Kenny heard the faint sounds of machines beeping as the blackness engulfing his mind disappeared. Fogginess surrounded his thoughts as his mind struggled between memories from his past and the current reality he was in. The last thing he remembered was shoving Chelsea out of the way from being hit by a curse before his own body felt like it was ripping apart as he fell into darkness.
Was he dead? Was this death? Why was everything black? Where was he? He struggled to move, but his whole body felt like lead. He had to fight this feeling and get to Riley. She was probably fighting for her life, and he couldn't protect her if he was laying incapacitated somewhere.
Wake up.
The thought was a soft echo in his mind as it repeated over and over again guiding him back to consciousness. Kenny clung on to the familiar sound with sheer determination as he let it guide him away from the blackness that had consumed him towards the soft sound of machines whirring and beeping as they worked hard to complete their job of survival.
His machines. Life support. He was on life support. He struggled to move his fingers, feeling the sheet wrinkle against the slight twitch of his index finger. Attempting to open his eyes and immediately regretting his decision from the blinding light peeking through as he squeezed them shut again back to the familiar sight of darkness.
Forget the light, he needed to see what had become of his body. With a stubbornness, Kenny flung his eyes open screaming in shock as bright blue eyes gazed down at him, a girl sitting crosslegged on the bed peering at him with a container of food in her lap. Was that fish? She offered one towards his face with a questioning glance.
There was almost a catlike quality about her, the way she silently hummed as she ate. Her gaze never left his, as bright blue eyes peeked out from a tangled mess of raven black hair surrounding her petite frame. She was the same size as Riley, maybe even smaller, but those eyes held a familiar devilish glint that weren't from his golden princess.
"Either I'm hallucinating; or Luke is a girl," Kenny muttered.
She snickered as she shook her head no. He studied her, eyes narrowing at the familiar sky blue eyes and raven colored hair, a signature feature pretty much every Noble possessed. She felt familiar, like he had been around her before, but still she was different. Was this really Anna? It had to be, there was no mistaking she was related to Luke with the same mischievous glint in her eyes that her younger brother held.
His eyes searched the room, trying to locate the golden haired amber eyed beauty that had stolen his heart. Reaching his mind out, he couldn't even sense her. Anna's face fell, shaking her head as she patted his arm. No, she couldn't be dead? She had to be alive!
Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. She is in the room next door.
Kenny let out a sigh of relief, before growing weary again. His mind flashed back to the battle and that feeling of Keaton's spell slashing into his chest as he slowly lost consciousness. She had been there, he could've sworn he heard her scream his name during his last moments of consciousness. If Keaton laid a hand on her, he would personally kill that woman for Riley's sake.
Anna shook her head, a sad smile as she squeezed his knee in reassurance. Anna was kind enough to play scenes of the battle from her own eyes detailing Riley's heroically idiotic actions.
Riley knew she was already weak when she worked to save him, but after the defenses fell she still cast that second spell wiping out her life force. If she hadn't had that cloak, she probably would have drained much faster than she did. Thank God for elf magic. Marcus had been able to help revive her, but he couldn't bring her fully back having lost so much energy himself in the battle and still recovering from saving Leila earlier that day.
Anna showed Kenny what happened next after arriving at the hospital, the despair she felt seeing Luke stumble through the shutting portal, a lifeless Riley in his arms. Kenny watched with shock eyes, as she saw all their friends grieve faked deaths with Derek almost destroying the hospital as he sent the fluorescent lights falling from their fixtures in the ceiling, blacking out the whole hospital as rain and wind swirled indoors before Marcus finally took him down with his fist.
Kenny hated seeing all the hurt on their faces as Luke betrayed each and everyone of them in order to keep both he and Riley alive and safe. He couldn't believe a month had already passed since that day that began a war. Reviving Anna was the catalyst to a war and ultimately the downfall of a Resistance before it even began.
"Where are the others?" He questioned.
My father is in control of the International Council. They had to go into hiding. Luke is downstairs eating. He made a deal with my father to keep the two of you safe. We are prisoners in this hospital.
Kenny nodded as he sighed. His friends must hate the boy even more now thinking he was a traitor. He actually was proud of the Luke, glad he was willing to make the sacrifice to keep everyone safe. Luke had really grown from the troublesome teen he first met three years ago into a young man that put thought into how his actions would affect others.
Kenny studied Anna's face as she innocently blinked back at him. He didn't think Anna was as damaged as she let on. She was fully aware of everything going on around her, easily breaking into his mind like she was right now. He felt her probing, saw his suspicions eyes narrowing as she hissed. Did she really just hiss? Ok, maybe she was messed up. She smirked, offering him a fry in apology as she batted her large blue eyes innocently.
Not fries, chips here.
England, they were in England. How did they get past the anti-apparition wards? He eyed her questionably as she continued trying to give him a fry. He sighed, taking the fry from her hand taking a bite not realizing how hungry he had been. She passed over the rest of the tray, nothing but fries were left; she had devoured the fish. He absentmindedly shoveled a handful of fries in his mouth as he watched Anna.
"Can I see her?" Kenny asked through a mouthful of food. Anna nodded as she took the empty container from his lap smiling, happy he had devoured the fries.
Kenny struggled to sit up, muscles atrophied from being asleep and immobile for so long. Eventually, he was able to swing his legs over to the edge of the bed. He felt Anna's palm on his back as she let him loop his arms around her shoulders supporting his weight.
Anna slowly walked along, happily humming with Kenny at her side, fighting through his weakness to make it to Riley's room. She paused in the middle of the hallway, freezing a frown on her face as the doors to the elevator dinged open.
"Anna? Is everything ok?" Kenny questioned.
She shook her head as she slowly turned around weighed down by Kenny to glare at the figure stepping out of the elevator, gasping at the sight of her brother slumped unconscious on the floor, against the back of the elevator as the metal doors slid shut, sealing her brother off from the foe.
"Oh, nobody told me the tree was awake," the boy smiled as his reddish brown eyes connected with Kenny's green ones, a devilish glint in them.
The boy reeked of raw power, his looks nothing but sinister and demanding despite his young face and sharp cheekbones. His grin was scary, as his reddish brown eyes narrowed in on Kenny, with matching hair falling in front of his face.
"Anna, calm down. I am not going to harm you," the boy snapped, "well, unless you do anything stupid." He nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders as he studied the two before him.
"What did you do to Luke?" Kenny snapped.
"Eh, I wanted to see the Sorceress without him interrupting. The cat would have been easier to take out by herself; however the tree looks like he can barely stand," Nikkolai explained.
Kenny's eyes narrowed in on Nikkolai, flinging him back and slamming him into the wall. Nikkolai gasped in shock, watching as edges of the wall crumbled around him from the force. This man had magic. He hadn't had a wizard able to take the breathe out of him in a long time. Michael Noble hadn't warned him about Kenny's capabilities. Unless, Michael actually didn't know Kenny's true strength.
"You are right, buddy; I never had reason to reveal how strong I really am. You should feel honored, even Riley hasn't seen my strength yet," Kenny snarled, "and I will not let you lay a hand on her."
Kenny held a commanding and terrifying look in his eyes as he slowly stepped forward, letting his anger keep him standing as he inched closer to the boy.
"How did you push past my shields?" Nikkolai gasped flinched back in fear.
"You really pissed me off." Kenny smirked.
Kenny, be careful.
"Now, what are you doing here?" Kenny snarled, gripping Nikkolai's shirt in his hand, lifting him to a standing position as his green eyes burned holes through him.
"Michael Noble is forcing me to keep watch on these two. I am still being punished for my actions in the battle, so in a way I am a prisoner too," Nikkolai snapped.
Kenny nodded, recalling seeing the boy unconscious during the battle. He had attempted to take out Keaton in retaliation for killing Morgan. The boy was lucky he was still alive. Then again, his power was strong and an asset to Michael Noble. Kenny gasped as Nikkolai flung him back, brushing his clothes off as he walked past him, striding slowly towards Riley's room.
"Sorry about that, but I was really looking forward to seeing the Sorceress in person."
Kenny struggled to stand, stumbling forward dizzy from using his abilities while still disoriented from just waking. Anna rushed over, scooping him up to help support his weight.
"I can't let him lay a hand on her!" Kenny gasped.
Anna nodded, as she helped him follow Nikkolai into Riley's room pausing in shock at the sight of Riley. Even looking half dead, there was still a glow about her as she slept, hooked up to all the machines, so tiny and frail. Nikkolai loomed over her, reaching down towards her chest.
"Don't you dare touch her!" He screamed lunging forward into the boy as he yanked the necklace from around her neck.
"Dude, I just came for this," Nikkolai snapped.
Her time turner.
Anna was right, it was her time turner. Riley was supposed to have destroyed it. How did she get it anyway? Of course, Luke must have brought it in case he would need to use it.
"Now, I can save my brother," Nikkolai grinned as he examined the necklace.
"No, are you insane? Do you know how dangerous that is?" Kenny cried. Anna nodded her head in agreement.
"He wasn't meant to die! That psycho tyrant murdered him and all he got was a power block put on him until he could learn to control his magic!" Nikkolai cried.
"Tyrant?"
He means Derek. He killed his brother when he was seven.
"What?" Kenny gasped.
Anna nodded her head. Kenny shook his head glaring at Nikkolai. He still couldn't let that boy go back in time. Kenny's eyes widened in shock as Nikkolai lifted his wand, the tip glowing as he pressed it against the necklace.
"Stop!" Kenny screamed reaching for the necklace the same time as Anna did. They were too late, the spell had already taken effect as the three of them were plucked from time, blackness surrounding them.
~~~~~
Who else is happy to see Kenny is finally awake? What are your thoughts on this chapter? I'd love to hear them!