Fateful Signs (Ballad of the Seer, Book Three)

Chapter 6 - No Escape

"Jeez, they're everywhere." Duncan said, of the Council's guardians who kept popping up on every street. There must have been twenty or more of them circling around, like birds of prey, in their relentless search for Lily.

        There was no means of escape for Lily and Duncan, since their car had been blown up by the guardians. And they certainly couldn't use magic to procure a new one. The guardians would swoop down on them in a matter of seconds.

        Around the next corner, Lily froze, an icy stab of fear shot through her heart. Just a few feet away stood Agent Laura Howard, the very same guardian who had tried to arrest Lily before she escaped. The woman looked up, locking her eyes on Lily's glamoured face. Her neutral expression shifted into a fierce glare. When Lily saw the blue stone clutched in the woman's hand, she knew that she had been made. "There she is." Howard said to the two guardians with her. A man and a young woman. They took off running in Lily and Duncan's direction.

        Lily grabbed Duncan's hand and started sprinting, weaving through the crowd, desperately trying to think of some spell or trick to get them out of this. Nothing came to mind, so she kept running. Until there was no place left to go.

        Guardians appeared in front of them. Six in all. The two men from the lingerie store among them.

        Lily didn't want to open fire on them, blasting energy all over the place, with all of these norms surrounding them. She did not want to do that, but she had no other choice. Sending a push into the minds of everyone between her and the guardians, Lily threw her hand forward. As all of the people dropped to the ground, Lily released the energy. The blast was a bowling ball and the guardians the pins. And they all fell. Hard.

        Without a moment's hesitation, Lily pulled Duncan through the guardians who were getting back to their feet, angered expressions coloring their faces. "Stay down." Lily commanded, moving past them. The guardians all dropped back to the sidewalk.

        Lily and Duncan only made it two blocks before they found their path once again blocked. Agent Howard was moving toward them with five others.

        Lily looked back over her shoulder, ready to turn and run that way. But there, making their way closer, were the guardians she'd just escaped. Across the street, too, Lily saw four guardians waiting; in case, by some miracle, she and Duncan slipped away. There did not seem to be a chance of that happening, though.

        Turning her eyes from one guardian to the next, Lily noticed that their lips were moving, speaking hushed words that the norms wouldn't hear. She noticed that they were all speaking in unison, which could only mean one thing. A spell.

        Voices erupted in Lily's mind, emotions overpowered her; her senses were on overload. The guardians had found a way to use her Seer powers against her. They were making it so that she could not block out anything. She was bombarded with images and feelings. So many thoughts and worries running through her mind.

        Did I leave the oven on?

        I hope she'll be okay by herself.

        Should I take that dress back? It was so expensive. I could use that money to pay the rent. But it was so cute on me.

        I want him back so badly. I don't know what I'll do without him.

        How much more of Carl's bullshit can I take?

        I totally got away with it. They didn't even see me take it. That was awesome.

        Don't forget the milk. Don't forget the milk. Don't forget the milk.