by S. E. Akers
“Is that what you think? That I’m disappointed in you?” Tanner let out a laugh as he tilted his head towards the sky. “No, Shiloh. I’m not disappointed in you.” He took a deep breath and exhaled. “I’m angry at myself for not realizing how bad things could have gotten tonight. I underestimated a mere human pawn of the Onyx, and just how far he’ll go in his quest to obtain the wand’s powers. But Shiloh…your actions more than exceeded my expectations. Tonight wasn’t about being untouchable. It was about fear. You, confronting your fears head on, without any reservations about death, especially in regards to your own. You have to resolve them. Even the wand senses you have them.”
My muscles relaxed as I observed the confident, always poised Talisman convey a humanly air of concern. Once Tanner realized I wasn’t going to put up any more of a struggle, he freed my arms and lifted my chin.
“At no time this evening, were you frightened by the thought of your own death. That’s something a Talisman, especially you, must live with day in and day out. This is your life…for now and forever. I couldn’t have been prouder of you tonight, even if you had been the one to rip that bastard’s head off with your own two hands. I KNOW you’re ready for what awaits you.”
After hearing his encouraging words, I reached for his hand and clutched it firmly.
“Thank you, Tanner.” I was more than relieved to find out he wasn’t disappointed and amazed that I’d actually managed to impress him.
“Granted, you’re still very green and have a lot to learn, but that’s one less thing I have to worry about.” He flashed a brassy smile and gave my hand an assertive squeeze.
I playfully batted my eyes. “So, you were worried about me?”
He leaned against my Charger and shook his head. “Don’t push it, Shiloh,” Tanner stated with a knowing grin. “And don’t think for one second I’ve forgotten about that right hook of yours…I owe you one.”
“What right hook?” I teased. “I think you were hallucinating. You were pretty out of it.”
Tanner leaned in and whispered, “Don’t play with me, little girl.”
My eyes blazed instantly as I raised my fist. “Would you like another?”
Tanner stared into my eyes for a moment, while his teeth gently bit into his lower lip. “No,” he announced abruptly. “I would prefer to get some rest, and I think you need some as well…So go home. Tomorrow, you need to take a break and be a normal teenager. I know you didn’t ask for any of this, but you can’t keep your destiny waiting. Enjoy one more day of high school with your friends, without complications…because once your powers have climaxed, life as you’ve known it will cease to exist. Tonight was only a taste of what awaits you.”
Tanner gave my hand one more squeeze before he headed off to room number three, tossing his new serpentine stone in the air as he strutted across the parking lot.
“Hey…Bea’s a good teacher, isn’t she?” Tanner called back. “She taught me everything I know,” he revealed as he unlocked the green metal door to his room.
“Everything except responsibility,” I hollered. “I wouldn’t have given you another one.”
Tanner grinned as he disappeared behind the door. I was still a little ticked about the “topaz thing” and felt the need to air my feelings, officially. It could’ve come in handy tonight!
Emotionally exhausted, I hopped into my car and puttered home. I had to admit I didn’t feel as apprehensive about the unconventional path “my destiny” was dragging me down. All the reservations I had earlier today, when I’d discovered that the wand was actually a sword, swirled around in my head and kept me company during my drive home.
Maybe I can do this?
I arrived home about twenty minutes later to find the house lit up so brightly you could’ve landed a plane beside it. Great…I wonder what fresh Hell is waiting for me on the other side of the door?
As predicted, Charlotte and Chloe were wearing out the carpet in the living room, pacing back and forth. Apparently they were waiting up for me, but I was certain it wasn’t my “safety” that was on their mind. No sooner than I’d closed the door, Charlotte let out an over-exaggerated sigh.
“Oh, thank goodness you’re finally home! We’ve been so worried about you, Shiloh. We both feel awful about the way things went earlier, and how you ran off like that.”
Charlotte was really laying it on thick tonight. If I hadn’t felt so mentally drained from my adventure in Jolo, I would’ve thrown some popcorn in the microwave and sat down to watch the show unfold. I couldn’t bring myself to respond to any of her empty words or fake emotions, so I threw her a blank stare.
“I’m tired…and it’s late. I’m going upstairs to bed. I can’t afford anymore unexcused absences,” I remarked dryly as I headed up to my room. I was already halfway up the staircase when Charlotte rushed to the bottom of the steps.
“Lazarus Xcavare stopped by to see you,” Charlotte announced eagerly. I stopped dead in my tracks. “He left a check for us…I mean, you a check.” I whirled around to see my mother pulling a small slip of paper from her pocket. She held it up proudly and squealed, “It’s incredibly generous, Shiloh. He offered you FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS! And that’s just for the mineral rights. He said you could keep the title to the land and understood why you may have been resistant to the offer, in light of Caiden’s passing. So? What do you think?”
I walked slowly back down the steps and looked at the figures scripted on the light-blue slip of paper. I’ll never see something like this again, I thought confidently. I sighed and locked my eyes with Charlotte’s as I ripped the check in two. I threw it in the air as I turned to head up the stairs.
Charlotte snatched my arm. “PLEASE don’t do this, Shiloh! Can’t we get past our differences? Be mother and daughter again?” she begged.
I jerked my arm away and stood there with a look of sheer disbelief. I’d always wanted that. There was never a question in my mind about wanting or needing my mother’s love. But it would be a cold day in Hell before I would ever believe that her “sudden change of heart” was because she truly meant it.
Charlotte pulled something out of her pocket and held it up. Dangling in front of my face was my little gold locket. The one she had given me years ago. The one I had treasured blindly for so long, simply because it was a gift from her. The one that I now knew was cursed and had been watching over me all these years like a wicked evil-eye.
“You know… The way we use to?” Charlotte added with a coercing grin.
Skittishly, my eyes flared as I took a step backward, away from the ill-fated trinket. I couldn’t stand the sight of it, especially now. Automatically, I smacked it out of her good hand and watched it land on the Oriental rug at the bottom of the stairs.
“NO! We can’t!” I replied point-blank and ran the rest of the way up to my bedroom. I gave the lavender-painted door a solid slam and locked it quickly.
“You’re either CRAZY, or you’re PUSHING YOUR LUCK, SHILOH!” I could hear Charlotte as clear as a bell. “He may not make another offer! I swear I’ll make your life A LIVING HELL if you don’t sell him those rights and give me MY MONEY! DO YOU HEAR ME?!?”
I reached for my iPod and threw in my earbuds, attempting to tune out her muffled screams. Once I’d changed into my pajamas, I pulled out Daddy’s shirt. My phone was charging on my bedside table, so I gave it a quick check before turning in.
No new messages. Sadly, none from Ty and even more disappointing was none from Katie. As I clutched my father’s shirt and took a whiff of its scent, I wondered, What will tomorrow bring? Maybe Tanner’s right about being “normal” for one more day? Considering all the events of the past week, “normal” was now an unfamiliar concept to me. In fact, it felt more uncomfortable than the oddities that had kept me distracted over the past few days. One lonely tear trickled down my cheek as I cuddled Daddy’s shirt underneath my blanket.
“Normal” was laid to rest several days ago…
That night, as I l
ay in a deep slumber, I had a dream unlike any other. I found myself in an unfamiliar place. It was opulent and seemed almost ancient. Glistening mosaic tiles, of all shapes and colors, adorned every wall. Majestic, sweeping arches flowed throughout the room, supported by massive stone columns. Regal-hued fabrics framed the windowless openings and danced gracefully along with a warm breeze that drifted into the room. A subtle scent of flowers with a hint of spice filled the air. Lit torches cast a soft glow illuminating the serene space. I looked down and found myself standing in front of an elaborate table where the diamond wand was resting on its surface. I stood there spellbound, stroking it with my fingertips back and forth, while I watched its brilliant light flow underneath my hand. It was no longer imprisoned by its rocky cradle and was just lying there, waiting for me to take hold of it. Before I could seize the wand (which was my destiny), a hand suddenly emerged — a man’s hand. Soon, two hands wrapped themselves around the wand, one on each of its ends. They swiftly lifted the diamond from off the table where it lay. Quickly, I turned to see the face of the man who had taken the wand that was only mine to bear. Was it Lazarus? The Onyx?
A stranger stood before me, whose muscular frame couldn’t have looked more chiseled and rugged if he’d been carved from a block of marble. The man’s lustrous brown hair flowed down in soft waves to his shoulders, and his facial features were strong, like that of a warrior’s. Everything about the striking stranger commanded my attention. Even his eyes were the most piercing shade of blue that I’d ever seen. I watched as he flourished the wand with several precise, sweeping motions. The diamond was now fully illuminated and shining with the same intensity I’d seen on the night I had first discovered it. After giving it a thorough inspection, the strange man looked at me or through me. I really couldn’t tell. His eyes were now glistening with white streaks, like bolts of lightning that danced around his pupils. My instincts assured me that even if he were aware of my presence, he genuinely meant me no harm.
He pulled something out from a leather holster strapped to his side. When the object came into my view, I noticed it was made of a metal that cast a silvery-blue sheen and a substantial clear stone lay embedded on the tip of its base. He gripped it snugly in the palm of his hand, and then with one forceful move, the man thrust the long diamond wand into the metal object.
The hilt…
Brilliant rays of light shot out instantly from the wand. Its vibrant glow had now engulfed me. I looked over to acknowledge the stranger, but he was gone and unfortunately, so was the diamond wand. Hastily, I awoke from my dream to the sound of the alarm clock blaring in my ears. I rose up in bed thinking, Adamas. That had to have been him.
The dream lingered in my thoughts while I got ready for school. Now I had a face to go with the name. As excited as I was, I still felt somewhat disappointed by the fact that he hadn’t spoken. Not one word. Even though I knew the dream was actually a memory the diamond had chosen to reveal, it would have been comforting to know if Adamas was “truly proud” that I possessed the thing he treasured most, just as Gallia had implied.
I placed my three little stones inside the pocket of my jacket, grabbed my purse, and made a mad dash out the door. Within seconds, I was sitting in my Charger and cranking up its engine. Charlotte came running out of the house as I pulled out, waving a frying pan full of eggs in her hand and yelling something about eating.
Don’t tell me that she made breakfast! I shook my head. It was going to take a lot more than burnt scrambled eggs to forgive her for all the harsh words and cruelty she’d inflicted upon me over the years. However, what Charlotte failed to see was that nothing she could ever do would get me to reverse my decision about the land. Especially selling off the mineral rights! I’d overheard Chloe telling her last night that she would stay home from school today to “comfort her”. Realistically, my little sister probably couldn’t face the embarrassment of returning to school after she’d shot off her mouth about how “SHE” was going to be “RICH”.
When they finally get it in their heads that nothing will change my mind, I may have to add a few more names to the growing list of “People Who Want Me DEAD.”
I checked my watch. It was only six o’clock, but I had to get to school early, so I could report for “morning detention” — thanks to Charlotte! I still had plenty of time to grab something to eat before it started in thirty minutes. The Kwik-Serve was up ahead on the right. My stomach let out a long, rolling rumble as I pulled into the busy parking lot. The small convenience store was packed with miners filling their thermoses to their brims with coffee, buying sacks of doughnuts, and fixing their sausage biscuits, which were stacked in a warming cabinet located at the rear of the store. I managed to squeeze through them and snatch one for myself before they were all gone. After I’d grabbed a small container of orange juice, I pushed my way up to the front register. The crowd standing around waiting to pay for their food was even rowdier than the masses back at the biscuit counter.
While I waited my turn, I heard the sound of the store-bell ring out, announcing the arrival of yet another customer. A brisk rush of air flooded the store. Normally, the burst would be chilly and tend to feel somewhat stimulating in the morning. But it felt oddly warm to my surprise, and a wave of anxiousness came over me, unexpectedly. It was subtle, but still noticeable. I turned to the door and peered around the huddled group of miners to locate the source of my uneasiness.
My eyes shot open. A man had just walked in, and by his appearance, he was definitely not from around here. His hair was long, down past his shoulders, and so jet-black that it flashed hints of blue under the store’s fluorescent lights. His pale skin looked like it hadn’t seen the sun in years. You could actually count the individual hairs from the black stubble on his face because of how it contrasted with his whitish skin tone. The steely, rough man reeked with an intimidating aura as he surveyed the interior of the store. He was draped in a long, black leather coat and donned matching knuckle-less riding gloves on his hands. A cord tied snugly around his neck held a muted reddish-orange stone that pressed firmly against his Adam’s apple. He removed his shiny aviators to reveal a pair of eyes so brown they were almost black. As he approached the crowded counter, I spotted streams of gray light swirling within their dark-brown cores.
I ducked down behind one of the miners and listened quietly.
“I’m looking for the Riverside-Pocahontas mine. How far is it?” the gruff-looking stranger asked in a deep, raspy voice.
An elderly man instructed him to, “Stay on the road outside and it’ll be up ahead on the right”.
This stranger was no ordinary man. I could sense something from him. Something odd and very foreboding. He was obviously here to see Lazarus.
This can’t be good…
I placed my items back on the counter and proceeded to sneak out of the store. If I can sense him, what’s to keep him from doing the same to me? It wasn’t that hard for Gallia last night. I remained crouched as I weaved my body through the crowd. One of the miners almost stepped on my foot, forcing me to shift towards the eerie man. I accidently brushed the creepy stranger’s backside, causing the unsettling feeling to intensify. I ducked behind the crowd of men and glanced back to see if the stranger had any sort of reaction.
The man sensed something. He scanned around the room vigilantly, like an eagle-eyed hunter at the close of deer season.
Crap! He seemed to be trying to lock-on to the source of his strange feeling. Definitely not good… My eyes panned over to the store’s exit. I had a clear shot to the door, but I had to be quick — like supernaturally quick. I took a deep breath, readied my keys, and flew out the glass-paned door. I was pulling out of the parking lot within a second. As I squealed off, I spotted the stranger, who was now outside and standing in front of the store. I couldn’t be for sure, but he appeared to be eyeballing my Charger. My heart pummeled my insides like a drum, keeping tempo with my quick and heavy breaths.
That was close!
>
I raced the entire way to the school’s upper parking lot. I was bursting to tell Tanner what had just happened. Morning detention wouldn’t start for fifteen more minutes, so I didn’t have to rush inside. I pulled the amethyst out of my pocket and grasped it tightly. I’d only been instructed on how to communicate with other Talismans, so the process was unfamiliar to me.
Hell…I have to give it a shot.
With my eyes closed, I directed my thoughts to Tanner. The vision I conjured was a detailed image of the eerie stranger, making sure he could see and feel him, just as I had. I focused on his dark appearance, the reddish-orange milky stone he wore, the warm sensation he radiated, and the alarming feeling that besieged me when I’d accidentally touched him. I closed with a timid, “Over and out.” I really didn’t know how else to end the transmission. I wasn’t working with a CB radio. It was telepathy. I couldn’t necessarily holler, “10-4, Good buddy”.
I marched into the office and signed in for morning detention. Mrs. Tuttle apparently felt sorry for me in light of Daddy’s passing. Instead of forcing me to drudge over a huge stack of “busy work”, which had been graciously provided by all of my teachers, she said I could help her shred paper and file a bunch of folders. It wasn’t so bad. At least it kept me busy. But I was in no way distracted from my unnerving thoughts about the mysterious stranger.
As soon as I’d wrapped up my detention-duties (or “free slave labor” as I called it), I headed off to Mrs. Thompson’s classroom. With any luck, Katie would already be in there and I could beg for her forgiveness. I hadn’t returned a single one of her calls over the past few days. I wasn’t avoiding her, just the topic of Daddy’s passing. After all, she was just worried about me. Katie was being a true friend. I, on the other hand, had been too focused on distracting myself that I’d completely shut her out.
Not here yet, I noted with disappointment as I poked to my desk. There were already several students seated around me. Normally the room would be very boisterous, filled with the chattering voices of my peers. However, I found today’s ambiance strange. I’d heard voices when I arrived, but they quickly dwindled down to whispers. As I looked around, a sense of paranoia set in. Several clusters of students had formed, and they all seemed to be chatting while they tried to stare inconspicuously at me.
