Fangs

Felix, Mason, and Arisa made their way up to the second floor, outside of Ernest’s spell of darkness. Light spilled in through the windows, and lamps in the rooms along the hall cast a soft glow.

When the sound of hushed voices became audible ahead of them, the group slowed and pressed themselves against the wall to their right. Mason took the lead, and Felix found himself at the back of the line as they crept toward the intersection looming ahead.

“—asked her for backup,” Ernest was saying. “They should arrive soon. This wasn’t the plan, but if we do enough damage tonight, taking Bright Castle later will be easy.”

“What if they don’t arrive in time?” Eliza hissed in reply. “If we lose our advantage—”

“It’s too late to change course,” Ernest told her. “We can only move forward. Now get back to the fight.”

A new voice spoke. “Trust in Mira.”

Felix frowned. The man sounded familiar.

“Hugo’s right,” Ernest said. “We’ll return to her, and she’ll come up with a new strategy.”

Footsteps faded into the distance. A hand grabbed Felix’s shoulder, making him jump. He whirled around.

“Sorry.” It was Michael Beck. “Didn’t mean to scare you. Everyone from the Uprising is trying to find you. We need to get you out of here.”

“Not without the wand,” Mason said, eyes narrowing as he turned to look at Michael.

Michael’s gaze flickered to Mason. “I understand. Okay, how about this? You go grab the wand and meet us outside.” He pulled Felix toward him.

“No way, we’re not splitting again,” Arisa said.

Felix hesitated. He pulled his arm from Michael’s grasp. “I appreciate it, but we need to get the wand. We can handle it.”

Desperation crept into Michael’s voice. “Felix, please. You’re going to get yourself killed.”

Uneasiness raised the hair on the back of Felix’s neck. Without thinking, he took a step back.

A second copy of Michael materialized from nothing. The second Michael grabbed Arisa, drew a dagger, and held it to her neck.

Felix’s heart stopped. “Arisa!”

Mason raised his fists, but two more copies of Michael appeared behind him and grabbed him. One pressed a dagger to the side of his face. Sigils in the blade glowed. Mason shouted in pain as his skin burned.

“I mean it when I say I don’t want to hurt any of you,” the original Michael said. “Unlike Ernest, I’m trying to avoid casualties. But they’re inevitable when you’re at war.”

“You’re—you can’t be with the Uprising,” Felix stammered. “You didn’t know the demons were here, and you didn’t join the other council traitors—”

“I thought it would be unwise to blow my cover so quickly.” Michael took a step toward Felix. “Seems I was right.”

“Why?” Felix asked, mirroring the motion with another step back. “What the hell are you all fighting for, anyway, if not to just take power from the king?”

“The king is wrong. About Guardians, about monsters, about how to run his sad excuse for a kingdom. The Moonlit Army will save far more innocent people than the Bright Guardians ever did.”

Arisa glared at Michael. “How can you possibly say you care about innocent people when the Uprising killed so many Guardians? Do you have any idea how many died because of Ernest’s masking spells?”

“The Guardians know what they signed up for,” Michael replied, eyes still on Felix. “This is all for the greater good. Now, Felix, your best chance is to come with me.” Another step forward. “Ernest wants you dead, but I’m willing to keep you alive. I believe you have something we need.”

“What are you talking about?” Felix asked. His hand inched toward his sword.

“I think you do.”

Felix froze. “You—that’s why you helped buy my house, isn’t it?”

Michael gave him a sad smile. “Don’t get me wrong, I did feel awful about what happened. Your family didn’t have to die. Gideon always was so violent…”

“Felix, what does he mean?” Mason cut in. “What does this have to do with your house?”

Felix shook his head. “Whatever my family was protecting, it isn’t there.”

That sent a look of surprise across Michael’s face. “Where is it?”

“I don’t know! They never told me about any of this!”

“Well, they’re still with you, aren’t they?” One of Michael’s hands clenched into a fist. “We can get the weapon’s location from them.”

Another copy of Michael appeared and grabbed Felix’s arm. Felix yanked his sword free with his other hand and swung. The blade cut clean through the copy’s chest, and as blood began spurting from the wound, the copy vanished into thin air.

Arisa gasped in pain as the dagger at her neck touched her skin. Clementine jumped from her backpack and jammed a knife into the head of the copy holding her. The copy disappeared as quickly as the first Michael had. Mason’s entire body erupted into hellfire, burning away the copies holding him.

Felix lunged at the real Michael and jammed the hilt of the sword into his forehead. Michael staggered backward. Another copy appeared, but Arisa cut through it easily. Mason caught up on Felix’s right and slashed at Michael with his claws.

Felix shoved his foot into Michael’s chest, knocking him onto his back. He raised his sword and aimed the tip at Michael’s heart. Michael looked up at Felix with wild eyes. Blood trickled from the gashes Mason had left across his face.

Felix couldn’t bring himself to bring the blade down. He adjusted the angle, readied himself to hit Michael with the flat side instead—

“Felix!” Mason shouted in warning.

“Michael!” Ernest stepped into the hallway. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Capturing Felix.” Michael’s breathing was ragged as he sat up, eyeing the tip of the sword’s blade.

“He and his friends have beaten you,” Ernest said. “This is why I wanted him killed.”

“He’s more valuable alive.”

“And I’m ordering him dead.”

Michael lifted his hands in the air as he slowly rose to his feet. Felix moved the sword, keeping it inches from Michael’s face. “You command the monster army,” Michael said. “You don’t command the rest of us.”

“Mira didn’t ask us to keep him alive,” Ernest replied.

“And what about Gideon?”

“Gideon’s dead! Felix has access to all of his family’s abilities, and he’s already proven to be a challenge. Keeping him alive isn’t worth the risk.” Ernest’s eyes narrowed. “Even if there’s a slim chance of getting Gideon back.”

Michael fell silent. To Felix’s surprise, he didn’t bring up the location of this supposed weapon. Did Ernest not know about it? Did Michael not want him to know?

“Surely you didn’t care about Gideon that much,” Ernest said. “Do you feel bad for the kid? That’s pathetic.” He raised the Ironwood Wand.

Mason held up his own wand. “Counter!”

A blast of energy rolled through the hallway. Mason staggered backwards. “My wand’s not powerful enough to hold him off for long,” he hissed through gritted teeth.

Ernest sighed. “It’s disappointing that you still need verbal cues as a crutch. I thought you were raised by witches.” He pointed the wand again. “I’ve only had this for a few months.”

Mason lifted his own wand, ready to unleash another counterattack.

“Fine,” Ernest said. “Let’s try something new.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Pierce.” A thin beam of translucent energy burst from the wand’s tip.

“No!” Michael took a step forward and shoved Felix out of the way. The beam entered his chest and emerged from his back, continuing on to blast a hole in the wall behind him.

As fast as it had appeared, the energy vanished. Michael swayed. He pressed a hand to his chest. When he pulled it away a moment later, blood dripped to the floor.

Michael collapsed.

Felix dropped to the ground next to him, barely understanding what had just happened. “Michael?”

“Felix,” Michael gasped. Blood spilled from his mouth. “Listen to me, you have to—”

“Fool.” Ernest’s voice boomed, halting Michael’s attempt to choke anything else out. “He always was too soft for the Moonlit Army.”

Mason’s hand tightened around his wand. “Null!” he shouted.

Ernest stumbled back a few steps. He shook out the hand holding the Ironwood Wand and glared at Mason. “Not bad, but you must know it won’t last.”

“I’d say we’ve got about five minutes.” Mason returned his wand to his side. “That spell negated the Ironwood Wand’s power. We just have to get it back before it wears off.”

Felix looked at Michael. The man’s dead eyes were fixed on the ceiling. An overwhelming wave of shock washed over him, and he realized it wasn’t entirely his own emotions. His family’s souls had entered his mind.

I can’t believe Michael was with them all along. Ezra sounded shattered.

The rest of Felix’s family were equally broken. Their pain clawed its way into Felix’s chest, weighed down his heart with a heavy ache.

I was so sure we could trust him, Dad said.

Mom’s voice followed. Not now . Felix needs help.

Felix forced himself up onto his shaking legs. Mason and Arisa charged at Ernest. Mind completely blank, Felix forced himself to follow, not sure what would happen when they reached him.

Ernest sighed and lifted a hand, his palm facing toward them. A blast of wind sent the three flying.

Felix was the first to hit the wall at the end of the hallway. He sank to the ground with a sharp gasp. Mason landed to his right, and Arisa to his left.

“He’s manipulating air,” Arisa managed between ragged breaths.

Felix’s mind found its way back to him. He took another sharp breath. “What’s his channeling material?”

“No idea.”

Mason was already back on his feet. Felix and Arisa rose on either side of him, only for another current of wind to blast open the door to their right and send the three stumbling down the next hallway.

More doors swung open and slammed shut around them. Air rushed in and out of nearby rooms. Felix, Mason, and Arisa were pushed to the end of the hall and around the next corner. They were back at the walkway.

The moment the air’s pressure alleviated, Mason started racing back the way they came. Felix and Arisa, still dazed from being violently tossed around, lingered behind him.

Ernest emerged from a hall branching to the left, hands raised. He sent another blast of wind down the hall. Mason unleashed hellfire to push back.

Felix found his senses. As Mason’s fire faded, he lifted Helena’s sword and charged forward, summoning lightning to dance up and down the blade. Arisa followed.

Felix started swinging the moment he was in range of Ernest. Each blow was knocked off target by a powerful gust of air. He tried to strike while Ernest was distracted by Mason’s fireballs and Arisa’s daggers, but the man was impossible to hit.

You gotta adjust your aim, Helena said.

My aim isn’t the problem! Felix tightened his grip. He’s knocking me off course.

That’s exactly the problem! Don’t aim where you want to hit, or he’s going to move you.

Felix sucked in a deep breath. If I’m not going to hit anything, he won’t move me.

Only if you aim too far off course. Find the balance.

Felix swung again. And missed. The blade passed through the air two feet to Ernest’s right.

Ernest turned on him. “Losing steam, kid?” There was a crack running up the right lens of his glasses.

Felix focused on Ernest’s shoulder. If he went for it, Ernest would push the blade up. Instead, Felix aimed for the air above his target and brought the blade forward.

Ernest pushed back with the air, but he didn’t push very hard, expecting the blow to miss anyway. Felix twisted the blade and redirected his motion.

Metal met skin. A gash formed where Ernest’s neck met his shoulder, just deep enough to draw blood.

Thanks, Helena! Felix thought. You know, your sword’s pretty great.

Oh, come on, Felix, Helena replied. It’s your sword now.

Felix grinned.

Ernest’s hand shot forward and wrapped around Mom’s ring. Felix hadn’t realized it slipped out from under his shirt. The chain snapped. Light glinted off the ring as it sailed through the air and over the walkway railing behind him.

“No!” Felix tore his gaze from Ernest to follow the ring.

Mason reached toward him. “Felix, look out—!”

Ernest’s fist struck the side of Felix’s face. Felix crashed into the wall at his right. His sword slipped from his grasp. He stumbled with one hand on the wall, until the wall disappeared and his hands were brushing over the walkway’s railing instead.

Ernest stormed toward him. “I think spending all that time with Sebastian made you cocky. You may outnumber me, but I have far more experience than you. Far more than you’ll ever get, now.” He grabbed Felix by the front of his jacket and lifted him. Felix tipped backward. His heart slammed in his chest as he found himself staring at the shroud of darkness below.

Behind Ernest, Mason and Arisa moved to attack again. A door swung open behind them. A demon lunged.

That was the last thing Felix saw before Ernest pushed him over the railing and into the black.

Felix had the sense to turn himself into water before he hit the ground. He frantically glanced around as he returned to his human form and sat up. Ernest’s darkness spell must have been fading, because while it was still dim, he could make out the outlines of overturned furniture around him.

There was no sign of life, though. Where had all of the Guardians gone? Shouting echoed in the distance, coming from the direction of the front lawn. Maybe they’d dragged the fight out there to get out of the darkness.

Felix climbed to his feet. He needed to get back to Mason and Arisa. He ran in what he hoped was the direction of the stairs.

Ernest’s foot hit the bottom step as Felix reached them. The Ironwood Wand was apparently still out of commission, because he resorted to immediately swinging at Felix with his fists. Felix staggered backwards, ducking and dodging and using most of his remaining focus just to avoid getting hit.

He had to retaliate. Now or never. He dropped into water, twisted into a whip, and—

Ernest hit him with a blast of wind.

Felix’s water form sprayed the floor. His mind went completely blank, and it took him a moment to pull himself back together mentally. He felt awful. Shattered.

May, he thought dimly. May help me!

May slipped into his fractured mind. You can do this. You’re still in control of every drop.

“You’re out of abilities,” Ernest gloated. “No dirt, no metal, water’s useless against me. And I don’t think seeing the past is going to do you any good here.”

The scattered drops of Felix began moving. Slowly but surely, he reorganized himself.

Ernest lifted a hand. “I will admit, you fared pretty well. It’s a shame the Guardians got you on their side. Mira might have been willing to take you in.”

Felix returned to his human form. Mostly. His lower right arm was still water. Droplets lifted themselves off the floor and congregated in the air as he climbed to his feet. “Oh, sure, Mira sounds great. I’d love to help her out.”

His gaze shifted up to the walkway. There was no sign of Mason or Arisa. No sound of fighting, either. His heart was running out of control in his chest.

Ernest glared at him. “You should try being respectful to people stronger than you. I’ve been a Guardian for decades, and I—”

Felix swung the upper half of his arm. The water twisted into a sphere and smacked Ernest in the face. While Ernest choked and gasped for air, Felix pulled the water back in to reform his real arm. Then, he moved in to throw a real punch.

Ernest caught his fist. Felix gasped in pain as Ernest twisted his arm.

“All right. I’m sick of this.” Ernest lifted the Ironwood Wand and pointed it downward. May’s stone lifted itself out of Felix’s pocket and dropped to the ground. Felix reached out with his free arm to try to grab it, but another flick of the wand sent him stumbling back.

“Hm. Not back to full power yet. But we’re getting there.” Ernest took aim again.

Felix was thrown into a table. It tipped over, and he tumbled to the ground. He barely had time to get back on his feet before the next blow of magic sent him crashing through a door. The blast that followed was even stronger. It threw Felix the entire length of the hallway he’d entered.

Blood trickled from his nose as he sat up. It was dizzying just to be upright. Still, he climbed to his feet and watched a blurry Ernest stroll down the hall toward him.

“Why do you keep getting back up?” Ernest demanded. The wand lifted again.

Felix flew through an open doorway to his right and hit glass. It shattered around him. He squeezed his eyes shut and flung up his hands to shield his face as he crashed to the floor with the shards.

He opened his eyes. Blood stained his hands.

Felix threw a glance back to see what he’d collided with. A taxidermy bear nearly ten feet in height glared down at him, mouth open wide to show off its sharp teeth. Its display case lay in fragments on the floor.

“Impressive, right?” Ernest asked as he entered the room. “My best hunt, so far. The only species bigger than a Kodiak bear is a polar bear.” He laughed. “I’ll have to add one of those to my collection one day, too.”

All Felix could think to say was, “Isn’t that illegal?”

Ernest flicked the wand. The bear leaned forward. Slowly, at first, then it was falling too fast for Felix to process. Fangs and claws rushed toward him. He ducked and rolled to the right, but he wasn’t fast enough to completely escape. His legs wound up pinned under the bear’s weight.

Felix groaned and lifted his head.

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay down this time,” Ernest said. “Play nice and maybe I’ll let you live after all.”

Felix’s blood spread across the floor in front of him. The air shimmered. One by one, his family appeared.

“Felix, you did your best,” Mom said. She dropped to one knee next to him and rested a hand on his shoulder. “Let the other Guardians handle him.”

“I’m not done,” Felix mumbled.

“What was that?” Ernest asked. “Are you begging your family to save you? With you being so weak, I doubt they’ll have the energy to hurt me.” He spread his arms wide. “But they’re welcome to try.”

Felix pushed himself up onto his arms. “I’m not done yet,” he repeated, louder.

“Hit me, then,” Ernest challenged. “Lightning? Fire? You have nothing.”

Felix looked to the others. Helena shook her head. “You are done, Felix. You barely have the strength to keep us standing here.”

“You have nothing you can use to channel any of our abilities,” Ezra added. “It’s okay.”

“Yeah, don’t do anything stupid.” May folded her arms. “Stupider than you already have, anyway.”

Felix’s gaze moved to the right, to the bear’s mouth, to the fangs hovering inches from his face. “I said I’m not done yet.”

The ghosts flickered out. Dad reappeared a moment later, standing closer to Felix in the pool of blood. “Felix, it’s okay.” He knelt down between Felix and the bear’s head. “Sometimes there’s nothing you can do.”

“I know.”

Dad smiled at him, eyes shining.

Felix took a deep breath. “But there is something I can do.” He reached through Dad’s translucent form into the bear’s mouth.

Ernest took a step forward. “What—?”

Felix focused on his family, on drawing them back out of his blood. “Distract him!”

May and Ezra reappeared. May raised her hands, and the shelves around the room rattled. Ezra lifted his chin, and the light bulb above Ernest exploded. Glass rained down on him.

Helena materialized next to Felix as he wrested a fang out of the bear’s mouth. “Felix, you have no way of knowing what will happen if you do this,” she warned. “If you lose control, you’re handing yourself over to the Uprising!”

“Then I won’t lose control.” Felix gritted his teeth. “I wasn’t prepared when May first did it, but I’m prepared now.” He looked up at her. “I can do this.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Ernest stumbled into a nearby shelf, grabbed a glass bottle, and smashed it against the wall. A spray of salt clouded the air. The ghosts of the Carvers vanished.

“I’ll kill you,” Ernest snarled. “You’ve given me no other choice.”

Felix’s hand tightened around the fang. “Then I guess I have no choice, either.”

Something lay dormant deep in Felix’s soul, and the longer the fang rested against his skin, the more restless it grew.

Felix let the last ability in his blood take over.