Hopeless Magic (3 page)

I heard Oscar groan and I jumped to my feet in an effort to see if he was alright. My magic had already finished healing my own body, but I could tell from where I stood, just inside the open double doors, that what was left of Oscar’s magic had not been able to revive him. The rest of his team and Lilly had flocked to his side and were helping him sit up. He held his head and when he brought his hand away I saw that it was covered in dark, crimson blood.

I turned around, frustrated and unable to look at him. I felt helpless and responsible. Any other Immortal would know what to do; any other Immortal would have had the training necessary to be able to return the magic that belonged to them.

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I walked out of the barn into the cold night air. A thousand stars shone down on me, stretching on eternally through the wide Nebraska sky. I wrapped my arms around my body, holding in the warmth, refusing to use the magic that had me so frustrated at the moment.

“You’ll figure out how to give it back, these things take time,” Jericho was suddenly at my side. I turned to stare at him, surprised by his comforting words, but he was looking at the ground, his baseball cap pulled low on his brow.

“I hope you’re right,” I winced. I couldn’t bear to send another one of that poor team flying. “What does it feel like?” he finally glanced at me from underneath his hat.

“Trying to give the magic back?” I asked, unsure if I wanted to share the feeling. Jericho nodded an affirmative. “It feels like I don’t want to give it back. I didn’t even know I had been holding on to their magic, but now that I’ve found it, it’s like my body will do anything to keep it.” 38/711

“Will you keep it?” Jericho asked tentatively. He was the third person to ask me this question.

What kind of person did these people think I was?

“Of course not,” I spat, and then regretted my tone immediately. “I mean, of course I want to give it back to them. It’s not mine, I should never have taken it in the first place. I just didn't know what I was doing then. I still don't.... I
will
find a way though. I will give them back their magic,” I said determined, and at that moment I realized just how determined I was.

“Others would not give it back. In fact, if you are successful, you would make history by returning their magic,” he smiled softly at me and I noticed the hardness in his eyes slowly dissipating.

“What do you mean?” I asked, impressed by the prospect of making history, but a little more daunted by the task at hand.

“Other Immortals have drained magic before, but usually they do it on purpose,” he smirked at me, enjoying his sarcasm. “However, since they 39/711

accomplish the task on purpose, that has tended to mean they refuse to give it up. I have just always thought they were greedy and power-hungry, but maybe they couldn’t have given up the magic if they wanted,” he looked back down at the ground and kicked a rock, making it skip along the gravel drive.

“Who?” I asked, but believed I already knew the answer.

“The monarchy, of course, and their Titan Guard,” he smiled sadly at me and I was struck by the perfection of his lips.

“Oh. I can see that though. I mean just now, when I was trying to give Oscar back his magic there was such a hunger inside of me to keep it, I was scared. I don’t want their magic, I only want to give it back to them. But I was overcome by this, this overwhelming greed. I know more than ever it does not belong inside of me. I will do whatever it takes to give it back to them,” I folded my arms defiantly, as if inwardly challenging myself to finish the task.

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“You do deserve to be queen,” Jericho whispered and I was surprised by his words, I turned to say something to him, but could not think of anything appropriate. So instead of speaking I simply stared into his eyes, searching for the reason behind his statement.

“Eden, Angelica says the magic is ready. Will you still come with me?” Lilly’s soft voice called to me from the barn doors and I turned without saying anything more to Jericho. I walked to Lilly’s side and joined her for the biggest moment of her life thus far.

3.

I followed Lilly through the other side of the barn and around the large white farmhouse. A small group of other Immortals walked silently with us.

All of them were the older generation except Avalon, whom I noticed was allowed more of a leadership role than anyone else our age, including me.

Angelica led our small group behind the farmhouse and down into a storm cellar. Lilly and I followed Conrad, Terrance, Amory and Avalon down a set of worn stone steps. The men all carried fiery torches and as we walked through a surprisingly long tunnel, they stopped and lit sus-pended torches along the wall.

What I expected to be a typical Nebraska tornado shelter, meant to protect from seasonal storms, had turned into a long, but wide tunnel, leading further and further into the earth. The already cold November night continued to stiffen the 42/711

frigid air the farther into the passageway we walked.

Lilly’s hand in mine, I could feel her tremble with anxiety. The look on her face was sheer determination, etched with near panicked hysteria.

Her already pale skin had turned translucent by fear and her vibrant red curls framed her face in a haze of frizz. I squeezed her hand, hoping to comfort, except I couldn’t help but empathize her same fears.

Eventually we came to a thick stone door. The small group ahead of us mounted their torches in-to frames already nailed to the walls. Through the dim firelight I could see small markings border-ing the outline of the door and then another large symbol set exactly in the middle at eye level: a snake, wrapped in a circle, swallowing its own tail.

Angelica was the first one through the door. She put her finger, just below her ear, where her jawbone met her neck, and I watched the faint flare of light. I realized she was illuminating the 43/711

same symbol of the snake eating its own tail, the same symbol Lilly was on her way to receive.

Angelica carried the magic in her finger, from her neck to the symbol on the door. She placed her index finger ever so softly on the serpent and I watched with quiet awe as the door glowed in the same color as Angelica’s magic before opening into a circular room.

The door closed behind Angelica. Conrad was next in line. He repeated the same procedure as Angelica, only this time the door illuminated in army green, to resemble the type of magic he carried. I realized at that moment that I may not be able to keep my promise to Lilly and stay with her through the whole process, since it seemed to enter the secret room of the Resistance one must already be a member or on their way to become one.

I squeezed Lilly’s hand tighter as I watched Terrance and then Avalon both enter the room.

Amory turned towards us, his expression one of 44/711

pure excitement. He held out his hand to Lilly and she accepted the offer silently.

“I’m afraid you won’t be able to join us, Eden dear, unless you are also willing to join our humble cause tonight,” I saw the hope in his black eyes and felt ashamed when I shook my head no.

“Then you must wait out here,” his smile softened into a sadder version of happiness. I was struck with guilt. Some small part of me understood that I could not waver in the middle much longer. Sooner or later I would have to make a choice: I would have to join a cause that would eventually lead to the death of the person I loved with all of my soul, or I would have to turn my back on this cause and alienate myself entirely from the only family I would ever have.

I squeezed Lilly’s hand one more time before letting go and gave her an encouraging smile. She returned my smile with renewed confidence and I suddenly felt envious. Her brilliant emerald eyes shone with sheer determination and something 45/711

more, something much like victory. Then, Amory was lighting the door and I watched them disappear behind the thick wall of stone.

Can I watch?
I spoke to my twin brother telepathically, hoping he would understand my need to be involved. Although I could have easily opened our twin sense and made the decision for myself, I felt obligated to ask Avalon for his permission. I had a hard time invading his privacy unannounced. He, on the other hand, had absolutely no problem spying on me.

As long as you don’t interrupt.
Avalon replied, slightly exasperated. I loved my brother dearly, but when he was in super commando-leader mode, I couldn’t help but find him more than a little irritating.

I leaned against the cool stone wall in the wide passageway. On this side of the door the torches flickered, casting long shadows on the rough floor. I closed my eyes and melted my mind with Avalon’s, opening my senses with our similar 46/711

magic. I saw through his eyes, heard through his ears and felt through his senses.

Although my vision was limited to what Avalon was looking at, I could still take in the room. The space behind the thick stone door was smaller than I had imagined it to be. A large, worn wooden chair sat in a circular area, illuminated only by candle light. Hundreds of tiered candles sat on long, low tables circling the rooms. They took up most of the wall space, except where a door was located.

There were four other doors besides the stone one blocking my path. They were wooden, not made from stone; however, the same symbolic snake crested them as well. A deep pot of sorts sat not far from the lone chair that Lilly had now taken.

The large cauldron was full of some type of iridescent liquid and although I couldn’t see any fire beneath the pot, it seemed to be bubbling as if boiling.

Avalon stared at Lilly intently. I could see the tension in her eyes and she gripped the arm rests 47/711

of the chair tightly with both hands. Amory was asking her a series of questions and she nodded confidently despite the terror I could tell she was feeling.

Avalon was also tense; I could feel that he was afraid she would back out. I could feel him admire her beauty, which felt a little bizarre coming from Avalon, and that he would desperately like her to join the cause. In part, but not entirely, he felt that way because he thought Lilly would have influence over me. I smiled from outside of the door, wondering if he was right.

“Lillian Elizabetta Mason, you are about to join a cause that stands directly opposed to the monarchy and king and if you are found out, the price is your life. Are you sure you want to give up your rights as an Immortal, your eternal life as an Immortal and your fate as an Immortal, surrendering them all under the cause of the Resistance?” Amory asked Lilly gravely.

She responded with a strong “Yes.” 48/711

“Then, Lilly, through any trial, tribulation, torture and trap, the Resistance will always give you aid, always give you support and always give you sacrifice. You are, little sister, one of us, wholly, and forever.”

Amory paused to smile benevolently and reassuringly at Lilly before gesturing toward Conrad and Terrance. They moved towards Lilly in slow, but swift movements, and then began to strap her down with restraints attached to the chair I hadn't noticed before.

I stood up straight, overcome with anxiety for my dear friend. Why on earth would they need to strap her down? She looked like she was about to be electrocuted by some old-school torture tool, something straight out of a fifties era death-row chamber. And, although I could see that Lilly was willfully allowing them to tie her to the chair, and through it all seemed to have significantly calmed down, I could not believe she really understood what she was about to go through.

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I began to pace the hallway nervously, doing my best to find a way into that room. If things went badly for Lilly, I refused to do nothing. I did not risk my life to save her in Romania from Lucan, only to bring her back to Omaha and watch her die at the hands of my brother and grandfather.

Calm down. You’re so dramatic.
Avalon sent me a thought and I inwardly cringed, realizing I had promised not to interrupt him.

You better not hurt her
. I seethed through my thoughts, finding it slightly ironic he was the one calling me dramatic. He rolled his eyes, not only inwardly but physically as well.

Eden, the whole process is hurt. She’s going to
be in a lot of pain in just a few seconds and there
is absolutely nothing you can do about it. Just remind yourself that she chose this path, and this
path comes with a price
. Avalon’s words hit a nerve and I was suddenly agitated. I knew that he didn’t mean to hurt me, but he was right. She chose this path willingly and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.

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When I tuned back in to the events unfolding beyond the stone door, Lilly was completely buckled down, from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. She looked painfully uncomfortable even if this was her choice. Besides the chair restraints, Conrad, Terrance and Amory had also taken hold of her as if adding to the support of the buckles.

Angelica stood in the corner near the bubbling cauldron of shimmering light. She had put on a pair of long, thick work gloves and held a long, cylindrical glass tube with a bulb on one end and a narrowed point on the other. When Amory nodded his head, Angelica dipped the cylinder into the vessel point-side down. She stirred the flickering illumination around until the tube itself seemed to be full of the same mysterious mixture, something not quite liquid, not quite light.

When the glass bulb itself began to glisten, she pulled the cylinder out of the cauldron. Angelica walked carefully, methodically over to Lilly, holding the glass cylinder by the point. Once she 51/711

reached her, she took a long moment to breathe and meditate before pressing the bulb against Lilly’s neck and jawbone just beneath her right earlobe.

Suddenly I understood the restraints. As soon as the glass tube touched Lilly’s skin she let out a blood-curdling scream that engulfed the small room. I covered my ears instinctively, although technically no sound reached beyond the stone door.

Lilly began to thrash aggressively, despite the fact that she had three grown men and numerous buckles holding her down. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and I could see her seize violently. She continued to scream, loud and menacingly, a sound that would haunt me for a very long time.