Flamethroat (40 page)

I saw Jack’s lips form the words, ‘Keep singing!’

We entered the manor. Guards, guests and staff dropped like stones as we passed through the halls.

I knew my family would be at the gate, waiting until it was safe to enter and it would only be safe once Ræ
ve
n had lulled all the manors residents into a deep sleep.

Upon reaching the front of the house we found the two guards already slumped against the walls, apparently unconscious. Hawthorne sniffed their bodies suspiciously.

‘They must have heard her coming.’ Jack yelled, unable to hear the volume of his own voice because of the earplugs. I put a finger to my lips, indicating that he needed to be quiet. I didn’t want anyone to wake up.

Part one of the plan had gone down without a hiccup. Jack and I removed our earplugs and listened carefully for any sounds within the house. It was eerily silent. Ræ
v
en’s voice had reverberated throughout the manor.

‘Great work,’ I beamed at Ræ
ve
n, who smiled wistfully.

‘That went better than I expected,’ said Jack, nudging one of the guards with the tip of his shoe.

We stepped through the front doors to find the path empty. My family and the rest of H.E.L.E.N.A was nowhere to be seen.

‘Where are they?’ I asked.

‘Oh!’ Jack seemed to remember something. He put his fingers into his mouth and gave a sharp, loud, whistle.

‘Shh!’ I hissed.

‘It’s the signal,’ Jack explained. ‘To let them know the coast is clear.’

From amongst the bushes, figures began to emerge. Darkness was falling now and it took me a moment to recognise the silhouettes of my mother, father, Elise and Bran Stalk and Maria and Robert Scotland. They hurried up the path towards the manor, hunched low in the hopes that they would not be spotted. It was an unnecessary precaution however because everyone was out cold.

When they ascended the steps, my mother pulled me into a tight embrace.

‘Oh, Avalon, you look beautiful,’ she said.

‘Th-thanks,’ I muttered.

‘You did it,’ said my father. He seemed surprised. ‘Has everyone been taken care of?’

‘Everyone is unconscious,’ I confirmed. ‘Thanks to Ræ
ven.’

My father gave me a congratulatory pat on the back before letting himself into the manor.

‘I brought this for you,’ my mother said, handing me a midnight blue cloak. ‘I thought you might feel more comfortable in it.’

‘Thank you,’ I said, relieved. I was glad to cover my cleavage.

‘Where’s Penny and Tom?’ asked Bran.

‘They went to find the dungeon,’ said Jack.

Together, the ten of us made our way towards the kitchen, where the blueprints had shown a path to lead us to the dungeons. We were pleasantly surprised, however, when we ran into Penny and Tom in the hall.

‘Did you find eet?’ Maria asked at once. ‘Did you find zee dungeon?’

Penny nodded breathlessly, her face flushed. It looked as though she had been crying for her eyes were bloodshot and her nose was pink.

‘Are you all right?’ my mother said, taking Penny by the shoulders.

Penny’s bottom lip trembled and Tom wrapped his arms around her lovingly. His eyes were also red from crying.

My mother looked back at her husband with fearful eyes. I knew in my heart what Penny and Tom had discovered in the dungeon.

‘Show us where they are,’ Elise said in a shaky voice. Bran’s jaw was clenched tight as he nodded in agreement.

What would we find?

Tom beckoned us and we followed him hesitantly. He wound us through the manor, passing the kitchens and descending a flight of narrow steps intended for staff use only. Left, right, right, left. We continued lower into the manor, until I was sure we were several feet underground.

It must have been cold here, because those of us who were not Fire-Mage’s were shivering. Jack took my hand as we walked through the lantern-lit corridor, which was so narrow that we barely fit side-by-side. My father glared disapprovingly at our entwined fingers, but Jack did not release me from his grip, for which I was grateful.

Dread seemed to be consuming me more and more the further we walked. It made my legs feel like lead and part of me did not want to go any further. Yet the number of people with me was what prompted me forwards. There were twelve of us now and we marched through the Martinez manor together.

I felt as though we were unstoppable, yet what we were about to discover would surely ruin each us forever.

Finally, Tom and Penny pointed to a door at the end of the hall. It was steel with a small, barred window. It looked dark inside.

‘We already unlocked it,’ Tom croaked. ‘Penny slipped through the bars.’

No one moved forwards. We all looked at each other with fear in our eyes. Eventually, my father cleared his throat and stepped forwards, igniting a ball of flames in his hand for a source of light. He pushed open the heavy door with one hand. At once, a wretched smell reached our nostrils.

Jack gagged and I pulled my cloak over my nose. With one fearful glance behind him, my father proceeded into the dark dungeon. I looked at Jack, who nodded and ushered me forwards. I too produced fire in my palm and followed my father. The light illuminated the dark dungeon. At first I thought it was empty, until I followed my father’s gaze and allowed my eyes to adjust to the darkness. Behind me, the other’s filed in, one after the other. They squinted into the shadows.

Our gasps escaped in unison.

It happened suddenly. Everyone surged forwards. Elise and Bran Stalk pushed everyone out of the way and fell to their knees at the side of a little, blonde girl no older than six years old. The little girl sat with her arms wrapped around her knees, blinking confusedly at the source of light, as though she had never seen anything so dazzling before. She wore filthy rags and was covered in what looked like her own faeces.

‘Stacey!’ Elise held her daughters face and stared into her eyes. ‘You’re alive!’

Stacey Stalk stared, her eyes darting across her mother’s face. The girl gave no sign she had recognised her mothers voice or face.

Bran bent down and embraced his daughter, despite the putrid smell. Stacey did not hug back, but sat there, unresponsive. My stomach churned.

I looked around and my eyes full upon Penny and Tom who clutched a very skinny fifteen-year old boy. He too stared at his mother and father, emotionless. It was clear he did not know who they were.

‘Craig,’ Penny sobbed into her son’s filthy shirt.

And then I saw her. The one I had been looking for.

Helena was not as skinny as Stacey or Craig, but she was by far the filthiest.

In unison my mother, father and I ran forwards and fell to our knees beside Helena, who flinched at the sight of us, as though we were about to attack her.

‘Helena!’ my mother pulled her daughter into her lap and cradled her. Helena struggled against the embrace at first, but fear seemed to swallow her and she became limp as if playing dead.

My father embraced my mother and Helena, but I could not move. I could not speak.

‘H-Helena?’ I said. She did not respond to her name. She simply stared at my mother. Helena’s eyes were different. Before they had been a pale grey, but now they were dark. They were black. Nothing stared out of them.

I felt bile rising in the back of my throat. This was not my sister. This was a shell that looked like her. I stood up, but my parents did not notice. Helena’s eyes slid in my direction, but the gaze was lifeless. Tears flowed freely and slid down my cheeks. I wiped them away furiously with a shaking hand.

They had taken her, erased her and I knew in my heart that I would not rest until every person associated with Human slavery had paid for it.

Looking around I saw that there were other Humans here, all as young and filthy as my sister. It was sick, this dungeon where they stored lifeless children. I thought I might vomit. Maria and Robert knelt beside the other Humans, looking into their eyes for some indication of a soul.

When Jack’s hand came down on my shoulder, I jumped violently. I turned to look at him and saw the pity in his face. Ræ
ve
n stood next to him, tears in her eyes that threatened to spill over at any second. Hawthorne nudged my cheek with his nose, but I shrugged him off. It was all too much for me. I had to get out.

‘Avalon,’ Jack said softly. He tried to wrap his arms around me, but I pushed him aside. I turned around, ready to run through the door, but stopped abruptly when I saw that the way out was blocked.

It was Martinez.

He stood silhouetted in the doorframe, with five of his guards behind him. I gasped audibly, catching the attention of everyone in the room.

Ræ
ve
n stepped forwards immediately, ready to sing at the top of her lungs. Instinctively, I stuffed my fingers into my ears, the others following suit.

However, one of Martinez’s gang stepped forwards and clapped his hands. A shockwave spread through the room, knocking everyone to the ground. Ræ
ve
n, who got the full force of it, made a strange gargling noise and collapsed to the floor.

‘No!’ I cried, rushing to her side. Ræ
ve
n gasped for air. ‘What did you do?’ I shot at the guard.

Martinez held up a hand. ‘She’s fine. She has been winded. I don’t think I can afford to take another nap, just yet.’

I helped Ræ
ve
n to her feet. She coughed and spluttered, trying to suck in air.

‘I take it this is the infamous
H.E.L.E.N.A
I have heard so much about?’

My father got up and stepped forwards, shielding Ræ
ve
n and I behind his back.

‘You know, I’ve been wondering when I would encounter this little group. I take it you are here to free my slaves?’ said Martinez.

‘These
people
are our family members,’ Tom Truscott said from the corner of the dungeon, his face contorted with rage. ‘They were taken from us.’

‘They’re Humans,’ said Martinez. ‘It is not possible for a Human to be related to a Mage.’

‘You are too narrow-minded to understand,’ I burst, pointing a finger angrily at him.

Martinez locked his eyes onto mine and I felt my legs turn to lead.

‘Give us the Humans and no one gets hurt,’ my father threatened, a fireball growing in his palm.

‘Oh, please. Your Power is useless against me. I will just absorb the energy. But there is no need for a fight, is there?’

‘There
will
be,’ Robert Scotland growled. ‘If you get in our way-’

‘I won’t get in your way.’ Martinez smiled slowly. ‘You can have the Humans.’ He waved a hand as though the matter was of no importance. ‘Take them.’

Penny and Tom glanced at each other warily, unconvinced. I looked to Helena, who was being cradled in my mother’s arms. Tears dripped silently down the tip of my mother’s nose, whilst Helena stared blankly at her master, Martinez.

‘I don’t buy it. What are you playing at?’ asked Robert Scotland, standing next to my father.

‘I’m willing to forgive the fact that you have broken into my home. You see, I am a very generous man-’

‘Enough,’ my father spat. ‘Tell us the catch.’

‘Fire-Mages, always so short-tempered,’ Martinez commented. ‘You can have these slaves, old man, but I require something in return.’

‘What is it?’ said my father. ‘We don’t have any money, or jewels-’

‘No,’ Martinez scoffed. ‘I do not require payment of that kind. I require something much more valuable.’

Martinez turned to me, a broad grin plastered on his face. I could see every one of his pearly teeth, glinting in the firelight.

Martinez slowly raised a hand and pointed one finger at me.

‘Avalon?’ My father burst. ‘You want my
other
daughter? You sick bastard.’

Martinez rolled his eyes and dropped his hand, ‘No. Not your
daughter
. As pretty as she is, she is not my type. I do prefer blondes, if you must know-’

I felt my cheeks growing hot with anger. ‘Get to the point,’ I demanded.

‘You must be a Fire-Mage too,’ Martinez smirked. ‘I should have known, Avalon, is it?’

‘Tell us what you want.’ I found myself shouting. ‘We’ll give you anything.’

Martinez grinned. ‘The Vulmessian,’ he said. ‘Give me the Vulmessian and you can have your Humans.’

I started forwards, ready to attack Martinez before I even realised what I was doing. Jack grabbed my wrist so I could not take another step towards Martinez.

Maria looked between Martinez and I. ‘Zee fox? Well ‘ee is there! Take ‘im!’

‘What are we waiting for?’ said Elise excitedly.