The next morning, I wake up earlier than usual, finding it difficult to sleep after the events of the last several days.
“Where’s Dad?” Danny grabs the milk from the refrigerator.
Unlike my father, I refuse to cater to my little brother when it comes to meals. The farthest I’ll go is setting out cereal boxes for him to choose.
“He had to go in early for conferences, remember? I’m driving you to school today when I leave.”
I’m grateful that my father’s been so busy with work, because I have not had to further discuss with him my current situation.
“Ugh. But I’ll be there too early.” He groans, dropping his forehead against the refrigerator door. “Why can’t I just take the bus?”
“Because Dad doesn’t trust you to get off to school by yourself.” I wink at him. “And neither do I.”
“Eh, yeah, I guess I don’t, either.”
I smile at him as I finish my glass of orange juice.
It isn’t long before we are outside his school.
“Okay, I’ll pick you up. Just hangout and chill until I’m here.” I roll down the passenger window as he steps out.
He frowns. “Why can’t I walk home with Nick?”
“What?”
“It’s Wednesday, remember? Nick usually walks home because the babysitter doesn’t get there till later to let him in.”
“Oh. Uh, sure. Just come right home, okay?”
“Yep. See ya.” He turns and walks away, but within seconds halts and does a one-eighty back to the car. “And Genevieve?” An impish grin spreads across his face. “Would you mind taking care of Grendel again today? Pleeeeeeease?”
“Yeah, fine. Whatever.” I’m secretly happy that I can take some time to play with the pupperino. “But you’re washing my car twice!”
I hear him snickering as he runs off towards his group of friends.
“What an ass,” I whisper, and catch myself smiling in the rearview mirror.
a
“Good morning, girls,” the substitute teacher says, as Katie and I take our seats. “How are you this morning?”
“Great.” Katie turns to me. “Wait. Where’s Jensen and Sadie?”
As if on cue, Katie’s phone vibrates.
“Oh! He just texted me.”
“What’s it say?”
She frowns as she turns the phone for me to see.
The Council wouldn’t listen to Sadie yesterday. They’ve asked to meet with her again this morning, and want me to come along. I’ll be back before the end of the day.
“That’s disappointing.” I sigh. “I don’t understand why they’re giving them such a hard time.”
“Well, maybe Jensen’s dad will be able to help convince them. I’m hopeful it’ll work. Also, you need to get a new phone soon.”
“Yeah, I know, I know. I can’t wait for this week to be over.”
a
I head home when school is finished, and grab the neighbor’s keys from the bowl in the foyer. I see Danny’s backpack resting on the kitchen chair, but there’s no sign of him. I’m sure he’s over playing with Nick, so I’ll just get him at dinner time. Hey, it’s easier on me not having to deal with him for the afternoon.
“Hi, you big lug,” I coo at Grendel, as I enter the house.
He rolls onto his back and exposes his stomach.
“Oh, okay. I know what you want.” I scratch his belly.
His leg kicks wild with excitement.
“How about I just let you out in the backyard this time, huh?”
I think back to last week when I went on a walk with him. The event that started all of this…
Grendel is jumping at the patio door before I can even get there to open it.
“Whoa there, boy. Calm down.”
He whimpers as I unlock the kick plate.
I giggle. “For such a giant dog, you really are a big baby.”
He lunges outside, barking as he rushes the squirrel sitting on the wooden fence. I follow him out and sit on the patio chair. The sun’s rays feel good against my face. I close my eyes and listen to the breeze, the sound of Grendel walking through the grass, the birds chirping as they fly about the neighborhood. I take a deep breath, trying to clear my mind…to not have it racing for just a few moments.
“You certainly look peaceful for a girl who’s being hunted down.” Scythe’s voice breaks through my serenity.
I snap my eyes snap open. He’s standing over me, still wearing the blue track suit I’ve come to associate with him.
My heart sinks as I look at his face.
“Oh, Scythe,” I whisper, and stand up from the chair as I remember the fight he and Jensen had.
His split lip is red and inflamed against his ashen skin, and numerous scrapes and bruises litter his cheeks and forehead. His swollen left eye is dark purple, obscuring the deep blue color that can usually be seen.
I reach my hand out and brush his cheek. He winces and pulls away.
“I’m fine.” He looks at the ground and smiles. “I’ve had worse.”
I stand there, not sure what to say.
“So…” He claps to get Grendel’s attention.
The dog makes a run for him and jumps into his arms. Scythe scratches the beast’s gigantic head.
“Jensen has left you alone again?” He laughs as Grendel’s tongue splatters across his face.
He has a nice laugh, warm and inviting.
“He and Sadie are meeting with the Council.”
Not sure if I should be telling him that.
“Oh?” He moves away from Grendel, crosses his arms, and shakes his black bangs out of his eyes. “Anything particular going on?”
I sigh. “I don’t really know.”
“Gotcha.” He shifts his weight.
“They think you had something to do with the Magician finding me at the cemetery. But I’m not so sure.”
He frowns. “I told you I didn’t. Why else would I have gone over to Sadie’s? I wanted you to know that it wasn’t me. I was set up.”
“But then, how did you know?”
He shakes his head and sighs. “There’s a Formulist being kept as a prisoner in the Void Keep. He’s part of the Council. His name is Mengurion Maldridge.”
I jump. “Wait. I know who that is. He’s the one who told Jensen and Sadie about me, warning them that the Voidweavers were trying to capture me.”
“Yeah, that’s him. He told me about you and your mother, about the Voidweavers and what they had done.” Scythe drops down on the nearby patio chair. “I didn’t want to be a part of it anymore.”
“I don’t understand.” I sit next to him. “If you don’t want to be a Voidweaver, then why are you working with them?”
“I didn’t have a choice.” His voice cracks. “My family died when I was ten years old. I was placed in the orphanage because no one else would take me in. I can’t even remember my parents. I remember nothing about my old life. The Voidweavers adopted me. They do that—recruit orphans to train in their army. I was young, and I didn’t have a choice. Plus, it was better than being alone in the Orphanotrophium. That place…it’s enough to make anyone want to die.”
“So you’ve been with the Voidweavers this whole time?” I feel myself sympathizing with him. “Have you ever learned more about your real family?”
He casts his gaze to the ground. “I don’t even know my real name.”
“What?”
He pulls off his blue jacket and turns around, lifting his black T-shirt to reveal his porcelain-white skin. His spine is prominent, and spanning the entirety of his back is a crescent-shaped scar.
“They called me Scythe because they said that’s what my scar resembled. I don’t know how I got it.” He pulls his shirt back down and puts on his jacket. “Mengurion Maldridge told me that if I helped him, I could learn about my real family. I could escape the life I’ve come to know.” He sniffles, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. “So I said yes.” He shakes his head. “The Magician must have known I was distancing myself from him. I thought I was being careful when I went to meet you at the cemetery…but he still managed to follow me. I’m sorry.”
I sit there listening to his story, unsure what comforting words I can offer. He has known nothing but pain and suffering his entire life, and here he we were assuming everything that was incorrect about him.
I reach out and pat his knee. “Scythe, it’s okay. You don’t need to apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong. But why didn’t you tell us this when I first met you?”
“Maldridge asked me not to. He said it could risk everything if anyone who wasn’t supposed to know found out. But I’m telling you now because I need you to trust me. I need to find out about my family, and I want to help save you, too.”
I sit in silence.
“Why don’t we put the dog back inside and head over to my place?” I finally say. “I’m starving and could definitely eat something. We can talk more there.”
He smiles weakly. “Sounds good to me.”
After giving Grendel a treat and refilling his water bowl, we leave through the garage. I punch in the number on the keypad to put down the door, and tap my foot against the driveway as I wait for it to shut.
“So where have you been staying while you’re in town?” I cross my arms as we walk back towards my house, and wonder if he realizes how awkward I feel talking to him.
“Just here and there.”
I wait for him to continue, but he doesn’t say anything.
As we enter my yard, I see Nick playing basketball by himself next door.
“That’s odd.”
Nick’s shot bounces off the backboard.
“Wonder why isn’t he playing with my brother.”
I continue past our house, towards Nick. When he sees us approaching, he picks up the ball and smiles at us.
“Hi, Genevieve!” His blond hair sits disheveled on top of his head. “What’s up?”
“Hi, Nick. I was just coming to check on Danny. Is he inside?”
“I dunno.” Nick shrugs. “He was supposed to go drop off his stuff and come back over to play, but he hasn’t yet. I thought the babysitter went with him.”
“When was this?” My heart beats faster. “Nick, when?”
“Right when we got home from school. Like an hour ago, maybe? Why? What’s wrong?”
“He wasn’t in the house.” I turn to Scythe, my stomach tying into knots. “His backpack was in the kitchen, but he wasn’t there.”
“Genevieve? Is he okay?” Nick says.
Fear creeps over his young face.
“I’m sure he’s fine, Nick.” I reach out to touch his shoulder. “Why don’t you go back inside your house and play some video games, all right? I’ll tell Danny to come back over later tonight.” I turn back towards my house.
“What are you thinking?” Scythe follows next to me.
My heart is beating behind my ears.
“I don’t know, but something’s not right.”
Danny does a lot of stupid things, but leaving the house on his own isn’t one of them.
“Danny!” I rush through the front door, run upstairs and into his bedroom.
Empty.
“Is he there?” I barrel down the stairs.
“No,” Scythe says, from the family room.
I open the basement door, to darkness.
“Danny!” I’m almost crying.
Scythe comes up behind me and grabs my shoulders.
“Genevieve, calm down. Take a deep breath.”
“I-I…where is he?” My vision is blurred with tears. “He should be here. He wouldn’t just leave. Something’s wrong, Scythe. Something is very wrong.”
I jump as a cell phone’s chime rips through the air.
Scythe grabs the phone from his pocket. “Hello?”
His face hardens, and his lips carve into a frown. He lowers the phone from his ear and presses the speakerphone button.
“Am I on? Can you hear me?”
A chill runs down my spine as I recognize the voice.
“We’re here,” Scythe says.
“Ah, excellent,” the Magician says. “I was worried I wouldn’t catch you.”
“Where’s my brother?” I hiss, trying to choke back my tears. “What have you done with him?”
“Okay, Genevieve,” the Magician growls. “You want to play now? Let’s play. Your brother is with me. At the old church. Scythe knows the one. And if you aren’t here in the next ten minutes, I will kill him. Do you understand?”
I crash into the foyer table, scrambling to grab my car keys from the bowl. I knock it to the floor, but barely register the sound as it shatters to pieces. I throw open the door and race toward the car. My vision tunnels. Chest pounds. Breath shallow and spastic.
Seconds later, I’m fumbling with the car handle, trying to pull open the driver’s door.
“Genevieve. Stop!” Scythe shouts.
“Get in.”
He groans, but opens the passenger door and slides in.
“Drive that way.” He points.
We’re blasting down the road. I see the speedometer climb. 40. 50. 60. The neighborhood houses zoom by, their normally vibrant hues blurred together into an ugly dark pallet.
“Genevieve!” A car horn blares as we speed through a stop sign.
“He’s going to kill my brother! He’s going to kill Danny!”
“This is a trap, Genevieve. He knows he can use your brother against you. He—”
“I don’t care, Scythe. He can use my brother against me. Screw the trap. He. Has. My. Brother.”
Scythe’s phone rings. I answer.
“How are you feeling, Miss DeWinter?” The Magician’s words fill the car. “It’s kind of riveting, isn’t it? The adrenaline rush you’re experiencing.”
“Please, don’t hurt Danny. Please. I’ll talk to you or whoever else you need me to talk to. Just don’t hurt my brother.”
“That’s completely in your hands, my dear. Are you getting close? Because according to my watch, you only have about thirty seconds left.”
“Scythe!”
“We’re almost there,” he says, through gritted teeth. “Turn here!”
“Poor boy.” The Magician sighs. “He doesn’t even know how he ended up in this whole mess. What fortuitous circumstances. Oh, fifteen seconds now.”
The car decelerates at an alarming rate as I slam on the brakes and veer and skid into the church’s expansive driveway. The smell of burning rubber stings my nostrils as the vehicle rumbles across the gravel, jarring us to a stop.
“Ten seconds.”
I fling open the car door.
“Genevieve. No!” Scythe’s words echo past my ears.
The abandoned church towers over me.
“Five seconds, Miss DeWinter.”
I’m still holding the phone. Focused on nothing but my brother.
“Four.”
I leap up the cement stairs, two at a time.
“Three.”
I reach out and grab the ornamental door handles.
“Two.”
The door creaks open.
“One.”
I sprint inside.
“See you soon, Miss DeWinter.”
I’m not even halfway down the main aisle when a blinding light engulfs me, crushing me like a giant vice. I feel the familiar pull as my body is tugged into another dimension, tearing me from this earth.
And then all goes black.