For Nevermore Season 1

right. I may do just that. I certainly won’t lay mute and allow the Elders to usher in dark forces that threaten my people. I will send an armada of ships through the air and a sea of soldiers on the ground to kill every man, woman, and child before I ever allow that to happen.” The Queen took a step back and her red eye grew brighter. “But it is my hope that if she comes here, your Elders will stand down, making such measures unnecessary.”
    Dante shook his head, “It sounds like you’ve made up your mind.”
    “As have they. But know one thing, Dante. As it stands now, your days are numbered. They’ve moved to erase her already, to hide her away yet again. And they will kill you to silence your efforts to guard over her. Should you manage to stay alive and find her, they will eventually get her, then slice her gut to throat. I’m offering you a chance that they can never offer, will never offer — an opportunity to spend eternity at her side.”
    Dante opened his mouth to speak, but the Queen placed an icy alloy finger to his lips.
    “Shh,” she whispered seductively. “Don’t answer yet. Think about it. And know that when the time comes to make a choice, my offer will stand as strong as the Dark Wall around us. We want you with us when the war comes. After all, we’re not that different, you and I.”
    The Queen circled behind him again, placing a hand on his neck and squeezing her fingers together. Dante was out in seconds.

    * * * *

CHAPTER FIVE

    “What do you mean she’s gone?” Noella asked.
    “Usually she wakes up before me. So when she didn’t get up, I went to her room, and she was gone!”
    “Oh my God,” Josie said. “Did you call the police?”
    “Not yet, I wanted to come here first. Noella is her only friend, so I thought maybe she came here, and I didn’t want to . . .” Jen broke down into tears. “Oh my God, she’s gone!”
    Josie hugged her tight, then turned to Noella and told her to call 9-1-1, and bring the phone to her.
    Noella did so, then brought the phone to Josie, who reported Tori as missing. Josie handed the phone to Jen. “They want to talk to you.”
    Jen took the phone and started spilling specifics as Noella stared out the window toward the house across the street, a chill running through her.
    She remembered the dream.
    Oh God, he got her.
    God, oh God, oh God.
    Noella was frozen, her stomach soaking in acid as she stared at Jen on the phone with the police.
    I should have said something to her.
    I should’ve warned her.
    Noella ran outside and emptied her insides into the bushes.
    “Are you okay?” Josie asked, just seconds behind her.
    “I know what happened to her,” Noella said, raising her head and wiping the puke from her lips before she had a chance to censor herself.
    Josie’s brow knotted in confusion. “What happened, Noey?”
    “The serial killer got her . . . The one who killed Katie Blanchard and Melissa Rayburn. He got Tori, too.”
    “Why would you say that?” Josie asked, as if Noella had said something cruel. Josie looked back inside the open front door, where Jen was pacing on the phone with police.
    “Don’t let her hear you. You’ll scare her.”
    “I’m serious, Josie. I saw it.”
    Oh God, now I’m gonna have to tell her everything.
    Noella told her about the first dream with Katie, and how she’d seen the murder before anyone else had known. Then she told her about Melissa and the dungeon. Noella left out all the other stuff, about Dante, the other world, and anything which would make her seem even crazier. When Noella finished her story, Josie was staring at her like she was speaking in tongues.
    “You’ve been through a lot, Noey. Why don’t you come inside and relax.”
    “I’m not crazy,” Noella said, angry. “I saw them!”
    “I’m sure you think you did,” Josie said. “But you know what Dr. Foster said about real life and imagination, right?”
    Josie’s voice softened, and a kind smile settled on her face, like she was talking to a four-year-old. Noella got angrier. “Don’t talk to me like I’m crazy! I saw it! I saw Tori in the room! He has her!”
    Just then, Noella saw that Jen was no longer on the phone. She was standing on the porch, staring at them. “Who has her?”
    Noella’s throat tightened as Josie stared at her with wide-open eyes, silently pleading for Noella not to make things worse, to keep her mouth shut.
    Seeds of doubt sprouted wildly in Noella’s mind, causing her