The Scent of Sage and Vengeance

by Lacuna Reid

  Waves of shock and numbness and emotion cascade through me.

  I don’t know what to feel. There is too much happening now and it has disturbed the dust that had settled on the past, stirred up my childhood traumas, brought up feelings so enormous and overwhelming that I don’t even know what’s appropriate to think and feel right now.

  I feel myself swaying… and then everything goes white.

  * * *

  “Mira?”

  “Let her rest.”

  “I just want her to know she’s okay.”

  It’s Elias, and Theo. I hear their voices, but they are so distant. I’m floating. No longer of this earth… and then a wrenching feeling grabs me by the chest and forces me back into my body.

  I wake from the strange nightmare I was having where Victor was a murderer, where he came after me and tried to strangle me, where Helio was wrestling him to the floor.

  I open my eyes to see them. Theo with his deep brown eyes and his look of concern, standing over me... Elias with his blue eyes and ruffled black hair. He’s sitting next to me. I’m on something soft. Velvet.

  I try to push myself up, but Elias tells me to rest. Lie back. Relax.

  “But…”

  “You’re okay, Mira. You just fainted.”

  I look around and recognize the surroundings. We are in Theo’s office. I hear a thump and glance across the room to see Helio putting wood on the fire.

  “Wait, where’s Gino?” I ask.

  “He’s with the police downstairs.”

  “What happened?” For a moment none of this makes sense, then I realize… “It wasn’t a dream. Victor was the killer.”

  “Unfortunately,” Elias says.

  “Or fortunately,” Helio argues. “Because we caught that bastardo.”

  “They’ve got him – the police?” I ask.

  “Yes, Mira,” says Theo in his rich, soothing voice. “The police have Victor in custody and they will charge him with the murder of Tiala, and your attempted…”

  Everything hits me all at once. The tears come, at the realization of what I’ve just gone through… of what almost happened. I take a deep breath, feeling the emotions seeping in, filling me up – pain and anxiety, and hopelessness and relief.

  “You left me…” I say to Elias.

  He smiles sadly at me. “I’m so sorry, Mira…. I was wrong to do that.”

  “And you…” I say to Theo. “Your message said…”

  “It was a set up… a decoy,” Helio says. “Victor paid a couple of guys from the local village to come and make a ruckus in the forest, to call out Tiala’s name. He was trying to distract us and it worked.”

  “We were so wrapped up in catching them that we weren’t here when you needed us,” Elias says.

  “Once again, I have failed you, Mira,” says Theo.

  “No…”

  “Victor was my assistant. He was my confidant. He even had access to my accounts to send you that message.”

  “You can’t control other people’s behavior, Theo,” Elias says.

  “I should have known,” Theo says with tears in his eyes. “I should have realized… even all those years ago.”

  “Theo,” I say. Reaching up towards him. He takes my hand. My voice is high and light like a child, but I don’t care. “You can’t take responsibility for everything – you don’t have to beat yourself up over everything that goes wrong. It’s not helping anyone.”

  Theo sighs. He bends down and kisses my hand. “You’re right, Mira, but I…”

  “You heard what the lady said,” Helio interjects. “Stop making everything about you!” He laughs, and his laughter is infectious. We all join in.

  The door opens and Gino enters the room.

  “What’s so funny?” he asks.

  “Theo is just being a dramatic martyr again,” Helio informs him.

  “Ah, okay,” says Gino, then he sees me. “Mira, you’re awake… are you alright?”

  I nod. “Yeah, I think so.”

  “Some night we’re having,” says Gino.

  “Some night, indeed,” Theo says. “Is everything sorted with the Police?”

  “For now,” Gino says. “They will take the rest of our statements in the morning.”

  “I can’t believe I trusted him,” Theo says. Clearly, he still hasn’t adjusted to his close confidant being a murderer, and fair enough. It might take some getting used to.

  “I never liked him,” I say. “If that’s any consolation.”

  “You’re a better judge of character than we are then,” Elias says.

  “Hah – have you met my ex?”

  “I have, actually,” Gino says. “And I’m doing what I can to get him out of the business partnership. Silent or not. I don’t like that he has invested in El Cielo and in Mercury Inc. I want him out of our business.”

  “Thank you,” I say. It feels good to hear Gino say that. I need Cliff to be as far away from my life as possible, but now is probably not the best time to think about it him.

  “So, all this time, Victor was the one who killed Tiala,” Gino says, taking a seat in one of the big armchairs and pouring out whisky from the decanter on the side table into crystal glasses. “Does anyone know why he did it?”

  “No idea,” says Theo.

  “I do,” I say.

  “How do you know?” Elias asks, “Did he tell you?”

  “No,” I say. “Tiala did.”

  “What?” Theo says, bringing himself to his knees and burying his face in his hands. Even in this crumpled posture, he somehow manages to maintain composure and look elegant and sexy. I don’t know how he does it.

  “Victor was her husband,” I say. “In the French life. That’s what Tiala was trying to tell me. I just didn’t work it out until I knew he was the one after me.”

  “You saw him in your regression,” Gino says.

  I nod. “Tiala was in love with Theo in the French life too, but he wasn’t interested in her then, either.”

  “So, Victor is repeating lives with us?” Elias asks.

  “At least he’s been in a couple,” I say.

  “It’s common for souls to come into multiple lives together to continue to learn from each other,” Gino says. “But I didn’t expect…”

  “None of us expected this,” Elias says gently.

  “He knew about all that past lives stuff?” Helio asks me.

  “No. I don’t think Victor knew what I was talking about – about the reincarnation. I think he just felt really intense emotions without realizing why. He was obsessed with Tiala and he didn’t understand his own extreme feelings around it all… maybe if he knew where it was coming from, he wouldn’t have killed her. Maybe he would have figured out how to process the emotion instead.”

  Gino shakes his head. “Victor is a monster, Mira. Don’t make excuses for him.”

  “I’m not. I’m just trying to understand it – the whole mess – I’m trying to make sense of it.”

  “No sense can be made of this,” Theo declares. “I’m just glad you are safe and that this man is where he belongs – in custody. I am a fool for trusting him, but you’re right. This isn’t about me.”

  “Finally, you realize it!” Helio crows triumphantly.

  “I’m glad you kept him talking, Mira,” Gino says.

  “That was the idea,” I reply.

  “Telling him all that reincarnation stuff,” Gino continues. “Genius! It would have diffused the tension, confused him… because you weren’t obviously playing into his games, you weren’t being a victim, and you were giving him other very different ideas to think about. It may well have saved your life.”

  “Yeah, how did you get away from him?” Elias asks, leaning over and brushing a stray strand of hair from my cheek.

  “I think… I think Tiala saved me.”

  The guys look at me, stunned.

  “Seriously. She blew the door open, knocking Victor over, and screamed “RUN!” in my head.”
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  “No way!” Helio cries, his face equal shock and amusement. “Saved by the ghost!”

  “That’s incredible,” Gino says. “I’ve heard of the spirits of loved ones coming back to comfort those they’ve left behind… I think that happens often, and I’ve heard of a few very rare cases of spirits staying trapped on the physical plane and not moving on because they are fixated on their former lives. Like I said, it’s very rare. Sometimes happens after a particularly traumatic death… but I’ve never heard of a trapped spirit doing anything like this.”

  “It’s surprising, given everything else she did – I thought she was trying to get me out of the way – to get me away from Theo,” I say.

  “Maybe she’s ready to move on, now,” says Gino.

  I think about this for a few minutes, taking a sip of the aged whisky that Elias passes me and enjoying the smooth burn of it down my throat. “I wish there was a way we could help her,” I say. “A way to help her move on to a better place… if that’s what happens… or even just to a new life. She’s been stuck here as a spirit for about as long as she was alive for.”

  “Time is different for the soul,” Gino says. “But yes – you’re right, we might be able to do something to help her. I have an idea.”

  Chapter Forty

  Mira

  Gino lights the candle and rings a bell, then he steps back. We stand in a circle around the single flame, the five of us, and clasp each-other’s hands.

  The look on Helio’s face says this is ridiculous, but everyone else is taking it seriously.

  The room smells of the dried burnt sage that Gino and Elias waved around just moments before. We also sprinkled salt water around, to ‘clear the energy’ of the space in Theo’s office.

  It’s a kind of séance, I guess… but without a Ouija board or anything. Gino’s idea is that we deliberately communicate with Tiala. The candle and the bell are supposed to focus our attention, and hopefully hers as well.

  “Tiala,” Gino says. The candle flickers slightly. “If you can hear us. Give us a sign.”

  There is a moment of silence, in which my heart races so loudly I’m sure everyone in the room must be able to hear it.

  “Nothing,” Helio says. “Ouch!”

  His hands break free to reach around behind his neck.

  “What?” we ask.

  “It feels like someone just pinched me.”

  “She clearly wants you to take this seriously,” I say, smiling at him despite the hairs pricking my skin.

  The room is suddenly ice cold even though there’s a roaring fire burning.

  Gino and Elias take Helio’s hands again. His expression is serious now. Hopefully Tiala won’t feel the need to pull any other pranks.

  “Okay, Tiala,” Theo says. “We’re here.”

  The candle flickers again

  “That’s right, Tiala,” Gino says. “We are here. We’re listening…” He looks around at us. “Everyone, relax and clear your minds – let her speak to us… and if anything comes up that any of us want to say,” he gives Theo a meaningful look, “we can speak to Tiala.”

  I shiver, but the room is warm again… My prickling skin is not due to temperature, it’s like by body is responding to the supernatural elements at play.

  “I’m sorry I failed you,” Theo says after a moment, his voice croaky. There are tears streaming down his cheeks. “I had no idea it was Victor. If I had known what he was capable of I would never have let him near you. I would have fired him long ago.”

  I swear I can hear the sound of a music box as Theo speaks.

  “The music box,” Gino says to Theo. “I’ve been hearing it for years, but you would never explain it to me. What does it mean?”

  So, he can hear it too…

  “I gave it to her,” Theo admits, bowing his head. “It was an old one I’d had as a child and Tiala took a liking to it. I let her keep it.”

  “You never told me before,” Gino says. “Even when I asked.”

  “I didn’t want it to seem like… like I was grooming her or anything. It was a trifle at the time before I knew how she felt about me…”

  The candle flickers again and almost goes out.

  “But you did have a connection with her, Theo,” I say. “She was too young, in this life, but you’ve been in lives together before… I think she wants you to acknowledge that. Don’t make light of her feelings.”

  “Yes, you’re right, Mira,” Theo says. “Tiala – I did feel something… some kind of affinity with you, or course I did. I don’t want to trivialize our connection. It was painful to lose you.”

  The candle flares, much brighter than before.

  “Thanks, Theo,” I say. “I think she needed to hear that.”

  “Tiala,” Gino continues. “I just want to say how sorry we all are for what you endured, and now, unless anyone else needs to speak, we can be silent for a moment and listen to what you have to say,” Gino looks around, and no one else makes a move to speak. “Okay, then. Let’s all close our eyes and listen.”

  I close my eyes and breathe into the darkness. For a moment, all I see is the faint red flicker caused by the candlelight behind my eyelids, and then there is bright white light.

  Tiala? I call out in my mind. Are you there?

  Her face appears in the brightness. There are tears in her eyes.

  I’m so sorry, Tiala… so sorry for what happened to you… sorry you had to go through that…

  Tiala looks at me, her expression is of intense emotion, confusion.

  I hated you… she says. I was jealous because of Theo… I wanted him all to myself, the way it has been for years. Just me and Theo… even though he can’t see me. I know he can sense my presence sometimes… I hated you so much.

  Her face scrunches up and then relaxes.

  But I didn’t want the same thing to happen to you that happened to me. I had to stop Victor.

  I nod. It’s okay, I say. I understand… it was hard for you – all of this was…

  Tiala opens her eyes and looks at me. It all seems so pointless now. I’ve been here, just stuck here… for so long and for what?

  Do you think you’re ready to move on? I ask her.

  I might be. Someone is here, waiting for me. It’s my guide. I can see her now… she was waiting for me to be ready. I think… I think I’m ready now… I feel so… light…

  Tiala’s expression becomes joyful. She smiles.

  I’m ready to go, now, Mira, she says. Tell Theo that I love him.

  I will, I reply and Tiala fades into the brilliant white light. I see two figures in the distance, embracing. The sight is so moving it brings tears to my eyes.

  As I keep watching, someone else approaches me… someone familiar – surrounded by bright golden light.

  Micah

  As a child, I was assured by adults that he was just my imaginary friend, but now I see who he really is. He’s my guide… my guardian angel… always watching over me… I know that now. He holds out his hands towards me, sending waves of his beautiful healing light towards me… it surrounds me, enveloping me, soothing me…

  * * *

  “Mira?”

  Someone is calling my name

  “Mira!”

  I open my eyes. I’m no longer standing. I’m back on the velvet sofa. “What… what happened?” I ask.

  “You fainted again,” Gino says. “So, we put you down onto the couch and then, just now, you started crying.”

  “Are you alright?” Elias asks, his blue eyes sparkling with concern.

  “I think so… Did… Did you see her?”

  There’s a blank look from all four faces surrounding me.

  “Tiala… she…” I explain to them what I just saw.

  Theo’s expression is racked with grief, which fades to relief as I talk.

  “She’s finally free,” he says.

  No one wants to be alone, not tonight, and none of the guys want me out of their sight just yet. I want to be n
ear all of them, so we drag mattresses into Theo’s study and we all sleep here, on the floor, cozy and warm by the fire. We are all too exhausted to do anything else but sleep, and I’m only moderately disappointed that I’m missing out on something steamier. It’s so nice to be here with them all.

  As I’m falling asleep, I reflect on everything that’s just happened. It seems to have brought us all so much closer together. If there’s any insight I’ve gained from the past few days and from my past lives, it’s that I need the guys as much as they need me. We are repeating lives together – repeating lessons until we learn them – maybe we still have a long way to go, or maybe we can work it out in this life. Either way we belong together and everything that is holding me back, including Cliff’s unwanted presence in my life, has to go – I need to be empowered.

  Chapter Forty-One

  Mira

  I open my eyes to bright sunlight and it takes a moment for me to adjust to where I am… in Theo’s study, on a big soft mattress, with Gino and Theo both asleep on either side of me and Elias on the sofa, his eyes open, smiling sleepily in my direction while Helio snores softly on the other side of Gino.

  This is my life, and it couldn’t get any more perfect.

  Elias starts getting up. I reach out a hand towards him. He takes it, kisses it, and then gently sets it down again.

  “I will be back soon, latria mu,” he whispers. “Don’t move a muscle.”

  “Okay,” I say. I let my eyes close and drift in and out of sleep, snuggled between Theo’s solid build and Gino’s lithe form… more time must have passed than I realize, because all of a sudden, there’s a bustle of noise and Elias appears, wheeling a trolley piled high with food that smells amazing.

  “Good morning,” he says. “Rise and shine, sleepy heads.”

  Gino is the first to stir beside me, followed by Theo who opens one eye and then reaches out for me, pulling me close. Helio continues to snore, clearly a deep sleeper. I stay in ‘bed’ for a couple more moments, enjoying Theo’s warmth and the intimacy of the cuddle. It’s the first time Theo has shown affection for me around the others and I’m going to enjoy it while I can.