The Gathering (60 page)

"Thanks for letting me help you, Jake."

"Thank for the help, Al.
 
Nobody wants to help me cause deep down they think Rona will curse 'em."

"You don't think she will?"

"I think that you can't spend too much time worrying about what other people are gonna do.
 
Maybe she will and maybe she won't.
 
Don't care much really, besides I think that Ms. Watson or the queen could fix it if she did.
 
Well, I better get back to it.
 
See you around, Al."

"Bye, Jake."

Jake wandered back over to the kitchens and Albie looked at the window of the jail.
 
He wondered how long the pills would take to kick in.

83

"Doesn't my brother marrying your sister make us related somehow?"

Chris smiled and shook his head.

"Yeah, it'll make us in-laws."

"That's incest."

"No, it's circumstance.
 
We're not blood related so no incest."

Chris sighed and looked over at Hannah.

"Are you trying to dump me?"

Hannah had been reading a book and looked up quickly and shook her head.

"No!"

"Well, then why are you suddenly obsessed with this new thing between our families?"

Hannah shrugged.

"I don't know… it's just weird.
 
Ian's getting married…to Kaley.
 
I love Kaley…I love my brother, but now I'm dating you and it's weird.
 
Oh, and I just realized that you look like Kaley and I look like my brother and we're all just gender opposites of each other!! That is so weird!!"

"You're weird."

"Shut up."

Hannah looked back at her book, slightly pouting.
 
Chris leaned over and lifted her chin.

"I like weird."

Hannah smiled and let Chris kiss her softly.
 
They were caught up in the moment until they each felt a tugging on their arms.
 
They slowly parted and looked over to see Lisa and Brandon.

"That's gross."

Chris shook his head.

"I don’t remember asking for an opinion."

Brandon rolled his eyes.

"Whatever."

"Have you seen Coeli, Chris?"
 
Lisa asked.

Chris looked at his sister and shook his head.

"Sorry, Lise, not for about an hour.
 
Hannah, you seen Coeli?"

Hannah shook her head.

"Sorry."

Lisa sighed.

"That's ok, we just need to talk to her."

Chris leaned over and kissed Lisa's cheek.

"If I see her, I'll tell her you two are looking for her, ok?"

"Ok."

"Yeah, sure."

The twins turned and walked in the opposite direction.
 
Hannah looked at Chris.

"What do you think that's all about?"

Chris shrugged, but kept watching the kids as they walked away.
 
He felt an overwhelming urge to grab them and hide them.
 
Everyone he loved.
 
He felt his heart in his throat.
 

"Hey."

Chris turned to Hannah.

"What?"

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, why?"

"No reason, you just looked like you went somewhere else."

"Nah…I think I need to find Tanner."

"You think?"

"Are you coming?"

Hannah shrugged and stood up.

"Hey, Hannah?"

"Yeah?"

Chris looked at her and struggled with what he wanted to say.
 
Then he shook his head.

"Nothing."

Hannah rolled her eyes and they walked towards the castle.

"You're so weird!"

Chris smiled.

84

Albie waited patiently for the movement in the jail to slow.
 
When he hadn't seen any for a while, he crept slowly back towards the jail entrance.

He knocked softly and entered.

"Hello?
 
Do you need more coffee?"

He gazed around to see that both guards had fallen asleep.
 
They barely moved.
 
He smiled briefly and then that sinking feeling came back.
 
He shook his head and quickly took the key.
 
He opened the outer door and walked in to the cell area.

Rona and Darla looked up.
 
Rona smiled.

"Well, aren't you the little escape artist?
 
I didn't think you had it in you."

"The guards are asleep.
 
We can move through the side window and make our way to the gate.
 
You can throw a glamour that you're relieving the shepherds out there, ok?"

Rona raised an eyebrow.

"Not bad, Kid, not bad at all."

"We have to hurry though, I don't know how long the drugs will last and they'll be back to pick up your trays."

Albie unlocked the cells and the women moved though the doors.
 
Rona walked out into the front area and took a sword and dagger from the rack against the wall.
 
She then turned to the sleeping guards.
 
Albie watched and then realized she was going to kill them.

He stood between them and Rona.
 

"No way, Rona!!
 
I won't let you hurt them."

Rona smiled to herself.
 
She sighed and shrugged.

"Whatever… "

"Let's just get out of here, Rona," Albie said.

"He's right, Ro, let's go."

"Yeah, yeah."

Rona begrudgingly walked over to the window and threw the weapons outside.
 
She then hoisted herself up and out the window, dropping to the ground below.
 
She was quickly followed by Albie and Darla, who had also taken daggers
.

Albie took the lead and motioned for the women to follow.
 
They moved slowly though the shadows of the afternoon sun.
 
Within minutes they were a few hundred yards from the gate.

"We'll have to wait a few more minutes.
 
The rest of the herding staff will be going outside, we'll blend in with them."

Rona smiled and changed her appearance to that of an old man.
 

"Sure, Kid… whatever you say."

Darla put on her glamour and sat quietly, waiting for the right moment.
 
She wasn't afraid anymore.
 
She lightly touched her lips.
 
She would never be afraid again.

85

Blaylock ordered his men off their horses.
 
They crept slowly towards the castle, hiding behind the trees of the forest.
 
Blaylock motioned for Brollen to come forward.
 
He whispered something in his ear and they laughed quietly.

Brollen nodded and took off into the thicket of trees with several men and his sword drawn.

Blaylock pointed to the priest and motioned that he should come forward.
 
Father Leon's breathing became quick and short as he moved briskly towards the general.
 
He stopped at his side and looked up.

Blaylock smiled and put an arm around the priest's shoulders.

"Here we go, Father…time to knock on the door."

"But what…should I…tell them?"

"I don't really care, Padre.
 
Just get them to open the door."

Father Leon looked at the general's icy blue eyes and felt his blood freeze.
 
He nodded and moved towards the gate.
 
His legs were shaking and he wiped sweat from his brow as he moved towards the gate.

"You there, hold!"

Father Leon froze as he looked up at the rampart.
 
Molly Creegan had a bow lined on him and Jones leaned over the edge.

"Who are you and what is your business here?"

Father Leon put on his best smile and raised his hands.

"I am Joseph Leon…Father Joseph Leon, of St. Viviana's.
 
Please let me in… please help me."

Jones took out his binoculars and looked around Leon and into the trees.
 
There was nothing there.

"What do you think?"

Molly shrugged.

"I don't know anyone from St. Viviana's."

"Me either."

"Hey, I think Chancellor Shorely's been there," she said.

"Cool."

Jones leaned towards the gate.

"Yo, Todd…go get Chancellor Shorely, we need her up here."

"Why?"

"Just go get her?"

"Fine."

Todd ran to the castle and appeared several moments later with Vivian, who was obviously irritated at being interrupted.
 
She stopped at the gate and Todd motioned for her to climb the stairs.
 
She sighed and began her ascent.