Josian reached down and lifted Lucy gently into his arms. She looked like a tiny doll cradled by a giant.
“Let’s hope your sister turns up soon,” he said, “because I have no idea how to train a soothsayer.”
I kept one worried eye on Lucy, although she seemed to have relaxed in Josian’s arms. I hoped she’d wake up soon and put my fears to rest, and most importantly that by continuing through the tunnels we weren’t doing her any further damage. The Reds were a fair way in front of us at this stage, so at least we’d have plenty of warning about any danger ahead. Unless they were all dead, of course.
Josian gave me a brief grin. “The men are waiting for us; they said there is a large space up ahead with many channels branching off.”
He must have caught my morbid thought. I’d been distracted and let my energy slip. We reached the Reds and they weren’t kidding about the channels. The room was circular with at least a dozen dark entrances visible.
“We have to split up.” I recognized the speaking Walker as Red four. “There’s no other way to determine what’s along these paths.”
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” Lallielle’s voice was shaky, her worry clear.
I gasped as she dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face, her hands pulling at her long hair. I exchanged panic-filled looks with Josian.
What’s wrong with Mom?
Fear suddenly flooded through my system. My mind filled with darkness, the black tendrils streaking in and coating everything inside. There were all of these images infiltrating; I couldn’t tell what was real anymore. Death, blood and burning surrounded me. I choked back bile as it rose unwillingly to my throat. I knew we couldn’t move or everyone would die.
Josian rose up before me. I stared at my father. Screams fell from my throat as his skull was split in two by an unseen force, blood and brains dripping down his features. My hysterical screams increased as the life fled his body. How was this happening? I knew something was wrong, but I couldn’t calm my thoughts long enough to figure it out.
“Aribella! Fight this. You’re stronger than the witchery here.” Josian held me tightly with one hand.
“You’re dead,” I shrieked over and over.
“Baby girl, listen to my voice: I’m fine. No one is dead.”
Finally his voice and words infiltrated my mind, allowing me a moment to silence my screams. Despite my clarity, the vision before me still alternated between Josian whole and healthy and Josian with his blood and brains coating my boots.
Closing my eyes, I started to chant, “Not real, not real, not real.”
I also took my power, wrapping it tightly around myself, expelling whatever negative energy was manipulating my thoughts. I hesitated before opening my eyes again; the fog that had clouded my vision was gone and I could finally see the reality before me.
“Are you back with me, baby girl?” Josian asked.
His features hardened as he cast worried glances toward the rest of our group. I took in the spine-tingling horror myself. Our friends and family were on the ground, hysterically screaming or crawling into each other and the rock walls.
Josian’s words snapped my attention back to him. “I need your help to break this energy chain.”
“Two questions.” I held up my index and middle finger. “What the hell just happened? And why were you not affected?”
His words were short and sharp. “It’s a trap, cleverly designed to incapacitate anyone who makes it this far into this cavern. And I’m too old and powerful to be manipulated like this.”
“So what happens after they have everyone incapacitated?”
As soon as the words left my mouth the answer crept out of the darkness.
“Oh, holy shitballs.” My jaw dropped open as the disbelief colored my words.
Josian spun around.
Zombies. Excellent, because the day just couldn’t get any worse.
“Well, this is unexpected,” Josian said, before facing me again.
He was still holding Lucy. He gently lowered her to the ground. Once his arms were free he reached for his wife. Lallielle had been face down on the dirty floor, clawing her way in circles around his legs. Gripping either side of her face, he shot a beam of blue energy into her. She blinked rapidly a few times before coughing and recognition reappeared in her dazed eyes. His blast of power had awoken her.
“I need you to help me, Aribella. Send light energy in to free their minds from the fear and darkness. Keep the emotions happy and guide them to do the same.” Josian had already moved on to Talina.
Having no idea what I was doing, I stepped toward Fury. She was screaming and head-butting the wall in front of her. Blood ran in rivulets down her face from the large gash she’d opened on her forehead. It would just start to heal and then she would smash it again. And the entire time she screamed in a high-pitched tone of fear. As soon as I got within arm’s reach she lashed out, her arm catching my right cheek and knocking my face into the wall.