The Realms [Watty 2017 Shortlist]

Hold Tight - Part 37

I wake to the sound of crying and I immediately sit up in the bed, disoriented for a brief moment. I whisper "Light" and marvel that I can achieve a faint glow over the watch. I was upstairs talking to Ryan and then sleeping for almost four hours. That means I have four hours left before we're all sent packing off the realm and Grayson continues his reign of chaos. I get out of the bed as quietly as I can and tiptoe to the edge of the stairs which overlook the main kitchen and living room. Down below, sitting at the kitchen table is Ryan's mother and another woman I don't recognize. "Violet?" I call softly.

She quickly wipes away her tears and takes a deep shaky breath before turning to face me. "Hannah, you're awake. I was just about to get you." She gestures towards the woman across the table, "This is Maizie's mother, Odette."

I hurry down the stairs, over to Odette and embrace her as she rises. "I saw Maizie a few hours ago; she was trapped in the huts. Are you looking for her?" I turn to Violet. "Is that why you were crying?"

Violet gazes from me to Odette and says, "See, I told you not to worry."

I feel uncertain and I look from one woman to another, trying to gauge what's actually going on. I send out a mental probe to both of them, but they are locked down. These two women in this room doesn't feel right to me. Something shifts into place and the mental clouds disperse. "Wait, you two know each other?" I put a hand to my forehead, trying to keep my thoughts clear. "I think I just assumed..." A headache is coming on, but those only happen on the Second Realm. I wonder whether my Second Realm body is already sensing that time is winding down on this realm.

"That we weren't acquainted?" Odette's voice is flat, her face blank.

I try again to get into Odette's thoughts to see whether Violet knows about Maizie, but she's blocking me. I'm conflicted about whether to say more and risk revealing something that might be a secret. Sensing my unease, Odette says wryly, "She's aware of Maizie's rather dubious parentage, if that's what you're wondering."

"Oh." I look at them both, feeling out of the loop once again.

"Our children were actually birthed at the same time, hence the loophole in the only one child policy. They might as well be twins." Violet's eyes still look watery, but her voice is stronger than before. "It's also how my husband managed to get rid of both his parents at the same time with the strict population controls. No role model for him, no guidance. Disaster was inevitable."

I sit at the table and wish that one of them would let me in. It's as though they are having a conversation I'm not privy to and I don't like it. There's more going on in this house than I understand and it makes me very uneasy. "Violet, we don't have much time. Is Ryan coming back here or are we meeting him at the house?"

Odette gives Violet a sharp look and then turns to me. "We have to collect Maizie before we go to the house."

"Maizie's trapped -- Grayson trapped her; I think she's stuck there until he's gone."

"It's critical that my daughter is present." Odette looks at Violet expectantly. "You know that, Violet."

She inclines her head in acknowledgement. What am I missing? "Ryan isn't bound to Maizie anymore, or at least I don't think he is."

Odette sighs and ignores me. "Violet?"

"Hannah, the binding didn't have anything to do with what's happening right now. The binding is for what's going to happen later."

"So he can't follow me?"

Her smile is sad. "So he can't follow anyone. She binds him to this realm and we need to make sure she's protected. He altered the bracelet; he had to for what needed to be done, but some bonds can't be broken." She reaches over and tucks a loose strand of my dark blond hair behind my ear. There is such sadness in her loving gesture that my heart contracts in my chest. "If the rebels get her before we can, this whole plan might be for nothing. Grayson can't kill her, but others can."

I take a deep breath, trying to keep my mind off what'll come later and try to focus on right now. "Can you take us there?"

"Yes, I can. But, once we get there, I'm going to need to channel some energy through you to break the spell."

"Through me? But, I don't have any special powers or anything. I was a Siren before and I'm just a Second Realm girl now..."

One corner of Violet's mouth tilts up; as thought she's privately amused. "I used to think those things about you before, too. But, now I know better. You're just going to need to trust me and trust Odette. We can unbind Maizie from the hut, but we need you."

I check my watch and my heart thunders at the time that is ticking away. "I'll trust you. What choice do I have at this point?"

Violet grabs my hand and I join hands with Odette. She takes a deep, steadying breath and then says, "Hold tight, ladies, it's about to get bumpy."

We're enveloped in darkness and it's like we're riding a roller coaster in the dark. It's exhilarating and scary all at the same time and I cling to Odette and Violet's hands. I don't realize I've closed my eyes until I hear Violet say, "You can open your eyes now, Hannah." I check my watch and am stunned that we traveled such a long distance in just thirty minutes. We're down to almost three hours and we have to unbind Maizie and make it back to the house before the final buzzer sounds on this realm. I still don't know if this enchanted knife will make its way into my hand at the right time. Fear claws at my belly; all of this could still be for naught.