The Last Mage

Chapter 11: Invisible

Zarlo had gone upstairs but no one dared to move. People had looked out their rooms and quickly disappeared again. Brielle couldn't help staring at the charred remains of her father. Eryn, Amber, and Requel were holding tightly to her. Nathan still had his hand on her shoulder, maybe the only thing keeping her from running. He hadn't looked once at her father or mother who was rocking slowly back and forth, her face stained with tears. He instead was watching the stairs waiting for Zarlo to come back down.

Brielle folded her arms more tightly. This wasn't happening. This was one of her nightmares. It had to be. The smell of burnt flesh kept her from complete denial. Her father was dead. Zarlo himself was here, had killed him. She wasn't dead because Nathan had hold of her. She would be dead. It would have killed her. And Nathan had panicked. Why? Why would he risk so much? She couldn't be the only one! She wasn't strong enough!

Finally Zarlo came back down. Brielle made herself look at him. At all that darkness. There was no form there, no soul left. It looked at her mother, pausing. If it were possible to see what the creature felt, she was sure it was satisfaction. Would it kill her too? Would Brielle be left all alone? Her friends gripped her tighter. Zarlo was only three feet away. It didn't know they were there. They had to be in the Guardian's world.

It finally moved on, the inspector following as if on a leash. He disappeared down the stairwell but the whole building remained still. No one could bring themselves to move. Nathan was the first. He was satisfied it was really gone and let his hand drop from her shoulder. Pain swarmed over her. She traced it to her arm. Looking down she saw her arm was fair swollen. She looked down at her mother, trying not to see the blackened body in front of her.

Her friends let her go and she collapsed into her mother. Her tears mingled with her mother's on the stone floor. A long time she sat there. The stabbing in her arm turned to a dull throb. She had to do something about it. A broken bone would lay her up. The field had to be done. She shook her head and looked toward Eryn who looked ill and Amber who had her face buried in her hands. Requel wasn't looking at her or the carnage but across the hall. Nathan had a hand to the wall, holding his head with the other. He looked the entire world as though he'd just fought a battle and not necessarily a win.

Wait. Requel was watching him? Could she see him? Zarlo had not seen them either. Something had happened. Nathan straightened suddenly, turning determined eyes on them. He mouthed something. Brielle couldn't hear him without the stone. When he saw they didn't get it he motioned them to follow. Requel touched Amber's arm, who nudged Eryn with a foot. They all looked at her. Nathan looked expectantly at her and motioned again. She clung to her mother. She was needed here.

But they didn't leave. The Guardian's eyes softened and he seemed to be searching his mind for some way to fix things. It was the girls who came up with the solution. They helped Brielle and her mother to their feet and half led half dragged them away from the body and down the hall. Nathan led them into Requel's room and sat, picking up a piece of chalk. He started writing on one of the rocks while they sat her mother on the cot. Brielle thought she must be in shock. It still didn't seem real her father was dead. It would hit her later she supposed but now her mind was running ahead.

Nathan turned the stone toward them, his writing neat and clean. But Brielle still couldn't read too well and didn't feel like trying. Suddenly she was thankful for Amber, who started reading in a whisper right away.

"You four will have to come with me. It's not safe for any of you. Brielle, I'm sorry for your loss but Zarlo knows exactly what you look like and they will kill you if they find you." Amber looked at her. Nathan stood and motioned them to follow. But Brielle didn't move.

"You said four. My mother is coming with." She glanced at her mother staring uncomprehendingly at the floor. "Or I'm not going anywhere. She needs me." The Guardian looked at the other girls but they weren't moving either. He sighed silently and nodded.