He stood in the alley, sweat drenching his t-shirt's back. Throwing a glance back over his shoulder, he saw the men in black advancing on him. He stared at them, eyes wide, then turned and ran down the alley.
His footsteps drummed on the street's cracked pavement, splashing into puddles from the last rainstorm, the water soaking into his jeans and sneakers. His feet ached and burned, but the soothing water helped some. He threw another glance over his shoulder, his heart pounding in rhythm with his footsteps, harsh and unending.
The men were rounding the alley. He whipped his head back around. And stopped just in time to avoid the dead end of the alley. A solid brick wall covered with graffitti blocked his path. His eyes scanned the wall, looking for a way around - anything - or a way to climb up - anywhere away from the men with the gun.
Who sent them? He thought for the fifth time since he began running.
He couldn't imagine who. He had no names, no faces that came to mind when he tried to figure out who might have the money and the grudge to send two thugs after him with a gun. He was fifteen, almost sixteen. Not near old enough for this sort of thing to happen.
There was no escape. He turned, going into his fighting zone. If he couldn't run, he would stand and fight. He had never used the tae kwan do or karate moves he'd learned in real, life or death situations before, but he knew many ways to handle a man with a gun, even if he'd never had to use them. He'd hoped he never would.
Now he was glad he knew them.
Staring the men down, he rolled his neck, giving them a suicidal smile. If he was going to die here, he would not go down without a fight.
The man raised the gun, steadying it for fire.
At the last second, he ducked.
The bullet whizzed past his head, but something wasn't right.
There was no loud crack or thud as the bullet ricocheted off the walls or broke the brick. Instead, there was a loud gasp and then a dull thump as a body hit the ground.
He frowned, confused. What on earth? But he couldn't look now. The men were standing there, frozen with fear or astonishment, he didn't know which. Now was his chance. He could figure out who had been hit with that bullet later.
He slammed into the man with the gun, bowling him to the ground and delivering a sound punch to the gut. Grabbing the gun when the man doubled over, letting go of it, he whirled to face the other man.
"Leave. Now. Both of you. Before I shoot you." The gun smoked in his hand, and he felt the adrenaline rush within his veins, steady and throbbing. He waved the gun at them. "Get out of here!" He yelled.
They stared at him, eyes wide, and then they fled in silence.
Turning, he stared into the alley.
A girl lay on the cracked pavement, her soft gasps filling the air as she struggled to breath. Blood blossomed over her chest, and her eyelids fluttered closed inch by inch.
He felt sick. He was the cause of this. It was all his fault.
He dropped to his knees, checking the girl's pulse. There was nothing. The bullet had gone straight through her heart.
He stood up, backing away, his eyes filling with tears. She had died because he had ducked the bullet. She had died because he was selfish. It's all my fault. He moaned, backing farther away.
The door in the alley he hadn't noticed before stood ajar, a testimony to the fact that the girl had just walked out when she was hit.
He gazed at her, feeling bile rise into his throat.
Her red-gold hair splayed out around her in a halo against the dark, stained pavement and her lips and face were bloodless now. Her eyes were open and glassy, but a shade of the purest green-blue he'd ever seen.
Someone with similar flaming auburn hair came flying out of the doorway, her scream piercing the still air. He stood there, rooted to the spot, transfixed by the terror and agony within her scream. She ran to the girl, dropping beside her and whimpering something. She sobbed and sobbed.
He started to back away further, but he kicked a loose chunk of pavement, startling the girl.
She looked up at him, her watery green eyes gazing at him. She must be the dead girl's sister... Oh, what have I done? He felt a small whimper tear out of him as he met her eyes, so full of loathing, pain, and desolation. What have I done?
Her eyes lit on the gun he held, and she began screaming for the police. He fled then, dropping the gun and leaving behind the terrible things he had put into motion. I am evil. I killed an innocent girl... I am evil...
Chenn started awake, his eyes staring at the grey walls about him, unfocused and terror-stricken. He sucked in a breath, and then the shuddering started. It shook him to his core. Every last part of him quaked.
He ran his hands through his hair, clenching his fingers over the locks as he struggled to calm down. It didn't work. The tears prickled at his eyes, and he lost it. Covering his face with his hands, he began to sob.
He had lost the one person he cared about because of this. He had told her the truth and she hated him for it. Nari... Would he ever win her trust, her forgiveness, after she found out what he'd done?
Sobs wracked his frame, and he pulled his knees up to his chest, cradling his head against them and letting the tears drop onto his bare skin and dribble off. Would he ever be free of this terrible burden? Could he ever move on? Or would he forever remain guilty and remorseful for the things that happened in the past - things that he'd had no control over?
He didn't know.
He just didn't know.
***
Chenn played with the lock. He’d finally figured out how to get into the hold. He’d been watching for days. He hadn’t been able to visit Nari the last few nights like he’d wanted to, though, because he’d needed to watch Amory and the patterns of the night watch. He’d also volunteered for night watch the previous night to get the information he wanted.
The lock sprang open, and he walked in. Why did Amory keep Nari in a place where the lock was so easy to get around? Why no guards? As soon as he asked the question, Chenn knew the answer. There was nowhere to go. There were so many guards outside that unless she had significant help, she couldn’t get anywhere. Well, with Chenn’s help, she could.
He had studied up on the wand and the scepter, and he knew how they both worked. The only thing he couldn’t be sure about was if they would work for him. He was worried that they wouldn’t. But then, they worked for Amory, and Amory was a far worse human being than Chenn, and his magic lines were weaker too. Chenn knew that.
He’d always had some innate ability to sense how strong someone’s magical heritage and capability was. His, for instance, was strong and brilliant. It was only comparable to a few he’d ever met. Andrew, for instance, shone brighter than Chenn. Chenn hated to admit it, but Vanessa was the only person he’d ever met who could equal him in magical strength. Unfortunate, but true.
He walked into Nari’s cell. She leapt off the bed, crying softly. There was a smile on her face as the moon illuminated her features. “Chenn!” She threw herself on him, kissing him desperately. She had to make up for the things she’d said to him, and she had to show him that she still loved him. This was the best way to show him.
He wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her back, rocking her back and forth gently. Her arms went around his neck, and when she finally broke the kiss, she hugged him tight.
“What was that for?” He smiled down at her.
“I wanted you to know that I still love you, and that I’m sorry for all the things I said. I believe you about my sister’s death, Chenn.” She whispered.
“Thanks.” He whispered back, giving her a squeeze.
“Why didn’t you come before now?” She changed the subject quickly.
“Because I had to get some information that can get us out of here. I spent a lot of time reading, and also a night on the night watch to find out when is the best time to make a run for it.” Chenn answered, voice low.
“And?” She prodded.
“Midnight. That’s the best time for the Gate, at least. I watched the guards at the hold part of one other night. They switch every hour or two, and the previous watch leaves to go get the next watch. Highly inefficient, if you ask me.” Chenn grinned.
“Yeah, I don’t have to ask to know that’s inefficient, Chenn.” Nari poked him in the stomach.
He laughed softly. “Well, I don’t know. I think that because it has a key-code only they and Amory know, they assume that no one will try anything. But I know the key-code.”
“What is it?” Nari's eyes widened.
“It’s four-three-two-seven-eight-nine-five-two-eight.” He rattled off the numbers quietly, counting on his fingers to be sure he had them all.
“How did you figure it out? I mean, I’ve been trying for weeks, and I couldn’t get it. Amory always stood in the way.” Nari whispered.
Chenn grinned. “Good luck. One of the guards got careless. They stood entirely out of my way where I could get a clear view. I wrote it all down, memorized it, and then threw the paper into the fire.”
She hugged him tight, kissing him again. “Chenn, you’re brilliant.” She murmured.
“Not really.” He smiled. "Just got lucky. For once." He laughed softly.
“Yeah, well, I think you're both. Brilliant and lucky. A good combination.” She smiled back.
“So, are you with me? If you won’t go, I won’t go either. We’ll both die, and so will Andrew’s hope of winning.” Chenn knew now that he didn't really need to ask.
She would go, but he wanted to ask anyway. He wanted to hear her say it.
“Chenn, I decided to go days ago. If you’ll still take me, I’m going!” Nari hugged him.
“Really?” His eyes glittered in the moon with unshed tears.
“Yes. I promise. If you can get me out, I’ll go.” She whispered.
“I’ll get you out, Nari. Even if we can’t get the other stuff, I’ll get you out.” He murmured, hugging her tightly against his chest.
“Umm… Chenn, you do realize that if we go after the other stuff and fail, we’ll both be dead or back here.” Nari reminded.
“Well, you’ll be out, won’t you? If they kill us, we’ll be gone. We won’t have to deal with this anymore.” Chenn teased.
His voice was light, but Nari could feel the tension in his body as she leaned against him.
She glared up at him. “I value my life, Chenn. I don’t want to die.”
“Neither do I.” He whispered.
She laughed. “Then we’re in agreement. You want to survive, and so do I!”
“Precisely. Glad we agree.” He remarked dryly.
“So…”
He rubbed a finger along the bags under her eyes gently.
She flinched slightly.
Her revulsion swept over her for a moment, and panic threatened to overwhelm her.
Her heart thudded, and she went rigid in his arms.
He took his hand away from her face, moving back. His eyes searched her face. “I’m sorry.”
She realized what she had just done, and she moved back up against him. “Don’t be. It’s not your fault, Chenn. You aren’t the problem.”
“Yeah, thanks. You aren’t sleeping.” He noted, running his fingers gently over her face again.
“I can’t.” She whispered, staying relaxed and still against him.
“What’s causing it?” Chenn figured he already knew, but he wanted to be sure.
“Nightmares. Continuously dreaming of my sister, of you, of everything I’ve ever feared. It all comes back to haunt me.” She shuddered against him.
“Can I do anything?” He whispered into the silence.
“I don’t know. I… I don’t think so. But… Maybe. I mean, the thing is, it always helps to remember your arms around me when I wake up in a panic over some nightmare. Maybe if you stayed with me tonight? We could try it. You could stay just until an hour before dawn, and then go back to your room. Maybe if you were in the room with me, I’d sleep?” She knew she sounded needy, but not sleeping for nights in a row did that to a person.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Chenn said, voice so soft she barely caught his words.
“Please, Chenn. Just try.” She begged.
“I shouldn’t stay, Nari. It’s a really bad idea.” He murmured.
“Why?” She whispered, voice quavering.
“I just think it’s fraught with danger. What if someone found out?” He moved away from her.
“They won’t.” She took his hands in hers, looking into his eyes.
“Nari…” He started to pull away, but he didn't.
“Please.” She pleaded.
He sighed. “Fine. I’ll stay, but just for tonight.”
She nodded. “Thank you.”
“Now, to figure out our escape.” He smiled at her.
“Chenn, I don’t think you should tell me what the plan is.” She looked away from him.
“Why not? You need to know what I’m planning so you can follow it step-by-step.” He frowned, confused.
She sighed. “Alright. I guess you can tell me, then. But keep it quiet so that no one finds out what we’re planning.”
“No one else is even awake in this area.” Chenn grinned.
“Well, so much the better for us.” Nari sat on the bed. “So, what’s your plan?” She murmured, a smile lighting her face.
Chenn took a deep breath, and then he dove into it all.