Chapter Twenty

Revelation

Part One

Her heart beating wildly, she crouched further into the dense underbrush.  Sweat trickled down her back and her face was burning and flushed with exhaustion.  Her muscles screamed their soreness due to her rushed escapade through the forest and desert, and they were now cramping under the strain of her body pressing them into the sand.  Her murky hazel eyes peered between the leaves of the prickly bush at the world around her.

Suddenly a hand from behind clasped over her mouth.  An arm snaked around her slender waist and drew her back until she was firmly pressed against her captor.  Her eyes widened with shock and she squirmed to get away.  When her attempts failed, she reached up over her head, grabbing the attacker by the shoulders.  Shoving the assailant, she kicked back her foot and felt a moment of triumph as the ball of her heel connected with soft flesh.  The attacker squealed, releasing her and stumbling onto his behind.

She leapt to her feet, whipping around to glare disdainfully at the man.  She yanked out her pistol, aiming the barrel between his legs.  "My name's Marguerite Krux and I've come for my daughter, Lillian."

The man's face broke out into a malicious smirk.  "Oh, so you are the sorceress Klor fears."

"Yes," Marguerite hissed.  "I appear to be.  Now I just trekked through a forest and across an open desert for three days.  Don't patronize me.  I want my daughter and I want her now."

The man slowly rose to his feet.  "My name is Hoshi.  I am not a sorcerer like Klor.  In fact, I am merely one of his many humble servants."

"You will take me to Klor."  She cocked her weapon.  "Do I make myself clear, Hoshi?"

"Very clear, my lady."  He eyed the gun oddly.  "This way, if you will."

Hoshi led Marguerite through the gates that housed Malia.  Everything was made from sand rock and beautifully colored glass.  She followed him down three flights of stairs and across a remarkable garden fit for the City of Babylon.  Moments later, he ushered her through a thick wooden door out into a barren stretch of desert surrounded by walls where he left her, slamming the door behind him.

Marguerite whirled around, banging on the door.  "Hoshi!  Hoshi!  Open this door you little bloody toad!"

"Tsk, tsk, such language from a lady."

Marguerite twirled around, her weapon raised.  "Klor, you son-of-a-bitch, where's my daughter?"  She scanned the walls, but couldn't find the way he had entered.

"That is not nice, my dear."

Sand rose in heaps, swirling violently in the air.  The hot sand flew into Marguerite's mouth, up her nose, into her clothes.  She was blinded by the thick sheet of sand, unable to see a foot in front of her.  The force knocked her to her knees and she cried out as the sand lashed her flesh.  "Damn you!  Damn you, you bastard!  Why are you doing this?"

"For my survival, my dear."

Her world went black.

Part Two

Something was nagging at the back of her mind, tugging persistently in the attempt to grab her full attention.  Yet, the harder Veronica concentrated the more difficult it became to decipher what her unconscious wanted her to know.  Finally, she took a few deep-cleansing breaths and allowed her mind to wander.

Challenger glanced her way, then grasped Roxton's arm to stop him from continuing on without them.  "Veronica?  Are you all right, child?"

Her eyes snapped open.  "They're alive.  They're in Malia.  We're heading in the right direction."

Roxton rushed forward, grabbing her shoulders.  "How do you know this?"

"I…I don't know.  I just…do."

Roxton glanced between his two friends then hurriedly marched off.  "If we're heading in the right direction, then let's get a move on it.  We can't be too far away."

"Roxton, wait," Veronica called after him, hurrying to catch up.  "We need a plan.  This city is full of sorcerers and sorceresses."

"She's right," Challenger chimed in.  "We can't just stroll up and ring the door bell."

"You're right.  I'm going to stroll up and shoot my way in.  If Marguerite is there, then she's in grave danger.  Klor has tried to kill her before and I don't think he'll hesitate to try again."

"No," Veronica whispered.  "He wants her alive…at least for now.  I don't know how I know this, but trust me.  I don't believe he wants her dead, yet.  He has a purpose for keeping her alive, but I don't know what for."

"Let's go find out."

Part Three

She struggled through the fog, her eyes cracking apart and squinting at the light.  Marguerite groaned, her head pounding.  She glanced around and moaned when she realized she was still in the sand pit.  Yet, she was alone.  She staggered to her feet, peering around her.  "Damn you," she muttered.

Suddenly the door she had been led through thrust open and Klor entered carrying a bundle in his arms.  "I believe you came for this."  He held out the baby.

"Lillian!"  Marguerite reached for her child, but Klor pulled the infant out of reach.  He waved his finger at her and said: "Marguerite, I just wanted you to be aware that I have a bargaining chip.  She is alive and healthy, but if you make a mistake, she will not stay that way."

"You won't harm her."

"Oh, will I not?"

"No, you've already admitted that you need her to survive.  Whatever the hell that means."

"It means, my dear, that she is the key to my survival.  A witch cast my people and me here years ago.  The only way to break her bound is if she or someone from her bloodline undoes it.  This witch has left behind two children.  One of her children is that witch jungle friend of yours.  The other one…is you."

Marguerite gasped.  "No.  That's not true."

"It is, my dear.  Before Veronica's mother met her father, she had taken another as her lover.  This other man was a sorcerer…your father.  Combining a witch's power with a sorcerer's is astounding when unleashed.  Luckily for me, you have not tapped into your full power.  Yet, with training, your precious child will be our savior."

"Like hell she will!"  Marguerite clenched her teeth in rage.

"I know she will.

"This is absolutely mad!  Why should I believe any of this?"

"You do not have to."  Klor turned and fled the room, locking the door behind him.

End Chapter Twenty

Spirita: I wish I could write longer chapters, too.  If only I could spend an entire day in front of my computer…/sigh/ I don't like these dinky chapters either.  Ariadne: does this chapter answer your question?  Everyone: thank you so much for your reviews.  I hope to wrap this up in the next couple of weeks.  Thanks so much for all your support.