Hidden Carmina

by Adri Sinclair

  Santine relaxes enough to open up to Lilly. She was a teacher and, since hearing about the school, she’s been excited. She explains that the clan is skeptical of the changes because they are afraid of the Ancients. Jackie made their lives miserable while she was on the grounds and treated them like personal slaves. Santine also explains that her husband died recently because he stood up to the Elder and, indirectly, to the Gello’Des. Uncle Darious had an agreement with them, no doubt initiated by Jackie. When Santine mentions the details of the agreement, the three men in our company go deathly silent.

  John walks up to the woman and puts his arm around her shoulders.

  “We’re sorry about this. It is not how things are done... Jackie is… alive because she was shown mercy. To witness your loss, Santine, would you mind sharing the details of your memory?”

  Santine nods, tears rolling down her face. “I am so glad someone is listening. I’ve been so alone.”

  I look at Lilly, who’s sitting quiet and pale with baby J.J in her arms. Jarrod sits next to his wife, angry. Liam has no expression at all, and that is the most menacing sign of his rage.

  The Memory.

  Lying on the table is a letter of announcement with the official House emblem. It reads:

  “Without further questioning, one child in each house with more than one, will be taken and trained to join the Gello’Des.

  I am issuing this decree in lieu of a building war and effort to protect our Valley.

  The child will be returned to the family when they have served their duty or become too old to pass as Gello’Des.

  Any family whom opposes this decision will be seen as a traitor to the Valley clans.

  You will be cut off from any rations, supplies and funding.

  Yours Sincerely,

  Darious Moretti.

  Elder.”

  A young man is standing in front of the Elder’s door with the letter clutched in his hands. He is angry and afraid; his wife is standing behind him, eyes red from crying. The young man is protesting against the Elder’s actions, begging and pleading to let him take the place of his child.

  The Elder orders the young man away and Jackie takes him. A short time later, his body is returned to the wife. He has a hole in his chest like Roland’s; she is instructed to burn his body in front of the children.

  The event was witnessed and Santine was assured of her safety for as long as Jarrod and Lilly are at the helm of this estate. Lilly asks her to come visit after breakfast to work together on a plan to help the families who may need it. I smile at my sister, realizing that today she’s singlehandedly won over a clan member, making a loyal friend and right hand for life.

  Uncle Darious fled the scene before the plan could be implemented and, thankfully, no children were lost. This does not excuse him though, and the Ancient Houses elevate their search for he and Jackie. There is a war brewing, but I suspect it is not the one those two were hoping for.

  I spend the day with Lilly and Santine while the men are all outside helping where and how they can with the builds. The rain is not making it easy but thankfully, when you have two wolf-Ancients and an angry hunter on hand, the rain does not influence certain things. Raina stays behind to play baby-sitter to J.J. and there are happy gurgles and chuckles coming from the pirate fort-room. When things go quiet, Lilly checks and finds Raina curled protectively around J.J for a nap.

  “That girl is a natural,” Lilly muses and I laugh.

  “Lilly, everyone is a natural to you if they are nice to children.”

  When lunchtime comes around, there are three more families in the hall. Lilly looks proud and happy. They are not very talkative but Santine puts them at ease quick enough with the help of John and Liam. When Santine tells them I’m married to Liam, there was a general feeling of “Oh dear” and “No way”.

  By dinnertime, a few more families join. Lilly is in her element and cannot thank Santine enough for her help and input. Santine, on the other hand, is just ever so happy to feel like there’s a purpose for her again.

  Liam and I walk home with Raina after dinner and inform Momma of the events. Momma already knows because Lady E is sitting at her table, fists clenching in front of her. Uncle Will is nowhere to be seen, but I gather it is because the Rulers are meeting again. I also report to Momma about Lilly’s progress and my mother turns into a peacock.

  Lady E lifts her chin like a regal queen, “Had no doubt the girl could do it. She learned from the best.”

  Liam and I say our goodnights before retreating to the cottage. I have a nervous dread in the pit of my stomach. Things went well today for Lilly and I know the Earth Valley clan has taken a turn in a better direction. The new information, however, is eating into my mood like an overfed maggot.

  While I’m in the bath, Liam sits on the side, one finger stroking against my arm.

  “Liam, do you want children?”

  “Do I want to plan for a child? No. Do I want one if it comes along? Absolutely.”

  “So… you won’t mind not having a child?”

  “No, I am selfish Carmina. I love children, but…Yeah, I’m selfish.”

  “Good. Because I was thinking, I don’t want children. I won’t live as long as you do, and—”

  Liam puts his finger to my mouth and smiles. “Carmina… don’t speak of you leaving me. I don’t want to hear it. As for children - I don’t plan on having any, but if you happen to be with child, I’d be overjoyed.”

  “Ok. But you know it is a reality. I … won’t live as long, Liam.”

  Liam yanks me out of the tub and holds me to him, water splashing everywhere.

  “Carmina. Don’t torture me like this. I do not wish to think about it.”

  “You can change that.” I tell him.

  “Carmina—”

  “No. Liam, tell me why not?”

  “Because, Carmina, I am not even sure I can.”

  I frown at him. “Wha—?”

  “To change someone, Carmina, I need to administer my brand of poison into your bloodstream. I don’t think I can. I told you I’m selfish. How hard is that to understand?”

  “So, you would keep me human because you want my blood?” I hear the disbelief in my own ears.

  “That’s not what I meant, but that too. Yes. I can kill you if your body rejects the poison. I will lose you by my doing. You have an illness in your blood, I cannot be sure you will change. I can only be sure I can kill you. And that, my Rockflower would not do me well. I would rather have a few more years with you than kill you today. Do you get it?”

  I hug him back, soaking up the intensity of his words.

  “I do.”

  Accident

  Time is passing peacefully, except for the sporadic news we receive by way of reports from outside covens and clans. There seems to be an uprising against the Gello’Des, but it is confusing. The rumors about the traitor in the Valley are increasing and Dimitri warns about the possibility of a full-scale assault on the Valley.

  Momma is visiting with him and I am starting to think that Lilly’s initial speculation about them being a pair is truer than I had guessed.

  Sitting in the bay window, I look up at the clear sky. It is a beautiful day and I love the pink dabs the sun leaves behind as it sets. A piercing scream rips me from my reverie. It came from the courtyard. I look at Liam who is frozen solid in place.

  A panicked connection comes from Lady E.

  “Lady E…”

  “Carmina! Bring Liam, come to the courtyard, and please get Liam!”

  I feel the terror and anguish flow from her and look at Liam. He is not moving. I walk over to him.

  “Liam... LIAM!” I shout but he seems to be in a trance. I hold my breath, feeling my heart speed up, threatening to explode. I refuse to breathe, vividly pushing the nightmares I know into Liam’s mind. He grabs my shoulders, and only then do I ease up on the horrible images and memory.

  “Your mother needs us…”

 
I feel absolute dread, anger and something else unidentifiable pulsing from Liam’s energy. I have no time; I still feel Lady E’s mood and Uncle Will join.

  “Please, hurry before it is too late!” I hear her crying.

  When I see Liam move, I don’t wait any longer and rush ahead to the courtyard. I dread what I will find there but know that I have to be there. I get there before him and find the family in complete disarray. My eyes search for Jarrod and Lilly but don’t find them nearby. Liam is right next to me, trying to turn me away.

  “Carmina—”

  I hit his arm away from me and feel the bones in my fingers crack.

  “What is going on?”

  When I break through the group, I smell blood. Strange smelling blood; I recognize the smell from memory and the image of Roland flashes into my head. I feel sick but the stubbornness in me refuses to turn away or give into the feeling. When I see John, I hear the scream burn from my throat, cramming into my ears.

  I rush to John’s side and look him over. My hands search his body for other damage but the gaping wound in his chest draws my attention back. I feel my head swimming and the new dimension experience returns. Every molecule is vibrating into my view. I see the poison as if bubbles boiling through John’s chest. I see the metal arrowhead and freeze. That is what delivered the poison!

  I look up and see Roland strolling towards me, a cocky look on his face, crouching next to me.

  “Hello, devil’s advocate,” He greets, the same way as when he died.

  “Roland?”

  “Yeah, I made a bet with the devil and he lost. John needs your help.” He waves his hand loosely over John.

  I stare into the wound.

  “Roland, I don’t know what to do!” I tell him honestly.

  “It’s in your blood. It’s in YOUR blood Carmina.” Roland gets up, shoves his hands in his pockets and strolls off.

  “Don’t make me lose this bet, I’ll see you around – I promised, didn’t I?” He laughs and vanishes as fast as he came.

  Liam is at my shoulder and frowning down on me. I am shaking like a leaf and I have no idea what’s just happened. Roland came to – Too farfetched. I need to get a grip.

  “Carmina-?”

  I reach for my hunting blade on the side of my boot.

  “Change, all of you. CHANGE!” I scream the command at them. It certainly wasn’t a request. Liam still wants to argue but I push him away hard. Three static crackles, three wolves.

  “Hold him still. Please.”

  The wolves lay over John’s body, effectively pinning him down. I push my fingers into the cavity and feel around finding the arrowhead. Scooping out as much of the blood as I can, I then use the blade to cut the arrowhead away from the flesh and bone. John is roaring under me and the convulsion of his body is making the efforts difficult.

  “John… Don’t fight me on this.” I speak soothingly to him, letting the calm I feel run in streams through his mind.

  The process is slow but at long last I can lift the whole device, with chunks of tissue still clinging to it, away from John.

  Somewhere in the back of my mind, I hear Roland telling me again it is in my blood. I look down on John’s chest, the runny crimson seem to slow down as soon as the device is removed. But it does not stop.

  The clan knows by now to stay away from the blood and the circle is wide around me. I tie my hair back, and look around the courtyard. My eyes turn towards the volcano and I prey to the sleeping goddess for guidance. I wipe the blade with my shirt, then re-do the same over my hair. I have no time to disinfect this blade and I have to use it. There’s no time.

  “Rockflower? No, Carmina no! What are you doing?!”

  “It’s in my blood, and my blood is in my body Liam.” I stare blankly ahead of me, taking a few deep breaths.

  “Mina?” Uncle Will questions.

  “If you can’t control yourself, you have to go!”

  I grit my teeth and slice my arm across the pulse. I hear Liam’s howl, followed by his father’s and mother’s. My clan doesn’t move; they are all standing in silence. I watch the blood flow freely for a while and then stop. I didn’t cut deep enough! Damnit! I slice the other wrist too and force through the pain to cut deeper. The blood flows generously and I hold my bleeding wrist over the cavity in John’s chest.

  “Please… let this be what you meant, Roland.”

  The new dimension sets in again, and I see the ruby-red of my own blood seeping in among the darker shade of John’s. I use my free hand, spreading and dabbing it at the tips of the broken bones.

  “Please… Ambrogio? Chantico…Roland… anyone… now is a good time to help me!” I whisper, seeing my breath leaving my mouth as I speak. The bubbling stops inside the cavity and the bright plasma is spreading like a harsh fire. For a moment, I think that it looks so beautiful, like a flower growing and waiting to bloom. I see the glimmer of the gipsy brat, my gipsy brat and smile up at him. I didn’t lose him his bet.

  ***

  Liam sees the smile set on Carmina’s face, like she’s in a trance. He smells her blood and it is taking all his effort not to tear her apart. He feels John’s body relaxing under them.

  “Mother?” He questions.

  Instantly, Lady E replies: “He’s healing.”

  Liam looks back to Carmina and is careful not to startle her. He drives into her conscious space and, upon seeing the world through Carmina’s eyes, the big wolf closes his. He remembers this view, he remembers her touch; how she reached past the cold and invited the heat. She saved him from himself, and now she saved his brother from a permanent death. The Moretti Ancient house is indebted.

  ***

  I sit back, feeling the energy draining from me, watching the view fading away. My mouth is dry.

  “Um… I’m thirsty.” I declare and feel myself dragged off by the nauseating fog. I crawl away to throw up. I roll over onto my back, trying hard to catch my breath when someone holds water to my mouth. It feels like slime when it touches my lips and I spit it out, pushing the helping hand away.

  I don’t hear John anymore. Oh gods, did I kill him? I’m so sorry! I have no idea what I just did but my arm is aching, my hand is aching from hitting Liam and I think I stopped the bleeding but I may have waited too long. I pass out and tumble straight into a nightmare, for the first time in forever.

  ** The dreams are nightmares are dreams and nightmares**

  The land is changing. The ground is covered with blood.

  Everyone is dead. Everyone is dying. I did this.

  The arrowheads are spread about the ground like booby-traps.

  I don’t have enough blood to help them all. There is mud pouring from my veins.

  Jackie is standing with Liam, snarling at me. Protecting HIM from ME.

  “You did this. You. You did this.”

  “No! I love them. No! I’m sorry!”

  Carmina! No, come back to me my love, please. PLEASE Rockflower… you made me promise!

  ***

  Liam shakes Carmina, trying to wake her up from the dream. Eventually she opens her eyes but there is hardly any recognition in the dull far off gaze. There is a screech above, getting closer. The Bearded Vulture practically lands right on top of Carmina.

  Fayola rushes into the links: “They’re coming for Carmina.”

  ***

  Battle

  I hear the voices in my head. They are like ghosts. I remember I used to have other voices in my head, but they are gone now. Why can’t I move? What is that sound? Why can’t I move?!

  “How far?”

  “They’re right here!” Fayola lifts off and joins the circling Vultures above.

  ***

  There was no time to move Carmina. There was no time to move John. Liam hears the approaching gusts of air. There are no footfalls. They’re fast. It takes a while for him to realize that the movement is coming from two directions towards the courtyard. Birds fly up in squawking terror. Carmina is not respondin
g, her body is motionless, her eyes dull. Frustration and fear chokes in Liam’s chest. The Ancients draws a protective circle around Carmina. The Lynxes arrive minutes ahead of the mob. There is no doubt they’re worried, as they circle around Carmina, nudging her with their big paws and heads.

  First through the gate is Darious – a few paces ahead of the Gello’Des. They look like children going on a school tour. Their movements are silent, other than the hissing and childish laughter or rebukes. They’re an unruly mob, even for their years in age. There is no real organization among them. Each one has a small device, silver in color, attached to their palms. On closer inspection, the shape of a loaded palm size crossbow is pertinent. They are armed!

  “Carmina! Please my Rockflower… please snap out of it…”

  There is no reply. Carmina is not moving. Her eyes are are cloudy, void of color or emotion. Her heartbeat is steady, rhythmic like beating a stable war-drum. Her breathing is low, deep, balanced. Her pale skin and ruby hair are highlighted by the brilliance of the full moon rising. The picture is a desolate portrait.

  From Carmina’s Cottage, the other mob arrives at the courtyard: tall dark figures with pale white eyes, their formation militant, their movements in unison. Jackie Azzara leads them, in her original form. The pale faces are focused on the spec of brilliant red surrounded by discolored, dry blood seeped into the ground. The haunting silence from their corner is disturbed by the air whirling up around their feet, dust and stones clattering out of their way.