Opposites: The Staff of Light [Book One]

42. In The Prison Cart

Alice

I couldn't really describe how everything went. After seeing Adelaide run off with Jessie into the woods, the thought gave me a spark of hope, although I doubted the two of them would come back to their home. While Adelaide was made to climb up the riser, Tyler clasped my shoulder. "I should make that branch larger," he muttered. "The rope could snap. And Adelaide could break free."

"No," I hesitated. "Then everyone will think Adelaide did it. There'll be more consequences—worse ones, too. You told me this last night, right? They'll all be treated no different from firewood if the rules they've broken were worse—far worse than practicing magic."

"I can't watch her die."

When we spotted Colton events after that, we sped towards him. The jail cart was on fire and the guards made their way towards it. All of a sudden, Annabeth appeared as the tongues of fire died down. And soon the battle began. I froze every castle guard that approached. After freezing a dozen of them to pure solid, my energy was dying down. I cursed under my breath. I never expected the day to be worse.

To my side, Tyler fell to his knees. His vines that wrapped around the legs of every guard and slowly consumed them all over weren't that stable. He was fighting off over twenty of them, but growing too many plants at once was pulling at his limit. He was exhausted. Apparently, I got distracted by looking at him, studying his remaining strength. I ended up being pushed to the ground. And that's when I screamed in pain. "Don't touch her!" Tyler commanded. He tried to push the guard off me, but another sent him reeling towards one of the others I froze. He bonked his head on solid ice. No, I thought. More castle guards came over and tied us both up.

As we were inside the prison cart, I kept looking at him, making sure he never got hurt. He bought me a lot of time to fend off more guards until his powers drained him. I should have been more grateful. As the cart surged forward, Tyler was still telling the others what secrets we've unlocked during the stay—Adelaide's workshop, the portal, and especially, the prophecy. "Why does this all seem so familiar to me?" Colton groaned, shutting his eyes tight. "Every time I hear the word Youngblood, I feel like getting migraine."

"Maybe there's a DJ named Youngblood?" Mitch suggested hopefully.

"I-I... I don't think so." He threw his head back, slamming the top of his scalp against the wooden wall. "Why can't I remember?" He pronounced every word with a head slam.

"Please do stop that," Annabeth said.

"Sorry, Sunshine," Colton immediately went to normal mood, sitting as if he weren't crazy yet.

Tyler continued. "At any rate, however, Alice and I have the portal openers. We can go back to our real world once we find Alex, George, and Raven."

Annabeth bit her lip. "Again, I'm terribly sorry I got you guys into this mess. I never thought you people would follow me into the well." She looked at Colton. "And, uh, I guess it's my turn to share. Colt, I met your mother."

Colton frowned. "That seems unfair. I never got a chance to meet her, but—" his eyes widened, "—my mother's dead. I didn't even get a chance to know her. I never saw her. I never knew her name."

"Her name is Belinda of the Cliff."

"Which makes Colt Colton of the Cliff?" Mitch asked.

"I have a father," Colton said proudly. "I'm going with O'Bryan."

"I never got to know her real last name." Annabeth was obviously holding something back as her face paled. She shook the thought off her mind. "We can talk of this more when we get to Camp. Anyways..." She looked down in shame, then looked at me. "Alice, has any male slept with you yet?" I tried my best not to let my cheeks burn red.

She knows, I thought nervously as the memory of sleeping with Tyler flashed into my mind. "No," I answered.

"Good," she replied, sighing.

"How about you?"

Annabeth took full ten seconds before she could answer, "Don't ask me."

Colton sensed something in her eyes. He immediately cleared his voice. "So you're demanding an audience with the king?"

"Yeah," she said, staring blankly in the air. "I have a plan."

"You always do."

Annabeth grinned. I still couldn't get over the fact that she had been 'bedded'. Judging from the place where she spawned—I mean, teleported—she was nearly sold to a nobleman, just as Adelaide had been, just as what she had warned me about. Perhaps I shouldn't ask. This is Annabeth. She can probably get this under control.

"Are you thinking of something?" Tyler nudged me.

"Hmm?" I responded.

"I'm only checking if you're alright."

From outside, I heard a louder galloping sound that outshone the horses' that hauled the prison cart. A hoot followed, and Annabeth jumped to her feet and looked out the window. "Combust, you scallywag," her eyes lit up. "Fervor... gods, I didn't expect—no, don't explode the doors. I have the others in here. Look, I'll meet both of you at the castle. Find me. I'll be near a window. You just have to sense me. Combust, I'm counting on you." Combust hooted again, and a horse's neigh rose into the air. "Good boy—well, boys. Now, vanish." A sound mingled into the atmosphere—like that kind of sound of a potion being thrown into the ground, or an enchantment's last line where a pot steams out a green mushroom cloud.

She turned to face us. Her melancholy expression faded and was replaced by a face every commander should wear at every battle—determination. Annabeth grinned. "Alright, lads," she began, a spark of hope emanating with her voice, "Let's discuss the plan. Alice, do you have the pouch with you right now?"

I nodded.

"Good." From behind us, the driver banged on the wood, yelling at us to make us shut up. "Oh, go boo yourself. We'll discuss the plan—quieter." And Mitch giggled in excitement.

* * *

"Are you sure this will work?" Tyler asked.

"Positive," Annabeth replied.

Mitch smirked. "This is Annabeth we're talking about."

I could nearly hear the voice in my head praying for a miracle that the plan would work. But whatever doubt happened to be in my head that moment, I had trust in Annabeth. And it wasn't long before we could get home.

Home—a word I haven't meant with such emotion before. It gave me a sense of longing. Tyler and I discussed our first date somewhere preferably outside Camp. It made me slightly nervous—or maybe that had been the butterflies in the stomach again, their wings brushing the inner walls.

Your psychotic sister has the Staff of Light. If you get that for me, turn it over, I will spare all your lives and perhaps I could let you return to your own world. I remembered what the invisible man in my dreams said, his deep voice making my entire body vibrate in fear. I shut my eyes tight, wishing the thought could only leave me alone. No, no... I can't do this—I remembered Annabeth with a staff in her hands. I knew too well that it was the Staff that evil creature wanted.

But if you don't, continued the evil voice in my dream, I will kill you and your friends.