“And who are these people?”
“This is Daniel, my son.” Delta pushed Daniel forwards.
“You look familiar, but I’m sensing you’re new to this world.” She glanced at Delta for confirmation.
“He is the son of Excariot.”
“Well, well, then we have a powerful ally.” She lowered her head to him. “And who is this beautiful woman?” She pointed at Eva.
“I have been trained all my life in the art of dark magic and I have served your cause for many years.” Eva bowed.
“Please, no need for us to be formal here. This is a new planet, a new opportunity and time for us to make plans. Let me see this body you have thought good enough. She stood, slightly unsteady on her feet and made her way to the mirror. She pulled at Yassmin’s hair and touched her full lips. “Good choice, my friend.” She turned to Delta. “I’m sure she will be happy to have given herself for me.”
“Lailah, I don’t want to rush you, but we need to leave here.”
“Why?”
“Because there’s a mighty guard coming here now to capture you. She wants to return you to Alchany.” Delta held out her hand to lead Lailah.
“You say guard and female in the same sentence; tell me more before I run away.” She seemed a little agitated by the idea.
“Her name is Val and she is the daughter of Gabrielle.”
“Gabrielle had a child, with whom?” Lailah was now intrigued.
“A witch called Wyetta; it was when he came to capture Excariot.”
“Oh that imbecile. Has he been dealt with?” Lailah asked looking around for confirmation.
“Yes, but did you never love him?” Daniel questioned.
“Never, Excariot was the only one weak enough to do my bidding, yet strong enough to cause a problem, and then he still couldn’t get that right. I’ve been in prison for over four hundred long years.” A look of distaste written across her face. “So tell me Delta this child of Gabrielle’s, is she a threat to our mission here?”
“Yes and no. Daniel can deal with her I’m sure, but we are on her territory and you are still weak from your time in prison, so we need to get you to our home, your home now, to start our preparations.”
“I trust your decision. So this is the girl’s home?” Lailah looked around.
“Yes.”
“Burn it to the ground,” she said to Daniel.
“What?” he was confused.
“Boy, you do as I say and you burn it to the ground, and never question me again.”
Lailah followed Delta, with Flo and Eva behind as they made their way down the stairs.
Daniel stood looking at the flat and the portal. Then he raised his hand as he created a ball of electricity and struck the bed with it. The seventies style cover leapt into flames. He threw three more onto the furniture, which also quickly caught alight.
“What about the portal?” Delta asked as they walked into the shop front.
“There will be plenty of opportunities to create one, but first we must gather our remaining brothers and sisters together. Does the boy do as you tell him?”
“Yes, he’s just confused. He fell in love, but luckily she’s dead now.” Delta smiled.
“Good. You, Eva, are there any remaining spells in this building?”
Eva started to chant. “Yes, a memory spell, a powerful one. Do you wish me to break it?”
“Yes, it must be to protect the guard. The more trouble we cause her, the easier it will be to get what we want. Do it now,” Lailah ordered.
Eva’s eyes started to cloud over as Daniel came through the private door. He didn’t like it when she did that. He felt uneasy around her. She started to chant words in a foreign language. That made him uneasy as well. He never knew who she was doing the magic on.
“Burn this down,” Lailah pointed to the books.
“Yes,” Daniel replied. He created more lightning from his hands. The old books caught quickly as Eva continued to chant through the smoke that was building in the bookshop.
The crackling of each book burned a little more of Wendy out of Daniel’s life. These were the only memories he had of her, and he was destroying it one page at a time.
“It’s done.” Eva’s eyes began to clear.
“Good. Let’s leave here now.” Lailah headed towards the front door and out onto the street.
As they emerged, a huge yellow truck skidded to a halt beside them. Daniel, recognising its occupants, throwing a few more bolts at the bookshop for good luck. There was no way they would be able to stop this blaze now.
Val was first out of the truck, as she ran towards the bookshop she wasn’t sure what was worse; seeing Delta, Daniel, Flo and Eva all together or the fact that what was left of her world was going up in flames along with the portal.
“Yassmin!” Fran ran past Val towards the group. Luckily Shane managed to grab her.
“Stop.” Val turned and faced the others. “Something’s wrong.”
“Hello,” Delta greeted them. “Well, it’s just so much fun to see you like this and I would love to stay, but we have other things to do?”
“Wait.” Lailah stepped forward. “You are the daughter of Gabrielle; I can tell; you look just like him.”
“Yass, please,” Fran was desperately trying to pull free from Shane, but he knew better.
“This Yass, is this the body I have taken?” she glanced back at Delta.
“Yes.”
“And is this Yass someone you love?” she asked Fran directly.
“She’s my twin sister!” Fran screamed as an explosion rocked the bookshop.
“Then be proud. Your sister is now the vessel for one of the most powerful and worshiped princesses. She will be followed by the masses and cause chaos on many planets. Don’t be sad. This is a time to rejoice my return.”
“I’m going to...” Shane pulled his hand over Fran’s mouth.
“Do you have nothing to say to me Gabrielle’s daughter?” Lailah looked down her nose at Val.
“Yes. Now I know why my dad didn’t want you. No wonder he ran a mile not to be with you. But then you wanted Excariot. Didn’t work out too well for you now did it? Has anyone told you I’ve locked lover boy away?”
Lailah’s lip twitched. “You are nothing. The inadequate Excariot meant nothing to me. Your father was weak and when the time comes I will make you the slave that cleans the feet of my slaves.” Lailah turned her back and Val pulled out her sword, ready to at least defend her now blazing bookshop.
“Try this.” She lifted her sword into the air, but one of Daniel’s bolts struck it, knocking it smouldering to the ground.
“Back off,” Daniel said, hatred for Val visible in his eyes. They all gathered around Lailah and Daniel teleported them out.
Shane released Fran who fell to the ground weeping. Val walked towards the bookshop. Now billowing black smoke came gushing out. She could hear Jason calling the fire brigade, but it was too late, her home was gone. Her doorway to hope was gone. How would she get help? She was lost, and now Fran’s sister was possessed by Lailah. She hadn’t been surprised to see Flo and Eva with Delta; it all made sense. It had been a very clever and elaborate set up from the start.
“What do we do now?” Belinda came up behind her.
“I don’t know. I’m lost.” She looked at her sword, mangled on the ground.
“Val, tell me something right now.” Fran was up and grabbing Val’s arm. “You said that people taken by prisoners can be extracted, right; that Lailah can be taken out of Yass’s body.”
“Yes, but the portal has gone. We have no way of getting back to Alchany.”
“But Excariot opened a portal and Wendy opened a portal. Why can’t you? Come on Val.” Fran shook her arm. “Please don’t give up on me, not now.”
“Wendy’s gone and so has Excariot; it’s like last time, we played right into their hands. I can’t carry on. I don’t want to go on, Fran. I’m tired.”
“No! Sorry, but you don’t get to give up on me. I have given you all my trust. I have risked my life, and trust me I have no magical powers, and I’m scared. How will I tell my parents that Yass has just become the host body for the power of all evil from another galaxy? So no, you don’t get to give up.” Fran pushed her. It was as if she was looking to start a fight.
“Just give it a rest.” Val turned away and Fran jumped on her. They were both down on the ground and Fran had her in a vicious grip. “Come on, Val, fight. I’m tired too, but I will still fight for you. You don’t know my sister, I do, and I know Yass will be in there fighting with that thing, trying to get her body back.” The sirens of the fire services were starting to draw near. “Please Val,” Fran begged.
Val let her head fall onto the tarmac and took a deep breath. “Point made. Now will you get off me?”
“Yes, I’ll do anything you say, just don’t give up. Not today, not on me.” Fran stood pulling Val to her feet.
Val’s phone buzzed. She could tell it was a text. “Should I get it?” she asked the others. “It could be a clue to where Yass is.” They all agreed. She pulled out the phone and flipped it open. She could instantly see she had three missed calls. There had been so much going on that she genuinely hadn’t heard it. She opened the message.
I can’t get you on the phone. I think you need to come home; you have some explaining to do. luv mum xxx
Val looked down at the text message, her heart starting to feel all the pain of losing her parents. This was some sick joke Delta was playing on her.
“What does it say?” Fran asked.
“It’s asking me to go home, that I have some explaining to do.” She closed the phone and stuck it back into her pocket.
“Aren’t you going to reply? I’m sure your mum will be worried about you. Oh dear God, you have a mother!” Fran looked shocked at what she had just said. “You have a mum and dad and they are called Susan and Mike, and why can I remember your parents if you’re an orphan?”
“Yes, I can remember them as well; it’s cloudy but they’re real,” Jason agreed with Fran.
“Are you serious?” Val had little trust for anything anymore.
“Yes, I can as well. Why would you make us forget your parents Val?” Shane asked her.
“Because Wyetta felt that they would be at risk if Excariot found them.”
“Well Excariot’s gone, so maybe that’s why we can remember them?” Shane suggested
“I’m not sure, but Delta knows them as well. She said she wouldn’t hurt them because they were kind to her, but I’m not so sure about Lailah. What do you think we should do?” She looked to the others for support.
“I say we go and find out if they’re ok.” Belinda insisted. “I would want to see my daughter if she was here.” Val squeezed her hand.
“Right, back into Bessie then,” Shane said as the first fire truck arrived.
“What do I tell them?” Val felt very confused; this wasn’t supposed to happen.
“Tell her you’ll be there in fifteen minutes,” Shane said starting the engine.
“Ok.” Val sent the text and sat quietly in the truck as they travelled. Everyone was tired. It felt as if they had been running for days without stopping, but now she was going home. Fran sat with her head on Jason’s shoulder. Val knew she had to help her. She was right; she had walked into battle for Val without question and without power. She would get Yassmin back and extracted.
She actually felt sorry for Excariot. All that time, four hundred years, a prisoner on Earth, he had fought to get Lailah free and bring her back, yet she clearly despised him.
“Nearly there. Did you say it was the one on the left?” Shane asked pointing to Val’s street.
“Uhu.” She loved her house; it always seemed the brightest one. She was sure there was no need for quite so many lights, but who cared. Then she spotted her mum on the front lawn, waiting with her apron on, prowling the flowerbeds.
Shane pulled up and Susan stared at the truck now on her driveway. Val jumped out and ran, leaping across the grass into Susan’s arms. She buried her head into her mum’s shoulder, breathing her in.
“Mum.” Val said the word and it was better than winning the lottery.
Susan kissed her check, and pulled her hair back. “Val what’s going on? I feel confused. What’s happened?” She took Val’s face in her hands. “Your dad’s on his way. He was at a building site when he suddenly remembered he had a daughter for heaven’s sake.”
Shane and the others were now standing together on the lawn, looking a little like party crashers.
“I will explain everything to you, but first, Mum, can we go in and sit down? It’s been a very long day and I think I can vouch for us all when I say we’re hungry.”
She knew what to say to make things ok. Her mum instantly sprang into last minute
garden fete
action.
“Yes of course, come in” Susan opened the front door and they all piled in.
It didn’t take long for her to whisk up some cup cakes and hot chocolate. Val introduced everyone to her mum with a little description about them and what they could do. She took it all in.
Then the front door opened. “I’m back,” Mikes called from the hall. Val jumped to her feet, almost knocking Belinda off her chair as she ran to where he was removing his coat.
“Dad.” Val waited. The last time they had spoken he still wasn’t sure about her and her newfound abilities and friends.
“Val, where have you been? Come here.” He opened his arms and she was safe. Mike’s arms wrapped around her and the hard ugly world of a guard was gone. He smelt of aftershave and building site dust. He kissed her head. “I need to know what has happened. Your mum and I have been lost for days. Walking around like something was missing, but we couldn’t put our fingers on it.” He opened his arms to release her and the world didn’t seem quite so bad anymore.
“Come and meet everyone, Dad.” She pulled him into the very full kitchen. “This is Shane and his son Jason.” Mike waved. “This is Fran, Jason’s girlfriend and Belinda, Wendy Whitmore’s mum.” They all gave a salute back with their hands full of cake.
“I see your mother has been feeding them.” He threw a smile in Susan’s direction.
“Dad, we have a big problem. I don’t know how you can remember me, but you’re not supposed to, and before you give me the riot act just let me explain everything.”
“Do I need a chair?” Mike asked.