Fateful Signs (Ballad of the Seer, Book Three)

Chapter 7 - Out of Luck

Curled up on the small lumpy cot, with Duncan at her back, holding her in his arms, Lily managed to get a few hours of sleep. It was either that or sit awake in the dark all night, leaving her exhausted. She knew that if she was going to get out of this place she would need to be at full strength. Mentally, as well as physically.

Unfortunately, sleep brought with it terrible nightmares, which felt all too real, about a war with the Council.

Guardians, in their crisp government agent suits, with charms and crystals hung around their necks, threw blasts of energy at Lily's friends and family, who stood alongside her, fighting for their lives, it seemed. A large gray wolf - Lily suspected it was Jack - dodged witches trying to put him down. Jason and his mother were on the front line, fending off magical attacks, trying to prevent the others from getting the brunt of it, since their immunity to magic made it so they could not be harmed by the witches. Dianna, who had her own sort of immunity, was with them, helping to block what she could. She, like the mother-and-son team, was wearing the black gear of the witch hunters, enabling them to return attacks, with potions and charms and other various magic-defense items. Even Veronica was helping out, taking full advantage of her ghostly form, possessing guardians and turning their magic against their friends. Of course, because none of the guardians was a Seer, they couldn't see her; they had no idea what was happening. They must have assumed it was a spell.

Despite all of the help, Lily's side was losing. The witches took out a number of faceless shadows that seemed to be on Lily's side. A ring of fire blazed around the melee, lighting the night like it was daytime. Also, blocking the view of everything beyond the orange flames.

Across the massive lawn, Lily saw Duncan; he was trying to protect his father, behind him. Though, he wasn't using magic. He held aloft a sword, carved with the language of magic - the faerie language. The blade was able to block many of the magical blasts directed their way, deflecting them back at the enemy, who seemed particularly focused on the pair. Lily tried to run to him, fearing for his safety, but she could never quite make it. Just when she was close enough to reach out and touch him, the ground split, opening into a wide chasm. They were separated across the vast open space, with no way to get to the other side

Just then, Sebastian and Fake Lily appeared on either side of Duncan. Lily's clone held out her hand and a sword, with a glowing red blade, like that of a warlock's dagger, appeared in a flash of red light. She used the weapon to strike down Duncan's father. Sebastian, meanwhile, wrapped a hand around Duncan's throat, lifting him off the ground with a strength that Lily didn't know he possessed. Duncan's weapon dropped to the ground, bouncing off the rock, falling into the deep darkness of the fissure.

With incredible ease, Sebastian swung around, holding Duncan out over the canyon; his mouth twisted into his irksome half-smile, just before he released Duncan, screaming for his life, into the great hole.

Without thought or worry for her own safety, Lily threw herself into the darkness after Duncan, screaming his name as she plummeted deeper and deeper into the abyss.

Lily awoke with Duncan's name escaping in a loud shriek. She jerked, trying to free herself from whatever was holding her down, until she heard Duncan's soothing voice, saying her name, and she remembered where she was. His arms around her tightened and he pressed his lips to her temple. "It's okay. You're okay now." Duncan said, sweetly, as he smoothed down her hair with his hand. "It was just another bad dream."

Lily turned over, her hand clutched the material of his shirt before moving to touch his face, making sure that he was real. She could barely see him, the only light came from the small rectangular window in the door. The light cast most of his face into darkness, but she could see his mouth, smiling sweetly at her. She traced the line of his plump pink lips with her index finger, the peaks of his upper lip and the swooping curve of his bottom lip, forming the perfect shape, even if it was a tad lopsided.