Lost Energy (31 page)

Her other hand flew in the air as
Farren and Winston came running behind her.

They were too late.

The portal swept her up, took Cassondra
away.

Took Wilma away.

Forever.

REVENGE

F
all was always Wilma's favorite
season. She'd bitch about the leaves scattered on her porch and the bears
getting into the garbage, but she loved it. A long time ago, she told me fall
reminded her of second chances–when the old fell away to let winter cleanse the
heart. She was poetic when the mood struck.

She was a lot of things.
Everything.

We spent the summer collecting Protectors'
loved ones willing to stay in Arcus. Many nights were spent having long
conversations explaining reality to shell-shocked husbands and wives, boyfriends
and girlfriends, even a few children.

We also collected supplies, mostly
from Earth, to help rebuild Arcus's villages. Belva's squid worked to tear down
trees, dragging logs to the surrounding fields so Tarek and others could shave
them down, turn them into cabins.

My mom became
the
mom. Grace
volunteered as her sidekick. Everyone acted happy, despite the threat of the
now more powerful Exemplar looming, planning the next attack.

Normal.

No.

Nothing would ever be normal again.

Winston led what he called our
foraging missions to Earth. He didn't do it to be nice, but to give Shaina a
chance to say goodbye to her family and friends. He even fixed the whole mess
Exemplar made for us before…before…she died.

Police stopped looking for Farren,
Mom, Jake, and I. The guy in my apartment went from a murder victim to a
suicide. Unfortunate, how that homeless man found his way into our apartment–the
story Winston drilled into the heads of those who mattered. We would have the
chance to go back. Someday.

Belva's parents believed she ran
off with the circus. Seriously. That was the story Winston gave them when he
rang their doorbell one night. He even added she fell in love with a redheaded
clown.

Belva would disappear with her
redheaded clown as soon as the day's work ended. They were in love. They found
their happy ending.

Cassondra stole mine.

Zander became my rock, my verbal
punching bag…the unconditional friend he pretended to be before. He didn't leave
my side most days, and I liked having him around, especially if the rage took
over and needed an outlet. Maybe he stuck around to punish himself for the past.
Regardless, I'm glad he did.

We trained every day, too. Oren
helped Farren with that, along with Tarek. Not just boxing. I wanted to be able
to kill.

I wanted to be able to pull the
trigger next time.

Avery and Nicolette vanished, never
coming back to Arcus. Don't know if they died, but for their sakes, they had
better never show their faces again. I'd kill them both. There wouldn't be any
hesitation–my conscience died with Wilma.

Every night Tarek and I would hide
in his cabin as soon as the sky darkened over the village. I didn't sleep much.
The nightmares…her face…her blood… my final words to her… none of it would let
me.

In the mornings, Tarek would hold
me and stroke my hair, while sobs wracked my body. Every day took her farther
away.

But not today. Today, the blackness
held on through the morning, giving blissful emptiness. It did that sometimes–allowed
me to feel nothing. On the crisp fall morning, the leaves crackling under my
feet, I held onto the nothing as I opened the trailer door to find my dad still
alive. Still scared. Still sitting in that chair in front of his wall.

I wouldn't be coming back here
after today. We had too much to do. Too much to prepare for. This would be his
last chance to come with me, the last time he saw me if he again refused.

"Dad?"

He jumped and pulled the afghan
closer to his chin. "I ain't going. You can't make me."

I went to kiss him on the cheek and
ignored his flinch. "This is the last time I'll ask. I won't be back."

His face paled. I wished he were
still the monster under my bed and in my nightmares. Easily conquered. Easy to
escape. "I'm gonna be all alone?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Well, then." His muddy
eyes found his chief.

I sighed and went to the door, not
bothering to say anything else as I shut it behind me.

Walking through the woods brought
back memories, like the first time I met Tarek. The night my life changed
forever. My heart used to skip every time I passed the stream's edge. Now all it
did was function, pumping blood to vital organs, keep me living. It only lay
vulnerable in those early morning hours with Tarek. The hours when death felt
like a better option.

Winston met me by the river alone,
leaning on his crotch rocket.

I rolled my eyes. "Really?"

He stood, grinning. "Tired of
all the exercise I'm getting."

I nodded, not quite able to muster
a fake laugh.

Come home.
Tarek's voice, gentle and soothing,
echoed in my dull brain. My heart didn't skip then as it used to, either.

I glanced at the gray sky. A small purple
slash sat above the trees. Since Empyrean, Tarek managed to open and close the
lines for short periods without worlds bleeding permanently. Winston showed
him. I never bothered asking how. It didn't matter.

I sighed. "Time to go." I
held Winston's waist while he lifted a hand to the sky, his other on his bike's
handlebar.

"Hold on tight, Tainted. If I
have to choose between you or my bike, you'll lose."

"Whatever." I cinched my
arms tighter, anyway. The man never made promises he didn't keep. Thank God.

Before the portal took us, I gave my
life there one last thought–and erased the memories for good. The past…it didn't
matter anymore.

Only one thing did.

Revenge.

Arcus-
A world deplete of
humans, with an evolution that falls behind many others. This world's highest
evolved species is giant tree squid. Also, the vivid color permeating the world
is "contagious" and transmits to those humans who happen to go there.

Contego
suit-
An Exemplian
uniform that protects from dangers found in all the worlds.

Cycle-
Each life a person
lives is considered a cycle.

Desis-
A common language
spoken in many worlds, including Earth.

Dimensions/Worlds
- Dimensions are worlds connected
to each other with dimension lines. Each dimension is in a different stage of
evolution, with some more advanced than others.

Dimension
lines
- Intangible
lines, akin to electrical currents, separating each world. Only Protectors have
the ability to open these lines to other worlds. In some cases, when a Warden
is strong enough, the lines can be bled between worlds, or erased, for short
periods of time.

Empyrean-
A world more
evolved than Earth but not as advanced as Exemplar. The villages float over
lush fields and streams. This world is as close to utopian as possible.

Energy-
The soul

Exemplar-
A world that is
more evolved than any other world known. Humans from this world are more
advanced, as well. Exemplar is responsible for manipulating the energy
circulation throughout the entire universe. Only the most
"privileged" energy is brought to Exemplar to live a cycle.

Guide-
An advanced person
from Exemplar who has the ability to read energies and transport them to other
worlds. Also, their energies are able to leave their corporeal form and travel
to other dimensions. Some are more advanced than others, depending on how many
cycles they have lived in Exemplar.

Pairing-
The act of one
Guide and one Protector being matched together in Exemplar. The Pairing helps
Protectors know if their Guides are in danger.

Protector
- An advanced person from Exemplar
who has the telekinetic ability to open lines between worlds. They are able to
travel across world lines in their corporeal form, unlike Guides. Their duty is
to protect Guides as they collect energy from other worlds. As with Guides,
some Protectors are more advanced than others, depending on how many cycles
they have lived in Exemplar.

Synod-
Exemplar's
governing branch

Synod
authority-
Exemplar's
army

Tainted-
1. (n) An
Exemplian traitor

              
2. (v) To be treacherous

Lynn Vroman

Born in
Pennsylvania, Lynn spent most of her childhood, especially during math class,
daydreaming. The main result that came from honing her imagination skills was
brilliantly failing algebra. Today, she still spends an obscene amount of time
in her head, only now she writes down all the cool stuff.

With a
degree in English Literature, Lynn used college as an excuse to read for four
years straight. She lives in the Pocono Mountains with her husband, raising the
four most incredible human beings on the planet. She writes young adult novels,
both fantasy and contemporary.

Connect
with Lynn: [
Blog
][
Twitter
][
Facebook
][
Goodreads
]