Blood in the Fire (Timelaws Trilogy) Read online

  “What happened to you?” Jack asked me as I tapped Luke on the shoulder to be put down. It was embarrassing enough being seen in my dress, never mind being carried by my brother.

  “Sprained my ankle in a fight,” I replied. “Some jerks were picking on a little kid.” It was truth enough. At least I thought so, though Luke glared at me as he placed me on the front step. He was probably wondering how often I’d answered his questions like that, and I squirmed inwardly as I considered the answer.

  Mark unlocked the door and Jack followed him in with the rest of us close behind. All except Brian. “You’re the guy who showed up at the movie theater a couple days ago,” Brian accused from the yard. We all turned to look back at him through the door. He pointed at Anton, and strode into our living room. “I’m talking to you, kid.”

  Anton shrugged. Brian sounded like he wanted to start some sort of fight.

  I tried to interrupt. “He’s my boyfriend,” I said. Why was Brian so pissed?

  Brian shoved Anton aside and marched straight at me. “I can’t believe you,” he growled. “Do you know who he is?” Brian didn’t wait for me to respond. “He’s Amanda’s brother.” Brian was taller than me and he stood over my head as he continued to yell. “How could you possibly sleep with Mark’s ex-girlfriend’s brother, you…” The rest of his sentence made everyone in the room blush. Vito Corleone would have turned red in the face after that speech.

  I took a step back and looked up to meet Brian’s eyes. A cold smile grew on my lips. “First of all, we’re not sleeping together. Second of all, who I spend time with is not and will never be any of your business. And third, if you ever call me anything like that again, I’ll kick your butt into the next century.”

  Brian looked like he might hit me. Luke took a step toward us. A reminder to Brian that one swing at me would land him on the business side of Luke’s fist.

  I turned away from Brian and gazed at Luke. My hand on his arm gently pushed my oldest brother away. It was a message, letting him know that I could handle Brian myself.

  Brian saw Luke back up. Feeling more confident, he leaned in closer and took a threatening tone. I watched his lips move, but my brain didn’t process his words. My head was spinning a bit. I wanted to sit down and rest. Focus Liz. I blinked a couple times and tried to hear the rest of Brian’s rampage. He was getting louder. I could smell beer on his breath.

  “What’s the matter, you don’t even listen when someone’s yelling at you,” he accused.

  It’s not like your saying anything worth listening to, I thought to myself. The sarcasm must have been evident on my face, and it was too much for Brian to handle. He lifted his arm and took a swing at me. I ducked and let his fist pass over my head.

  “Brian, cool it,” Mark commanded. The only reason he and Luke hadn’t gotten physically involved yet was because they knew I could take Brian. I had established with both of them and my friends, my fights were mine alone. Anton was a different story. He stepped in front of me while looking Brian in the eye.

  Brian studied my boyfriend and swayed as he spoke to him. “You can tell that tramp you call a sister—”

  “BRIAN!” I interrupted loudly enough to startle him. Anton wouldn’t fight over words, period, no matter what anyone said or who it was about. Physical threats were a different matter.

  I can handle myself, I told Anton. This little spat didn’t need to get ugly. Brian thought I was betraying Mark by dating Amanda’s brother. It was true that the end of the relationship with Amanda had left Mark sour, but my brother and Anton still got along great. Brian didn’t understand that, and he was trying to stick up for his best friend. If only Brian could fathom just how much Mark hated drama, he would have stopped. Perhaps, I could have explained if he wasn’t buzzed.

  Brian smiled. “Since when do you need a guy to protect you?” he asked me. “And here I was thinking you took care of yourself.”

  “She’s sick,” Anton answered for me. I winced. “I’m sure she’ll be happy to kick your butt herself once she’s feeling better.”

  Brilliant. Thank you, Anton.

  At least Brian seemed to pick up on my irritation. Either that or he knew my brothers’ restraint wouldn’t extend enough to let him fight me while I was ill. “Fine with me,” he announced and stormed out. Tamer, who’d looked most uncomfortable while that whole scene was unfolding, relaxed visibly and plopped down on the couch. Jack landed his behind in the armchair. Unfortunately, I knew better than to think the tension was over.

  “Is that why you were blowing chunks earlier?” Luke asked me. “Did you lie to me?”

  With a few long strides, Luke circled me and took a position where Brian had been. He put a hand on my forehead while I responded. “I’m sorry, Luke. I just didn’t want you to worry. And I didn’t lie. People do get nauseous when teleporting.” I glanced behind Luke at Tamer and noticed he was wearing an expression like he thought maybe today was the wrong day to visit.

  The anger on Luke’s face transformed into parental concern. “You’re burning up. Is this a cold or something else?”

  I shrugged and stared at the floor. “Wizard flu,” I said quietly.

  Luke did not like that answer. “What the hell does that mean?” he growled, grabbing my wrist and pushing me back into the bedroom. I stumbled and nearly landed on my butt, but Luke held me up by my wrist, and I managed to stay on my feet.

  “Whoa, Luke, take it easy,” Jack exclaimed, jumping up from the armchair in surprise. Luke must have forgotten about my ankle. “I’m sure she didn’t mean to be mouthy. It’s not like she’s no doctor or nothin’ and knows what she’s caught.”

  Luke knew I wasn’t being a smart-alec, but he was scared and angry for being lied to. Wizard flu was one more gruesome mystery to add to his crumbling perception of reality. It must have seemed like the world was falling apart around him. But Luke hated to let Mark and me see his fear so he converted it to anger instead. I stared at him, anxious of his next move. Luke scowled at me for a second longer and then released my arm. He put his hand back on my forehead. “You’re temperature’s running well over a hundred and five. We’re taking you to the hospital.”

  “You can’t,” I hissed under my breath in hopes no one else would hear me. They probably did anyways. Luke didn’t appear convinced. I walked around him and closed the door to my bedroom for privacy. My head was swimming a little and I still wanted to sit down, but that would not have been conducive to my case. “Luke, the hospital’s not going to have a clue what to do with wizard flu.” I paused to take a deep breath. This bug was running me down pretty hard. “We could start fear of an epidemic. And when they didn’t’ know how to treat me, I’d be stuck there under quarantine unable to heal myself without raising suspicion.” That argument was a mouthful. I took another deep breath and allowed myself to lean back against the doorframe. “By tomorrow evening, Tamer, Anton and I should have enough power between us to cure me.”

  Luke sighed and laid a hand on my shoulder. “Take it easy until then,” he instructed. Then he walked past me, yanked the door open and exited into the living room.

  The tense muscles in my back and shoulders released. Thank goodness he’d listened. I limped toward my bed for a nap. It didn’t matter that they were all watching me through the bedroom door. As I fell on top of the blanket, I heard Luke grab his keys and call for Anton and Tamer to meet him in the garage. He also instructed Mark to get me a wet cloth and promised he would stop by the pharmacy on his way home. Glory, the bed felt comfortable. I was asleep before I heard Mark’s response.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Brothers’ Watch

  Earth – June 1981

  Elizabeth

  The TV playing softly in the living room penetrated my dreams and pulled me out of a heavy sleep. I didn’t want to open my eyes. Instead, I lay there and tried to decide how the situation with Melissa should be handled.

  Melissa was my counterpart in the twenty-ninth century: a ti
me period well beyond any that I was allowed to visit. A few days ago, she and I, along with other Darks, had worked in unison with wizards to cast a spell regulating time travel: the Timelaws. The Timelaws allowed agents like myself and the wizards to make short jumps into the past or future. It’s what had allowed me and my brothers to visit the twenty-second century to rescue Eln. But that was as far as we were allowed to go. The rules were intricate and complicated, but talking to Melissa was a clear violation. My meeting with her had only been possible once because the Timelaws were inactive. With that no longer the case, it could never happen again.

  And yet, I had to find a way. Melissa had tried to write some extra lines into the Timelaws spell and I had stopped her. What I didn’t know at the time, but now suspected, was that the wizards had, in fact, added to the incantation.

  Because we had won a battle against them, their addendum to the Timelaws shouldn’t matter. But only if we won. The only way to ensure our victory was to tell Melissa what would happen at that battle. It was a loop of sorts. I would have to tell her about the wizards’ plan so that she could tell the past me. Then my past self would work with her to stop them. It was one of the many possible timelines I had glimpsed as they swam through my head while the Timelaws were inactive.

  I concentrated on remembering the details of the incantation, but my thoughts were confused and my memory was clouded by false images from my dreams. It was hard to think. I was tired and nauseous. A headache didn’t help much either.

  Finally, I gave up trying to work through a solution and opened my eyes. Mark was sitting on the bed next to me, reading a book, and Luke was asleep on the armchair in the living room. I could see him through the door.

  Mark let his book fall to his lap when he saw me stir. It didn’t seem like he’d bookmarked the page he was on. “I didn’t notice you come in,” I said weakly. “Why aren’t you watching TV with Luke?” I don’t think I had ever seen Mark pick up a book unless it was something he had to read for school.

  Mark smiled. “I’ve been in here since this afternoon,” he said. I didn’t want Mark next to me. I wasn’t sure how contagious wizard flu was. “Thought maybe this book might help me get some sleep,” he continued. It must be one of Luke’s.

  “Why can’t you sleep?” I asked, not quite thinking straight. Then, after a pause, I added, “What time is it?”

  “About three in the morning,” Mark replied, ignoring my first question.

  “Hmmmm…” I mumbled with my eyes closed. I hadn’t realized I’d been asleep so long. “Luke should be in bed, doesn’t he have work in the morning?” Actually, I thought you had to babysit in the morning too? I thought, too lazy to ask.

  Mark put his hand on my forehead as he replied, “No one’s going to work with you sick and delirious.”

  “Delirious? I just have the flu, that’s all.” Mark’s hand felt nice and cool, but it gave me a chill and I wished they’d turn up the heat. Since when is it so cold in here?

  “You woke up a couple of times, mostly spouting things in that language,” Mark explained. “I guess your translation voodoo must have worn off...” He paused then asked, “You don’t remember waking up?”

  I shook my head and wished I hadn’t when it made me more nauseous. I took a moment to control my stomach’s bubbling and then opened my eyes to look at Luke sprawled on the armchair. “He’s not taking this magic thing so well is he?” I asked, knowing the answer. Please tell me he had an epiphany while I was asleep and realized the perks of having a sorceress in the family. Mark’s expression told me I had no such luck.

  “Yeah, he’s pretty freaked out right now, but you’ve got to give him some time. This weekend we were all nearly killed by wizards and now you’re infected with some alien disease. It’s just a lot to take in. But he’ll come around.”

  Mark paused for a moment with his lips pressed together as he looked off into the living room. He was debating whether or not to tell me something. “The last time you woke up, he called Anton and begged him to do something,” Mark said. “That boyfriend of yours was pretty torn up. But he did manage to talk us both out of taking you to the hospital. Said the rules wouldn’t let him heal you if we got regular doctors involved.”

  I looked at Mark with sympathy; I guess Luke’s not the only one with a lot to take in.

  “I’m glad he did,” I said, feeling horrible for what I must have put them through. “I’ll be fine by tonight.”

  Okay, enough procrastinating. My hand pushed the covers away and I rolled out of bed. Mark jerked upright, alarmed. “Where are you going?” he asked.

  “Restroom,” I replied. “Don’t have a cow.” My wide-eyed brother looked like he thought I was about to drive off a cliff. I considered telling him that there were no tall ledges or dangerous obstacles between my bedroom and our bathroom. Instead, I just limped quietly toward the door. Unfortunately, my steps on the wood floor must have made enough noise to wake Luke up because he suddenly jumped out of the armchair and onto his feet.

  “What’s wrong?” he commanded.

  For one, this apartment is freezing. My body had started to shiver and I missed my blanket. “Go to bed, Luke,” I said. “I’m just going to the bathroom. Do you want to check for wizards behind the shower curtain first?” Luke’s expression was just as stunned as Mark’s. Tonight needed to hurry up and get here before my brothers died of stress-induced heart attacks.

  ***

  The next time I woke up, it was on the couch with my head against the armrest. Luke was back in his armchair, watching TV, and Jack was snoozing on the end of the couch next to my feet. I couldn’t hear or see my other brother, but I hoped he was in his room getting some sleep.

  “Where’s Mark?” I asked.

  Luke sat up when he realized I was awake. “He went to buy a pack of smokes. He’ll be back soon,” Luke replied. “How are you feeling?”

  Jabbing pain had taken hold of my stomach and my head was pounding.

  “Okay, considering,” I replied. Luke still looked concerned and it bothered me that I couldn’t remember how I’d ended up on the couch. “This’ll all be over as soon as Tamer and Anton have enough power to heal me,” I said to reassure both of us. Reminding myself made the gap in my memory seem more bearable. What time was it? I could see sunlight outside so my best guess was early morning.

  “If you make it that long,” Luke whispered to himself under his breath. I don’t think he’d intended for me to hear that.

  I chuckled. “Of all the things I’ve had thrown at me, Luke, a wizard’s not going to do me in with a little flu,” I told him. To my surprise, my words seemed to calm him down. His posture relaxed, and he slumped back into his armchair.

  “Has Brian been around at all?” I asked, hoping Brian’s beef with me wouldn’t keep him away. With everything going on, Mark needed a best friend around.

  “Yeah,” Luke replied. “Mark straightened him out. You don’t need to worry about him anymore.”

  I winced. That wasn’t what I’d wanted.

  “Is Brian mad?” I asked.

  “Mark is,” Luke replied. “Told him not to come around for a while.” Then seeing the look on my face, he added, “I’m sure it’ll all blow over by next week. You know Mark, he can’t stay angry with Brian for long.” It wasn’t that Mark couldn’t stay angry with Brian. It was that Mark never got angry with Brian in the first place. No matter what that guy did, including making out with Mark’s girlfriend once when he was drunk, Mark had always shrugged it off. A fight between those two was unheard of.

  “I bet Brian’s sorry,” I said. Part of what made their friendship work was that Brian, at least, had the common sense to be sorry when he messed up. Only if he hurt Mark, though. He was never sorry for any of the stuff he did to anyone else.

  “Yeah,” Luke said. “He apologized, but Mark wouldn’t listen. Like I said, I’m sure it’ll blow over between them.”

  “Yeah, sure,” I replied.

  I needed t
o use the bathroom again. My stomach was churning as wildly as an industrial sized blender, and it didn’t seem I would be able to hold down the contents much longer. I mustered the strength to push myself off the couch and onto my feet. For a moment, I was overcome by dizziness and I swayed. Eyes closed, I gathered my bearings and let the wave subside.

  “What do you need?” Luke asked.

  “I’m good,” I said and started toward my destination. Unfortunately, my vision was still a bit of a blur, and I guess I must have tripped over Jack’s foot ‘cause I toppled over just as he jerked up. Before I knew what was going on, Luke had picked me up by the waist and spun me to face him. He held me with my feet dangling a few inches from the ground. The motion intensified my stomachache.

  “Luke, please put me down,” I tried to request calmly while fighting to keep my insides where they belonged. He must have tried to do as I asked because the next thing I knew, I felt like I was falling. A four letter word slipped through my lips as I went down, and I think I might have heard Jack let one slip too. I was passed out before my body hit the floor. My last thought before the blackness was: Maybe wizard flu will be the end of me after all.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Centream Burns

  Centream-96th Cycle of the Wizard Calendar

  Anthe’s Story

  Ketya ran upwind, but the fire chased her nonetheless. Balls of flame continued to stream above her head and into Centream. She ignored them, except to appreciate the added visibility they offered as they flew by. Then the fireballs seemed to stop. Ketya stood still and looked up to the sky, just as one last ball of fire came into view from behind the distant ori. It was flying in low. So low, Ketya felt the urge to duck when it passed directly overhead. She followed its path with her eyes; there was no mistaking its trajectory. A tall burst of fire exploded where their home had stood. There could be nothing left. If Brovkyl had been alive in the house, perhaps trapped or unconscious, he wasn’t anymore.