Finding Valor (23 page)

“You already know I can use magic. You didn’t need to
distress
me.”

“Didn’t you ever play hide-and-seek as a kid?”

“Not in the wilderness.” Josh was glad he’d grown up in the suburbs with normal people. “Next time you want to teach me something, give a little warning.”

“That ain’t the way we do things.”

“Why am I not surprised.” Josh struggled to his feet. “How far is it to Freedom Ridge?”

“About eighteen hours, if you’re used to hiking.”

“We’re wasting time. Let’s go.”

Once Josh recovered his strength, they made good time. Hunter was more patient than Shep. He showed Josh how to ‘encourage’ brambles to shy away from his body, using the plants’ own energy. “If you work with the plants, instead of against them, it’s much easier.”

Hunter was right. It didn’t take long before Josh was urging Hunter and Shep to move faster. Shep insisted they take a break to rest and eat. But as soon as they were done eating, Josh had them on their feet again. He wasn’t stopping until they got there.
 

Josh lost his bearings several times. Shep insisted they go one way, but Josh
needed
to go another. He couldn’t explain it. He had no idea where they were or where they were going, but he
knew
Shep was wrong.
 

“It’s a misdirection spell.” Hunter patted Josh’s back. “Usually, I’d trust your gut instinct, but Shep’s been there before. We have to trust him.”

The disorientation grew worse. Josh thought he was going to puke from vertigo when the sensation ended abruptly.

“Whew-ee!” Hunter wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. “I’m glad that’s over!”
 

“So that’s a misdirection spell?” Josh ‘encouraged’ a poison ivy vine to wither up and die then leaned against the tree it’d been climbing.

“It was a super-strong misdirection spell, cast by more than one mage. That’s why it made us so sick.” Hunter put his hands on his knees and leaned over. “It ain’t usually that bad.”

“How much further?”

Shep arched his back and stretched. “About an hour.”

They arrived at the entrance to Freedom Ridge a little before sunrise. Two cliffs, split by a narrow cleft, loomed over them. The rocks jutted out at such sharp angles, Josh doubted even a mountain goat would be able to climb them. But that was nothing compared to the magical barrier that blocked the path between the cliffs.
 

“Now what?” Josh tried everything he could think of to get past it, but nothing worked, not even the sapphire. All that did was demonstrate the stone’s power, forcing Josh to explain it to Hunter and Shep.

He thought they’d beg him to try it out themselves, but they refused to even touch it, claiming it was evil.

“It’s no more evil than I am.”
 

“How would you know?” Shep didn’t even try to hide his disdain. “You don’t know nothing about magic.”

“I just know. That’s all.”

Hunter lowered his voice to a whisper. “I believe you.”
 

“Well I don’t.” Shep frowned at both of them. “Keep that thing away from me.”

Josh tucked it back inside his shirt. “Vince doesn’t want anyone to know I have it, so please don’t tell anyone about it, okay?”

“I ain’t about to paint an even bigger target on our backs.”

A sudden
bang
dropped them all to the ground. Another one sent them scurrying behind a boulder.

Hunter punched Shep’s shoulder. “Way to tempt fate, ass hat.”

“What’s an ass hat? Something you fancy boys wear when you’re stripping?”

“I ain’t no stripper.”

“Shut up!” Josh couldn’t believe they were arguing while someone was shooting at them. “I need to think.”

A shower of dirt and gravel rained down in front of them. “Come out with your hands up and your shields down.”

Hunter and Shep obeyed. Neither of them seemed all that concerned so Josh followed them out into the open.
 

A dirty, ragged man held a shotgun against his shoulder. The dangerous end aimed at Shep’s chest. “I thought I told you…Feenies ain’t welcome here.”

“You ain’t in charge, ass hat.” It didn’t take Shep long to adopt Hunter’s vocabulary. “Tell Ms. Wisdom we got someone she needs to see.”

The man grumbled and swore as he walked away. Hunter elbowed Shep’s ribs. “Why’d you go and insult him like that? You better hope he comes back with Ms. Wisdom and not half the rebel army.”

Josh agreed.

The ‘ass hat’ returned twenty minutes later and leveled the shotgun at Shep again. Josh gathered his magic, but before he had the chance to curse the man, a stout woman with a time-worn face stepped into view. She put a hand on the barrel of the shotgun and lowered it until it pointed at the ground. “Stand down.”

The man nodded without taking his eyes off Shep.

“Hello, Josh. It’s good to see you.”

A flashback hit Josh as soon as he heard her voice.
 

Evergreens and roses scent the night air. He looks up and smiles at the chuppa. Pride and love expand his chest. I built this. A full moon shines down upon him and Channie. The woman…Wisdom…stands at the foot of the bed and recites a poem…
Beneath the moon and wedding bower,
Join your hearts with ancient power.
Look upon each other’s face
And bind yourselves with courage and grace.
Feel your love grow strong and whole.
Surrender body, mind and soul.

When time and distance keep you apart,
Let love protect your spell-bound hearts.
Seal your vows with true love’s kiss,
And fill this night with songs of bliss.
For the breaking dawn will kill the moon,
And this magic moment end too soon.

“You married Channie and me.”

“I’m surprised you remember.”

“You know what happened to me?”

“Prudence said you got out of control and she was forced to erase your memory. Her explanation didn’t make sense, but she’s not well. It’s hard to discern what’s real and what’s a delusion.”

“Prudence was here?” Red light pulsed out of Josh’s stomach. He knew everyone could see it, but he didn’t care. “Did she tell you her plans for Channie?”

Wisdom frowned. “She sent Channie to Mexico with Abby and Diego after trackers killed Money.”
 

“Channie’s not in Mexico. Trackers didn’t kill Money. Prudence did. She also murdered Abby in my father’s basement and bound Channie to her with a death pledge. She’s planning to sacrifice her during summer solstice to gain control of the Book of the Dead.”

Wisdom’s face blanched. She swayed on her feet then grabbed the man holding the gun. He lifted a hand to help her, but didn’t seem to know what to do with it. By the time he figured it out and wrapped his fingers around her waist, Wisdom had regained her balance. She swatted the man’s hand away. “Go back to camp. Tell Intimidation to gather the council and bring them to the gate. And don’t tell anyone what you’ve seen or heard. That’s an order.”

The man gulped and whispered, “Yes, ma’am,” then turned around and ran. He didn’t jog. He didn’t trot. He ran.

“Whoa.” Hunter spoke out of the side of his mouth. “What got into him?”

Wisdom grabbed Josh’s biceps and squeezed. She was amazingly strong, especially for a middle-aged woman. “Where’s Channie?”

“On her way to a safe house.” Josh wasn’t about to disclose any information about Channie’s location, not even to Wisdom.

“Why aren’t you with her?”

“Look. It’s complicated.” Josh didn’t think it would be a good idea to confess his intentions to kill Prudence. “Channie’s safe…for now. My father’s taking care of her.”

“Your father is magically disabled. He’ll never be able to protect her from trackers.”

“My biological father isn’t magically disabled.”

Wisdom gasped then blinked. “She’s with Vengeance Veyjivik?”

“It’s a long story, but he’s on our side.”

Wisdom sat on a fallen log and crossed her arms. “Start talking.”

It took over an hour for Josh to tell his story and answer all of Wisdom’s questions. Now, it was time for her to answer a few of his. “Do you know where Prudence is?”

“I’m not going to let you, or anyone else, harm my sister.”

“She’s here, isn’t she?”

Wisdom glared at Josh, but didn’t answer.

“Can you make her release Channie from that death pledge?”

“I’m working on a cure.”

“Really? And how’s that working out?”

Wisdom closed her eyes and sighed. “Not well.”

“You better at least have that crazy bitch locked up somewhere safe.” Josh hadn’t meant to raise his voice, but he was beyond frustrated. The solution to all his problems was right there, but he couldn’t do a damn thing about it. “If Prudence escapes, she’s going to track Channie down and kill her.”

“She’s surrounded by magical barriers, and under a two man guard, twenty-four hours a day. She’s not going anywhere.”

Josh felt a little better, knowing Prudence wasn’t out looking for Channie, but it still didn’t solve the problem. “Does she still have the Book of the Dead?”

Wisdom looked at him as if he were crazy. “Of course not.”

“Where is it?”

“In safe keeping.”

Why was she being so vague? “Are you messing around with it?”

Wisdom narrowed her eyes. “I’m not a fool.”

“I need that book.”

“It’s dangerous.”

“So am I.”
Especially to people that interfere with my efforts to save Channie.
“Does the book still have my name on the cover?”

Wisdom glared at Josh. Power radiated off her, but he refused to back down. She finally looked away. “Yes.”

“Then it’s still mine. Give it to me.”

“I’m not disputing your right to the book. But I’m not going to just hand it over. Not without testing your knowledge and abilities first. I doubt you know how to handle such a dangerous and powerful artifact. There’s so much you need to know, and so little time.”

“I’m a fast learner.”

“The council will be here soon to disarm the blood barrier. You need to swear your loyalty to me.” She took Josh’s right hand and placed it over her heart then put hers on his. She grabbed his left wrist.
 

“What are you doing?”

“Everyone in Freedom Ridge has to swear a death pledge of loyalty to me.”

Josh jerked his wrist out of her grasp then knocked her hand off his chest. “No way.”

“There are refugees from twenty-eight different clans and three different regions in this camp. Some of them have been feuding for decades. Without a strict chain of command, half of them would’ve killed each other by now.” She reached for Hunter. “Come here.”

“Oh no you don’t.” Josh stepped in front of him and shot an arm out across Shep’s chest. His shield popped into place, surrounding all three of them. Energy zinged out of his gut and gathered into a ball in front of his chest.

Wisdom’s eyebrows shot up. “What are you doing?”

“I’m not letting you or anyone else use any more death pledges. Those things are evil.”

“Are you willing to curse me?”

Josh glared at her. “What do you think?”

Wisdom smiled. “I think you’re starting to grow into your power-name. There may be hope for us after all.”

~***~

When the council arrived, four men and two women, Josh didn’t have to guess which one was Intimidation. The guy wasn’t quite as tall as Josh, but he was still freaking huge and scary as hell. His biceps were thicker than Josh’s thighs. He decided to call him “Tim.” It was less…intimidating.
 

The only person, besides himself, that looked the giant in the eyes was Wisdom. Josh refused to cower before him, but rather than start a staring contest, he examined everyone in the council, spending no more, or less, time on Tim’s face than anyone else’s. He hoped they’d be able to find Prudence and the book, take care of business and get out of camp before the brute challenged him.
 

Wisdom motioned for Josh to step forward. “You all already know Hunter and Shepherd Feenie. I’d like you to meet your new general and future king, Valor Veyjivik.”
 

The six mages that made up the council gasped, but none of them could have been as shocked as Josh. “What? Wait…I’m not a general.”

“Are you Valor Veyjivik?”

“Yeah, but—”

“Does the Book of the Dead belong to you?”

“I’ve already told you—”

“Are you the son of Vengeance Veyjivik?”

Josh clenched his jaw. “Yes.”

Wisdom closed her eyes and chanted…
Son of Vengeance seeking light,
Grasp the hilt and join the fight.
Claim your place among your kin
And lay to rest your father’s sin.
For you were born to rule and reign,
To save us all from ruin and pain.
You have one year to learn and grow,
To gain the skills you need to know.
For the total eclipse on solstice night
Ordains the heir that wins the fight.
 

She opened her eyes and smirked at him. “Your year of learning began in December. I hope you’ve been training hard.”

“You know damn well what I’ve been doing.” Josh knew Wisdom was setting a trap for him, but he had no idea how to keep from falling into it.

She ignored him and faced the council. “Disarm the blood barrier.”

A chorus of disapproval erupted from the four men and two women.

“That’s an order.”

Except for a few heavy sighs, the council was instantly quiet. Magic hummed and lifted all the hair on Josh’s body. He wasn’t the only one. Hunter and Shep, with their pale blond hair, looked like a couple of dandelion puff balls. Hunter’s hands were a blur as he tried to smooth it down. Shep ignored his own wild mop and rolled his eyes at his brother’s vanity.

As soon as the magic dissipated, so did the static. Wisdom swept her arm in a graceful arc towards the narrow opening. “After you, Prince Valor.”

Josh fisted his hands. “Don’t call me that.”

“Is that a royal decree?”

“It’s only a request. One I hope you’ll honor.”

She reached up and laid a hand on Tim’s broad shoulder. “Take Hunter and Shep to the men’s barracks and see to it that they’re made as comfortable as possible.”