Dream Catchers

Chapter Twelve

“Yes, yes, very good.” Lilith backed away and met her gaze with Serena’s. “At least one of you is smart enough to figure it out.”

Alex took a step toward her, “Hey, quit with the insults, alright?”

“Alex.” I said quietly, “Not. Helping.”

He acknowledged me briefly, then looked at Alastor, “Your Queen, huh? What’s with that?”

Alastor chuckled, “Lilith is the only Nightmare as powerful as I am. Together, we’ll conquer the Earth and make it ours, the way it was before I had to build this damned Temple.”

Blake spoke up, “So you built it, then?”

“Of course I did. I’ve been controlling the snowstorms up here for eight-hundred years.”

“Earth wasn’t ever ‘yours’,” I said, “It belonged to us, too.”

Lilith laughed. “Stupid girl. The Nightmares were always superior.”

“You’re delusional.” Alex said with matter-of-factness. “Absolutely insane.”

Alastor slammed his staff on the ground, “You don’t believe us?” his voice had a sudden intensity to it that made me jump backwards. “I will show you.”

He pointed his scepter directly at Alex and a mass of fire expelled from the tip. I latched onto his wrist and pulled him aside, slamming both of us into one of the broken pillars. We fell together straight into the pile of rubble, and gravel dug into my bare elbows. The blast exploded against the wall, cutting to either side until it dissipated.

Alex was breathing heavily, “Shit.”

Somewhere in that span of time, Lilith had taken her demon form, and Blake and Serena were trying to fight her off.

Alastor was gliding toward Alex and I slowly, his staff pointed at us. He came closer and closer until the tip was touching my neck. It burned, and I took in a sharp breath and flinched at the sudden pain.

“Where are my parents?” I managed. “I let you stay. Lilith promised--”

“You really are dense.” he said as though he were trying to berate me. His voice was intimidatingly quiet, “Your parents are dead.”

“You’re lying to me.” I growled.

He laughed, “You really think so? If they weren’t, wouldn’t they be here?”

I didn’t know how to respond to that. Alex was watching me, and I was starting to feel hot. Emotions swirled around in my head, and my stomach lurched. My vision blurred, black spots dancing in front of my eyes, and the world seemed uneven and out of focus. I couldn’t even string together a coherent sentence.

I reached up and curled my fingers around the tip of the scepter, letting out some kind of warcry as I shoved it aside. The point of it skimmed just below my collarbone, slicing the skin open, but I was too angry to feel it. Tears stung my eyes as I stood, unsheathing my sword from its place at my side.

“Alex.” I said, surprised by the strength in my own voice. I was trying not to let my words shake while my throat closed up, “Sword.”

He didn’t say anything, but I heard him get up and take out his blade. I maintained eye contact with Alastor as he placed the hilt of the saber in my hand.

The fight that Blake and Serena were having with Lilith faded into the sidelines, their cries and screams dying away as I tightened my grip on both swords. Alastor re-pointed the scepter at me. “You’re useless.” he growled. “What good are you to save the world if you can’t even protect your parents?”