Legacy Rangers (Book Two of the Chosen Universe)

Chapter Twenty-One

TAMIRA

She wasn't sure how she'd gotten to the woods. The last thing Tamira remembered, she had been in bed, falling asleep. Had she been sleepwalking? Was she dreaming? What was going on?

It was really dark out, which was even more true beneath the thick trees. Tamira knew she needed to get out of there. She was wearing the clothes she'd gone to bed in, yellow plaid pajama pants and a Harry Potter t-shirt. She was barefoot, which made walking through the woods more difficult. She didn't have the replacement cell phone her dad had gotten her, either. Not only did that mean she had no way to call for help, but she didn't even have a flashlight.

"Hold up... Who needs a flashlight when I've got superpowers?" She asked aloud. She began to sing, and she felt better as light appeared in the woods.

You have a lovely voice, child, a voice whispered in her head. I do apologize. I had to be certain you were the one. It's nothing personal, my dear, but you are quite a bit more dangerous than you know. I am afraid I must snuff out that light of yours before it is too late.

"What the heck?" Tamira asked aloud. Something about the man whispering in her mind terrified her, but she tried not to panic.

Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind blew at her. It felt like she was hit with a tornado as the wind knocked her through the air. She screamed as she felt herself being flung over the edge of a cliff. As she flipped through the air toward her certain death, Tamira frantically reached out for anything that might help. She managed to grab onto a branch that dangled over the raging ocean beneath her. The branch was already starting to give and Tamira knew it wouldn't hold her for long.

"I'm so screwed..." She mumbled. She knew she couldn't give up, but it wasn't looking good. In an act of sheer desperation, as she tried to keep her grip on the branch, Tamira screamed, "Help!" It was a solid plan, but unfortunately, she was fairly certain no one was around to hear her.

ZEDD

He refused to sit around doing nothing. After being trapped for so long, Zedd needed to move around a bit. The prison had certainly been larger than Rita's space dumpster, but it was basically the size of a house, and that had eventually begun to feel extremely claustrophobic.

He didn't know what drew him into the woods that day. Perhaps it was the glow he noticed coming from deep inside. Or maybe it was something far worse.

Zell, he thought. He could feel him nearby. The bastard hadn't noticed him yet, but he had to be around for a reason. Zedd knew he should turn and run, but he had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that he couldn't ignore.

When he heard a scream, he tried to ignore it. He was evil. He wasn't supposed to care... But then he heard her frantic cries for help.

Tamira, he realized. That's why the woods had been glowing.

Without stopping to think, Zedd raced toward the sound of her voice. She was crying when he found her, dangling from a branch that was starting to crack. The moment it did, she'd fall and either drown or be crushed upon the rocks below.

Walk away, he told himself. Let the girl perish. It's what evil does.

He shook his head. No! You couldn't save Raven. Save his descendant!

She'll only die later, the evil told him. You spared Raven once. Zell still killed him in the end. Maybe a building will mysteriously collapse on her head, too.

Tamira let out another scream as the branch nearly broke completely. "This little light of mine! I'm gonna let it shine..." She sang, desperately trying to soothe herself as she struggled to swing her body into a safer position. Her voice cracked as she nearly fell.