Extraordinary (25 page)

Everyone nodded in agreement and lingered together in a circle formation by the front door. Tristan opened the door and we all paused to take another look at the home that had become our safe haven.

Tristan’s fingers intertwined with mine as we descended the stone steps that I had admired upon first arriving. So much had happened since then that it was hard to believe it was only four days ago. I came here in love with an illusion but I was leaving holding his hand.

I had yet to decide if that fact was empowering or daunting.

“Our moment is over,” I whispered to him.

“Any regrets?” Tristan asked.

“None.”

He kissed the back of my hand and gave an assured smile. I wondered if Tristan could really be as confident as he appeared.  I knew that I wasn't.

Emotions were running deep—so deep, that I managed to erase every danger, person, or thought except Tristan. I closed my eyes and leaned onto the tips of my toes to kiss him. The moment was quick. Neither Blaze nor Sadie had time to notice, but to me it represented the lifetime of kisses we would miss.

“Stop walking like you’re heading to your execution,” Blaze said.

“We kind of are,” I whispered.

Tristan and I pulled ourselves together and resumed our march behind Blaze and Sadie. I focused on Sadie’s braids that extended from her temples, around each side, and were held in the back by several bobby pins. She had to be the only person capable of styling themselves before a duel.

“Well, well look who came back,” Sadie remarked.

The hoard of burly men stood guard outside of the barrier as if they anticipated our escape. Though we lacked an actual long-term strategy, I still felt that Katerina would always be a step ahead of us. No one could be certain of the powers she possessed. I assumed if she could travel between worlds and manipulate our powers, spying on us would have been easier than taking an afternoon nap.

The closer we inched to our enemies, the more agitated they became.

The bright blue sky hung above us, holding the sun in place as it beamed its light all around. Our mystical shield may have blocked our unwanted guests but the sun’s temperate rays penetrated with ease. It was hard to believe the hysteria that awaited us when we were surrounded by such splendor.

The first, and only actual, concrete part of our optimistic plan was to make it off the property without exhausting our strength in a brawl with the twenty or so diabolical men congregating around us. Everyone else seemed confident that an energy drain would be the problem. I was more concerned with the potential beating we might endure fighting twenty men. I kept that theory to myself.

“Remember once the barrier is compromised just run,” Tristan said. “If we get separated, make your way to the field and wait for the rest of the group.”

Blaze lifted his hand, a seemingly nonchalant motion that signaled to those on our team that it was game time. A tiny ball of glowing current generated in Blaze’s palm, which he concealed behind his back. Tristan’s grip grew tighter, our entwined fingers squeezing into each other so firmly it was painful. But there was no way I was letting go.

Blaze gave us all a nod and turned to face our gang of rivals.

“One dangerous diversion, coming up,” Blaze said with more confidence than I felt.

The once minuscule spark grew nearly ten times in diameter. Blaze hurled it at the invisible barrier that protected us from the dangers waiting on the other side. The current met the force field and the result was electrifying. The impact was severe and deafening. I was knocked to the ground and out of Tristan's grasp. The men positioned closest to the wall suffered the brunt of the resulting electrocution. They collapsed to the ground in a puff of smoke.

The barrier was a raging swirl of exciting shades of blue as the energy spread throughout. From the ground, I could see the formerly invisible dome surrounding us like a magical snow globe. Then it disappeared completely. The remaining men were caught off guard and couldn’t decode our escape plot.

Blaze scooped Sadie up with one arm and ran furiously toward the meadow as planned. By the time Tristan helped me to my feet, Blaze and Sadie were mere specks in the distance. Tristan and I sprinted before the remaining men could realize what had happened.

My days on the high school track team flooded back to me. To remain calm, I ran like I was in a race, not fleeing for my life.

Control your breathing
.

“Is anyone following us?” I asked.

Tristan was right beside me and had not fallen behind once.

“I don’t think so. We are almost to the meadow, we need to regroup.”

The light between the trees grew brighter signaling a break in our marathon sprint. Within seconds, I found myself encircled by the familiar purple flowers. I stopped suddenly as the sight astounded me all over again. An invigorating scent of lavender and oranges enveloped me. The sun beamed down cleansing me with its vibrancy and purity.

“It's so hypnotically beautiful,” I said. “People like Katerina only dim its beauty.”

“I have been here my whole life and have yet to grow accustomed to the wonders of this place,” Tristan said. “Katerina is an unfortunate obstacle but the light inside every Haliwick resident shines much brighter than her darkness can dim.”

Tristan was one of those rare souls with the ability to see past the ugly parts of the world and appreciate the beauty that might otherwise hide in the shadows. Most of us chose focus on the bad allowing the wonderful to become veiled by our cynical blindness.

Tristan saw my flaws but loved me in spite of them...or, knowing Tristan, because of them. His open and always optimistic view changed my perception of the world. Regardless of what world that was, there was always beauty, even in sadness. 

“Leave it to us to carry on an irrelevant conversation during a time like this,” I said, almost laughing.

Laugh all you want. Just please don’t panic!

Blaze and Sadie waved to us from across the field of purple wonder. Tristan and I opted to walk the distance to them, feigning exhaustion. Really, we selfishly wanted to enjoy each other’s company for a minute longer.

Who cares at this point? Nothing makes sense anymore
.

“Are you guys ok
ay?” Blaze asked. “We were worried that you didn’t make it out.”

“I tripped and we got held up,” I said. “Not to mention the fact that you charged out of there like a lightning bolt.”

“I guess he kind of was,” Sadie joked.

“We should keep moving,” Tristan said.

Like a small group of escaped prisoners, we bobbed and weaved our way through the meadow then slinked through a countless more yards of forest. I should have felt at home considering all the time I had spent wandering through the woods next to my house, but all I felt was paranoid.

The four of us walked alone on our journey to defeat a powerful witch, which no one in all of Haliwick had attempted to confront since my mother did over two decades ago. But then again, why would they? She wasn’t threatening them.

The Elders of Haliwick, who I pictured as several old guys sitting at a large table acting high and mighty, stayed out of sight. From what I could gather—or, rather, embellish—Haliwick residents obeyed because most of them had no desire to step out of line and the others’ fear of the Elders seemed to keep them in check. Katerina feared no one but never gave anyone a reason to reprimand her. My mother had taken the initiative to leave before Katerina could cross any punishable lines.

Our incarceration within the real life snow globe surrounded by strongly built henchmen cancelled any hope at gathering any potential allies—other than James who I was relieved to know was out of harms way. There was no legitimate reason to endanger more lives. A town chockfull of magical beings and we were charging into the home of the wicked witch with a psychic, a hypnotist, a lightning bearer, and a magic stealer.

‘Every man for himself’ should have been Haliwick’s motto.

“Blaze, what are our chances?”
I asked with my new mind communication trick.

“Huh? Oh! Man, this mind thing is freaking me out.”

“Tell me about it!”

“I think we can hold our own. Don’t second-guess yourself. Now get out of my head.”

“Fine! Thanks.”

Sadie faced us, eyes narrowed. She walked backwards, glaring at us both, without stumbling once. The feat impressed me greatly.

“Alex! Were you and Blaze mind-talking without me?”

“Is that what we are calling it? I’m sorry, it wasn’t anything major.”

“Well, since we’re talking, I have a question I have been dying to ask you.”

“Fine.”

“Did you kiss him?”

Sadie’s childlike giggles bounced around my head, echoing like there were twenty Sadie’s scrambling for my brain’s attention. Not even a serious situation such as this could deter Sadie’s curiosity but who was I to talk? I managed to work in a kiss and several embraces thus far into our march to potential execution.

“I’m not discussing this, especially right now.”

“Why not? Now is as good a time as any! It’ll distract me from being nervous.”

“I’ll tell you but you can’t bring it up again.”

“Agreed!”

“And don’t flip out. I don’t want them to catch on.”

“Agreed!”

“Yes, I kissed him. Yes, it was amazing. No, I’m not telling you anything else so get out of my head.”

“Anything else? Did you tell him you looooove him?”

“Sadie! I’m hanging up!”

The giggles returned and bore resemblance to a group of snickering teenagers gossiping about boys they had crushes on. I rolled my eyes, tuned her out, and, with flushed cheeks, focused on the road ahead.

I would need more time before I could be expected to chat about it. Sadie knew my dislike of discussing intimate details but resistance was truly hopeless. Sadie would break me the second the mission was complete and I no longer had a justifiable excuse to postpone it.

“Katerina stays just ahead,” Tristan said. “There will be guards all around so stay alert.”

Through the trees rested another enormous house on a hill we had just hiked up that I had somehow managed not to notice. Her home was similar to James’s as far as size and vast acreage, but completely opposite in every other way.

James’ home sat in the middle of an open yard. It beckoned you to come for a visit. Traumatized trees and shrubbery surrounded Katerina’s fortress. The only message it conveyed was “Turn around, now.”

“The way back is the way here”—and we have to go in there to get it. Ugh.

“The witch lives in an ominous castle,” I said. “How cliché.”

“Clichéd maybe, but do not underestimate her,” Tristan said. “Forget what you think you know or what you think you can expect because this isn’t a fairytale. This is very real and very dangerous.”

“Okay
,” I said. “I’m not a child.”

He had never used such a serious tone with me. I was instantly taken aback and slightly offended. My worries escalated. I knew Tristan probably meant his words as a way to prepare me but somewhere deep, deep inside of me the hidden girly-girl got her feelings hurt. I kept her hidden from the world because I wanted to appear strong and independent like my mother. She persevered without anyone by her side but me, so I could too.

I never wanted anyone to lean on—or, at least, never admitted to it—but I had one now, three to be exact. And they had no problem calling me out on my crap.

“Everyone ready?” Blaze asked, investigating our surroundings.

We all robotically nodded our heads. It was impossible to be ready.

****

Chapter Twenty

Despite, the hopelessness of forming a solid plan, Blaze had drawn maps and play-by-plays. At times I felt I was embarking on a quest for a Super Bowl win. Stick figures and arrows had educated and eventually carried us into the unnerving situation we were entering. Drawings that a child used to illustrate his family and daily activities became the ever-important “game plan” that would hopefully save our lives.

Our plan was to enter and not die. The truth of it was, as soon as we stepped from the tree line our game plan would mean squat and I think we all knew that. But sometimes having any type of strategy, even one you knew would fail, helped ease your mind.

A nervous rumble in my stomach echoed the anxiety blistering throughout the rest of my body. I had made it this far without panicking, which was much longer than I had projected. Tristan placed a hand on my shoulder without turning to look at me. I would have crumbled if he had.

“Just be alert at all times,” Blaze said. “We don’t know what to expect.”

Sadie’s tiny body trembled and we all noticed. She appeared smaller somehow. I knew she had the heart and capability to defend herself, she was just afraid like the rest of us.

“You’ll be fine, Sade,” I whispered. “If you weren’t scared, I would be worried.”

“We are more than capable as long as we keep calm,” Blaze continued. “We are all in this together, just remember that.”

Pep talks are truly useless in life and death situations!

“Let’s just get it over with,” I said. “One way or the other this ends now.”

I tried to sound strong and confident but an unsteadiness in my voice offered little reassurance. Super powers or not, to me I was still Alex Ryan, loner and recent orphan. My faith in Blaze, Tristan, and Sadie was unfaltering; I prayed I would not hold them back.

This part of town was different from the rest. The vibrant beauty had been sucked out of it and all that remained was eerie gloom.

A reddish haze enveloped Katerina’s castle and the rest of the gray sky hung above us like a watchful spy meant to track our every move. Ominous, dark clouds seemed to follow us, urging us to fear what lay ahead.

There was no soft, green grass or colorful flowers. Instead, the grounds were covered in dirt and black, abstract trees. Even the air was different, which could account for the landscaping. The once comforting warm breeze was tainted with wickedness and grew heavier with each step. Our strained bodies needed all the strength we could muster to move us through this dreadful environment.

My head drooped in anguish. Tristan quietly grasped my hand but I could not bring myself to look at him. The group stopped moving and, in my distracted state, I nearly crashed into Sadie.

Brick by brick my gaze drifted upwards to the angry vines and undoubtedly evil grime that clung to the walls like that was its only purpose in life. The castle and my fear grew.

“What is that smell?” Sadie whispered. “Burnt eggs?”

Malevolence radiated from the enormous stone fort, polluting the once majestic land with hatred, destroying its beauty and suffocating it with darkness. All we could do was hope it would not do the same to us.

Katerina’s abode, although it was a castle, was nothing spectacular. Perhaps it was the lack of romance or regality most castles possessed or, conceivably, it was due to Katerina’s noticeable disinterest in basic upkeep.

Focus. Be alert. Don’t trip. Don’t get anyone killed.

These thoughts revolved in my head until I practically forgot where I was. The rest of the group was turning the corner ahead. I had fallen far behind.

“Hey!” I whispered. “Wait!”

Tristan sprung from behind the wall, visibly frantic. He waved for me to hurry while shushing me at the same time. The faster I walked the more he reminded me to be quiet.

“How am I supposed to hurry without running or making noise? You are stressing me out!”

Just then Sadie let out a terrifying shriek.

“Sadie!” I screamed.

Tristan and I rounded the corner to see Sadie and Blaze tussling with three guards. I rushed over and threw a right hook at the first man I came to.

Seeing my siblings threatened brought out the fighter in me. With a single punch, the large guard hit the ground with a super-sized thud. My attention was freed in time to see Blaze finish off his attacker while Sadie and Tristan defeated the last one.

Until we arrived in Haliwick, I had never been in a fight in my life. I had never been made to throw a single punch or even raise my voice in anger, but lately that had changed.

I was thankful that by some stroke of fate my family was blessed with an understanding of combat. Either through magic or luck or a combination of the two, we could hold our own. Though my hands quivered after each encounter, there was something oddly exhilarating about battle. I still found fighting barbaric but it brought out my competitiveness and spoke to the hidden, yet remarkably proud side of me.

Of course, being good at it helped a lot.

“There’s a door through here,” Blaze said.

“Be careful,” Tristan added. “I think it’s safe to say they know we’re here.”

Blaze created a makeshift flashlight with his palm to light a path through the overgrown weeds and vines shielding the doorway. The obstacles proved to be no match for Blaze, even using one hand. He clawed through the stubborn undergrowth with ease and no assistance.

Blaze entered the doorway first, stopping once inside to investigate his new surroundings. All must have seemed well because he returned to help Sadie through the iron door’s rather awkward opening.  Blaze lifted Sadie and pulled her inside without a grumble from either of them. Tristan shuffled me around him and towards the door, signaling that it was my turn. Though I was more than capable of entering the castle on my own accord, I knew Blaze would never go for it. He grabbed me around my waist, his large hands almost touching on either side of my stomach. I suddenly felt small, insignificant.

If Blaze could affect me this way I shuddered to think what Katerina could do. Confident was not a word I would choose to describe myself. I was certainly no coward but it seemed I lacked the gene that would allow me to think of myself as anything but ordinary.

You have magic powers! Hellooo?

I could only shake my head. I had to be the only person in the history of mankind to have an inferiority complex and magical abilities.

Clinging to Blaze’s shoulders I could see the inside of the castle, at least this particular section. To my left several measly flames flickered atop equally miserable candles, evenly spaced along the wall of the haunting corridor. I smelled the dampness and heard the drip-drip-drip of the stereotypical leaky basement pipe. My foot became caught on some unseen object. I struggled against it, Blaze jerked my body towards him but I was yanked from his grip and slammed to the ground.

Like a silent assassin, a prickly vine had inched its way around my foot and was crawling up my calf. Its thorns pierced my jeans and vulnerable flesh, drawing blood. Screams of intense agony rang out in my head, urging me to allow them out.