by Ben Cass
“Okay. Reveal the heart of my soul," Ellie said to her hand. The same soft light that had flared on Kira’s palm appeared on Ellie’s, and vanished a moment later.
“That’s pretty cool,” Ellie admitted. “Where is it?” Her eyes traveled to the inside of her left forearm, where a glowing symbol now rested. There was a small set of three concentric circles, and what looked like a pair of wings extending from the smallest ring. The circles, Ellie saw, were not perfectly round, but dipped and bulged in places. Five dots sat asymmetrically around the circles.
“Woah,” she breathed out, holding her arm up and studying it. “This might be the most badass thing I’ve ever seen!” She paused as a pulsing sensation began pounding along the lines on her arm. “What’s that?” she asked, pointing at it. “The pulsing?”
Doyle smiled. “A direct line to your sister. With a little bit of concentration, Tayamu can follow the pulsing directly to our sibling.”
“I’m pregnant,” Jen suddenly said behind Ellie. “I...no, that’s impossible!”
“You’re pregnant?” Ellie burst out, spinning around to face her sister. She turned her head to glare at Doyle before returning her eyes to Jen. “The hell? How did that happen? No, wait, I know how it happened...but when? He’s been in a coma for weeks! Unless it was before...”
Jen kept staring at her, eyes wide, her hand rubbing her arm absentmindedly. Ellie forced herself to calm down. “I’m excited, really I am,” she told Jen. “I’m just...shocked. That’s all.”
“You’re not the only one,” Jerry commented. “Did not see that coming!”
Doyle shook his head. “She’s not pregnant, Elowyn,” he said. “She’s remembering something said to her years ago.”
“She told me she was pregnant,” Jen said softly. “I can’t remember her, but I remember her telling me.”
Ellie tilted her head, confused. “Wait...what?”
Kira nodded at Jen. “Show her, Jeniah.”
Jen removed her hand from her left arm and lifted it. On the inside of her left forearm, the same symbol that was on Ellie’s arm glowed brightly.
Doyle smiled at them. “Elowyn...meet your older sister, Jeniah.”
THE porch swing gently rocked back and forth, the light breeze blowing onto Jen’s face. Ellie’s head rested on her lap, her legs thrown over the arm of the swing. Jen traced patterns on Ellie’s forehead with her finger, gently massaging the skin. Ellie reached up and touched the birthmark on Jen’s arm. It was starting to fade now, the glow nearly gone, but the mark was still visible.
“I think I’ve always known,” Ellie said quietly. “Or maybe I just wanted it to be true.”
Jen smiled at her. “Definitely wanted it to be true,” she said. “No wonder we always felt like we were related.”
“Why didn’t he tell us sooner?” Ellie asked, moving her fingers along the concentric rings.
Jen shook her head. “I don’t know. I’m not happy about it, either. The man keeps so many secrets, and it’s infuriating. I think...” She paused for a moment, then continued, “I think it’s because of my missing past. Whatever it is he’s trying to protect me from, if you’re my sister...then he’s probably trying to protect you, too. I suspect he believed not telling you would make you safer.”
“That’s stupid,” Ellie mumbled. She took Jen’s hand from her forehead and gently kissed it. “Whatever it is, it clearly involves our parents. Don’t we have the right to know?”
Jen sighed. “I feel the same way, but I also know Ali really, truly believes letting me remember on my own will be better, and Kira agrees with him, however reluctantly.”
“Well...if Kira agrees, I suppose I can live with it,” Ellie said. “I trust her judgment.”
“But not his?”
Ellie shrugged. “Not entirely. I trust him. I don’t necessarily think his actions are always the best idea, though. I mean, he chased you away once!”
Jen’s breath caught in her throat, and she forced it back out. Ellie tilted her head to look at her. “What was that about? Your whole body tensed for a second.”
Jen started to say it was nothing, but stopped herself. It was time to tell her. “It wasn’t his fault,” she said instead. “It was mine.”
Ellie quickly sat up, swinging her legs down and around, facing her sister. Her face was full of curiosity, but she said nothing, to Jen’s surprise. Jen ran her hand through her hair, took a deep breath, and looked at Ellie.
“It was our sixteenth birthday.”
“Our?”
Jen nodded. “We have the same birthday. Doyle once told me we were born at the exact same moment.”
“That’s...pretty damn romantic, actually. It’s like you were fated to be together.”
Jen smiled. “I like to think so. Anyway...I was determined to celebrate, and asked Doyle to meet me at one of our usual hiding spots. There was a small shack we’d go to sometimes. I don’t know if it was closer to our home or his; I still don’t remember where I lived. Anyway, we met up shortly after midnight, when we were officially sixteen.”
Ellie nodded. “Sneaking out late at night. I’m impressed. Didn’t think you had it in you, miss rule-follower.” She grinned at her sister.
“We then...celebrated. It was my idea, although he didn’t take a lot of convincing.”
“That was an awkward pause. What kind of celebration was it?”
Jen looked at her sister, still uncomfortable saying the words out loud. She quirked an eyebrow and tilted her head slightly, hoping Ellie would figure it out. Ellie’s eyes suddenly widened, and her hands went to her mouth.
“You...” She couldn’t seem to find the words she wanted, and settled for twisting a fist into her other hand.
Jen nodded. “We did, although it looked nothing like that. I thought you took sex ed.”
A red flush crept up Ellie’s neck and face. That was amusing. “Didn’t you want to talk about stuff like this with me?” Jen asked teasingly.
“I thought so,” Ellie said. “I might have been wrong.” She scrubbed her face with her hands. “Whatever happened to ‘wait until you’re an adult, Ellie’?”
“I was an adult. Sixteen in Kiamada is the same as twenty-one here.”
Ellie dropped her hands, mouth open. “Sixteen? You’re a fully legal adult at sixteen?”
“Yes. I remember that for sure. You often get married when you’re seventeen.”
Ellie looked away for a moment. “I don’t know how to deal with this. That’s so...weird. Sixteen? I feel like I’m still just a kid, and I’m almost seventeen!”
Jen shrugged. “That’s how it was. Maybe people mature faster over there. I don’t remember enough to be sure.”
Ellie took a deep breath and blew it out. “Okay. So you and Doyle did the wild monkey dance.” She frowned. “Did you regret it? Is that why you left him?”
Jen shook her head. “Absolutely not. We met up again at the end of the day, shortly before midnight, and he basically proposed to me.”
Ellie’s eyes popped again. “At sixteen?”
“It’s quite normal there. I, however, wasn’t ready for that talk. Instead of having a mature conversation, I freaked out and ran away into the woods, hoping he’d forget about it and we could just go back to the way we were. I unknowingly entered a dimensional rift and came here. Along the way, I somehow fell and hit my head on a rock, which is probably what caused my amnesia. He had no idea what had happened or why I ran.”
Ellie remained quiet for a few moments. Jen reached out and squeezed her leg. “Anything else you want to know?”
“I’m still trying to process everything,” Ellie said, “but I guess there’s one big thing.”
“What’s that?”
“I heard what you said to him, after his magic cast the poison from his body. Are you going to marry him?”
Jen smiled. “We haven’t talked about it yet, but as far as I’m concerned, he’s now my fiancé.”
Chapter Thirty-Fo
ur
Jen stepped out of the kitchen onto the porch, carrying a cup of coffee, running her hand through her wet hair. She yawned. So tired, she thought. Since Doyle had woken from his coma a few days ago, she’d stayed awake as he slept each night, snatching some restless sleep here and there, terrified he would slip back into unconsciousness.
She finally understood why he had spent a week not sleeping, watching over her. Every time he closed his eyes, a cold wave of fear gripped her and didn’t want to let go until he woke up again.
It was better now. Doyle was wide awake and mostly back to his usual roguish self, save for using the walking stick to help him balance. His leg was recovering its strength, and still couldn’t fully support his weight.
Kira sat at the patio table, looking out across the property. The smell of flowers reached Jen’s nose. She always loved springtime. Everything seemed fresh and clean. Kira turned her head and held an arm out when Jen came to the table. Jen leaned over and hugged her, trading kisses on the cheek. This had become their morning ritual over the past month, but Jen suspected it dated back much further. It just felt right.
“Good morning, Jeniah,” Kira said. “Did you sleep at all?”
“A little bit,” Jen said. “Not as much as I needed to, though. I think it’ll be easier now that he’s finally up and getting around. I won’t worry as much.” She shrugged. “I hope.” She took a sip of her coffee, enjoying the warmth sliding down her throat.
“I know the feeling,” Kira replied, indicating her own dark eyes. She and Jen had spent many hours together recently, just sitting without talking, leaning against each other for comfort as they watched Doyle sleep. Kira had gotten nearly as much rest as Jen had, which was not much.
Kira gestured at Jen’s wet locks. “Your hair is wet,” she noted.
Jen raked her fingers through it. “Yeah, I didn’t bother to blow-dry it. Didn’t feel like it today.”
Kira furrowed her brow and raised an eyebrow. “I thought Alistair was still in the shower. You joined him?”
Jen choked on her coffee, coughing as Kira calmly watched her, clearly waiting for a reply. “Uhh...I...yeah. Yes, I did.” Jen could feel the flush in her cheeks, and hoped Kira would just drop the thread of conversation.
She wasn’t so lucky. Doyle’s sister narrowed her eyes, studying Jen, who squirmed in her chair. How does she make me feel like she’s reading right through to my soul? Jen wondered.
At last, Kira smiled faintly. “It took you long enough. How was it?”
“It was fine. It’s a nice shower. Probably the biggest shower I’ve ever been in.”
Was Kira smirking? Jen thought she was smirking.
“I meant the intercourse,” Kira said, raising her mug to her lips and taking a sip. “I have never tried it in the shower, myself. I have often considered it, though.”
Jen’s face burned; she was surprised the patio didn’t immediately catch fire from the heat. Kira sat there, again waiting for an answer. How could she be so nonchalant about it? Was this one of those things they’d talked about years ago? Surely not.
“Wow,” came Ellie’s voice. “You are red! What did I miss?”
Jen looked up as Ellie came to stand next to her. “Nothing,” Jen said quickly. “Inside joke.”
Ellie reached out and gently touched Jen’s wet hair. “Hang on,” she said slowly. “Doyle’s been in the upstairs shower for a good forty-five minutes, and Kira just finished using the bathroom downstairs.” Her eyes widened, and she smirked.
Ellie held her fist up, knuckles towards her sister, and Jen stared at it for a few seconds. “Oh, come on,” Ellie said, bouncing her fist up and down. “You’ve gotta give me this, at least. C’mon....you know you want to. Just one bump. That’s all.”
Jen finally shook her head and tapped her fist against Ellie’s. “Get it, girl!” Ellie said, laughing. Kira rolled her eyes, but smiled.
“I’m going to go make sure Jerry doesn’t ruin breakfast,” Ellie said. “We’ll talk later?”
Jen sighed but nodded. “Sure.” Ellie went back into the kitchen, leaving Jen and Kira to enjoy the outdoors. The morning was peaceful and quiet, with birds chirping in the woods.
Mere seconds after Ellie went inside, the peace was shattered by a bloodcurdling scream from the kitchen. “What the hell are you doing?” Ellie screeched in horror. “Plain pancakes? What kind of monster are you, Jerry?”
“The kind who doesn’t want Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Rice Krispies in his pancakes, punk. I mean, seriously: cereal? Who the hell does that?” Jerry’s tone was both teasing and dismayed. Jen traded amused glances with Kira.
“Somebody who’s not such a culinary Luddite!” Ellie snapped back.
“I’m pretty sure Luddite only refers to somebody who resists the progress of technology, Ellie,” Jen called into the door, drawing a smile from Kira.
Her sister appeared in the doorway, a mixing bowl in her hands. “Well, not anymore. He’s trying to ruin breakfast!” She glared at Kira in mock anger. “Didn’t you teach him anything about proper kitchen etiquette and respecting the wishes of the chef?”
Kira gave a gentle shrug of one shoulder. “Alas, he has resisted my suggestions.”
A soft thump and a gasp from Ellie interrupted the conversation. She hunched forward, mouth agape and eyes bulging in disbelief. A huge amount of white powder drifted in the air around her head, while a slightly smaller amount of powder now rested on her hair. Her yellow tank top and bare shoulders were coated in flour. She slowly turned around, and a second soft thump sounded, leaving her gasping as flour coated her face.
“Stop yapping and finish cooking,” said Jerry sternly. Jen could see flour coating his right hand and a grin on his face.
Ellie carefully turned and handed the bowl of egg yolks to Jen. “I...am going...to KILL you!” she yelled, turning back and leaping into the kitchen. Jerry’s booming laugh erupted.
“He’s wonderful with her,” Jen noted, ignoring the sounds of conflict in the kitchen. She really hoped Ellie wouldn’t get all Tayamu-ish on Jerry. Then again, he’s used to Doyle, she thought.
Kira nodded. “He has always been very good with children, especially teenagers. I think too many people forget what it was like to be that age and focus instead on how bad the next generation is in their eyes.” Kira took a sip of tea and swallowed it as the sound of spraying water reached their ears, followed by curse words from Jerry. Kira frowned slightly before continuing. “In some ways, mostly good ones, Jerry is still a large child himself, and he channels that to bond with young people.”
“I think that’s just a male thing,” replied Jen. “I’m pretty sure that’s your brother’s secret power as well.”
“Mmm. You do have a point,” Kira conceded, nodding.
A gentle breeze stirred Jen’s hair; she reached up to brush a loose strand back when a large hand did it for her. She started, nearly dropping the bowl Ellie had handed her.
“Do you always have to appear out of thin air?” she grumbled lightly, looking up. Doyle’s eyes met hers and he grinned.
“Not always. Sometimes it’s water. Other times, dirt. Just depends on the situation.”
Jen’s mind flashed back to the situation that had happened in the shower, and she breathed in, trying to calm her pulse. “I have to admit, it was pretty magical seeing you pop in and out of the air at the park. And that water fountain trick?” She shook her head. “And here I thought special effects were only in movies.”
The sound of tires on the driveway interrupted them. The car came to a stop and the engine silenced itself. A moment later, a door opened and slammed shut.
Sheriff Bellsley came into sight a few seconds later, walking around the edge of the house. His eyes widened at the sight of Doyle, but he remained calm.
Doyle spoke quietly, leaning on the walking stick. “Morning, Sheriff.”
“So you’re up,” replied Bellsley, looking him up and down. “You look a lot better than the
last time I saw you, that’s for sure. Folks in town have been worried sick, so they’ll be glad to know you’re on the mend.” The sheriff tipped his hat. “I admit, I still don’t fully understand just what the hell you are, but I know who you are, and that’s a good man who tries to protect others.”
Jen took Doyle’s hand in hers. “Yes, he is.”
Bellsley looked around the property, his gaze temporarily stopping when he saw Theonus pulling a tree out of the forest. “I don’t suppose it would be wise to tell that dog of yours these trees are protected, would it?”
Doyle swept his arm in the direction of the Wiler. “You’re more than welcome to try, Sheriff.”
Bellsley grinned and shook his head. “I reckon not, Mr. Doyle. He’s a magnificent animal, but he scares the pants off me. I’d rather stay on his good side.” Bellsley rested his hip against the railing on the stairs. “So what’s the plan now?”
“We’ll be leaving,” Doyle said. “I don’t know when, but sometime very soon, we’ll be gone. I still don’t know who hired the assassin to kill the girls, and I’m not going to assume they’re going to stop. I don’t want to endanger anybody here. We won’t come back here again, unless I manage to put a stop to everything.”
The sheriff considered him for a moment and then walked up the stairs. He held out a hand to Doyle, who shook it.
“Good luck to you, son. Keep them safe.”
“I will, sir,” promised Doyle.
Jen gave a sad smile and stood up, throwing her arms around the sheriff. He hugged her back, tears in his eyes. “Goodbye, Dave. Thank you for everything,” she said softly, releasing him. He took her shoulders in his hands and squeezed lightly.
“It’s been a pleasure, Jen. I hope life gives you a fair break soon. You deserve it. And this isn’t goodbye; not yet. I’ll come by to see you off. Be sure to let me know when. If you need anything before then, just holler.” Bellsley smiled at her, nodded at Kira, and headed back down the stairs and around the house. They heard the car start up and pull out of the driveway.
