Read Creeping Shadow (The Rise of Isaac, Book One) Online

Authors: Caroline Peckham

Creeping Shadow (The Rise of Isaac, Book One) (35 page)

"You have to let us through," May pressed.

"Oh, I have to, do I?" the soldier snarled, touching the weapon at his hip threateningly.

"Come on. Come away," Ely said, gripping their arms.

Oliver grimaced at the solider but let Ely pull him away.

"We have to get through the Gateway, we have no choice," Ely whispered to them, looking hard at May.

"Maybe the bond on me will hold for longer than you thought?" May suggested hopefully.

"We can't risk it," Ely said, shaking his head. "We
have
to get through." A wild look entered his eyes.

The crowd was disappearing as they filed away down the pathway, chattering excitedly about the soldier. Only a few people were left in the clearing and Anna lingered amongst those remaining, her family heading down the path.

Rogan and Quinn joined Oliver and the others, frowning.

Ely flexed his hands. "When the way is clear, go through the Gateway."

"
What
?" Oliver asked in shock.

"Ely,
no
," Rogan warned.

"We don't have time to argue," Ely snapped. "You two can do what you like but we're going," he said to Rogan and Quinn.

Oliver glanced doubtfully at the soldier then back at his grandfather. "Ely-"

"Do you want to save your sister or not?" Ely hissed.

Oliver went quiet. He would do whatever it would take. He nodded.

May stayed silent, gazing at the Gateway as if it held all hope beyond it.

Anna came over. "What's going on?"

No one answered.

"We can't," Quinn whispered to Rogan. "Our reputation-"

"That's not more important than May's life for Vale's sake," Rogan hissed at her.

"I didn't mean that, it's just, we
can't
." Quinn looked at him desperately.

The clearing was empty but for their group, Larkin and Arrow.

Ely made his move. A force like wind appeared in his palm and he propelled it towards the soldier. The man cried out as the magic hit him, forcing him to the ground. The soldier reached for his gun, struggling against the force of the magic, and aimed it at them as they hurried towards the Gateway.

"ANNA. GO!" Oliver shouted, not wanting her to get caught up in their plan.

She hesitated, standing frozen between him and the soldier.

Larkin slipped behind Oliver, holding his Lock aloft. The Gateway came back to life and he and Arrow charged through it.

"HALT!" the soldier roared from the ground.

Ely stepped backwards and the soldier fired. Everyone ducked the red beam that emitted from it but Anna glanced a blow on her head. Oliver lunged forward and caught her as she crumpled, unconscious. He adjusted her up into his arms, unsure what else to do, and ducked as he narrowly avoided another blast from the gun.

"You are arrested by order of the Queen of Galice!" the soldier shouted as he got to his feet, battling the wind-like force of magic that Ely was still propelling at him.

Oliver turned and ran towards the Gateway. His friends and Ely were already tumbling through the portal, glancing back to make sure he was following.

The Gateway consumed him and Anna. They were falling and falling into the abyss, travelling to Glacio: an unknown world of snow and ice.

Oliver was momentarily suspended within the portal, clutching Anna tightly to his chest. His stomach swooped in a rush of adrenalin and, for that brief moment, they had escaped.

EPILOGUE

Long Lost

W
illiam Knight travelled from Aleva with the assistance of the vark. Being able to bypass the Gateways was the only thing he appreciated about the presence of the creature. Kogure terrified him. It mainly spoke with Isaac but when it muttered inside his own head, his whole body turned to ice. He simply couldn't get used to it.

William paused before entering Isaac's bedroom. He had failed in killing the girl and so had Truvian. Now he and Isaac would have to reassess everything.

Anger boiled under his skin. He took a deep breath to calm himself then entered the room. Isaac was laying on his bed and sat up slowly as William entered. Isaac's face was pale and taught. He hadn't touched his food. William could sense Kogure in the room already and he shuddered.

"Kogure, leave us for a while. But don't go far," Isaac commanded and William was grateful. Isaac knew just how much William disliked speaking in front of it. He felt Kogure leave and felt as though a heavy weight had lifted from the room.

"The girl is still alive, Isaac, I'm sorry," William said, sitting at the foot of the bed.

Isaac coughed and William spied blood on his hand but his friend quickly wiped it away.

"How hard is it to kill a little girl?" Isaac growled.

"It's my son. He has become very attached to the girl. He protects her at the risk of his own life," William said, unable to help the swell of pride that filled his chest.

"He has inherited the devotion of his father." Isaac smiled at him, but then his body convulsed and he retched over the side of the bed into a large bowl.

William rushed forward and rubbed his back. "There may be a temporary cure to your suffering. I have, at great efforts, retrieved the original works of Dorian Ganderfield. They describe spells he used to cure himself of the pain. His death was put off for almost two years by the use of these enchantments. It would give us plenty of time to plan our attack on the girl more carefully. You wouldn't be cured but the pain would be manageable, with my help."

"Do whatever you can." Isaac lay his head back on the pillow with an exhale of breath.

William could see blue veins beneath his skin which had become almost translucent since the day he had met him at the Gateway to Vale.

"I will need time to prepare and learn the spells but I can ease the pain for the time being." William held his hand on Isaac's forehead. The skin was clammy beneath his palm. He sent healing, green light out towards him and heard his friend sigh with relief. When he pulled away, a hint of colour had returned to Isaac's cheeks and lips.

"Much better. Thank you, Will," Isaac said.

William smiled sadly at him. "I hate to see you like this."

Isaac reached out a hand and gripped his arm. When he spoke, there was a strength and passion in his voice that William hadn't heard since before Isaac entered Vale. "We
will
get through this together. If you return my strength to me we can continue with our plans. We already have so many recruits." A light burned in his grey eyes.

William couldn't help but smile. "You're right. You're much more popular than I expected. And when we reveal to them that I am, in fact, alive more people than ever will flock to us."

Isaac nodded. "Yes, even more so when we tell them how." He smiled, emphasising his high cheekbones. "In the meantime, have you spoken to her? Has she acquired it?"

William was glad he had one piece of good news to give him at least. He grinned. "Yes, she has it."

Isaac smiled a broad, handsome grin. He almost looked his old self again. "That is fantastic news. When will it be time to collect it?"

"Soon," he said. "Now, rest a while. I'll come and check on you shortly."

Isaac nodded and sunk further into his pillow. William exited the room and closed the door behind him with a
click
. He rested his head back against it and expelled a long breath.

He went downstairs, unlocked the door to the cellar and descended under the house. His weight made the stairs creak and he heard movement in the room below. An empty tray of food sat on the bottom step which he pushed aside with the toe of his shoe.

"You can't keep me here forever, Will."

"This won't be for much longer. I'm sorry." He walked over and embraced his wife. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"You can trust me," Alison said.

IF YOU ENJOYED CREEPING SHADOW...

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- Caroline

COMING SOON...

THE RISE OF ISAAC

BOOK TWO

BLEEDING SNOW