Deadlands (The Healer Series, #2)
Read Deadlands (The Healer Series, #2) Online
Authors: Kayla Jo
Deadlands
by: kayla jo
Copyright © 2014 by Kayla Jo
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
This e-book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events of persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.
This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Warning: This is the second book in the Healer Series and starts where the first book left off, and may be confusing to those who did not read the first book.
This book may contain some language and mild intimate situations. Thank you.
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Chapter 7-Slaughters and Grungetown
Chapter 10-Light to my Darkness
Chapter 16- Healing is Easy To Do
Chapter 22-The Power of the Destroyer
apter 1
Darkmeer Academy
“Not that I’
m all excited about entering a school filled with a bunch of crazy, male Warlocks, but if it’s all right with you, I think I’m going to sit this one out,” the Werewolf Chase Hawthorne said, putting his hands on his hips assessing the large ominous silver gate that bordered the entire castle of Darkmeer Academy. The gate stood nearly ten feet tall and was sure to be protected by extensive spells to ward off intruders. It wasn’t meant to look welcoming.
Willow Rose turned to face him
and smirked. “Do I detect a hint of fear, Wolf-Boy?”
“
Puh-lease,” Chase said waving his hand in the air dramatically. “I’m just saying that somebody has to stay here and protect Elirana’s virtue from all those hot-headed Warlocks who don’t know how to respect a woman.” He looked back at Elirana and winked.
“
Is that an insult to my race, Chase?” Willow chided, knowing she was taunting the very person who incessantly flirted with any woman on legs.
“Not
at all, Healer baby. Besides, don’t you want to face Pretty Boy yourself? I don’t think he’d be too happy to see me with you.”
“You’
re right, Chase. I should be the one to do this. I
can
do this. Yep. I’m going to do this.”
“Now who’s being scared?” Chase came up to her. His gorgeous blue eyes glowed from the green lights coming out of the castle windows. Sometimes, it
was easy to forget Chase was a Werewolf, until his physical body showed the obvious signs. His midnight black hair hung on his forehead as he stood with a cool, yet cocky demeanor. He glanced back at Elirana again, who was standing patiently waiting for Willow to make a decision. Willow could sense that Chase was very protective of the beautiful Elf maiden, but she hadn’t made a connection as to why just yet.
Elirana stoo
d quietly with her arms crossed in a casual stance. She didn’t make a sound, but there was skepticism in her facial expression. If Willow wasn’t looking directly at her, she would think her and Chase were the only two around. Elirana had long blonde hair, pointy ears, and wore a long flowing maroon gown that emphasized her slender figure. Her face was completely smooth and void of any blemishes. She was breathtakingly beautiful, but Willow knew that all Elves were attractive and youthful looking. That wasn’t the point. The point was that they were also a secretive race, and at times, deadly. They could be so mellifluous and sneaky it was unnerving watching her stand there as immobile as a statue, which she could probably do for hours without tiring.
Willow
didn’t say anything as she looked passed the gate towards Darkmeer Academy. She was scared, but it was an entirely different kind of fear than Chase’s. Just hours ago, Willow had rejected the love of her life, Declan Aldridge, who happened to be the son of the Head Warlock of the Emerald Circle, the most powerful of the Warlock Orders. Now, she had to go into the Academy with her head held high and beg him to go with her group to the Deadlands in search for the key that would unlock Pandora’s Box. At least, that was what the Seeker Carmela intended when she sent her through a portal and Willow winded up at the very place said broken hearted person was.
Willow looked down at her talisman, a beautiful, thin golden bracelet linked to a ring around her m
iddle finger. It was a constant reminder of why she was here in the first place. The talisman silently pumped magic into her body, strengthening and expanding the magic within her. In the moonlight, it was faintly tinted a light yellow color. It was finally where it was meant to be. She should be confident that her powers were slowly gaining strength and stamina, and yet, she was far from being assured with who she was. And that insecurity may be due to the fact that an evil Witch wanted to kill her. Well, actually, it was the exact reason.
Hekate
, the Queen of all Witches and High Prophesier of magic casters had hidden Willow’s talisman in the dangerous forest of the Everwild so Willow’s magic would remain stagnant, allowing Hekate time to kill her. Hekate desired Willow’s power, capable of healing any magical creature by touching them. This power was so rare, that centuries had gone by before the gift appeared again. Through Willow, the healing power emerged. But this power, which was supposed to be a blessing to all magical races, had turned out as more of a curse, because everything Willow knew had been forcefully taken from her.
Hekate had manipulated everyone into believing she was working for the good of others. But this was the biggest lie in the history of magic casters, for secretly Hekate had been
killing and gaining the magic from other casters to increase her power among their race to ultimately become omnipotent. She betrayed all magic casters by becoming an Extractor, and by doing so, locked the sisters of her Coven in Pandora’s Box, feeding Hekate more power by holding them hostage there. A box of souls slowly (very slowly) drains the magic out of those trapped in it.
This gave Hekate
the ultimate leverage against Willow. She knew Willow would go to great lengths to save her sisters. They were what mattered most. She loved them and missed them terribly. Hekate put the key in the Deadlands to make it impossible to retrieve. If no one went there to find it, then no one could free the souls. It was simple logic, but twisted at best. Hekate was afraid she would be overpowered and if she had the key with her, it would only be too easy to undo the spell to free the souls. By hiding the key in the Deadlands, Hekate was sending Willow a clear message: do not attempt to recover the key. But if finding the key was the only way to free her sisters, Willow would go, whether she wanted to or not.
“I smell magic,” Chase said turning her thoughts back to the task at hand.
“I’m not even going to comment on that one,” Willow rolled her eyes. The whole place was filled with spells, charms, enchantments, and magic casters! Of course it smelled like it!
“No, it’s fresh,” Chase said
looking to the left, “like someone just cast a spell. Maybe we can follow it to the source and find a way in,” he suggested. Willow turned and raised her eyebrows at him. “Unless of course you were planning on walking in through the front doors to say hi…”
“No. The less pe
ople know I’m here the better. Lead on, oh fearless guide.”
“Just like old times, huh?” Chase whispered
excitedly and started following the scent.
Willow
rolled her eyes and reluctantly followed Chase (who led her into trouble more often than not), but she didn’t exactly have a plan to get inside Darkmeer yet, so she trusted Chase to guide her.
T
hey walked northward in line with the gate around the castle. Being careful to stay near the forest that bordered the Academy, they could be easily concealed within the shadows. Willow didn’t turn around to make sure Elirana was there, but the Elf had nowhere to go, so she didn’t need to worry about her. Besides, Elirana knew where the Deadlands were and had promised to take them there. She wouldn’t abandon them now. When an Elf made a promise, they were faithful enough to follow through.
Willow was keeping her eyes on the ground trying not to trip or fall over anything. She didn’t have wolf vision like Chase and wasn’t exactly coordinated when it came to walking in forests, so when Chase stopped abruptly
in his tracks, Willow ran right into his back.
“Chase!” She gasped but was instantly silenced when Chase pushed h
er deeper into the forest. He put a finger to his mouth and pointed straight ahead of him. He was still blocking her view, as he was both really tall and muscular, so Willow nudged him to move so she could take a look.
Three figures stood conversing quietly
just feet from them. One was behind the gate on the Academy side, while the other two were on the forest side. It was obvious the two on their side were girls, even though their backs were turned from them. They had small statures, long hair, and were wearing short, kinky gothic looking clothes, complimented with fish net stockings. It was well into the fall months and their clothes were far from appropriate for this weather. What was going on, who were they, and what were they doing at the Warlock Academy at this hour?
“What are you going to do? Just walk up to them?”
Chase hissed in her ear. Willow shrugged. At this point, she was just acting out of pure instinct. She waited a little longer, unsure of how to approach the situation.
Suddenly, a green light
beam lit up their view and Willow breathed a sigh of relief. Luck was on her side! She recognized the Warlock behind the gate. It was Finley Harris, one of Declan’s friends and part of the Emerald Circle Order. She could spot that mess of shaggy blonde hair anywhere. Not to mention he had large distinguishing ears that poked out of his hair. He was wearing a long black cloak to blend in with the night, but there was no mistaking him.
Finley was using
his magic to cut a small opening in the gate and then bowed to the girls welcoming them in. They turned to each other and giggled, entering the gate to the other side, and then Finley sealed the gap back up. How he was able to make that hole without setting off the defensive magic baffled her, since he was only a Warlock in training and the teachers at the Academy made sure their students couldn’t break the barrier unless they were preapproved to leave the grounds. But she couldn’t reflect on it because right now Finley and the girls were heading back up to the castle. Without thinking, Willow sprinted up to the gate.
“Finn!” she
called out to him, careful not to touch the silver gate, even though she stopped inches from it. Finley immediately stopped walking and whipped around to face her. He stood there squinting in the dark, trying to see who it was. The girls with him also turned around and crossed their arms, looking shocked and slightly annoyed. Finley slowly walked back up to the gate. Using magic, he created a small light in the palm of his hand and held it up so he could get a better look at Willow. Recognition dawned on his face and his eyes grew wide as he regarded her.
“Well, well, well,” Finley said haughtily. “What do we have here? Is that you, Willow Rose?”
“Yes, of course it’s me, Finn,” Willow snapped back annoyed. She didn’t like the taunting tone he was using toward her. Out of all the Warlocks in Declan’s posse, she disliked Finley the most, so of course, it had to be him that was here now.
Finley sneered. “What the hell are you doing here,
Healer
?” He mocked her.
Willow took a few calming breaths
before speaking. She
really
didn’t like Finley. “I have to see Declan. There’s something important I have to ask him.”
“I think it’s too late to ask for forgiveness, Willow. You broke him.”
“How do you know about that?” Willow asked alarmed.
“I’m his best friend
. I can tell when something’s off with him. And he is acting way, way off. Something’s changed in him. He gets angry and snaps so easily. I only assumed it was because he was forced to come to the Academy. But then he ‘fessed up and told me the whole story. Hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but you’re the last person he wants to see.”
“Finley, I’m only going to tell you this once so listen up!” Willow scolded. “You better let me in right now, or I
’ll alert the Headmaster of this little shindig you’ve got going on here. Whatever it is you’re doing with those girls. Knowing you, it’s something that shouldn’t be happening. So what’s it going to be? Let me in or get in serious trouble?”
Finley huffed loudly
and crossed his arms. Willow had caught him. She could see the conflict in his eyes as he stood weighing his options. Willow crossed her arms and tapped the ground impatiently, smirking a little too cockily. Finally, Finley’s shoulders hunched in defeat as he walked up to the gate and once again, created a gap so Willow could pass through.
“Good choice, Finny,” Willow
teased him and patted him on the shoulder.
When Finley sealed the gate again, he cursed and said, “God Willow, I didn’t realize you were such a bi
tch! I can’t see the reason why Declan is so hung up about you.”
“Happy to be here too,” she replied blandly
, trying not to be affected by his name calling. Finley told her to follow him and took off again at a faster pace. His mood was much more unpleasant than when he was talking to the girls, and it had every bit to do with the fact that she was here. Willow turned quickly behind her, and even though she couldn’t see Chase or Elirana in the shadows, she knew they were there watching. She gestured at them to stay there and then gave them a thumb’s up, trudging after Finley towards Darkmeer Academy.