The Revealed

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Book excerpt

Chapter One

Ether: Willow 

By use of my hair, I was dragged against my will through the bright portal. It led into darkness. The excruciating sting of pulled roots made me scream out for them to stop. They ignored my pleas. It seemed as if every time I cried out, my hair was deliberately wrenched. They never once slowed down, not even with my constant stumbling. The surface was slippery. They would jerk me back up by my hair, tugging even harder, as if to punish me. I was kept in a bent position so I couldn’t see through the dark in front of me. And, as I remained hunched over, my back paid the price.

I was set free when we reached the end of the passageway. I staggered against a concrete wall for support and needed to catch my breath. There was light—bright light. My eyes watered, needing to adjust. But after five seconds of not moving, I was shoved ahead, as taking a break was not permitted. It was that awful Goth chick from the house who was torturing me. I’d hoped she had died.

 Chunks of my hair lay in her hand like pieces of dark string. She cocked her head at me with a crooked smile then tossed my hair to the wind. She wiped her hands on her pants as if I were the filthy one. Tears welled up in my eyes when I felt my head and found bald spots. My scalp stung and I felt wetness. Blood stained my hand. Not much blood, but enough to make me want to cry even harder. My thick, beautiful hair.

“Shallow. Get over yourself, traitor. No one here cares what you look like, especially where you’re going.” She laughed, standing in her head-to-toe black leather.

“Traitor!” I hated her. How did she dare judge me? I was better than her lowlife, scummy self. I wanted to curse at her but thought the better of it after what she’d done to my head. Instead, I looked for Khan, our supposed protector. Some job he’d done protecting any of us.

He stood ahead of me with Mr. Conway, Ron’s dad. We each had a minion ordering us around. Khan appeared fine but Mr. Conway’s mouth was still sewn shut. He looked scared to death. I was scared too, but if I got my way I would get out of the mess. I always did. From what I could remember we’d had our butts kicked earlier tonight. But if the Keepers had been on top of things this wouldn’t have happened. I wouldn’t have had to go behind their backs and do what I did. No, I was no traitor. I did what was best even if they couldn’t see it.

The so-called nurse, who took care of Ron’s grandfather, was bleeding from her side. It was her blood I was slipping on, and my knees were covered in red. Blood oozed down her uniform leaving a trail behind her. She held onto her side as if trying to keep her internal organs inside. She never once winced or made a sound. How vexing.

Ronin, the Ethosian killer under Monlow’s rule, was up ahead. Only one of his goons was standing next to him. I had no idea what had happened to the other one and I didn’t care, not about any of them.

“Move,” she ordered in a thick accent that I hadn’t noticed before.

“It’s hard to breathe. Why is it so hard to breathe?” The more I inhaled the harder it became so I took deeper breaths. “Oh God. What’s that awful smell?” I covered my nose searching for the strange odor but became aware of an unrecognizable city. It was massive. This had to be Ether.

“Shut up, stupid girl,” the Goth chick ordered.

 Suddenly a buzzing sound come out of nowhere. “What is that?” I dove for the ground, landing in a bed of yellow flowers when a huge bird flew over us.

“You are a simple child. Get up.”

Peering up and now realizing that it was not birds at all but cars, actual cars whizzing past buildings both low and high in the bright purplish-red sky where two other planets sat in the distance.

“I said get up.” She yanked me up when I took too long to move. She kicked me toward a caravan of vehicles and extremely tall and odd dusky colored creatures that appeared to be waiting for us. I grabbed my painful side and she sadistically smiled as I winced from a twinge of pain.

 “All right,” I said looking back at her. She stayed right behind me, and I realized that her skin wasn’t as pale in this light as it was on Earth. She cut me a warning look. One I took seriously.

“Get in.” The Goth girl kicked me hard against the metal door when I curiously watched Ronin cauterizing his bleeding neck with what appeared to be a black pen with a red tip. He didn’t even flinch. I threw up on the side of the car after watching his wound seal up. It was nauseating. Ronin barely gave me a glance before he got in the lead car.

Mr. Conway and Khan rode with me along with three of the creatures who were guarding us with peculiar guns. The creatures were built like humans but they were blue. Their features were exaggerated with long fingers and wide mouths but the creepiest things about them were their big brown eyes that blinked very slowly.

I tried to hold down my vomit but it came out again as we took off into the air. Khan held my head down until it stopped, “Relax, there is no point in getting upset. It will be over soon enough.”

What did he mean by “It will be over soon”? Our lives? I couldn’t die. I was Willow Montgomery. Bad things never happened in my family or to me for that matter. This could not be happening. Money talked, like my dad always said. I would simply make a deal. A bargain. Anyone could be bought and as ruler of a planet, Monlow would be used to deals.

We were being taken to Monlow, from what little conversation I’d overheard; I planned on asking to be sent back home. Ronin really wanted Connor and thankfully, I wasn’t her. I would simply tell them I didn’t know the details since Mr. Conway had never told me the whole truth. I was sure we could all be civilized.

My thoughts faded as we shot straight up in the air again and flew so fast it seemed like we were going to crash into the buildings. Miraculously, we turned at the last minute. I shut my eyes pleading for the ride to end, holding down my stomach. We whipped past cars as if there was no speed limit here, weaving in between them. They moved out of our way for whatever reason.

The building’s windows seemed to be made of reflective glass— silver or black depending on their angle to the sun—so you could not see in but I wondered what people thought of the cars getting so close to them. It must have been nerve-racking.

Eventually we left the buildings behind, traveling towards the mountains. We soared toward a castle that sat within a tall mountain with foliage covering the top. On the ground was a long red carpet leading up to two gigantic doors; on each side were large gold statues of an unusual creature shaped like a dog with wings. Two flags stood next to each statue.

We slowed down, descending to the large stone surface and stopping in front of the red carpet. One blue creature pushed a button, opening the door and getting out first, then the second creature motioned for me to go next. I was shoved out of the car by one of them who mumbled something. Once everyone was out, both cars took off into the air. The other vehicle must have taken the wounded elsewhere.

I had a sickening feeing in the pit of my stomach that this was not going to be good and from the look on Khan’s face, he felt it too.

“I’m scared,” I whispered to Khan. His answer came with a sullen smile. He couldn’t even comfort me.

 The doors opened, beckoning us forward as two guards stood outside. They were dressed as knights holding swords. It looked like we’d stepped back in time until we entered the castle. The place was a mixture of Renaissance meets New Age.

The doors led us to a huge room with a world of polished wood and leather upholstery, but then there were mounted animals on the walls, swords displayed in glass cases and animal skins on the floor and draped over some of the furnishings. There were stairs leading up but they escorted us past them, ordering us to follow behind Ronin and the Goth chick.

They took us down a long hallway, passing security men who had humanoid features similar to mine. No words were exchanged as we all got in a glass elevator ascending into the mountain. We shot up so fast I held onto the wall for support. As we climbed, the glass turned to a solid color of white or blue. I could hardly tell anymore as my head was spinning so badly; the air was too thin.

The Goth girl said something and one of the guards grabbed hold of my arm and helped me out of the elevator into a long hall and then down another long hallway. The lights were so bright I had to shut my eyes a couple of times. My lids were heavy. I was so tired.

We turned into a wide area lined with several armed humanoids that had features like the guards downstairs. They were bowing to us. Was that a good sign? I definitely had to get out of this freak show.

Ronin finally spoke to us. “You are about to meet Monlow himself. Consider yourselves to be lucky. You will not approach him. You will kneel down before him. You will not speak unless spoken to. Do I make myself clear?”

Mr. Conway and I nodded as Khan assented.

The doors opened as we approached. I tried to think positively, telling myself if there was anyone who could help me it was Monlow and I would make just about any deal to get out of this mess. We walked down a small entryway then turned right. Once Monlow came into view, my jaw dropped. He was one of the scariest entities I could ever have imagined. I felt my skin crawl as a sheet of fear hit me. The power that radiated from him was almost like a dense fog, making each step harder to take. His strength was great. No wonder he never came to Earth, as he would find it impossible to hide.

His skin was almost translucent but on the sides of his face skinny, dark veins pulsated. His eyes were shiny black balls and there was no hair on him: no eyebrows, eyelashes or on his head. Brownish-yellow tips for fingernails extended from his bony fingers as he gripped the arms of his chair.

He wore a long red robe with gold trim that was so long it covered his feet. Every so often the bottom of the robe would move in an unnatural manner, with more fluidity than was usual.

He sat in a huge white and gold chair and all around the walls were decorated red with white borders. Everything was so bright. The closer we walked towards him the more I wanted to stop. What was he? What had he morphed into after taking in so many others’ abilities into his body? Why did he want more?

About twenty feet from him, we were forced to our knees by the mere flicker of his hand. He was telekinetic.

“My son, come sit next to me,” Monlow spoke.

His son, who? Ronin? Yes, it was Ronin who walked up and sat next to him. I had assumed Ronin was human.

“You there, Bostuge, bring me that male human.”

One of the blue guards picked up Mr. Conway and walked him forward.

Mr. Conway stood in front of Monlow; his sewn-shut mouth becoming free with just a thought from Monlow. Mr. Conway made the error of speaking without permission.

“I made a mistake. Please send me back,” he said, unaware of Monlow’s reaction. He kept talking and I wanted to tell him to be quiet but he was so nervous he rambled on about going home.

Monlow’s translucent skin turned dark behind his still, pale face and somehow he grew in size as he spoke. “You dare speak to me!” His voice boomed across the room echoing so loudly it bounced off the walls.

Mr. Conway finally realized what he had done but kept talking, to apologize. Monlow had had enough of his defiance and held up one hand, elevating the poor man and ripping him into two halves from the waist with a simple hand gesture. Blood squirted from his middle across Kahn and mine’s faces as the two parts flew in opposite directions. His body landed with a thud after the snapping sounds his bones made when he was torn apart.

I fell over onto my hands in horror. Mr. Conway lay on the floor not five feet away from us, bleeding out with a surprised expression on his still face.

I wanted to scream but Khan slapped a hand over my mouth, preventing me from making a sound. Monlow’s head jerked in my direction. Khan pulled me back up to my knees as tears flooded my eyes. I held onto his hand tightly for support, wishing this all would end. I shut my eyes, realizing now that Monlow would not be my savior. The men in the hallway were not bowing to us but to Ronin. I had no idea how I would escape now.

“Bring the Keeper to me.” Khan stood up and walked forward, not saying a word. I covered my mouth as I silently cried, hoping he would not kill us.

Kahn was brought forward then forced to his knees again. “You sold your soul to me for wealth and power but I don’t reward defectors. Besides, you didn’t get me what I wanted. You are weak and the Keepers saw through you. I will take what I need then kill you,” Monlow said, careless of our lives.

“Now, Father, how about you take what you want and I can find a suitable place for a traitor such as him?” Ronin suggested.

“You are too soft on these humans,” Monlow said, commending his son for his generosity.

“Making a man suffer for eternity is soft? I think not. Making a man face day after day of his betrayal is true suffrage.” Ronin stared at Khan.

“You speak wisely, my son, and are true. You will make a great ruler one day. I have taught you well. Take the Keeper away and bring me the girl,” Monlow demanded.

The Bostuge grabbed me and stood me in front of Monlow. I could barely breathe; my chest hurt from my heartbeat against it. My eyes bulged as Monlow gave me his full attention. I was trying not to hyperventilate.

“This is not the right girl. This one barely tickles my skin. I need the key!” His voice had a slight rattle behind it.

His voice was so loud I covered my ears, panting hard and trying not to make noise.

“Yes, but the other I underestimated. She was far stronger than I expected,” Ronin said, not even flinching at the sound of his voice.

“Did she do that to you?” Monlow long nailed fingers pointed to Ronin’s neck. “If you want to play with her then bring her here to do so but I need her first. As for this girl here I will take what little powers she has and when I’m done with her, I will throw her to a Strouka. Let the local men play with it.”

A what? To play with?

“I do not think she will survive in such a place. She seems too innocent,” Ronin said. “Let me have her instead. I have plans for this one.” Ronin leered at me.

What plans?

“As you wish. As long as you bring me that key!” Monlow roared and that was the last thing I remembered before passing out with relief that I was still alive.