Hidden Magic: The Call of the Prophecy

Chapter 18.2: Disloyalty and Treachery Among Us Continued

I toss and turn like crazy as the clock on the bedside table ticks. It's just after three in the morning and I can't sleep. I'd fallen asleep rather easily after eating but another nightmare of us dying is keeping me awake. I couldn't keep my mind from wondering if it really was Malcolm manipulating my dreams. I wonder if I can astroproject and wait around and see if he's messing with my dreams.

It takes me a few tries over the course of thirty minutes to astroproject to the closet. I make sure my bed is in view as I stand just inside the door. The fatigue from holding the astroprojection is starting to take its toll on me when I hear a noise and now, I'm instantly on alert. I look at the clock to see it's after five now. Even with the blinds closed, some light should be filtering through, but the room is still pitch dark.

"I'm trying but it's not working. It's like she's sleeping but her mind is working as if she's awake," a male voice whispers.

It is Malcolm but I can't see who he's talking to. I let go of the astroprojection and am back in my body while he's still talking. I make sure to keep my breathing even so as not to alert him that I'm awake. If I find it hard to see in the room, I'm willing to bet that he can barely see too. I take a risk and slowly crack open an eye. He's standing on the side of my bed with his eyes closed in concentration.

Acting fast, I throw out my left arm and punch him in the throat. His eyes snap open in shock as he grabs his throat. I fling the blanket aside, roll to my hands and knees, and kick him in the face. Blood splashes everywhere as his nose breaks. As his hands move from his throat to his nose, I turn and jump forward to tackle him around the waist. The momentum pushes him back before I trip him to the ground.

Suddenly, I'm on top punching him in the face repeatedly. By the time I stop, he's bloody and unconscious. He never had a chance to put up a fight. I need to tell my sisters but there is no way I'm leaving him in my room alone so, I yell for them to come to my room. My yelling is so loud and long that they come running into the room ready to fight.

"What's going on?" Stephanie asks as fire crackles in her hands.

"I just beat the ever-loving shit out of him for fucking with my dreams," I respond out of breath as I point to Malcolm.

Miranda looks around the room. "So, it was Malcolm."

"Yes, it was but I don't think he was alone," I say looking around my room again. "He was talking to someone, but it was too dark to see."

"Too dark? Mary, it's after five in the morning," Annie replies.

Miranda walks toward me and Malcolm. "We'll discuss this some more later. Let's get this piece of shit locked away."

After Malcolm is taken away to the cellar, we go downstairs for breakfast. I need my cup of coffee before we address this shit show.

I take a sip of my coffee. "We need to interrogate him and find out why he's been messing with my dreams."

Everyone mumbles their agreement, and we finish our breakfast quickly. Jade, Torri, and Adam join us as we head to the cellar. There's a lot of angry screaming and yelling as we walk down the stairs. I'd forgotten we still had the other three detainees down here.

We'll have to decide what to do with them later. As we approach Malcolm's cellar, Adam pulls the key from his pocket. Malcolm is chained to a chair in the middle of the room. There is a toilet, a small bed, and no windows.

Ashley laughs when she sees Malcolm. "Damn Mary, he looks worse than roadkill. Did you have to beat him so bad?"

I shrug my shoulders. "I never gave him the chance to fight but that doesn't matter. We need answers."

We started throwing questions his way, asking why he was messing with my dreams, if he was a part of the rising, who the leader was, what they were planning, and more. But he just sits there ignoring us. I know I didn't hit him hard enough in the throat to do damage.

"I think it's time for a little torture," Ashley proposes. "I volunteer as tribute!"

I look at her. "First off, you sound way too excited for that, so calm down. Second, if anyone is torturing this piece of shit, it's going to be me."

Her brows lower as she pouts. "But you already beat him uglier than he was, let me have some fun."

Miranda speaks then. "Ashley be quiet and let Mary torture him. He was messing with her dreams."

She stomps to the corner of the room. "Fine."

Jade steps forward. "Lords, shall we fetch the torture devices?"

I shouldn't be surprised that they have torture devices, but I tell her no. They just need to stand there and admire my handy work.

I walk closer to Malcolm. "I'll ask you one more time. Why were you turning my dreams into nightmares?"

He looks at me with his one good eye. "Fuck you."

I flick my fingers and a long strip of skin flies off his arm. I do it again and another piece comes off his thigh. He screams long and loud from the pain and behind me, Jade and Torri gasp in surprise. I guess no one realized I conjured an illusion so quickly.

"Answer the fucking question or I can do this all day," I say in a taunting tone.

He's breathing heavily. "To...scare...you."

I rip off one of his ears next. "What are the unruly planning next?"

"I don't know. I only know what's supposed to happen the day of," he screams.

I find that hard to believe. He was talking with someone when he was in my room. "Who is the leader of the rising?"

He's looking around the room to avoid answering my question. "I don't know."

I shake my head in anger. "You're lying again."

He starts screaming as bones break throughout his body. "I don't know! I don't know! I fucking swear!"

I decide to change the question. "Fine, who were you talking to when you were in my room?"

He looks surprised. "No one. I was talking to myself."

Surely, he doesn't expect me to believe that. I continue to torture him until I'd gotten everything that I could out of him. I'm still not sure if he's telling us the truth or telling us everything but it's what we have for now. The whole process took breaking more bones, filleting more skin, and pulling off some nails.

Still, all we know is that the rising's objective is to be able to use magic freely and control the humans. They don't want peace and deem themselves a superior breed that shouldn't be controlled by a lesser species. Plus, we still have no idea who the leader is. I let the illusion fade and Malcolm is back to the way he was before this started.

"Let's go. We'll decide what to do with him later. He might still be useful," I tell everyone.

After we leave the cellar, we send Jade, Torri, and Adam to get more information about the rising. Meanwhile, we decide to inform the USSNA about the vigilante magic users. They should know who is behind the attacks and why but first we need to change because we're still in our night clothes. 

We know the guards at the facility must conduct the search and escort procedures, so Miranda teleports us outside the entrance instead of inside. However, the guards didn't appreciate that.

Four guards train their weapons on us as if we are the enemy. "Stay where you are. Get on your knees and place your hands behind your head."