The Enchantments: Book 3 - The Key of Sorcen

Chapter 26: Sins of the Father

"You know it's really disgusting down here," Marlanda said sarcastically.

"-And someone's feet really stink!" Shawn shot forth.

The bright lights from a few seconds earlier suddenly flickered a multitude of colors. Marlanda cared less about that than she did about the mass of portal opening around them.

"It looks like we're no longer in Kansas Toto." She said.

"-And look here comes the wicked witch of the North," Shawn whispered.

Marlanda tried to move her head below the foot of the minion (that was putting a little too much pressure on her cheek for her taste). Finally, she shimmied it just enough to catch a glance across from Shawn.

"Oh, crap." She sighed.

"That's right my little sweet it's your old friend." The crackly, self-satisfied voice of Roudem came from close by. "I always thought we'd meet under better circumstances, but for me, this'll do."

"Oh, you must feel so proud to have captured a fourteen-year-old girl and her boyfriend-"

"So the two of you are together, isn't that sweet." He glided slowly around them so he could get a better look at Marlanda's face. "You've ended up in quite the pickle, haven't you?"

"What do you want?" Marlanda snapped.

"Oh, I have some special plans for you, very special plans indeed."

Marlanda felt her stomach churn as she saw the grotesque yellow teeth of the man-monster and her almost wretched when the corner of his mouth began to crack at the charred flesh.

"You're breakin' my heart!" She snarled.

"My dear, I really believe you should learn to take your capture with a little more tact and dignity. Being captured is no shame, you just realize you're not as smart as you thought." He laughed.

Marlanda who now felt her face going numb grunted as the anger began to swell greater. "Thinking you've outsmarted a fourteen-year-old must be high on your list of accomplishments. If I were you I'd look deeper to myself to see where the problem lies. Oh heck, you might realize how much of a jerk you are!"

Roudem was not amused in fact he was far from being hospitable. "PICK THEM UP SO THEY CAN SEE THEIR CONQUERORS!" He snapped.

She felt the pressure from her face removed, thankfully, but the savage tug from the minion wrenched her arm badly.

The minion picked up both her and Shawn and tossed the two of them like rag dolls upon the dusty smelly couch that sat on the far side of the room. To her relief, she found no damage to either her or Shawn and was surprised to see that they were not going to be bound and gagged. This was something she hoped would not happen.

As Roudem glided to their position, the cloud of dirt from the floor gave him the look of moving through a mist.

"I'm getting tired of saying this," Roudem growled. "-But you kids have caused us more problems, ones I wish you to know will stop from here on in!"

Marlanda rubbed her shoulder trying to ease the pain then looked into the dark eyes of her capture, "You've never been able to stop us before, what makes you think you can do it now?" She spat.

Roudem gave a small wave of his hand and four minions rushed forward and grabbed a now struggling Shawn before they knew what hit them.

Marlanda was quick to jump to her feet and was instantly pushed back down hard to the couch.