Enchanted High Book I
Chapter Forty-One: The Last of Salvatore

Hubert mouth was open in a laugh; his arm clutching the handle of the door, while the other held the wishing tree firmly in his hand.

June looked into James’s eyes and did something she didn’t want to. She slapped him.

His head jerked back. He blinked; the black all disappeared and his eyes were restored to emotion. He looked at June with a frown. ‘Did you just –’

But June didn’t wait to listen; she sped towards Hubert – Xavier –

And Salvatore stepped in her way again, grabbing hold of her wrists. The blood from his face dripped onto her hand. ‘Your life is ruined. You will never escape from here, never. I will make sure –’

She shoved her knee into his chest; he spat blood and dropped to the floor, clutching his stomach. Behind him, the window’s shattered remains were spilled across the floor, leaving an opening that led dropped directly into the heart of the volcano. June could feel the heat of the bubbling lava.

June stared at Salvatore with hatred filled in her eyes. He looked positively grotesque; he was clutching his stomach, his nose and lip was bleeding, his arm was burnt and every word he spoke was spoken in pain. He was crawling backwards, unaware of the gaping window frame. She could just let him fall, let him fall because of what he had done to them ...

His hands slipped over; his body toppled – June lunged forwards and gripped his sweaty hand with all her might. Below him, the lava bubbled, waiting to consume him.

’Hold ... on ...′ she heaved him upwards with every ounce of strength she had. She didn’t even know why; but she couldn’t live the guilt that she had let him die.

′No,′ Salvatore let go of one hand.

June looked directly into his eyes, they swallowed her and somehow she just couldn’t seem to look away ... she found that she was trembling, trembling from all the darkness in them.

‘We will meet again ...’ he said through wheezed coughs, ‘in the afterlife ... I – I promise ...’

He didn’t look away as he allowed his hand to slip through hers. She didn’t look away either, she couldn’t look away. They pierced her, right until the last second, when he splashed on to the lava, and his flesh was eaten, melting off his bones – and he was completely submerged.

She barely took a breath when Hubert’s voice snapped her around.

′The time has finally arrived ... and it’s too late to stop me ...′ He stood in front of the door, peering into the light of three thousand years ago.

Audrey’s words loomed into June’s head; it is never too late to do the right thing...

June leaped at Hubert and tore at his face; his eyes, his nose. He began to form something in his hand, a stick, engraved with a red gem and a silver X– his staff. The staff of lightning.

He aimed it at June.

June didn’t move. Behind her, Nicole, James and Dominic aligned themselves, breathing fast.

Hubert laughed. ‘So what? You took down all my loyal insects ... what a shame. I was going to do that.’ He turned towards the door again. ‘Ahh, the bliss of Canzas ... what a lovely place to land at after all these years ... Come, June. We must go together.’

‘No.’

He paused in mid-step, and turned slowly. ’I’m not asking June – I’m commanding Linasia.′

June heard the voice in her head. She heard the struggling, yet defiant voice, whisper back. Don’t let him take you, said Linasia, throw him through the door, and I’ll go with him. You won’t be troubled again.

But June found herself thinking that she couldn’t just let this woman be a slave. She couldn’t –

It’s alright, June. He won’t find me. I’ll be dead.

Hubert was smiling at her. He held out his hand.

June took it.

‘No!’ Nicole yelled.

June saw the sweet opportunity and yanked his staff out his hand, kicked him once, twice, thrice. Dominic directed several fireballs at him; putting alight his clothing in seconds. June tossed the staff into the door, it disappeared into the light. She pulled the tree out of his hand.

‘No!’ Hubert yelled. ‘No!’

She pulled harder. James and Nicole grabbed on too and wrenched it out of his grasps. He breathed out an antagonizing roar, infuriated.

June stepped towards him. He was powerless without his staff. ‘Enjoy,’ she told him. And with one shove, he was sucked into the light of door. His darkened body swirled in spirals until he disappeared, just like the staff, into nothingness.

But it wasn’t over.

June could hear the faint chuckle of Linasia; it wasn’t a happy chuckle, it sounded almost painful, and defeated.

You don’t have to go, June told her.

I must, came the reply. You have already done so much for me.

Silence.

Thank you, June. You’re a brave girl. I’m sorry to have made this your problem as well. I thought I could have escaped him by re-incarnating ... I was wrong, of course. I don’t think I’ll ever escape him. You have a great life ahead of you. I just have one request.

Anything, said June.

Don’t forget me.

And suddenly, June felt a jolt – it was gone as soon as it came. The door shut by itself. The golden threads shattered into several pieces, and showered upon them like snow.

When June looked at all the destruction in the room, she hardly saw it. For inside, she felt free as if she had been locked in a cage for years, and now she was finally out. She could go home now, to Enchanted High. They could go home.

And there was also a strange empty feeling ... a part of her, an important part she didn’t know about until today, was gone forever.

Nicole, James and Dominic cast her stunned looks. Nicole took careful steps towards her.

‘Are you okay?’ she asked.

June wasn’t sure how she felt. She just nodded.

Suddenly, Nicole caught her in a tight embrace. ‘I can’t believe that just happened! You were Linasia all along – all along she was with us – at least now everything will be fine. Now we can go home.’

‘Yeah,’ said June. But in her head, the image of Salvatore’s eyes appeared, his bones floating in the lava, his body burned to ashes alive, and she knew now, that it would haunt her for years.

‘We should get out of here,’ said Dominic, eying June cautiously. ‘I can sense the lava. The volcano – it’s going to erupt.’

A deep rumble shook the ground to greet his words.

June realized she wanted to leave this place as quick as she could.

‘On three,’ said June. She looked at the watch; surprisingly, after all it had been through, the glass face was merely cracked. ‘One,’ she adjusted the tree in her arms. ‘Two,’ Nicole clutched her hand tighter. ‘Three.’

In a whirl of blue, they swished out of sight.

Miss Price, I should actually be calling her by another name - but that would be too much of a spoiler - Miss Price has not forgotten Linasia to this day. When I was lucky enough to be acquainted with her, she told me about several of her experiences when she desperately needed help, Linasia would be there.

Love from all the fur on my back,

--THUG.

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