When Silver Moons Rise (Lost Immortals Saga #2) (8 page)

The tracks are situated between two large hills. The one we stand on creates a place that’s high enough to overlook the top of the train when it passes by. The height makes it easy for the engineers to climb down and complete the repairs.

“How long before the train arrives?” Desi asks Jalen.

He glances at his reader, and says, “Three minutes.”

“Damn it! That’s too much time. They’ll break through the gate by then,” Desi shouts, her voice slightly panicked. “Alright, it’s backup plan time.” Desi drops to her knees, her fiery gaze locked on the tunnel we just left. She unhooks one of those weapons that looks like a mirror from her wrist and glances up at the moon. I remember these things with the glass that somehow turns electricity into a weapon. They might look dainty, but these little babies are completely deadly.

“Got another problem,” Jalen says as he glances at his reader. His worried  gaze finds mine. “The newsfeed doesn’t show a need for repairs on the train tonight.”

Desi stretches her eyes at him. “And this means what exactly?”

“It means you best grow some wings and learn how to fly, angel-blood girl,” Jalen answers. He turns to me and says, “The train isn’t going to stop.” Panic punches me hard.

This is all just wonderful.

“You’ve got to be kidding me?” Desi says, scoffing. “We can’t turn back now. The leaders know a group of stupid people broke the curfew law. Oh, and they know your names, too.” She smirks at me.

“Okay, so, how do we get on the train if it’s just passing through?” I ask, an uneasy feeling creeping into my chest.

Avoiding my questions, he says, “The newsfeed described this as a cargo and pet train. Meaning, there should be a boxcar with an open top somewhere in the group.”

“You’re stalling. Again, how do we get on?” I urge.

Jalen shrugs. “We jump. Won’t be too hard if we head to the lower part of the hill past those trees over there.”

“No freaking way!” I glance over at Desi. She gives me a you’re-such-a-weakling face.

Behind us, the sound of metal slamming against the ground echoes inside the tunnel. “The soldiers broke through. What’s our time look like now, Wood?”

“One minute, twenty-seven seconds,” Jalen answers. In the distance, I can now hear the train’s engine rumbling closer toward our spot. I grab my left fist, lift it up to my chest, and hold my hands snug against the spot where my heart thuds like crazy.

“Go ahead and take Spoiled Fry down the hill. I’m right behind you two,” Desi says and reaches into her pocket. A knowing look passes between them. I don’t like it. Somebody needs to fill me in on the plan that I know I’m not going to enjoy. Jalen nods to Desi. Gently taking my hand, he leads me away from our spot.

I run behind Jalen who has a death hold on my hand; but I do manage to steal a glance back at Desi. About six revenant soldiers stumble out of the tunnel and head straight toward her.

“What’s she doing?” I ask.

“Keep going. Spikes can handle herself,” Jalen answers.

We run around a group of trees, making it to the bottom of the hill in seconds. I don’t know how far we’ve gone, but I am out of breath. In the distance, I can see the train rumbling toward us, its whistle vibrating through my chest. I know there’s no turning back now. I glance at Jalen and give him a nervous smile.

At once, a loud bang rips both of our gazes back toward the tunnel. The trees block our view. But the sound of crumbling rock tells me there probably won’t be any more soldiers heading out of the tunnel. Desi’s mirrors not only fry revenants, but they must also blow things up, too. A short moment passes before we see a frazzled Desi running past the trees and heading our way.

“Those guys won’t be following us anymore. A girl should never leave home without a good mirror,” she says tapping the other mirror she still has attached to her right wrist.

“Did I miss my ride?” she asks as though she didn’t just crush an army of revenants. 

“Pretty good work for a spiked chick,” Jalen says to Desi. And do I see a hint of a flirtatious look in his face?

“Meh. Your combat skills weren’t too bad either…for a newbie. That nun chuck thing was…just…it was cool,” Desi says and glances toward the train headed our way. I can’t hold back my smile even if it is only for a stolen moment, because our next challenge has arrived. The pride of Castle Hayne’s top engineers rolls straight toward us.

“We all have to jump together. Got it? Slip up and it’s goodnight for you,” Desi shouts.

I inhale and hold my breath. Fear and a crazy excitement take hold of me. Jalen takes my hand, and says, “You ready?”
Um, no, I’m not.

I nod to make both of us feel better.

“Hey, newbie, pay attention,” Desi orders. “On the count of three. You two know what to do, right?”

“Let’s get this party started,” Jalen says. The first part of the train passes by us, its wind pushing against my body and blowing Jalen’s dark hair in his face.

“Start the countdown now,” Jalen says as he glances at his reader. I can see the boxcar with the open top approaching us. The closer our targeted car gets to us, the tighter Jalen grips my hand. In the seconds before our jump, I start to think that maybe I’ve been too ambitious with my plans. Doubt tries to snatch away my courage, telling me I’m chasing a dream, a shadow of something that can never be.

But my heart tells me this is a test, a leap of faith. And if I truly deserve the prize waiting at the end of this road, then I have to believe in myself, before I can fully accept love into my heart.

“One…two…now!” Desi leaps first. Jalen releases my hand and jumps behind her. I don’t hesitate. It’s kind of like my feet have taken over for my brain. I go airborne next; and I find myself missing my wings more than ever. Landing with a thud on the floor, I almost want to sit up and start kissing it.

Never again will I do something like this without using my flying ability.

We’re inside of a boxcar filled with horses and other animals in small crates. Only people living inside the eight main Boroughs have pets like these. The animals remind me of Peanut, my little dog that I’m leaving behind as we speed North toward a place I’ve only seen on computer screens.

Jalen shouts as he celebrates and recovers from his rush of adrenaline. “Keep quiet!” Desi hisses.

“It’s not like the horses can talk,” Jalen says, shrugging and still beaming an excited grin.

“But they can get stirred up, smartass. Then people will know we’re back here, hello,” Desi teases.

“Chill, Desi. Sit down and fix your spikes, or something. Put that other mirror to good use,” Jalen says and plops down in a corner beside a crate holding a white cat.

“Oh, I’m going to fix something. But it won’t be my hair,” she snaps back. I sit up and glance at my two stowaway friends.

“You’re so good with words, babe. Actions, well, you need to work on that little tidbit,” Jalen says, crossing his ankles and closing his eyes.

Desi growls and pulls out her dagger. “Is that so? How about I start by trying out a few moves on you.” Jalen’s eyes pop open. He hops up and pulls out his saber before I can even blink.

“Hey! You two are going to calm down. Okay? Jalen?” I stretch my eyes and wait for him to respond.

“Tell it to the angel-blood over there,” Jalen answers, his gaze locked on Desi.

“Why don’t you come tell me yourself, chromo-freak,” Desi says in a taunting voice. Jalen charges toward her and of course, Desi returns the favor. And I’m thinking as I stand in-between them that maybe this wasn’t the best idea, bringing two people from opposing groups along with me on this venture.

“Calm. Down,” I repeat. “Will you, please?”

“Got it,” he says and lowers his saber a bit.

Desi says nothing, but she does lower her dagger.

“Great. This is going to be a super long, and super annoying trip if you two act this way the whole time,” I mutter. “Remember what this is all about. Saving the people we love. Wait to destroy each other when we get back.”

Desi scoffs. “That’ll be hard. Thanks to the chromo-freak over there, we’re now wanted criminals.”

“Mm-Kay. I do believe this chromo-freak saved your exiled ass back there,” Jalen snaps. Desi doesn’t have a comeback. We both know that Jalen is right. Not only did he save us from the Conductor and his undead, but he’s also the one who researched and found a train to get us as close to Barrow as possible. It’s funny how the three of us have wound up together this way. We each represent an element of all three races: the human, the supernatural, and the confused, aka me.

I sigh and take a seat in the hay in front of a jet black horse that decides to nibble at my back pack while I keep an eye on my hotheaded friends. I turn and gently swat at it. “Hey! Those are my energy bars, not yours.”

“Are you actually scolding a horse? Well, did it answer you back?”  Desi asks, squatting and removing her backpack. “Somebody kill me now, please.” She shakes her head and laughs to herself.

“That can be arranged,” Jalen says, moving back into his corner. I shoot him a hard look. He gives me an innocent face that only my best friend can do so well.

The train rattles onward, leaving Castle Hayne behind. Sitting inside the cargo area, I bury my worries and the nagging guilt I have about leaving my family. Jalen and Desi finally stop glaring at each other and settle in to whatever thoughts they have going through their heads. We race toward whatever fate has in store for us, something I’m destined to discover.

Chapter Nine

To Say Goodbye (Chela)

The next morning, I watch Jalen stab at the air with his saber. Although he hasn’t mentioned what happened back at the train station, I understand my friend well enough to know it bothers him. Faris was there for me the first time I hurt someone a few months back. Well, if you count dissolving undead revenants with your wind power as killing someone, anyway. I was lucky enough to have someone there for me. Now it’s my turn to offer a shoulder for my friend to lean on. That is when he’s ready to talk about what happened.

I steer my thoughts back to the situation we’re in. The only time I’ve ever been outside the city was when I was assigned to find nuclear containers hidden by Outcast rebels in the woods. I knew the adults would take care of us though.

Now the three of us are completely on our own, fugitives.  If we’re caught, our punishment will be worse than being sent to a detention camp for troubled kids.

“Missing Daddy yet, Spoiled Fry?” Desi squats beside me. She has made a little fire inside of the strange pot she brought along with her. A good thing since the temperature keeps dropping the further we travel away from Castle Hayne. She sits on the opposite side from me.

“I always miss my family when I’m not around them,” I say. “That’s what normal people do.”

Desi shrugs. “Yeah, whatever.”

“Why do you act that way?” I ask and wait for the smart remark. Instead, I get a different kind of look from her, one of those rare, but sad Desi faces.

“What do you mean? Why am I hard and tough? Never crying like a baby, or losing control the way you do?”

“That’s a start, yeah.”

“Put it this way. Life is kind of like preparing a meal. You either cook it the right way and you wind up with a perfect little meal. Or you burn the shit out of it and learn to enjoy the food anyway. I guarantee my plate has more burnt food in it than yours does. I’ve gotten used to dealing with crappy things. Understand?” she says.

“Not really. I cried every day when I couldn’t talk to my brother. It’s okay to be concerned about someone,” I say, feeling that familiar hitch in my chest when I think of the way I sat by Micah’s bedside and waited for him to come out of his coma.

She throws her stick on the ground and passes an icy look my way. “Look, I don’t hurt or cry or whimper, or do anything girlish. I feel nothing. Best way to be in this life. I’m a demon slayer. If I slip up, my head gets chopped off. Understand? That’s what makes me top dog in this crazy life I lead. This is war, Chela. I either keep my head straight, or what’s left of my people and even your race will die. End of story.”

I shake my head. “No, it’s not the end. It doesn’t have to be, anyway. And if you believed all those words you just said, then you wouldn’t be sitting here with me.” I want to know what Seth did to her. It’s on the tip of my tongue and I can’t resist. I also don’t want to get my head chopped off. So, I inhale deeply, and say, “What did he do to you? Seth, I mean.”

“Why does it always have to be about a guy?” she says in a surprisingly calm voice without looking at me.

“Because usually with mean girls who do so for the sake of keeping face, the cause of that attitude is almost always a guy,” I answer.

“Really? You think I act this way because of what happened between Seth and me? Is that how you feel about Faris? Look what he’s making you do. You’re right back in the hot seat again all because of a guy. And you’re not even a mean girl.” She pokes at the fire in the mini pit she stowed away. I’m thankful for something to distract her. Desi knows how to comeback and hit you where it hurts better than any girl I’ve ever met before.

“Faris wouldn’t lead me on,” I say confidently.

“Don’t go getting yourself killed because you got your judgment lights hooked up all wrong.”

“You don’t know me…or Faris,” I say.

“I’ve known him a lot longer than you have.” She narrows her eyes and shakes her head. “Believe what you want to. But I’ve been where you are. I let the wrong guy hook me into doing something that will haunt me forever. Now look at me. I’m an exile. I can’t go home. Can’t go back to Castle Hayne, all because the darkness called to me. You have no idea how tempting it all was when he came.”

She has a faraway look on her face. Desi is caught up in something painful, a thing I need to be aware of, I’m sure. “Tall, dark, heroic, ridiculously sexy: they were all the things to keep me warm inside the grave I was digging without knowing it. He helped me build a good, strong coffin, too. He even talked me into going against everything the Caduceans stand for.”