The Way Back (Champions of the Crystal Book 4)

Chapter 5.2

Sabrina thought over and refined her plan until it was time to go back to the pond for the infants' midday feeding. She didn't like the number of variables, and she resisted the idea of violence, but in the end she couldn't think of anything else. Telling Mara stories was obviously not the way to pique her curiosity about her past. Something more aggressive was required.

Unfortunately, the pond was not as deserted as it had been that morning. Sabrina's stomach tightened as she saw Varla on the far side, surveying the area with a smug air that was obvious enough even from this distance. Another figure was poking around near the pond's edge; when he straightened, Sabrina saw that it was Ford. He didn't look like a prisoner, so he must have convinced Varla that he was going along with her plan. She wondered where Aurora was.

Mara took no notice of their audience, focused on her task. Sabrina took careful note of where the two nearest guards were—she would have to take them out of action before trying her plan, and just hope that Ford and Varla were too far away to interfere. She didn't want to wait to put her plan into action; something about Ford's stance as he listened to Varla bothered her. She knew all too well that Varla could be mesmerizing, like a snake, and there was a danger that, cut off from the Crystal, Ford's act might become reality. Scotty had been right about that possibility, no matter how much she wanted to dismiss the idea.

Mara was at the very edge of the pond, extending her net as far toward the middle as she could reach. She had admirable balance, Sabrina thought; amnesia hadn't robbed her of her grace. Her body language was still that of a Queen, too. It made it hard to put the plan into action. As long as Mara did not turn that blank look on her or speak in that dead voice, Sabrina could believe this was her old friend.

But she wasn't. She was a stranger in Mara's body, Sabrina told herself firmly. Mara was a prisoner somewhere inside there, and Sabrina had to free her. By whatever means necessary.

Looking up, Sabrina was alarmed to see Varla and Ford moving toward them. She was running out of time. Before she could think about it any more, she went into action. Picking up Mara's bucket, already half full, she flung it at the nearest guard. He retreated instinctively, and while he was off balance, she swung the bucket at his head and sent him crashing to the ground. Then she turned and grabbed up her net again just in time to use the handle as a stave, blocking the guard's pike and shoving with all her strength. He reeled back a step, and she kicked him in the stomach, then brought the net handle down on his head with a sharp crack.

Mara let out a cry of surprise and alarm, and Sabrina turned, steeling herself. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ford running toward them. As she drew back to strike, she heard him shout, "Sabrina, no!"

"Mara—" Sabrina breathed as she brought her net around. I'm sorry, she finished silently as the net crashed into her friend, knocking her back into the pond. Sabrina jumped into the shallow water, ignoring the things swirling around her bare feet, and grabbed for Mara's neck, pushing her under the surface.

"Sabrina, have you lost your mind?" Ford's horrified voice cried. He was getting closer; she could now hear his running footsteps above the splashing that marked Mara's vain efforts to free herself. They were growing weaker, and cold fear began to gnaw at Sabrina. What if Mara lost consciousness before she could act? What if the Crystal was too dimly connected to protect her? What if it sensed Sabrina meant her no deadly harm and refused to react? Why didn't I think of these things before?

Sabrina heard Ford splash into the water behind them and braced herself, but before he could get to her, a feeling like static electricity flew through Sabrina's fingers. She opened her mouth to say something—she didn't know what—just before she was flung backwards. Before she could realize what was happening, she was sprawling on the hard ground while Ford helped his sputtering mother out of the water, brushing little creatures off them both. Then she heard Varla's laughter, still at a distance.