by Marx, J. A.
“You’re no psychiatrist.” Sabio took a mousy step toward the sacrifice.
“True.” He blocked him. “I’m more of an advisor for chaps such as Kiko and Hope, who are eager to be enlightened.”
“I’m taking him out of here.”
Vétis shoved Sabio back before picking up the bamboo spear he’d made to catch wildlife. “I can sense you loathe yourself for committing such a gross crime.”
Two large silver swords crisscrossed above Goatee’s head. They glimmered as though reflecting the sun, but only a trifling of rays penetrated this canopied section of island, which was why Vétis had selected it.
The transparent entities gripping the self-radiant swords blended into the trees, detectable only by their pearly contour. They drifted toward the sacrifice.
His arm froze with the spear cocked, and Vétis sneered at the enemy. Barbs of energy pelted his chest, forcing him to give ground. “I’ll be back for you, Sabio.”
He abandoned his temple.
Isaac ached over what Chiara had done to herself. Bloody ruts around her wrists, the ligature mark discoloring her neck. What kind of past was worth such a brutal escape?
Intent on stabilizing the life she wanted to end, he spoke gravely to Jase. “Hold her arms.”
“Don’t touch me!” She writhed. Raged.
A tranquilizer would’ve been convenient. Staying tight on top her legs, Isaac crossed her arms so his friend could restrain her like a straightjacket. The only remedy coming to mind defied every grain of instruction his father had ever given. But he had to stop the hysteria.
“I’m sorry, Chiara.” Isaac smacked her sharply across the cheek.
The violence ceased. Unexpected surrender. He couldn’t believe it worked, and he knew the ceasefire might be temporary.
A fractional pause granted enough time to see Jase gulp down disbelief at the aggressive counter maneuver.
Grimacing at his handprint on Chiara’s cheek, Isaac quickly dried his eyes and analyzed her condition.
Dazed. Muscles tense. Breathing … brisk and shallow. Scared … of what?
“We’ll get you through this. You’re not alone.”
A vacant stare. She twitched when he cradled her tear-stained, grimy face in his hands.
“Focus on my eyes.” Gently lifting her chin, he locked gazes. “I speak peace to your mind. Peace.”
She moaned softly. Jase loosened the straightjacket but not completely.
Isaac continued with what he trusted she had ears to hear. “God’s still in control despite what’s happening right now.”
Her gaze wandered.
“Look at me.” A retilting of her head recaptured her attention. “You may feel like a worthless fish in a dry moat, dehydrated by a corrupt past. But God wants to give you new life.”
She blinked, and her eyes widened. A silent scream.
Isaac felt something pelt his back.
Terror.
Chapter 41
Isaac’s neck hair zipped to attention.
Chiara had paled like the moon, and her expression glazed with fear.
“We’re not alone, Ize.” Jase hugged her like a security blanket.
Isaac twisted around to confront who was sneaking up behind him.
Nobody. Only an unearthly chill. A whiff of existence.
“She can see it,” Jase whispered.
Chiara’s legs squirmed beneath Isaac. Her whimper crushed his heart. “Please. Don’t let it take me.”
Never. The predator that had tormented her for the past three days had earned Isaac’s hatred. He rose. Pressed his hand toward the unseen. “Whatever you are, get out!”
A ghostly mist traveled from his fingertips to his wrist and up his arm, freezing his skin.
In a chokehold of terror, Isaac searched his soul for solutions. He saw only weakness. Absolute humility. He finally understood. He didn’t have what it took to save anyone. Never would.
I can’t do this, God.
There’s power in My Name … Proclaim freedom to the captive.
Righteous anger morphed into words and hurled from Isaac’s mouth with anemic force. “In the power of Jesus Christ, my King, I command you to leave.”
Isaac froze. All six senses on high alert.
“Kiko.”
Akiko couldn’t quite make out the disjointed voice. His cheeks hurt. Someone was hitting him. Where am I?
“Wake up.” Sabio sounded muffled, as if he had on a mask.
Akiko tried to stop the slapping, but his arms were too weak. Lids feeling puffier than a blowfish, he rolled his eyes open. “Are you hitting me?”
“Not as much as I’d like to.” Hovering over him, bare-chested Sabio had his shirt covering his nose and mouth.
Does something stink?
“Do you know where you are?” His friend yanked him into sitting position.
Kiko’s insides tumbled like a landslide. “Ease up, would ya?”
“Look around.” Sabio held his head. “Is this a psychiatrist’s office?”
An upside down cross and an inverted pentagram were etched into each bordering tree. Hope’s old sandal, the one Isaac removed the morning they’d carried her in, rested against a fire pit. Both pit and sandal wore bloodstains.
The memory of walking into a hellish lair ignited fear. Akiko tensed. “Where is he?”
“He’ll be back.”
“You saw Caedis?”
“Jet-black hair. Maniac eyes …” Sabio described him to a tee. “In Latin, his name translates to murder, victims, blood. In case you wondered.”
Murder? Akiko rubbed his head, which didn’t alleviate the throbbing. “You … came after me.”
“I’m making progress. People do dumb things to save their friends.” He pulled Akiko to his feet. “Caedis had a spear. I had my pocketknife. Don’t know what scared him off.”
Hunching to relieve the cramp in his gut, Akiko saw a scattering of straight branches. All the same length.
“He had you lying in a wooden triangle.” Sabio kicked at a rag lying in the dirt. “Whatever goop is on that dishtowel had you sedated. It smells poisonous.”
No wonder he covered his nose. Hands on his knees, Kiko stretched his jaw “My face stings.”
“The goop left a rash from forehead to chin and ear to ear.”
Lovely. Unbending his weak frame, he held his stomach that was churning like a mad washer. “Something’s happened to you, Sabio.”
“I will not repeat tragedy.” The scholar pocketed his knife. “God empowered me to proclaim freedom to the captives and release the oppressed.”
Shame deepened in Kiko. He yanked the scarab beetle and chain off his neck, along with it, the tarnished drama mask pendant.
Sabio took both and tossed them into the fire pit. “We need to go.”
“In the power of Jesus … leave!”
Chiara scrunched up, trapping Jase’s hands against her burning torso. She held her breath. Waited for It to retaliate. To kill. To snatch her up. Imprison her.
The pain in her mid-section vanished, not leaving even a hint of the expected tingling. How could this be? Had Jase’s hands felt the burning coals in her solar plexus? Could he prove she wasn’t insane?
Unfolding herself, she looked up at Isaac. He’d saved her again. Embarrassment lowered her gaze. “You made it leave.”
“God made it go. Not me.”
Earlier, he had compared her to a worthless fish dehydrated by a corrupt past. But an abomination to humanity better epitomized her existence. The boys would never defend her so tenaciously if they knew the extent of her corruption. Lord Vétis had warned there was no turning back once he initiated the process. The apparition had confirmed her destiny.
Killing Vétis wouldn’t have altered my future. Still, the explosion gave him the end he deserved.
“Chiara.” Isaac hunkered in front of her. “God’s power can set you free. But you have to accept it. Trust him.”
Faith in what she coul
dn’t see. She shivered at the concept. But the alpha dog had called God his king.
Kings reign. Her mind cleared for the first time, and she understood with incomprehensible depth the power exchange that just took place. The Being her tutors had convinced her didn’t exist had been the One to shatter oppression.
Could God break open the noxious flask that held her hostage?
Her gut said to trust the Someone she couldn’t see but knew beyond a doubt existed. Maybe then the peace she saw in her island mates could be hers. She had nothing left to lose, not even a life. She was done being a slave.
Sorely aware of her stinging neck and wrists, she loosened Jase’s hands from her waist. She rolled onto her knees, desperate for a freedom no human could give or steal.
Are You really King? Hoping Isaac’s God was watching, she pressed her face to the ground. “I trust You.”
She willed her old self to die. Riki Hammad deserved death.
“I’m sorry for every bad thing I’ve done. I don’t deserve it, but save me. God, please. Save me.”
She surrendered everything to the Power that eclipsed all other powers, and sobs shook her frame. The years of suffering and shame, the only life Chiara had known, began to disengage from her soul.
Dragged through the trees, Akiko fought the mounting eruption. They reached the beach, and he vomited. Leaning against a seagrape tree, he cradled his head in both hands. “Got an aspirin?”
“No drug can cure your infection.”
Kick me while I’m down. He spit out foul tasting saliva. His head swooshed like a 7-Eleven slurpee. Major sinus freeze.
Sabio tucked away his pocketknife. “Whatever Dr. Demonic has been telling you, it’s probably all lies.”
“But he called Hope by her name.”
A fern near Akiko’s feet started speaking. I’ve been drugged. He started to black out but mercifully recovered when his friend plucked the two-way out of the plant.
“Isaac’s faulty radio was keeping me up on the suicide prevention,” Sabio said.
Akiko bent over to get blood to his head. “You think Hope’s schizoid and lying?”
“If so, her anomalous persona would take on new meaning. But no.” Sabio turned up the volume.
“Chiara …” Isaac sounded strangely emotional. “God’s power can set you free. But you have to accept it …”
Akiko frowned. “He didn’t call her Hope.”
“Amnesia?” The scholar’s no-duh expression delivered a scolding.
Confronted by confusion, Akiko listened intently to the radio program transmitted live from Mt. Merhamet whose name, according to Mr. Fletcher, meant grace—God’s solution for man’s failures.
Chiara’s repentant wailing blasted Akiko. Guilt from the pain he’d caused her weighed on his heart like a cannonball on a hatchling. “I’m such an idiot.”
“Do you still think black magic and Ouija boards are kid’s stuff?”
Dr. Caedis’s depravity shined brighter than the sun, yet Akiko couldn’t see it until now. Foolish experimenting had staged a greater box office fiasco than he’d ever imagined.
He managed to shake his head for an answer.
“Then let’s face the truth. Which I think Chiara’s just now discovering.”
Tears welled, stinging Akiko’s eyes. He’d ignored Sabio’s tough-love message long enough.
“If you say you haven’t sinned, you’re fooling yourself and calling God a liar. But if you confess your offenses to God, you can trust Him to forgive you.”
Please, let that be true. With his best friend as a witness, Akiko came clean. “I walked out on You. If You’ll take me back, I’m Yours.”
Chiara unfolded her legs and her feet tingled from lack of blood flow. Cleaning off muddy tears with her shirttail, she figured her face looked as dirty as the rest of her.
Still, she couldn’t hide her grin. “I feel like a feather.”
How could something invisible swirl through her with realer-than-real joy? Her giggling triggered a bout of contagious laughter, and the boys’ company never felt better. But their continued acceptance remained doubtful, and that sobered her up.
She wiggled her cramped foot. “I’m sorry for what I said, Wild Man. I don’t hate you.”
“I forgive you.” Isaac’s mercy wrapped her with unnerving warmth. “God forgives you, too. For everything. All you had to do was talk to Jesus with an honest heart.”
Everything? It had ordered her to slay Jase. What had it meant by our sacrifice? She shivered over the ominous.
A valley of memories, mercifully concealed, awaited future mending, for Chiara’s river of affliction ran too deep to cope with in one day, even one month.
Jase poked her knee. “What is it, princess?”
“I’m no princess.” She gestured at his face. “I did that to your eye, didn’t I?”
“All in the line of duty, ma’am.” He fingered the multi-colored puffiness.
Somebody flog me, please. Assessing her handiwork, she touched Jase’s cheek. “How can I make it up to you?”
He winced and nudged her finger off. “It was worth it, Hope. I mean, Chiara. I wouldn’t have missed this for anything. Well, parts of it maybe.”
Isaac hopped up and put a hand out to her. “Let’s go home. Sabio and Kiko are probably freaking out.”
Convinced this was the last time he’d offer it, Chiara took the safetyman’s hand.
Chapter 42
In Vétis’s line of business, failure was inexcusable—a principle he mercilessly imposed upon Lux associates.
Leaving Goatee to defile his camp, he went in search of Barbados nuts and morning glory with which to produce another cerate. Grinding enough castor bean seeds would take hours, but he must equip himself. Now that the mongrels had discovered him, he’d have limited opportunities to capture the chosen one.
He lumbered across the beach with his crude spear.
A disturbance of energy gored him like a bull, and Vétis doubled over. Only one disastrous event could bring on a force great enough to buckle his knees.
She’s crossing over. He cursed the island.
If Riki Hammad converted, her rebellion could cripple the Lux. Grand Master Rakshasa would then hunt down Vétis.
Erecting himself, he shook the spear at heaven. “I will win!” Even if he had to raise another to replace the fallen one. He shuffled on toward the catalpa trees.
Another whoosh of energy. He ducked. Swiped at the air.
Heaven’s ambassadors lifted all but a sliver of mercy from his heart.
A pack of dark-haired howler monkeys scampered out from the forest. They romped in a circle, hemming Vétis in, deafening him with their screeching.
Whipping the air with his spear, he thrust forth his pendant. “Beasts of nature, obey my command—”
A monkey leaped onto his leg. Bit his thigh.
“Aghhh!” He stabbed the animal until it dropped away, spear in its throat.
Breaking through the ring of howling Gestapo, Vétis hobbled onward. The hour of consummation still lay ahead.
“It’s not too late!”
It’s not too late. The Prince of the Air mocked his pawn. This crusade originated before the chosen one’s conception and before Vétis had begun strategizing. Riki Hammad was precious to Yahweh, and that made her worth the vicious pursuit.
Chapter 43
Akiko shambled back to the bungalow with his friend. He slumped onto the padded bench, thankful that Dr. Caedis hadn’t arranged a reception party.
Sabio set a pitcher of water and plastic tumblers on the deck table. “Until we can figure out what’s really going on, let’s keep things looking normal. Act cool.”
“Easy for you.”
Isaac, Chiara, and Jase strode toward the deck, acting a little goofy, typical behavior for Isaac and Jase when in exceptionally good moods.
Stilling the last of his shivers, Kiko stood. Crossed his arms. Stashed his hands under his armpits.
&nb
sp; From a distance, Chiara resembled a mud wrestler—grimy clothes, caked skin. Not that he’d seen her labor much with her hair, but it might take two or three shampoo sessions to purge it of dirt.
Jase formally introduced Chiara Spencer. “That’s Kee-YA-rah.” His tongue rolled on the last syllable. “It’s Italian.”
She ambled toward a chair, and the strangulation mark caught Kiko off guard. Rubbed raw and bruised, her neck mirrored that of a homicide victim.
He stiffened his jaw to keep from grimacing, determined to make up for his previous meanness. Before she could sit, he zoomed in to hug her. Grime and all. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
She didn’t hug him back, and Kiko hadn’t expected her to. But his welcoming act generated obvious surprise.
Even Isaac gestured questioningly.
“Later.” He’d explain the facial rash and altered behavior once they were alone.
Swollen-eyed Jase poured a glass of water. “You guys missed it.”
Sabio held up the two-way radio. “I overheard the significant parts. Sound effects and all. Nice shiner, McFly.”
Isaac unclipped the unit from the back of his shorts and slapped the button loose. “I’m surprised it survived.”
I know the feeling. Kiko scanned both trails, east and west, until he was satisfied Caedis wasn’t prowling.
The dutiful EMT went in and brought back an icepack for the musician’s eye. Isaac then leaned back against the bungalow wall. “So. Tell us about Chiara Spencer.”
Kiko settled his attention on the muddy mermaid and labored to untangle his feelings toward the girl.
Placing her hands flat on the cast-iron table, she pushed herself up. “I’m rather overwhelmed right now. Mind if I cleaned up first?” An undisputable request.
The tension in her features bothered Kiko. He didn’t want to believe she was schizoid.
