Shattered (2 page)

Shielded in golden armor, his glow was far less menacing than his strength implied. His skin had an appealing sheen and his eyes danced with joy and relief, not anger and vengeance. A thick mane of black hair played in sharp contrast to the golden skin and pale eyes.

“A magical one,” I whispered. I stared at the tal figure, trying to figure out who he truly was. The little girl in me secretly wished it was my father, General Adar. Had he come to rescue me? Had he come to deliver me from the hel Arcadia was now facing?

He smiled, a paternal grin that quickly turned sour. His lips played on the grin, one moment loving and desirous of trust, the next wicked, almost demonic. A streak of cold air rushed down my back and the taste of fear fil ed my throat.

Stepping in beside him, Dr. Sanz took in our fear with relish. I wanted to scream at the sight of him, jump him and beat the smirk off his ratty little face, but I stood immobile, uncertain of what I should do.

“How nice to see you again, Kama,” the doctor said, a sardonic grin pasted to his face. “And Liam; I see you’ve taken good care of her. I’m happy to announce that Pim is being kept quite occupied, what with the fighting off of this sil y invasion. That leaves you fresh, young mortals unattended.” Liam stepped forward. “Dr. Sanz, you’ve worked for my father for years. You’re one of his most trusted employees. You’ve always been by his side. How can you do this? How can you betray him like this?”

He chuckled and cocked his head to the side in mock sympathy. “Things have changed, young Governor. Things have dramatical y changed. Being at your father’s side was easy. Arcadia was perfect, run with a skil ed hand. It was easy to manipulate who I desired into doing what I desired.

Unfortunately…” He gazed accusingly at me. “…

our perfect little world is being destroyed as we speak. The glass dome has shattered.” I rushed to Liam’s side, suddenly frustrated by the little man’s arrogance. “And what do you want with us? Why have you come here?”

“To get you out,” he said simply.

The idea of getting out of captivity sounded so good. I had no idea how long we’d been in this basement, how long I’d been out cold. Al I knew, al I felt was the strong desire to get out. I glanced at Liam and saw the same desire reflected in his eyes.

He took a step forward, his eagerness to get out taking over.

Before he put our fate in Dr. Sanz’s hands, I hurried to step between them. “What do you want with us?” I asked the doctor. I didn’t want to appear too suspicious, but I wasn’t quite wil ing to be so blind in our trust.

“Pim is a headstrong man.” Dr. Sanz gazed at Liam. “I guess that’s where you got your stubborn streak from.” He clapped his hands with self satisfaction and turned his eyes to me. “His stubborn ways can sometime lead him to be a bit unfair in his treatment of his… subjects. With everything that’s been happening lately – your complaint about your Life’s Plan, your ongoing relationship with Liam despite that Life’s Plan – you’ve been giving Pim quite a headache.”

“Forgive me if I do not have any sympathy for Governor Pim. Of course if my Life’s Plan had gone the way we al wished, he wouldn’t have had me fight it.” My eyes flashed accusingly at Dr. Sanz. How dare he pin me as a troublemaker to Arcadia and Governor Pim when al I wanted was to see my Life’s Plan correctly restored. “As I see it, Dr. Sanz, you and your Committee made the error that created al of this. The destruction of Arcadia is not my fault. It is the fault of those who believe they can keep everyone ignorant of the truth of Arcadia. Governor Pim, especial y.”

I could feel Liam stiffen trepbeside me, but knew I had to hold my own.

“And where wil you take us?” I shot at the strange doctor, one of the most powerful Magical Ones in Arcadia, and the man behind the Committee that had planned my Life’s Plan.

“Somewhere safe. Somewhere out of Pim’s reach.”

“Stop it, both of you.” Liam’s face was red.

“This is my father you're talking about. He may not be perfect and, yes, maybe he is a little headstrong, but that’s what made him the Leader of Arcadia. Those are the qualities that made him envision this perfect world for us.” He turned to me, showing his love for his father and his confusion for al that was happening. “He raised me, Kama. I can’t ignore that.”

“He also shoved us down here without so much as an explanation.” I rubbed my head. “And judging from this bump, he wasn’t too delicate about it.”

“You know he had nothing to do with that.” Liam came over my side, standing between me and the Dr. Sanz. Despite everything I was saying about his father, Governor Pim, Liam was stil trying to protect me. He couldn’t help it, I guess. We have been so close for as long as we can remember, and he had always treated me with the utmost respect. I hated tel ing him the truth about his father. I hated breaking his heart this way, but he had to know. He had to accept the truth now in order to survive what was coming.

“He may not have actual y been there. He may not have actual y put his hands on us, but, Liam, you know he’s behind al this. Please stop denying it. If we’re to survive this…you have to get past the feelings you have for Pim.”

His face didn’t mask the struggle he was going through. My heart wanted to reach out to him to hold him, and run my hand through his hair to sooth him. He looked like he did when we were fourteen, and he had just been accepted onto the footbal team. He invited his father to his first game, but his father couldn’t make it due to an out-of-town trip. Liam was disappointed back then. He had that same look right now, but he was looking at me, looking at the heart necklace he had given me on my eighteenth birthday. It was more than a lovely necklace, it was his way of tel ing me he loved me and wanted what was best for me. He turned towards me then and touched the pendant. Although he was not a djin, I could feel his intense thoughts on me. And I can pick up a little of it, surprising me a bit.

I knew djins like Torrid could read minds, and I have been training with him on learning how, amongst other djin skil s. I just did not think to read amongst other djin skil s. I just did not think to read Liam’s or anyone.

But the thoughts were so intense, I couldn’t block it out anyways. Liam was staring straight into my eyes, while holding my hands.

Kama…if you can hear me, smile.

I smiled. His eyes crinkled on the sides a little, acknowledging he saw my sign.

Kama, I believe you about my father. I just
don’t want to believe it. I want you to be safe, to be
taken care of, not here in this basement, locked up.

I want to get out as much as you do, but I don’t trust
Sanz one bit.

I don’t, too. But we need him to get out. We’ll
figure out what he wants once we’re out.

Good plan, Kama. I always loved your
intellect.

Yeah right. That and…

Everything else, my Kama, my love. Please
be careful. I have a bad feeling about Dr. Sanz’s
motives.

Then we’ll have to be prepared for whatever
will happen next. I’m ready.

Liam set his chin up higher, a look of determination on his face, as he squared his shoulders back. Then he glanced at Dr. Sanz. “Lead us out of here.”

Clasping his hands together, Dr. Sanz turned his attention back to Liam and me. “Now, if this is to go smoothly, I’l need your cooperation. This shouldn’t be too complicated. There’s such chaos out there, no one seems to know what’s real y going on. That should be enough of a distraction to al ow us to slip out undetected, but, then again, you never know. If only one of Pim’s guards catches sight of one of you guys, you guys could find yourself in a far more unwelcoming cel .”

Liam and I glanced around the abandoned office. Though it was dingy and a bit chil y, it could have been worst.

“We’l fol ow you and do as you say,” Liam said.

“Hold on,” I said.

They both turned to look at me.

“Can I just have a minute with Liam before we leave?”

“This is hardly the time… or place to get romantic,” Dr. Sanz said with a mocking grin.

Unamused, I glared at him. “Can I just onehave a minute?”

“Fine,” he groaned. “Make it fast.” He stepped out, but left the door ajar.

I leaned into the door, closing it tight, and turned to Liam.

“What’s up?” His lips played on a grin, while his eyes questioned my motives.

“I’m just not sure. Is this real y the best way to go?”

“I know what you mean. I have my doubts about the doctor as wel , but, for now, he’s al we got.”

I felt the weight of the moment. So much was riding on the right decision. I tried to imagine the chaos outside. Our little window had offered little in the way of a clue as to what was real y going on. Al we had was Dr. Sanz’s word.

we had was Dr. Sanz’s word.

With my gaze to the floor, I muttered a little prayer and reached for Liam’s fingers, weaving my fingers through them. Liam tilted his head down until his brow met mine while his fingers gave my hand an affectionate squeeze. “Let’s just take it slow, be cautious and be ready to fight if something comes up.”

“Okay.”

His fingers worked up to the nape of my neck, calming me as much as a touch possibly could.

“Remember,” he whispered as he brought his lips close to mine. “We’re in this together. No matter what happens, we’l get through it together.”

“I know. You're right.” I gazed into his eyes, feeling suddenly empowered and capable of fighting anything, surviving anything. “Let’s show Dr. Sanz what we’re real y made of.”

“That’s my girl. That’s the Kama I know, the Kama I love.” He kissed me, his urgent need to transmit his emotions coming through loud and clear as his lips possessed mine.

A sharp knock on the door split us apart, but our loud breathing couldn’t be silenced so easily.

“We’d better go before he changes his mind.” I got in control and opened the door to face Dr. Sanz’s scowl.

He stood in front of us with the large djin, blocking us from moving out of the room. Liam tried to push his way out, but the large djin stepped forward back into the room. Dr. Sanz fol owed.

“Shouldn’t we get going?” Liam asked, looking from Dr. Sanz to the djin.

Dr. Sanz stepped into the room and shut the door. Instantly, I knew something was wrong. “You’re not going anywhere yet.”

“You’re now keeping us prisoner?” Liam asked.

“Of course,” Dr. Sanz said nonchalantly. “I want you both where I can see you, keep an eye on you. So much is riding on this, on my control of you.

I can’t risk screwing it up because you want a breath of fresh air.”

“Control of us?”

Dr. Sanz snickered and hugged himself. “I do tend to be a control freak at times. I like to have things in order. I like to have everything organized.

As you can see, I already have a strong grasp on the Committee. Pim Seer and al the other non-Magical Ones are practical y eating out of my hand. The Magical Ones in the Committee listen to me. I rather like being in control, being the wizard behind oz. So, I do like the idea of knowing where you two are, so, until further notice, you wil remain in this room.

Meals wil be brought to you twice a day and, if you’re good, I’l let you walk the grounds a minute or two.”

Before he could shut the door on us, Liam rushed him, shoving him to the floor. “Do you real y think we’l just let you lock us up so easily?” Dr. Sanz propped himself up on an elbow and swiped at the stream of blood dripping from his lip.

“If you know what’s good for you, you wil .” No longer wil ing to listen to the doctor’s argument, Liam attacked the djin. He was woeful y outclassed and there was nothing I could do to help.

I fingered the leather band on my wrist, cursing Pim for his ignorance, for thinking tying my hands would do any good. I could be saving his son right now if he’d not been so blinded by his own power.

If I couldn’t use any magical powers, I thought, I’d at least do my best to help Liam with whatever physical force I could muster. I jumped on the djin’s back, but the very breadth of his shoulders made it impossible to hold on and I slid off. I doubted the beast even noticed my feeble attempt at an attack.

Liam fought hard, succeeding in pushing the djin to the wal more than once, but he always returned, angrier and stronger.

“You're fighting a losing battle,” Dr. Sanz said as he got to his feet and leaned against the wal .

“Even if you succeed in breaking this djin, which you’l never do, there’s real y nowhere to run to. So why don’t you both make it easier on yourselves?

Sit back, make the most of it and just wait for your respective fathers to come and save you.”

“What?” I turned to him suddenly.

Liam stopped, fist in midair and looked at the doctor. “What did you say?”

“You heard me. You didn’t think I’d just want to keep you here al to myself. Of course I would welcome Pim Seer and General Adar. With them both h baere, wel … I did say I was a bit of a control freak, and gaining control of Arcadia would do this old soul good.” He beamed with pride and arrogance.

Liam found new strength as he fought the djin harder and with purpose. I watched him and realized he had the capacity to be a Catcher. His father was one of the best, and now it was becoming more apparent Liam had it within himself to be a great Catcher like his father. He cornered the djin and pressed him behind the thick pane of glass he’d summoned. The djin fumed and pounded the glass just as his fist turned to smoke, just as the powerful arm withered and left only a stream of red colored fog.