Taken (12 page)

~***~

Channie sat on the ground with Josh’s face buried between her breasts. His hot tears soaked her shirt as hers fell on his head. They both trembled as they waited for the sound that would signal the end of a man’s life.

Instead of the crack of a gunshot … a whistle, long and shrill followed by three high-pitched chirps, echoed off the mountain.

Josh jerked his head up and said, “What’s that?”

“It’s Hunter. Something’s wrong.”

~***~

When they got to the ravine, the only thing they found was Josh’s bicycle and helmet.
 

Rider was gone.
 

Josh let go of Channie’s hand, then sat on his butt and slid down the side of the ravine.

He put both hands on top of his head and twisted first to his left, then to his right. “I don’t understand.”

Hunter’s head popped up over a fallen log, on the other side of the ravine. “Stay still. You’re messing up the signs.”

Josh said, “What signs?”

“See the way them rocks are all stained a darker color? Uncle Rider hauled hisself along the ground on his belly, turning ‘em over as he went.”

Josh said, “That’s impossible. His back was broken. What you’re suggesting would have been excruciating.”

Channie said, “He could fuse his spine to stabilize it and cast a pain-away spell on himself, but he’d still be paralyzed. He couldn’t have gotten far, not dragging himself on his belly.”

Hunter said, “He ain’t dragging hisself now.”

Josh said, “How do you know?”

“See that? There and there.” Hunter slid down the embankment on his butt then pointed at a huge root blocking the bottom of the ravine under a fallen tree that bridged the top.
 

Channie climbed down a series of roots and joined the boys.

Other than bicycle tire tracks that ran up the ravine and between the two obstacles, Channie didn’t see anything unusual. “Josh? Did you ride through here?”

Josh nodded and said, “I barely made it. I came off that jump and landed right about here.” He pointed at a spot in the dirt, where the tire tracks began. “I had enough speed and centrifugal force to get horizontal long enough to ride through the gap.” He pursed his lips and exhaled, puffing his cheeks. “Rider’s horse is an amazing animal, you wouldn’t believe the obstacles he cleared, but he didn’t have a chance of jumping that.”

Hunter cleared his throat and said, “You can tell us all about your wild adventure later. We have a tracker we need to find. Do you see the signs he left, or not?”

Josh said, “Those bits of red thread?”

“And do you see the way the rocks are scattered away from the ground on this side?”

Channie and Josh both nodded.

“That’s where Buddy stood and shuffled his feet while Uncle Rider pulled himself onto his back.”

Josh said, “How can he ride a horse with a broken back?”

“He ain’t sitting on the horse. He’s draped over the saddle like a dead man.”

“How can you tell that from looking at rocks?”

“I cain’t. But it’s the only way a man with a busted back is going anywhere on a horse.”

Josh said, “Give me your phone. We need to tell Wisdom what’s going on.”

While Josh and Aunt Wisdom yelled at each other, Channie and Hunter looked for more signs. What they found, chilled her to the marrow of her bones. Rider hadn’t gone back to camp. He’d gone into town.
 

Hunter squatted on his haunches and poked his finger into a pile of horse dung then stood up and extended his hand towards Channie. “Buddy dropped this over two hours ago.”
 

She wrinkled her nose and stepped back. “I’ll take your word for it.”
 

Hunter’s cheeks reddened. He wiped his hands on the seat of his pants and gazed off in the distance, towards town. “Whistler’s Gulch is only about ten or twelve miles from here. According to the tracks, they started out loping, but even if Buddy slowed to a walk, they’d be there by now. We’re screwed.”

Josh paced back and forth as he argued with Aunt Wisdom. Channie only caught snippets of the conversation but it was clear Aunt Wisdom was trying to talk Josh into joining the rebellion. He said, “Well then I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree,” and handed the phone to Channie.

She put it on speaker and said, “Aunt Wisdom?”

“Do you have the Book of the Dead with you?”

Channie’s stomach clenched. “No. It’s in my backpack under the bed back at the—”

“Don’t say it! Just go get it. But don’t dawdle. You don’t have time to pack anything else. You need to get as far away from here as fast as you can. And don’t go anywhere near Whistler’s Gulch.”

Hunter said, “Where are we supposed to go?”

“Josh, take Channie home, wherever that might be. Hunter, you’re on your own. Be sure you throw away your phones before you leave.”

Channie said, “How are we going to stay in touch?”
 

“If you can talk some sense into that husband of yours, I’ll meet you where we always meet on December 11, ten days before solstice.”

Channie looked at Josh. He crossed his arms over his chest, pressed his lips together and shook his head. They wouldn’t be anywhere near here next December.

 
“If I don’t show up, you’ll have to find Dominance on your own. Her stronghold is somewhere on Black Mountain, in Harlan County, Kentucky near the Virginia border. Be sure you leave in time to get there before solstice.”
 

“Wait … Why wouldn’t you show up?”
 

“It’s a war, sweetheart. Things happen. Especially when prophesies are ignored.”

Josh grabbed the phone and said, “That was a cheap shot. But it didn’t work. I’m still not joining your stupid rebellion.” He handed the phone to Hunter then wrapped his arms around Channie. She pressed her ear against his chest and waited for the steady beat of his heart to comfort her.

“I’m not giving up. Hopefully, you’ll grow into your name before solstice and fulfill your duty.”

Josh’s arms tightened around Channie and said, “My
duty
is to protect my wife.”

“Good bye, Valor. I hope we meet again.”

“Don’t count on it.”

Hunter cleared his throat and said, “Ms. Wisdom, I’d like to join the rebellion as a regular soldier now.”

“I’m sorry, but there’ll be a price on your head if the Veyjiviks find out you double crossed them. You’re too much of a liability.”

“Thanks to you, everyone thinks I’m a traitor. My own momma disowned me.”
 

“If I see any of your kin, I’ll explain the situation, but your entire clan disappeared. No one’s seen any of them for weeks.”

“What do you mean they disappeared? What happened to my family?”

“I’m sorry, Hunter. I truly am, but I can’t help you. Good luck.”

Hunter stared at the blank screen on his phone then slipped it into his pocket and said, “I got nowhere to go.”

Josh kissed the top of Channie’s head then said, “Hunter. You’re welcome to come with us.”

Hunter blinked, swallowed hard and nodded then turned his back and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. He cleared his throat twice then said, “Thanks.”

None of them spoke as they trudged back up the mountainside. When they got close enough to see a flash of red peeking out from behind a boulder, Josh said, “You two wait here. I’ll go get the car.”

Hunter sat on the ground and wrapped his arms around his bent knees, hiding his face. He looked and sounded much younger than his seventeen years. His voice trembled when he said, “Where’re we going?”

“Colorado.” Channie sat down beside him and bumped his uninjured shoulder with hers. “You’ll like it there. It’s real pretty.” Comforting Hunter took Channie’s mind off her own worries.

Hunter kept his face buried in his arms but he bumped her back. “Where am I supposed to live?”

“Josh’ll figure something out. Don’t worry.”
 

Hunter perched his chin on his forearms. He tilted his head to the side and stared at Channie with red-rimmed eyes. “S’pose that means I’ll have to quit trying to steal you away from him, huh.”

“Hunter …” Channie could feel the grief pouring off him. “Even if Josh and I weren’t married, no one could ever steal me away from him. We’re heart-bound.”

“I know.”

“Someday you’ll find someone that will make you forget all about me.”

Hunter shook his head. “You never forget your first love.”

Channie’s heart ached for him, but there was nothing she could do about it. Hugging him would only make it worse.
 

He raised his shield, blocking his emotions and hiding his energy field from her. Channie wished she could do the same. She knew her pity was nothing but insulting to a boy as proud as Hunter.

He grinned and puffed out his chest. “I’m sure I can find someone to warm my bed and distract me from my broken heart.”

“I’m sure you can.” Her sympathy lessened by half.
 

 
“How’re your folks gettin’ by?”

Channie smiled, grateful for the change of subject. “You’re not gonna believe this, but Momma and Daddy are making a killing at the casinos.”

“Your momma took up gamblin’?”

“More like stealing. There aren’t any other mages in the area so they never lose.” Channie didn’t even try to keep the disapproving tone out of her voice.
 

Hunter perked up and said, “Hey, maybe I can take up gambling.”

Channie narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re better’n that, Hunter. Besides, do you think my daddy’s gonna let another mage compete with him?”

Hunter’s shoulder’s slumped. “How am I gonna make a living? My daddy yanked me out of the academy before I learned anything about the modern world.”

Channie put a hand on his shoulder and grinned. “You can work at McDonald’s!”

“They got a McDonald’s in Colorado?”
 

Channie forgot that Hunter had never been anywhere other than Whistler’s Gulch. “This whole world is full of McDonald’s.”

A bright flash of golden light, followed by a loud
whumph
brought Channie and Hunter to their feet. She looked at Hunter then gasped Josh’s name and bolted towards the car. It was bouncing over the rough terrain, coming straight at her. The sun’s glare on the windshield obscured her view. She felt Josh’s presence inside the car but her own panic interfered with her ability to read his energy.
 

He stopped ten feet in front of her then leaned over and opened the passenger side door. “Are you okay, babe?”

Channie scampered inside and slumped down in the seat.“Did another tracker show up?”

“No.”

“Then who … or
what
did you curse.”

He stroked her cheek with the back of his knuckles. “Wisdom told me not to leave any evidence behind.”

Channie closed her eyes in relief, but opened them again when the image of the dead tracker flashed into her mind.
I’ve killed two men in less than two months.

Hunter crawled into the back seat and said, “Everything okay?”

Josh nodded and said, “Just had to do a little clean up,” then waited for Channie to fasten her seatbelt before putting the car in gear.

“Did you get the slugs from Channie’s gun?”

Josh dug through the loose change in his cup-holder and pulled out two slugs.

Hunter leaned between the bucket seats and said, “Which one’s mine?”

Josh dropped one into Hunter’s outstretched hand. “That one. Why do you care?”

“I want to put it on a chain and wear it around my neck.”

Josh shuddered. “Dude. That’s just sick.”

“This here’s a bonafide good-luck charm. My grandkids will be fighting over who gets to inherit this someday.”

Josh looked at Channie and raised his eyebrows.

She nodded.

He said, “Is that a mage thing or an Ozark thing?”

“It’s a Hunter Feenie thing.”

Josh glanced down at the remaining slug in his palm then back up at Channie. “Do you want—”

“No!”

“I didn’t think so.” He put it back in the cup-holder. “I’ll get rid of it as soon as I can.”

Channie said, “Why didn’t you just destroy the slugs with magic?”

“I don’t know how all this magic stuff works. I didn’t want leave any evidence that might reveal the fact that I can use magic on non-living matter. You guys seem to think that’s pretty special.”

“Did you tell Aunt Wisdom?”

“No way. I didn’t want to give her any more reasons to think I’m some sort of ‘chosen one.’”

Hunter stuck his head between the bucket seats and gaped at Josh. “You weren’t just pulling the wool over my eyes? You really did clean your clothes with magic?”

Josh reached across his body with his left hand and put it on Hunter’s forehead then gave it light shove. “You ever hear of something called personal space? Put your seatbelt on.”

Hunter flopped back in his seat then leaned forward again, grinning. “How’d you do it? What’s it feel like? Can you teach me?”

Channie took Josh’s hand in hers and twisted around sideways to look at Hunter, “I don’t think Josh’s magic works the same way ours does … did.” Would she never get used to the fact that she’d lost her magic?

Josh tugged her back around to the front and pressed their joined hands against his chest. “That’s nothing compared to the magic I feel whenever we’re together.
 

Hunter made a fake gagging sound then said, “Too much information.”

Josh glanced into the rear-view mirror. “I wasn’t talking about sex.”

“Whatever.”

~***~

Josh told Channie and Hunter to wait in the car while he ran inside the shack to grab her backpack. Aunt Wisdom had told them not to take time to pack anything else, but when Josh tossed her bright orange daypack into the back seat with Hunter, it looked suspiciously full.
 

Hunter must have thought so too. “What’s in the pack?”