River: A Novel (40 page)

 Mace turned
to face me, knowing exactly where I was in the dark. After a slow, wide smile,
he snickered and pursed his lips in a kissing motion. Having let go of the
glass, I held my stomach, sick again. He was some kind of malicious disease, a virus.
I watched as Mace walked over to Asher and threw an arm around him in mock
friendship. Asher’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t even flinch when Mace shoved
his hand into his jacket pocket and laughed. “I see you’ve brought some party
favors!” He whistled and pulled out a vial of anti-Lull. 

 “Fascinating
stuff, Daniel!” Mace boomed as Dan glared. “We’ll have to move on from the
music and experiment with your little concoctions. You know, for when I’m
feeling not-so-patient.” Dan’s normally beautiful skin glowed mossy green under
the spotlight, and I could see his mind connecting the dots. He was going to
have to work for this monster and be forced to do things he abhorred to
innocent people.

 “And I’ve a
plethora
of ideas for more shindigs.” Mace was going on without a care,
seemingly unaware of our collective rage. Mace’s arm was still around Asher, he
may have had the upper hand, but Asher was a little taller. Mace was pushing
his luck with his little game, and Asher was about to snap, curling his hands
into fists. I could foresee him breaking the Caravs’ pacifist rule at any
second. There must be a reason he contained it. Maybe Mace held something over him.

 As if on
cue, another light flashed on. Gwen stood illuminated, her dark hair melting
around her fierce eyes; they appeared to glow in the stark contrast of black
and white, making her look something other than human. Asher’s jaw flexed as
his lips crushed together into a straight line.

 Mace went
on speaking conversationally as he gravitated toward Gwen. “You know, kids, your
little plan might have worked if so many Mutes didn’t worship me. Well, fear me
is more like it,” he cackled with his mouth closed. I stared at him, slightly mesmerized
by the dichotomy of his looks and the evil within, for he could have been a
handsome young man; however, his personality twisted anything attractive about
him into something perverse. “It’s interesting what people will do when you
hold the ones they love in the balance.” He faded into black again approaching
Gwen’s light, reappearing to run his fingers through her hair. I could see her
teeth clench as her arms wrapped around her elbows. “Really, is a life so
important?”

 I was a
centimeter away from the glass. My palms pressed against it as if I could push
it over. But I couldn’t. And we were all screwed because when I’d danced Mace had
found me to his liking. He must have been the one who had caused all the
problems with River Elodie… or, I had to admit the probability, me. Had he
raped me, and I just couldn’t face it, losing my mind along with my true
memories? I pushed the thought away, determined to keep hold on my sanity while
watching the people I loved become victims of this psychopath. Searching behind
me again for an exit, my eyes whipped back and forth, afraid to turn away from
the scene in front of me, but also desperate for escape. I had to get them out
of there.

 Mace
continued pawing at Gwen as if she were a prized pony. He was oblivious to the fury
painted on her features that even I could see half-blind, a fury that mirrored
my own growing hatred.

 “Remember
the good old days? Back when my grandfather ruled? He was very fond of some of
you. It was really too bad about his mysterious death. If he were here today,
he might’ve offered you a bargain.” Mace shrugged and turned toward me,
feigning remorse. “I am not the same ruler he was, but I do enjoy a good haggle.”
Gwen’s eyes narrowed to slits, wondering where his speech was going. Asher was
staring at Mace with startling intensity, his hands still fisted at his sides. I
prayed to the universe that he didn’t lose it and attempt an attack, for I was
pretty sure that would be a kamikaze move.

 “For
instance, dear old granddad may have spared the life of you and your friends,
for… say your son?” Mace asked into the air, as if giving Gwen a choice between
her life and Colin’s. Any color that was in her face drained from it, making
her paler still, as alarm took over. Her eyes became round with panic before she
pulled on Mace’s sleeve. After letting her beg silently for his attention, he
looked her way with open arrogance while she pleaded.

 
Please, please don’t hurt him. I’ll do
anything
.

 With frightened
eyes and shaken, frantic signing, her desperation was plain. Mace chuckled in
his sickening way while she shuddered visibly. 

 “What to do
with you,” he sang softly into her ear while a tear fell down her cheek. “Oh,
but I do have something in mind, dear Gwendolyn. Something your fiancée didn’t
have in him.” My stomach twisted when his easy grin faded and turned absolutely
malicious. “I do remember that day with such fondness,” he whispered, but with
clarity we could all hear. Certainly that was what Mace craved—a show of megalomania
for his prisoner audience. “It was like a mid-summer picnic,” he crooned. “A golden
memory I will always treasure for the fun we had… even though Thomas still wouldn’t
give me what I wanted.” He shook his head in remorse as if he regretted killing
him. “But a talkative little birdie told me recently of your talent. Your Colin
was much easier to convince, and he spilled secrets to me like we were best
mates.” He laughed again at her, at all of us. “And I want to hear it,” he
growled, the deranged animal reappearing. “I want to hear his mama bird sing.”

 Smirking, Mace
stepped away. Gwen’s feathery lock of hair he’d been holding trickled back to
her shoulder in slow motion.

 Gwen looked
to Asher first, her expression bleak. I held my breath. Without hesitating, Asher
spoke, low and quick. “Go ahead Gwen. It’s Colin.” And then he shot Mace a look
of pure hatred. Gwen’s eyes widened almost as much as Danny’s. Petra had been
white as a ghost since the light had been turned on her. She had never been
this fragile looking, and it broke my heart. I was unsure of how much more she
could bear. Of how much more any of us could bear.

 Turning to
Mace, Gwen frowned. Probably wishing she were armed. Her shoulders squared, and
her chin came up with a bravery that brought tears to my eyes.

 “Where. Is.
My. Son?” she demanded.

 “Ah, ah,
ahhh
,”
scolded Mace, motioning sarcastically with his finger. “Not until my little
birdie sings.” Without being able to help it, my fist hit the glass with a
nearly inaudible thump; the pain radiated through my bones and chased away the
numbness this living nightmare had brought. Gwen continued to glower at him. After
a moment, her need to find Colin won out over any fear. In the next instant, a
tapping sounded. Gwen’s foot was acting as a metronome, a blank gaze covering
the fear that had been in her eyes. The bass thudding from the heel of her boot
was joined by her hand, a muffled slap against her thigh, a slow waltz.

 My eyes briefly
averted from Gwen to take in the scene. Asher stared at Mace furiously. The tension
in his body was evident, his jaw working back and forth. Danny was in an
equally stiff pose, and Petra stood astonished with a hand over her mouth. Gwen
was probably the most composed of us all, except for Mace, whose twitching grin
was hard to look at. When she held him with her shining eyes, she didn’t blink
as her voice began to pierce the air.

 Mace’s
horrid, muffled laughter silenced. Everything went still. 

 A beautifully
languid melody bled from Gwen’s lungs into the inky void like a blade cutting
through flesh. Direct and unhurried. It burned and melted—consuming the
atmosphere and collapsing time into nothing. I felt chills go up my spine as
her song ebbed and flowed; an ethereal prisoner trapped inside the invisible
cage with her. Only it knew a way out.  

 Once again,
I tore my sight away to Asher. His entire body read of tension, and he clenched
his jaw as tightly as his fists. His eyes darting from Mace to Gwen, as if
waiting for him to attack her, so he could act. I sent a silent prayer in his
direction, willing him to stay in his light. If he vanished into the darkness, he
would surely be lost. Danny wasn’t any more relaxed in his position. Only he
was staring at Asher, waiting for some kind of signal. Petra was frozen in her
same pose, but now both hands covered the sides of her face in shock.

 In my
peripheral vision, I watched Mace take a step toward Gwen. She stiffened, but
her tempo did not falter. My drained mind was having a hard time processing
what was happening, but still, I couldn’t move my eyes away from the strange
diorama. Just then, noticing that my breath had fogged the glass, I wiped it
away in time to watch Mace reach out to Gwen with a smug grin. When his hand
touched her lips and wonder crossed his face, she flinched, but otherwise
continued to stare at him, defiant. Asher gripped his own arm—as if holding
himself back. I chewed up the inside of my mouth while my head began to scream
with a headache.
When will this end?

 Another
chill ran down my spine as Gwen began to crescendo her unearthly cry, changing
the harmony to something more akin to a wailing chant. In the back of my mind
it triggered something familiar, but I was too distracted by the look on her face.
I’d never imagined Gwen could look so… dangerous. Mace was utterly clueless to
the change, both in her tone and composure. Though her eyes cast a spell of
their own, she was tranquil in her posture: her hand against her thigh keeping
time, her boot disguised under her skirts pounding a contained rhythm, her chin
slightly raised in confidence.

 Ever so
slowly, Mace began to inch away from her, just as she seemed to grow peculiarly
taller. Something inside of her rose to tower over him. I could see it in her
face, hear it in her tenor. The tune she sang was still beautiful, of course,
but the lyrics held malice, and I wondered if she could actually kill him with
her voice. It was clear she wanted hurt him. And her song declared pitiless vengeance.

 The shadows
around Gwen swirled, as if her music had taken control of the air, and lifted
her up. She slowed her rhythm gradually, until she was just humming. Mace let
his arms fall to his sides abruptly. Becoming slack-jawed, he sank to his knees
robotically in front of her. He then sat on his heels in the manner of a
well-trained dog waiting for commands. I jumped as a dozen men appeared,
materializing in the glowing lights. Mace’s subordinates abruptly fell to their
knees as well, gazing at Gwen with vacant adoration. It was shocking and
overpowering. It was the performance of a lifetime.

 I wanted to
cheer. Instead I looked toward Asher, who had a barely-there grin. He waited a
beat, and then tore his eyes away from Gwen to Danny. When he pitched himself
into the deep coal-black, my heart stopped for an instant, and I drew in a
quick breath before slouching against the glass with relief when he reappeared
in Dan’s light. Asher gave Dan a little shake. The trance was even stronger than
I’d thought. As my headache ebbed, I wondered if I had been affected, too. Dan
snapped to attention and grimaced at Asher. His Official Glare gave the
impression that not being told the Carav families had voices was kind of a big deal.
Dan’s irritation waned when Asher reached into his sock and pulled out a small
bottle of anti-Lull. 

 “Dan, take
this and find the perimeter controls in the south quadrant, fourteen stories
up.” Asher spoke quickly, formulating a plan in that instant. “Take Petra with
you. The anti-Lull has worn off for the people in town, so we need to shut the
perimeter down immediately. Wait two hours before turning it back on, and then
go to the camp.”

 Dan agreed,
nodding once after Asher gave directions to the huts, and then glanced back at
Petra with a dubious expression. Asher could apparently read his mind. “She’s
innocent. Trust me.” Dan clasped him on the shoulder before backing into the
darkness to step into Petra’s light. He lifted her chin, and upon seeing her
blank stare toward Gwen, gave a quick grin before kissing her lightly. My
emotions were so crazy that I began to laugh. Leave it up to Dan—kiss first and
ask questions later. Petra started and shook her head, trying to hold back sobs.

 He held her
tightly for a moment, and then gently settled her in front of him.

 
It’s all right, now, but
we have to go. Together.
He questioned her tentatively with his eyes as she cocked her head,
nodded timidly, and took his pro-offered hand. He helped her limp through the
emptiness and past Asher, who was now standing with Gwen. Slowing down to give
the tranced enemies a wide berth, Dan and Petra stared briefly at Gwen in awe. 
  

 “Let them
out,” commanded Gwen. Two of the men hopped up and veered right, out of the
pool of light. “It’s safe. You can follow them.” She glanced at Danny and Petra.
Her eyes gleamed flint.

 Dan nodded tentatively
as Petra signed her gratitude while still wiping tears away. They hurried to
follow the tranced minions out of the Dark Room. Gwen had settled her hands on
her hips with her shoulders back, looking much older. She stared at Mace, who
was beginning to drool, and allowed herself a brief smile before narrowing her
eyes. It was an awesome sight. Gwen had Mace and his lackeys cowering at her
feet; she was all-powerful. They were her slaves now.