“Yes Shane, how long and why didn’t you tell us? And what are you?” Val poked him in the side.
Shane laughed; she had obviously caught him in a funny spot. “I told you I have known Sam for a long time and, yes, I knew he was special, but I made a pact with him to keep his secret, and I did. That’s all. There is nothing more to tell.”
“I don’t agree,” Val shook her head. “What do you think, Fran?”
“I think I’ve had enough of aliens and teleporting, special powers and all that stuff for a very long time. Plus I need a wee and I’m very hungry.”
Val let out a laugh. “You kill me sometimes.” She grabbed her arm and they headed towards what they hoped was an exit.
“Did anyone hear that noise?” Jason looked around.
“Yes it was my mobile.” Fran pulled out her phone.
“‘Who is it baby?” he asked.
“It’s Yass. She says she’s at the bookshop and wants to know where we are. I told her specifically not to come here. Why does she never listen?”
“I can’t imagine: twins.” Jason raised one eyebrow.
“Well the henchmen will be gone so I’m sure it’s ok,” Val said. “I just can’t say where we are and how long it will take for us to get there.”
Fran was texting. “I’ve told her to go in and wait.”
“Tell her to put the kettle on,” Shane added.
Fran’s phone beeped again. “I bet she can’t find the kettle,” she giggled, and then stopped abruptly.
“What’s wrong?” Val asked.
Fran’s face was now ashen. “She said it’s ok, not to worry, she’s with my friend, Delta.”
Fran dropped the phone and turned to Jason. “Get me there now. She’s not getting Yass.” Jason nodded and they started to run.
“Wait, I’ll teleport.” Val grabbed her bracelet, but still nothing happened. “It’s Eva’s spell, it must still be working. Let’s go.” Val scooped up Fran’s mobile and ran after them.
Delta walked around the counter as Yassmin put the kettle on. Her long strawberry blonde hair had a natural kink to it and fell like a lion’s mane down her back. As she turned, Delta noticed how very blue her eyes were. She was a good height and weight for what they wanted and she had good dress sense. Yes, she would be perfect.
“Wow, I love your necklace.” Delta moved towards her, lifting it up with her highly polished nails.
“Yes, my dad brought it for me, as a sorry.” She sighed.
“Sorry for what?” Delta dropped it back onto her skin and stepped back.
“When I was born he chose my name, and he got so excited that he misspelt it on my birth certificate. Look,” Yassmin held up the necklace which spelt out her name. “It has two ss’s which is wrong.” She let it go.
“What a lovely story. Fran never mentioned you before. Are you very close?”
“Yeah, but she likes her time with Jason to be hers. So when she comes here to Arcsdale she tends to keep herself to herself. This time I thought she’s been too quiet and I was starting to worry. That’s why I came. She said something about this girl Val and that she was helping at some old bookshop, so here I am. Have you seen Fran today?” Yassmin poured herself a drink. “This coffee’s revolting!” She added two sweeteners from her handbag and stirred.
Delta nodded in agreement. “I haven’t seen them today, but I’m sure we will be hearing from her very soon.”
Yassmin’s phone started to ring and she pulled it out of her pocket. “Hi, yes,” she looked up at Delta. “Ok, I will pass that message on.” Yassmin’s face said it all as she turned to run, dropping her coffee on the floor. Delta didn’t bother to chase her. She knew what was coming; she had spotted Daniel in the shop doorway before Yassmin had even answered the phone.
“So, a distress call. That means that they know you’re here, which also means we may not have much time!”
Val held the phone out in front of her. Fran’s fears all came true at once. “They have her don’t they?”
All Val could do was nod.
“We need to find out where we are,” Jason said. They had finally made their way out of Excariot’s hanger, but they were no better off. No one had any idea where they were.
“Can you see any signs? Shane, you’re the tallest.” Belinda asked.
“No sorry,” he replied.
“Can’t you witchy people tell by the sun or something?” Jason asked Belinda politely.
“No, you’re confusing me with a compass,” she replied.
“Look, he brought us in through some bushes from the edge of a street; it was like the building was cloaked. So no one could see it, and that was Eva’s doing, so we know magic is involved. We need to stop running because I think we’re going in circles.” Val pointed to an odd-looking tree.
“Oh, I saw that tree five minutes ago!” Fran yelled in frustration. “Get me to Yass now. If she hurts her...” Fran was almost spinning in circles, trying to find the right direction.
“Hello.” Val jumped, as a group of people appeared. It was Max and the others. They too had been walking in circles.
“Nice to see you’re all ok. We’re in a mess and we need to find a way out. Any input would be good,” Val said.
“If she hid the building then she used a vanishing spell,” Belinda said. Sarah nodded in agreement.
“So how do we reverse that?” Val asked, pleased that at last someone had an idea.
“To vanish you use the air element, so to return you must pull from the fire.” Sarah said.
“Yes Val, you need to use your fire.” Belinda knew what Val could do.
“Ok, if you think it will work.” Val raised her hand, nothing happened. She focused hard, but still nothing. “Do you think Eva has taken away my powers?” Val asked Belinda.
“She can’t bind you without your permission; it’s obviously a temporary thing.”
“Val please, whatever this woman has done to you, fight it. I need to get to my sister,” Fran pleaded.
Val tried again. She thought angry thoughts, about Delta and Daniel. She thought about losing Wendy, but still nothing. It was at that moment that it struck her, literally, across the face. Jason had slapped her! His blow was hard and it hurt, and it was enough. Her internal combustion engines seemed to rev up and in seconds her body was rippling with flames.
“I will let you off, today,” Val said rubbing her cheek through her fiery aura.
“Normally tips you over the edge. Sorry, I would never normally hit a girl unless it’s you or a prisoner from another galaxy.” Jason blushed, obviously uncomfortable with what he had done.
“You’re not making this situation any better,” Fran pulled him back.
“Now what, and make it quick,” Val asked Belinda.
“Now you burn everything you see.”
“Are you sure?” Val felt slightly concerned.
“It’s just an illusion created by the wind, like the shadows that aren’t there in the corner of your eye. Now burn it,” Belinda ordered.
Val took a step toward the odd-looking tree. “You first.” She put her hands onto its trunk and she instantly felt that it wasn’t real. The tree started to burn and as it did it began to disappear.
“If we have to do one tree at a time we will be here all day,” Fran said, agitation giving her voice a shrill pitch.
“She’s right.” Shane could see this was going to be slow.
“Val, don’t see one tree see the whole spell. See Eva closing a door; you need to burn that door down,” Belinda instructed her. “Size is only in your mind; it’s a mountain or a mole hill.”
Val understood what Belinda meant. She could go at this, like the time she was trapped underground, one rock at a time, or she could go for the lot and rock that door down.
“Please Val,” Fran whispered.
Her eyes surveyed the horizon. It was far too green for Arcsdale. She pulled in a deep breath from her stomach. Nothing could stop her doing this. It wasn’t really there; it only existed in their minds.
The others could see how Val’s focus had grown because the flames that had been clinging to her body were now starting to spread.
“Are we safe?” Shane asked Belinda.
“I’ve never known anyone with Val’s powers, so we should maybe step back a few feet more.”
Val could feel that she was as ready as she was going to be. She pushed her hands forward and a huge wave of fire emanated from her body. It was like an ocean wave against the beach. Everything in sight was now ablaze. As it burnt, like the tree, the illusion started to disappear. Within a few moments they could once again see the street they had entered by.
“Good job!” Shane said, jolting her back into reality. “Let’s go save Yassmin.”
Max grabbed Val’s hand. “We need to go and find our families, so we are now on different paths.” He pushed a tiny silver star into her hand. “Keep this. Thank you, and maybe one day we will meet again.”
Val looked at it. “That would be nice.” She waved as they moved off, pushed the star into her pocket, then ran to catch up with the others.
Daniel arrived as Yassmin was attempting to escape. He had no difficulty in catching her, and was now storming around the bookshop pulling her behind him by the arm, like a dog on a leash. “Wendy’s gone,” he said to Delta for what felt like the hundredth time in the past few minutes.
“She’s dead.” A woman’s voice came from behind him. “It was Excariot; he killed her when she was trying to protect the witch, Val.” Eva pushed Yassmin out of the way.
“What do you mean she’s dead? Val said she would help me find her.” Daniel looked annoyed.
“Son, if Eva says she’s dead then she is.” Delta tried to be sympathetic.
“She also said that Eva was my mother. Is that true?” Daniel was getting agitated again, and Yassmin’s whimpering was getting on his nerves. “Well?” he demanded.
“Listen to me.” Delta tried to calm him down. “ Val left me and you alone in a very dangerous time and place. I brought you up and made sure you were safe. I looked after you and cared for you when everyone else had abandoned you. Eva was there to support us when we came home. Now stop asking irrelevant questions. And knock her out, will you? She’s getting on my nerves. Where’s Flo?” Delta walked off with Eva.
“I’ll be quiet,” Yassmin pushed her shaking finger against her lips.
“Do you promise?” Daniel released her arm a little and seemed to be calming down. “I have just lost the love of my life, and no one cares about it.”
“I do,” Yassmin said.
“She was so beautiful. We went to dinner in a restaurant.” Daniel sat down and Yassmin had no choice but to follow. He placed his free hand over his eyes.
“It will be ok. I’m sure that woman is wrong. Why would this Val girl say she would help find her if she was dead? Surely there would have been a body or something and she would have been sadder. What do you think?” Yassmin asked.
“That does make sense. I’m sorry you’re our prisoner. We just need a body and it seems like you’re it.”
“What?” Yassmin twisted, starting to struggle again. She had no intention of being a body for anyone. “Please don’t do this, I haven’t hurt you...”
“Now I’m going to have to silence you.” Daniel put his other hand on Yassmin’s arm and passed a small controlled volt though her, causing her to pass out. “You’ll be fine, in a while,” he said to the now unconscious body lying on the floor.
Delta pushed the door to the cupboard open to find Flo tied neatly to a chair with duct tape across her mouth. “Eva, I’ve found our little friend.” She smiled walking in and swivelling the chair. Flo span around glaring at her with eyes of contempt.
“The job is done, Delta. Excariot has been captured and at last our revenge will be complete.” Eva smiled at Flo who came spinning around for another time.
“Not yet. We still have to get her out of that place.” Delta put out her hand bringing Flo to a halt. “And for that we need you.” She pulled the tape off her mouth in one painful rip.
“AWW!!” Flo screamed as Eva untied her.
“Now go and help Daniel; make yourself useful.” Delta pushed Flo out the door. “Look! How sweet. The gang has made its nest in a cupboard.” She laughed and Eva joined her as she pulled the laptop crashing to the ground.
“What took you so long?” Flo shouted at Daniel, rubbing her sore lips. “I’ve been in there for ages.”
“I was busy, get over it,” he retorted.
“Take this,” she handed him Zac’s guard’s bracelet. “Who’s the blonde?”
“Someone for our guest.” He put the bracelet on and picked Yassmin up off the floor. “Are you sure this will work?” Daniel asked as he carried Yassmin up the stairs into the flat.
“If it doesn’t, you’re dead, so why worry?” Flo patted him on the back.
“Very funny.” He threw Yassmin onto the bed. “Let’s get it done.”
“Put Lailah in this vial to travel. She can’t get through a controlled portal without it.” She handed him a small glass bottle, which he shoved into his pocket. “Careful,” she hissed at him.
Eva and Delta were standing by the portal waiting. “I’m telling you it’s anti-clockwise.” Eva pointed the rock towards Daniel.
“In the book it was the other way.” Delta pushed it back at her.
“Look Mother, you know that you’re not the best at magic. Maybe you should listen to Eva; she’s the witch around here.” He stroked her arm.
“Well, I think she’s wrong and I haven’t done all this for her to mess up the cloaking spell.” Delta walked over to the bed, looked at it, huffed and sat down. “You would have thought Val could have bought some new bedding by now. This stuff is just disgusting.” She placed her hands neatly on her knees so as not to touch the offending objects.
“Listen Delta, Lailah is as important to me as she is to you, so back off.” Eva turned the crystal again. “Ready Daniel? Here’s the map.”
He nodded. “Let’s do this.” He entered the portal and Delta, Flo and Eva could only pray that their plan worked.
Val and the others were running down the road toward some signs. “This is a road my dad’s worked on. We should go this way.” Val pointed. As she started to run again, Shane grabbed her by the arm bringing her to a halt.
“Did you just say your dad?” he asked.
“What?” Val hadn’t even realised what she had said.
“Yes you did.” Fran was now involved.
“Not now, ok, I will tell you all about them when we have Yassmin back.” Val pulled free from Shane and started to run again.