Fear - The Witches of Santa Anna_Book 12 - Lauren Barnholdt & Aaron Gorvine

FEAR (The Witches of Santa Anna, Book Twelve) by Lauren Barnholdt & Aaron Gorvine Copyright 2011, Lauren Barnholdt and Aaron Gorvine, all rights reserved This book is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to any persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental Chapter One Natalia ―Can we stop at McDonald‘s?‖ Raine asks from the passenger seat. The early light of morning is seeping through the windshield, illuminating her face. When she woke up this morning, she spent some time in the bathroom using the pancake makeup, and her face looks a lot better. ―No,‖ I say, sick of al the time we‘ve wasted stopping for things. ―We‘re going to find Cam. No more stalling.‖ ―I‘m not stalling,‖ she says, but she‘s looking out the window. Her hands are in her lap, and she fiddles with the silver ring she‘s wearing on her right ring finger. ―I‘m just hungry.‖ But I know that‘s not it. Raine‘s nervous. Nervous about what‘s going to happen to her when we get to wherever it is we‘re going. I force myself to focus on the road. My eyelids feel heavy, probably because I spent most of last night awake, tossing and turning in the hotel bed, not being able to fall asleep. After I had that conversation with Samara and then had a good cry, my body and my heart felt wrung out, but my brain was still racing. There‘s a slight headache pricking at my temples, and I feel like I need caffeine, even though I took a huge cup of coffee with me when we left the hotel. I take a sip of what‘s left of it. It‘s lukewarm now. ―Right here,‖ Raine says, sitting up, and pointing a few meters down the road. ―Turn left here.‖ ―Turn left? But there‘s no road to turn into.‖ I slow the car down and peer through the windshield to where Raine‘s pointing. There‘s a small path cutting through the trees lining the road, but it‘s extremely narrow. ―My car won‘t fit down there,‖ I say, shaking my head. Raine rolls her eyes. ―Yes, it will .‖ ―No, it won‘t.‖ We‘re stopped now, pulled over to the side. Behind us, the highway is empty, except for the occasional truck that goes flying by. ―Don‘t be a baby, Natalia,‖ Raine says, ―We‘ll fit.‖ ―The car will get stuck.‖ ―Fine,‖ Raine says, shrugging. ―You‘re right. Let‘s go back to Santa Anna and just leave Cam here. If we hurry, we can be back before the mal closes, which is great because I real y needed to –‖ ―Stop,‖ I say. And something in my tone must tell her I mean it, because she immediately shuts up. I look at the road again. She might be right. We might fit. If we don‘t, we‘ll probably get stuck. But I have no choice. I have to try. So I back up a few feet, and ease the car down the path. It‘s a tight fit, but Raine‘s right. The car fits. Still , the path is rocky, and I drive slowly, being careful not to push it. The last thing I need right now is to blow out a tire. Branches scratch against the windows as we pass, and I see a white butterfly resting on one of the tree trunks. Some of the tension flows out of my body. The butterfly wouldn‘t be there if I wasn‘t

doing the right thing. ―Listen,‖ Raine says, ―I want you to know that if something happens to me, you need to be careful who you trust.‖ ―What are you talking about?‖ ―I mean that if I end up dead when this whole thing is over, you need to know that you shouldn‘t trust anyone.‖ She says it matter-of-factly, like the thought of dying doesn‘t scare her, and I wonder again what happened to her while she was gone this past week. The thought of where we‘re going, that it‘s the kind of place where someone could end up dead, scares the shit out of me. But I don‘t want Raine to know that. ―I don‘t trust anyone,‖ I scoff. ―Including you.‖ ―Good,‖ she says, quietly. ―You shouldn‘t.‖ Her voice is sad and subdued, and I glance over at her. She‘s looking straight ahead, her hands folded in her lap. ―Raine,‖ I say, ―What did they do to you?‖ She turns to me, and opens her mouth, like maybe she‘s actual y going to tell me. But before she can, someone yells, ―Get out of the car!‖ and I look up to see that we‘re surrounded by soldiers. *** The soldiers seem like they‘re more interested in Raine than in me. They look at each other excitedly when they see it‘s her, and they‘re definitely a little more aggressive when they pull her out of the car. But that doesn‘t stop them from handcuffing me, pushing me roughly up against a tree as they do it. Then they hustle us into the back of a white van. Two of them sit in the back with us, watching to make sure we don‘t talk. My heart is beating out of my chest, and adrenaline courses through my body. I try to catch Raine‘s eye, to see if I can get any hint of what‘s going on, if we should be trying to escape, how much danger we‘re real y in, but she‘s staring at the floor, despondent. We drive for fifteen or twenty minutes, and when we stop, the soldiers sitting in the back with us open the doors. They help us out of the van and onto a stone driveway. In front of us is a huge, modern looking building. It looks like a town hall or a courthouse, with steps leading up to the main doors, and it seems to rise from nowhere in the middle of the forest. The soldiers grab us and force us up the steps and into the lobby. Hadley‘s there, pacing back and forth in front of a pair of closed double doors, and when she sees us, she gasps. She‘s wearing some kind of business suit, which is strange. ―What the hell are they doing here?‖ she asks the soldiers. ―Hadley,‖ I say. ―Where‘s Cam?‖ But she ignores me. ―Out of the way, Hadley,‖ one of the soldiers says. Raine says nothing. She‘s looking down at the ground, her hair falling into her face. She looks small and vulnerable next to the soldiers, and in the harsh glare of the overhead lights, her bruises show through her makeup. ―Wait,‖ Hadley steps in front of them, trying to block their way into the room. ―Please,‖ she says, ―Reed wants to kill the three of them, you have to –‖

But she doesn‘t get to finish, because the soldiers move past her, elbowing her out of the way like she‘s a rag doll . They push through the double doors, leading us into a room that looks like a cross between a courtroom and a church, with shiny marble floors, and rows of pews. At the front of the room, Cam‘s sitting at a table. I‘m so relieved to final y see him, that before I can stop myself, I yell out, ―Cam!‖ and wrangle free from the soldier who‘s holding me. Cam rushes down the aisle toward me, and when we meet, he grabs me, pulling me close. ―Are you okay?‖ he asks into my hair. He steps back and kisses me briefly on the lips. He looks me up and down, checking to make sure I haven‘t been hurt. ―I‘m fine,‖ I say, ―We just got here. I had to bring Raine, she was the only one who knew where you were.‖ I see the bruise on his collarbone, the circles under his eyes. ―What did they do to you?‖ I whisper. I reach out and run my finger down his cheek. ―It‘s nothing,‖ he says, grabbing my hand. ―But Nat, they want to – ‖ He doesn‘t get to finish the rest of his sentence, though, because I‘m yanked backwards by one of the soldiers. ―Stay away from him,‖ the soldier growls. I step on his foot as hard as I can, but I might as well have done nothing. He doesn‘t flinch. ―What‘s going on here?‖ a voice bellows from the front of the room. We all turn to look. And then I realize there was someone sitting at the table with Cam. A man. Well , a young man, probably eighteen or nineteen, with broad shoulders and dark hair. He gets up from his chair and starts walking toward us. He walks with the confidence of someone who‘s a lot older than he is, the confidence of someone who‘s used to being powerful. He‘s celebrity-handsome, with dark eyes and chiseled cheekbones. ―Reed,‖ the soldier holding me says, ―we found them on the property.‖ ―How far did they get?‖ Reed asks, looking at us both. He zeroes in on Raine. She‘s staring down at the floor, not meeting his eye. I wonder if it‘s because she‘s afraid of him. He takes a couple more steps toward her, then reaches out and tilts her chin up, forcing her to look at him. He takes in the bruises on her face, and nods in satisfaction. ―We found them right on the front path,‖ Raine‘s solider says smugly. ―What should we do with them?‖ He sounds excited, like maybe Reed‘s going to order him to torture us or something. Reed looks at us, considering. ―Leave us,‖ he says. ―But, Reed –‖ one of the soldiers starts. ―I said, leave us,‖ Reed says. His voice is quiet, but firm, and it seems to frighten the soldiers more than if he‘d screamed. They do as they‘re told, letting us go. It reinforces my impression that this Reed person is very powerful. If he wants to be left alone with me, Cam, and Raine, he must feel like if it came down to it, he could overpower us all . ―What are you doing here?‖ he asks Raine once the soldiers are gone. ―And don‘t lie to me. If you lie to me, I‘ll know.‖

―I‘m here to surrender,‖ she says, lifting her gaze from the floor and looking at him. ―Why should I believe you?‖ he says. ―Put a spell on me if you want,‖ she says, ―I‘m done. I don‘t want to be involved in this anymore, not after….‖ She trails off, her voice catching in her throat. Reed nods, as if he knows what she‘s talking about. He sighs, then looks at each of us in turn. ―I don‘t want to have to hurt the three of you,‖ he says. ―Well , that‘s good,‖ Cam says sarcastically y. ―Especial y since you were just about to kill me.‖ I look at him. Cam was just about to get killed? Why? I thought these guys were supposed to be the good guys, the guys on our side. ―Listen,‖ I say, ―You better not –― But Reed ignores me. ―And you‘ll undergo the ceremony? ― he asks Raine. ―To break the bond between you and Campbell ?‖ ―Yes,‖ she says. ―And you‘ll tell us everything you know?‖ ―Yes.‖ He nods, thinking about it. He intertwines his fingers, and rests his chin on his hands for a moment. And then he says, ―Okay. We‘ll start to prepare.‖ And then, without him even having to say anything, the soldiers return, and lead us out of the room.

Chapter Two Campbell We‘re escorted from the room and led through the halls of the building by about six guards. ―Easy to be tough when there‘s a bunch of you,‖ I say to the guy on my left, who‘s been giving me dirty looks ever since they came and got us. He gives me a sidelong glance and his lips pull back from his teeth. ―Easy to act tough when you‘re a dumb kid and you don‘t have a clue who you‘re messing with.‖ ―And who exactly am I messing with? A bunch of clowns pretending to be in some kind of secret society? The Feds could be in here shutting this place down in five minutes and there wouldn‘t be a thing any of you could do about it.‖ It‘s bull shit, of course. I know they‘re not pretending to do anything. These guys are for real. But I‘m angry, and feel like lashing out, and I can‘t think of a better way to do it. Natalia puts her hand on my arm. ―Cam.‖ ―Sorry,‖ I say, ―But I‘ve just had about enough of this bull shit.‖ Raine glances at us. ―Awww,‖ she says, ―I forgot how sweet you two love birds are with each other.‖ ―Shut up, Raine,‖ I tell her. ―You guys shouldn‘t have come here, and you know it. Hadley‘s a liar and the rest them are chicken shit.‖ I smirk at my friend and his jaw clenches. ―If you think these guys are bad, you should meet some of the people on my side,‖ Raine says. ―They make these jerks look like Disney characters.‖

One of the other guards looks at her with disgust. ―Raine Marsden. You have a lot of nerve coming to us for mercy.‖ ―Hey, why don‘t you just shut your mouth and keep doing the wind up soldier act,‖ I tell him. He laughs. ―I can‘t wait to watch you squirm, Campbell . You and Raine Marsden will scream and scream and we‘ll all watch it like it‘s a Steven Spielberg movie.‖ ―I‘ll bring the popcorn,‖ another guard laughs. They bring us back to the room I was staying in and open the door, pushing us inside. It slams shut and I hear the sound of bolts locking into place. Raine looks around at the furniture, then wrinkles her nose in distaste. ―Nice bachelor pad.‖ Nat puts her hand on my arm again, and I suddenly remember how much I‘ve missed her. But a split second later, I remember that she lied to me about Brody. And that she‘s here with Raine. ―Cam, did they hurt you?‖ Natalia asks. ―Not too bad,‖ I say, moving away from her. Raine walks to the small mini bar and opens it. ―How can you be in the mood to drink at a time like this?‖ Nat says, rolling her eyes. ―Honey,‖ Raine says, rifling through the fridge. ―If there were ever a time to drink, this is it.‖ I walk over to the couch and sit down. Nat is watching me. ―You okay?‖ ―I don‘t know,‖ I say, wiping some sweat from my forehead. ―That dude Reed was putting a spell on me when you guys busted in on us. He was about to kill me.‖ My head feels a little woozy, and my heart is racing. ―Maybe there‘s some sort of lingering effect.‖ Raine is mixing herself a Jack and Coke. ―It‘s probably got nothing to do with that,‖ she says cheerful y. ―It‘s probably because of me.‖ Nat‘s startled. ―Because of you?‖ Raine takes a big gulp of her drink. ―Yeah. Cam and I are bonded, Natalia. Remember? That‘s the whole point of this thing. The ceremony to break our bond hasn‘t happened yet, so Cam is still …‖ ―Under your spell ?‖ Nat asks. Raine shrugs. Maybe she‘s embarrassed. Maybe she doesn‘t give a shit. She drinks some more of her Jack and Coke. Natalia sits next to me and puts a cool hand on my face. ―I‘m real y glad you‘re okay,‖ she tell s me. ―I was an idiot to trust Hadley. Everything these people say is a lie.‖ I turn on the couch and look at her. ―Speaking of lies, where‘s Brody?‖ Nat ‗s face reddens. ―I have no idea.‖ She shrugs. ―And I don‘t think it‘s smart to waste time fighting about that at a time like this.‖ ―What better time than the present to let the truth come out?‖ I counter, even though she‘s right. She sighs, then rests her head against the back of the couch. ―Maybe I should have a

drink, too.‖ Suddenly there‘s the sound of a bolt sliding across the door, and then it opens. I stand up, ready to face a dozen armed guards. But there‘s only one person standing there. Reed. I consider running at him and knocking him on his ass, then grabbing Natalia and pulling her down the hall way until I find an exit. Reed glances at me and draws himself up, like he can sense my little fantasy and is more than ready for me to try. ―Hey, everyone,‖ he says, like we‘re all old friends. ―How are you? Comfortable, I hope?‖ His dark eyes flit to Natalia and stay there. Raine nods and holds up her drink. ―We found the mini bar.‖ Reed chuckles. ―Good. That‘s what it‘s there for.‖ He seems reluctant to step over the threshold. ―Natalia…I hate to interrupt the, ah, festivities…‖ ―Is something wrong?‖ she asks. I reach out and take her hand. ―No. I was just hoping to have a word with you. Privately.‖ He smiles, but it never touches his eyes, which dart to me again as if daring me to try and stop him. ―No,‖ I say, shaking my head emphatically y. ―You‘re not going anywhere with him.‖ I tighten my grip on Nat‘s hand. Reed laughs, like he can‘t believe I‘m being such a baby, and he wasn‘t just trying to kill me a few minutes ago. ―I promise I‘ll bring her back safe and sound, Campbell . It will only take a few minutes.‖ ―What do you need to talk to her about?‖ I ask. ―What‘s the big secret?‖ Reed‘s smile is more forced now. ―No big secret. You and I had our chance to talk—― ―Oh, right, when you tried to kill me just a few minutes back.‖ ―--We had our chance to talk and now I‘d like to take the opportunity to speak with Natalia.‖ He gives her a smile, and a shiver runs up my spine. ―What am I, chopped liver?‖ Raine says. Then she shakes her head. ―Never mind. I know exactly what I am to you.‖ She takes another swig of her drink. ―Nat, this guy‘s a snake,‖ I say, pulling her closer to me on the couch and watching Reed out of the corner of my eye. ―Tel him you don‘t want to go with him.‖ Reed smirks at me. ―Cam, it‘s real y sweet that you want to protect her. But the truth of the matter is that Natalia is much, much stronger than you. She might not want you to know it, she might not even believe it yet herself, but you‘re like…hmmm, how do I say this delicately?‖ He sighs, like he hates to be the one to break it to me. ―Cam, you‘re like a little fly trying to stand up for a tigress.‖ ―Now, now, boys,‖ Raine says, tut-tutting us with a finger. ―Play nice.‖ ―Fuck you,‖ I say to Reed, but he just stands there, seemingly unaffected. Nat puts a hand on my arm. She leans in and whispers. ―I‘ll be fine,‖ she says. ―Don‘t let him get to you.‖ But as I glare at him and he looks back at me with smug satisfaction, I vow that at some point I‘m going to knock him on his ass. It might be five minutes from now, it might be a year.

But he‘s going to find out that what he thought was a fly was actual y the nastiest pit bull he‘s ever come across. *** After Natalia leaves the room, it‘s just me and Raine. Alone. I was so worried about Natalia that I didn‘t think about what that would be like. It‘s kind of weird. That warm feeling I always get when I‘m around Raine is back, stronger than ever. My head is buzzing, and I move to the mini bar and grab a water out of the side door. Raine doesn‘t appear to be aware of the effect she has on me. She strolls around the room with a drink in her hand, sipping it and making asinine comments about how the room‘s decorated. Half of it I can‘t real y fol ow, although I pretend to by nodding and agreeing in all the right places. ―That guy, Reed?‖ she says final y. ―You‘re right about him, Cam. He is a snake.‖ She crosses the room to the bed and lies down, propping herself up on one elbow. ―Doesn‘t surprise me,‖ I tell her, although my mouth is feeling numb, like I‘ve had ten shots of Novocain. ―You think he‘ll hurt Nat?‖ Raine sits up and puts a finger on her chin. ―Hmmm…honestly? Probably not. At least, not right away. He‘ll try and make her like him. Charm her a little. When she starts to believe in him, that‘s when he‘ll hurt her.‖ The idea of Reed charming Nat gets my blood boiling, and the anger seems to burn off some of the strange spell that Raine has on me. I open the fridge again and find a wrapped up chicken salad sandwich. ―So why are you here, Raine?‖ I say, walking to the couch and starting to unwrap the sandwich. I sniff it. It smells okay, and so I take a bite. ―I‘m giving up,‖ she replies, raising her eyebrows as if daring me to disbelieve her. ―Right,‖ I say. ―Good try, but you‘ve never given up on anything in your life.‖ ―I‘m done,‖ she says. ―I‘m so over this cloak and dagger bull shit.‖ I take another bite of my sandwich. ―And this ceremony,‖ I say in between bites, ―the one that‘s going to end the bond we have—is it dangerous?‖ Raine shrugs. Her smile is gone and she looks tired. The puffiness on her face has faded a little since yesterday, and the dark bruises are turning shades of green and purple. ―Under the best circumstances it would be dangerous to try and break the kind of spell I put you under, Cam. I used all of my power to bond us together for eternity.‖ ―Great. So what kind of odds are we talking here?‖ ―Odds?‖ ―Yeah. That the ceremony will work. Fifty-fifty? Seventy-thirty?‖ She just laughs, a hollow sound without humor. ―I don‘t know,‖ she says, ―But I

wouldn‘t bet much on it. Especial y not since Reed seems to have taken a liking to Natalia.‖ I stare at her to see if she‘s trying to jerk my chain, but Raine is dead serious. And that‘s when I realize we‘re in even bigger trouble than I first thought.

Chapter Three Natalia I‘m expecting Reed to take me somewhere private, like an office or maybe a secret room. Somewhere we‘ll be able to talk alone. I mean, everything about this place and this situation has been weird and secretive. I take a deep breath and finger my butterfly necklace, determined not to let him see how scared I am. He shuts the door of the room Cam and Raine are in, and then turns a key in the lock. ―You‘re locking them in?‖ I ask. ―Yes.‖ He says it calmly and matter-of-factly, like him locking my boyfriend in a room with the girl who wanted to drain his soul is no big deal. ―Why?‖ ―For their own safety.‖ ―You think it‘s safe to leave Cam and Raine alone?‖ ―She‘s not going to hurt Campbell ,‖ he says, and slides the key into his pocket. ―They‘re both safer if they‘re together, and if we know where they are.‖ ―I don‘t see how that can be,‖ I say. I‘m scared of him, but like I said, I‘m trying not to show it. And part of not showing my fear is questioning everything he says. ―Campbell seems like he‘s very excitable,‖ Reed says. ―And if he tried to escape, we‘d have no choice but to go after him.‖ ―You mean kill him.‖ ―I mean do what it takes to keep everyone safe.‖ ―How is kill ing Cam keeping everyone safe?‖ ―Let‘s go for a walk,‖ he says. ―No.‖ ―No?‖ He smiles and looks at me, amused. ―No.‖ I cross my arms over my chest. ―Not unless you tell me how killing Cam would keep everyone safe.‖ ―Walk with me,‖ he says, ―And I‘ll tell you.‖ But I stand my ground. ―No,‖ I say, ―Tel me now.‖ ―And then you‘ll walk with me?‖ I hesitate, not wanting to go with him, but sensing he‘s not the type that will give me information unless I promise him something in return. So final y, I nod. ―Cam and Raine have a bond,‖ he says, ―A bond that‘s very dangerous. My job is to keep the world safe. So if Raine is able to use Cam to become more powerful, then I would obviously do anything in my power to stop that from happening.‖ ―Kill one to save many.‖ He nods, then smiles again. ―But I‘d rather keep him alive, of course. And not only

because it would make you happy, Natalia. But because I don‘t believe in killing innocent people.‖ We stand there for a moment. I‘m looking right into his eyes, trying to figure him out. I know he‘s supposed to be on the good side, my side, but I‘m still not sure I can trust him completely. It‘s dangerous, looking right at him like this, because if he wants to control me, it will make it easier. But I don‘t feel him using any kind of power on me, even though if he wanted to, I‘m sure he could. And he was honest with me about Cam, saying he would kill him if it meant saving the world. ―Okay,‖ I say final y, nodding at him. ―Let‘s walk.‖ *** We walk down the hall way together, side by side, our shoes making squeaking noises on the shiny marble floors. We must be going out a different way than Raine and I came in, since here there are cathedral ceilings and long floor-to-ceiling windows that let the light shine in. Gold ceiling fans twirl lazily overhead, and the air feels fresh and clean, even though we‘re inside. When we get to the double doors that lead to the outside, Reed pushes a button and the doors slide open. He puts his arm out, indicating that I should walk first. I move through, out into the sunlight, and he follows me. Once I‘m outside, I raise my face to the sun for a moment, feeling it on my face. It feels good, and I gulp in the fresh air. Reed starts moving down the steps. ―Where are we going?‖ I ask, not moving any further. He turns, a grin playing on his lips. ―Do you always ask this many questions?‖ ―Are you seriously asking me that?‖ ―That‘s another question.‖ ―Sorry,‖ I say and cross my arms over my chest. ―But when I‘m at some kind of creepy witch compound, yeah, I tend to be a little inquisitive.‖ ―Well ,‖ he says, sounding amused. ―Don‘t worry, Nancy Drew. I‘m just taking you on a tour of the compound.‖ ―A tour?‖ He expects me to believe that? That after almost killing Cam, he just wants to take me on a tour of this place? ―Yes,‖ he says, ―A tour. You‘ve heard of tours before, right? It‘s when someone shows you around.‖ ―Why should I believe you?‖ I ask, ignoring his sarcastic comment. I don‘t want to give him the satisfaction. ―Why shouldn‘t you?‖ ―You real y want to get into that?‖ I sit down on the steps, like I‘m settling in for a nice long conversation. ―Because we total y can. Although I should let you know that I have to be home tomorrow, or my mom‘s going to freak out and send the cops, so we‘ll have to make it quick.‖ He laughs, throwing his head back. ―You are a trip, aren‘t you?‖ He climbs the steps and sits down next to me, his leg touching mine. ―Look,‖ he says. He holds his hands up in surrender, and his tone is serious. ―I want to show you around. That‘s it. I thought you might like to see part of the compound.‖

―Why?‖ ―Why?‖ ―Yeah, why would I want to see part of the compound?‖ ―Natalia,‖ he says, softly, ―someday, all of this…all of this is going to be yours.‖ ―Why?‖ ―Because you were chosen,‖ he says simply. ―You‘re our queen.‖ I don‘t say anything, just look down at the ground. Suddenly, the wave of emotion I‘ve been trying to hold back, washes over me, and before I know it, my eyes are filling with tears. It‘s all too much. I miss Cam. I miss my mom. I miss my old life, my old school, my old everything. Right now, in this moment, it all feels like too much, and I would give anything to go back to the way things were. The stuff I worried about before – the girls at my old school being mean to me, Derrick being creepy and starting rumors about me – all of that stuff seems like nothing compared to the shit I‘m dealing with now. ―Hey,‖ Reed says softly, ―I didn‘t mean to make you upset.‖ He reaches over and then, slowly, hesitantly, he takes my hand. ―I know this has to be real y overwhelming for you. I wasn‘t thinking.‖ I don‘t say anything. His hand feels warm, and somehow comforting. ―You don‘t have to do anything you don‘t want to do,‖ he says, standing up. ―I‘ll take you right back to Campbell .‖ ―No,‖ I say, shaking my head and standing up. I take a deep breath and try to get my thoughts together. ―I want to go.‖ He smiles. ―Okay, then,‖ he says, and stands up. ―Fol ow me.‖ There‘s a winding cobblestone path that leads away from the town hall , and Reed and I fol ow it, starting to make our way through what looks like a town from a storybook. There are small , brightly- colored cottages lining the path, and I can hear voices ahead. For a moment, I get scared and glance at Reed, wondering if it‘s some kind of trick. Through the trees up ahead, I can make out a group of people, gathered on the porch of one of the cabins. They‘re sitting in a circle, talking in a language I don‘t understand. ―What are they doing?‖ I ask as we pass by. They seem lost in their own world, and don‘t turn to look as we walk past. They‘re younger than I first thought, probably around my age. ―Practicing,‖ Reed says. ―Practicing what?‖ ―Spells.‖ ―Who do they want to put a spell on?‖ ―No one specific,‖ he says, ―They‘re just practicing to learn.‖ We walk in silence for a few moments. ―Where are we going?‖ I ask. ―I thought it would make you more comfortable if you could see where we‘re going to be breaking the bond between Raine and Campbell ,‖ he says. The branches crunch under his feet, and the path is slowly changing over from being paved in cobblestones to being just dirt, and I‘m struggling a little to keep up. The truth is, it doesn‘t make me feel more comfortable to see where the spell is going to be broken. In fact, I don‘t want to have to deal with any of this. But I can‘t show any weakness to Reed. And so al I say is, ―Sounds good.‖

We walk in silence for what feels like forever. As we move through the forest, I start to notice butterflies on the trees. Blue, green, purple, white, gray, red, orange. Al different colors, al different patterns. I‘m about to ask Reed what the butterflies mean, when suddenly, the trees part, and we‘re standing in a clearing. There‘s a huge circular platform in the middle, raised about three feet or so off the ground. The platform is a shiny platinum color, and the sun shines through the branches and glints off the metal. In the middle of the stage is some kind of pulpit or lectern, and that, too, is shiny and gold, with a butterfly embossed on the front. There are rows of modern and comfortable looking chairs set up near the stage, with silver backs and cream-colored cushions. ―You seem surprised,‖ Reed says, watching me. ―What were you expecting?‖ ―I don‘t know,‖ I say. ―Some kind of dirty, rotting stage with mismatched folding chairs.‖ ―And the Blair Witch?‖ he asks. ―Waiting to come out and scare you?‖ ―The Blair Witch?‖ I ask, ―Is that your attempt at witch humor?‖ ―Attempt?‖ Reed asks, sitting down in one of the chairs and looking at me. ―Does that mean you didn‘t think it was funny?‖ ―Not necessarily.‖ I sit down sideways in the seat across from him, letting my legs dangle into the aisle. He does the same. He‘s wearing dress shoes, shiny and black. ―Are those your bond breaking shoes?‖ I ask. ―You don‘t like them?‖ He raises his eyebrows, like he can‘t believe it. But I can tell he‘s teasing me. ―They make you seem like you‘re trying too hard.‖ ―Trying too hard to what?‖ ―To seem like you‘re in control.‖ I raise my eyes to meet his, and I keep his gaze, even when it‘s boring into me so hard that all I want to do is look away. ―You can tell that from my shoes?‖ I shrug. ―You can tell a lot about a person from what they‘re wearing.‖ He nods, like he can accept this. ―So you don‘t think I‘m in control?‖ ―I think you want people to think you‘re in control,‖ I say, ―But you‘re not. Or at least, you don‘t think you are. Not completely anyway.‖ ―If I‘m not in control,‖ he says, tilting his head. ―Then who is?‖ His tone is still teasing, but I answer the question in a serious way. ―Me.‖ He doesn‘t deny it. He just turns and looks at the stage. He‘s quiet for a long moment, and when he final y speaks he says, ―The bond-breaking spell is dangerous. I want to be honest with you about that. But I also don‘t want you to worry.‖ ―How dangerous?‖ I ask, and my stomach twists. ―Do you trust me?‖ ―I hardly know you.‖ ―But you know I‘m on your side.‖ ―You tried to kill Cam once,‖ I say, ―Why wouldn‘t you do it again?‖ ―Because we need him,‖ he says simply. ―Or rather, we need the two of you.‖ ―The two of us?‖

―Once the bond with him and Raine is broken,‖ Reed says, ―Then your bond with Cam will grow. And the power will be squarely on our side.‖ ―The power to do what?‖ I ask. He turns to me, and looks right into my eyes. And then he grins. ―Come on,‖ he says, ―Let me show you more of the compound.‖ I have a feeling there‘s more to the story. Of course there is. But for some reason, he doesn‘t want to tell me what our power will enable us to do. At least not yet. And I know that if I push it, he‘ll shut down. So I stand up and fol ow him back through the woods, back toward the town hall . But this time, when we pass the group of teenagers that‘s gathered on the porch of one of the cottages, Reed stops. ―Hey, guys,‖ he says, giving them a grin. The group immediately stops what they‘re doing and stands up, looking at us in awe. ―This is Natalia,‖ he says. Instantly, one of the girls rushes over to me, skipping down the porch steps. ―Your highness,‖ she says, and curtsies. I look at Reed, but he just smiles. ―Um, hi,‖ I try. ―Have you come to watch us practice?‖ the girl asks, sounding excited. ―We‘re working on moving matchboxes using just our thoughts.‖ Her eyes are eager, and I don‘t want to be rude, but the last thing I want to do is watch some random stranger practice spells. I need to get back to Cam. ―No,‖ I say, ―I‘m sorry, but I can‘t stay. I – ‖ Suddenly, Reed‘s walkie talkie crackles, and he excuses himself and walks a few feet away, talking into it in a low voice. ―Please,‖ the girl says, her eyes still shining. ―We‘ve been working so hard.‖ She gestures toward her friends on the porch, who are al just staring at me in awe. ―I‘d like to,‖ I say, trying to sound kind. ―But there‘s something going on right now that I need to be involved in.‖ She nods. ―The bond breaking ceremony. We understand.‖ Her voice is quiet and serious. Reed walks back over to us. ―Everything okay?‖ I ask him. ―Yes, yes,‖ he says, ―They just need me at the clearing for a moment, question about the ceremony.‖ He rolls his eyes, like he can‘t believe the incompetence he has to deal with. ―Okay,‖ I say, turning back toward the path. ―Let‘s go.‖ ―Oh, no, no,‖ he says, ―It will be boring for you. You stay here and watch Danata and her friends practice. I‘ll be back in just a few minutes.‖ He‘s trying to sound casual, but something about the way he‘s acting, the tone of his voice, the way his eyes are moving, makes me think that he‘s lying. But I can‘t call him out or let him know I‘m suspicious. ―Okay,‖ I say, shrugging like I don‘t care. As soon as he‘s gone, and as soon as I can make up an excuse to get away from Danata and her friends, I‘ll hightail it back to the town hall to make sure Cam‘s okay. ―Come on,‖ Danata says, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the cottage. ―You have to see.‖

So I give Reed a wave, paste a smile on my face, and then I fol ow her.

Chapter Four Campbell There‘s some kind of commotion going on outside our room, in the hall way. Raised voices. Arguing. Raine and I stop talking. ―Someone‘s upset,‖ she says, then walks to the door and puts an ear against it. ―Can you tell what they‘re fighting about?‖ I ask, moving closer and getting ready to press my ear against the door, too. Raine shakes her head. ―No. But I could swear I know who‘s talking. It‘s --‖ Suddenly the door bursts open and Hadley strides in, fol owed by a bewildered looking guy. Actual y, he‘s more of a kid, tall and thin with a bowl haircut and a smattering of red acne across his cheeks. ―You‘re not supposed to be in here,‖ the kid is saying, trying to sound forceful, but coming across more nervous than anything. His eyes dart around the room. Raine‘s eyes narrow. ―You fucking bitch,‖ she says to Hadley. Hadley glances at her, dismisses her, and then turns to me. ―You‘re both in danger.‖ ―No shit,‖ I say. ―Tel us something we don‘t know.‖ The kid runs a hand through his tangled hair. ―Please,‖ he says, and it‘s almost a whine. ―I‘m going to get in huge trouble if you don‘t get out of here, Hadley.‖ ―The two of you should be kept as far away from each other as possible,‖ Hadley says, pushing me to the other side of the room. ―The closer your bond becomes, the more dangerous this ceremony will be for the two of you.‖ I look at Raine to see if this is true. But Raine looks uncertain. ―Then why would they have put us in this room together?‖ I ask. ―It‘s Reed,‖ Hadley says, as if that should be enough to explain everything. The kid takes a walkie talkie out of his hip holster and puts it to his ear. ―Oh, man, this is real y messed up,‖ he says. ―I gotta call this in.‖ Hadley closes her eyes, then puts her hand up and the walkie talkie flies across the room and shatters against the wall . ―You can‘t do that—― the dorky kid starts. Hadley glares at him. ―Go take a nap, Steve.‖ ―You can‘t – ‖ But he trails off, then grins, almost like he‘s embarrassed. He walks to the bed and flops down. A second later he‘s snoring like Rip Van Winkle. ―Since when do you want to help me, Hadley?‖ Raine asks. ―Why should we trust you?‖ Hadley sighs. ―I don‘t have time to explain. I‘ve got an escape route, and we need to get both of you out of here before it‘s too late.‖ I fold my arms. ―What about Natalia?‖ ―Natalia‘s safe. Reed doesn‘t want to hurt her…at least, I don‘t think he does.‖ But now Hadley seems just a little uncertain, too. She glances over her shoulder toward

the empty hall way again. ―If we‘re going to get the two of you out of here, we have to go. It‘s now or never.‖ I‘m not certain it‘s the right thing. I don‘t want to leave Natalia. I don‘t know if I can trust Hadley, and I know I can‘t trust Reed. But I also know I don‘t want to stay in this room. And if I can find Natalia, maybe we can BOTH get the fuck out of here. So final y, I sigh, and then nod. And after a second, Raine does, too. The three of us move into the corridor. Hadley starts walking quickly to the left, leading us, her head held high. ―I‘m going to pretend to be escorting you both to the ceremony, so play along,‖ she says, picking up her pace. We round a turn and then see a few women coming toward us. They‘re older than us by a few years, dressed in long green robes. ―Hadley?‖ one of them asks, looking at us curiously. ―What are you doing?‖ Hadley keeps walking. ―I have orders from Reed to bring these two to the clearing for the bond breaking ceremony.‖ ―Shouldn‘t there be more guards?‖ one of the other women asks, concerned. Hadley just laughs. ―I can handle these two, Sara. Trust me.‖ The women turn and watch us as we pass them. We round yet another corner and now Hadley real y picks up the pace. ―I‘m not sure they bought it,‖ she says, ―Come on. Faster.‖ Soon we‘re actual y jogging, our footsteps echoing off the polished marble floors. We come to a doorway and there‘s a keypad next to it. Hadley presses a few buttons, and the door opens to the outside. ―Hurry, hurry,‖ she says, like she can feel they‘re coming after us. And to be honest, I think I can sense it, too. Once outside, we‘re on a narrow trail that circles the compound. Hadley looks both ways. ―We‘ll fol ow this path for about fifty feet and then both of you will break in opposite directions through the woods,‖ she instructs. ―Why?‖ I ask. Raine rolls her eyes. ―Because you and I need to be apart. Remember?‖ ―But what about our bond, Hadley? We need this ceremony to break it or…‖ I‘m not even sure what happens if they don‘t break the bond between me and Raine. ―They don‘t have any intention of real y conducting that ceremony,‖ Hadley says. ―I thought they did but I was obviously wrong. It‘s all for show. Reed wants Natalia for himself.‖ A stab of anger burns through my chest. Almost like what I feel towards Brody, but multiplied by about a million. At least Brody can be okay sometimes. Reed is just a scumbag trying to take advantage of Natalia. ―Keep going,‖ Hadley whispers. Her eyes are huge. ―They‘ll kill me if they find out what I‘m doing, and that‘s not an exaggeration.‖ We start running down the trail again. Hadley spots someone in the distance, and then, suddenly, she breaks for the forest. ―Come on!‖ she cries. Raine darts into the underbrush and so do I. We‘re running through thick leaves, and tree branches are scratching my face. I‘m losing sight of Hadley and Raine. I can still hear them running, but the sounds are getting fainter with each passing second. And now I hear something else. First, voices yelling.

And then, some kind of siren or alarm. It‘s like a horn going full blast. I run faster. It‘s just me now, sprinting through the forest, trees blurring as I weave in and out of them. But I can feel my pursuers. They‘re gaining on me. I know it. What about Natalia? I have to find her. Eventual y, I break through the trees and onto another trail, and Hadley is there, waiting for me. ―Your car is just down the road, over the hill ,‖ she says, breathing heavily. ―Go. Now.‖ She thrusts my car keys into my hand. ―Did Raine make it?‖ I ask. ―Don‘t worry about her. Just get out of here.‖ She turns and starts to run. I look toward the hill . My car should be there, right on the other side. The sound of the siren is fainter now, and I don‘t hear any yelling. But Natalia is back there, too. I can see her face so clearly. I can feel her nearness, hear her voice and her laughter. You can‘t do this. You can‘t go back there. It‘s true. I‘d have to be a fool to go back. My physical strength is nothing compared to their magic. I‘m not strong enough to protect Natalia, or to stop Reed from hurting her if that‘s what he wants to do. But I can‘t leave Natalia there alone, either. Because I love her. It‘s the first time I‘ve al owed myself to think the words. And I I‘d like to be able to say them out loud to her before…before whatever‘s going to happen, happens. I turn around and head back into the woods. I might not be able to save Natalia, but I can‘t just leave her here. I have to do something. I feel icy calm. In my heart, I know I‘m doing the right thing. But when I crest the hill , I see him. Reed. Hadley‘s on the ground at his feet, sprawled out, looking stunned. Reed‘s eyes glitter, and a strange smile spreads across his face when he sees me coming. ―You idiot!‖ he shouts. ―Who do you think you are, trying to escape?‖ Quickly, I step behind an enormous tree. If he catches my eyes he might try and control me, make me come to him. I start scanning the forest. There‘s a dense patch of brush just a few feet from me, and if I can make it there in time, he MIGHT not be able to fol ow me through it. But just as I‘m about to make a run for it, I hear a tremendous cracking sound, and the tree I‘m hiding behind rips from the ground, roots and al . I‘ve never seen anything like it. The tree soars overhead and lands at least twenty yards away with a crash. I‘m completely exposed and Reed‘s laughing at me now. He whispers some word I‘ve never heard, and before I know what‘s happening, I‘m flying off the ground and through the air. My arms pinwheel as I careen towards him. His hand reaches out grabs me, and pulling me out of the air like a wide receiver catching a pass. He shakes me back and forth as if I weigh twenty pounds instead of two hundred. ―I should kill you!‖ he screams.

He sets me on the ground, then pulls me toward him so that his face is pressing against mine, his breath hot against my cheek. ―You should have kept running, little boy, you real y should have kept going once you started. If you‘d gotten away I might have let you crawl under a rock and live out the rest of your pathetic life in obscurity.‖ ―Calm down, Reed,‖ I say, my voice surprisingly composed. He drops me like a sack of potatoes and then laughs uproariously, as if I just told him the best joke of all time. Hadley is sitting up now, shaking her head, still clearly dazed. ―What did you do to her?‖ I say, kneeling and looking into her eyes. ―I‘m fine,‖ she says, shaking her head. She looks at me. ―Why did you come back?‖ ―Nat,‖ I say. ―I can‘t leave her.‖ Reed guffaws. ―Oh, how cute. How real y fucking cute. As if she needs you to save her. From what exactly? Ruling her kingdom? You think she‘d prefer to come back and hang out with you in Santa Anna?‖ ―I know she doesn‘t want you,‖ I say. I stand up and offer Hadley my hand. She takes it and I help her to her feet. Reed smirks. ―We‘ll see about that, Campbell . We‘ll see about that.‖ ―Fuck you.‖ ―Wow, more words of wisdom from the articulate Campbell El iot. It‘s going to be a pleasure to watch you suffer at the bond breaking ceremony.‖ ―God, you‘re a dick,‖ I say, shaking my head. A moment later we‘re surrounded by guards. Probably ten or twelve of them at least. ―Bring him to the clearing for the ceremony and don‘t let him out of your sight,‖ Reed tell s them. ―If he says a word, you have my permission to beat him senseless.‖ *** They found Raine too, of course. Not long after my encounter with Reed, I see them dragging her along, same as me. It seems like we never real y had a chance. They take us both to a clearing in the middle of the forest. The light pours in through the trees giving the place a glowing, eerie look, like something out of a horror movie. The air is damp and slightly misty. We‘re at one of those old fashioned theatres they showed us in pictures at school. What was it called? An amphitheater. Where people do Shakespeare and that kind of shit. They‘ve stripped my shirt off and handcuffed me to Raine, parking us in a small area behind the stage. They‘re not allowing us to speak to one another. When Raine tried to say something to me, one of the soldiers slapped her. Hard. There‘s still a group of people guarding us, although less than before. Some of them have gone off to do another job. The soldiers haven‘t said anything to me, but I recognize the guy that I punched last night.

His bruises have mostly healed, but he‘s still got a decent shiner on his right eye. ―You al don‘t talk much, do you?‖ I say. He stares ahead. ―Still a little banged up, huh?‖ I smile at him. ―Don‘t be mad. So you got your ass kicked, there‘s no shame in that.‖ He starts to take a step toward me, but one of the older guards stops him. ―Don‘t.‖ ―Reed said we could beat him senseless if he opened his stupid mouth,‖ the first solder says. ―Can‘t you see he‘s trying to bait you?‖ the second one says. ―Don‘t worry, you‘ll get a chance to see him suffer plenty during the ceremony.‖ The first soldier shakes his head, but takes a step back. The older guard looks at me, then bends down and whispers in my ear. ―Listen,‖ he says, ―if I were you I‘d keep my mouth shut. Maybe do some praying or something. I saw one of these bond-breaking ceremonies about twenty years ago, and I‘ll never forget it. I‘ve seen some terrible things in my life, but I wouldn‘t wish that on my worst enemy.‖ I open my mouth to say something smart, but then I realize he isn‘t trying to scare me. He‘s serious. I keep my mouth shut. I can hear people filtering into the amphitheater and starting to take their seats. ―Cam?‖ Raine whispers. ―Yeah?‖ ―If things don‘t…work out…I just want you to know I‘m sorry for all the trouble I caused,‖ she says. ―Apology accepted,‖ I say, and mean it. We‘re quiet after that. There‘s real y nothing left to say. The ceremony is starting.

Chapter Five Natalia I‘m still on the porch of the cottage with the younger witches when the alarm starts going off. The witches are trying to show me how they can make the wind gather and move through the bushes, rustling the leaves. ―See?‖ Danata‘s saying proudly. ―My wind is very strong.‖ ―That‘s great,‖ I say, and give her a smile. She smiles back at me, seemingly happy that I‘ve shown her some attention. And that‘s when the alarms start to sound. Instantly, the vibe on the porch changes. Just a second ago, everyone was chattering excitedly, trying to show off for me, and now, they all look at each other, panic on their faces. ―What?‖ I ask, my heart already starting to pound. ―What does that mean?‖ ―It‘s probably just a false alarm,‖ Danata says. But she doesn‘t sound sure. I think of

Cam. And how he‘s with Raine. And how Reed made me stay here with these people, while he went off to take care of something. And then, before I can even think about what I‘m doing, I‘m running through the woods, back toward the town hall . Danata‘s calling after me, but I ignore her. Branches are cracking under my feet and whipping at my face, and I can feel them scratching my skin and grabbing at my hair. Still , I push through the trees, faster and faster, feeling in my heart that Cam‘s in danger. I try to fol ow the path as best as I can, but I don‘t know exactly where the town hall is from here, and so I don‘t know exactly where it is I‘m going. I‘m getting al turned around. I can hear voices in the distance, shouting. It‘s probably guards. I wonder if they‘re looking for Cam. I wonder if they found me wandering around out here what they would do. For the millionth time since this whole thing started, I have no idea what to do or who to trust, and I have to bite my lip to keep from screaming. I bite so hard I can taste blood. The bitterness fills my mouth, but I keep moving, mostly because I don‘t know what else to do. I‘m completely disoriented. And then I hear the crackle of a guard‘s walkie talkie. The sound is very close, and so I quickly duck behind a bush. I crouch down, watching through the leaves, as two guards circle through the grass in front of me. They seem to be looking for someone. I hear a voice come through the walkie talkie, a voice that says not to worry, that Campbell and Raine have been apprehended. Which means they must have tried to escape. But why? Why would they leave that room? Something must have gone wrong, something bad that made them want to leave. But what? I watch as the guards high five each other and then start to move through the woods. I get up from my hiding spot, and trail them until we‘re back on the path. I fol ow them, keeping my distance, until final y, off to the right, I can see the amphitheater in the distance. I slip behind a tree and wait until the guards are out of sight, then head toward the entrance. The theatre is starting to fill with people, and everyone‘s mil ing about, wandering through the aisles and chatting with each other as they find their seats. No one seems nervous. In fact, they look like they‘re about to watch a movie or something, very relaxed and calm. My lip is still bleeding where I bit it, and my tongue flicks out and licks the blood. I don‘t know what to do. If Cam and Raine have been apprehended, and people are arriving, they must be getting ready to start the bond breaking ceremony. I walk to the front of the theatre, but before I can go inside, someone steps in front of me. Reed. ―Where the hell have you been?― His eyes are dark, and he‘s not even pretending to be friendly. ―What do you mean?‖ I ask, deciding to play innocent. I paste a confused look on my face. ―I mean,‖ he says, ―that I came back to find you, and Danata said you‘d run off. Where were you going?‖ My heart is beating so hard that I‘m afraid he‘ll be able to hear it. But I force myself to look him in the eye. ―The alarms started going off,‖ I say, shrugging, ―and I got scared. So I tried to find you, but I got al turned around. I was walking for

what seemed like forever, and then I final y found my way back here.‖ He searches my face, and I can tell he‘s looking for signs that I‘m lying. You believe me, I think, you believe what I told you. It‘s risky. If it doesn‘t work, he‘ll know I‘m trying to control him. But after a second, he nods. His eyes are still bright and alert, though, and I get the feeling that he‘s decided I was tell ing the truth al on his own, not that I was able to control him. ―What happened to your lip?‖ he asks. He reaches out and tilts my chin up. ―I scratched it on a branch,‖ I say. ―You need to be more careful.‖ ―Well , you shouldn‘t have left me,‖ I say, putting a fake pout on my face. ―I‘m here now,‖ he says, smiling. ―Do you want to watch the ceremony?‖ He seems like he wants me to say no. But there‘s no way I‘m going to let Cam go through something like that without me being there. Especial y since I know he tried to escape, and might be in danger. ―Yes, I want to watch. Can I talk to Cam before we start?‖ I ask, trying to act like it‘s no big deal. ―Campbell ‘s already being prepared,‖ Reed says, shaking his head sadly, like it‘s too bad I didn‘t ask just a little sooner. ―Okay,‖ I say, shrugging. ―Where do we watch from?‖ ―Backstage, of course,‖ Reed says. We step into the theatre. *** There are oversized cream-colored chairs set up backstage, in a special area that‘s roped off and private. They‘re bigger, comfier versions of the ones that are out there for the masses. I guess being a queen has some perks. ―Do you want something to drink?‖ Reed asks. ―I‘d love a water,‖ I say. ―Water?‖ Reed asks. ―Come on, you can do better than that.‖ He reaches into a brown leather cooler next to my chair and pulls out a bottle filled with a sparkling pink liquid. He pours some of it into a champagne glass and sets it down on the small table in between us. I reach into the cooler and pull out a bottle of water, making sure I check the seal on it before opening it and taking a sip. ―Oh, so it‘s like that?‖ he says, and grins. ―That‘s okay, I wouldn‘t trust me either if I were you.‖ He takes a sip of the pink drink, as if to prove he wasn‘t trying to poison me. ―It has nothing to do with trusting you,‖ I lie. ―I just wanted water.‖ ―Are you going to be okay back here by yourself?‖ he asks. I nod. Although I‘m not real y on my own. There are two guards standing behind us, still as statues, looking straight ahead. ―Natalia,‖ he says. He sets his drink down on the table, and then reaches over and takes the bottle of water out of my hand and sets it down next to it. Then he takes my hands in his. ―I need to prepare you for what you‘re about to see.‖ ―Prepare me?‖ ―Some of it might be disturbing,‖ he says. ―Cam and Raine might be in discomfort, and I

need to make sure you feel like that‘s something you can handle.‖ I‘m smart enough to realize that by discomfort, he means pain. ―I can handle it,‖ I lie. The thought of seeing Cam in pain makes my stomach clench. ―Good.‖ Reed smiles. ―I have a lot to do,‖ he says, ―So I‘ll meet up with you after the ceremony?‖ ―Yes.‖ I nod. Behind me, the soldiers are still staring straight ahead. Reed leaves and I sit there for a second, trying to calm myself down. And then, suddenly, the lights in the theatre pop on. The curtains are still pulled shut, though, and then, from the other side of the platform, two soldiers begin leading Raine and Cam to the middle of the stage. They‘re handcuffed together. Something about all of this — the audience, the theatre, Cam and Raine tied together — is just wrong. A horrible sensation of dread rolls through me, twisting my stomach so hard that I gasp. They leave Cam and Raine alone on the stage for a long moment. Raine‘s head is bowed, as if she‘s already given up. Her hair hangs over her face. Cam is sneering out toward the audience, his bare chest covered with a sheen of sweat. I think about calling out to him, but before I can decide what the guards would do to me if I did, the curtains open. There‘s a low murmur from the crowd. I look out and see dozens of foreign faces, watching the drama attentively, like it‘s nothing more than a play. Some of them are even smiling. Suddenly Reed strides onto the stage, chest puffed out, his eyes somehow smiling even as he pretends to be serious and intent. ―Welcome,‖ he says, ―Friends, I ask that you give this ceremony your most sincere and undivided attention. Your participation is key to the success of this spell that I am about to cast.‖ Cam cranes his head to watch Reed as he talks. ―Liar!‖ he screams. Uneasy laughter ripples through the crowd. Reed smiles, but it‘s a tight-lipped, humorless grin. ―You must forgive young Campbell . He‘s confused and frightened, and Raine Marsden has further confused him with her lies and manipulations. Hopeful y he will be healed by our ceremony tonight.‖ ―Fuck you!‖ Cam yells. Reed turns to him. ―Be silent, Campbell . Let us help you.‖ And just like that, Cam stops speaking. I wish he‘d say something else. Anything. But now he‘s quiet. Look at me, Cam, I think. Just look at me. Please. But his eyes are closed now. ―This ceremony, as some of you know,‖ Reed continues, ―is very delicate. Dangerous even. We are trying to break the bond of heart and blood that the witch Raine Marsden cast on Campbell El iot in order to gain power over our clan and the world.‖ Reed moves easily and graceful y to the front of the stage. He‘s better than a politician, better than a celebrity even. The whole audience is rapt. ―When the ceremony begins in just a moment, I will be using all of my energy and power to break this bond. And I will need all of you to focus your minds on the same. When I speak the

words aloud, please repeat them in your minds. And al ow the energy of our clan to build and build. Do not pay attention to any distractions that might come your way. It will not be easy. But please block out all sounds and sights that might come to you. And when the time is right, I will strike the blow that forever breaks this unclean bond.‖ The air itself feels suddenly alive, cold, like an electric current is shooting through the arena. I‘ve never felt anything like it. Reed raises his arms to the heavens and closes his eyes. He begins to say words that I‘ve never heard before. Some strange, horrible language that makes my stomach knot and twist. The audience is al in some sort of trance as he speaks. I can feel the anticipation building, and the air is thickening. Something is coming. In my mind, I see it as a tidal wave building in the ocean, heading towards shore, ready to demolish everything in its sight. A terrible, awful wave that will bring only horror and misfortune. Reed is still speaking, his voice louder now, even more commanding. I cover my ears as a splitting headache pounds across my forehead, behind my eyes. The world doubles, triples, and tears pour down my face. And then I hear Raine scream, a blood curdling sound that raises the hair on the back of my neck. My eyes snap open and I see her shuddering, almost as if she‘s dancing like some kind puppet. Her eyes are staring out at nothing, but her expression is awful. Horrible, like she‘s being tortured from the inside out. Her mouth breaks into a terrible grimace and she shrieks yet again. Next to her, Cam‘s face is pouring sweat and his face is agonized. But he‘s still , not moving, even though every muscle stands out in his body, as if he‘s somehow fighting with every fiber of his being. I stand up, intending to fling myself at Reed, stop him from hurting Cam further. But before I can do anything, a hand comes from behind me and rips my butterfly necklace off my neck. And then, suddenly, I‘m surrounded by guards. ―Sorry, your highness, but we‘ve got orders to keep you safe.‖ Raine screams again and again and I try to fight through the guards but it‘s no use. And now I know for sure that Reed is going to kill them both. Don’t Miss The Witches of Santa Anna #13, Coming August 2011….. Table of Contents Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four

Chapter Five