onto my hand, and closing her eyes.
But I’d meant what I’d said. I had been waiting for this day forever.
Because today was the day I was finally going to save her.
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Chapter 45
(Gemma)
Saying good-bye to Laylen was the second hardest thing I’d ever had to do. The first was just around the corner. And that was saying bye to Alex.
I Foreseed us to the edge of the lake, right on the shore, our backs to the grey-stoned Keeper’s Castle. I wondered if the Water Faeries were down there, watching us from beneath the water, wishing we’d fall in so they could torture us.
Everything seemed clear now; clearer than it had ever been for me. My head had always been so packed with thoughts and worries. But they were all gone now. The answers were right in front of me.
Well, almost.
I turned in a circle. “I don’t think we’re in the right spot.” He gazed around, scratching his head. “Where are we supposed to be then?” I pointed at the trees. “Well, all of them came from there, but right now they’re in the castle.” He kicked a rock into the lake and the water rippled. “We should have had you see the whole vision then.”
“No, we shouldn’t have.” My eyes took in the trees. Then I shut my eyes and breathed in the air. “You feel that…” My eyes opened. “The Death Walkers.”
“That was really creepy,” he said, forcing a light tone. “It’s like you smelled them or something.”
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“No, I just felt the cold air.”
My eyes lingered on the castle, the electricity warming up, preparing itself for the end. The grass was kissed with morning dew, the sun barely breaking.
He stared at the other side of the lake and then he took off, dragging me with him.
“What are you doing?” I stammered, tripping over rocks and twigs.
“Making this right.” He dodged us around a large tree. “You said they came from the trees. So we will see them coming and have enough time.”
We ran by our hideout, the violet bush flitting away from my sight as we raced farther into the forest. I stamped the picture in my head, wanting to take it with me forever: two kids, pressing hands tight, promising to be together forever.
Little did they understand that their time would be short and precious. That their forever was merely a glitch in time.
We walked the half circle around the lake, breaking from the forest edge and out into the open. The lake stretched between us and the castle.
“This works?” He pointed at the castle. “We can see when they’re coming.”
“I think so.” I memorized the trees, the water, the sun hiding behind the clouds.
He took the phone out of his pocket. “What did I say when I called?”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “I guess that’s up to you.”
He dialed the number and put the phone to his ear. It rang and rang and rang and then I heard the muffled “what.”
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“Look out your window.” He paused, raising his hand and flipping his father off. “If you want us, come get us asshole.” Then he snapped the phone shut.
“That was your final words to him?” I questioned, my breath and heart erratic.
He chucked the phone into the lake. “Yep, that’s all I had to say.” Suddenly everything moved fast like flickers of lightning bolts flashing across the sky. They barreled out the front door of the castle, their cloaks blowing behind them as they froze the land over.
He clutched onto my hand. “Breathe, Gemma.”
I sucked in a breath as the sounds of ice and twigs and wind blew around us. Alex said something to me, but his words were just whispers of a language I would soon forget. Tears filled my eyes, but I couldn’t take them off the trees, frozen with icicles, as they marched closer and closer, irreversibly breaking free from the shade of the forest. It was Stephan’s eyes I saw first, cold and deadly, and then Alex regained my focus.
“It will be alright,” he whispered and then he kissed me, like I was the only thing left on this world, like he could finally breathe for the very first time. Like we were one. And I finally realized something, all on my own, without the help of the prickle.
“I love you.” My words carried away in the wind. I didn’t say it because he was perfect or because every time I was with him it was magical. Nothing was perfect and I understood that.
I said it because I was standing here in death and there was no one else I wanted beside me.
“I love you,” he whispered back. “Always have. Always will. Forever.” And those were the magic words, the ones that burned the light free. It was the words that emptied us, but freed us at the same time, along with the star. Its energy smoldered brightly for the very last time and swallowed us with it.
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I saw everything that had been and would never be. I saw my past and a future I’d never know. Every emotion I’d ever felt flashed through me at once: hurt, happiness, pain, love. And then my body sank as my life slipped away and I became one with the earth. The star had expired, saving the world, not ending it. But taking my soul with it.
But I would never forget him. No matter what happened.
Because we were bonded together.
Forever.
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Chapter 46
(Gemma)
Death wasn’t bad. Death was warm and bright and weightless, like air. It was like I’d soared off to the sun, away from my pain, forgetting everything.
Until I heard the Banshee wail and I opened my eyes.
Then I remembered the bargain I’d made with Helena. I’d promised her my soul, handing it to her on a silver platter. To her, it was the best kind of soul. In exchange, Alex would live, continuing on with his life, free from his father and the star.
It might have seemed like a crazy choice, but once Helena spoke it, I knew there wasn’t a choice left. When faced with the option to save everyone and only have to let myself go, I had to pick death. Otherwise I’d never have been able to live with myself.
“And so we meet again.” Helena’s old tattered body was perched in her throne. Her silver eyes were eager, happy to collect my soul.
“And so we do,” I said, stepping onto the red podium, no longer afraid. What was done was done. “So what do I do now? Become your slave? Turn into one of your mummies?” Her lip twitched at my tone. “You do whatever I want you to do.” Then she clapped her hands.
“In fact I have the perfect place for you. You will live inside my ring, close by, where I can always feed off your power.”
“My power’s dead.” I spat. “There’s nothing left inside me.”
“You sound very ungrateful.” She stood to her feet, her twiggy legs wobbling her toward me.
“Must I remind you that this was your choice, you wanted this.” 229
“It was never a choice.” I got in her face, not angry, not calm, not anything. “I did what I had to do.”
She tipped back her crinkled head. “You’re a stupid little girl. And I’m going to eat you up.” She paused with a clever look in her silver eyes. “I think I have a better place for you.” Then she opened her hollow mouth, her breath stinking of a corpse. “You can live inside me.” I stood inert as she breathed me in. I didn’t feel like working up a fight. I felt like my old self, empty and numb emotionless. I shut my eyes, preparing for my real end, hoping I could go into the dark forever.
“Helena.”
My eyes snapped open. Behind the throne was Annabella. Her white lily hair blew like fire.
Her red lips were pursed, and her silver eyes narrowed.
“Let her go,” Annabella said. “She’s not yours to take.”
Helena whirled, her crippled body popping as she stormed for Annabella. “This doesn’t concern you.”
Annabella stepped slowly onto the podium and swished her black dress to the side. As they stood in front of each other, Helena was much smaller than Annabella.
“You feel that,” Annabella whispered. “You can’t take her soul because it belongs to someone else.”
“She gave it to me!” Helena roared, stomping her foot. “I can take it!”
“You’ve always been so greedy,” Annabella said. “No wonder mother liked you less.” Helena’s hands moved for Annabella’s throat. “I hate you!” 230
Annabella seized her hands, trapping her in place. “Her soul is connected to another. You can’t have it, even if you made a bargain with her. You have no right and if I have to, I’ll bring down mother to talk to you.”
Helena kicked and yanked, like a child. “We had a bargain! We had a bargain!” Annabella’s eyes fired ferociously. “I m going to take her now. She’s not staying.” Then she let Helena go.
Helena sank to the floor, her head falling into her hands as she wailed.
Annabella extended her hand. “Come with me, Gemma.”
Given the two choices, I took Annabella’s hand. “Where are we going?” She led me to the back of the throne and a light curtained around us. “To your mother.” She carried us away in a light full of essence and warmth and landed us underneath the cape of the willow tree. Then Annabella was no longer there. The branches danced around my mother and me as we faced each other, unblinking.
“Mom.” I threw my arms around her neck and sobbed. “I thought I’d never see you again.” She smoothed my hair. “Shhh… everything’s going to be okay.” She let me have a moment, let my tears soak her shirt. Then she pulled me away so she could look at me. “Do you know why you’re here?”
I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand and sniffed. “Because I crossed over. I’m essence now.”
She shook her head, her dark hair twirling in the wind. “You’re here because of who you are.”
“Who am I?” I asked. “This is all so confusing.”
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“You’re my daughter, brave and loving. Both are wonderful gifts.”
“I think you’re wrong.” I frowned. “Those don’t sound like me at all.” She smiled delicately. “But they are, Gemma. They really are.”
“Is that why I was freed from Helena?” I tucked my hair behind my ears. “Because I sacrificed my life.”
She walked for the middle of the tree, her blue dress whipping behind her. “You’re here because everything happens for a reason. You’re here because both of you made the sacrifice.”
“I’m not sure I understand.” I followed her. “Both of us made the sacrifice. Did Alex die too?” She quickly shook her head. “You’re here because you carry the soul of another, which means Helena can’t make a bargain with just you. She’d also have to make one with Alex. No one can own either of your souls without the other.”
“So I’m an essence?” I turned over my arms, wondering if I was going to turn into an orb.
“Is that what you want?” Her blue eyes were pressing. “Do you want to be here?”
“Do I have another choice?”
She sat down on the grass. “If you choose to say here with me you can. But if you choose to leave, you can go back to your life.”
“My life,” I whispered, a gentle breeze kissing at my cheeks.
“If you want.”
I sat down on the ground beside her and plucked at the grass, thinking about my life. “But why is Annabella letting me go? Why doesn’t she keep me?”
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“Because she can let you go,” my mother said. “She could either let you go or take you both.
You and Alex are bonded take one, they have to take you both.” We’re bonded together forever. “But why not just take us both?”
“I know this is hard for you to understand, but not everything is evil.” She picked a violet flower from the ground and spun it in her fingers. “What you did to save the lives of everyone else that was the very essence of good. You need to understand that everything isn’t evil in the world. There is also good.”
“And Annabella’s good?” I let go of the pieces of grass and watched them blow into the garden full of lilies, roses, and vines twisting from the trees.
“Annabella is what she chooses to be,” she said. “Just like you can.” I swallowed hard, letting it sink in. “I didn’t expect this. I thought I became a Lost Soul.”
“I know. And that’s why you’re one of the good ones. You went into this blind.” She paused, handing me the violet flower. “So what will it be, Gemma? Do you choose life? Or death?” I stared at the flower as it rested in the palm of my hand. “What about you?”
“I’m right where I belong,” she said. “It’s you that needs a place.”
“I don’t think I can leave you,” I muttered. “Knowing I’ll never see you again. You took your own life to save me. Why don’t you get a choice?”
“We’ll see each other again.” She squeezed my hand. “This isn’t good-bye forever.” I thought about life, about the pain I’d been through. But the tiniest moments the stolen kisses, the whispered words, the possibilities helped me to choose. I released the flower and let the wind carry it away to the unknown. “I want to go back.”
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White and red flower petals blew through the air as she nodded and stood to her feet, brushing the grass off her dress. “One last good-bye before you go.” I hugged her with all I had in me, not wanting to let go, but knowing I had to. When I backed away, she was gone and Annabella stepped out from behind the tree.
“You choose life?” She asked. “Is that your final decision?” I nodded. “I choose life.”
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