A Magic Rescue

“Chandra, you're quiet. Are you feeling all right?” Ondi felt Chandra’s forehead after setting the grocery sacks into the cabin.

“Yes.”

“Let’s get these things put away and we’ll go have dinner at the restaurant for our first night. It was a long drive and I’m kind of tired. We'll make it an early night tonight, then get up and find out what fun things they have going on around here.” She wasn’t sure Chandra was as tired, but they both could do with an early night.

They walked along the gravel path following the signs to the dining hall. A hint of a crescent moon hung over the lake. Bird houses rocked in the tree limbs.

“Look Mommie! The bird houses have faces on them.”

“How clever. They look like little trolls with hats.”

“Oh Look, a bird flew up that troll’s nose. There goes another.” Chandra giggled.

“The entrance to the houses must be carved in the noses of the trolls.” They laughed as they walked to the lobby and saw a few more birds flying up the noses of larger Troll birdhouses.

Ornate carvings decorated the log pillars supporting the porch and entrance . A wide, curved door, easily opened with a pull.

A sign directed them to the dining entrance.  Open beams and a central fireplace dominated one end of the room. Deer antler chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Light illuminated each table through cut outs in the metal candleholders.

The woman at the entrance smiled and led them to a table near the fireplace, handing them their menus.

“Momma?”

“Yes, you don’t have to whisper.” Ondi opened the menu and began to look at the offerings.

“I don’t like this place.” Chandra whispered again.

“We haven’t been here long enough to judge it yet. Give it a little more time.”

“No, Momma, I don’t like these people.” She glanced at the other guests. Chandra slid into the chair next to her mother instead of across from her.

“Now don’t be silly. You don’t even know these people. Look at the children’s menu. Choose what you want to eat and there are color crayons to do the puzzles.” Ondi continued to read the menu not paying attention to Chandra.

“Momma, I'm tired. Can’t we just go back to the cabin and have grilled cheese sandwiches and soup? We could watch a movie and play a game before we go to bed.”
Her voice and tone caused Ondi concern. “Chandra, what's wrong with you? We just got here. The food looks good and I don’t have to cook it.”

“But-“

“No but’s. Pick something to order.” Ondi held her menu higher to end the conversation.


Colin parked just off the road near a pump house. He plaited a protection circle around it, just in case someone came to check the small building. He moved around the resort and frowned as he sorted some of the residents in their cabins. Something majick was going on here. The little hairs on the back of his neck stood at stiff attention. Not a good sign on anyone, especially a Kindred.

He found Cabin 14A  at the end of the main road almost surrounded with tall, thick evergreen trees; it was cut off and isolated from the other cabins. He sorted the cabin, found it very homey and surrounded by a very weak protection circle. Ondi and Chandra hadn't unpacked their things. His sensory sight located their bags in the corner of the room. He shook his head in distain, she had no clue that any Jaka, could break the weak circle and search their things. If the Jaka were of true Kindred blood, they could sort the room without even entering or disturbing the circle, like himself.

He turned back walking through the woods without disturbing the undergrowth. He passed empty cabins, the occupants were probably at dinner, along with his tow kindred. Avoiding the main entrance he moved with slilent precision to the back of the building. The windows opened to the scenic view.

Standing in the shadows, he saw his two charges seated at a table in the middle of the room. Odd, he thought, and moved closer to the window, but ran into a strong protective force surrounding the entrance. Using his enhanced perception he sorted the guests and almost choked on his own breath. Everyone in the place was of a mixed race Jaka. They had to be working for Charles.
They had completely surrounded the two at the table appearing to be common guests eating their meal.  Colin could tell the two unsuspecting innocents were the focus of their attention.  He could feel their anticipation. Whatever they were planning, Colin had to get the two out of there fast.

‘Colin, there is something bad here.’ Chandra’s telepathy sounded  weak coming through the Circle. Again, he wondered at Chandra's ability. She knew he was there, while her mother was clueless.

‘I know honey; I am trying to figure out what to do. I wish I could just put them all to sleep.’ Colin telepathed back.

‘Okay.’

Without any prelude everyone in the room slumped over. Some fell face first into their food; others slumped in their chair; still others fell off their chairs lying still on the floor.

‘Now what do we do?’ Chandra asked non-nonchalantly.

‘You are one amazing girl. You'd better bring your mother to me. We'll need to get out of here quick.’

He could see Ondi become agitated and sorted their conversation.

“These are bad people and we have to leave. Colin says for us to go to him.”

“Wait, who is Colin-“ Ondi pulled back as Chandra left her chair, tugging at her mother's hand.

“He's helping us. He's been following us and watching over us. We need to go to him. He'll tell you everything.”

“Chandra we just can’t go off-”

“Momma, he says we have to get out of here fast.”

Ondi sensed her urgency and sometimes her daughter had an intuitiveness she had to trust.

“Did he do this?” indicating the people.

“No I did.”

“Chandra, you did this?” She stopped for a moment staring at her daughter who tugged on her arm toward the sliding glass door.

“I’m sorry Momma, but I had to use my Majik. They were going to hurt us. They're all bad people.”

Ondi sensed that someone was waiting just outside the patio door.

“Wait, we can’t go out there, we don’t know who's there.” She stopped just short of the door.

“Momma, it's Colin. He's the Protector, he came for us.” Chandra pulled on her mother’s hand again.

“Chandra, there are some people we just can’t trust.”

A figure materialized on the other side of the glass door and Ondi sensed an aura about him, but she couldn’t place it. She castigated herself for being so trustworthy. She should have sorted the room. She should have made sure they were safe, but Jenna had sent then here.
She stepped out of the doorway keeping Chandra behind her at the same time Colin stepped into the light.

“You! who are you? Why are you following me?” She demanded.          

‘I'm Colin, nice to meet you.. We can’t stay here talking, we have to get away from here and get you both to Heartland were you'll be safe.’ He telepathed.

‘Why should I believe you're the good guy and they aren’t all just ordinary people?’ she hadn’t realized she'd answered him the same way he spoke to her.

'Do you trust your daughter’s intuition?' He answered.

'Yes, some of the time.'

“Then ask her. In the mean time let’s get to your cabin and get packed up.” This time he spoke out loud holding his hand out to Chandra, who took it.

“Pack? What?-I mean what are you talking about? I’m not going anywhere with you. Let go of my daughter!” She stopped in the middle of the path, aware she'd been following him toward the road.

“Please walk and talk.” He'd taken Chandra’s hand walking, but Ondi pulled Chandra's arm. The girl was split between the two adults.

"Are you going to tear her apart?: He asked dropping Chandra's hand.

“Momma, he is just like us.” Chandra moved between the two adults and gently steered her mother back to the path.

“Honey, so are they but that doesn’t make him a good guy and them bad.”

“They are bad.” Chandra muttered to herself

“You are right, but in this case I'm on your side. They won’t stay asleep forever and we need to be on the road.” Colin guided them down the path behind the cabins.

“How do I know that I can trust you?” she slowed her steps realizing there was a warmth spreading across her back where he pushed against her.

“That is the real point isn’t it? Trust is something we have to do without condition. It goes both ways, I have to trust that you will do what I tell you in order for me to keep you safe; and you are not trusting me to do that.” He stopped outside the cabin door while she unlocked it, “Get your things ready, we don’t have much time.”

“I don’t think that you heard me. You're either deaf or just plain ignoring me.”

“The latter.”

“In that case, thank you for getting us out of the hall but we am not traveling with someone I don’t know a thing about.”

Colin stepped up close to her forcing her to either stand nose to nose or back up into the kitchen. His back was to Chandra, who began to pull her backpack to the door. He lowered his voice so only Ondi could hear him. His hands reached out to grip her upper arms. She could feel his power pushing her to do what he wanted. She tried to fight it, tried to put up a shield, but she couldn’t think or move. His spicy scent filled her senses and she fought to regain control.

“You are wasting precious time; time, that will cost you to lose your daughter even your life. Are you willing to risk that? To hand her over to Charles? I can make you come against your will, but I don't want to upset your daughter. Get your stuff and let's get out of here.”

When he let go she felt a brisk warm wind the blew against her skin, the air shimmered with something she couldn't define. She felt exhilarated and scared at the same time.

“You will pack your things and we'll be leaving." He spoke enunciating each word. "It won’t be long until they come after you. Do you want to stay and face all the people in this resort, who seem to belong to a clan. Who knows what abilities they have and who they work for? My guess it's Charles. Like your friend, Jenna they are not alone in this.”
She shook her head. That was the last thing she wanted.

“Look we don’t have time to chat any more. Get your stuff and let’s get going.” He reached for the grocery bags and the cooler stepped out the door. The bags floated beyond her sight.

"Won't they know we used Majik?"

“It is too late to think of that. They know what we are. We have to get on the road.” He stared into her eyes. She felt a shock of something run through her.
"Momma, its time to go." Chandra pulled at her hand. Ondi's feet moved to follow inspite of her reservations about this man.