The Child Out For Revenge

Chapter 14

Sorry for the gap between uploads, went back to school. This term is going to be full on, so there will be very few new chapters. But I hope you all enjoy this chapter! :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 14

Jezebel’s POV

Everything was happening so fast, it was hard to keep track of, well anything. One second Ryder was almost staking Josh, the next I find myself breaking and saying I’ll do whatever he wants as long as he lets Josh live and now just as Ryder took a step towards me something came flying at him.

It took me a while to work out why Ryder had suddenly hit the floor. Then the yelling started. That’s how I figured out that Chase was no longer unconscious by the door, because he was wrestling Ryder on the ground. A brief thought of whether Chase had ever been unconscious at all fluttered through my mind before I realised that even though Chase currently had the upper hand, this match was definitely not equal.

Ryder was a bit taller and looked so unbelievably angry at Chase, there was no way Chase was going to win this fight. There’s no way Chase is going to win unless I help him. But I can’t help him when I can’t even help myself. My mind furiously whirs while I struggle once again with the ropes which are doing such a great job at keeping me useless. My heart felt like it was going into overdrive as I realise that when Ryder eventually wins he will most likely use that stake on Chase.

I freeze despite the two boys still battling it out. I realise that I can help Chase but only if…

“CHASE! Break the circle! You need to break the circle! I can help if you break the circle!” I scream over the shouting, cursing and the sound of blows making contact.

Both Chase and Ryder paused for a split second and then change tactic. Chase went from attacking to trying to escape Ryder. I couldn’t see before but as Chase tried desperately to reach the circle encompassing me I noticed that blood was flowing steadily from his nose and from a cut above his left eye. Ryder however only had a split lip and a couple of red splotches on his face.

Punches and kicks were flying rapidly fast as well as some rather colourful language. Neither Chase nor Ryder seemed to be making much ground. They were both fighting like hell and each time a blow connected it made me wince, no matter who it landed on. This was no play fighting, this was a fight to the death.

I tried reaching for my magic even though I knew the circle was still unbroken. My hope that the circle had weakened enough for me to break it from the inside faded quickly when all I was able to do was make the flame from the candles flare higher and brighter. But I didn’t need to break the circle to help Chase, just trying was enough. The flare of the candles flame distracted Ryder just long enough for Chase to knock Ryder flat on his back and sprint across to where I was.

Chase was quick, but Ryder didn’t miss a beat. Barely seconds after Chase escaped him he was on his feet, giving chase. Chase knew he didn’t have a lot of time to reach me and break the circle. He also seemed to know just when Ryder was going to make a grab for him because he dived forward a split second before Ryder did.

I felt my eyes widen and my jaw drop as Chase seemed to slide through the air like superman. I held my breath in anticipation for Chase’s out stretched hand to knock over a candle or something. All the air I’d been holding in lungs my deserted me when Chase’s hand fell a foot short of the circle, leaving me trapped and powerless inside. Ryder walked forward laughing manically. With his trademark sneer splashed across his face he stood on Chase’s out stretched hand, grinding it into the floor. He stood in a way that blocked Chase from making any sudden moves to break the circle.

Ryder made a fake impression of a sad face, “Aw damn. Close but not close enough guys. Better luck next ti-“

Chase snorted derisively cutting Ryder off, “Shut up jackass.”

Chase, forever full of surprises, moved blindingly fast. Spinning on his back he twisted around to kick Ryder’s feet from under him. Ryder seemed to fall in slow motion. The look of utter shock made the whole thing surreal. The dead silence that filled the air made Ryder’s impact with the ground sound jarringly loud. But my focus wasn’t on Ryder exactly. Well it was so some extent. Every fibre of my being was trained on Ryder’s legs, which at the last moment of his fall; hit a candle knocking it over.

The flame of the fallen candle went out before it hit the ground. The ringing sound it made seemed to resound for ages but the effect of the broken circle was instantaneous. Every candle, despite being untouched, went out making the room darker. The ecstasy I felt when the circle broke and my magic came rushing back was beyond euphoric. I shiver as goose bumps covered my skin and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end.

I felt whole again, like a hole inside me was filled with the return of my magic. I felt invincible. But before justice could be served there were a few precautions that I had to take. I closed my eyes and breathed in through my mouth and out through my nose. I felt my magic flood from me in a wave, bending to my will. I imagined all the components of the circle that held me captive disappeared including the rope tying my hands. I envisaged any physical harm that had come to Josh, Chase and Ryder would be healed. I urged the magic pouring out of my soul to fix any damage to Ryder’s apartment would be repaired.

Once everything felt right in the apartment I used my magic to summon up the stake that Ryder was going to use to kill Josh. Only when I felt it lightly land in my open, upturned palm did I open my eyes.  I was met with a slight golden shimmer coating every available surface in the apartment even the three guys standing in front of me.

Ryder didn’t dare move as I stood up, dusted myself off and sild the stake into the pocket of my skinny jeans. I began to stretch my cramped and sore muscles but didn’t get far before Josh encompassed me in a hug full of love and relief. I  wanted to stand in his embrace forever and soak up his undieing love. But I moved back slightly, only enough to pull Chase into the hug as well.

But with all the light filling the room, I could feel the darkness brewing and boiling off of Ryder. His fury was tangible and was fuelled by a tinge of sadness, so my happiness was short lived. Taking a deep breath I disentangle myself from Josh and Chase, so I could face Ryder. At first he looked like he wanted to jump me and wrap his hands around my throat but then thought better of it.

I began to speak to him in the most calming voice I could muster, “Ryder, we can’t-“

“Don’t you dare say that we can’t keep doing this. That it has to end here because this is not over. All is not forgiven,” Ryder cut me off in barely concealed anger.

“Ryder, just let me try and explain. You don’t know what sort of a man your father was! He-” this time I cut myself short, knowing I’d said the wrong thing.

“Of course I didn’t know him! How could I? You took everything from me! Everything! Who gave you the right to play God and decide who dies and who doesn’t?” Ryder spat gradually drawing closer to me.

His words stung and played on my conscience. He was right though, I had no right to play God. But I had and now I’m paying for it. An internal war waged inside me. I couldn’t just let this slide because Ryder wasn’t going to stop until he either had his parents back or I was dead. It seemed like it was him or me, but I couldn’t bring myself to kill him. He was innocent in all of this. The only reason he is the way he is now is because of me. I had to fix this.

“Ryder it’s impossible for your parents to come back. There is no spell or incantation that will bring them back. It goes against the laws of the earth. There’s not even any black magic that can do what you want, I’m sorry,” I explained to him slowly.

I paused letting that sink in before continuing, “I know that’s not what you want to hear, but it just can’t be done. I want to fix this, I really do. You have no idea how much I want to. I just don’t know how because what you want, I can’t give you.”

Ryder took his sweet time considering what I had said. I knew his mind was spinning I could see it in his eyes. My sense of dread was growing as I realised his need to find an answer that would be as torturous as if he still had me captive in the circle.

His lifted his chin up and sent me a deathly glare before replying, “Then kill me too.”