“Why not?” Mona asked.
“When a group of us came here to rescue humans days ago, we destroyed the other side of the castle. Or rather, the dragons did. If we pass through the gate, we’ll meet a colossal pile of rubble.”
Mona turned to Corrine and Ibrahim. “Why don’t the two of you go through and clear out a path? I’m sure you could manage that.”
Ibrahim raised a brow. “We’re talking about an entire collapsed castle. Yes, I’m sure Corrine and I can create a path through to the surface, but it will take time.”
“That’s fine,” Mona said calmly. “I still have some unfinished business.”
“What’s that?” my father asked.
Mona glanced at Kiev. “Magnus,” she replied. “I left him at the bottom of a river. I need to go free him.” Then her deep blue eyes turned on me. “Rose, I would like you to accompany me. If their boundary is back up, there’s no way I’d be able to blast through in this weak state. The witches of The Sanctuary have many reasons to dislike me, so I can’t even be sure they’d let me in if I went alone. You, on the other hand, have their respect.”
“Okay,” I said.
“Ibrahim and I will get started then,” Corrine said, catching her husband’s hand and walking with him toward the entrance of the castle.
I embraced Caleb, and then hugged my parents and grandfather, before catching Mona’s arm. I had grown so used to being transported places with magic by now, it felt as normal for me to hurtle through the air at lightning speed as it was for a human to hop on a bus.
The battleground disappeared and a few seconds later, Mona and I were standing alone on a beautiful beach outside The Sanctuary.
“So we’re going to have to attract someone’s attention again,” I said.
“Yeah,” Mona said, already looking toward the boundary.
As we neared the trees lining the beach, it was clear that we would not have nearly as much trouble this time. I guessed because of the black witches breaking in, more witches and warlocks were on guard. Within a matter of seconds I’d already spotted a warlock prowling around in the forest. A young, handsome warlock with long blond hair.
“Hey! Over here!” Mona shouted.
He stopped in his tracks and made his way toward us.
As he drew within ten feet, Mona spun around, her back to him. Her face had turned bright red. “Oh, no,” she said beneath her breath. “I know this guy. Coen Brymer. Talk to him for me, will you?”
I agreed but it was already too late. Coen Brymer had recognized Mona.
“Hey, Mona,” Coen said. “Whatever happened to you?”
Sighing deeply, Mona turned around to face him even as she avoided eye contact. “I’m sorry, Coen. I don’t have time to talk. Will you just let us inside, please?”
He looked at me. “Who is your companion?”
“Rose Novak,” I answered. “Please let us inside now. I have an understanding with—”
“Oh, yes, I know,” he said quickly. “Hermia informed us about the agreement she made with you. You are welcome and since Mona is with you, I can only assume she’s welcome too.”
He stepped through the boundary and held out both arms for Mona and I to take before leading us back inside.
“Might your visit to The Sanctuary be long enough to take a stroll with me by the waterfall?” Coen asked Mona.
Mona gave him a weak smile, then raised her ring finger to him. “I doubt it, Coen. But I wish you the best of luck in finding happiness.”
I couldn’t miss the disappointment in his face as he eyed her ring. But then he covered it up with another smile. “Congratulations, and thank you.”
Mona didn’t hang around for more small talk. She held my hand and vanished us again. This time, we reappeared at the bank of the river. There was nobody in sight, just lush forest.
Mona left my side and began wading into the water. I was about to follow after her when she turned around. “Just wait there.”
I did as she had requested, watching as she disappeared beneath the churning waters. As promised, she surfaced less than a minute later. Bobbing in the water by her side was Magnus. His whole body was rigid, though I could detect the fury behind his eyes.
“You can help me now, Rose,” she said. I hurried forward and caught his right arm while Mona gripped his left. Together, we dragged him onto the bank.
“He doesn’t look, uh, too happy,” I said, looking down at him with concern. “Were you planning to just release your spell from him while we’re standing here?”
“You have a point,” she said.
We both chewed on our lower lips as we looked back down to him.
“I have an idea,” Mona said. “Let’s take him to the beach.”
“Which beach?” I asked.
“You’ll see,” she said.
Holding onto us, she transported us outside of the boundary to a beach I’d never visited before. Looking out toward the ocean, I spotted a boat. It was small yet sturdy-looking, and it had a roof.
When I looked down at the vampire again, if anything, the anger in his eyes had increased at our delay.
“I think you’d better just release him now,” I said. “I guess that boat is for him?”
Mona nodded, looking toward the boat, an unexpected look of melancholy in her eyes.
“I guess you’ll vanish us immediately so he doesn’t have a chance to attack?” I said.
Mona paused, biting her lip again, still looking down at the vampire.
“You run further up the beach in case he decides to,” Mona said. “I need to speak to him. And I don’t feel comfortable speaking to him while keeping him like this. I’m going to release him… I doubt he’ll attack.”
I sighed. “Well, in that case I will stay with you. I’m probably better equipped to fight him with my fire power than you in your current state.”
“You’re right,” she muttered.
She bent down on her knees over Magnus and touched his forehead. My hands grew sweaty as the witch muttered some words and Magnus regained control of his body. His limbs stretched out and he shot to his feet. His chiseled face took on a look of utter aggravation.
“Why the hell did you do that?” he growled at Mona. “If you weren’t a woman, I would grab your throat and maul you.”
Mona took a step back from his rage. “I’m sorry, Magnus. I had my reasons for doing it. But you are free now. Nobody will bother you again. Not any of the black witches, not me, or any of the white witches.”
“Where is Lilith?” he asked, his brows furrowing and causing a deep line in the center of his forehead.
Mona’s voice caught in her throat. “She… passed away.”
Magnus’s eyes narrowed, as though he could hardly believe her words.
“That boat you see,” Mona said, her voice unsteady. “Lilith arranged that for you so that you could escape safely, and continue with your life… with whomever you choose to spend it with. I wouldn’t be surprised if you even find blood bags in there.”
“I don’t understand.”
“She chose to spend the last hours of her life with you, Magnus. That’s all you need to understand. And what I said before about her using you was not fair. She did love you. Madly. Deeply. At least as deeply as her heart could manage. And she wanted you to know that before she passed away. You may not have realized it, but for all those years… you held her heart in your hand.”
Magnus was speechless. I could’ve sworn that I saw the corners of his eyes moisten as he turned and looked toward the boat floating in the ocean.
None of us spoke a word for the next few minutes.
Finally he faced Mona again, clearing his throat. “Thank you for confirming what I… sometimes doubted. It means a lot to me.” His voice was deeper than it had been a few minutes ago.
His eyes traveled from me to Mona one last time before he turned his back on us and entered the waves, wading toward the boat. Mona and I stood in silence, watching as he b
oarded it, settled himself in and began sailing away into the brightening horizon toward God knew where.
I didn’t care… As long as we never had to go searching for the guy again.
Chapter 32: Rose
When Mona and I arrived back at the black witches’ island, nobody was outside. We headed straight to the castle, walked through the entrance hall and found everyone had gathered in the kitchen. They all looked toward us as we entered.
“Well?” Kiev asked, Magnus’ face lighting up.
“I set him free,” Mona said.
“Good,” he replied. “And… Do you have any idea when I will turn back into myself?”
A smile crossed Mona’s lips. She exchanged a glance with my mother. “I, um… I think we can probably expect within a few days. I pulled a hair from his head, you see.”
“How are Ibrahim and Corrine progressing?” I asked.
“They are down there now, still working,” my father replied.
“Do you know how long they will be?” I asked.
“Hopefully not much more than ten minutes. They have made quite a lot of progress already, or so they say. None of us have been down there. But Corrine has come back up to keep us updated.”
I looked toward the open trap door and moved toward it, poking my head down. I caught sight of the gate. Landis and Ashley stood next to it, and all of the humans were already down there. Most of them were resting against the wall, looking exhausted. I noted that those who were injured had not been treated yet. Ibrahim and Corrine had been in a hurry to start work on clearing out a trail. None of the injuries looked fatal, so I hoped that they would be all right. We would find some time to treat them once we reached the other side.
Someone touched my back, and I turned to see Caleb.
“Come with me,” he whispered into my ear.
Before I could respond, he twined his fingers with mine and pulled me through the exit of the kitchen, out of view from everyone.
Placing his hands either side of my waist, he pressed me back gently against the wall. His lips met mine. He reached his hands up to my cheeks, caressing them as he kissed me tenderly.
When he drew away, he was staring at me intently, his dark hair touching the sides of his face. His seriousness amused me.
“What was that about?” I asked.
He gave me a small smile. “Since when do I need a reason to kiss my bride?”
My bride. The words made my spine tingle.
I reached my arms around his neck and pulled him down for another long, slow kiss. “Since never,” I whispered.
His cool lips began trailing down my neck, soothing my irritated skin.
Our moment was interrupted by Micah. “Come on, you love birds,” he growled. “Ibrahim and Corrine are finished earlier than expected.”
I was annoyed at the interruption, but I was also relieved that we could finally get away from this place. I detached myself from Caleb and we followed Micah back into the kitchen. Everyone was already beginning to pile down into the dungeon. Caleb was the last to enter the dungeon. He shut the trap door behind him.
“I wonder if this will be the last time that anyone sets foot in this place,” I said.
Caleb shrugged.
“I’ll go down first,” my father said, nearing the edge of the gate.
“Corrine definitely said that it was safe to go through now?” I asked.
“Yes,” he replied. “I suggest you all send the humans down after me, and the rest of you follow after them.”
With that, my father leapt through. I turned to the humans—mostly young women—lined up along the wall.
I smiled kindly. “Come on, guys.”
“Where are you taking us?” one of them asked, her voice nervous.
“Back home. You’re all from California, aren’t you?” That seemed to be where the black witches had been targeting the most intensely—at least, according to the news.
“I am,” she said.
“What about the rest of you?” I asked, addressing the others.
“Yes,” they all confirmed.
“That certainly makes things easier for us,” my mother said.
“What is that thing?” several of the girls asked as they neared the starry crater.
“It’s a… uh…” How do I even explain? “It’s a tunnel that will take you back home,” was the best and fastest way I could think to answer them.
Several more questions were asked, but we didn’t have time to answer them.
The girl who had volunteered to step toward first stared down at the seemingly endless abyss.
“Won’t I die if I jump down there?”
“You’ll be fine,” I said. “My father is waiting for you at the other end.”
“Okay,” she said, though she sounded anything but okay.
Closing her eyes, she leaped through, her screams trailing behind her as she catapulted downward. I admired her bravery. To be so trusting of a complete stranger… Then again, they were desperate.
“Who’s next?” my mother called.
Another girl inched forward and took the leap. One after another, we finished piling in the humans before the rest of us lined up to jump through. Caleb and I hung back. Holding hands, we dropped through together.
Before the roof of the dungeon could disappear completely, I glanced up at it for the last time.
So long, creepy castle.
* * *
On reaching the end of the tunnel, Caleb and I landed on the floor. I managed to land on all fours so as to avoid injuring my back. I’d learned that from experience.
Caleb was already standing by the time I looked at him. He reached out a hand and helped me up. Everyone else was also standing. The humans looked shaken, but they seemed to be okay. Even the injured ones whom we’d had to pick up and drop through seemed to have landed without too much added injury.
“Through here,” my father said, pointing to the open trap door in the ceiling above us. A staircase led up to it, and beyond was a round hole that Ibrahim and Corrine had carved through the rubble. A ladder made of rope dangled through it, its bottom touching the top of the stairs. My father climbed up first, and then indicated that we follow. Again, we helped humans up, and those humans who couldn’t climb due to injuries hung onto the backs of vampires.
To say that Micah had some trouble getting through was an understatement. Aside from the fact that wolves were hardly equipped to climb vertically up a rope ladder, his body was just so wide. It was a struggle for even Ibrahim and Corrine to levitate him through the hole, but with much complaining from Micah, they managed it eventually.
Climbing up through the hole with Caleb, I was struck instantly by the temperature. I’d been expecting to be hit by a wave of cold. Instead a mild breeze wafted toward us. Reaching the top, we found ourselves standing among the sprawling ruins of the castle, beyond which the trees were no longer coated with a sheet of white. For as far as I could see, there were gorgeous forests. The fresh smell of pine filled the air, and I even heard the chirping of early-morning birds.
“The curse has lifted,” Caleb said quietly as he took in the scene along with me.
I had not been able to appreciate the beauty of the island before, because it had all looked the same. But now, with life finally bursting through after God knew how many decades, or even centuries, I realized just how breathtaking this place was.
The landscape was beginning to brighten from the first signs of the sun approaching beneath the horizon. I could only imagine how stunning this place would look in full sunshine.
Who would’ve thought…
I breathed in deeply, relishing the fresh warm air. Caleb’s arm wrapped around me, pulling me closer. I rested my head against his chest as we continued admiring the island that had once been a prison to both of us.
Although this island had held many horrors for me, it would always hold a special place in my heart. It’d been where the seeds of my feelings for Caleb had
first developed. I remembered how he’d kept me locked in that apartment, refusing to let me out or even speak to me. Thinking back on it now, I smiled, finding humor in the situation.
I nestled my head closer against my fiancé and raised my gaze to his face. His expression was calm, peaceful. Sensing me watching him, he grazed his lips over my forehead.
Perhaps one day, Caleb and I will return to this island with our children, stand in this very spot, and recount our story to them like old fogeys.
Chapter 33: Rose
Now that we were back in the human realm, Corrine and Ibrahim took time to treat all those humans who were injured. I was beginning to feel tense at how much time they were taking. It wouldn’t be long now until the sun rose, and made things much more difficult for our vampires.
“How much longer?” my father asked, sharing my tenseness.
“Just give us one more minute,” Corrine said. “This is the last girl I’m treating. The rest are fine to walk and can be treated in a hospital when they return.”
It ended up taking her five more minutes, but eventually, all the humans were able to stand, which was the most important thing for now.
“All right,” Ibrahim said, looking over everyone. “Form a circle and make sure you’re all touching.”
“You know we need to head to California?” my mother asked, looking toward Ibrahim and Corrine.
“Yes,” Corrine said. “Any beach along California will do… We just need to get in touch with the police and they will take things from there.”
We all formed a circle and the witches transported us to a quiet beach. Relief spread across the humans’ faces.
“Hey,” one of the girls piped up. “My house is just round the corner from here.”
“You can return home if you want,” my mother said, “if you’re sure you’ll be okay.”
The girl nodded eagerly. “I’ve no idea who the heck you people are—or if I can even call you people—but thank you for saving us,” she gushed, and turned on her heel, hurrying away toward the road.