Chaos (The Realmwalker Chronicles Book 1) (26 page)

Chapter 41

“Stop squirming! You’re
making this way harder than it should be.” Ember tugs at the corner of my eyelid as she traces my eyes with black liner.

“Do you think he’ll come?” I ask her. She’s so close to me that I catch a whiff of smoke and ash, a comforting and familiar scent that always seems to surround her.

She screws up her face in annoyance. “If he doesn’t then he’s an ass. There.” She leans back and tilts her head to one side as she appraises me. “Spin around. Let’s see.”

I make a show of twirling around in the little black dress she and my mom picked out for me. It’s snug, sleek, and shimmery. I never would’ve chosen it for myself, but now that it’s on I’m surprised by how much I love this piece of fabric.

Ember “oooos” and “aahhhs” dramatically. It’s Friday evening and I’m graduating in a couple hours. I turn and look at my reflection in the mirror hanging on the back of my door. My hair is swept to one side, held in place by unseen pins, and falls in big dark rings over my right shoulder. Ember has somehow managed to make my eyelashes thicker and longer, my eyes brighter, and my lips fuller, without making it seem like I’m wearing makeup at all.

I’ve never felt more feminine. I know this is probably the last time in a long time that I’ll feel this pretty, and I hope more than anything that Sam comes to my graduation so he can see me this way. After the scene last night in the briefing room, however, I won’t be surprised if he’s a no-show.

Last night, after Faye’s revelation, Angel summoned everyone to the briefing room. It took about twenty minutes to assemble everyone, but I was surprised that all the Walkers, save Mikhail, were present. The room buzzed with curiosity, and Sam seemed the most perplexed. There was a nervous wariness about him, as if he knew what might be coming.

Once everyone quieted down, Angel stood at the front of the room and announced why she had called us all there. I’m not sure what I was expecting—maybe for the room to suddenly explode into commotion as Walkers shouted support for either Sam or me. Maybe shock or even outrage at the thought of openly challenging the Boss—anything but the complete blanketed silence that followed.

The atmosphere in the room was so tense it almost overwhelmed me, being plugged into the emotions the Walkers were broadcasting. Everyone’s extreme unease filled me up so much that my hands quivered.

Sam, as expected, was furious. As the Walkers tentatively raised their hands in support of me, he skewered them with piercing glares. One by one, every Walker present voted that I be given a proper field-training experience. Even Simone raised her hand on my behalf. I was so grateful for this, whatever her motives, that I made a silent vow to swallow my pride and recommit to helping her.

As my friends filed out of the briefing room, they avoided looking directly at Sam. I smiled and thanked them somberly as they left. The guilt they felt was evident on their faces, and it was hard to look at them, knowing they just did something very uncomfortable to help me.

This was a victory. It should have felt like a victory. But as Sam walked out of the room without even a glance in my direction, all I felt was hollow.

Now, as I smile for my mom’s camera, the sounds of excitement are a muffled, muted backdrop to the worry in my head. As the light from the flashes temporarily blinds me, all I can think is
Will he be there? Will he forgive me for what I had to do? Will he ever understand why I had to do it?

I stumble through the next few hours in a fog, and at some point I’m vaguely aware that I’m sitting in a row of students in black graduation gowns. Someone is speaking at a podium on the stage.

Tonight. I return to Chaos tonight. Can I do this without his support?

I’m standing now with the rest of my row. When I reach the edge of the stage, I look up and see my principal staring at me expectantly. They must have called my name because I’m nudged from behind. I force a smile as I accept my diploma.

When I committed to being a Walker that day in the shade of a tree on my neighbor’s property, I didn’t do it under the condition that I would be loved and accepted.

I see my Dad’s smiling face again as he waves good-bye for the last time. I watch him walk away through the rain and out of sight.

Because it isn’t about me. It isn’t about having amazing friends who love you. It isn’t about finding someone you could love for the rest of your life.

My fellow graduates cheer and throw their caps in the air. As they fall back to the earth, they turn into raindrops. Under a dark gray sky I see a graveside funeral, and a rain-slicked black casket is being lowered into the ground. My mother and sister are huddled together under a black umbrella. They’re weeping.

It’s about doing what’s right—simply BECAUSE it is right. It’s about helping those who are unable to help themselves, refusing to let evil prosper, and if it’s demanded of you, forfeiting your life—or love—to the cause.

With this new creed etched into my heart, I force the fog from my mind, determined to enjoy the night as best I can. Families flow down from the stadium seating to find their graduates among the gown-clad students on the football field.

As I try to pinpoint my mom, sister, and Ember in the crowd, I feel a familiar presence to my left. Before I can turn to see if it’s really him, a rough, warm hand wraps around mine. I look up into icy waters.

“You came,” I whisper through a mix of surprise and relief.

Sam stares back at me for a moment before answering. I try to read his expression. He seems calm, resigned.

“I needed to,” he says simply. He smiles, though a bit sadly. “You look amazing.”

I can feel my face warm at his words. “Thank you, Sam.”

And those words are all we need. No apologies. No mentions of the painful events of last night.

“CONGRATULATIONS, ADDY!” I hear a group of people shout. Turning, I find a happy sight. Mel, Timothy, Crank, Kira, Lang, and Ember are rushing forward with grins and flowers and hugs. When my mom and Jana find us, everyone’s introduced as “friends I met through Sam and Ember,” and they’re all invited back to my house for dinner and games.

Before leaving the field, I make it a point to find Tori. When I do, we hug and make small talk for a moment. All the while she curiously eyes the gaggle of interesting-looking people waiting for me. As I hug her good-bye and wish her a fun trip to Paris, a part of me realizes this is probably the end of our friendship. I’m not just saying good-bye to Tori but to the old me and my old life. She must sense it too because her hug is tight and her good-byes and well wishes are genuine.

The evening is full of laughter. There hasn’t been so much joy in this house since before my father died. The Walkers fit seamlessly into my family, and at the end of the night, my mom and Jana are begging everyone to stay. Makeshift beds are made on couches and floors, and by one in the morning, everyone’s ready to turn in.

Anxiety fills me as I think of the night ahead. On my way to bed, Sam grabs my hand and pulls me into the guest room where he’ll sleep. It’s dark, but a sliver of light enters from the hall—just enough to see by. We don’t have much privacy. Kira and Mel are laughing right outside. He tugs me close to him.

“You have to know, Addy,” he says quietly. “I DO believe in you.”

For a moment I’m afraid he’s going to try one more time to change my mind.

“You were right. The whole time I knew you were right.” He shakes his head. “I just didn’t care.”

I take my hand from his and lean into him, putting my arms around his waist. His arms lift and wrap around my shoulders.

“We’ll take it easy, okay? Nothing too crazy,” I try to reassure him.

“Try to stay close to me tonight, okay?”

“I will,” I say into his chest. He kisses the top of my head.

“Good.”

I hear Kira call out in a loud whisper. “Addy! Come on, girl! Let’s go kick us some nasty Shade butt!”

Sam growls a bit at her eagerness while I try to stifle a chuckle.

“Goodnight, Sam.” I squeeze him tight, wishing for more times like this. “See you on the other side.”

Chapter 42

I’m supposed to
head directly to the armory to meet up with those who will be joining me on my very first mission. There we’ll don protective gear, arm ourselves with our favored weapons, and receive instructions from Sam, our mission leader. Instead, I head to Angel’s room.

This last week, between being in the library and working on my fitness, I’ve had plenty of time to ponder the problem of this Greater Shade, and I stumbled upon an idea. At first it seemed crazy, but as time went on and the more I considered it, the more certain I became that it was our only option. Before pitching it to Sam, I wanted to get Angel’s opinion, and hopefully, her support.

Angel’s door is wide open, the way it always is. Her room’s one of the most surprising—yet coolest—in all of Major Calm. Though Angel is far from your typical nine-year-old girl, her room is a typical nine-year-old girl’s dream come true.

The walls are pastel pink with the floor a matching shag. Posters of British boy bands, young actors, and puppies line her walls. An entire half of her room is piled with an enormous variety of stuffed animals. I quickly scan the heap, half-expecting to see her little porcelain face peeking out of the plush collection of spotted, striped, and whiskered creatures.

The room’s brightly lit, so the sequined and glittery gowns lying around her dress-up area shine and seem to dance in the reflected light. Tiny high heels peek out from under a mound of fuzzy pink and purple feather boas. A gold conical princess hat, complete with white tulle cascading from the top, hangs from an elaborately carved, gilded coat rack.

Stepping over Hula-Hoops and bottles of nail polish, I make my way to the stairs at the back of the room. The walls and steps of the spiral staircase are papered to resemble the gray stone insides of a castle tower. Halfway up the stairs an arched, stone window is pictured on the wall with a scene overlooking a rose garden and a pond.

The top of the stairs open up into a large round room, in the center of which sits a giant four-poster bed. The castle tower theme continues here, with more faux windows along the curved wall and wood beams depicted on the convex ceiling. Layers of pink tulle drape over the top of the bed frame and are parted open on the sides.

Angel’s on her stomach reading a book, legs kicked up behind her with her ankles crossed. When she sees me, she smiles and sits up.

Patting the bed in front of her, she says, “Big night tonight, huh?”

I drop onto her bed, feeling heavier than I should. “That’s what I came to talk to you about.”

“Cold feet?” She looks concerned.

“No! Not at all,” I insist, even though my heart does a quick double-beat. When I glance down and see the book in her hands has a unicorn on the cover, I forget my uneasiness and a smile breaks over my face. For a second I’m nearly done in with a rush of overwhelming emotion. The love I have for Angel couldn’t be stronger if she were my own flesh and blood.

“I’ve been thinking …” I hesitate. She nods encouragement. No turning back now. “I think I might have a way of taking down this Greater Shade.”

“Go on, Addy. Let’s hear it.” Her gaze is intense and mature, the level of solemnity clashing dramatically with the dreamy-eyed girl I came upon moments ago.

“Well, he seems untouchable, right? I mean, the Walkers really threw everything they had at him that night. It seems like he’s too strong for us.”

“It does seem that way.”

“But it can’t be true. There HAS to be a way to beat him. Because,” I try to think of how to put my gut feeling into words, “you see, there’s a trend. There’s a balance.” Angel tilts her head to the side a little.

“Okay, so you know how I’ve been studying the
Chronicles,
right? Well, I’ve noticed a pretty clear pattern in our history. Whenever there’s an influx of Shades or a loss of Walkers, more seem to show up. It’s as if whatever’s calling us here is trying to maintain a balance. Like, it’s not possible for one side—theirs or ours—to have too much of an advantage over the other.”

“And this Greater Shade, it seems, is a huge advantage for their side,” Angel adds.

“Yes! So you see? It can’t be
impossible
to defeat him. And, well, maybe we’re looking at it the wrong way.”

Her eyebrows lift thoughtfully.

“Maybe,” I continue, “if we can’t hurt his body, then maybe we should attack his mind.”

Angel’s eyes widen marginally.

“He’s projected himself into MY head. Why can’t I do the same to him?”

“And then what? Even if you could get into his head, what would you do once you’re in there?”

This one’s easy. I’ve thought about it a lot.

“Shut him down.”

Chapter 43

“Can it be
done, Harmony?” Sam asks Angel. “Realistically?”

We all huddle in the armory, shoulder to shoulder in a circle. This is my first tactical briefing and I stand wide-eyed and alert, using my Chaos-improved mind to absorb every minute detail.

“I don’t see why not.” Angel shrugs. It’s strange seeing her in full body armor. Timothy’s latest prototype has a sleek design and covers the entire body from ankle to neck. The plating incorporated into the fabric is oddly supple. I’m amazed at how weightless the dark gray suit feels and try to force down my doubts about its actual competency. I trust Timothy, and that will have to be enough.

“I don’t know,” Sam says in a lowered voice, his internal struggle evident on his face. “It sounds dangerous.”

“It won’t just be Addy. I’ll be there too. We’ll both attack him together.”

Sam rubs his forehead. After a few seconds he looks at me. “This was your idea?”

“Yes,” I say, afraid of a rebuke. Instead, I’m surprised to see pride in his eyes.

Others in the circle indicate their approval as well. Mel grins and winks, Lang-hao fist pumps the air. I look around, into the faces of seasoned warriors, and am met with nods and smiles of acceptance. There are ten Walkers here tonight, eleven including me. Even Faye insists on being a part of this.

I understand why Simone would choose not to be here, but I feel an empty sort of ache at the loss of Mikhail. He should be here. He belongs here. The void he leaves behind is impossible to ignore. Like an itch I’m unable to scratch.

“This is it, Boss.” Ember draws our attention. “This is why that Shade was so bent on killing Addy last time.”

Crank bounces excitedly in place. “Because she figured out how to stop him, and now she’s going to END him. Tonight! Yessss! You’re going down desgraciado!” As the others laugh, I embrace the outpour of excitement and adrenaline coming off them. I draw it inside me and imagine it filling me up completely, leaving no room for fear or doubt.

Sam clears his throat and everyone’s silent. “All right, this idea of attacking the Greater Shade’s mind is a good one, and I think it’s worth a try. This is a tricky situation, however. We all know this Shade’s particularly clever. He uses the Lesser Shades as distractions. He has telepathic abilities and he’s damned near invincible. We have two objectives for this mission. One, find the Greater Shade. Two, protect Angel and Addy so they can focus on using their mental abilities to take him down. You two—” he indicates Angel and me, “once we find him, don’t worry about anything but getting into his head, clear?”

We nod in unison.

“Okay team, let’s go get him.”

On our way to the garage, Sam tells me I’ll be riding behind Timothy and Angel will be riding with Lang. Angel doesn’t drive a Big Bike, and Crank’s still building mine, but even if I had one and knew how to drive, I’d still be assigned to another Walker. This task will demand my full attention.

“Remember,” he says once we get to the garage, “don’t leave my sight.”

“I won’t.”

“And if things get bad, say the word and we’ll abort.”

“Okay.”

For a moment he breaks his stoic businesslike persona and hugs me tightly before heading to his Big Bike, helmet in hand.

“I’ve gotcher back, girl!” Ember shouts at me as she passes.

A familiar, deafening rumble fills my ears as the Walkers start their bikes. I swing my leg over Timothy’s powder blue bike and try to find a comfortable position behind the ginger giant. It’s difficult because of all the guns and ammo strapped to him. Once situated, he gives me the thumbs up and I put my helmet on, significantly dampening the roar of the engines.

Time slows.

My throat tightens up. I try to swallow, but my mouth is too dry and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. I feel like there’s a jackhammer in my chest, smashing against my ribs, trying to break free. The Walkers rev their engines loudly, eagerly. I grip Timothy tighter around his middle and lean into him to compensate for the force of acceleration.

I have to do this. I HAVE to succeed. Everyone’s counting on me. This is my purpose. I’m the only one who can defeat this monster. I picture the Shade in my mind, its ever-moving flesh glistening wet, its dark empty eyes, its ragged gaping jaw. Suddenly this battle feels personal, like it’s only me and him. He may be gunning for me, but I’m gunning right back. He’s mine. I WILL destroy him.

Sam gives the signal and together we lurch forward. I force my eyes to stay open as we phase through the door to Chaos. I’m eager and ready for anything. This time I won’t flake out. I won’t freeze. I refuse to be helpless any longer.

The first thing I notice is
green
—it’s everywhere. The bikes slow to a stop as everyone takes in our surroundings.

We’re in a forest, but this is different from any forest I’ve ever been in. The trees are gargantuan and surround us in dense clusters. It’s a miracle we didn’t crash into any leaving Major Calm.

The moss-covered trunks are six, maybe seven feet wide with thick roots that expand outward in a tangled, knotted filigree covering the ground. The tops of the trees tower above us, easily reaching heights of over a hundred feet. Their leafy branches reach out and intertwine with their neighbors, creating a thick canopy that barely lets in the sun. Large, sturdy-looking vines hang from limbs. They’re strewn from tree to tree like the lattice work of some giant, prehistoric spider’s web.

The thought of spiders draws my attention to the forest floor. Tall, thick vegetation carpets the ground, reaching as high as my shoulders in some places. There are a few narrow paths winding here and there between the trees, but they look difficult to navigate. Our bikes will be useless on this terrain.

The most disturbing thing about this landscape is the near total lack of sound. No birds chirp or caw, no monkeys holler, no insects buzz. It’s unnerving.

“Can we hover?” Faye’s voice inquires through the coms.

I look to Sam on his bike at the head of the group. He’s craned around facing us, and his helmet shakes from side to side as he touches his mouthpiece.

“The vines would snag us. This is rotten luck, guys. Maybe we should abort.”

Five feet behind him, the underbrush moves, quivers. The wind?

“What’s the consensus?” Sam asks for our opinions. I haven’t taken my eyes off the moving plants behind Sam, so I’m the only one prepared when the thick, anaconda-like Shade launches out of the brush, fanged mouth agape, aimed directly at Sam.

“NO!” I thrust my arm forward, instantly pushing force all along the length of it, from my shoulder to my forearm to my hand and exploding out my fingertips. The Shade, just inches from Sam’s neck, is thrown back into the trunk of the nearest tree and chunks of wood splinter and fly in all directions. The snake Shade explodes on impact, flinging thick black oil into the raining cloud of wood and pulp.

I’m transfixed as I watch the cloud of debris slowly settle to the ground. I did that. My first kill. And then the ground begins to shake.

“This is it!” Kira hollers.

“Dismount. Spread out!” Sam barks.

A rush of adrenaline thrills through me. As we climb off the bikes, our nervous anticipation thickens the air. I hear strange noises off in the distance but my helmet muffles them. Frustrated and feeling claustrophobic, I remove it. Once off, the sounds are clearer—and more terrible.

It’s the trees. They’re groaning, creaking, and snapping under the weight of the Lesser Shades as they barrel their way toward us. I hear trees being felled in every direction, and they sound as though they’re screaming out in pain. The earth beneath us shakes violently with each thunderous collapse. This once-silent forest overflows with a cacophony as roars, shrieks, and snarls mingle with the sounds of the forest being crushed and broken.

I turn in a quick circle, getting my bearings, and watch the other Walkers remove helmets, draw their weapons, unsheathe swords, and prepare themselves for war.

Sam’s at my side in less than a second. He has to shout over the ever-growing noise to be heard. “This isn’t a stampede! They’re coming from all sides. Addy, I think this is it. Are you ready?”

“Yes!” I shout back. I look to Angel on the other side of me and she gives me a determined nod.

And then they’re on us. The forest around us explodes in a black wave as Shades crash down on all sides. The scene is pure madness, and I fleetingly think of how aptly named this realm is. Everyone is spread out among the trees, each fighting their own battles. I can’t keep track of anyone anymore—so much is happening. Rapid gunfire to my left, a loud explosion far behind me.

Sam throws himself at a charging Shade with giant, curved ram’s horns. They collide mid-air and tumble down in a blur. I run after them, determined to help, and steel myself as I send force out, ready to pull the Shade apart limb from limb. Suddenly I’m struck from the right and bowled end over end as I’m pushed and trampled, all the while feeling the beast’s cold flesh against mine.

When I finally stop rolling, I’m lying on my back, pinned to the forest floor by a wolfish devil of tremendous size. Its giant front paw digs into my chest, making it impossible to breathe. Black slime drips from its ragged mouth onto my face and neck as it lowers its head for the kill.

“BAD DOG!” I hear Angel’s admonishment followed immediately by an ear-piercing keen of pain as the monster throws its head back in anguish. The Shade is frozen in a death howl when it falls sideways to my left, thumping the earth loudly. Strangely, its hindquarters—tail and all—fall to the right of me, spilling its steaming entrails on the forest floor.

Angel stands beside me, offering a hand up. She’s entirely covered in clumpy, black Shade blood. Even her beautiful hair’s an oily, raven black. The only white I see on her is from a giant toothy grin.

“Did you jump THROUGH that thing?” I shout.

“Whatever gets the job done!” The moment’s surreal as I try to reconcile my view of Angel as the sweet innocent child I’ve come to know with the hardened killing machine that stands in front of me.

An earsplitting trumpeting rips through the air, and we both turn toward the source just in time to see an elephant-like Lesser Shade rear up on its back legs. Its massive front legs slam down onto a tree directly in front of us. The tree snaps like a twig and cuts through the air on its way down to crush us. It’s stopped at the last second, inches above my head.

“ADDY! A little help here!” Lang’s standing a few feet away, his hands raised, his face contorted with extreme exertion. I quickly lift my hands above my head and together we strain to hold the tree up horizontally in the air. Our burden is lightened considerably when Angel joins in.

“At the Shades, you two!” Lang and I nod our understanding.

Before we act, Angel projects an order out to the Walkers who may be in our path.

EVERYONE DOWN!

On Angel’s signal I thrust the mammoth tree out toward the largest group of Shades nearby. Our combined efforts have a devastating effect and Shades are flung everywhere. Like bowling pins, they fall, flatten, and hurl to one side or the other. A crop of trees finally stops our battering ram, but the damage to the other side has been significant.

Lang slaps me on the back. “Great work girls. Again?”

He points to another felled tree and we work together to take out more of the demons. Panting, we look around us through the thinning number of Shades. Where’s Sam? We weren’t supposed to be separated—he’ll be worried.

STUPID GIIIRRRL.

“Aaaggghh!” I scream in agony and fall to my knees, clutching the sides of my head.