The Adventures of the Junior Phoenixes, Part 1: The Pendant of Life

Chapter 29: Return to Misery Island

Chapter 29

     “SAM!” Shade shouted. But he already knew where she was and who she was with. Leech had her. Leech had taken her. His heart raced with anger, panic, and urgency.

     “She’s not here, Shade!” Echo yelled to him. “They must have Apparated out of the forest. Their tracks end here and vanish.”

     “I know she’s not here, dang it! We have to go after her!”

     “Don’t yell at me! It’s not my fault!” Echo shouted back at him. “Calm down, Shade!”

     “Why did you Apparate us out of there so fast?” Shade yelled at Dev.

     “You were supposed to hold on to her, connard!” Dev shouted at Shade. “It’s not my fault you let her go!”

     Shade aimed his wand at Dev. “What did you just say to me?”

     “Stop it!” Echo shouted, “This isn’t helping Sam!”

     Shade’s eyes were red with anger. He took a few deep breaths and let the anger subside a little. He lowered his wand and took another deep breath. “You’re right, Echo. Sorry, Dev. Back to the tower!”

     The trio ran past the wall and back to the tower.

     “This is my fault,” Shade mumbled to himself. “This is my fault and mine alone. I’ll never forgive myself if something happens to her.”

     Echo patted him on the back. “We’ll find her, Shade. Don’t trip, dude.”

     The trio entered the tower loft and panic was obvious in Shade’s eyes.

     “What’s wrong?” Rain Fox asked.

     “What happened?” Star asked. “Where’s Sam?”

     Shade walked right up to Rain Fox. “He has her, Warrior. He has her and we have to save her.”

     “What do you mean?” Dan asked. “Who’s got who?”

     “Good Lord,” Rain Fox said. She walked over and grabbed her blades and her coat. She knew what he meant. “Leech has her.”

     “Leech has Sam?” Dan shouted. He walked over and slapped Shade in the face, right over his long scar on the left side. “What the heck were you doing? Where were you? How could you let her get caught by Leech? What were you doing? You’re supposed to be protecting her!”

     Shade stood there, the left side of his face red from Dan’s slap. He turned back to Dan and he glared.

     “It was an ambush, Dan!” Echo said, pulling him away from Shade. “They got ambushed. Leech came out of nowhere and attacked them! It’s not his fault! He probably thought that Rain Fox was nearby!”

     “No, Echo,” Shade said. “He wanted me. He was looking for me. He was looking to kill me or something. He wants me alive, more now than ever. He doesn’t need Sam. He’s going to kill her as soon as he finds out she’s a Muggle-born.”

     “What’s her being a Muggle-born have to do with anything?” Dan asked.

     “He only feeds on people with a lot of power in their blood,” Rain Fox explained. “Remember what he said back in his tower? He doesn’t think Muggle-borns are inherently powerful so he normally kills them.”

     “Or he’ll turn her into a werewolf and use her against us!” Star said. “We have to rescue her!”

     Everyone jumped when the Talk-Box suddenly chirped loudly. “SHADE! JINX! WHERE ARE YOU?”