Sorrow:
"Samantha Dean is dead. She was killed by a Shade Monster. Today, we have lost a friend and a leader. We cannot lose Sam or her dream in our grief. The threat of the Shadows is real. But we will not let them take Valnery again!" Lucky spoke to the Thief's Legion. "The Headmaster and Headmistress cannot ignore us now."
But they did. The Heads refused to believe that the Shadows had claimed Sam' life. Sam had fallen down the stairs from the fifth floor corridor. Her neck had broken on the stone steps. James had to drag Lucy from the Heads' office before she electrocuted them with lightning.
The Legion growled in agreement. That morning, they had cremated Sam's body. The Fire Elementals had lit her pyre with beautiful coloured flames. The Headmaster and Headmistress had stood with pale, stony faces. The few words they had spoken were grey and meaningless. Luke had tried to speak but his words had clogged in his throat and he had left the podium. Samantha's best friend, Laura, and Sam's sister, Carris, had spoken of her cheerful nature and resilience. Lucky had felt her heart breaking and had reached out for James. Their fingers had twined together tightly as they stood beneath a cloudy sky.
"They'll be coming soon," Lucky said. She, James and Aiden were sprawled on the floor of the secret room. They lay in the dark, letting it soothe their wounded hearts.
"We have to start planning how we'll defend this hell hole." James said, his fingers still tangled with Lucky's. Aiden sat up abruptly, "well then. We'd better get started."
Battle Strategy:
"If the Shadows attack they're going to come from the Onyx Mountain Range. That's where Lucky says their main base is," James pointed out the spiked range on the western border of a parchment map that he'd stolen from...someone. "We also think that there may be someone on the inside who's letting the Shadows into the school. Remember that last week, the gates flew open on their own 'accord'. There are now sixty students in the Thief's Legion." James grinned. "That is huge! What you've done to save Valnery is...amazing. And now, finally, we will take action. We're going to place eight of you on the Roof Garden on the Western side. Another ten will be on the grounds. Aiden will be leading you. Luke is going to position twenty others along the paths leading from the Onyx Range. You'll be using guerrilla attacks and taking down the Shadows from behind. The rest of you will be placed around the school. We have Poppy on our side. Lucky and I will be with those in the school."
"We are still recruiting your friends. The new Healers will remain with Poppy and set up a makeshift Hospital in this room. There are multiple exits from this room to other school on Valnery. When the Shadows attack, we will need people to warn the other schools." Laura and Carris raised their hands.
"We'll go," Laura said. "We'll warn the School of Aurora and the Elemental's College. Actually, Carris and I were thinking that we could go today can ask them for help. Even if their Heads don't believe us, the students will." James nodded. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of that?
A group of four stepped forward. Tyler and Carter, twins with dark hair and hazel eyes, were both Air Elementals. Ron was a gangly boy with straggly blonde hair. He was a Scryer. Gillian, a flame-haired beauty and skilled Water Elemental, clung to Ron's arm. "We'll go as well," Tyler said. "We can take the Northern colleges, like the School of Magick, since Laura and Carris are taking the ones in the South."
"That's a fantastic idea, Ty." Aiden said. Lucky came running into the room. "The Elemental teachers are on our side!" She yelled.
"Seriously?" Aiden gasped.
"Yes! Poppy convinced them to believe us. That's another eight teachers on our side!"
"That's...that's a whole lot more fire power!" The Thief's Legion cheered – maybe they could defeat the Shadows after all.
Nightmares:
The man stood in front of him, talking to his Shadows. Their red eyes blazed and the man threw his hood back. Greying brown hair framed his face. Blue eyes bored into James' soul and the proud chin mirrored his. But the rest of his face was a blur, an attempt to fit memories together to achieve a result that James longed for. The man raised his hand and James knew he'd been seen. Fear bubbled inside him, as dark and searing as tar. Flames shot towards him...
"James!" Lucky was shaking him. She and James had crashed in the secret room after an exhausting day of planning. Now, in the crushing darkness, James was yelling in terror. He'd tumbled off his mattress. Sweat beaded his brow. "James!" Lucky yelled. His eyes flew open and his Aura bloomed around him. He struck out, flames roaring from his fingers. Lucky felt them sear her skin. She tumbled away from James.
"Stop! It's me, James, it's Lucky!" She screamed. The flames were extinguished. James stared at her in horror.
"What is it?" She asked. She looked at where James was staring. A light burn was crackling across her skin. "Oh, James, I'm fine. I'll just get Poppy to put something on it." Lucky reached for him.
"Get away!" He yelled. Lucky flinched at his harsh tone.
"I don't want to hurt you," he whispered.
"James, I'm fine. You would never hurt me -"
"I'm evil, Lucky!" James screamed. Lucky shook her head furiously.
"No you aren't! James we did all this we set up the Thief's Legion we-"
"That man was my father! Laedin Michaels - Laedin Michaels is evil. He tried to kill you. He killed Sam." James dropped his head into his hands. His shoulders shaking.
"You're saying that the man in the hood with the blue eyes is your father."
"Yes. I had a dream."
"You're James Calner for a reason. You are not James Michaels. Your mother knew that. I know that." Lucky wrapped her arms around him. He pulled her close so that she was sitting in his lap. Lucky tucked her head into the crook of his neck and ran her fingers through his hair.
"You're not evil, James." Lucky let her fingers brush his cheek. Images filled her mind. The Silverlight River bubbling by his feet, his mother smiling at him, his step father yelling, Shadows with red eyes, Lucky beneath the Shadow. "We're connected. I know you. You are strong, inside and out, you're kind, noble." Lucky's lips brushed his cheek. "You're a good man, James."
