The Gathering (63 page)

"No, I helped do this…I'm sorry.
 
I should have tried to stop her sooner."

Elian looked over at the healers and yelled.

"Somebody…I need help here."

Darla placed her hand on Elian's and he looked back down at her.

"I'm sorry… I deceived you… I…"

Elian shook his head.

"Stop apologizing, Darla.
 
If you hadn't stepped in, Rona Mason would have killed me."

Darla let a tear fall down her cheek and she smiled.

"You know my name…"

"Of course, I do.
 
At the last Gathering you helped my father with his stomach ailments.
 
I thought that you had beautiful eyes.
 
Very kind…"

Darla shook her head.

"I just wanted…to be…pretty."

Elian could see that she was fading away.
 
He turned again towards the crowd.

"Someone, help!"

"No… it's time…"

"No they'll be…"

"No, Elian.
 
I'm glad… I'm…glad I …got to kiss… you.
 
Just… once…"

Elian felt tears hot against his cheek as he softly brushed his thumb against her lips.
 
Then he lowered his mouth to hers.
 
He looked into her eyes and gently kissed her.
 
As he pulled away, she smiled.

"Twice."

Then she was gone.
 
Elian felt a hand on his shoulder as David Levine knelt down beside him.

"She didn't mean to hurt anyone…I know that.
 
She had such kind eyes…” Elian said.

David sat with Elian until several healers came and took away Darla's body.

"The Healers think your dad will be ok.
 
He was really brave."

Elian nodded and then looked at David.

"I don't get it…why?
 
Why did they do this?"

David shrugged.

"I don’t know… they'll get your brother back…they'll get the girls back.
 
I know it."

David looked over at Elian.
 
Elian was staring at the ground and frowned.

"Elian?"

Elian shook his head.

"Rona… she said 'mommy only wants one son'… my mother's dead… she can't…she can't…"

In that moment, Elian understood that Anne Merganser was still alive.
 
His mother was still alive.

89

Albion's eyes were wet and red.
 
They had tricked him and he had let them.
 
He glanced over at Coeli, Chelsea and Hannah.
 
They all rode silently as the horses pounded under them.
 
Then Blaylock raised his arm in the air and the horses stopped.

"You and you, " Blaylock pointed to two of the younger Black Hordesmen.
 
"Go back and see if they’re behind us.
 
I doubt it, but they might have followed.
 
The rest of you, take a minute…and remember, don't touch any of them!!"

Blaylock pointed at the girls.
 
The other Hordesmen helped them down and put them together on the ground next to one another, their wrists tied.
 

Rona jumped down from her horse and took a long drink from a canteen.
 
Blaylock came up behind her and grabbed her around the waist, smiling.
 
Then he took the canteen and drank from it.
 
Rona smiled as he let his hand move from her stomach to her breast.
 
She rubbed against him as he squeezed.

"You're looking good, Ro."

"I'm too old for you, though."

Blaylock laughed and kissed her hard and she reciprocated.

"I've missed you, Bitch."

She crinkled her nose at him as he released his grip and slapped her behind.
 
She looked over at Albion.

"What's the matter, Kid?
 
Price to high for seeing mommy again."

"You lied.
 
My mother's dead."

She sighed and looked over at Blaylock, who smiled and shrugged.

"Whatever…Tommy, why are we really stopped?
 
They're not following us…yet."

"Gary."

Rona shifted on her feet and displayed a look of distaste.
 

"Where is he?"

"Behind you."

She turned around to meet Brollen's scarred face.
 
He was grinning from ear to ear and was carrying a large sack on his back.
 
Rona raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms in front of her.

"So where have you been?"

"Getting something very important."

"Oh yeah, what?"

Brollen continued to grin and walked past Rona and over to Blaylock, who raised his eyebrows.

"Did you get it?"

Brollen nodded and laughed.

"Oh yeah, Man!"

He took the sack from his back and put it on a trunk.
 
He reached into the bag and began to pull out jars of a silvery liquid, with streaks of red and blue through it.
 
Blaylock looked on and smiled.

"I think you just made his favorite list, Gary."

"I got as much as I could, filled every jar.
 
It took a little while, so I lost my men as the other ones were trying to stop me, but it gave me enough time to also get this."

Brollen reached into the bag again and pulled.
 
Coeli and the girls were straining to see what he had in his hand.
 
From inside the bag, Brollen pulled out something silver and then Coeli saw some blue and fur.
 
She started to cry and turned away.

"No, no, no!"

Blaylock looked at her, smiled and then turned back to see what Brollen was holding.
 
His smile widened as he stared at the prize.
 
The head of Ferage was still dripping silver blood; the once glittered eyes were now dull and cloudy.

Coeli sobbed.
 
The other girls cried quietly next to her, trying to comfort her.

Blaylock took hold of the head and looked into the dead eyes.

"This one looks familiar…"

Brollen shrugged.

"It was big.
 
I figured he could use the horn or eyes for one of those spells he has, ya know?"

"Yeah…"

Blaylock frowned as he handed the head back to Brollen.

"Ok, wrap it up and let's get a move on.
 
We'll stop in a few hours.
 
They won't start after us for a while yet.
 
It'll take 'em time to get organized and bury their dead."

They all mounted the horses. Coeli was still sobbing as she was put on her horse.
 
From the bushes, the two young Hordesmen returned, confirming that no one was behind them.

Albion prayed that the girls would be safe.
 
He prayed that his brother and father were still alive and he prayed that God would forgive him.

90

Alia sat motionless and alone on her throne, gripping the arms tightly.
 
Alisha was dead.
 
Her baby was gone.
 
That sick feeling of emptiness washed over her.
 
They had taken her child.
 
They had taken Coeli.
 
She felt the wood give way under her fingernails as she stared at the floor.

She remembered the day Alisha was born.
 
The way she smelled, the flash of her smile. Alia felt the emptiness of her lost children, but more so she felt the unicorns.
 
Their sorrow was all consuming.
 
She didn't hear Janeen walk into the room.
 
She didn't feel her standing beside her.

"Al."

Alia stared straight ahead.
 
Janeen placed her hand on Alia's and Alia fought back her rage.

"They didn't come quickly enough," Alia said.

Janeen shook her head and knelt down next to her friend.

"No, the wound in her chest didn't kill Alisha.
 
The blade was poisoned.
 
Rona poisoned her.
 
Chris…he's slipped into a coma, Al…she poisoned them."

Alia's face cracked and she let the tears come again as she turned to look at her friend.
 
She noticed that Janeen's eyes were red and swollen.
 
She put her hand over Janeen's and held tightly.

"My…children…Neen, my babies…"

"I know, Sweets… but we can't do anything to help Alisha.
 
The healers are taking care of Chris and the other wounded as best they can… we need to go after them.
 
We need you."

Alia shook her head.

"They came here because of me.
 
They came here to get at me.
 
They hurt my kids… because of me."

Janeen stood up and grabbed Alia's face, forcing her friend to look at her.

"Listen to me!
 
You need to get it together… we need to formulate a plan and get organized.
 
You need to get it together for your kids.
 
You still have children who are alive, Al.
 
They need you.
 
Coeli needs you.
 
Do you get me?"

Alia nodded and Janeen grabbed her and held her.

"We all loved her, Sweetie, but we need to stand up and take care of business.
 
Ok?"

Alia nodded as Janeen let her go and stepped back.
 
Alia stood up and took a deep breath.
 
She walked slowly down the steps and then stopped and held out her hand.
 
Janeen walked over and took hold.

"Come hell or high water…"

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Neen."