Indestructible Fate

Chapter 3 - Hunting Squad

[Grubbs's perspective]

I'm sitting on a log in a clearing where I have set up camp for the night with two others.

I can't stop thinking about Reni. She was the most wonderful girl I had ever met. She was amazingly kind, smart, funny and surprisingly talented with an axe. At first it was just a silly little high school crush. Then I witnessed her brother, Loch, die and what that did to her. She became close to me and I knew exactly how she felt.

I know how it feels to lose your family. I saw my parents and sister get ripped to pieces by demons and it had almost driven me insane, hell I was in a lunatic asylum for ages and I never would have come out if it wasn't for my Uncle Dervish.

A small woman with long, dark red hair comes and sits next to me and puts her tiny arm around my massive shoulders. I look down from the stars and I smile sadly down at her.

Bec, Kernel and I have been traveling around by ourselves now for a long time. I never knew them very well when I was younger, but I knew I didn't like Kernel very much. He never gave a crap about me and I never gave a crap about him.

But now; with Reni gone; they are the only ones I have left, apart from James.

I'm drawn out of my thoughts by the soft beating of wings. I cast around for the source of the sound, glad for the distraction.

Maybe it's Krieg, back from his hunt. But the bird I see coming out of the darkness isn't black, but dark brown and white.

He clumsily lands on a nearby log and fixes his emerald green eyes on me. "Hermes!"

That's James's owl... oh god what's gone wrong now.

I get up and walk towards him and he lifts his leg so I can remove the letter he is carrying. I remove it, and give him a gentle scratch under his wing as I sit on the log next to him.

"Dad

You are not going to believe how much has happened in the last few hours. I always knew that Josh was a really bad bully but just before my second class he got hold of my journal, and I know what you're going to say. You're thinking that I shouldn't have left it lying around and I know that. But he got it and translated enough of it to convince them that I'm some kind of demon and we had this massive fight. We are fine just so you know, but I don't know how much longer it's going to stay fine. We never would have made it out if it wasn't for Estella.

Now I think Lily's dying and David looks really bad too. And Estella... I don't even know if she is Estella anymore. Please can you get here as fast as you can? I don't make a habit of pulling you out of a job early and this is some serious crap I have got myself into. I really need your help. Josh lied about who he is and now it turns out his last name is Argent. He's with them Dad! He is one of those mages who killed Mum. He was sent here to investigate demonic activity and he has set himself onto me. I really, really, really need your help.

I don't know what to do.

James"

As soon as I finish reading the letter I call Kernel out of the shelter and throw James's letter into the camp fire.

"You guys are going to have to finish this one without me," I say to them as a tall, bald, black man slumps down next to Bec, setting his shining blue eyes on me.

"How come?" Bec asks. "Is there something wrong?"

"James is in trouble," I say.

"He wants you to help clean up his mess?" Kernel asks. "Well I've got news for you Grubbs. We're in trouble here too! I can see it. Demons are coming here to try to kill all the people and you want to just run off to help one boy?"