Taken (35 page)

Fate is fickle and ever-changing

Our lives and fortunes rearranging.

Release this book into the daughter’s care

But of the mother, let all beware.

For evil lurks in a corrupted heart

And seeks its own will to impart.

The blood of the daughter can not repay

The debt of the mother ’til solstice day

“Stop! Read that last bit again.”
 

Momma gnawed on the end of her pencil as hope cut through the bands of fear squeezing Channie’s chest. She tried to keep the excitement out of her voice as she repeated the last two lines…

“The blood of the daughter cannot repay the debt of the mother ‘till solstice day.”

Momma screamed “Damn it!” then hurled her notepad against the far wall.
 

Channie bit her lip to keep from grinning. She had a little over eight months until solstice to figure something out — unless Momma killed her in a fit of rage first. That thought squelched any impulse to smile.

Momma
rubbed her forehead and paced. Four steps towards the door, pivot, four steps back, pivot … She repeated the pattern three times then stopped and glared at Channie as if it were her fault she couldn’t kill her today.

Channie dropped her gaze in false humility and held her breath until she heard Momma sigh. She waited for Momma to retrieve the notepad she’d thrown across the room then snuck a glance at Josh. Still unconscious.

Momma smoothed the ruffled pages with the side of her hand then tapped the paper with the tip of her pencil and said, “Read the rest of it.”

Channie cleared her throat and obeyed.

Heed not the call, nor summon to war

But with wisdom bind and restore 

The ancient clan now torn asunder

By greed and fear and royal plunder.

Go to the place where it all began

And seek the help of a broken man.

All that was lost shall be reborn

When you face with courage, your duty sworn.

Son of Vengeance heed the sign

And fight for the good of all mankind.

You must win the race, though your heart be weary,

And see it through with eyes blinded and bleary.

Defeat corruption with righteous valor

And the noble strength of royal power.

Remember your vows on solstice night

Then follow your heart to set things right.

When Channie finished, Momma took a deep breath then patted the back of her head as if her hair were done up in the tight bun she used to wear … when she was still sane.
 

Her eyes lost the crazy look as she seemed to calm down. She even smiled at Channie. But a rattlesnake’s grin would have been more comforting.
 

“Well, baby girl, it looks like we get to spend some quality time together -- until the end of June.”

Channie’s heart stopped for a full two seconds, then hammered her ribs. It was better than dying today, but June was only three months from now. “The book is referring to winter’s solstice.”
 

“It didn’t say winter
or
summer. So that means either one will do. And I choose June.”

“You can’t kill me until December. If you do … the sacrifice won’t work.”

Momma cocked her head to the side. “I guess that means we’re going back home.”

“To Arkansas?”

Momma jerked her head around and glared at Channie. “Of course to Arkansas you stupid Empty.”

“Why?” The question popped out of Channie’s mouth before she could stop herself. Stupid Empty was right.

 
Channie cringed, but Momma’s mood had already shifted again. She said, “Heed not the call, nor summon to war but with Wisdom bind and restore the ancient clan now torn asunder by greed and fear and royal plunder.” Her eyes glazed over for a moment then snapped back to Channie. “It’ll be so nice to see Wizzy again. And to think we’ll be the ones to bind and restore our clan. We’ll be famous among mages! Everyone will honor us.”

“The book wasn’t referring to Aunt Wisdom, the word wasn’t even capitalized. And it’s the Veyjiviks’ clan the book wants to restore, not ours.”

“Shut up.”

“Look at the book. It’s still Valor Veyjivik’s name on the cover — not yours.”

“I said … shut …. up. That’s a direct order. If you want to live ‘till June, I’d suggest you obey.”

Channie pressed her lips together so tightly they went numb. If she didn’t manage to escape before June 20, the day before solstice, she’d break the death-pledge on purpose.
 

Momma seemed to read Channie’s mind. “If you think to rob me of your beating heart by triggering the death-pledge before solstice;
my
final act will be your husband’s death.”

Channie choked on her rage, but kept her mouth shut. Her own final act would protect Josh, and everyone else, from the crazy bitch that had replaced her momma.
 

~***~

Momma put her palm between Channie’s shoulder blades and gave her a shove towards Josh. “Go say your good byes,
baby girl.
I want you to remember what you’re risking if you choose to defy me.”

Channie flew across the room and gathered Josh to her breast. She didn’t care what Momma’s motivation was, she was just grateful for the opportunity to touch him one last time.
 

She wished with all her heart that she’d let Josh talk her into going back to bed instead of going to school this morning. Momma would have still found them, but not before they’d had a chance to express their love for each other in the most intimate way possible.

“Channie?” Josh’s voice was weak, barely audible, but it pierced her heart. “Babe? What’s going on?”

“I have to leave … with Momma—”

“The hell you do.” Josh struggled to sit up.

Channie pressed his head back against her chest and kissed his brow. She had no problem restraining him in his weakened condition. But she couldn’t keep him from using the last bit of magic in his power-well to cast his shield over her.

“Josh, don’t waste your energy. It’s too late.”

“The only way that crazy bitch is leaving here with you is over my dead body.”

“Yeah, that was pretty much her plan. I swore a death pledge to obey Momma.”

Josh’s lips parted as he sucked in a quick breath. When he exhaled, it was equally as quick and shallow, sort of a reverse gasp. No detail went unnoticed as she studied him. His eyes darted back and forth as he lifted a trembling hand to cup Channie’s cheek.

She leaned into his palm and sought to burn every sensory detail of this moment into her memory — the warmth of his hand, the silky texture of his curls, the faint scent of sandalwood and lemon on his skin. This final moment together would give her strength in the days to come.

Josh lifted his other hand to Channie’s cheek and pulled her closer, as if to kiss her, but his lips never even brushed hers. He angled her head to the side and whispered in her ear. “Why did you do it?”

“To save your life.”

“I have no life without you.”

Channie edged around to steal a peek at Momma out of the corners of her eyes. She still had her head bowed, studying her phone, comparing the photo of the book’s message to her handwritten notes. Channie guessed that Momma didn’t believe she’d read the words correctly and was trying to decipher it for herself. Theoretically, that could keep her busy for hours.

The knife was on the floor in the middle of the room … in plain sight. Was Momma so engrossed in the message that she wouldn’t notice Channie creeping closer? She doubted it. Besides, if she retrieved the knife wouldn’t that count as disobedience? Would she trigger the death-pledge if she took it?
 

Josh said, “You made her promise not to hurt me, didn’t you?”

“I had to. She would have killed you.”

“Better me than you—”
 

“You don’t understand!”

“We can argue about it later, but since she can’t hurt me, let me take care of her while she’s still distracted.”

“You mean … kill her?”

Josh’s jaw muscles twitched as he ground his teeth. “That’s exactly what I mean, and
yes
, I
can
do it.”

Channie didn’t doubt for a second that Josh would do his best to kill Momma, but she wasn’t sure he could do it without hesitation. Channie had already killed two men, she should have been tougher, but her hesitation to plunge the knife into Momma’s back had cost her the opportunity to save them both. Josh was no killer. There had to be another way. “Josh, listen. I emailed you a copy of the book’s message from Momma’s phone. She knows she can’t sacrifice me before the summer solstice in June. That gives you three months to come up with a plan to rescue me.”

“No. I’m ending this right now.”
 

“You aren’t immune. Momma can still kill you. It’ll trigger the death-pledge and kill her too, but she won’t care.”

“I don’t care.”

“I do!” Channie pressed her forehead against Josh’s. “If Momma tries to kill you in front of me, I won’t be able to stop myself from attacking her. It’ll trigger my own death-pledge. Even if you survive … I won’t.”

“I can’t let her take you.”

“You can, and you must.”

“If you can distract her long enough for me to grab the knife—”

“No. It’s not worth the risk.”

Momma’s voice set Channie’s teeth on edge. “That’s long enough. We need to get on the road.”

Channie leaned forward and kissed Josh’s mouth, even as she pulled away from him. It was a quick kiss, but filled with all the love and passion she possessed. “Be brave, Josh. Study the words of the book. Follow it’s instructions to the letter. And then come find me.”

Josh’s eyes widened until his irises were surrounded by a ring of white. All the color drained from his face as he clutched Channie’s arms. “No!”

Momma stomped her foot and snorted. “I said … let’s go!”

The pain that shot through Channie’s chest was only partly caused by the death-pledge. “No matter what happens, I’ll love you forever.”

“Channie!” Josh’s voice broke as he called out her name.

She pressed her palms over her breaking heart, and bit her lip to keep from whimpering as the pain grew more intense. She said, “I know it’s hard, but you have to let me go.”

Josh released her arms, and staggered to his feet. His gaze darted to the knife on the floor then back to her face. Channie scrambled to her feet. She could see it in his eyes. He could barely stand, but Josh wasn’t going to let her go without a fight.

~***~

Josh’s shield collapsed as he lunged towards the knife. Momma looked up then jumped to her feet. But instead of attacking Josh, or cursing him, she cast a mild be-calm spell on him. He swayed for a moment then stumbled forward — right into Momma’s waiting arms. At first, Channie thought Momma had triggered the death-pledge when she dropped to one knee. But she was only lowering Josh to the floor.
 

Channie sank down beside him.
 

Momma was as tender and careful as a young mother with a newborn babe. She laid Josh’s head in Channie’s lap and smiled at him as she brushed the curls off his face. “You’re too weak to be darting around like that. You need to rest. Sleep. Save your strength.”

No wonder the death-pledge remained dormant. Momma had interfered with Josh’s plans, but she hadn’t done him any harm. In fact she’d helped him. He
was
weak. He
did
need to rest. The be-calm spell was mild enough to be good for him.
 

Momma said, “Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘Discretion is the better part of Valor?’” then giggled at her own pun using Josh’s power-name. She smirked at him and patted his cheek … a little too forcefully to be a true act of affection.
 

Channie hoped Momma would give in to her insane, violent urges and slap Josh. But she reeled the crazy back in before it could trigger the curse. She said, “You’ll feel much better by morning,” then stood up and wiped her hands on her jeans as if touching Josh had somehow contaminated her. “Come on, baby girl. It’s time to go.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Channie didn’t want any question about whether or not she was being obedient. She pulled a cushion off the sofa and placed it under Josh’s head then stood up. He looked so peaceful. But it wouldn’t last. The instant the be-calm spell wore off, he’d come charging after them without a thought to his own safety. He’d already proven he had no intention of obeying the Book of the Dead even though that was their best chance of surviving the next few months. If only Josh weren’t blinded by love, maybe he’d act a little more rationally.

“Momma? Can you cast a remember-not spell on Josh? Make him forget he ever met me … so he won’t follow us.” Just the thought of it punched a hole through Channie’s heart but she couldn’t think of any other way to protect him. She prayed that the book’s message she’d sent to his phone would be enough to guide him through the treacherous months ahead.