Alliance of Blackbirds Read online

  Chapter Nine

  “I…” I squeezed the amulet between my fingers.

  “Time we have, you do not.” Its white eyes gazed at me and I was drawn to them. They weren’t cold and heartless. Even in their depthless color; I could see the empathy it had for me. “I’m giving you a choice and a very rare one at that.”

  I loosened the hold I had on the amulet as unspoken words filled my head. It told me that it was the thing to do. Power such as this will be the slow coming death of Atlantis. We possess greed and our lust for power over one another will spread like a plague. Slowly, I reached over my head and started to take off the chain.

  “Very good dust particle,” it said as I held the amulet in front of me.

  I gazed at all of the colors it contained. I was so mesmerized by everything that I nearly forgot about my mother and the battle raging outside until it suddenly came crashing in on us.

  “Get away from her!” I could see Pandora dressed in a long, black, glittering tunic waving a thin whip that cut through the air like liquid silver over her head.

  The glass person hissed as she slapped it across the face. It yelped and charged at Pandora as she jumped out of the way laughing.

  “I’m faster than you think!” Pandora curled the whip through the air in circular patterns.

  The glass person became enthralled by the graceful whip held in Pandora’s chubby fingers. It looped and swirled like a ribbon and the glass person watched like an amused child.

  “Hold this and whatever you do, don’t drop it.” Pandora tossed me the box.

  I caught it and looked up at her as she guided the enchanted glass person closer to the pillars where Ulric was still contained. Fire raged behind the clear wall as he tried to burn his way out.

  “Stand behind me and hold the amulet over the box with the lid up,” Pandora said. “Understand?” She asked.

  I stood behind her and opened the box with my shaking hand holding the amulet over the box.

  “You won’t trick me you piece of sludge!” The glass person stopped, grabbed hold of Pandora’s whip, and flung it through the air. “Your hocus-pocus charms won’t work on me.”

  “The amulet,” it said gazing at me. “Times up.” It swung at Pandora casting her through the air as it snarled then charged towards me.

  I stood holding the amulet as a flash of blonde hair and someone calling my name came from the surrounding chaos. Glass exploded behind me with a blast of heat. The glass person shrieked and I was thrown forward as Pandora’s Box was swallowed by the giant blob of mist containing the rest of the glass people.

  They shrieked and hissed as someone pulled me to my feet.

  “Get your brother and make a portal.” My mother commanded dressed in the same black clothes as Pandora and shoving the box in my hand.

  I couldn’t help but to stare at her in awe. “Mom,” I said.

  She grabbed me by the shoulders. “There isn’t time. If you want me to stay, do I as say!”

  A large glass person formed out the mist in front of us as she lifted her swords and slashed through it.

  I didn’t know where Ian was as I clutched the box.

  “Ian!”

  “Emily!”

  “Where are you?” I frantically looked around catching glimpses of David and Ulric with several glass people all silver and white being consumed by his red and gold flames.

  “I can see Ulric!” I yelled through the rush of the flames and the screeching sounds of the incinerated glass people that kept coming by the dozens.

  “Don’t yell Em, I can hear you and stay calm. I see you.” His words put my insides at ease even as I had glass people reaching out trying to latch onto me with their sticky tentacles.

  Then, I caught a glimpse of Ian’s dark hair and blue eyes staring at me. He ran for me and I to him when suddenly something curled around my waist lifting me off my feet. I screamed still holding onto Pandora’s Box with everything I had.

  I looked down at the glass person’s face all silver scales that were razor sharp and teeth that gleamed at me. It chopped its teeth and gazed at me like I was its meal when a flash of silver exploded behind it and I fell to the ground immediately as it released me.

  I looked up to see a boy dressed in the same black clothing and wavy blonde hair that would put ribbons of gold to shame. He turned and reached for me.

  “Gabe,” I said leaning into him.

  He smiled for only a split second letting his grey-blue eyes swirl back at me. “Ian and I need to make the portal!” Gabe wrapped me in his arms from the glass people that swarmed around us.

  They moved as one and were nothing but a disorganized ball of mist, open mouths of snarling teeth and tentacles frosted with silver scales. Finally, we caught a glimpse of Ian’s dark hair.

  “It’s hard for them to separate.” Gabe told Ian. “Take Em back to the pillars. Make the portal. I’ll drive them towards you.”

  Gabe turned yelling and swinging his sword at the hissing glass people. Silver glitter exploded on us like rain as Gabe slashed through them. I could see the tops of the pillars through the rolling mist containing the glass people.

  “Come on Ian! This way!” I pulled at his arm cradling the box with the other.

  “I don’t have an etch!” Ian stopped as I continued to pull at him with tightened mouth. “I can’t make a portal!”

  “We can make a portal!” I yelled holding the amulet.

  “Emily—you don’t know what that can do.” He ran beside me towards the pillars.

  “We made one before with it. We have no choice.” I stopped standing before the looming pillars as still and unmoving as the most ancient mountains.

  I took the amulet and looked at Ian.

  “Let me guide it mostly and you just concentrate.” Ian lifted his hand up in the air covering mine as we started to draw a silver line in midair.

  I could feel the amulet burn then become as cold as ice. It fluctuated in temperature so much I thought it would explode in my hand. We then pulled the line downward. Everything began to fade around me. All that mattered was Ian, me and the portal.

  The bottom line curved slowly up the other side and then connected at our starting point. We then carved swirling designs that laced together at the top. Down each side we made what looked like lettering of crisscrossed marks and squiggly lines. The fluid silver lines moved through the air effortlessly and I smiled slightly at our creation.

  After we made all the intricate lines, Ian waved my hand back and forth shading in the inside with silver. It rippled and slowly I could see our image reflect back at us. We kept polishing it until it was smooth like glass and our reflection was sharp staring back at us.

  “It’s beautiful,” I said aloud.

  “Beauty doesn’t matter. It’s the construction that does,” Ian said flatly as I looked at his white face and sweat dripping from his forehead.

  “Ian, are you ok?” I asked as he swayed with his eyes rolling back in his head and falling to the ground.

  “Ian!” I yelled. “Ian!” I yelled internally.

  I bent down beside him turning him over and trying to shake him awake. Suddenly, a shrilling cry broke through the noise and caught my attention. I looked up to see a glass person standing by itself with legs and feet covered in silver glitter. Its long, white hair flowed around it like a banner and silver scales covered its forehead. It peered at me with white marbled eyes that flickered with glee as its mouth curled into a smirk.

  I stood up slowly and moved in front of Ian with the amulet clutched in my palm. I glared at it and then held up the amulet that burned with flame and cracked with ice. Vibrant colors shot out like beams from it and I could hear a humming sound behind me. The portal was alive and ready to consume the glass people.

  They gathered slowly into a ball of mist with their white eyes all staring at me, all hungry for what I had. I stood in front of th
e portal knowing I would go with them as well. I didn’t have a choice and searched for a glimpse of Gabe.

  “Tell Gabe that I love him!” I closed my eyes tight and sent Quil a message—the only other one that could receive messages close by.

  He didn’t reply, though I felt a slight tug in the back of my head and I knew he heard. The glass people had secured an area and I was in it along with Ian who I stood protectively in front of. It was up to me now to finish the job.

  “If you want it… come and claim it!” I yelled out between clenched teeth and blood running down my arm from my fingernails digging into my skin. I could feel every muscle, every cell of my being come to life all at once.

  The lead glass person that stood in front of the rest yelled pointing a sharp talon at me. The angry mist rolled towards me hissing with white eyes all focused on one target. The lead glass person stood staring with a victorious gaze in its depthless eyes as a thin silver blade poked suddenly through its chest. It bent over slightly looking down at the blade as a small amount of silver dust fell to the ground. It pulled the blade out and held it in its hands as more dust fell from its body.

  It looked up and snarled throwing the sword towards me and charging at the same time. I watched all of their white eyes focus on me at once with wanting of what I had. They wanted their power and the life of the worlds it has touched. And I wasn’t going to let them have it.

  I lifted the amulet in front of me prepared to take them on. It glowed with a bright light almost blinding and hummed so loud, I thought it would shatter the air around it.

  “They want the amulet, but they’ll take me instead!” David appeared out of nowhere and shoved me out of the way at the same time something large and fur covered slammed into me just as the rushing wind of tentacles, mist and screams of the glass people were sucked through the portal until the last of the cries faded. The portal closed with a bang and then all was silent. Everything was calm as though nothing had happened.

  I kept my eyes closed wanting and not wanting to know if everyone survived. I didn’t want to feel the heartache, but I had to know. I tried to push what was on me off and realized the fur had changed to skin and two eyes the color of topaz gazed back at me.

  “Don’t move or you’ll die,” Quil said calmly looking down at his blood covered hands.

  “You’re hurt,” I said numbly and tried to move.

  I let out a yell as something sharp and hot burned in my stomach.

  “Don’t move I said, now listen!” Quil knelt beside me as my body turned into a spasm of pain and weakness.

  “It’s poisoned by the glass people and contains a spell in it as well.” Quil looked at Gabe who brushed back my hair as I struggled to breathe let alone even try to talk.

  Gabe was alive and still with me. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and never let go, but my body wouldn’t allow me to.

  “My blood may not be enough.” Quil gazed down at me.

  “Your blood and my magic,” Pandora said standing over me with her red hair fanned out in twisted strands around her round face. “This one is strong, she’ll be fine.”

  I closed my eyes as voices turned to chanting and lights flickered all around and the taste of blood, not bitter, but sweet like honey, filled my mouth. I drank it like I never wanted to stop, not just because it was delicious, but because it made every fiber of my body crave it like a drug.

  The chanting and swirling of hands and faces that danced around me in some ritual faded to a blackness that had only one flicker of light and that was two topaz colored eyes that stared steadily at me.

  “You’re alive, so why don’t you wake up?” Quil’s voice asked.

  “I don’t want to. I want to run in the wild with you like we did in Eutopia. I want to see the rivers and the lakes and the woods and visit the original Eutopians.” I was serious but Quil chuckled which angered me.

  “You want a lot of things don’t you princess?’

  “Yes, I do, and I deserve them,” I said with more chuckling from him.

  “Then if you want them, why don’t you wake up and come and get them!” He commanded with his eyes glowing fiercely at me.

  My eyes popped open and I sat straight up with a yell from my dry mouth. Pain radiated form my stomach and forced me back down.

  “Em, be careful. Here,” Gabe said turning my face to him.

  “Gabe,” I barely whispered.

  He looked at my stomach. “You’re bleeding,” he said looking over his shoulder.

  I tilted my head up peering at the bluing sky slowly pushing the blazing colors of yellows and oranges past the horizon. The air was cool and the battle still rung in my ears despite the stillness and footsteps that surrounded me.

  “The plane is down in the gully…it will be a long walk.” Quil looked down at me and let his eyes glow for only a moment.

  “We don’t have a choice.” Gabe smiled down at me with the guilt of my lingering dream still raw in my memory.

  “Wrap your arm around my neck,” he said leaning over me.

  I did and with all his strength, he lifted me into his strong arms. I leaned my head on his shoulders and closed my eyes knowing Quil was looking at me with curious eyes.

  “Still want to run in the wild with me princess?” Quil asked teasingly.

  I didn’t reply and felt embarrassed at what I said to him in my dream. He found it amusing and I found it horrible that he made fun of my feelings. My feelings—what about Gabe? He was always there for me. And Quil, he was uncharted territory that made me want to know more. My head spun as I tried to gather my fragmented thoughts.

  “You know I charge extra for this…you’ll have to tell your clan leader that,” Pandora said.

  “Pandora?” I questioned as I had forgotten the amulet, Ian and David. “Where’s Ian? What happened?” I lifted my head looking at Gabe. “What about David?”

  Gabe stopped for a moment and sat me down. “We did it...or I guess we did.” I leaned against the large boulder and looked around at the rolling green hills and peaceful blue sky. “And I don’t know how, but we all survived. The glass people, every one of them went through the portal along with Ulric.”

  “Of course we all survived, I was here guiding you,” Pandora said. “The glass people are kind of like dogs—throw them a bone, meaning Ulric, and they’ll follow. Stupid creatures, though you don’t want to mess with them. And the key to the portal is in here,” Pandora said proudly holding the mirrored box carefully in her hand.

  I reached for my neck and felt it bare. “The amulet…”

  “The portal can’t be worked without it and as proper guardian of it, no one ever will.” Pandora gazed at the box admiring it.

  “No, that’s not how it works,” Ian said walking to her with pointed finger.

  “Ian!” I tried to get up.

  “Something like this will belong in one of the vaults. More likely in Meropsis and they will be the guardians of it, not you.” Ian didn’t even glance at me as I tried to get up again. Gabe wrapped his arms around me and lifted me up.

  “Yeah, and you see how secure they are. One heartbroken girl who loses her boyfriend and then the next thing you know she’s seeking the fountain of youth. You see how that turned out.” Pandora held the box protectively. “You Alliance members may have a lot of knowledge, but you don’t know everything and something important like this should belong to a blood relative.”

  “I agree,” said David stepping forward. “It’s secure with Pandora and you’ll have the Dragon clan’s approval.” Pandora nodded as she shrugged her shoulders at Ian.

  “Your opinion doesn’t matter here, portal maker,” Pandora said gleefully.

  “I think we should move on.” Gabe cut in before Ian could even speak. “The Gatelands are known for their erratic weather and I don’t know about anyone else, but I want to get back to Meropsis.”

  “We Dragon clan like
it here,” David said looking at the rolling hills covered in green with rocks imbedded here and there in the ground like crooked teeth littering the landscape.

  “And you’ll return here if you play your cards right.” Gabe said standing in front of David.

  He looked at Gabe with his milky eyes and nodded. “I plan to,” he said smiling at me.

  “Is anyone going to tell me what exactly happened or are all of you going to let me stay in the dark?” My voice was stern. “The last thing I remembered was the portal opening and the glass people getting sucked into it.”

  “It’s hard to sum everything up here, especially since Gabe and the rest of you want to get back to Meropsis.” The voice that I knew but yet didn’t, pulled at something familiar inside of me.

  “Mom,” I barely whispered as I could see her golden hair reflecting in the light framed in the greenness that surrounded us.

  “I’ll sum it up in three words—you did it,” she said with a smile. “You not only saved this world and Eutopia, but you brought me back, Emily.”

  Tears stung the back of my eyes. My mom that I barely knew said my name that I longed to hear. I wanted to hold her and tried to move when a sting filled my stomach and something wet ran down my back dripping to the grass.

  I kept my eyes on my mother as everyone else looked in horror at me.

  “We’d better hurry,” she said stepping closer to me and running her delicate fingers across my cheek. “You’ll be fine Emily.” Her voice was reassuring.

  I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer and felt the warmth of satisfaction fill me. I could easily let myself fall into it and right at this moment, I’d be happy to die this way.