Life - Life & Death Book 1

Chapter 27 - Zivena

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I wake up the next morning to my phone buzzing on my bedside table. As I go to grab it, I accidentally knock it to the floor. The calling stops and starts up again. I groan. A girl needs her beauty sleep. Artemis's name flashes on my screen. I definitely can't ignore her.
"Hello," I croak.
"I need you to come down to Central Park. Zedek is here and wishes to discuss a few things with you and Mictain."
I groan again. "Have you called Mictain yet?"
"Yes, he's already here. Hurry up." Artemis hangs up on me. Here we go again.

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When I get outside, I almost slip over. I have a quick look around for people before melting some of the slush so I can run through without slipping again.
Even though the city is cold and miserable, there are still plenty of people out. It's only a few blocks to Fulton Street and I grab the subway. Half an hour later, I'm there.
Naked trees surround me as I enter Central Park and I slow my pace a little bit to enjoy the fresh air. Runners pass me as they try to burn off the holiday feasts.
As I clear the tennis courts, I see a wooden walking bridge and beyond that, a small team of Guardians. Artemis is pointing to the left of the bridge I'm walking over, Mictain and Zedek beside her.
"Hello, Zivena," Zedek greets me.
"Good morning," Mictain gives me a small smile. It doesn't quite reach his eyes.
"Morning," I say.
"Took your time, Zivena," Artemis says in way of greeting. She doesn't even look up at me.
"I was asleep!"
"It was seven thirty when I called. You should've been awake already."
I start to retort, but I remember where we are. It's not the right time.
"So, why do you need us?" I ask instead.
"I found something last night."
"What? You came back after what happened at the estate?"
Artemis shrugs. "I was restless and needed to take my mind off it."
I take the hint and don't push it. "What did you find?"
Artemis guides us over to the spot she'd pointed out before. "There seems to be some kind of wall here. Can you sense it?"
Mictain and I step forward. I focus on the space in front of me and search everywhere but come up with nothing.
There's a small intake of breath beside me. "I can definitely pick up some kind of energy," Mictain says. "But I'm not sure what it is."
"Zivena? Can you feel anything?" Artemis studies me.
This time I close my eyes and try harder. After a few minutes, and still nothing, I shake my head. "Nope. Nothing."
"Zedek?" Mictain asks. "You studied magic, could this be it?"
Zedek steps forward and frowns. "There's definitely a spell here. It's not very thick though. You'd need to walk through it to be affected."
Artemis is quiet for a moment, thinking. "Could it confuse someone that walks through? Make them forget about why they would head in that direction?"
"I don't see why not. I have heard about such spells being used for protection."
"What if it's not for protection but to throw us off? So we don't know which way they've headed?"
"Interesting idea," Zedek contemplates.
"So since there's a magic spell wall thing there, does that mean we're dealing with someone from the Seven Clans? A witch or warlock?" I ask.
Zedek nods. "That would be the most likely scenario. Or the killer has hired someone."
The three of them continue to stand there, contemplating the magical wall while I wait awkwardly. Not much I can do if I can't even sense the damn thing.
When it's been long enough, I clear my throat to get Zedek's attention. "Speaking of magic. I was wondering if you could answer a few of our questions now?"
"Oh, of course. Sorry, it slipped my mind. What did you need to know again? Something about souls?"
Mictain comes to stand beside me. "Is it possible for someone to rip a person's soul from a body? We think that's what's happening here." I gesture towards the markers where the bodies were found.
Zedek is quiet for a moment, a thoughtful look on his face. "The First Clan had been the most powerful. Because they were selective about who joined in the beginning they were able to grow exceptionally strong. That was their downfall though — they refused to let anyone weak in. They may have had that sort of power but I don't think anyone in the six remaining clans would."
"So we're no closer to finding out whose killing these people," Mictain states, his annoyance and frustration mirroring mine.
"I wish I could be of more help," Zedek shrugs. It gives me another idea though.
I quickly explain what Medea described from the attack, about the mist. "Have you read or seen anything like that?" I'm suddenly eager. Could that be magic?
Zedek is desperate as he looks to Mictain and then back at me. "I'm sorry, Zivena. I've never heard of such a power. That's beyond anything I've ever seen or read about and someone would've reported something that destructive."
Disappointment surges through me more forcefully than I expected. At every turn, we're beaten down. Every opportunity that might help us only digs our graves deeper.
"There's nothing else we need you for," Artemis says quietly. "Why not call Hod and see if he has anything?"
We both nod. Without a word, we head back over the wooden bridge. Mictain and I walk in silence for a little while.
"I'm sorry about last night," I murmur. "Jared can be extremely... jealous. I hope that doesn't make things more awkward between us."
Mictain glances at me before looking at his feet, his hands in his pockets. "You don't need to apologize. I know it was something you needed to do. I just need to accept that and move on."
I don't say anything else. What's there to say anyway?
We're halfway up the path when someone comes running up behind us. "Mictain! Zivena!" A Guardian halts when we turn around. "I'm sorry but Artemis needs you to come back. Something's happened." He runs back down the path, snow kicking up in the air as his boots grind the path.
My heart races as we run after him.
As we near the bridge, Artemis is storming towards us, yelling at someone on the phone. She passes us, barely noticing we're here. We follow after her as she clears a path through the joggers and tourists.
"What's going on?" Mictain murmurs. He's just as nervous as I am. I shake my head.
We reach the road, and there's already a black Jeep waiting for us. Artemis hangs her phone up before ripping the door open so hard it groans. Yikes. I don't think I've ever seen Artemis like this.
"Van Dyke Street. Go!" She growls at the driver. I'm almost too scared to ask her what's going on. Almost.
"What the hell happened, Artemis?"
"There was another attack. It was a pack in Brooklyn this time."
Shock ripples through the car.
"What?" Mictain gasps.
"Medea!" I grab my phone and dial Hod.
"She's fine. I'm heading over there to check myself." He hangs up.
At least she hasn't been discovered.
"Hod just mentioned a warehouse," I say to Artemis.
She nods, her dark hair bouncing. "The pack bought an old fire department warehouse. They've been occupying the space for a few months now."
The driver races through the city traffic. Before we know it, we're already on the Brooklyn Bridge overlooking the East River.
Industrial buildings flash past, the water peaking through the gaps. The sky had been so clear this morning and now it's overcast and snowing, the city barely visible through the haze.
The moment we turn on to Van Dyke Street there's an onslaught of police, reporters and Guardians. More warehouses, apartment buildings and cars line the streets around us as we climb out of the Jeep.
A few reporters train their cameras on us as we walk towards the pack's warehouse. As I step inside, death washes over me like a tsunami.
Couches, bean bags, tables and chairs fill the room. A bar and kitchen stand against one wall, a few glasses half full of juice and plates of food half eaten litter the tables. A pool table had been pushed onto its side, the balls scattered across the floor. Amongst the furniture are bodies.
"We need to put a sheet up over the door," someone shouts beside me. The loud voice cuts through the hopelessness that's building in me.
Someone else brushes past me, a white sheet in their arms. They pin it in place.
"Zivena?"
I turn to the familiar voice and find Mictain standing next to me, his eyes wavering with fright. "This is different from yesterday," I say, my voice small. "It wasn't so real."
"I know," his voice is as quiet as mine. I find myself stepping closer to him. I don't touch him. But it's a comfort nonetheless.
"We need you over here," Taregan approaches us, his gaze flickering.
Everyone gathers in front of Artemis, "Something horrific happened here. Massacres on this scale don't take place very often so it will be a shock to all of us." She glances at me and Mictain. "Regardless of this, we need to remain objective. Put aside your distress and focus on the job at hand. We need to find the bastard so nothing like this happens again. Here are the teams," Artemis starts to rattle off names and their duties. I know the last part of her speech was meant for me and Mictain. All of the Guardians, including my mom, have been working for decades and know what they're doing.
The Guardians split into their respective teams as Artemis comes over to us, "The three of us will sweep each room together. Get moving." Her usual bluntness helps keep my head on straight and I start searching.
Even though there are few bodies on this floor, it's hard not to tread on any of them in the cramped space. I make my way over to the pool table. My hands come up to stifle a cry as I find two young girls clutching each other. They're so still. I take a step back but almost stand on someone's arm. A shudder runs through my body as I try to focus on Artemis's words. Closing my eyes, I mentally put my fear into a chest buried deep in my mind. When I open them again, I find I've calmed down a little. I can't ignore what's around me completely but at least I can hide away the worst of it.
I walk towards the stairs. More bodies lay awkwardly on them, some propping others up. Where the victims hands lie, I notice the first sign of blood. There are scratches in the wood with torn off fingernails stuck in them. I look over the rest of the victims on the stairs.
"Mictain, Artemis," I call over my shoulder. "Come have a look at this."
"What is it?" Artemis asks.
"Look," I point at the black markings that surrounds the ankles of each werewolf. "It looks like they used some kind of power to grab the runners."
Artemis starts to examine the closest body.
"Why not kill them with the mist though? Even the shadows Medea mentioned didn't leave marks like this." Artemis mutters.
Mictain leans close, his hand reaching out like he's going to grab them. "They were having fun. They were... playing with them. They wanted to enjoy the killing." His voice is filled with disgust.
"You might be right, Mictain," Artemis says, absentmindedly.
"I've never wanted to be more wrong in my life," he murmurs and walks off.
We eventually head to the second floor to find even more dead. Here Artemis decides to split us up and sends Mictain and I to look over the third and fourth floor. A large group of werewolves had banded together in the hopes to put up a fight. Some of them had even been halfway through transformation. They look mutated, their muzzles on still-human faces, claws on human hands.
The last floor is the worst. Small bodies are pulled out from under the beds. Their small arms covering scared faces. I close the eyes of a little boy whose blue eyes stare blankly at the ceiling.
A wave of rage shakes the warehouse and barrels up the stairs with inhuman speed.
"Everyone keep clear!" A voice rings up the stairs as a half man half monster slashes his way towards what looks like an industrial fridge door at the back of the room we're in. My dad rushes up after the beast and comes to stand near me, his light brown hair sleek with sweat, shoulders slumped.
The werewolf slashes his way through the metal door. As he reaches the other side, he relaxes. Straightening, he transforms back into a man. He steps through the doorway into the small room beyond. Claw marks rake every surface.
"Max?" The man's voice cuts through the silence. A boy of fourteen is sitting in the corner, terrified.
"Aksel?" The boy gasps. The man kneels down and the boy, Max, springs up into his arms. Tears stream down his freckled face.
"Are you alright, son?"
"I-I think so. I heard—"
Aksel lets out a breath of relief. "I know. Don't think about it. Everything's okay now and you're safe. That's the main thing." Max buries his face into Aksel's shoulder to hide from the death around him. Aksel carries him from the room but before he leaves, he looks at Dad, "We're not done here." His voice is cold but not dead. No. It's alive with fury.
I take a step towards Dad. "Who's Aksel? His name sounds familiar."
"He's the Alpha of the Brooklyn pack," Dad says. Before he can say more, Artemis and Aksel return. The werewolf's face is livid.
"Is someone going to explain what happened here?" Aksel's eyes turn feral.
"That's what we're trying to figure out, Aksel," Dad steps forward cautiously.
"It looks as if a quarter of my pack has been murdered! Is this the same person who killed all those fucking magicians? What are you going to do about it?"
Artemis steps forward. Even as Aksel towers over her, Artemis stands her ground.
"All we know is that the killer can control a black mist. They can use shadows to kill people. We're under the impression that since there's been survivors, they were in a hurry when attacking. We have nothing else to go on." Her flat, blunt tone reduces his anger to a simmer.
"So the only reason Max is alive is because the killer was in a rush?" Aksel asks through a forced calm.
"Yes," Dad steps forward, "and before you ask, we already have as many Guardians we can spare scouring the state for anything that can help."
"Do you honestly think that that is comforting after what's happened?" Aksel growls and gestures around him. "That's not good enough, Lyov."
On that final note he walks out.