Burning Terrors

CONTENTS

Prologue

Chapter 1

Just Another Day

Chapter 2

Wild Woods And Enchanted Forests

Chapter 3

A Job To Do

Chapter 4

The Legend Reborn

Chapter 5

A Kind Gesture

Chapter 6

A Week In Willjem

Chapter 7

Back At Home

Chapter 8

The Fateful Feast

Chapter 9

Resisting

Chapter 10

A Sad Departure

Chapter 11

Invading The Castle

Chapter 12

Beware The Prophecy

Chapter 13

Blackmail And Conflict

Chapter 14

Escape

Chapter 15

Tears Of Anger

Chapter 16

War Plans

Chapter 17

Attack On Tyehimba

Chapter 18

Burning Terrors

Chapter 19

Ripe For The Picking

Chapter 20

The Rest Of Forever

Chapter 21

Unanswered Questions

Chapter 22

Hall Of Mirrors

Epilogue

Acknowledgements

This book is a testament of our friendship.

We thank God for chocolate and Diet Coke.

Prologue

"SCHULPARA SOCOL TSEMATZACH nimbrodo," the boy whispered as he held the mirror up to see his reflection. He had designed this mirror to look like any other: no special qualities, nothing surreal behind the glass. The frame was cast in sterling silver with intricate patterns of lilies intertwining around the rim. Rubies were set in the center of every other flower, making it sparkle in the dullest rays of morning light. If he did this right, the mirror would alert him when the time came.

He sat and watched the mirror for a few minutes. Nothing happened. He looked in his book again and he was sure he had said everything correctly. "Schulpara socol tsematzach nimbrodo," he said again, and this time the reflection of his face swirled, and in its place, a view, as if from a window, appeared before him.

Two columns framed the two black velvet thrones that majestically rested at the head of the throne room. The right throne was occupied by Her Majesty, while on the left sat a girl no older than three, with light brown hair and in a pink dress. On the floor in front of her was another little girl who was attempting to stand up on her own and walk to her smiling mother. Her black hair shone just like her father’s did. The queen laughed along with her daughters joyfully.

The boy sighed and put the mirror back down on the table in front of him. If only the queen knew what danger they were in, she would not be laughing as she was then.

The boy sat patiently across the table from Niran, waiting to hear the possibilities in depth that had been mentioned to him. Working for Niran was strange. Too many secrets were kept, too many things went unexplained, and he felt guilty that he could not tell those whom the plans affected.

I need to take her. I need to see what she can do. Yes, she is not the son I was hoping for, but her talents are just like mine, Niran wondered aloud. I know she is only a year old, but her power needs to be nourished and trained from the beginning to become great and grow to its full potential. Oh, the things I could teach her.

He stood up and walked around his desk to where the boy was sitting. It will take a while for her to understand exactly what magic is, he said, as the boy felt the weight of his master’s strong hands fall upon his shoulders, but I certainly shall prosper from my patience. Yes, he sighed, Rhema is older, but her aura isn’t as strong as Cora’s. If only I could convince Trysha to let me work with her.

The doors to the queen’s chambers were slightly ajar, so the boy didn’t bother knocking. He threw them open and found Her Majesty cradling baby Cora in her arms, while Rhema was sound asleep on the pillow next to her. You must leave, he whispered. He’s going to take Cora. He knows her power is stronger than Rhema’s. You must protect her.

But how does he know? I made sure he wasn’t there when she was born for a reason. She’s just a baby. She doesn’t know what magic is. She doesn’t know how to manipulate power, the queen said in loud whispers, trembling as she spoke. Where will I send her? She looked longingly at her second child. Cora was peacefully sleeping, unaware of the danger she was in. The queen looked back up at the boy.

Beside her mother, Rhema tossed and mumbled in her sleep. Do I send her away as well, the queen asked, just to be safe?

No. I think that she will be fine. He doesn’t have that much interest in her. His main target is Cora.

I have to talk to Amie. See if she can help. The queen crossed the room and hid Cora in her cradle under the window next to the bed. As she and the boy left the room and the door closed softly behind them, Cora began to cry in her sleep.

How could you have let this happen? Niran stormed.

The boy stood in the corner, shaking, and his heart was pounding in his chest as Niran’s fist wrapped in his shirt collar.

"Cora was my chance! My only chance. No one possesses a power like hers. And suddenly she disappears?"

He pulled the boy closer to his face who noticed that his master’s breath smelled acrid, the heavy stench of liquor hanging in a cloud around him. "Bring . . . me . . . back . . . my . . . daughter." Niran let go of his apprentice, and the boy crumpled to the floor. But he kept silent, knowing that Cora was safely hidden within Arugan’s castle until she could be moved somewhere safer.

The boy hid in the shadows as he watched his master enter the queen’s chambers. He peered around the open door, and watched Niran lift Rhema gently out of the queen’s bed. He kissed the sleeping child on the forehead and whispered, You’ll never be like your sister, but I can make you powerful. You and I, we will be destined for greatness. Everyone will remember this time in history, all because of our gifts.

Niran sat in his lair, the boy sitting across from him. The shelves had been made devoid of all their books. Papers, pens, and random items were strewn across the many desks that lined the grey, stone walls of the cavernous room. Instead, the books were piled around where his master sat, making it nearly impossible for the boy to see what Niran was doing behind the numerous volumes.

He heard Niran gasp and a book slam closed. Of course! An elixir from the Hisoaelia flower! It will make her stronger, more versatile. Rhema will be perfect.

Please, Amie, for Cora! I can’t bear to think of him taking her and turning her into one of his mindless slaves! You just need to take her to Earth and make sure she never learns of Arugan. I’ll send George with you. He has agreed to act as her father. Please, Amie, I’m begging you!

Amie looked at the queen with hesitation. She would do it. Trysha was her best friend. She would die for her. But how could she leave everything she had ever known because of a child?

Niran had cleared the once cluttered table just enough for a small bowl of the blue Tulawa berries that he had injected with the elixir from the flower. Once Rhema ate them, the boy knew that she would become his master’s tool, his weapon.

The boy stood in a shadowed corner of the lair and watched as Rhema took a bite out of the small blue berry offered to her. Muttering an incantation under his breath, he waited in anxious anticipation, wondering if his spontaneous plan would even work. Finally he was able to breathe, as he watched Niran roar in frustration as Rhema fell out of her chair and collapsed on the floor in a deep, dreamless sleep. She was safe from the effects of the Hiseoalia flower’s powder he had seen Niran place on the berry. Now, instead of enhancing her powers, the boy had stripped her of them forever.

Why isn’t it working? Niran shouted with rage. He knocked over the chair and soon began to dismantle and shatter every object he could get his hands on.

Quietly, the boy slunk further back into the shadows, waiting for the moment his master would leave. When Niran had torn up nearly every book in sight, he stood in the middle of the room panting and staring at Rhema, who remained unconscious on the floor. He uttered one last curse under his breath, then left the room with a sweep of his black robes.

Once the boy was sure that he was gone, he left the sanctity of the darkness and gently lifted Rhema into his arms.

You must send Rhema too. The girls must stay together, for it is their destiny, the boy told the queen. They must never find out about their true identities, the boy said, as he returned the still sleeping little girl into her mother’s arms.

Thank you so much, the queen said as she hugged the boy. You have been the greatest help to me, brother. I don’t know what would have happened to my girls without you.

I have one more thing to give to you. He pulled out a small package from a satchel that hung by his side. He watched his sister, the queen of Arugan, as she opened the package and drew out a small, simple, silver hand mirror. I’ve been working on it just in case something was to go wrong. Give this to Amie, he said. It will know when the time is right.

Chapter 1

JUST ANOTHER DAY

T HE BUS RIDE home from school was anything but eventful. All the younger kids were yelling and laughing, which caused major headaches to those not participating. The windows did open, but not enough to let any cool, fresh air circulate, leaving the interior hot and humid. August was the worst time of the year when it came to riding the bus, and for Courtney Marks, today was just another day. Even though she was seventeen and had had her driver’s license for a year and a half now, she still had to ride to school with her older sister, Rebecca, because they only had one car between the two of them. And since Rebecca had Academic Bowl practice after school, Courtney was stuck riding the smelly, overheated bus.

She hated it. She hated how the seats were torn and stuffing spilled out every time you sat down. She wished most of the time that she could shout at the top of her lungs and tell the middle schoolers to be quiet for just ten minutes. But the thing she hated the most was the fact that she was the last one to get off. She would have even been willing to trade it for listening to the twelve-year-olds scream.

Being Courtney, the bus route was timed every time she rode. She never stopped timing the route, even if a kid passed out and they had to stop the bus. Each time, if the route had no interruptions, it took Courtney 36 minutes to get home. This was 36 minutes too long. School got out at 2:30 and the buses didn’t leave till 2:45, which meant she got home at 3:21. When Rebecca drove, they got home in ten minutes. Essentially, thirty-six minutes was a long time to waste.

If being the last one wasn’t fun enough, the scenery was to die for. Soybeans, cows, corn. Soybeans, cows, corn. Oh, and occasionally there was a stream, a tree, or some horses to spice it up a bit. She hated the ride home.

She had been staring out the window, trying to make the long, sweaty ride home less excruciating by daydreaming about the cute new senior that had just transferred to her school when the bus screeched to a halt in front of her house.

She and Rebecca lived with their father, George Marks, at 3601 E. Alexander Street. They had a quaint, two-story, three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath bungalow on the corner lot at the intersection of the two busiest streets in the neighborhood. Their house was white with a wrap-around porch, red shutters, and a big red front door. An American flag hung off the front porch alongside the Indiana state flag. In the windows hung red and white checked curtains from Pottery Barn. A cobblestone driveway led to the detached garage partially hidden by the house, and in that driveway was parked a red 2011 Infiniti M. A basketball hoop with a torn net hung limply over the garage door. It hadn’t been in use in over five years because Courtney had stopped playing basketball when she was twelve. In the backyard there was a small white shed with a blue roof. Her dad used this as his workshop when he made stained glass. There was an old orange, moldy, plastic swing set that had recently been moved so that the lawn could be mowed. But Courtney’s favorite thing in the backyard was the trampoline.

They had gotten the trampoline for Rebecca’s sixth birthday. Rebecca liked it, but Courtney loved it. She had spent hours on end playing on it, under it, and all around it. She had broken both arms falling off of it, but she didn’t mind. The trampoline was her safe haven, a place where she could get away and be free. When her dad decided to put a net around it so she wouldn’t fall off anymore, she went and tore it up because it took away her feeling of complete freedom. So, when she stepped off the bus that hot, August day, she went straight to the trampoline. She started to clamber up on it, but recoiled quickly because the top was hot. Instead, she decided to sit underneath. It was cooler in the shade anyway. So she sat with her earphones in her ears, her iPod on Fall Out Boy, and got to working on her homework.

Well, that was a waste of time, Rebecca Marks mumbled to herself as she stormed out to her car in the almost deserted parking lot. She had sat waiting for twenty-five minutes, waiting for the Academic Bowl coach to get off the phone, just to be told that practice was canceled. I could be home finishing my English paper, she said in disgust.

She reached her blue Volkswagen Bug right as her cell phone rang. She fished it out of her purse and checked caller ID. Dad. This can’t be good, she thought. She brushed aside her long brown, curly hair. Hello? she said, answering the phone rather panicked.

Rebecca? Where are you? her dad asked.

I’m just leaving school. I waited for twenty-five minutes just for Mr. Calloway to tell me AB practice was canceled. Why? Is everything all right? She really hoped that her Calculus teacher hadn’t called her dad and told him about that B—she had gotten on the last test.

Oh, yes. Everything’s fine. I just called Courtney and she said she didn’t know where you were. I was just going to say that I have to work late tonight. The boss wants that PowerPoint by tomorrow and I’m barely halfway done. Can you handle dinner?

Sure, she said sounding relieved. She threw her book bag in the trunk. That’s fine. What time will you be home?

Around ten, maybe.

Okay. I’ll save you something.

Thanks, Becca. Oh, could you go to the store and pick up some more milk? We have less than a fourth of a gallon left. And tell Courtney that Coach Taylor called again. She wants her on the track team this spring.

Will do. Bye, Dad.

Bye, Sugar.

She hung up, closed the trunk, and sat down in the driver’s seat. She texted Courtney to say she was on her way home and started the car.

The radio was on 100.5, WCMJ, her favorite radio station. Set Fire to the Rain by Adele came on and she rolled down her windows and cranked it up to maximum volume. She sang along, drumming on the steering wheel in time to the beat. She had a beautiful voice. Everyone told her so, but she didn’t like to admit it. She was self-conscious about it and didn’t want to be known at school just for having an amazing singing voice. But that didn’t stop her from joining the school and church choirs. Singing made her cares float away and made her feel independent, powerful. She felt like she could control something, be influential with just her voice.

She got to the store, ran in, got the milk, but got stuck in a lane behind an old lady with a ton of coupons. After what felt like an hour of waiting, Rebecca finally paid for the milk and headed back home. On the way, she noticed little things going on around her. There were deer prancing through the soybeans, flocks of birds flying overhead, and other little creatures scurrying around. They looked so free and happy. That was what Rebecca liked most about nature, how carefree everything could seem when all around them, danger could be lurking in every corner. The smell of a fading summer was in the air. Summer, that is, mixed with the smell of cows.

As she turned into her neighborhood, she was greeted by familiar sights and sounds: a couple of little kids laughing and playing with sidewalk chalk, some boys tossing a football with their dad, and a boy mowing the lawn. She loved her neighborhood. She reached her house and noticed there was another car in the driveway behind her mom’s Infiniti. She pulled into the garage, got her things out of the trunk, and went inside to see who had stopped by.

A car door slammed. Courtney jerked her head up quickly to see who was there. She couldn’t see past the fence very well, so she just assumed it was Rebecca. I’m out back, Becca, she yelled, and then went back to work on her homework. Next thing she knew, Michael Preston was on all fours staring at her. She jumped in surprise and hit her head on the bar under the trampoline. She took out her earphones while rubbing her head.

I thought I’d find you under here, Michael laughed, Mind if I join?

Of course not, Courtney replied. She was still a little flustered from him scaring her. She wasn’t expecting to look up and see his startling blue-grey eyes.

Michael was 6'1", had short blond hair, and was the total jock. He was the quarterback of the varsity football team, first string forward in basketball, pitcher in baseball, and had the fastest mile time in the whole school. He was a senior and one of the most popular boys at Lynway High. All the girls loved him and the guys either were best friends with him or envied him like crazy. He had known the Marks girls since first grade and he and Courtney had grown to be best friends in about fourth grade.

They told each other everything, gave advice, played video games, and gossiped like 13-year-old girls. The friendship between them was unbreakable. Essentially, they thought of themselves as brother and sister. Courtney came to him when there was no one to talk to about stupid girls in the school, and Michael would go to her when he had questions about the way a girl’s brain works. At least that was the way he put it. There wasn’t anything about each other that they didn’t know.

But as Michael sat down beside her, something in his eyes made Courtney’s stomach turn over itself multiple times. Before he had a chance to notice anything, she quickly shoved those thoughts from her mind and plastered a smile on her face, although that really wasn’t hard to do.

So, how was school today? Michael asked after adjusting himself next to her.

Fine, I guess. Mrs. Baker gave us, like, the entire chapter in U.S. History to read and I’m so not looking forward to that.

He nodded in understanding. Mrs. Baker likes to do that a lot. I’d get used to it if I were you.

Well, you’re not me, now, are you? Courtney said sarcastically, It’d be kinda scary if you were.

Okay, Sergeant Sarcasm! Michael joked as he nudged her, making her book fall out of her lap.

Hey, watch it! I would like to keep the pages unbent, thank you very much!

Oh, sorry! Because I’m always trying to ruin your books!

Oh shut up! Courtney laughed as she dove to tickle him. She had found out in fifth grade that he was very ticklish on his sides.

He tried to push her away, but with little luck. She found his side, and he fell over laughing while begging for her to stop. But, of course, she didn’t. He escaped from underneath the trampoline, and she followed. He ran around the shed twice in an attempt to get away, but on his third time around, Courtney quickly darted in the opposite direction and tackled him with her best football tackle. They fell down laughing as they collided with the ground. Michael recovered first and quickly moved so that he had her arms and legs pinned down in an iron grip.

His eyes glistened like an ocean’s surface after a storm. His hair was gold, cast into perfect waves. He smiled a small smile, revealing his perfectly white teeth. The sun set behind him, shadowing part of his face, making the other half glow. His shirt rippled in the warm breeze. His chest heaved as he took deep breaths, and she wondered if there was more than one reason why.

Her hair lay splayed out in the grass beneath them. Her eyes were like a spell, making time slow and his heart stop. He loosened his hold. The wind whipped a strand of hair into her eyes and he brushed it away as if he did it every day. For years she had just been Courtney. Wonderful, perfect, and flawless. Impulsively, he leaned towards her face, his smile steadily growing bigger.

What are you guys doing? a confused voice asked from behind them.

Michael’s head jerked up to look in the direction the voice was coming from. He could feel his cheeks steadily grow warm. The voice’s owner was Rebecca, standing at the back door to their house. She was staring at them like they were mental.

Oh, I was totally dominating in a tickle war, said Courtney. He saw that her cheeks were pink. She stuck her tongue out at him.

Really? Because from the looks of it, I’d say Michael is winning, Rebecca said, chuckling.

Before Michael let go of Courtney, he looked into her eyes one more time. She smiled then got up to retrieve her book bag from underneath the trampoline before joining them. You’re home early, she told Rebecca as she jogged to where she and Michael were now standing.

Yeah, AB was canceled, she explained. Did you get my text?

Yes, she did, but we were talking and her phone is on silent for some reason, said Michael, looking through Courtney’s texts. Oh, and there is also a ‘hey wats up’ from Jordon Collier. Isn’t he that new guy who thinks that he is gonna beat my mile time this year? What in the world was the new senior doing texting Courtney? He didn’t know why, but it bothered him.

Give me that! exclaimed Courtney, blushing furiously. As she reached for her phone, Michael held it up over his head so she couldn’t reach it. Really? Seriously, are you for real? she asked, exasperated.

Yup, said Michael smiling. He loved teasing her.

Ugh. Boys.

But you love us.

You wish.

Courtney, what do you want for dinner? Rebecca asked, as she distractedly looked at her phone. Dad’s coming home late and said to go ahead and eat.

Um, how about food? Courtney was never picky when it came to eating.

Well, that helped a lot, she said looking up.

Rebecca was about ready to make her way inside when Courtney asked, So, Michael, where’s Issac?

As Michael answered, he gave Courtney a warning glance, hoping she knew what she was getting herself into. This topic included highly dangerous waters. He should be home soon, he answered slowly. He only had an hour of Chem today.

Issac was Michael’s older brother. He and Rebecca had been best friends since the second grade. Michael and Courtney had been suspicious for years that Rebecca and Issac had a thing for each other, but no matter how hard they pressed their siblings, neither of them had confessed. But ever since Homecoming, both Rebecca and Issac had been acting odd, not only towards each other, but in everything they did. There had been tension between them, and, needless to say, Michael and Courtney were trying their best to alleviate it.

Oh, okay. Would you boys want to join us for dinner? Courtney bravely asked.

Rebecca turned around, looking like she was about ready to detonate like a time bomb. Before she could utter a word, though, Michael quickly retreated.

Actually, my mom wanted one of those ‘family meal nights’ tonight, though I doubt it’s gonna to happen. How ‘bout I call you when I find out, okay?

Sounds good, Courtney agreed.

He looked at his watch. Hey, well, I have to go. The game store closes at four this afternoon and I wanna get Modern Warfare 3, so I will see you ladies later. He turned around and gave Courtney a big hug, gave Rebecca a mock bow, and walked away to his recently washed orange Ford Mustang, and as he pulled away, the thought of Jordon Collier texting Courtney still bugged him.

Courtney was glad Michael hadn’t turned around to see her blushing furiously. He pulled out of the driveway and honked as he drove away.

"You are very brave, young lady," Rebecca said, breaking the trance Courtney was in.

What? She shrugged.

Don’t you dare try and get into this. Nothing is going to change, Rebecca warned her heatedly. As soon as her back was turned, Courtney glared at her sister and walked inside.

Conveniently, their back door led into the kitchen. The kitchen was the only room in the house that had been refurbished. It had cherry cabinets, granite countertops, all stainless steel appliances, two wall ovens, and an island with a separate cook top and sink. Their dad loved to cook and had wanted a high-tech kitchen at his disposal.

Courtney was over at the fridge getting a Diet Coke when Rebecca returned from dumping her book bag in her room.

Mom! Mom, what do you want for dinner? MOM! yelled Rebecca.

She’s back? Courtney asked surprised.

Yeah. Her work wanted her in town this weekend, she explained.

Joy, she said as she rolled her eyes. AMIE! she shouted. Hmm. That one usually works. She hates it when we call her by her name. Ugh, I’ll go see if she’s in her room, she said to Rebecca.

Rebecca shrugged. For as long as she could remember, their parents had been divorced. It was almost as if their marriage had never happened. There were no wedding photos framed along the hallways or propped up