River of Misery

Jaden

I look toward Kie and Trinity. They are sitting there discussing how we can find Chris. They have decided that we need to talk to Rade.

“Wait. Rade won't help Chris. He’ll just tell Ziruk that we know he took Chris and are looking for him. He might try to undo the protection that Chris has put on you all.”

“Why would he do that?” Trinity asks.

“Because Rade has always wanted a female. He also hates Chris and getting you two would be payback for every imagined slight that Rade blames my brother for.”

“How do you know, Jaden? Has he said something to you about that?” Rin insists.

“Yes, he has. Rade told me he would've rather have owned you than Chris. But Ziruk told him he couldn’t have anyone related to Chris. At least until he gives permission.”

I ask, “Why don't you help us?”

“Because, Jaden,” Rade replies, “Chris is under Ziruk’s authority. He has forbidden me to help Christopher or you. The only thing I can tell you is that I saw Chris at Ziruk’s main house last week. He needs you to find him. But I suggest that you find him sooner than later.”

“Thank you, Rade,” I send back.

I pick up my cell and call my other brother and our friends. Fane answers on the second ring.

“What’s wrong?”

“Chris. Ziruk took him hostage a few weeks ago.”

“Why? Ziruk was happy with him the last time I saw him. He didn't seem angry with anyone except for Rade,” Fane replies.

“Ziruk gave Chris a target and laid down one strict rule. The rule was that he can't fall for her. But he broke it. Our brother fell for her.”

“Dammit. Where are you? Are there people around?” He asks.

“I’m at Chris’ house. His sister Rin and his target are here. They both know.” I inform Fane.

“Fine. I’m going to flash there then.”

“See you...now,” I hang up the phone when I see him. He’s a tall Viking with long blond hair, clear blue eyes, and a terrifying grimace on his face.

“What were you thinking, Jaden? You left him alone after you knew he broke a rule Ziruk set for him. Girl,” he points to Kie, “I hope you're worth all of this trouble.”

“Fane! Back the hell off! Rade said he saw Chris at Ziruk’s main house. Told me we need to hurry the hell up.”

He growled low in his throat.

“Do you know where it's at?” Kie asks in my direction.

“Yeah. Fane, our brother, will have to flash me and a few others there so we can try to bargain with Ziruk. If that doesn’t work, we are going to storm his house.”

“Careful, brother. You can be struck down. Besides, Wulf, Cho, Rexx, and Nickola have to get here first. I don't think anybody knows that Chris is in trouble.”

“Well, Fane. We should still be hurrying this along. I don't like to think about what might be happening to him.”

“Yeah, me either. He’s my brother. Which is why we can’t just rush into this either,” Fane interjects logic into our argument.

The doorbell rings throughout the house. I hurry to the door and open it to find our friends. Wulf steps through first.

“Where’s Chris?” Wulf, always to the point.

"Ziruk took him,” Fane says from behind me.

“Why?” Cho chimes in.

“Because he fell in love with his target and Ziruk told Chris that was a strict no-no,” I say.

Rexx curses, “s**t, f*****g monkeys in hell’s hand-basket!”

“Yeah, I agree with you, Rexx,” says Nickola.

Wulf is exactly what an ancient Viking looks like: tall, blond, tanned, and primal. He was tricked by Rade into making the trade for his soul in the early Viking era. Cho is as Chinese as she can get. With long black hair set into a very complex braid, she gives the highly trained assassin chic look a good name. And like Wulf, she was tricked into giving Rade her soul during the Zhou Dynasty’s Warring States Period.

Rexx is African with a head of curly black hair, with sun bleached maroon highlights. He bargained his soul to Rade in the early 1500’s to gain unlimited power to protect his friends and family. And then there is Nickola. He was trained in the Roman Gladiatorial ring. Nick has a dark Mediterranean tan with short, spiky blood red hair. His greenish-red eyes give him a ferial fae quality, and combined with Fae Iron in his ears, frightened most people. But he gave up his soul to Rade through tricks.

“Jaden?” Kie whispers.

I look at her, “Yeah, Kie?”

“Who do the voices belong to? Why do you have so many people here?”

“I’m offended,” Cho and Wulf say simultaneously, “I’m not people or human. I’m Ravory.”

“What’s Ravory?” Kie asks.

“Kie meet Wulf and Cho, who talked last together. They are Ravory, as they said, and it is a primordial race of shapeshifting warriors. Then there’s Rexx, he’s a dragon; say ‘hi,’ Rexx.”

“Hi, Rexx,” he says.

I sigh and continue, “Nickola, is the one with the lilt in his accent. He’s a fallen angel. Say ‘hi,’ Nick.”

“Hi, Kie,” Nick murmurs.

“Everyone, this is Kie. And Trinity, or Rin. Rin is one of Chris’ sisters. His other sister, Mae, is at work. Kie is his target.”

“Okay, nice to meet you two. Now can we get ready to plan what it is that we are going to do to save Chris?” Rexx says.

“Yeah, let's go to the kitchen. We can plan and leave from there,” I lead the way with Rin and Kie walking next to me.