Tears began to spill from Rose’s eyes. Vivienne pulled her onto her lap and wrapped her arms around her in comfort.
My mind reeled. “What do you think will happen to them? Those who were left behind.”
“The honest answer is that we just have no idea, Corrine. I’d like to comfort you, but I’m as clueless as you are. Nobody there would give us any idea why we were being held captive there.”
Eli cleared his throat. “Actually,” he said, “I think we do all have some idea. Or at least I do. I believe, now that they know where this island is, they want to raid it. They know what a huge population of humans we have here. And clearly, they are in constant need of humans… I’m sure that if they knew our location sooner, they would have tried to tap into our resources years ago.”
“Y-you think they will come here?” Rose gasped.
“I think,” Eli continued, “that they were holding all The Shade’s most powerful vampires and witches for a reason. They want this island to be vulnerable so they can swoop in and take whomever they want.”
“From the sounds of it, Annora could swoop in even with them present,” I murmured. “She was able to overpower all of you.”
“True,” Eli muttered.
“How did you all escape?” I asked.
“I still don’t quite understand it. The lights went out, and with them, Annora’s powers also vanished. Ibrahim helped free us from the cells and we all made a run for it. But her influence wasn’t gone for long… a few minutes.”
“And the others… they were all alive when you last saw them?” I croaked.
“They were.”
I was about to ask more questions, but Eli held up his hand and stood up, looking around the table at all of us sternly.
“We don’t have much time now. We have no idea what Annora has up her sleeve. But I believe that she is going to attack. We need to start preparing for the worst.”
We looked at each other. It was clear that we were all thinking the same thing.
How could we even begin preparing against such a force as Annora?
I wasn’t sure that I was powerful enough to keep the protective spell over the island even with the help of all the witches here if she decided to attack. And once the spell was gone, the vampires’ brute force was useless against her magic, and she could easily overpower us witches.
I hadn’t thought it possible, but I felt more powerless now than when the Ageless had stripped me of my magic.
Chapter 25: Corrine
The hours that followed were a blur. When Rose asked me where her brother was, I barely had time to give her an answer.
Our first priority was to evacuate the humans from their houses and herd them back into what used to be their home many years ago: the Catacombs. They were safer in the shelter of the mountain than scattered around the island in their townhouses.
After we’d done this, I called a meeting with the witches in the Sanctuary, while the vampires began preparing themselves. They’d only come in handy if she brought vampires with them. But I doubted that the witch would bother.
I looked at the witches sitting with me around the table. “This temple is the most potent place on the island. You should remain here while Annora carries out her attack on the forcefield. Right now, your main priority is to help me keep up the protection over this island. With our combined effort, it should become at least six times stronger than it is now.”
They nodded, looking nervously at each other.
“I’m going to go out now and scan the shoreline. In the meantime, stay here. I’ll be back with further instructions.”
I left the Sanctuary and made my way to the port and walked along the jetty, standing at the very edge of it and scanning the shoreline, breathing in the fresh sea air, trying to calm my nerves.
Eli joined me a few minutes later.
“Now all we can do is wait,” I said, shivering as a cool breeze touched my skin.
“Xavier has stationed vampires at all the lookout points,” he said.
I sat down on the edge of the jetty and pulled my cloak tighter against me. “This could be a long night,” I said.
Eli sat down next to me, and we both stared out at the empty horizon. We sat for hours in silence. By the fourth hour, I stood up. I was too restless to sit any longer. “I’m going to walk further up the beach.”
For all we knew, they could come tomorrow, or the day after. Or in a week’s time. We had no idea what this witch was planning. It was all speculation.
I removed my shoes, feeling the sand beneath my feet. Digging them in deep somehow made me feel more grounded.
I walked along the beach for a couple of hours, doing everything I could to keep myself from thinking about Ibrahim. The worst thing was not knowing. It set my mind loose to imagine all sorts of scenarios that were probably worse than the reality.
By the time I’d circled almost half of the island, I turned round and began to retrace my steps.
Then, as I was nearing the port, I saw it.
Forming over the ocean in the distance, a dozen miles beyond our spell’s boundary, was a dark vortex. A whirlwind that was becoming stronger and higher by the second. Gathering speed, it was heading right for us.
My limbs shaking, I vanished myself from the spot and manifested myself back next to Eli who was still sitting on the jetty.
“She’s coming,” I shouted.
I vanished and reappeared in all the other watchpoints around the island, screaming out warnings at the top of my lungs. By the time I’d finished, it felt like the whole island was holding its breath.
Once I was sure everyone had been alerted, I returned to the Sanctuary. The witches all stood in a circle, their eyes shut tight, fists clenched in concentration.
I pushed between two of them and stood there with them in the circle, closing my eyes. My heart hammered in my chest as the ground shuddered. Chills ran from my neck down to the base of my spine.
I knew what had just happened, and judging by the look on my fellow witches’ faces, so did they.
Instructing them to stay put, I vanished from the room and reappeared at the Port. Eli stood staring at the swirling column that had just penetrated our spell’s boundary.
I knew Annora was strong, but I hadn’t expected her to break through so quickly. That spell was the strongest protection we had. It can only go downhill from here.
Eli and I stumbled backward, leaving the jetty and rushing to the raised ground above the Port as the whirlwind drew closer. Eli left my side and ran into the woods. I was about to follow, but when I cast one last glance over my shoulder, I stood rooted to the spot. The vortex had now approached within a few feet from the shoreline. I expected it to form into a full-fledged tornado and begin tearing our island apart, but instead, as soon as it touched the sand, it disintegrated into thin air, leaving in its place a crowd of vampires… and wolves.
I squinted as two figures stepped out from the crowd and looked toward me. A tall dark-haired man, and a shorter, blonde woman. As I approached closer, my jaw dropped. My mouth dried out.
The blonde woman I’d never seen before, but the man… how could I ever forget such a man?
I shut my eyes, memories flashing through my mind. Memories of perhaps the most traumatic night of my existence.
Two newborns in my arms, barely half an hour old. The flash of red eyes. Sofia’s baby boy ripped from my arms and carried away into the night…
There was something different about this man. But his appearance was still unmistakeable.
This was the first, most dangerous and darkest child of the Elder.
This was Kiev Novalic.
Chapter 26: Ben
One hour ago…
There was a circular hole in the center of the room. A woman was peering out of it, trapped behind a swirling blue substance.
I looked closer at the woman as I approached. Dark blonde hair, deep blue eyes. She wore a black dress that was torn and frayed. She appear
ed to be floating—beneath her was an abyss.
She stopped shouting as soon as she caught sight of us and began striking her fists against the translucent ceiling. It was bizarre—the substance was so solid that it wouldn’t budge as she struck it, yet we could still hear her voice through it.
Abby’s grip on my arm tightened as I inched closer to the hole. I bent down over it, staring at the woman.
“Boy,” the woman said, relief washing over her face. “Place your hand against this ceiling.”
I frowned at her.
“Who are you?”
She breathed out in frustration. “Please, just do as I say.”
I stood up and took a step back. How could this woman be the answer to my family’s disappearance when she appeared trapped and helpless herself? “I have no idea what you are,” I said. “Why would I help you out?”
She stared up at me, scrutinizing me closely for the first time. “Did Corrine send you?”
My heart pounded in my ears. “So it was you? You’re the one who’s been trying to communicate with her?”
“Yes,” she replied.
“Then you’re a witch?”
“I am. Who are you?”
I paused, considering whether there could be any possible downside to informing her that I was a Novak. “Benjamin Novak,” I said finally.
“Oh, good,” she said, her breathing coming quicker now. “Benjamin, I need you to help me out of here. This gate hasn’t been used for so long, it’s sealed off at the end. It’s not responding to even my magic. We need someone from outside to help. Try to push your fingers right through it. It should give way to you.” When she still saw me hesitating, she said, “We have a mother and baby to deliver back to The Shade.”
Mother and baby. Although the words filled me with anticipation, I frowned, my eyes narrowing on her.
“Anna?” Abby gasped.
The witch nodded.
I bent down closer to the tunnel again. Anna’s name ringing in my ears, I was on the verge of cooperating with her, but I stopped with my hand two inches away from the ceiling. Everything about this situation just seemed too strange and unbelievable. “Show me Anna,” I said, glaring down at the witch. “Then we’ll talk.”
She turned her face away from me and looked back down into the dark abyss. “Someone has come!” she hollered. “Bring Anna.”
I squinted, staring down into the dark crater.
“She’s coming,” the witch said, turning back to us.
Two specks appeared in the distance, gradually becoming larger and larger until their backs hit the ceiling next to the witch and bounced off it. Clearly a male and a female. The female let out a loud groan. As she turned around, my breath hitched. It was a thin Anna, worn and tired, clutching an infant in her arms.
Without hesitating for a second longer I pressed both of my palms against the ceiling. I wasn’t expecting my hands to push through so easily. It felt like brushing through smoke, and were it not for Abby grabbing me, I would have toppled into the hole with them.
Abby leant down and took the baby from Anna’s arms while I helped pull Anna out. She gasped with relief, tears spilling down her cheeks.
“Ben, oh, Ben.” Anna gripped the back of my neck and kissed my cheek. She turned to Abby and wrapped an arm around her, kissing her forehead. Abby kept hold of the baby for now, since Anna seemed so feeble.
I turned back to the hole. The two figures who’d remained in there had now climbed out. I’d been so preoccupied with Anna, I hadn’t paid any attention to the male who’d come down with her. He was a tall, dark-haired vampire with bright green eyes. I found the expression on his face odd as he looked me over, as though he was sizing me up, or perhaps recognized me from somewhere. I was certain that I’d never seen him before.
I turned back to the witch. “Who are you people? Where have you come from? And what the hell is this?” I asked, pointing down at the hole.
The witch held up a hand and said, “Yes, there will be time for that.” She looked back down into the abyss and yelled, “The rest of you, come now!” She shot Anna, Abby and myself a look. “Uh, you three may want to stand back.”
“Huh?” We took a few steps back and were grateful to have heeded the witch’s words as vampires began shooting out of the hole and landing on the floor. We had to keep retreating until our backs were against the wall to make room for them. Soon the whole room was piled up with vampires… and then wolves. Giant wolves. I gasped and instinctively stood in front of Anna’s baby as the beasts raised themselves from the ground.
“What are these monsters?” I asked.
“Werewolves… We’ve all been trying to get out for days.”
“Anna,” I said, turning to her in shock, “how on earth did you end up with these people?”
“That’s a long story—”
She was interrupted by the witch walking over to us.
“My name is Mona, by the way,” the witch said, reaching out a hand.
I shook it. Then I stared at the green-eyed vampire who stood behind her. “And who are you?” I asked him.
Mona stepped aside as he walked in front of me. He cleared his throat, staring at me intensely. “Kiev Novalic.”
My heart skipped a beat.
Kiev Novalic?
The monster who’d kidnapped me at birth?
I stared at him, my mouth hanging open. The Kiev Novalic my mother had told me about was notorious for having red eyes. Not green. Could there be two Kiev Novalics?
As if reading my mind, he said, “Yes, Novak. We have met before.”
My fists clenched and I took a step back, my back hitting the wall of the cave.
Anna reached for my arm and squeezed it. “It’s all right, Ben,” she said. “Kiev is… different now. I promise, you can trust him.”
I looked down at her in disbelief. My mind reeled as I looked from her to Kiev.
Trust Kiev Novalic. It felt like she was asking me to trust the devil himself.
“We should get a move on,” Anna continued, longing in her eyes. “I need to get back to my family. Mona will transport us all there…”
“What?” I couldn’t disguise my shock.
“They need somewhere to stay, just for a few days,” Anna explained. “Just to find their feet and work out where they’ll go next. We’ve been through hell to get here and we all need rest.”
I looked at Kiev again. He was the most hated man in all of The Shade’s history. One of the first children of the Elders. Evil personified. Inviting him back in our midst seemed like insanity.
I caught hold of Anna’s arm and pulled her out of the chamber with me. Abby followed us with Anna’s son. I led them along the passageway until we were a fair distance away. I hoped that all the chattering going on in the main chamber would be enough for our conversation to not be too audible.
“How can you trust him?”
Anna looked up at me and smiled faintly. “I don’t know what happened to him during his time away from Earth. He hasn’t told me and I haven’t asked. But it doesn’t matter because something has changed in that vampire. Neither myself nor my baby would be here now if it weren’t for him and that witch.”
I still didn’t understand how she’d ended up in the realm of supernaturals with Kiev Novalic of all people, but it was clear that now wasn’t the time she was going to answer my questions.
“Ben, I-I need my family. Kyle, Ariana and Jason. I’ve been away from them for so long…” Her voice broke as she reached a hand to her face, swallowing back a sob.
“Of course,” I said, forcing myself out of my stupor. “All right. We’ll return now.”
“You can allow Kiev to return with us,” she said. “I promise, it will be fine.”
Although every fiber of my being was screaming at me to just refuse—take Anna and run, while leaving behind all these strangers—I couldn’t ignore the conviction in Anna’s eyes.
We returned to the chamber. Mona and Kiev still
stood in the same spot we’d left them.
I looked at Kiev again. Just the vampire’s presence alone gave me goosebumps. Although I felt insane for doing it, I held out my hand to Mona. She shook it.
“You can return with us,” I said.
I couldn’t bring myself to shake hands with Kiev, instead I just glared at him before wrapping my arm around Anna and leaving the enclosure, Abby leading the way. I looked over my shoulder to see them all following us.
We climbed out of the tunnels and emerged on the beach. I pointed to the submarine I had moored and eyed the huge crowd of vampires and werewolves. There seemed to be at least a hundred of them in total.
“I hope they’re house-trained, Anna,” I muttered, eyeing the scraggly-looking werewolves in particular.
“They are,” she assured me. “I’ve spent days with them and none of them has tried to harm me or the baby.”
My chest still constricted, I walked over to Mona. “So my submarine isn’t nearly large enough for all of your troops. How do you plan to get there?”
“Oh,” the witch said, lifting a hand in the air. “I can handle that. Do you have any maps in your submarine?”
I nodded.
“Then mark out where The Shade is and I can vanish us all there.”
I looked at Abby nervously. She shrugged.
I ran to the submarine and fetched a map. Spreading it out on the sand, I showed Mona the location. She pored over the map for several minutes before standing up.
She turned to face the others. “You know how this goes,” she said, her voice raised. “Form a circle.”
I knew what would come next. I looked back at the submarine. “I can’t just leave that here,” I said. “Submarines are valuable and that one is in perfect working order.”
She looked back at it. “Well, I’ll vanish that too along with us. Now everyone, please form a circle.”
“Another thing,” I said, “You can’t just enter the Shade so easily, it’s protected by our witches. And—”