Chapter 59: Mila

Lanie wouldn't say any more about the souls. She just marched us along in silence. By the time Lanie and I made it to the park, it was the wee hours of the morning. There was a chill to the air. I wasn't sure if that was because it was dark or because I was dreading what we would find in the park. We stood at its edge. There was a playground, tennis courts, and a huge field for soccer. The trees lined the edge of the improved areas, which led to the nexus point. Angie had left us to walk on our own, but the look he had on his face when he left stuck in my memory. I'd never seen someone so big and strong look so concerned.

Lanie led the way through the trees. I wondered how she knew the way. I wish I could know everything she knew about magic. I am sure that was how she was doing it, or maybe she just had a really good memory.

She placed a hand in front me, forcing me to halt. She turned back to me with her finger to her lips.

I held my breath and listened. I could hear a voice, it sounded like Matei. He was talking with someone. Was it... Remi? Oh shit. My heart leapt. I went to dart forward. I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to see him. I wanted to yell at him.

Lanie frowned. She held me in place by the collar of my shirt. She eased her hand on my shirt as she took a few steps forward. I stayed right at her heels. My eyes searched the dark forest, trying hard to stay upright as I tottered through the path.

Lanie shot me a dirty look as she watched me stumble. "What's wrong with you?"

"Vertigo," I whispered. "I don't have any balance if I can't see."

She narrowed her eyes then continued on. I felt like I was disappointing her, but there was nothing I could do about it. I stumbled after her as fast as I could, but also as careful as I could. I wasn't trying to draw attention to us.

A green glow came from up ahead. We must have been too late. Lanie started running. She stopped at one of the trees to the circle and peered around it. I came up behind her a moment later. Matei stood at the edge of the circle speaking in Russian. His arms were held high. The book lay open on the ground next to him. Green light illuminated the runes etched into the ground. From what I could tell, it was a summoning circle, but not quite like the one I had used.

There were three deltas. The runes were complex and linked together, and there were so many items on the ground. I saw swords, staffs, plants, jewels, jars of liquids and gases. I wasn't sure what this was all about, but mostly I was confused at how Matei was able to get all of this set up so quickly. My eyes jumped to Remi. He stood with his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. His face was stoic. He must have been the one to set this up.

His eyes turned to me and then to Lanie. A brief look of longing graced his eyes before his face turned expressionless. I squeezed Lanie's shoulder and nodded in his direction. Her frown deepened. Anger flashed in her eyes.

Matei finished his incantation. The green light flared. A dark cloud rushed past us through all the trees surrounding the circle. It swirled, blotting out most of the green light. The spiral of cloud twisted in the center, slowly solidifying into a female figure.

I didn't realize I was holding my breath until I let it out. "Can we do anything to stop it?" I asked in a whisper.

Lanie shook her head. "It's too late. If it was a demon I could offer a trade, but I have nothing to offer. This is some sort of soul summoning, I think."

"Soul summoning? Like Mother's soul?"

Lanie shrugged.

Our eyes stared back as the darkness ebbed. My mouth hung open as the figure faded into view. The bright blonde hair. The small physique. "Mila," I whispered.

Lanie gripped my shoulder tightly as I tried to run past her. "Wait."

I tried to pull away, but her hands were like iron. Remi's eyes flickered to us and back to Mila.

"Daddy!" Mila shrieked. "Daddy, I was so cold and it was so dark. Where was I?" Her voice was childlike and innocent. She stood naked in the center of the circle shivering and trying to cover herself.

Matei stepped forward. He wrapped her in a silk dress that tied in the front. It seemed he had been prepared for this.

I finally broke loose of Lanie's grip. Lanie's hand caught on my tote bag as I slipped from her. As I ran forward, I heard Lanie curse, but I didn't care. Mila was alive. I hadn't killed her. My heart felt free. I dove into the circle of trees straight for her.

Mila laughed. The noise filled my heart with joy. She was back. She jumped up and down as I closed the distance. My arms wrapped around her as we embraced.

"Mila, I am so glad you're okay. I thought you were dead!"

Mila released me and stepped back. "Dead? What do you mean? I feel fine." She smiled warmly.

Matei frowned at me. "What are you doing here?"

I didn't answer him. I kept my attention focused on Mila.

She smiled at me. Her hand came out and rested on my cheek. "It's okay, Kira. You thought you were helping."

I nodded silently. Tears sprung to my eyes. I didn't mean to sacrifice her, I really didn't. I was just so happy she was okay.

Mila wiped a tear from my eye. "How about we get out of this dark place?" She turned to Matei. "Kira didn't mean to kill me. It's okay Daddy, she's like family."

Matei gave me a stern look. "She is family," he grumbled.

Mila turned to him with her head cocked to the side.

"She's your half-sister."

A big smile grew on her face. "What! This makes total sense. I knew we were connected!" She jumped up and down while she clapped her hands together. It was such a Mila thing to do, my heart leapt. She was back! She was herself again.

Mila held her hand out to me. "Come on sister, let's get out of here. I feel a road trip coming on."

I grasped her hand. I was so happy she was back. And then she looked past me.

I followed her gaze. It was leveled on Lanie who had stepped out around the trees.

"You can't have my sister," she said, her voice low and dangerous.

Mila laughed. It wasn't the joyous bubbly laughter either. It crackled in a high pitch which had me whipping my head around to stare at her. Her smile went too wide with too many teeth. My heart went cold. I had made a grave mistake yet again.

"Alaina, it's so nice of you to join us." Her voice reverberated deeper than it should and with an echo. I tried to pull away, but her grip tightened on my hand.

"Give me back my sister."

"You mean our sister," Mila corrected, pulling me around to her side.

My eyes darted to Matei. His eyes were filling with dark clouds. His body started moving jerkily towards Lanie like he was being moved on strings. I looked towards Remi. His face remained passive as he watched. I raised my eyebrows at him and then looked between him and Lanie a few times, hoping he would give in to my pleading .

"I mean my sister," Lanie said, menace dripping from her voice. One of her hands stayed behind her back as she took a few steps forward. She looked to have something in it. I couldn't fathom what weapon she could have gotten in this short amount of time.

Mila laughed again with that ear piercing cackle. "You are pathetic. You always have been."

"Don't mock me Isabell," Lanie snapped.

Mila continued to laugh. "And you were never the brightest."

Dark clouds billowed behind her. I could feel that cold tingling sensation crawling up my legs. The cloud lashed out towards Lanie. She jumped to the side. I tried to pull against Mila, but I couldn't move. My legs were rooted in place.

Mila's eyes filled with the same dark clouds. She left me as she charged at Lanie. Lanie struck with the black knife from my purse. Mila dodged to the side.

Lanie's hand extended towards her.

"Shift!" She yelled.

The wind picked up throwing Mila through the air. Lanie dashed towards her, striking with the knife. The dark clouds pressed in towards her.

Lanie pressed both hands in front of her. "Wall!"

The knife fell from her hand. Her eyes squeezed shut in concentration. A shield of wind barred the darkness from overwhelming her.

Mila spun through the dark clouds popping out on the side of the wind wall. Her arm came out in a karate chop, aiming for Lanie's wind pipe. Lanie jumped back, but still took some of the force. The wind faltered. Lanie held up her hands to hold it off. Her lips worked, but no sounds came out.

"No!" I screamed. My mind worked frantically. There was nothing I could do. I couldn't move. I didn't have any power. I could do anything with the summoning circle. My lips moved as they always did when I was desperate. I put sound behind them.

"Remi!" I screamed. "Remi save her, please! Please, save my sister!"

I couldn't see him through the dark clouds. All I could do was hope he would break whatever spell Mila/Isabell had on him.

Lanie's hands shook as the wind wall failed. Mila stood above her read to strike with the dark knife. The dark clouds descended on Lanie.

"Please Remi. Please save her!" I begged.

The clouds faded. Mila stood with the knife in her hand looking angry. The green light of the circle faded beneath my feet as the clouds sucked back up into Matei and Mila. As soon as the clouds released me, I fell forward on my hands and knees in the dirt.

Mila stood above me tossing the knife in her hand. "Well, it looks like someone's in trouble."