The Gathering (74 page)

He watched her as she slowly slid her dress from her shoulders and it dropped to the floor.
 
He closed the door.
 

The young guard outside the Master's room shifted and stretched out his pants.
 
He had another two hours on his shift and the sight of Anne Merganser's naked body made him feel it.
 
He sighed as he heard them and laid his head back against the wall.

"I hate this shift."

112

Sean led the group towards the old zoo area.
 
The rusted cages were locked along the rocky enclosures, which were covered in graffiti.
 
The old roads were gone and brush had grown wild and thick on this side of the mountain.

"Bev?
 
You getting anything?"

Beverly shook her head.

"No, Captain."

They slowed their horses and looked at the chaparral and pines that littered the area.
 
Henry Forrester rode his horse forward and then stopped.
 
He appeared to be listening to the air and then a smile spread across his face.
 
He looked at his father.

"What is it, Henry?
 
What do you hear?"

Henry laughed and shook his head.

"Not hear, smell."

Sean and Jeb looked at each other and then lifted their noses into the air.
 
Jeb began to laugh as Sean shook his head.
 

"Wow, that's some serious cologne."

Beverly smiled as she and the soldiers caught the wind.
 

"My goodness, Scott."

Sean laughed and headed down the hill.
 
Within a few minutes he saw their horses and rode faster to meet them.

Elian looked up and waved his arms excitedly.
 
Ian and Scott looked up as well and stopped their horses.
 
Scott had grown paler and had begun to sweat.
 
He smiled weakly at the sight of his father and brother, and then he began to lose consciousness.
 
Ian saw him and moved forward.

"Scott!!"

Elian glanced around and saw the wound in Scott's side was seeping, through the gauze.
 
Elian jumped off his horse and ran to Scott, catching him as he slid from his saddle.

Jeb Forrester urged his horse on faster and slid off the animal as he reached his son.
 
Within moments, Beverly and Sean had reached the boys as well.

Beverly knelt beside the unconscious Scott, lifted his shirt and removed the gauze.
 
The seal that Alia had made had completely re-opened.
 
Beverly laid her hand over the bleeding gash and closed her eyes.
 
She began to hum and speak softly under her breath and from under her hand came the purple glow.
 
She continued to chant until the color had returned to Scott's face and he opened his eyes.

"Thanks, Bev.
 
That's a lot better."

"Oh, good, Darlin', your Sara will be pleased to know that.
 
Now, Ian, come here."

Ian slid off his horse and Beverly healed him as well.
 

"Thanks, Bev.
 
I guess our trip was cut a little short."

Sean stepped forward and shook Ian's hand.

"Maybe, but your mom'll be glad to have you back and so will Kaley.
 
What happened?"

Scott started to stand, but was still dizzy.
 
Jeb held him as Beverly leaned on her staff.

"Careful, Mr. Forrester, you've lost a lot of blood.
 
Be patient.
 
My goodness… you young folk."

Scott smiled.

"Sorry… we got ambushed."

Ian was stretching his newly healed shoulder.

"Yeah, our group was caught off-guard and Scott and I dropped the ball basically, but Alia was able to seal the wounds for the most part and Elian brought us back."

Sean smiled and shook his head as he looked at Scott.

"Well, with all that cologne you've got on, I'm not surprised you got ambushed."

They all laughed.
 
Scott smiled.

"I like the way it smells… and so does my girl."

He broke into laughter as Jeb and Henry looked over at Elian.
 
Henry walked over to him and extended his hand.

"Thanks, Elian."

Elian looked down at Henry's hand and smiled.
 
He took it and held on.

"You're welcome."

Sean then put his arm around Elian and squeezed his shoulder.
 

"It must have been hard to leave the party to bring them home.
 
I know they'll get Albie and bring him back, El."

Elian smiled and nodded.
 
Sean continued.

"Well, that being said, I know one person who is gonna be thrilled to see you."

Beverly smiled.

"Mmm, your father has been horribly worried about you and your brother.
 
I know that having you back will give him the comfort he needs right now."

Elian smiled.

"He's ok, then?"

Beverly smiled.

"Oh yes, he's been quite a help around the hospital, trying to keep himself busy."

Elian dropped his head.

"I just wish I could've brought Albie back to him."

Beverly reached over and lifted Elian's chin.

"That apparently was not your job.
 
Your job was to bring these two young men home, and you did it well."

Elian smiled at her and felt a pat on the back.
 
Jeb looked down at him.

"Thank you, Elian."

"You're welcome."

Sean and Henry helped Scott stand and then mount his horse.
 
Then they helped Ian.

"Ok, everyone, let's get back to the village.
 
Mr. Leforge, please take the lead,” Sean said.

The young soldier nodded and rode off.
 
Sean nodded to the other soldiers and motioned for them to hang back, as the rest of them rode for the Fail.

113

Alia stared at the gate before them.
 
She felt her blood boil as she stared at the decaying body of the priest and, above it, the head of Ferage.
 
She urged her horse forward and through the arch.

Myron, Grant and Larry followed Alia.
 
The troops that had come with them were Jones, Molly, Tanner, Sam and several of the Fail soldiers.
 
Todd and Quinn had stayed behind with Connie and Vance.
 
No sooner had Alia and her group entered into the castle quad then they were surrounded.

"Are we going to play or are you going to come quietly, Mrs. Stark?"

Alia looked around and then up at the hulking man before her.
 
His eyes were ice blue.

"Well, I suppose that depends on you."

Blaylock grinned.

"How so?"

"Will my soldiers remain unharmed?"

Blaylock shrugged.

"It's really not my call, but sure, why not?
 
Ok if we put 'em in a cell?"

Alia looked around them.
 
Their enemy was all around them.
 
They were all armed and prepared.
 
Molly had been right.

"I'm sure that would be fine."

Blaylock raised his arms and stepped forward.

"Fantastic!
 
So let's all dismount…slowly, and we'll get this party started, huh?"

Alia turned and nodded to everyone to dismount.
 
Blaylock walked up to Alia and grabbed her face.

"I would've taken you more for a fighter… guess I was wrong."

Alia wrenched her face free and stood silently glaring at him as a Horde guard tied her hands behind her back.
 
Blaylock grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the entrance of the castle.
 
When he got the main door, he stopped and turned.

"Take them all to the dungeons and lock 'em up."

He started to walk through the door, but stopped and turned back.

"And don’t touch them!
 
Any of them!"

He walked through the door as a collective groan moved through the Black Horde and the Fail soldiers all looked at each other.
 

From outside the gates, Connie and Vance watched.
 
They could see they were safe… temporarily, and they began the wait.

114

Albie sat at the kitchen table and picked at the sandwich in front of him.
 
He had a knot in his stomach as his guilt weighed heavily on him.
 
He looked up when he heard footsteps, then frowned as Rona walked into the kitchen.
 
She raised her eyebrows, but walked past him to the refrigerator.

She opened it and looked around, then took out an apple.
 
She closed the fridge and sat down at the table across from Albie and smiled at him and then bit down into the apple, still smiling as she chewed.

Albie looked back at his uneaten food.

"So, do you love it or what?"

Albie again raised his eyes to Rona's, but said nothing.

"Have a nice visit with Mommy?"

Albie stared, and then as he began to open his mouth, Anne walked into the kitchen.

"Don't you have something to do, Rona?"

"Sure… enjoy mommy and me time."