Blackstar

Raven was sleeping on her stomach, snoring gently, with her arm draped across my chest. I, too, was snoring and drooling. That was until the sound of bells rang through the air. We both ran out of the cottage, slipping into our footwear as we hurried over, me still limping slightly. Without thinking, we both lifted our left arms and pressed them against the barrier.

My parents came barreling in on two horses. I wasn’t sure if they were running from something so I grabbed Raven’s arm and we lowered it, waiting until the barrier was down again before following them inside.

My father was panting, struggling to stand up straight. My mother hadn’t bothered and just collapsed at the small breakfast table. While Raven and Vera ran to get them water, my eyes were intent on the bag my father was carrying. Once both adults were sitting and drinking water, I couldn’t hold myself back anywhere.

“Is that them?” I asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

My father nodded, pushing his sweaty hair out of his face. “It was hell getting back here, son.”

“Why?” Raven asked, frowning. “Were you followed?”

My mother laughed bitterly. “Chased is more like it. We lost them when we got into the woods. They thought we were still on the path. Now that the barrier is back up, though, they won’t find us.”

“How did they find you?” Vera whispered.

“It’s my fault,” the Queen sighed but my father glared at her.

“No, it wasn’t,” he said firmly. “It was both of us. I fell asleep on the way back,” he explained to us. “Your mother was left to try and find the way but she got lost so she had to wake me up.” He shook his head wearily. “They must have been stalking us for a very long time.”

“I’ve never seen five people so eager to kill before,” my mother said and I shuddered.

“We have the skulls, though,” the King said, sounding a little repulsed.

“How?”

“We followed your advice,” he said, accepting another glass of water from Raven. “We went to different physicians and they gladly gave us their skulls and assured us they could get new ones. They gave me a special powder they coat over the skull to preserve it; just in case.”

I took the bag and went down to the basement, not willing to wait any longer.

-Raven’s POV-

Queen Vittoria watched Alexi walk down the stairs, looking thoroughly upset.

“Why is he limping?” King Bartholomew asked.

“We fell,” Vera explained.

While she told them what happened, I followed Alexi down the stairs. He was replacing the fake skulls with the real ones, sprinkling the powder on each one. I couldn’t read the expression on his face.

“How are we going to build all of this out there?” he said finally, looking at me.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “The scrolls we can pin down with rocks but I don’t know if we need the circle of chalk, too.” He nodded, staring at the runes on the floor pensively. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

He sighed deeply. “I’m thinking I want to do it now.”

“Now?” I repeated. “Your parents just returned!”

“They don’t have to be involved,” he said, extinguishing the candles.

“Alexi, it’s dangerous. We aren’t even prepared.”

He stopped and stood before me. “Raven, it’s going to be dangerous even if we wait another month. As for preparation, that can be done simply enough.”

“But what if it doesn’t work?”

He cupped my cheek. “Then we’ll have to figure something else out. I’m tired of all of this, Raven. I’m tired of knowing I can’t protect you. I’m tired of knowing a way to rid this world of that maniac once and for all. I want to do it now. But I need you to do it.”

I stared into his eyes. He was completely serious.

I took a deep breath. “Tell me how it works.”

-

Despite the others’ arguments, Alexi and I carried all the necessary equipment outside. Neither of us spoke as we laid the scrolls out on the ground in the same order. The King and Alexi carried all the tables up. I refused to touch the skulls so that part was left to Alexi as well. Overhead, the clouds blocked out the sun as if they knew what was about to happen.

I lit the candles for each candelabrum with shaking hands. We didn’t know the incantations but Alexi assured me that it would all be revealed when it needed to be.

“It requires four people,” Alexi said in a hushed voice. “Obviously, Raven, you are one. I will be the other.”

“I will join,” the King said instantly.

“So shall I,” Vera said before the Queen. “Raven is my best friend.”

The Queen looked terrified. “Well, I hope you don’t expect me to just sit in a chair.”

Alexi shook his head. “Get the silver rod and the poisons,” he whispered and she did. “Mash the poisons up and, carefully, spread them on the tip of the rod.”

She did as he said and used a leaf to spread the poison around it. The leaf immediately burned away.

“Hide in the shadows,” the King said to her.

As she slipped into the shadows, my heart began to beat. We all stood in our appropriate places.

“Are you ready?” Alexi’s voice carried over to mine.

“Yes,” I whispered.

We lifted our left arms, willing the barrier to lower. As it did, a cold wind swept through, nearly extinguishing the candles. Black smoke filled the air but I kept my arm aloft. It was burning in agony. Thankfully, Lucian didn’t realize the trap until it was too late.

He wasn’t what I had imagined. He didn’t look anything like how Alexi had described. His hair was long and black; he had black eyes and he was pale. Blood was dripping from his teeth. Despite his current predicament, I could tell he was strong.

He laughed.

“Ah yes,” he said darkly. “Your foolish parents tried the very same thing.” His lips curled into a smile as he walked towards me. “But, there was a flaw in there-”

He stopped and yelled in agony. He had approached the barrier and his flesh was burning. His eyes were wide in anger.

“Did you really think you’d walk out of here alive?” I said quietly.

“My dear Blackstar, I am already dead,” he said pompously.

“My name is not Blackstar,” I said. “My parents named me Trinity Rose. My family named me Raven. You are neither.”

He sneered at me. “I am your master!” he yelled and the bite marks on my neck burned and I doubled over, trying to stay standing. “You do as I say!”

“No one is my master!” I cried through the pain. “I am my own woman!”

“You will die a useless death just like your pitiful brother!”

The pain was getting unbearable and I looked over my shoulder.

“Vittoria!” I shouted. “Now!”

For a second, Lucian looked confused. Then he saw the silver rod flying through the air. He didn’t have time to react. It struck through his chest and his mouth opened, letting loose an unearthly cry.
The last thing I saw was a lightning bolt hitting me and Alexi in the shoulders, sending us flying.