A familiar red head was staring down at Charlotte Towers when she finally opened her eyes. She groaned in pain as she tried to recall how she had gotten on the cold stone floor. It was damp and musky wherever she was. It was freezing too.
Charlotte's hands were beginning to turn blue from the frigid air. Her eyes locked in on the bars, eyes widening as the realization hit her. She had ended up in the dungeon and her husband was nowhere to be seen.
"Mirin!" Charlotte gasped as she wildly looked around in search for her beloved.
Her mind flashed back to the ambush. Michael had attacked the giant's library in Iceland where they had been hiding. Somehow, he had found a way to become stronger than the giants with those monstrosities he had sent to overpower them. So many corpses had been animated with the ability to use magic. Even worse, the magic they could use had been altered to allow for god like abilities.
Charlotte hadn't stood a chance against them as they surrounded her. She had told Mirin to run and never look back. Strangely, he had been calm the whole ordeal. For seeing magic for the first time, he barely batted an eye as he rushed to escape. She hoped he made it out alive.
Charlotte gasped as she was pulled into a hug by her friend, Theresa. She hadn't realized she had been crying and panicking as Theresa urged her to calm down. Charlotte yanked back, glancing up at the woman, happy to see that she was still alive.
Theresa looked exhausted. Her lips had a slight blue tint while her eyes were bruised and bagged. For over a month, the woman had been held captive. Charlotte hated how defeated her friend looked standing there.
"Mirin, is he-" Charlotte began.
Theresa shook her head as she studied her friend. "He isn't here."
A huge weight was lifted off Charlotte's shoulders as she let out a relieved sigh. He had escaped. He was safe. Somehow, he had been able to evade the Captain of the Wizard Army, Stryker Murrell.
Stryker had a perfect streak of capturing and detaining alleged criminals yet her brilliant husband had somehow outwitted him. She knew her husband wasn't dead, she could still sense his presence out there in the world.
"He made it," Charlotte sobbed. She looked up at her friend, noticing the sadness in her eyes.
"He made it, didn't he?"
"I assume so. They haven't mentioned him being held here," Theresa sighed.
"Then why do you look so sad, did something else happen?"
Theresa averted her gaze from Charlotte as she tried to compose herself. Charlotte's capture wasn't the only ambush that happened that day. Michael had planned a simultaneous attack on the base where her daughter was. She recalled the panic by everyone in the prison as the guards talked of the world going dark for a moment that day. Charlotte patted her shoulder, concern in her eyes as she studied Theresa's pain on her face.
"He attacked Chelsea at the base," Theresa admitted.
"Is she ok?" Charlotte questioned.
"I don't know. All of his forces were wiped out. Only Ripper and Bethany made it out alive, but barely. Ripper is in the hospital recovering from life threatening wounds while Bethany is back at the mansion on bed rest." .
"That's a good thing, isn't it?" Charlotte inquired.
Theresa's green eyes filled with tears as she locked eyes with Charlotte furiously shaking her head as she held back her own sobs. Her mind flashed back to the culprit, recalling the last time he had acted out in such a way. His father had been killed in action during a mission in the fairy realm. Some demons had escaped into the realm and the Task Force had been sent to help aid the Fairy king in preventing them from crossing over to the human realm. It was supposed to be a simple mission. No one was aware that an actual demon prince would be heading the breach.
Ramon Cecil had been the only casualty of that day while Theresa and her three other comrades: Lineas Gowdie, Selina Noble, and Jake Ryder had been left gravely injured. Ramon had reacted with the same destructive power as Kyle in an attempt to save everyone else. However, he never stood a chance against the demon. In the end, it had been Theresa who risked her life rather wishing to die with her childhood best friend than to live on without him to save the others.
Ever since then, she refused to use magic earning her a discharge from the task force where she spent the rest of her days raising Chelsea living as a simple housewife. Now, Kyle had most likely taken her own daughter with him in the attack against the base. She hated the thought that it was possible. Charlotte gave Theresa's hand a supportive squeeze pulling Theresa from her own thoughts and memories.
"I'm sure they are alive. Those kids are strong and resilient. They won't let a simple attack take them out," Charlotte encouraged.
"Kyle Cecil used his magic to stop the attack," Theresa admitted.
Charlotte's face froze as she recalled the whispered reports from her father on that boy. Less than six months after the Murrell boy's death, Kyle Cecil lost control of his magic upon learning the news of his father's death. She recalled the sky going black that day ten years ago. A shiver ran down her spine, realizing that this might have happened again.
"Oh, I heard of that boy. Is it true then?"
"Yes, his destructive power may rival Derek's," Theresa sighed.
"You are correct, Theresa." A voice said as they appeared at the cell entrance.
Theresa gulped as she saw Stryker Murrell, a former comrade now foe. She couldn't believe he so willingly continued to fight on Michel Noble's side. However, the man had his son. Theresa had been the one to seal the wards of his cage by special request. She hated that Michael had twisted her into using magic once more. Shortly after, he forced her family to face trial alongside Riley.
She hated doing that to Stryker. He had been the one to rescue her comrades and her ten years ago thanks to Oseron sensing something had gone wrong. If he hadn't appeared when he did, they would have likely died from their wounds as they all slowly bled out to death. Charlotte looked furious standing next to her, ready to jump the bars despite the electricity crackling against them.
"You monster, what did you do to Mirin?" Charlotte snapped as she glared at Stryker.
"Why hello to you too," Stryker smirked.
"Tell me!" Charlotte screamed.
Her hands gripped the bars, but she wasn't going to let go despite the pain. She winced as the electricity crackled through her skin and tears streamed down her cheeks. Her blue eyes locked in on Stryker's reddish brown ones as she stared at him defiantly. She was going to break these wards down with her bare hands. She could feel them bending under her, the seals threatening to unravel as she pressed against the gate.
"Charlotte, stop!" Theresa cried, "You are going to kill yourself!"
Stryker sighed, raising his wand and pointing it at Charlotte. "yn ôl," he muttered.
Charlotte cried out in pain as she was sent flying backwards into the stones behind her. She struggled to keep her consciousness as she glared at Stryker. Theresa rushed to her friend's side, checking to see if she was alright. Charlotte pushed her back as she struggled to stand.
"I wouldn't approach this gate again, if I were you," Stryker warned.
"Then tell me, where is Mirin?" Charlotte ordered. Stryker sighed as he glanced up at the sky muttering cursewords under his breath.
His gaze avoided Charlotte's own as he mumbled, "I don't know."
"What do you mean, you don't know?" Charlotte gasped.
"Look, I had to change course and retrieve Declan. He slipped through my fingertips," Stryker snapped.
"Stryker, there is something else, your eyes don't deceive me," Theresa stated.
"The elves have gone to war with themselves and brought their fighting to earth," Stryker admitted, "Marcus O'Donovan has made his claim to the throne."
"What about the Resistance?" Theresa gasped.
"No casualties were reported. They split up their forces to the Councils they have control over," Stryker admitted. Theresa smiled knowing that Chelsea was alive
"They are preparing for a fight, are they not?" Charlotte questioned.
"That is precisely why we struck when we did. Riley is awake. We had to get her and Luke to cooperate for the wedding to occur."
"Wedding?" Charlotte gasped.
"Yes, you are about to become Luke's mother in law," Stryker replied.
"No! Riley is seventeen! How is this happening?"
"I'm sorry, its my fault. I signed the papers," Theresa sighed as she averted her gaze, "Michael threatened to kill Riley and Kenny while in a coma and I couldn't allow that."
Charlotte sighed turning to her friend She couldn't be mad at the woman. She helped prolong both children's lives. However, she knew Riley would find a way to stop the wedding. She was confident in her daughter's abilities along with the rest of the Resistance.
"Theresa, Michael has ordered to have the two of you relocated to Ember Island," Stryker stated, "you are being moved tonight."
"Ember Island?" Charlotte gasped as she looked over at Theresa.
Stryker let out a sigh, nodding towards Theresa and Charlotte as he walked away with his hands in his pockets, whispering a tune. His footsteps echoed down the halls before fading completely leaving Theresa and Charlotte alone once more. Theresa frowned as she pondered over Stryker's confession.
Ember Island was essentially a death sentence where the most dangerous of wizards were held. Located in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle surrounded by strong protective wards, the island was impenetrable. Theresa let out a small smile recalling that three young wizards had broken through its wards before.
~~~~~
Thanks for reading this far! Stay tuned as Riley and Luke face the press. Comment/share/vote if you enjoyed this chapter!