Lost Soul

Chapter Nine: Fearless Leader

I step forward, but my knees give out.

A bright light envelopes him and my heart stammers.

"No! NO!" I scramble to my feet, running for Will.

I hadn't done anything when the light took my mom. In truth, I hadn't cared what was happening. But I can't lose him. Wherever he's going, I have to go with.

I lunge, staring straight into the light even as my eyes burn.

Charlie catches me around the waist and spins me. He curls his wings around me and folds around me as the light shines as bright as the sun.

"NO!" I wail, hitting Charlie in the chest.

When the light dies and Charlie uncurls his wings, Will's gone. The only sign he'd been there is the pool of blood where he'd lain.

"What did you do!?" I sob, collapsing against Charlie.

"It wasn't me," he rasps, desperately. "It wasn't me."

"I don't believe you." I keep smacking his chest. All the fight goes out of me and my knees give out again.

Charlie eases us into the dirt and he lets me sob into him.

"Raven!? What happened!? We heard scream-." Rae's voice dies when she sees me. Her eyes flicker from Charlie's bloody sword on the ground to the pool of blood next to us. "Raven?" Her voice breaks.

I lift my head and her chest hitches as she takes a breath.

"You're okay," she breathes, falling beside me. She pets my hair. "You're okay," she repeats. "What happened?"

I push away from Charlie and collapse against Rae's chest.

She pets my hair, looking to Charlie for an explanation.

"It wasn't me," he rasps. "I-I didn't stab him."

Rae tenses under me. "Who?" She asks, voice cold.

Charlie looks down. "I stabbed what attacked him," he whispers.

"Who!?" Rae shouts.

Charlie closes his eyes.

"Will," I whisper, gripping her shirt in my fist as hard as I can.

Rae's chest stutters under my head. She shakes her head. "No. No. He can't be dead."

"He's-he's not dead," Charlie assures. "He used magic."

Rae shakes her head. "Will can't use magic."

I push up and away from her, not meeting her gaze.

"Raven?" Rae prompts.

"He's not from here," I whisper. "He's from there. Where the Fae came from."

Rae blinks, then looks to Charlie. "You knew him?"

Charlie shakes his head. "I knew of him. His mission aligned with mine. We were searching for people we care about."

"So, why'd you stab him?" She hisses.

Charlie squeezes his eyes closed. "I didn't. I swear. It wasn't me."

Rae swings her arm at his sword. "Then who did!? You look really guilty right now! There's no one here but you and your bloody sword!"

Charlie puts his hands up. "Like I said, I stabbed what attacked him. It fled when I hurt it."

"It?" I ask, lifting my head. "What was it? Fae?"

Charlie shakes his head. "I'm not sure. It was invisible."

"Where is Will, then? Say I believe he did magic... where is he?" Rae demands.