Green Shadow, page 14
My mind went to the assassin I’d met on Omni Island. With enemies like him, I couldn’t afford to be complacent.
The blood splattered across one wall caught my attention. Something was off, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. So I leaned in to get a closer look.
Taking a step back, I took in the whole room again. My dragon snorted in my mind and grumbled. Not enough, and I realized what he was trying to tell me. While there was enough blood here to weaken a person severely, it wasn’t enough to kill.
I knelt next to a pool of blood on the floor. Is it the same person? Or was more than one injured?
Irritation at the limitations of my dragon nature chafed at me. With their superior sense of smell, my Terran cousins would have had answers with one sniff. The lacking in my beast gnawed at me. But there was nothing I could do. My dragon was, who he was.
Connor came back in, his dark skin an unhealthy gray pallor. My dragon surged to the forefront when he caught hints of the boy’s distress. His protective nature surfaced in the gentle tone he used to ask, “What did you find?”
Holding out an object —a dagger with a black blade. I noted the vaguely familiar shape and color of the weapon. Where I’d seen or heard of it refused to surface.
Taking control back from my dragon but letting him hover in the background, I prodded. “What does this blade mean to you?”
Connor swallowed a couple of times as if all the moisture had disappeared from his mouth, and he couldn’t speak until he’d rehydrated it. “It’s a ghost blade and shouldn’t exist. Kenzie threw hers into the deepest hole she could find after we escaped.”
The memory rose to the surface. The famous black blade, Terra’s signature weapon. A calling card featured in every major newspaper in the country. I’d seen a picture of it as a boy.
“She left them at most scenes,” I said, a growl escaping. But then, a rational thought penetrated my thinking. One I hoped would put Connor at ease. “I bet her handlers had hundreds of them in stock.”
“Yes, that must be it,” Connor mumbled as a shudder ran through him. “She had them all the time when I was young. I assumed they were a set. Unique.”
Color crept back into Connor’s face, and he gave me a sheepish look. “Back when they took Mackenzie. When Dr. Smith said that our freedom was an experiment, I was so sure she lied. But seeing this knife freaked me out.” His eyes lifted to meet mine. “What if they were following us, watching us, studying us?”
His body curled slightly. Even Connor’s height couldn’t mask his youth at that moment. I often forgot Connor was only eighteen because he acted far more maturely.
“I doubted our safety.” He broke eye contact as he said those words in a soft, hesitant tone.
I gripped the back of his neck and gently forced his eyes to meet mine. It was awkward since he still had to look down to accomplish it.
“I will protect you and your sister until my last breath. And if they manage to take you and I am still alive, I promise to destroy the world to get you back.” I gave Connor my dragon smile. “The same way I am hunting Mackenzie, I will always come for any of you.” My blunt statement had the desired effect.
Connor’s shoulders straightened, and his face adopted a goofy grin. “Aw, I knew Brooke and I were growing on you.”
I let out a half-hearted growl.
Connor’s playfulness didn’t last. His eyes hardened. “There are memories attached to this dagger.”
“How does it work, exactly?” I asked, curious about his gift.
“Basically, I can access strong memories imprinted on objects. They get transferred over time if the item holds value to its owner or is handled enough. The other way is through blood and intense concentration. Mackenzie knows how my gift works, and I think she left this here for us to find. There’s something she wants us to see. It’s why Curtis told you I was necessary.”
I felt the crushing weight of failure lessened now that I knew our trip wasn’t a wild wyvern chase.
Connor flipped the dagger, caught it by the tip, and then flipped it again to grab it by the handle. “Would you call me a coward if I told you I’m scared shitless about looking?” Connor’s eyes focused on a spot on the wall over my shoulder. Moisture gathered in his eyes. He had better knowledge than I about what might be contained in that message.
I understood his fear. What if, whatever Mackenzie showed us, made her seem like an even greater monster. What if she shows you the opposite? My dragon countered.
Pulling in my courage, I let the man know he wasn’t alone. “Would you say it to me?”
Connor started, then his body softened. A chuckle forced it’s way out of his throat. “Rip the band-aid off, right?” Then, without hesitation, his eyes began to glow silver, and his body locked.
I couldn’t help but monitor Connor’s emotions while he relived whatever message Mackenzie had left. At first, the metal mage exuded brotherly love and a yearning that almost broke me. But, as the seconds passed, his emotions grew darker. Anger, rage, and despair scrapped across my magic, and the more it built, the harder I fought with my magic, my nature to delve deeper.
Building and building until the dam broke at around the two-minute mark, and everything he was trying not to feel poured out of him. Roaring, Connor dropped to his knees, all his strength leaving him.
A heart-wrenching plea escaped as he curled forward, “Kenzie, no.” His knees turned to jelly, and he hit the floor.
Chapter 16
Mackenzie
The serum Dr. Smith and the other scientists used to awaken my latent powers was gone. Used up.
Created before the Resurgence as a type of genetic therapy, it mutated when magic returned. Of the original scientists, most were killed when the Resurgence hit. The rest, despite working for decades, couldn’t recreate the formula.
There were thousands of doses at the start, and the original scientist didn’t anticipate using more than a fraction of the supply.
After discovering that adult physiology wasn’t adaptable enough to accept the changes, they began targeting children. Orphans no one would miss.
There were strict criteria for applicants. Both parents had to be magic free, and the child needed to be under the age of seven.
Magic tended to emerge around puberty, although, trauma or extreme stress could trigger its manifestation.
The people funding the project wanted to find kids who were wholly human and gift them with powers, then train those individuals to fight on behalf of those who hadn’t obtained magical abilities.
The process was painful, requiring multiple injections. Hundreds, if not thousands, died in the process. As far as I knew, only five of us survived.
With the serum gone, Dr. Smith only had one way to grow her army. The old fashion way.
Dr. Smith kept the process of fertilization as clinical as possible. But that didn’t remove the shame of knowing a man was trying to put a baby in me.
Evie’s gift, the haven she’d created in my mind, helped me disassociate from the experience. Giving me a safe place to hide until the procedure had passed.
The white fog that greeted me every time I started the process dissipated. A lush forest unfolded, complete with several clearings of various sizes. This was the second time I’d come here, and just like the first, it took my breath away.
Walking over to the bench I’d created during my last visit, I shook my head at the spunky little girl. She had a streak of mischief I never would have anticipated giving where she’d grown up.
I could create anything I could think of. But I had to build it all from scratch. Plant it from seed. I couldn’t change this space without putting the effort in.
I loved that. Loved that everything I did here reappeared next time. It gave me such a sense of joy I thought about using this space more often. I couldn’t break down in the real world. It would expose too much of my weakness. But here, I could feel whatever I wanted, and no one could use it against me.
Planting tools appeared on the grass. Next to them, various vegetable plants sat waiting in starter pots. Smiling in real contentment, I got started. Every garden needed a good veggie plot. A great garden had a purpose to go along with pleasure.
Time moved differently in this little pocket realm. Hours passed as my bare hands played in the dirt, and peace washed over me. Of course, that calm wouldn’t last in the real world, but it was a nice break.
Lazing under a majestic tree, a chime sounded long after the last bean was in the ground—the sweet tinkling of bells. Evie had keyed the magic to alert me when the session was over and it was safe to leave.
I hesitated. What would it be like to stay here? To deny the scientists their lab rat and permanently leash the monster they created? Maybe Evie’s work would allow me to imagine people in my space. I could live a whole lifetime in my head.
It proved hard to gather the courage to leave. But Evie was counting on me, and I couldn’t abandon her. My siblings, too, would be disappointed if I gave up before they could rescue me.
Letting my consciousness drift toward the surface, I slipped back into my body. Disoriented for a moment as the real world became focused, it took time for the sounds of rustling fabric and quiet breathing to register. I wasn’t alone.
Panic caused my heart to race before I’d even opened my eyes. Wait! What? Evie’s magic was supposed to wait for me to return alone to my small, cold, safe cell before sounding the all-clear.
This room might be cold, but it wasn’t safe, and I was definitely not alone.
Head hanging due to my seated position, I opened my eyes to slits, and studied the man in front of me. He wasn’t who I had expected. Dr. Smith had made it clear that she would only allow one contributor at a time. She wanted to ensure that the genetic history of any child born, wasn’t in question. Ben, the maggot, had been chosen as my first match.
This man exuded danger and had the hairs rising on the back of my neck. Eyes widening a fraction more, I took in the shadows wrapping around him. They were so dense I could barely make out his black hair and the dark shirt and pants he wore.
A voice sounding a lot like Connor’s quipped in my head. He’s doing a great job hitting all the tall, dark, and mysterious cliches, isn’t he? I ignored the clenching in my gut and squinted, but no matter how hard I looked, the newcomer’s face remained obscured.
Words tingled on the tip of my tongue, and I bit the inside of my cheek microseconds before betraying my vow of silence.
The action alerted the man to my wakeful state. Standing, he wandered over and stood next to my hip.
My wrists began to ache where the ties bound me to the chair. Deciding that pretending now wouldn’t do me any good. I raised my chin to investigate the void covering his face.
The stranger flicked his fingers, and I tensed. Wondering what new torture he was about to inflict. But no pain came. Instead, the inky blackness twining around him circled like a loving pet, peeled away, and covered the crystal recording our session.
Even knowing that feinting an air of unconcerned arrogance would be a better bet. I couldn’t. The aftermath of my procedure was still lingering, every time he brushed up against me, caused my muscles to twitch. We sat in tense silence.
The shadow man didn’t say anything, and my suspicious nature butted in. Did he have a countdown going in his head? Was he gathering data for Dr. Smith? Testing how committed I was to my silence?
Without warning, he took a step back. His motion was not as smooth as before. Clenching and relaxing his fists a few times at his side. He seemed to be thinking hard about something.
Coming to a decision, he turned and reached out a hand toward my head.
I bared my teeth and snapped at him. Not helpful unless he decided to stick his fingers in my mouth, but hey, stupider things had happened. Plus, it made me feel better. Less helpless.
Ironically, my actions caused the blur on his face to still, and I caught the corner of his lips twitching for a fraction of a second. The motion was rusty and short-lived. So glad I can amuse you. Come closer. This next bite’s hilarious.
A finger brushed against the top of my bound hand, and I snapped my attention to the light caress. Goosebumps tented my flesh, and my heart beat faster. My breath started to come in short pants. I showed too much weakness, but I couldn’t stop the reaction.
His fingers moved up my arm and cupped the side of my face. My vision narrowed. Slowly he turned my head and leaned in. This close, I could see his eyes. They shone out from the inky cowl that, I assumed, came from his magic.
Lunging, I snapped at his nose. anything to get him to let go. Even in my feral state, I noted his features. His eyes were black, both pupil and iris the same color. And when I lunged forward again, pinpricks of light sparked in the darkness. They vanished so quickly I thought I might have imagined them.
I reared back, chastising myself. Pull it together! Stop giving him so much to use against you. Then, focusing on my breathing, I controlled my racing pulse.
Deciding I needed to start taking control of this encounter, I tapped my finger hard against the metal chair, creating a clinking noise. The man’s attention shifted from my face to my hand, and I gave him the finger.
The amused smile deepened. Taking another step away, he flicked his wrist. The shadows keeping the peeping toms at bay returned to wrap themselves around him.
My teeth clenched, and my eyebrows pointed in an angry v. Noting my reaction, the man gave a satisfied nod. Then, before the last wisps of his power cleared the lens, he morphed his posture to one of a frustrated male.
I blanked my face, my mind racing. What the hell was going on?
Stalking to the door, the shadow man raised a hand and knocked. It opened almost instantly. Ben was waiting on the other side.
“So, Shadow.” Ben leaned closer to the man, a smug smile on his face. “Failed to get a reaction out of her. How unlike you. Especially after I softened her up earlier.” His words had a suggestive tone, cruelly delivered in a teasing manner. His eyes held a maliciously gleeful light.
Ben saw me as a slave, a being beneath him. But apparently, he hated Shadow and was delighted that he’d been unable to get anything from me.
“How many times have you failed at getting answers now?” Shadow sneered. His gravelly voice contained a husk that sent shivers up my spine. “No doubt you’ll fail at your other task too.” His tone left no question about what that other task was.
Ben went red.
“I’ve taken over getting answers,” Shadow put his back to the mage, dismissing him. “I suspect they’ll assign me your other duties too. You’re not the rising star you think you are.”
Ben stiffened, and the red in his face deepened to a plum color.
While they sparred verbally, I thought about the implications of my encounter with Shadow. For some reason, Evie’s magic deemed this Shadow person safe. Else I would have stayed in my haven. That thought calmed me some. Evie, with her spirit magic, was an excellent judge of character. She’d wanted us to meet. So, despite my wild paranoia, I decided to let things play out before making my assessment. I wasn’t stupid. I wouldn’t let my guard down, but I wouldn’t antagonize him, either.
The pair glared and sniped at one another. I focused on a blossom of heat emanating from a spot next to my heart. Concentrating on it brought a flash of electric blue eyes, followed by a deep ache. Shame washed over me, making me want to curl into a ball. Logically, I knew what Dr. Smith was doing wasn’t my fault. The scientist wanted more lab rats, and the government wanted more monsters. This was the only way for them to get their wish. But the haven could only help so much with the emotional backlash.
Wrestling my emotions back into the box in my mind, I missed the rest of the barbs traded and Shadow leaving the room. When I could swim to the surface again, Ben stood alone. I started to tense, my muscles coiling in readiness.
Ben ignored my tension, his eyes staring down the hall after Shadow. “Enough fun for one day. You have business to take care of,” he said absently, reaching out to a small crystal on the wall and tapping it.
My restraints popped open, and I instinctively massaged each wrist. Then slowly, I stood, testing to see if my ankles held my weight and cringing as the muscles shook.
Ben nudged my boots over, and I slipped them on. Then, calmly walked toward the enemy mage. Just out of arm’s reach, I lunged. I had no intention of following up on the move. It wasn’t about hurting the man. The level of punishment wouldn’t be worth the satisfaction.
It was about forcing Ben to reveal how much he feared me. Because even without magic, I was stronger, faster, and deadlier.
Ben stumbled in his haste to get away, tripping over his feet and almost falling. A disembodied chuckle sounded in the corridor, and I smiled coldly.
Ben’s face flushed red. Hating that he’d reacted, and hating more that someone had witnessed his fear.
Tensing my muscles, I got ready for him to lash out—bullies always did. Physical pain I could take, and it would be worth it not to be the only one humiliated today.
Ben snarled and snatched a round crystal out of his pocket. His eyes widened with crazed malice, and spittle formed at the corners of his mouth.
My mouth dried. I’d never seen Ben this angry. This far beyond reason.
“You think that was funny? That it gives you power?” He whispered a word. Instantly the collar around my throat warmed. Fear rose within me. An instinctual response to the collar priming. It was a deliberate process. Knowing the agony was coming heightened the experience.
But it also gave me time to brace. I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw.
Time passed, and the agony I expected never came.
Opening my eyes, I looked to see who’d interfered.
Ben, indeed hadn’t stopped of his own volition. No, Shadow had returned and was pinning the mage to the wall two inches off the ground. It was an incredible show of physical strength.
