The Wizard's Queen

Chapter 20

"Hell, Marcus, can you not properly destroy a gate?" Derek questioned, breaking the silence in the room.

Marcus looked like hell had ran him over. Most of his skin had been burned off as he was held in some random boy's arms. Derek recognized the guy as a kid he had went head to head against in speed casting during the Junior Wizard Olympics back in 6th grade. He couldn't remember the boy's name for the life of him. He didn't care to learn it anyways.

Leila looked like she had seen a ghost. Her skin was pale and clammy as she trembled on her feet, gripping Marcus's hand in her own afraid to let go. Nathan was covered in blood from half healed wounds as he struggled to hold an unconscious purple haired girl in his arms while a banged up dark haired girl wearily stood beside him.

"Shut up, Derek," Nathan snapped.

Ryder rushed forward, helping Nathan get Brie into a bed. Nathan grumbled a thanks as he collapsed into a sitting position on the empty bed beside her, pushing Ryder away as his eyes glanced over at Marcus. Ryder nodded, motioning for Samir to lay Marcus down on the bed beside Derek so he could work on healing the boy. Samir guided Leila to the bed on the other side of Marcus forcing her to sit down and rest. Derek realized that of the eight beds in the infirmary, only three remained empty. If everyone kept coming back battered and bruised from every mission, they would have to get a bigger infirmary.

"I apologize if we are interrupting something important," Samir sighed bowing his head as he turned his attention over to Voisin and Mr. Fitzgerald who both had raised their wands ready to attack the two new strangers.

"Please lower you wands, they are our friends!" Nathan cried as he stood in front of Dalia.

Voisin suspiciously eyed the two newcomers his gaze falling to the unconscious task force member. Derek watched as Voisin's usually impassive face flashed in surprise for a brief moment. Derek knew this girl was one of Bethany's pet task force members and had been present at the battle that killed Morgan. He couldn't believe that his friends were stupid enough to bring an enemy into base instead of killing her on sight. He tried to sit up to attack only to have Voisin place a hand on his chest, firmly pushing him back down knowing full well what the boy's intentions were.

"What about her?" Voisin questioned nodding his head towards Brie.

"Marcus refused to leave her," Leila sighed, "he saved her life in the explosion."

Voisin's eyes flashed in anger as he replied, "what did you do?"

Brie groaned as she struggled to awaken, lifting her head to address the spell-master, "sir, it wasn't them. Michael Noble planned the explosion to turn blame to the Resistance."

"The Egyptian Council is no more," Dalia whispered.

The three adults faces all turned white realizing that the Resistance was now the foe. Derek was the first to break the silence, his voice cold as he clenched the sheets between his fists, staring directly at the group before him.

"I will not let him get away with this," he snarled.

"And there he goes again," Voisin sighed, shoving Derek back down once again preventing him from standing as the boy struggled to free himself.

Nathan watched Marcus's breathing slow as Ryder slowly worked healing incantations on him. Ryder glanced up at Nathan, his blue eyes narrowing in annoyance as he began barking out orders.

"Don't just stand there, go get Chelsea! I can use her help! Tell her to bring the burn ointment!" He ordered.

"Yes, spell-master!" Nathan gulped as he rushed from the room. Ryder frowned as his focus returned to Marcus. The kid was lucky to be alive. His fingers traced the half healed cuts lining his whole body frowning at the magic behind them.