Chapter 37
THIRTY-SEVEN
JACK
Jack woke with his head throbbing. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a headache this bad.
He blinked open his eyes, and the action came with another wave of pain that hammered at his skull.
He found himself looking up at a ceiling.
A moment later, he realized he was lying face-up on a bed.
The ceiling was chipped and sagging. Memories of the previous night invaded his mind. He remembered the man with the golden eye, the vampire soldiers in black crash through the windows, and then … Abigail.
Jack sat up in his bed so fast, a wave of dizziness made his head swim. While he fought off the pull back to unconsciousness, he realized he wasn’t the only one in the room.
The same man who had dragged them into the house the day before sat in a chair, staring at him.
It was the first time Jack had gotten a decent look at the man.
He was in his forties, with short, black hair peppered with white and grey.
His closely trimmed beard was the same, sprinkled with hints of his age.
Two sword hilts the likes Jack had never seen peeked over his shoulders.
A holstered pistol sat snug by his hip. He was dressed in all black.
“You’re a tough kid,” the man spoke, still seated in the only other piece of furniture in the room. He leaned back in the chair, lifting the front two legs off the ground. “I thought you were dead by the time I got to you.”
“Abigail?” Her name came out in a rough rasp that burned Jack’s throat. Jack lifted a hand to touch the tender flesh around his neck where he had been grabbed by the vampire soldier.
“She’s fine. She suffered a concussion, but she’s awake and eating with the others.” The man finally stood, towering over Jack. “My name is Saber Hyde. I’m the leader of The New Order. If Lieutenant Baker sent you here, then you must be important.”
Jack swallowed, immediately regretting the decision to do so as a fiery pain came once more from his throat. The weakness he felt from lack of food sought to reclaim his unconscious state.
“Let’s get you downstairs.” Saber didn’t offer to help Jack. Instead, he stood next to the door, raising the eyebrow over his one good eye. “Some water, and if you can manage it, some food will do you wonders. I remember the first time I was strangled to near death.”
Jack gathered himself for the walk. The simple move from a sitting position to his feet made his head swim again. Jack kept one hand on the uneven wall as he made his way to the door. He didn’t care what he looked like at that moment. He was just concerned about making sure Abigail was all right.
Saber led Jack out into a hall. The two traveled toward an open room where light chatter could be heard. Jack felt a wave of relief; one of the voices was Abigail’s, and she sounded fine.
Jack followed Saber to the end of the hall that emptied out into a large room lined with benches and tables, where a handful of people sat all eating their meals. Jack’s eyes immediately gravitated toward Abigail. She was seated, eating beside an older woman with short hair and a tight smile.
“Jack.” Abigail rose as soon as she saw him. She ran forward and embraced him in a hug so fierce, it nearly knocked him over. “I stayed with you through the night and most of the day, but they insisted I get some food.”
“Most of the day?” Jack cracked through his dry throat.
“Oh, yeah, sorry. There aren’t any windows here; we’re underground at the moment.” Abigail led him to her seat at the bench. She offered Jack a steel mug holding her water. “You’ve been out all night and most of the day.”
Jack accepted the mug, draining the water in one long gulp. The cool liquid felt heavenly. It coursed down his raw throat and splashed into his empty stomach.
“Sasha, maybe you can get the kid some more water and something softer to eat?” Saber looked over at the woman. “Please.”
For the first time, Jack noticed the woman’s eyes. They were also an orange gold. Not as pronounced as Saber’s, but enough to make the connection that the two were related.
Sasha rose with a rueful grin, “All right, little brother, but only because you asked so nicely.”
Saber seated himself on the opposite side of Jack, interlacing his hands in front of him. He skewered Jack with his one good eye. A moment passed where Jack felt like the man was measuring him up.
“I’ve already told Abigail all of this, but I want you to hear it from me, as well,” Saber began.
There was no kindness in his voice, just cold, hard facts.
“Lieutenant Baker managed to get word to me today of your story and commitment to seeing the end to the queen’s reign.
I’m willing to give you a chance, but be warned.
If I sense anything is off about you at all, I’ll finish the job that vampire soldier started around your neck. Are we understood?”
“Yes,” Jack croaked.
“Good. Then rest and eat for what’s left of the day. The New Order is in need of warriors. We can use a good sorcerer for what is coming.” Saber rose, nodding to Jack. “I’m no wizard myself, but I can train you to use your mind and harness everything you have the potential to become.”
“Thank you,” Abigail voiced what she and Jack were both thinking. “For everything.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” Saber said over his shoulder. “Tomorrow, both of you will begin to train.”