In the Midst of the Light
Twenty-Four
Valerio
My throat caves in on itself. It squeezes so tightly shut that I can't even breath through my nose to get air into my lungs. My jaw locks, but somehow, I'm able to reach a hand up, and grab Sophie's forearm.
"What the fuck do you mean you know where The Warlock's headquarters is?" I growl through my teeth.
Sophie brings her other hand up, and gently pries my grip off of her as Pascale comes to stand beside her. "When Aemilia sent me after Uncle Eric, Zombie had taken them somewhere else as soon as I landed in the museum. After I saw the news about The Warlock's latest bomb, I remembered the room I had gone to after the museum." She lowers her head, looks at the floor, and continues quietly, "The room my Mom died in."
My jaw lock again as I stare at her. I look at Pascale, who nods his head at me a little. "How are you just now remembering what the room looks like?" I ask, continuing to talk through my teeth.
Sophie snaps her head up, and pierces me with an angry look. "Because my mind has been a little focused on replaying my mother's head being chopped off," she spits, making me feel like complete shit. Of course the trauma of seeing her mother die in front of her would block out any other details. I don't want to have dreams about the church, but on rare occasions I do. "But I remember now, Valerio," she continues, softening her voice a little. "I can take us there."
I swallow as my jaw flexes. I look at Pascale for a second, and then say to Sophie, "We're not going without Lexie, Keegan, Aemilia and Brianna. Give me a minute to go wake them up."
As Sophie nods her head, I curl my fingers. I reach an arm out once I've landed back in mine and Lexie's bedroom, and gently shake Lexie awake. "Lexie, wake up," I tell her urgently. "Come on, wake up."
She stirs on the bed, runs a hand over her face, and squints up at me. "What is it, Valerio?" She asks groggily.
"We have to go do something," I reply, not wanting to tell her the second she opens her eyes what's going on. I want to give her a chance to wake up just a little bit at least. "I'll explain in a minute."
I wasn't tired at all before Sophie's note appeared just a few minutes ago, and now every nerve in my body is at attention. I have been waiting for this moment, my moment to invade The Warlock just like he's been invading us, ever since the bomb went off in Las Vegas. It's only been three weeks since then, but in just this little amount of time, my entire life has been turned upside down.
Every morning since we left Las Vegas, I wake up feeling like I'm six years old again. The pure terror and worry about anything and everything around me has taken such a deep hold on me that I'm not sure which way is up. The Warlock has to be stopped; at any cost. We have this chance to figure out more about him, and I won't let it slip through our fingers.
Lexie looks at me confused, but climbs out of bed. I grab her hand, curl my fingers, and go to Aemilia and Keegan's room. I kick the box springs, and say, "Wake up!"
Aemilia jumps, sits up on the bed, and then starts shaking Keegan. He grumbles incoherently, so Aemilia shakes him harder. When both of them are sitting up on the bed, I tell them, "Be in the library in two minutes. We have to hurry, so move quickly."
They both look at me like Lexie had, but I ignore them and take Lexie and I to wake Brianna. When Lexie and I get back to the library, Lexie gasps. Sophie wasn't supposed to be back for another day, and now that my senses are running perfectly, I'm trying to figure if she's learned control on her powers, or if Uncle Luke knows what she's up to. If he did, he would be here, not just Sophie and Pascale.
"Where is your Dad and brother?" I ask Sophie as her and Lexie hug.
Sophie looks over Lexie's shoulder to me, and says as she pulls away, "They're still in Australia." Pascale wraps an arm around her shoulders, and she continues, "As soon as I remembered more about the room I had been in, I somehow was able to control my powers. I just had to come tell you, so I brought Pascale and I here. Dad and Gavin don't know I've left yet, but I left a note for them."
The air starts stirring, and when Keegan, Aemilia and Brianna are in the room, I tell them, "Sophie can get us into The Warlock's headquarters." Lexie, Aemilia, Brianna and Keegan gasp and look at Sophie. "Aemilia, I need you to search the future and let me know if you can see anything."
She chews on her bottom lip as her eyes fix. She's quiet for a minute, and then she shakes her head. "I don't see anything, so wherever we'll be going is defiantly theirs."
I turn my head to look at Sophie. I raise my hand, leaving it palm faced up, and say, "Share what you remember about the room with me so it's not just you trying to get us there."
She swallows, bites on the inside of her cheek, and takes a step towards me. She closes her eyes as she puts her hand in mine, and then I close my eyes. At first all I can see from Sophie is Aunt Nikiya dying, and I have to force myself not to react to it. I need Sophie to focus and me getting emotional right now won't be a good thing. After replaying the horrific scene twice, Sophie's mind focuses on what's in the room. I raise my free hand towards where Lexie is, and she takes it so I can share the images with her. Sophie replays the room over and over again until I let go of her hand. I open my eyes, let go of Lexie's hand, step up to my best friend, and wrap her in a tight hug. I just watched my favorite Aunt die eight times, I can't even imagine how Sophie is dealing with this.
Sophie works her shoulders again after a moment, and then sniffs back her tears. "Are we going or not?" She asks as she wipes her face harshly.
I look at Lexie over my shoulder, and she nods her head at me. "I'm ready," she tells me, and then I look to the others. Each of them nod their heads, and I take a deep breath.
"Then lets go," I say as I take a step back from Sophie to stand next to Lexie. "This is strictly reconnaissance. If any of you see someone else, even just another shadow, you are to come home immediately. Is that clear?" I order, to which everyone nods their heads. I am trying not to order anyone, but if something were to happen at The Warlock's compound to anyone in this circle, the packs will riot.
Lexie, Keegan, Sophie, Aemilia, Brianna, Pascale and I form a circle in the middle of the library, and join hands. I close my eyes, lower my head, and picture the room clearly in my mind. I focus on the brown oversized chair that had been nestled in the corner, which was right behind Aunt Nikiya. I push the image of the chair outwards, sharing it with Aemilia and Brianna so we can all focus on it. When we feel the resistance from the seal around it, Lexie, Aemilia, Brianna, Sophie and I open ourselves up to channel each other.
The force of our powers together breaks through whatever seal is up, and then the air in the library starts stirring violently. I hold my breath, and onto Lexie's hand tighter, as all seven of us are sucked from the room. As we leave, I hear things crashing to the floor the wind is circling around us so forcefully.
As soon as our feet land, I open my eyes, and pull Lexie behind me, just like Pascale and Keegan pull Sophie and Aemilia behind them. I didn't want to bring Dalton, simply because I don't trust him, but Brianna won't be alone. It didn't take us any time at all to get here, so The Warlock's headquarters is actually close to our home. He's maybe three towns away from the house. And that doesn't sit well with me at all.
My eyes dart around the room quickly, trying to take everything in as fast as possible. It's a medium sized room with nothing but places to sit down. There's the brown oversized chair, two more chairs just like it, and four three person couches. There's just enough places to sit for each member of the coven.
Use the pack link, I tell everyone before they can say anything, try not to make a sound, and use your magic to levitate from the ground.
As soon as I suggest it, everyone lifts from the floor.
This is the meeting room I always saw Spencer in, Aemilia informs me.
I glide Lexie and I to the door on the far wall, and then put my ear against it. I close my eyes, enhance my hearing, and wait. When outside the room remains silent for a few minutes, I open my eyes and look at Lexie. She nods her head with a determined look on her face.
I look over her shoulder to Keegan and say, Take Brianna with you and Aemilia. I look to everyone, and continue, As soon as I open this door, Lexie and I will go left. Aemilia, Keegan, Brianna, I want you to go right. Sophie and Pascale, I want you to go home and wake my Mom and Dad, along with Lexie's parents.
We can stay and help! Sophie yells at me.
My face softens from the look on her face. I know you can, I tell her honestly, and you are by going home. I need my Mom awake in case something happens. Please, Sophie, just do this.
Her face is still a mixture of hurt and anger, but she nods her head. She closes her eyes, and then her and Pascale fade from the room. I look at Aemilia and Keegan, nod my head at them, and then look to Lexie. She takes a deep breath, squares her shoulders, swallows, and nods her head once.
I grab the door handle, twist it, and then slowly open it, making sure to keep my hearing amplified. I ease the door open a crack, seeing nothing. I open the door a little more, peek around the corner, and when I see a deserted hallway, I slip through the crack, pulling Lexie out with me. I turn to the left, and take in the long, poorly lit, hallway.
Stay behind me, I beg Lexie, who squeezes my hand tighter in response. I wait for the other three to come out of the room, and then nod to them in the direction I want them to go. Stay sharp, I say as I look at them.
Aemilia smiles a little at me, Keegan nods his head, and Brianna is already floating away. Keegan pulls on my sister's hand, and then Aemilia starts moving them down the hallway when they've turned their backs to Lexie and I.
I take a deep breath, and then turn Lexie and I around. I slowly inch us down the hallway, trying to stay in the shadows as much as possible. With what little light there is, it's not really difficult. I know it's only like, four thirty in the morning, but the eerie quietness of this place has the hairs on my arms standing straight. I have no idea if The Warlock actually lives here, nor any of his members. It's possible no one lives here and this is just where they gather. Even still, I check every corner as I try to figure out who The Warlock is.
Lexie and I go under an archway after turning a corner, and then we're in a large circular room with an alter in the middle of it. The tile flooring has demonic symbols drawn in salt on it, and there are torches posted around the room on the wall. In the center, there's a sophisticated piece of concrete, sculpted to look something like a bed. There's a ring of some type around the base of the sculpture, so I pull Lexie and I over to it to get a better look.
When we get closer, I cover my mouth with my free hand to muffle my gasp. The ring around the base is actually a troth, and it's filled with blood. Lexie covers her own mouth as I raise my head to look around the room.
This has to be their ritual room, I tell Lexie.
They preform sacrificial magic, she replies, her thoughts showing how heartbroken she is clearly.
It's black magic, Lexie, are you really surprised?
I look at her, and she shakes her head sadly without looking up from the troth. I take a deep breath, pull on her hand, and move over to a table that's on the side of the room. I let go of her hand, giving her a look to not go anywhere, and then turn back to the papers on the table. I pick up a stack, flip through them without actually reading anything, and then start biting on my bottom lip. I feel Lexie peering over my shoulder, so I hold the papers up higher so she can see them.
Can you send them to your Mom? She asks as I flip through them. Neither of us have any clue what these say, even if we did try. The symbols and language on the papers are clearly not from this time. She might be able to get Aunt Aquila's help on figuring out what they mean.
I nod my head, curl my fingers, and then the papers vanish from my hands. I'm about to glide away when I see a drawing on another piece of paper. I look at it curiously for a second as I pick it up, and then my eyes widen. The drawing is of the tattoo Spencer has.
Spencer has this tattooed on his right arm, I say as I pass Lexie the paper. It has to be The Warlock's coven symbol. Aemilia said there are fifteen in the coven, there's fifteen lines here. I run my finger down the lines. The biggest circle is The Warlock, the middle circle is Zombie, and the tiny one is Spencer.
So we need to find people with this tattoo, Lexie supplies.
I huff a silent laugh, turn around, and then freeze. Standing in the archway Lexie and I had came through is someone with that robe and mask on. I start to curl my fingers, but before I can take Lexie and I out of here, the person flicks their fingers towards us, actually freezing our bodies.
Lexie and I have been discovered, I scream a warning to Keegan. Get out!
The figure walks across the room slowly, stops a few feet from us, and turns their head to Lexie. I growl at them, and then they flick their fingers towards Lexie. I feel her leave the room, and I struggle to get out of their hold.
"Calm down, Valerio," The Warlock tells me in that altered voice, "Lexie is safe, as are your companions."
I growl, "Why should I trust that?"
He cocks his head to one side, making the hooked nose of his mask come just under my chin, and replies, "Because it's you I'm after, not them." He takes another step towards me, forcing the nose into my jugular. "And if I wanted any them dead, or even you, I could have done it long before this moment." He clears his throat, takes a step back, and then says, "I will admit, I didn't think you would ever find this place." He pauses, and then asks, "How did you find this place?"
I snort at him. "Do you really think I'll divulge all my secrets?"
The Warlock ticks his head from one side to the other. "No, but I can make you."
Before I can blink, The Warlock is on me, pouring a disgusting liquid down my throat as he forces my mouth open. I cough, choke, and try spitting it out, but he forces my mouth closed, and my body naturally swallows.
"How did you find this place?" He growls at me as he grabs my throat.
"My cousin, Sophie," I answer automatically. "She remembered the room her mother was killed in here." Whatever he just gave me is forcing the words out of my mouth, even though I'm trying to close it.
"And other than who you brought with you, who else knows you're here?"
"My parents."
The Warlock hisses a little, and then raises his other hand before curling his fingers. I'm dropped harshly into a chair, and I recognize the room we're suddenly in. My eyes nearly pop out of their sockets as I remember my dream from last week while still in the hospital. What the hell? I can't see into the future. Only Aemilia can! Was it just a dream?
"Your people have given me a large headache," The Warlock says as he sits down in his chair behind his desk.
I use all my strength to stay focused, just knowing soon I'll break his hold and finally rip that mask off. I have to do exactly as I had in the dream. "After everything you have done, a headache should be the least of your concerns."
"Valerio," he chuckles, "are you still upset about that?" He waves his hand, and moves into a new position in his chair. "Had it not been for your sister Aemilia, then I never would have came after you."
That wasn't just a dream. There's no way. Everything is exactly the same.
I look at him hard, and start fighting to get his hold to break. "What did Aemilia do you to?"
"I guess she didn't do anything to me," he sighs, "other than try to stop my bombs from doing what they were meant to do."
I fight a little harder. "You mean kill innocent people?"
The Warlock shakes his head, waves his hand, and replies, "No one is truly innocent." He pauses when he feels me fighting harder, and tisks at me. "You're not strong enough to break my hold."
I growl at him, ignore him, and fight harder. I stare him down as I try to start channeling Lexie. I was able to in the vision, so I should be able to. I know I have just seconds before I do break the hold, so I brace myself for it. As soon as I feel Lexie open herself up, I channel every ounce of power I have access to, and break through his spell. I throw myself over the desk, grab the nose to his mask, and rip it off.
I don't even get the chance to look at his face before I'm sucked somewhere else. I free fall, surrounded by blackness, for a few minutes, and then I smack face first onto concrete. I groan and quickly push myself up from the ground.
"Where the fuck am I?" I ask myself out loud as I look around, squinting at the sudden brightness of the hot sun. "Lexie!" I shout, but I'm greeted with silence.
There's something off about where The Warlock has sent me, I just can't put my finger on it. It's dead quiet, there aren't even bird chirping. The street I'm on is still, like there hasn't been someone here for a long time. Everything is clean, as if someone is going to come out of one of the houses along the road at any second, but there's a strange feeling to this place.
"Lexie! Keegan!" I shout into the silence.
I growl as I curl my fingers, intending to go to Lexie, but nothing happens. My magic is working, I can feel it, but it's like Lexie doesn't exist. I reach out to her through our link, but it's like she can't hear me. I growl as I start walking towards one of the houses. I knock once I've gotten to the door, and then the door creaks open.
"Hello?" I call out, pushing the door open more but staying outside. "Is anyone home?"
I don't hear anything. I growl, turn around, and start walking back down the sidewalk. I stop when I get back to the road, and then I look up and down the street. It's too still here, like nothing has moved. There's not even a breeze. And then my eyes widen when everything clicks in my head.
Mom said Braelyn had not only stolen the resurrection spell, but also a spell to create a prison. The Warlock has sent me to a place of solitude confinement.
I drive my hand into my pocket, and find that it's empty.
"Fuck!" I scream so loud my voice cracks.
The Warlock has the diamond, and I'm trapped.
Thank for reading!
~Stefanie