Chapter 12
“What was decided?” I walked out of the townhouse to find Melo, Pereira, Basra, and Eaie waiting for me.
“Nothing.” I replied.
“Nothing?” Eaie asked.
“Nothing.” I shrugged. “Grannie Fitcher decided Cricket’s presence was unnecessary.”
“She would.” Melo chuckled.
“Cricket’s going to go find somewhere to stay.” I sighed.
“You’re not staying at Bann’s anymore?” Pereira asked.
“Cricket can’t. She can’t be near Ellery anymore.” I said. “Not with him being such an ass.”
“He is that, if nothing else.” Melo said.
“Melo!” Pereira shoved her little sister. “Be nice.”
“But, it’s true!” Melo whined.
“Don’t worry, Crickie, we’ll find you somewhere to stay.” Eaie promised.
“Go visit Mikal and Deni.” Basra ordered me. “They will be worried about their Auntie Crickie.”
“That’s true!” Eaie started shoving me in the direction of Bann’s house. “Go see your nephews!”
“But Ellery and Cricket are no longer married.” I protested.
“Who cares?” Pereira shooed me away. “
They surely don’t.” I walked slowly up the mountain, wondering what I was going to do about everything. How was I going to be able to keep my family alive?
“Auntie!” Mikal and Deni sat on the porch, staring down the mountain. They leapt up and ran to me, throwing themselves into my arms and hugging me happily.
“Boys!” Rivaini stepped onto the porch and sighing in relief when she saw me. “I assume they decided to keep you around.”
“Nothing was decided.” I said. “Janjua got angry when Cricket pointed out why he wanted her dead.”
“Oh, Grannie Fitcher didn’t like that, did she?” Rivaini laughed.
“Not at all.”
“Auntie Crickie!” Mikal whined when I stopped paying attention to him.
“What did Mikal and Deni do?” I asked.
“Mikal kicked me.” Deni mumbled.
“Did not!” Mikal snapped.
“Did too.”
“He’s lying, Auntie!”
“I was there.” Rivaini said.
“Tattle tale.” Mikal shoved Deni.
“Enough of that.” I pushed the brothers apart and knelt between them.
“Please apologize, Mikal.” Rivaini ordered gently.
“Sorry, Deni.” My nephew muttered, peering at his brother from over my shoulder.
“S’okay.” Deni mumbled from around his thumb.
“Can we play now?” Mikal whined.
“Yes, you can. Take care of Deni.” Rivaini said. “And stay away from the townhouse.”
“Yes, Mum!” Mikal started running off, down the mountain.
“Take Deni!” I called after him. Mikal turned right around and took Deni’s hand.
“Bye, Auntie Crickie!” Mikal tugged Deni along as they ran off to play.
“If his brother gets hurt, he’s grounded.” Rivaini said.
“Where are Ellery and Eliza?” I asked.
“They followed us here, but Ellery decided to go see if anything was salvageable from our house. He wanted to make us more comfortable, I guess.” Rivaini shrugged. “Or maybe he wanted to see if any of the boys’ toys were safe. They’ve been complaining.”
“And Eliza followed him.”
“Obviously.” Rivaini snorted. “The girl is like a magnet.” Rivaini left me alone on the porch, following her sons sedately. “I’m going to make sure they don’t get themselves hurt. We’re going to stop by the smithy for new horseshoes for Andri.” She called over her shoulder. I sat down on the porch and buried my face in my hands. I had thought I would get answers today. From the man who raised me, from the Elders, from
someone. But, I was still completely in the dark.
And Ellery was still hanging around Eliza. I didn’t let it show, because I couldn’t, but when Ellery kissed Eliza, my heart died a little. I couldn’t allow myself to become so attached to him, because I wasn’t going to be with him. I wouldn’t be allowed to be with him. Bann Serannas was only so powerful, and he wouldn’t go against the wishes of his son, no matter what he promised me. I couldn’t help it though. I was addicted to his presence, even though it was painful to watch him with Eliza.
“Stop it.” I ordered myself. It was difficult to tear my thoughts away from my estranged ex-husband, and I hated myself for it. I don’t know how long I sat on the porch, trying to ignore Ellery and only thinking about him more, but it seemed like forever. I decided that I wasn’t going to deal with him anymore. I would have to go back to avoiding him at all costs. I would not talk to him or look at him or be near him. I wouldn’t be able to handle more heartbreak. If I didn’t let him go now –
“Cricket?” I stood very slowly, refusing to acknowledge Ellery. He walked into my sight. I stared at him and he stared back, trying to find words. His golden eyes were conflicted, unsure of what would soothe my emotions or rile them up.
“Where’s Eliza?” I asked. Ellery opened his mouth, but hesitated. He frowned and looked away.
“She was taken. By the Rogues.” He said.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because she was with me and they thought she was you.”
I screamed as my body flailed. I pushed myself out of the dirt and looked around wildly. No one was in sight. Eliza was kidnapped by the Rogues. But Ellery… He wouldn’t have gotten away if Eliza was hanging off him the way she had been. He was taken, too. I was sprinting before I knew where I was going. I had to get a horse. Preferably Xiu. But he was with Bann. I was told that a new rumor about me was that I enchanted animals and made them obey my every whim.
“Cricket!” I slid to a stop before Bann, who was walking Xiu up the mountain, probably going back to his house.
“Where’s Ellery?” I asked.
“He was at Iain’s house.” Bann said, looking confused and worried. I took the reins from him and leapt on Xiu, urging him into a canter. Bann yelled after me, but I didn’t have time to explain. They would kill Eliza simply for not being me and Ellery would die from trying to protect her. Xiu raced across the village in record time and when Iain’s house came into view, I felt panic emerge in my chest. Resa was nowhere to be found. Ellery wouldn’t just leave Resa hanging about and Iain would have noticed if Resa was wandering with no owner. But… Iain wasn’t at home. Rivaini and the children were at the smithy; I recalled seeing them as I raced by. A sharp shriek had me urging Xiu forward, through the trees.
“Let go of her!” I heard Ellery’s shout five minutes of heavy riding later. I didn’t think of a plan. I didn’t think of anything. I just had to get to Ellery. I had to make sure he was all right. When Xiu burst into a clearing, I regretted not thinking. A small army of Rogues had a hysterical Eliza and a furious Ellery tied up. Every set of eyes turned to me, wide with surprise. Xiu reared and I focused my energy. Sparks filled my vision as my power flared, barely under my control. I shoved the sparks towards the large group and created a wall of sparkling lights between us. The Rogues flinched from the heat and light and I dropped from Xiu, next to Ellery. I burned his ropes and he grabbed my arm.
“Save her!” I snapped, shoving him at Eliza. I didn’t know what he was thinking, but the Rogues were starting to chant. I felt the majik flare into life around me and I struggled to keep them from harming Ellery or Eliza. It was building higher and higher and I wasn’t sure if I could stop them.
“Cricket! Let’s go!” Ellery shouted, tugging on my hand. I spun around and ripped my hand out of his grasp.
“Go!” I felt dizzy as the power overwhelmed my senses. I was suffocating in the majik. I didn’t know what their goal was, but I wasn’t going to let them hurt Ellery or Eliza. Eliza was already on Xiu’s back and Ellery was waiting to shove me up there with her. There was no way Xiu could carry three people at the speed required to escape from the Rogues, especially with having sprinted across the entire village. Sharp pain stabbed my senses and a cry was torn from my lips. I shoved back at the power, desperately grasping at the limited control I had. My sparks were flying everywhere and a wall of blue majik hit my sparks, trying to force them back. I felt like I had been stabbed in the gut.
“Cricket!” Ellery pulled me to my feet and I glared at him, breathing heavily.
“Save her.” I growled.
“We’re all going to get out of this!” Ellery insisted, tugging on me.
“We can’t all fit on him.” I didn’t know where the sudden calm came from. Probably from the agonizing pain. The blue wall shoved forwards a foot and I screamed, collapsing again. Ellery pulled me upright again.
“We’re all getting out of this!” Ellery was begging me to come with him. Why did he care? He wasn’t faithful to me. His eyes widened when he saw my face, and I’m not sure what he saw. I knew my nose was bleeding. The coppery taste had already hit my lips. I took Ellery’s face in my hands, ignoring the bright sparks and the blue wall that fought against me. I stared into his golden eyes and the terror there was enough to inspire calm in my veins.
“If I don’t distract them, we’ll all die.” The words were effortless. I wasn’t even furious and they were easy to say. Ellery looked like his heart had been ripped out. I shoved him away from me. “Go!” The blue wall pushed forward another inch and the agony brought me to my knees. Arrows pierced through the blue wall, but my sparks burned them to a crisp before they could hit anything. I turned away from Ellery, hoping he’d listen to me.
“I love you.” Ellery’s voice tore at my heart and I could
hear his tears. I heard Xiu gallop off and relief flooded my senses. If I could hold the Rogues here… The blue wall fought against me and I felt the agony of their attack. Suddenly, I
knew. Something snapped in my brain and I
knew. Power flooded through me and I shoved back. I heard the screaming and I knew someone was dying as the blue wall was forced back four, five feet. I felt a smile tug at my lips as I shoved again and again, hearing the agonized, terrified screams of the Rogues.
So, I got four reviews (from three reviewers *coughNeuroticNekocough*) but decided to upload this chapter as a ChristmaHanaKwanzika present for EVERYBODY! Feel the love! Feel it, I say!
Anyways, special thanks to NeuroticNeko
, Neicey
, and NA_Zeno
! They’re amazing and I loves them. NeuroticNeko
– Don’t worry! I’m planning on uploading ALL the chapters. I know how frustrating it is to be reading something I love and then suddenly the author disappears off the face of the earth. Which is what I did to the readers of this story, sadly enough. Neicey
– Yeah, that bitch. She’s a little… um… messed up. You’ll get the whole story in the next chapter. But, I still like her more than Cricket’s “Da”. He never gets a name. I hate him too much. NA_Zeno
– Yeah… sooooo… He figured it out! He’s still dope, but he’s not quite so stupid anymore. He’s kind of funny next chapter. At least, I think he is. Anyways, everyone have a safe and happy winter holiday/break/whatever! I haven’t really decided when I’m going to update next, but let me know what you think of my story, any predictions/suggestions for the future, any suggestions as to when I update it in a review and I will take them into account! Who knows, I might even tweak/change the plot based on one of my lovely reviewers! Thank you, my lovelies! ~LP
