by A. L. Tyler
He stepped out into the hall, pulling the door shut behind him. “Is everything okay?”
“Oh, yeah…Well, everything here is fine. It’s things that aren’t here, actually…” Lena explained what Griffin had told her about Master Daray the night before, carefully leaving out the parts about him wanting her to keep the portal secret and safe. “Anyways, he’s upset. He’s not letting on, but he is. Do you think you could swing letting us drive in the sedan alone today?”
“I’ll see what I can do.” Greg nodded. You trust him? You honestly believe he’s upset by this news? The Old Faith has never been known for their warm and close family relationships.
Lena shifted uncomfortably. “He’s an uncaring jerk. But he’s a real believer as far as this whole thing with the portal goes, and where that’s concerned…yeah, I think he’s upset by this.”
Greg couldn’t get them a sedan alone, but he had talked the hesitant Representatives into letting them go in one of the older sedans if he chaperoned. Greg drove with Lena and Griffin in the backseat; Griffin didn’t say anything. He had regained his usual stoic appearance, and seemed a little indignant that Lena had gone to so much trouble for his sake. After four hours of driving, when they stopped for lunch, Lena pulled him aside while they were waiting to be seated. The restaurant was crowded and loud, so she wasn’t too concerned about being overheard, but she thought the precaution was good just for extra safety.
She lowered her voice. “I don’t know what to do.”
I don’t see how you have a choice here. You can’t give it to them.
“Please, for once, try to understand my situation!”
I understand your situation perfectly. I think you need to try to understand your situation.
Lena sighed. It was tempting to believe what Griffin was saying. He had been a good friend to her once, and possibly still was, and she believed he was concerned with her well-being. It would have been easy to believe what he was saying—following directions was so much easier than making her own decisions. She didn’t know what the right thing to do was, because the option she wanted to choose wasn’t an option at all. “When I give it to them, you’ll make sure they don’t destroy it, right? I mean, you’re taking his place on the Council when he dies. You’ll keep it safe so they don’t destroy it...”
You’re unbelievable.
He walked away, a disappointed and slightly perturbed expression on his face. Lena turned and saw that the group was being led off to a table and followed. He tried to position himself so he wouldn’t have to sit next to her, but she was too quick and grabbed the seat right next to his when he sat. For a moment he looked like he was going to get up and move, but then he seemed to realize how childish it would appear. While everyone else was maneuvering around the table, Lena took the opportunity to whisper what was really on her mind.
“There’s something else. I had another dream…except it was more like a memory.”
With an exasperated expression, Griffin glared at her. What this time?
Everyone had taken their seat, and Ava was already ordering wine. The table went quiet as they looked over the menus. From behind hers, Lena mouthed, “My dad. Egypt.”
Griffin’s eyes went from tired and annoyed to surprised. He studied her expression for a moment, then turned to his menu. After everyone had ordered and eaten, and the bill had been paid, they piled back into the vehicles and continued on to their destination. This time, Griffin drove the sedan with Lena in the passenger seat and Greg in the back. They encountered another road detour which took them off track by another ten miles. Greg had produced some official looking documents that he was looking over; after an hour of silence, Lena got an idea and pulled a pen and paper out of the travel bag that she always carried on her—it wasn’t necessary on these little trips, but a habit that had stuck around from her previous life of wandering the globe. The sedan was so old that it had a bench seat in the front, and as long as she kept the pad of paper on the seat, Greg wouldn’t be able to read what she was writing.
She scribbled her question on the pad and poked Griffin in the side. He glared at her and then looked down at the paper.
Why a memory?
He looked back up at her, then went back to driving. It’s not important.
Lena wrote on the paper again, and pushed it at Griffin. Didn’t ask if it was important. Why?
Griffin glanced down briefly, then set his eyes back on the road. I said, it’s not important. It’s surprising because I never thought you’d ever develop the capacity to tap into your memories like that…it’s a regular occurrence for strong Silenti to relive their lives in exacting detail. It’s nothing. I do it all the time. It’s probably tied to the other things you’re doing, so I’d expect your dreams are not quite as accurate as most.
He went silent. Lena sat back in her chair, staring at the back of the newer sedan in front of them. The rain was starting to come down again, hitting the car and making small pinging noises.
Have you heard from your boyfriend lately?
Lena looked over at Griffin, shocked. It wasn’t typical of Griffin to refer to Lena’s private life so directly, and in the presence of another Council Representative, none the less. She picked up the pad of paper again.
He’s not my boyfriend.
Sure. Have you heard from him?
Lena thought back to when she’d asked Howard to get her number to Devin. It had been a while, and he still hadn’t called. She suddenly realized it had been far too long—maybe Howard hadn’t been able to find him. Maybe he had forgotten. Or, maybe Devin had been one of the people that had walked out that day; if this was the case, chances were slim Lena would ever see him again. She felt a pang of guilt for leaving the relationship on such bad terms; he’d begged her not to go, and she had flat out denied him.
How did you know?
It’s a simple question, Lena, Griffin was beginning to get agitated, Have you heard from him or not?
Lena gazed uneasily in Griffin’s direction for a moment. Surely Master Daray had been keeping him informed; what did he need her input for?
No.
Not at all?
No. Why?
A cocky smirk spread across his face. He’s among the walk-outs. Just curious if he’s asking you for money yet. Just so you know, he’s not moving into Waldgrave. And you’re not giving that lazy, human-raised slob any money. I forbid it.
Lena sneered at him. Who died and made you king?
She realized she had made a very macabre mistake just as Griffin looked down at the page. He glared up at her and then stared straight out the windshield, clutching the wheel so hard that his knuckles turned white.
“Is everything okay up there?”
Lena spun around in her seat. She had almost forgotten that Greg was riding with them. His eyes danced back and forth between the two of them, bewildered; Lena smiled.
“Everything’s fine. It’s just a very emotional situation.”
He stared at her a moment longer before going back to the file he was looking over. Lena settled back into her seat. Griffin glared at her out of the corner of his eye.
He’s not allowed back. None of your friends are. It’s time you started learning to respect your own status and that of this family.
Lena picked up the notepad again, never looking at Griffin. Normally she knew not to pick a fight with Griffin when he used that tone. He could be dangerous in certain moods, and at that moment, he had the same gleam in his eye as he had the day he’d shoved her to the ground at Serafina’s wedding. But now he was driving, and Greg was only a few feet away; now he was a sitting duck.
Is this you asserting your imaginary manhood?
This time when he looked over, the car actually swerved slightly onto the shoulder. If his eyes could have burned holes in her, they probably would have.
This is me making sure you don’t make any stupid decisions, because you seem to be doing an appallingly bad job for yourself lately!
Lena was confused. She gave him a questioning look.
Oh, right, because you’ve never seen the way he looks at you? You’re just like your mother. You’re so vain, and so blind to everything around you. You think you hate it there but you don’t. You’d run off with him in a heartbeat just to prove you could. Because you think it will make you happy, and it won’t—just like your mother and the little obsessions she uses to fill up her life.
Lena crossed her arms. She most certainly didn’t feel anything of the sort for Devin. He was a friend. And she wasn’t anything like Ava! Ava was naïve, selfish, and hopeless. She was impossible. And Lena wasn’t going to let him get away with such an insult.
Better him than you.
You think so? I’d give you…well, three weeks. That’s about how long it took for your mother to get knocked up and realize she’d made a huge mistake.
He cares about me.
He cares about getting laid.
Lena was taken aback at his bluntness, but wasn’t about to let him get the upper hand by having the last word. She scribbled frantically. At least he cares.
Griffin shook his head in frustration. His upper lip curled. He was so right about you. You’re just as beautiful and the same slut your mother was.
Lena threw her pen forcefully at his face but missed by an inch. He didn’t even flinch. She wanted to hurl herself across the bench seat and strangle him.
Go ahead. I’m surprised you even have the self-control to hold off for this long.
Lena turned away toward her window. She felt tears creeping into her eyes, but was determined to keep them in. In the passenger side mirror, she saw Greg giving her a concerned look.
The weather continued to get worse; the sky darkened and the rain went from light to torrential. Twisted springs of lightening stabbed down around them, making the watery scenery flicker and jump like the image on an old television with poor reception. Lena focused her gaze on the swaying windshield wipers, back and forth, back and forth, clear, blurry, clear, blurry. It wasn’t long before she dozed off.
Lena grabbed her suitcase and followed her father out of the lobby. They ran through the streets to the bus station; the next bus to Karnak didn’t leave until morning. Aaron was looking anxious.
“Dad, it’s no big deal! We can sleep here tonight. We slept in bus stops plenty of times…”
“Not tonight. I…We already have plans for tomorrow, and I really don’t want to miss out on them. We’ve got to keep looking.”
They went back out into the dark streets. There weren’t any taxis available, but Aaron kept walking quickly, checking over his shoulder every few seconds to be sure that Lena was keeping up. Finally, they stopped. Lena was panting.
“Geez! Can’t we just get up early tomorrow, or something?”
Aaron scanned the streets as though he were looking for a magic carpet to appear and whisk them off to their hotel. The clear, husky noise of a train whistle cut through the air; a smile lit upon Aaron’s face. He started running down the street, his wheeled suitcase loudly protesting as it clattered across the even sidewalk.
“Dad!” Lena broke into a sprint to catch up with him. “What the--?”
“The railway! It’s always open, it’s always busy! We’ll catch a train!”
Ten minutes later they were standing on a platform, tickets in hand, waiting for a train that was already ten minutes late. Lena yawned. Her father smiled at her.
“What? You’re not tired?”
He shook his head, still smiling.
“Well, I am. No more late night jogs, please…”
“Oh! Now who’s being sensitive!”
Lena rolled her eyes. It really was amazing that he was so wide awake all of the sudden. He been ready to pass out when they arrived at the hotel. The train slowly moved into the station with a humming, whooshing noise. Within minutes, they were aboard and settling into their sleeping room. The train started moving again, and after about fifteen minutes, an attendant came through and pulled out the beds, asked if they would like a snack or drink from the dining car, then excused himself.
Lena yawned and sat down on the lower bunk. In the small mirror on the wall opposite, she could see the dark circles forming under her eyes.
“Going to bed?”
“Hmm.” Lena stared around at the suitcases, pushed against the wall farthest from the door. She didn’t even have the energy to change into her nightclothes.
“I think I’ll head off to the dining car and buy us some water…”
“Good idea.” Lena said.
“I’m going to lock you in, so don’t go anywhere until I get back.”
Lena blearily looked up at him. “You are so paranoid…”
“Hey. You never know who might be lurking.” He leaned down in front of her, so that their faces were on the same level. His bright blue eyes were twinkling in a way Lena had never seen them before. It was as though they were bubbling and holding too still at the same time; like the color in them was peeling away like decrepit wallpaper. It was probably the dehydration...She blinked and shook her head as he kissed her forehead. “Promise you won’t do anything I would do until I get back?”
Lena smiled. He’d learned since the incident in Gallipoli. “No betting, drinking, or sneaking off. Got it.”
Aaron smiled and ruffled her hair a little and opened the door. “Alright. Goodnight, then. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
And then he was gone. Lena laid down on the bed, exhausted. It was getting harder and harder to keep up with Aaron and his fickle need to travel all the time. She had seen ten countries in the last month, which was a new personal best. Lying flat on her back, swaying gently as the train tumbled along, she fell asleep.
“Lena!”
Lena’s eyes shot open. Griffin was holding a paper bag out at her. The car had stopped; she sat up and looked around. It was completely dark, but the pattering sound on the roof of the car told her it was still raining. Greg was gone.
“He’s eating inside, like a normal person. You’d better eat, because they’ve decided we’re going to keep going until we get there. If we wait the road might be closed by morning.”
Lena stared queasily at the paper bag. “I’m not hungry.”
Griffin heaved an annoyed sigh. “Get over it. I’m sick of you, too, if it’s any consolation.”
He threw the bag onto the seat and got out of the car. Lena was confused until she remembered they had been fighting; then she remembered the things he had said and almost relished the fact that he had taken it upon himself to stand outside the car. He stood in the rain next to the car as Lena watched him, still not quite sure what was going on as far as the travel plans went. She was incredibly grateful that Griffin had woken her up when he had—a few more moments, and she might have relived something she’d tried very hard to bury in positive memories. There was a knot growing in her stomach, and a slight headache ebbing behind her left eye. Within five minutes Greg had jumped back into the car, followed quickly by Griffin, who was by now soaking wet.
“Oh! Sorry, we didn’t want to wake you…You looked tired.”
Lena smiled weakly. “It’s okay. Just wake me up next time, okay?”
Greg beamed. “Sure. Whatever you want. Onward to Crystal City, then.”
Griffin turned the ignition and they were off. Lena loosened her seatbelt and curled into a ball. The whole world was alien to her; she couldn’t even escape into her dreams anymore. They drove on in silence for an hour, the rain slapping the windows in huge, dense blobs. The wind and lightening had stopped, but Griffin was right—the roads were getting bad. There was flooding in places, and the van actually got stuck in the mud once. The caravan pulled over at several points to discuss the situation over their cell phones; there weren’t any other hotels closer, though, and it would have been just as hazardous to turn around. They kept going. Lena was almost ready to doze off again when the sedan in front of them stopped in the middle of
the road. Lena sat up in her seat, looking at the red break lights from the van glistening on the rain glazed sedan directly in front of them. They were surrounded by scrub and trees on both sides, adding to the darkness of the night.
Greg cleared his throat and leaned forward in his seat; he had been dozing, too. “Is the road closed?”
Griffin squinted in the darkness. “I don’t know…it’s a road block of some sort. We’re almost there…It’ll be ridiculous if they make us turn around.”
Greg pulled out his cell phone and started to dial. Lena undid her seatbelt and moved closer to Griffin so that she could see what was going on; true to form, he did his best not to let her touch him in any way. A figure in a baggy rain coat walked up to the driver’s side of the van and started talking with whoever was driving. Ava must have been asleep by that point, or she surely would have been letting Lena know what was going on in a rambling, sarcastic, drunken narrative.
“Get out of the car.”
“What?” Lena looked over at Griffin, who seemed transfixed on the figure standing next to the van. He had said it with such urgency, but had only used his regular speaking voice. More people in raincoats appeared out of the darkness.
“Get out of the car!” This time he had almost yelled. He undid his seatbelt and slammed into her, fumbling for the door handle on the passenger side.
“Griffin, what are you—“
The windshield exploded with a noise like a firecracker; a scream issued forth, and Lena wasn’t even sure if it had come from her or not. She caught a brief glimpse of a man pointing a gun at the driver of the sedan in front of them before Griffin crushed her flat against the seat. She heard Greg open the back passenger side door and milliseconds later Griffin was pushing her out of the car and onto the muddy ground outside. She slid several feet on a muddy patch, and then felt someone grab her arm and start pulling her away into the trees. Rain was in her eyes and the damp air was filled with sounds of shattering, yelling, and ear-splitting gunfire. Lena rubbed her face against her arm and looked, trying to make out the figure that was hauling her away. Though very muddy, the ground had a lot of what felt like rocks, gravel, and cactus thorns; she could feel the lacerations and bruises forming on her legs, but didn’t dare make a noise. They stopped very suddenly behind a clump of bushes.
