Yes, it isn't lost on me how perfect it is that I get to the climax of this book on Halloween.
New chapter.
CHAPTER TWELVE:
Who Do Voodoo?
The tunnel was capped off by a wooden door, which looked remarkably well-crafted and well maintained. And there was no evidence of zombies. But, curiosity getting the better of them, they entered.
It was probably one of the most foolish things that they've ever done.
Why? Because nearly immediately they were sidelined into a rough pewter cage. None of the three had superhuman strength as they were, even if they did, they were taken unawares.
"I
knew it," Saffa said. "Fourbe wasn't
dragged down here. She came of her own accord."
The sound of a winch being pull was heard as a hole illuminated the cavern more then the bronze torch holding things mount upon the walls. The place had a very . . . malevolent feel to it. Right beneath the rooftop hole was what appeared to be some sort of moondial -- like a sundial, but for the moon -- roughly hewn from what appeared to be granite.
"Disappointing," Simone Fourbe said, "you RAFians really don't live up to your reputations. You were clearly not intelligent enough to recognize a trap when it tap dances under your nose."
She turned to Elena, "It took you minimal effort to get them down here, I expect?"
"Yes, Simone," she said. She had deliberately dropped the "Ms. Fourbe" bit, because clearly the cat was out of the bag. "The ruse was perfect."
Duff was going to say not really, but he clammed up. The reason none of the RAFians had even tried to escape was because they were trying to get more information out of the two. It was clear that the two were somehow connected to the disappearances on the island.
"Yes, and now its too late for them to save themselves," Simone said, "just like all the others."
She just basically outright confirmed the trio's suspicions.
"Although the voodoo dolls didn't work," Elena said, "strange, isn't it, Simone?"
The Mark must have blocked it. Voodoo must not have any effect on Realm Walkers either, as it is a sort of magic -- one that Broken nor any other magic-wielding RAFian is willing to touch, due to the inherent dark nature of it.
"That doesn't matter. We'll just have to be more hands-on this year," she said, with an unmistakable relish. Then she turned to the moondial thing and continued, "The harvest moon will soon reach the apex point at midnight . . . and then the ceremony will begin!"
"What ceremony?!" Duff said, pretending to be more afraid than he actually was. He was trying to trigger more information that the trio could possibly use against them.
"You won't get away with this," Gaz said, with the same goal as Duff.
"I have been getting away with it for two hundred years," Simone said, malevolently.
Then she began to transform. Her teeth sharpened. Her ears enlarged and became feline, her nails transformed into claws. Her nose became flatter and more pointed, and she grew at least a half a foot in height. Her sclera turned yellow as her pupils dilated into feline slits.
"GH and LH are still free," Duff intoned to the others.
"I heard that, Duff," Elena said. She had undergone a similar, if not identical transformation into a half werecat state.
"Just what are you intending to do with us?" Duff said, principally ignoring what Elena said.
"Ah, it's simple." Simone said. "Every harvest moon we must drain the life force from victims lured to my island. To preserve our immortality."
It kind of flew in the face of true immortality, as if they didn't drain the life force from people, then they would die. So it wasn't true immortality, which didn't exist, but a mere facsimile.
"Well," Gaz said, "can't say I expected this."
