The Lost Heir (Book II) - The Midnight Brotherhood

Jack

Isabella watched fierce bolts of purple light pierce the darkening sky. The panic of the crowd rang through her pores, both harmonious and wild. It was as if she could feel the Empaths agreeing on an evacuation strategy in the midst of possible doom. The Empaths poured into dark corners of the Avenue as maniacal laughter filled the air. Bolts plowed into the earth, shattering the ground then evaporated into a thick clouds of violet dust. Men with heavy boots emerged from the smoke, banging their tall sticks on the ground. The Jack Boots. They wove through the smoke like ghosts in search of victims to horrify. Isabella stood frozen on the steps of Empath Hall. She could still see Seth and the others, but her vision slowly began to blur.

"Come to me, diadem child," the raspy, stern voice filtered into her ears over the sounds of furious light cracking the sky. The panic around her faded and Isabella fell completely attuned to the voice. Ice coursed through her veins as the man approached her. "I'm not here to hurt you, dear one. I'm here to help you. Let me save you... again. Wasn't once enough for you to trust me?" Then as quickly as it came the voice melted away, and she snapped out of the spell to find Seth clutching her hand.

"Izzy! Come on, move. Please!" His warm eyes broke through the cold fear that had seized her. It felt as if a something protective was surrounding her from the chaos beyond her.

Her eyes shifted to a Jack Boot bearing down on Micah. "Seth! Your brother..." Seth pulled her behind him as he rushed to Micah's side. He only let go of her when it came time to jump on the thug's back to stop him from creaming his brother.

Isabella saw Cleo and Xander. Xander was using one of his camera's flashes to blind the group of flying beings from the sky. They looked like faces she'd seen before, gnarled versions of people she'd met in Wish Valley. The Greens. Cleo swung her heavy purse, knocking several out of the air. One of them honed in on Isabella. It shot toward her. Isabella clutched her necklace, hoping it would wield her whatever she needed to stop it. But as it neared her, it turned off course, as if it could not touch her. Isabella looked around for Neeta and Franklin, but neither of them were in sight.

A large, blinding bolt hurdled to the ground from the clouds, and as it erupted, the smoke cleared to reveal a shadowy man. He wore dark, purplish clothes and his hair was accented by a lick of violet beneath a black top hat. His evil smile grew larger as his sharp eyebrows punctuated his appearance. She'd seen him the night of the solstice when the fair folk completed their ritual. Seth and Micah appeared at Isabella's side. Cleo and Xander were just behind them.

"Well, well. Look at all of this unnecessary intrusion. They are trying to hurt you, Isabella. I'm the one who saved you. I can help you. The Midnight Brotherhood are the real villains of this story." His confidence and charisma smoothed over Isabella in a way that she could not understand.

They stood together as the suave man walked closer. Why was he so young? If this was Robert's brother, how could he appear this way? "Step aside, children. I have a few things to discuss with your young diadem." With a wave of his hand, Seth and Micah flew through the air and landed in a clump at the bottom of the steps of Empath Hall. Xander rushed forward to avenge his friends, but he and Cleo soon met a similar fate. "You need me. You need your lost heir."

Isabella grew fierce. "Stay away from me! I know you're not the Foxworthy heir. But he and will crush you. I promise you this!" Her screams were quieted by the commotion going on around them.

"They've twisted you. You aren't sure, are you?" he said with an evil laugh. Isabella twitched. His smile enveloped her with a near choke. "How can you be so sure that I'm not the lost Foxworthy heir?"

Isabella wasn't sure how to respond, when a voice boomed overhead. "Because I am!"

Colin lunged from the emptiness behind her. He wore a dark hood and pulled two daggers from under his cloak. Light swirled around the blades as he stood in a protective stance. "Come get me, Jack!"