Page 26 of Hunted
Once we made it back, Evie didn’t waste any time filling Helen and Pepper in on what had happened to us in the department store. From her perspective, we were both in the changing room area one moment, and when she came back, we were gone. If the flickering light directly above her hadn’t already told her something unnatural had happened, the fact that we had both vanished and left all our clothes there was certainly enough.
“That wasn’t even the worst part,” Evie said. “The creature had pulled them into a Dark Oubliette.”
“A prison…” Helen clarified. “That’s powerful magic indeed.”
“I didn’t know it could do that,” I said.
Helen looked over at me. “Do you think its abilities have gotten stronger?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe. But I’m certain that, back in Arcadia, we weren’t running inside of some weird, magical loop. Everywhere we went was new, even the cave we found shelter in. This was different.”
“Perhaps it has changed its tactics given where you now find yourself.”
I shook my head. “I wish it wouldn’t. That place, that store, it was horrible… dark, claustrophobic, and those moving mannequins. I’m going to have nightmares for weeks.”
Tallin jumped up on the kitchen table and sat next to me. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you,” he said, lowering his head.
I gently pet his back. “It’s okay,” I said. “We got out of it.”
I realized then that my hand was shaking. I placed it back on my lap.
Helen took a deep breath. “How were you able to find them?” she asked Evie.
“I had to use some of my most powerful sigils,” Evie said. “First, I needed to figure out where exactly the creature had taken them to, then I had to tear a hole in it wide enough for them to get out. I’ll need to make more.”
Helen nodded. “We have more for you, don’t worry about that.”
“How is it even here?” I asked.
“I wish I had an answer for you. I don’t think we will ever find one. But if the creature is in fact a manifestation of Fate, we have to assume it has… vast amounts of power. Powers we aren’t aware of, yet.”
“That doesn’t make me feel good.”
“I’m sorry, child. I did not mean to frighten you. I only meant for us to remain vigilant. Before now, we had assumed it could not find you here. It has, which means it will find you again.”
“If it takes them into a pocket realm again,” Evie said, then paused, “And we’re… unprepared…”
“No,” Helen said, “It won’t come to that. I suspect the best medicine, here, is prevention. If the creature is indeed powerful enough to drag people into a pocket dimension, and therefore force us to use our most powerful spells to get them out, the logical solution is warding; stop them from getting pulled down in the first place. Those sigils are weaker, and easier to prepare.”
“I’ll get started,” Pepper said, standing. “I can have the whole house warded in a few minutes.”
“Get to it.”
“What?” I asked, “No. You can’t.”
“I can’t?” Pepper asked, confused.
“I mean, we can’t stay here.”
Helen’s eyes narrowed. “Dear, where else do you want to go?”
“I don’t know, but I can’t stay here knowing that thing is out there and coming for me again.”
“If you are still being hunted, this is thebestplace for you to be.”
“You don’t understand,” I said, my eyes starting to sting. “It’s relentless. It hunted us and hunted us… no matter where we went, it was there. It never stopped, and it only seemed to get more and more powerful while we only got weaker. That’s what it does. It makes you use up your resources so you can’t defend yourself anymore. That’s when it gets you.”
Helen took a deep breath. “I know you are trying to protect us, but understand, we are trying to protectyou.If I were to let you go, somewhere, you would be alone, vulnerable, and defenseless. You would be giving up. Is that what you want for yourself? For Tallin? For Valerian?”