EZRA
I could barely make out the village through the trees. Anissa and I followed Suon, keeping the village on our left. Kastem was a like shadow, another part of the jungle's quiet presence. The sounds from the group of warriors in the village were anything but silent. It was obvious the war-band hadn't left yet. A big fire blazed in the village center and the sounds of the men talking and laughing in rowdy bouts echoed off into the trees with the smoke.
We paused behind one of the outer huts and Suon and I peered around its edge as Anissa kept an eye out behind us. I could see clearly through to the heart of the village, where Nako's hut sat nestled in with the others. The only thing that stood out definitely between the Chief's hut and the others in the village was that it was slightly larger. Tamner had told me that was for all the meetings with village elders, but otherwise, the Chief was treated the same as any of the village elders.
EZRAAs soon as we were clear of the village, I opened a portal back to the Temple. We all rushed through, and I quickly shut it down, not wanting to chance that one of them would follow us."What the hell?" Anissa said, dismissing her lizard-like demon. "Why are they still camped there?""They're waiting." I thought to say more, but another portal opened next to us, throwing a bright light throughout the Temple's courtyard.Hunter and John came through, Benji and their demons followed. Benji turned and immediately closed his portal just as quickly as I had.A tightness in my chest eased. We'd all made it back in one piece. No one had been hurt or captured, and we'd gotten the information we'd needed.Suon clapped me on the shoulder, "A good night, Hassim. Rest now. We talk in the sunlight.""Yeah," I said, watching Suon and Anissa head for the Temple's entrance. Hunter hovered over John like a nursemaid. J
JOHNI felt odd, electrified in my own skin. Hurrying up the stairs of the Temple, I disappeared down a hallway that led deeper into the cave system. I didn't have a destination in mind, I only knew I wanted to be alone. I needed space. I didn't want to hurt anyone else before I could figure out what hell I'd invited into myself.This power wasn't at all what I expected. When Poe said it would be different, I thought it would be different like daffodils to daisies, not daffodils to zombies.The memory of the cold energy flashing through me and into the warrior, the feeling as his life drained away, stopped me in my tracks. I stumbled and stopped, leaning against the smooth carved earthen wall of the hallway, and wished I could feel its cool and steady power once more."John?"Hunter's voice echoed through the hall, pulling me up straighter and forcing me back into my 'I'm okay' mask. I wasn't okay, and I knew Hunter knew
EZRASleep did not come easily. I tossed and turned all night, only to give up altogether when Avery grumbled at me in the early morning. I walked the temple halls instead, passing the monks on the stairs, heading for the top of the Temple, near the tiny shrine where I'd reconnected with Poe. I paused at the chest-high wall that protected the stairs from the steep drop down the cliff face. The sky was starting to brighten in the east and the birds were coming alive with song and chatter. The jungle was peaceful.Soon, I would need to take everyone through to the other world, but after that? We needed to find the last Reinhardt necromancer. We needed to figure out what the hell Nathan was up to and stop him before he killed us all.Overwhelmed didn't even begin to cover how I was feeling."I thought I would find you here."I turned to find Poe climbing the last few stairs behind me. He'd changed into robes the same cut as
JOHNI glanced over our group as the lights from Ezra's power flashed with the opening of the portal. Hunter took my hand and I looked into his worried eyes. Even though we'd spoken most of the night about my power and what it would mean about my future, we were both still unsure about what we both wanted out of life and relationships. We weren't perfect. We weren't a match made in heaven, but we had come to one solid agreement. That whatever we faced, we'd face together as long as we were both willing to work this spark that burned between us."Come on," Hunter said. "It's our turn."He tugged on my hand, and together we followed Anissa and Tessa through the portal.The trip was the same rush, twist, and quick turn of vertigo I was starting to have a love-hate relationship with. But a mere moment later, I stepped free of the other side, and into the slightly cooler, dry heat of the Texas air. Avery's family had sold their hors
EZRAIt was a breath of relief to be back, but I felt the need to get moving, to figure out what exactly Nathan was up to. I didn't have any clue, and it felt wrong to be sitting here with my family, safe, while the last summoner was still out there alone, still in danger.I stepped into the living room to find a quiet seat from everyone gathered in the kitchen. There was talk of heading out to a grocery store to pick up enough food to feed everyone a proper meal if I had heard Mom right.Reaching into my power, I traveled out along the lines that tied me to all the other Reinhardts, and I was relieved to find that the last was still far to the north, in New York. Of course, I'd have been happier if he were here with us. It would be safer by far."Ezra?"Pulling myself out of my light trance, I found Dad standing nearby, worry etched in his aging face. "I've a favor to ask, and I hate to do so now right after you've gott
EZRAAfter a shower and change of clothes, I stood to one side of the backyard with Avery and Dad, leaving Benji plenty of room to build his portal. He'd begun the sequence, the circles twisting in the air, throwing off a red hue to tint the dark landscape."We'll keep you updated," Hunter said, as he and John came up to us. They'd taken the time to change as well, though I could see how anxious Hunter was to get moving.With a flash, Benji's portal connected. On the other side of the threshold I could see a brilliant display of orchids and Cameron, looking at us wide-eyed, though the shock quickly turned into a smile as he caught sight of Hunter and John."Be safe, I'll let you know what we find at Lyssa's." I waved them off, silently praying to the higher powers that everything would go well.Avery's hand wrapped around my waist, squeezing me in a little half hug. She'd insisted on joining us once she'd learned what we
JOHN"Dad!"Hunter ran to his father as soon as we cleared the threshold of the portal. I stepped to the side and looked around while they hugged and spoke quietly. Benji had opened the portal right in the middle of the Orchid Hall, where I'd first met Hunter's dad.The Arboretum was quieter than last time Hunter and I were here, which made sense being that it was the middle of the night. I glanced around, nervously looking for anything that might've been out of place, but everything seemed fine. Benji came through next to me and closed the portal."It is good to see you," Cameron said, turning to me. "I was afraid that your family wouldn't let you go once they got you back.""They didn't want to, but I managed," I said, shaking his hand. I could feel the undercurrent of his power. Cameron frowned."Dad, this is Benji," Hunter said, taking the chance to introduce his father to Benji. I was glad for the distraction
JOHNThere was none of the dizzy vertigo like when I travelled through Ezra or Benji's portal. It was more like a long step through a doorway that led me right back where I was only weeks ago. The freshly cut grass left a thick scent in the air that brought back many memories of family barbecues and parties.I turned back to the portal. Cameron and the other Witches still appeared awestruck, but Hunter looked as though he wanted to jump through after me, the pain clear on his unhappy face."I'm sorry," I said, and shut down the portal.My chest throbbed. Part of me had wanted Hunter to come, because I didn't want to face this alone. What if we were caught? On my own, I would at least have a chance to escape again, but after what'd happened after they'd caught Ezra, they probably would kill Hunter on the spot.Facing the house, I distracted myself by focusing on the details. New cushions covered the patio furniture and ne
EZRA I stepped out onto the deserted street, looking both ways. Plowed snow had been pushed aside into small mountains on the edge of the sidewalks. Steam rose from manhole covers, a car rolled past at the end of the street. I'd never been to New York City before, and even with all my traveling between the worlds, I'd never seen a city like this. Vasco shifted his weight on my shoulder, and let out a soft caw. "It's alright," I said, reaching up to steady him. The crow-like demon had nearly doubled his size since I'd first found him weeks ago. Now, he was nearly the same as a full-grown raven. I hoped he didn't get too much larger, or carrying him around on my shoulder was going to be a problem in a number of different ways. "Settle." Taking a deep breath of the cold air, I focused on the last of my missing family, turned, and started walking. I'd wanted to do this weeks ago. I needed to have it done months ago. But things kept getting in the way. I turned a corner, pulling my jac
HENRYEverything was harder back then. I was young and naive, and I didn't get along well with the other children my age. I remembered the day when everything changed, even though it was years ago nothing could make me forget. The day had started like any other. There was morning work to do on my family's patch of land but by the time the afternoon sun was burning up her head, I'd slipped into the woods. Often, I tried to find a hollow or a stream to explore on my own, just to avoid the others, but the peace never lasted long.I was not favored among the small group of my peers. I was the smallest of the boys, and therefore I was usually the one most picked on. Francis had a flair for creating games that often ended in me being humiliated for the other's enjoyment. And everyone had always had a good laugh. Except for Mary. She was nicer and would try to defend me when she could.But that day was different. Most of the others had trave
JOHNBreaking the surface of the water, I gasped for breath before pushing back my hair. The stone room was brighter than before. Brackets were added to the cave walls while we were gone, allowing more torches for light. And that wasn't the only change. The monks of the Temple had added more storage chests, another bench, and a rug. There was even a table and chairs. And yet, despite the attention to detail, it still felt off. Wrong.I felt wrong.Sinking into the water's embrace again, I concentrated on the way it drew the feeling of death from my body, the way it tried to leech the chill that had set into my bones. The night had been long, our escape from the camp nearly flawless, or so I overheard Benji tell Ezra.I was like I was disconnected from reality. I could remember parts of the last six hours. Hunter pulling me away from the greenhouse. Anissa fighting hand to hand with a witch I didn't recognize. Going through Benj
EzraLiam could have dropped an 'F' bomb and caused less shock than that sentence. I glanced at my Dad. His expression was stern.This wasn't right, Liam going against Dad. What the hell had happened to him while we were gone? What nonsense had Nathan convinced him of now? Thinking of the war camp on the other side, waiting for Nathan to bring them over, the Gods only knew what that mad man wanted to do next."Oh, don't look so worried, Ezra. I've plans for you, too," Liam said, bringing my attention back to him.Kastem growled and was echoed by another roll of thunder. The wind was howling through the trees now, and it was only a matter of time before the rain fell with force."I'm not worried about that," I lied to him. "I'm just trying to figure out what I'm supposed to tell Mom."Surprise flickered over Liam's features. He lifted the knife and pointed it at me. "You won't be telling her anything."Before I could figure out what to
JOHNMy power spread from one plant to the next as it wove its way through the connected root system. Then, like a wave of death, the plants shriveled and fell, decayed and useless, to the earth in a spreading circle around me."No!"My father's scream echoed through the plastic enclosure."John!" Hunter's voice was a relief to hear. In my rush to grab the plants, I hadn't cared about the roar or what had pulled my Dad off me. Now, I could clearly see as I sat up, Mai, Hunter's panther-like demon growling over my father."Are you hurt?" Hunter knelt down in the dirt next to me, reaching to help me up.Shaking my head, I took stock of myself. Besides the dirt on my hands and clothes, and the relative trauma of physically fighting my dad, I was fine. I still had the power Poe had given me. Still could feel the essence of the plants I'd killed.In the skin of my hands, the dark designs appeared, the swirling patterns tracing their way up
EZRAThe portal opened exactly where I'd pictured John earlier. Unfortunately, it'd taken longer than I'd wanted to get everyone together. Hunter and Benji stepped through first, then Dad, Anissa, and Tessa. Once the six of us were through, I closed the portal down and looked around, trying to get a bearing of where we were and which way John had gone."It's too dark. I don't see anything," Benji commented.Hunter didn't waste time, summoning his demon there on the spot. Anissa and Tessa did the same. I focused first on which way John had gone, knowing he still had to be here, and sure enough, as soon as I'd opened up to my power, he was there on the web, easy enough to find now that I knew what to look for."He's east of here, not too far-"I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I was tempted to leave it, but the thought of Avery home with our moms and as well as Thea and Kaylee had me pulling it out of my pocket. If there
JOHNThe forest was dark as ink as I came through the portal. I'd opened it right on the edge of the camp I'd spent many summers at when I was younger. Camp Meadow Creek was a compound of over one hundred acres in the Cumberland mountains outside of Louisville.In front of me were the main entrance, the Community Hall, and the fifteen smaller cabins the earth witch trainees stayed in when they were here.The main area was lit up with outdoor lighting attached to the buildings, showing off the yard. Memories made me pause. The hot summers eating popsicles on the lake dock. That time I fell off the top bunk and sprained my wrist. The first time I made a tree grow from a pine cone to a full towering pine in a matter of minutes. The nostalgia rocked me hard, but it was all bittersweet now. The friendships, the lessons I'd learned. They all seemed tainted by what I knew now.A whisper of feeling brushed by, and I turned, expecting E
EZRAThe house was quieter when we returned. Benji and the others had yet to come back, but I found Kaylee and Thea curled up together on the couch in a nest of blankets with the baby demon between them. Kaylee had offered to look after it while we investigated Lyssa's house and I'd let her.It chirped softly at me, flapping its wings in a way that could only be described as a 'pick me up' motion. I obliged, before the demon decided it was upset and screeched."Shh," I whispered to it, cradling it in my arms. There was no need to wake the entire house."William, is that you?" Mom's voice called softly from the kitchen. Avery and I followed Dad as he went to find Mom. Her eyes watered as soon as she set eyes on us, as if she already knew what we'd found."How bad is it?" Mom whispered."We think Nathan took her-""No, we're p
JOHNThere was none of the dizzy vertigo like when I travelled through Ezra or Benji's portal. It was more like a long step through a doorway that led me right back where I was only weeks ago. The freshly cut grass left a thick scent in the air that brought back many memories of family barbecues and parties.I turned back to the portal. Cameron and the other Witches still appeared awestruck, but Hunter looked as though he wanted to jump through after me, the pain clear on his unhappy face."I'm sorry," I said, and shut down the portal.My chest throbbed. Part of me had wanted Hunter to come, because I didn't want to face this alone. What if we were caught? On my own, I would at least have a chance to escape again, but after what'd happened after they'd caught Ezra, they probably would kill Hunter on the spot.Facing the house, I distracted myself by focusing on the details. New cushions covered the patio furniture and ne