by Brenda Drake
I sagged against his firm chest. I believed he’d probably give his life to keep that promise, and it scared me. As much as I didn’t want anything to happen to Pop or my friends, I couldn’t accept anything happening to Arik, either. I inhaled his manly scent, my head spinning. I needed time to get to know him better. Tell him how brave he was, how much I admired him, too. I swallowed back the emotions cramming in my throat, unable to gather the courage.
“I trust you,” I said.
“Today is Sunday.” His posture was more relaxed. “Your father is at work, Deidre is at your practice, Nick’s just finishing his shift at his parents’ restaurant, and Afton babysits for her neighbor. We should have a good hour before any of them returns home.”
I tilted my head to see him. “How do you know all that?”
“From the guards that watched you during the days following the gateway breach—”
His reassurances relaxed me a little.
After each Sentinel had come through the book, I performed truth globes on Kale and Jaran, while Lei sat on a chair, cleaning her nails with a small dagger. After they both passed, Arik informed them of the situation. Sinead motioned for Sean to follow her and Jaran.
“Good luck,” Sean said, glancing at me with honest sincerity in his eyes. “I hope your da and friends make it.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Good luck to you, too.”
He took Sinead’s offered hand and grabbed Jaran’s arm.
“Wait,” I said. “The letter from my mother and the picture of my parents, do you still have them? They were in your wallet.”
He pulled out his wallet, examined it, and held it out to me. “This isn’t me billfold.”
I took it from him and retrieved the note and photograph from inside, then handed the wallet to Sinead. However small, they were another connection to my mother, just like the faded umbrella. I slipped the photo and note into my vest pocket and gave the rest to Sinead.
After Jaran spoke the key, the book sucked them into the photograph of the Trinity College Library in Dublin, Ireland.
“Poor Sean.” Demos chuckled. “When Sinead clouds his mind, he’ll never quite grasp all this was actually true. I bet he won’t ever drink whiskey again.”
“Or be tricked by hot blondes,” I said before walking off to the nearest bookcase. I scanned the titles on the shelf, trying to stay calm. My head pounded and my throat tightened. I just wanted to get to Pop. Arik came up beside me and rested his hand on my back, the warmth of his hand soothing me.
“It’s going to be fine,” he said.
“I hope so.”
Jaran and Sinead’s return interrupted him. “That Dublin library needs a good dusting,” she said, brushing her hands on her pants. “He’ll have to wait until it opens tomorrow to leave. After I clouded his mind, he fell asleep behind a bookcase. He won’t budge until someone wakes him. They’ll think he got locked in.”
Arik addressed the Sentinels kicking back around a table. “Let’s make a plan.” They all stood and gathered around him. I rushed over to join the circle.
Demos settled his arm across my shoulders. “How are you faring?”
“Fine, I guess.”
He handed me a tan trench coat. “Here, put this on.”
“What for?”
“Do you want all of Boston to see you in fighting gear? We all wear them.”
“You do realize it’s summer, right? We’ll look suspicious in these.”
“Just put it on.” Demos winked. “Cheer up. Perhaps we’ll be lucky and it’ll be raining.”
“I just want to go, already.”
“We’ll have to split up,” Arik said, glancing at Demos’s arm over my shoulder.
Demos withdrew his arm.
“All right, then.” Arik glanced at each Sentinel. “This is the moment we’ve only read about in our studies. A time we never thought would be during our guard.” He paused, his lips a straight line. “The Coming is here, and it is our duty to protect against the evils that will follow. I am not sure what we face, but there is not another bunch I would want to go into battle with than this one.”
“Nor is there a leader I would rather follow than you,” Jaran said as he straightened. “I will fight until my last breath for all that is good.”
“As will I,” Lei said.
“And I,” Kale followed.
Demos smirked. “Such mush.”
Lei glared at him.
“All right, no need to get hostile.” Demos held his hands up in surrender. “I was just trying to make light of the situation. I’d be the first to run into the fray.”
My knees were wobbly and my palms sweaty. How would they feel if they knew I was the Coming? I didn’t even know what it meant. I wasn’t like the rest of them. I didn’t want to fight to the death. All I wanted was to get Pop, Afton, and Nick to safety. And get my life back.
Arik cleared his throat and continued. “Take everything but your helmets. Kale will go with Gia to get Afton. Demos and Jaran will retrieve Nick, and I will go with Lei and Sinead to Gia’s home.”
I stepped forward. “I’m going to my own home.”
“It isn’t wise,” Arik said. “I know you’re worried about your father, but we can’t have you and Deidre together. Your neighbors may see.” He smiled then, a half smile—a crooked, endearing smile. “I will return with your father unscathed.”
He had a point. What would everyone think if they saw two of me? Pop, especially, would be really upset until I had a chance to explain. We needed to get him out of there quickly and quietly without a commotion, which someone might notice.
It was hard for me to leave Pop’s safety to someone else, but I followed Kale through the gateway book and into the Boston Athenæum. I rushed out of the library with Kale on my heels, not waiting for the others to come through. I stopped at the curb, surveyed the dark angry clouds, and buttoned up the trench coat. At least it was going to rain.
“Do you have money?” I asked as Kale caught up to me.
Kale stared at me quizzically. “What?”
“Money. Do you have any?”
“What type?”
Really? Where did he think he was?
“The American type,” I said.
“Oh, right.” Kale fished through his pockets. He pulled out a bundle of Euros, several twenty-dollar bills, and a few Benjamin Franklins.
My hand shot up in the air when a taxicab approached and I screamed, “Taxi!”
The ride to Afton’s house seemed like it took forever. The taxi had to stop for too many red lights and jaywalkers. I let out an exasperated breath when a bus stopped in front of us and we had to wait.
Kale patted my jittery hand, which rested beside him on the seat. “You needn’t worry. It is out of our control.”
“How can you stay so calm right now? What if they kidnap Pop and take him to Conemar? We have to get to them before his rogue Mystiks. We all could die.”
“Where I was born, they believe the soul is eternal and we live many lifetimes. This body is just one I will occupy during my journey. It comforts me to know this.”
“Where were you born?”
“In Manipur, in Northeast India.” Kale turned his attention to the window. “I’ve been there twice. The first time, I saw my changeling living the life that should’ve been mine, and the second time was”—he paused—“when I learned of his death.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, feeling bad for him. I never knew what to say when someone lost someone they cared about.
“Thank you,” he said. He sighed. “It was difficult for me to see the sorrow my birth mother had over the loss. I wanted to show myself to her, tell her who I was, and make her love me like she had loved him, but that would’ve been senseless.”
How will I feel to actually see Deidre living my life? Would I resent her, or care for her like Kale obviously cared for his changeling?
“I’m scared.”
“Never think about the coming fight.�
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“No,” I said. “I’m not scared of fighting, I’m afraid of losing who I am.”
“You only lose what you choose to lose.”
Rain streamed down the windows as I considered what he said. My life had changed so much in the last month. I wasn’t the same person anymore. My magic wouldn’t harm anyone, but I’d turned my fencing epee in for a sharp sword I might be forced to use. Would I kill someone? I wanted to believe I wouldn’t lose myself, but who knew what fear might cause me to do?
The taxi turned off Massachusetts Avenue and onto Lexington. “We’re almost there.” I scooted to the edge of my seat and watched out the windshield. “It’s that big white house.”
The tires squealed as the driver slammed on the brakes, and I smacked my forehead against the window partition separating the front and back seats. I eyed the driver as I paid him. “They let you get a license, but me they don’t, because I drive too slowly. Jeesh. Really. You could’ve killed us.”
“Step away from the cab, please,” ordered the driver.
I backed up, and he sped off.
Kale and I stood on the sidewalk and surveyed Afton’s house, rain pounding down on us. The front door gaped open, and my stomach plunged to my feet.
Afton, I wanted to scream, but slapped my hands over my mouth.
Chapter Nineteen
Kale lifted his chin in the direction of the door.
My heart hammering, I took measured steps beside him up to the house, alert for danger.
I settled my foot on the first porch step. “This is strange. Their house is usually locked up like Fort Knox, even when they’re home.”
Oh my god. No! Afton!
Kale grabbed my arm as I started to bolt inside. “Hold on. We do them no good rushing in unprepared.”
But I couldn’t stand still, rocking impatiently on my feet as I watched him.
He reached into his trench coat and pulled out a pair of gloves. He slipped them on his hands and wrapped the straps around each of his forearms, then hid his arms in the flaps of his black trench coat.
Right. I had to prepare. Had to start thinking like a warrior instead of a scared little girl. But it was hard to stay calm when I imagined a million different scenarios involving Afton—all of them ending badly. I gulped down my fear, drew my sword from its scabbard, and kept it close to my side. The shield resting on my back under my trench probably made me resemble the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
I trailed him over the threshold with my sword extended. “It’s too quiet,” I whispered.
Kale raised his hands and pushed his middle fingers against his palms. One sharp blade shot out and extended over his knuckles. Then he flipped his left one over and said a charm, forming his purple globe.
“I thought we weren’t supposed to use globes outside the libraries?”
“It’s a stun globe and won’t destroy anything like Arik’s fire or Lei’s lightning ones would. Get behind me,” he muttered.
I let him lead and readied my sword.
“Relax, Gia.”
We circled around the entire first floor. Empty. So not good. Where was everyone on a Sunday?
Then we headed upstairs. The first bedroom was vacant. The next room was Afton’s bedroom. The usual incense smell hung in the air. Clothes hung over the footboard of the bed and shoes covered the floor. Her list of Taylor Swift songs played from the dock on her nightstand. On her vanity, lotions, perfume bottles, and makeup containers crowded the table. Not a thing was out of place.
A loud clang came from the bathroom.
“Afton?” I called out.
“Hey, you’re early. I just got back from babysitting,” she said as she came out of the bathroom. “What the hell?” She looked from me to Kale and then to my sword.
I sheathed it. “Afton, it’s me, the real Gia.” I yanked the collar of my shirt down to reveal my scar. “See? No tattoo.”
Afton came closer to examine it. “Oh, I’ve missed you,” she squealed, throwing her arms around me. I hugged her back hard.
“Why is your front door open?”
“My mom went next door for tea. The lock’s broken. One good wind and it blows open. They’re fixing it sometime today.” She pulled back, worry striking her face. “Why are you here? The other Gia is on her way over.”
“Afton?” A familiar voice came from the door. “What’s going on here?” Pop asked. “The front door is wide—” He dropped his car keys, his gaze shooting from me to Deidre standing behind him.
“Pop! You’re safe.” I dashed over to him and threw my arms around his waist. I couldn’t keep the tears from burning my eyelids, and I sobbed into his chest. And then I realized he wasn’t hugging me. I leaned back and glanced up at him. He was gaping, his eyes darting back and forth between my changeling and me.
Oh God. There was no lying out of this one. I loosened my grip and stepped away.
My double leaned against the doorframe and glared at me. “He wouldn’t be here if you had a driver’s license.”
Pop turned from Deidre to me. “Why do you look like each other?”
“Um. You see—” I tugged my trench coat closed to hide my sword. “It’s because I’m your daughter. The girl next to you is Deidre.”
Pop studied my face. The confusion in his eyes broke my heart. “Are you twins? Wait, you can’t be… I was there when you were born. Are you related?” His forehead wrinkled. It did that whenever he was confused. “Who are you?”
“We’re not twins or related,” Deidre said. “She’s your daughter, not me.”
I knew I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone about the Mystik world, but did it really matter anymore? Pop would find out soon enough, since we were there to whisk him off to Oz. I’d tried to tell him about the magical light before and never could. Would my words even come out?
Kale shifted his gaze from Deidre to me. “We’re not safe here. We must go.”
I nodded. “Yeah, let’s get out of here.” I looked at Pop. “We’ll explain on our way. Please trust us.”
Pop rubbed his forehead and glanced at Deidre.
“We should go,” she agreed.
He nodded and followed her out the door, and my heart twisted in my chest. She was taking over my life. Over Pop.
Afton slipped her hand in mine. “Come on.”
Sitting in the backseat of Pop’s Volvo felt odd. Not only was Deidre taking over my life, but she also claimed the front seat. Where I’ve always sat since forever. It hurt so badly I felt like my chest had been torn open. Pop gripped the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turned white. His jaw muscle twitched, and I knew he was clenching his teeth. I hated making Pop feel this way. Scared? Confused? Both ?
I scooted forward and placed my hands on the back of the front seats. “Remember that time when I was going into the first grade and I was so scared I wouldn’t go into the classroom? Back when you used to call me Bumblebee? You had told me it may sting at first, but soon it would be all honey. I never got what you meant. It was cute, though, and it still makes me smile.”
Pop nodded. “I never was good at analogies.”
“Nope.”
He glanced at my double then returned his focus to driving. “So, Gia, who’s Deidre? And how does she look exactly like you?”
I gulped. Deidre started to open her mouth, but I frowned at her. “This is going to sound like I’m crazy.”
“I’m sure it will.”
I explained everything to him while everyone else pretended to look out the window. I figured I’d show him my light globe later, when he wasn’t driving. I wasn’t sure I wanted to show him Mom’s letter, though. Maybe he didn’t need to know how much she’d loved Carrig.
He looked at Deidre again. “That explains why you’ve been acting odd lately.”
“So you see, you have to come with us. You’re not safe here. In Boston.”
“My mother’s a witch, huh? That answers a lot of questions.” He rubbed his neck.
“I love y
ou, Pop.”
“You too, kiddo,” he said, reaching over the seat and squeezing my hand. “We better hurry, huh? It’s like having twins,” Pop directed to Deidre. “I was beginning to get suspicious. You and Gia are polar opposites. She can’t cook and she’s a slob, and you can cook and you’re tidy. I worried someone had clobbered you on the head during kickboxing lessons. I was about to call a doctor friend of mine.”
Deidre laughed. “It’s been such a rush. I hadn’t time to learn about Gia’s quirks.”
“There’s the parking garage,” I blurted, wanting to end their conversation about my hijacked life.
“I see it,” Pop said.
He kept giving me weird looks on the walk to the Athenæum. His shoulders were slumped, and his face looked worn out. I wished we hadn’t had to drag him into this otherworld stuff, but at the same time, I was relieved he was there, and I relaxed. I squeezed his hand to show how happy I was to be with him again.
Demos was waiting on the steps for us.
A thought struck me. “We should call Arik and let him know Deidre and Pop are here.”
“Right. They’re most likely waiting for them at your apartment.” Kale pulled his cell phone out of his pants pocket and poked the numbers on the screen.
“Yes?” Arik’s voice blasted through the phone. Kale must’ve accidentally hit the speaker button. Clanging and crashing sounds came over the phone.
“This is Kale. What’s going on there?”
“Sword fight. I have—”
Clang!
“To—”
Clang!
“Go—”
Clang!
Fear ignited within me. I wanted to rush to Arik. Help him.
A man walking by gave Kale a startled look.
“It’s a video game,” I said to the guy.
The man shook his head and continued on his way.
A grunt came over the phone.
“Mr. Kearns and Deidre are with us.” Something crashed in the background. “What was that?”
“A telly. Apologies to Mr. Kearns.” A growl came across with a burst of static. “Don’t worry about us—” Something like glass shattered over Arik’s last word. “We’ll meet you there.”
